India-Mongolia ties not of convenience but of trust, spiritual strength: Swaraj

India and Mongolia share a unique partnership which is not of convenience but a relationship of "trust and spiritual strength", External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today said.

Swaraj in her keynote speech at the 100th birth anniversary of the Venerable 19th Kushok Bakula Rinpoche, said the spiritual connection through Buddhism provides strength to the relationship between the two countries.

Kushok Bakula was not only an eminent Buddhist leader, but also the longest serving Ambassador of India to Mongolia.

Kushok Bakula served as India's Ambassador to Mongolia from 1990 - 2000. He also served as a minister in Jammu and Kashmir.

The event marked his contribution to the promotion of Buddhism in Mongolia and to the deepening of civilisational and spiritual bonds between the two countries.

"India and Mongolia share a unique partnership. The spiritual connection through Buddhism provides strength to our relationship. It is not a partnership of convenience but a relationship of trust and spiritual strength," she said.

Swaraj said in its engagement with Mongolia, India is revitalising Buddhism as a strong symbol of civilisational connection transcending into modern times.

Swaraj, who arrived here yesterday on a two-day visit, is the first Indian foreign minister to visit the resource-rich country in 42 years.

"In our own small way, we are trying to work with our Mongolian friends to protect and preserve our Buddhist heritage," she said.

Mongolia is a predominantly Buddhist nation with over 50 per cent of its population following Buddhism.

She said Buddhism is a great connector of civilisations since millenia.

"Kushok Bakula had dedicated his life to the service of people. He is a highly revered figure in Mongolia. He was a proud embodiment of India's age-old Buddhist traditions and our message to the world of peace, amity and humanism," she said.

Earlier, Swaraj and Mongolian Foreign Minister D Tsogtbaatar presided over the 6th Session of the Indian-Mongolia Joint Committee on Cooperation and discussed economic cooperation in areas such as infrastructure development, energy, services and IT.

Swaraj said India sees Mongolia as a factor of stability in East Asia and believes that Mongolia's social and economic development is important for peace and prosperity in the region.

She said India also encourage students from Mongolia to visit the country for further study and research in the field of Buddhist studies.