Jaishankar in Mongolia: India and Mongolia are strategic partners, spiritual siblings
Synopsis
EAM Jaishankar’s Ulaanbaatar visit goes beyond diplomatic ritual — at its core is a USD 1.7 billion oil refinery in Dornogovi Province, India’s single largest soft Line of Credit project in the world. The ‘spiritual siblings’ framing signals that New Delhi sees Mongolia not just as a strategic asset but as a civilisational partner in its expanding neighbourhood diplomacy.
Key Takeaways
Jaishankar visited Ulaanbaatar on Monday, 22 June and held talks with Mongolia’s Foreign Minister Battsetseg Batmunkh .
Jaishankar described India and Mongolia as ‘strategic partners and spiritual siblings,’ citing civilisational, democratic, and people-to-people ties.
The USD 1.7 billion oil refinery at Altanshiree, Dornogovi Province is India’s largest soft Line of Credit project globally.
The visit reviewed outcomes from talks between PM Modi and President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh during the latter’s India visit last year.
India and Mongolia marked 70 years of diplomatic relations last year.
Jaishankar also met the Speaker of the State Great Khural, the Education Minister, and former President Nambaryn Enkhbayar .
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Monday described India and Mongolia as “strategic partners and spiritual siblings” following high-level talks in Ulaanbaatar, underscoring the depth of a bilateral relationship rooted in civilisational ties, democratic values, and shared development aspirations.
What Jaishankar Said
“India and Mongolia, we are strategic partners, we are also spiritual siblings. Our relationship is rooted in deep civilisational and spiritual linkages, shared democratic values, strong development aspirations and strong people-to-people ties,” Jaishankar said in a press statement after his meeting with Battsetseg Batmunkh, Mongolia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs.
The two sides reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral cooperation, with the Minister noting that the visit also served to follow up on outcomes from talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh during the latter’s visit to India last year.
The Oil Refinery: India’s Biggest Soft LoC Project Globally
At the centre of the development partnership is an oil refinery project at Altanshiree in Dornogovi Province, being constructed with a USD 1.7 billion soft Line of Credit extended by the Government of India. Jaishankar described it as “the most important project” in the bilateral development partnership.
Notably, this is India’s largest soft Line of Credit initiative anywhere in the world — a signal of the strategic weight New Delhi assigns to its ties with Ulaanbaatar. The two countries celebrated the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations last year.
Parliamentary and People-to-People Ties
Jaishankar also met the Speaker of the State Great Khural, Dashzegve Amarbayasgalan, and welcomed his support for India-Mongolia parliamentary exchanges. In a post on X, the Minister wrote that he “reiterated support to deepening our people-centric development partnership.”
He additionally interacted with Mongolia’s Minister of Education, L. Enkh-Amgalan, and former President Nambaryn Enkhbayar, “valuing their support for deepening our Strategic Partnership.”
Call on President Khurelsukh
Jaishankar called on President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh and conveyed greetings from President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Modi. He noted full agreement with the President’s view that “the greatest friendship is spiritual friendship,” and expressed commitment to advancing cooperation across a wide range of sectors.
The visit reinforces India’s Act East policy and its sustained engagement with landlocked Mongolia — a country that shares no border with India but has emerged as a meaningful partner in New Delhi’s broader neighbourhood diplomacy. Further sectoral cooperation and follow-up on the Altanshiree refinery timeline are expected in the coming months.
Point of View
And India’s USD 1.7 billion oil refinery commitment is as much about strategic positioning as development partnership. What mainstream coverage underplays is that this is India’s largest soft LoC anywhere in the world, a fact that reframes the relationship from warm words to hard infrastructure stakes. With China deepening its economic footprint across Central Asia, India’s sustained engagement in Ulaanbaatar is a quiet but meaningful counter-presence. The test will be whether the Altanshiree refinery delivers on schedule — delays would undercut the credibility of India’s development partnership narrative.
NationPress
23 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did EAM Jaishankar say about India-Mongolia relations?
Jaishankar described India and Mongolia as ‘strategic partners and spiritual siblings,’ saying the relationship is rooted in civilisational and spiritual linkages, shared democratic values, and strong people-to-people ties. He made the remarks after bilateral talks with Mongolia’s Foreign Minister Battsetseg Batmunkh in Ulaanbaatar on Monday.
What is the India-Mongolia oil refinery project?
It is a refinery being built at Altanshiree in Dornogovi Province, Mongolia, funded through a USD 1.7 billion soft Line of Credit extended by the Government of India. It is India’s largest soft LoC project anywhere in the world and the centrepiece of the bilateral development partnership.
Why did Jaishankar visit Mongolia?
One key purpose of the visit was to review progress on outcomes from talks between PM Modi and Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh during the President’s visit to India last year. Jaishankar also held meetings with Mongolia’s Foreign Minister, Speaker of Parliament, Education Minister, and former President Nambaryn Enkhbayar.
How long have India and Mongolia maintained diplomatic relations?
India and Mongolia celebrated the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations last year, reflecting a long-standing bilateral engagement that has deepened into a formal Strategic Partnership.
Who did Jaishankar meet during his Ulaanbaatar visit?
Jaishankar met Foreign Minister Battsetseg Batmunkh, Speaker Dashzegve Amarbayasgalan, Education Minister L. Enkh-Amgalan, former President Nambaryn Enkhbayar, and called on President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh, conveying greetings from President Droupadi Murmu and PM Modi.
