Noting the increased high-level exchanges between India and Mongolia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his counterpart Chimed Saikhanbileg on Sunday signed a memorandum of understanding on political and security partnership.
The two Prime Ministers noted how these exchanges have significantly reinforced the momentum for cooperation between the two countries and also acknowledged the importance to maintain the frequency of reciprocal visits.
They agreed to further promote the exchanges of visits at all levels, namely between the government leaders, ministers, parliamentarians and senior officials and regular political dialogue on the sidelines of multilateral events.
Both the nations agreed to further encourage institutional linkages, including parliamentary as well as governmental interactions, to hold regular dialogue on bilateral relations, other regional and global issues of mutual interest and concern through existing mechanisms such as the Joint Committee on Cooperation between India and Mongolia, policy consultations between the two Foreign Ministries and all other channels of communication.
The next meeting of the Joint Committee on Cooperation will be held in Ulaanbaatar in 2015 at a mutually convenient time.
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Both the nations said that they support the evolution of open, balanced and inclusive security architecture in the Asia Pacific region based on collective efforts, considering legitimate interests of all states of the region guided by respect for norms and principles of international law.
Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Saikhanbileg reiterated their readiness to strengthen regional as well as multilateral cooperation, including through enhanced interaction in the UN and other regional and international organizations.
The two sides stressed on the urgent need for reform of United Nations Security Council by expanding in both permanent and non-permanent categories to reflect contemporary realities and make it more representative and effective in dealing with emerging challenges.
They underscored that the year 2015, being 70th Anniversary Year of the United Nations, provided a historic opportunity to push for concrete outcomes on the unanimous call for 'early reforms' of UNSC made collectively by all Heads of States and Governments in 2005.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi dubbed his visit to Ulaanbaatar as a 'significant milestone' after India and Mongolia signed over 14 agreements to strengthen bilateral ties between the two countries.
The Prime Minister also visited the Gandantegchinlen monastery in the city, where he interacted with the Hamba Lama and gifted him a sapling of a Bodhi tree.
This was followed by a ceremonial welcome that was accorded to him at the Mongolian State Palace at the Chinggis Khaan Square, where he also signed the guestbook.
Prime Minister Modi, who arrived in Ulaanbaatar on Saturday night, is the first Indian prime minister to visit Mongolia.
