Shri E Ahamed, Minister of State for External Affairs paid an official visit to Mongolia to participate in the Third Meeting of the India-Mongolia Joint Committee on Cooperation from 29-31 May 2011. He was accompanied by an official-delegation. Shri Ahamed and Mr. Yo Otgonbayar, Minister of Education, Culture and Science of Mongolia co-Chaired the Third Meeting of the India-Mongolia Joint Committee on Cooperation. The Joint Committee meeting reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral relationship particularly implementation of the decisions taken during the previous two meetings of the Joint Committee and for making progress on the ground with regard to bilateral cooperation. Shri Ahamed also called on H.E Mr. Sukhbaataryn Batbold, the Prime Minister of Mongolia on 31 May and discussed matters of mutual interest.
Reconfirming that the traditional relationship between Mongolia and India in the educational and cultural sector is strengthening and rapidly growing and noting that the Indian assistance and contributions to this sector in Mongolia play significant role, both sides agreed on further broadening this cooperation. Indian side agreed on considering options of supporting certain projects with the purpose of renovation and expansion of Rajiv Gandhi Arts and Production Centre in Ulaanbaatar. Both sides noted the importance of expediting the construction of the India-Mongolia Joint School in Ulaanbaatar, for which Mongolian side will provide a suitable plot of land and the Indian side agreed to support construction of the School.
Both sides also agreed to expedite the realization of the US$ 20 million line of credit extended by India to Mongolia for establishing the ‘Joint Information Technology Education and Outsourcing Centre’ in Mongolia.
Acknowledging the importance of bilateral cooperation in the field of civil nuclear energy, both sides have indicated the need of organizing Joint Working Group meeting in 2011 for the purpose of implementing the MOU on Cooperation in the field of Peaceful Use of Radioactive Minerals and Nuclear Energy, signed in 2009.
Both sides confirmed the significance and the need of the development of cooperation in the field of agriculture. Mongolian side expressed their aspiration to study Indian expertise in processing dairy products, milk supply means and biotechnology. Mongolian side proposed to Indian side to consider possibility of setting up joint factory for processing sea-buckthorn products. The Indian side suggested to the Mongolian side to present concrete proposals in the matter.
The two sides noted the importance of furthering the bilateral cooperation in the field of defence, social welfare and labour, health and environment protection. The two sides also agreed on continuation of joint military exercise “Nomadic Elephant”, on training Mongolian personnel specialized in ecological evaluation, developing software and data processing related to the environment protection and on possibility of collaboration in the field of labour statistics, labour force analyses and brokerage.
Supporting the cooperation in the field of mineral resources and mining, both sides agreed on exploring possibilities of implementing joint projects in Mongolia.
The two sides agreed to hold the next meeting of the Mongolia-India Joint Committee on Cooperation in New Delhi in 2012.
Ulaanbaatar
