India inks defence cooperation pact with Mongolia

From Ashwini Shrivastava
Ulaanbaatar (PTI) - Giving a fillip to its ties
with Mongolia, India Thursday signed a defence cooperation
agreement with the northeast Asian country and announced that
it would extend a USD 20 million Line of Credit for a joint
IT, education and outsourcing centre to be set up here.
India and Mongolia also inked two pacts on media
exchanges and cooperation between their planning commissions
in the presence of President Pratibha Patil, who is here on a
three-day visit.
Patil is the first Indian President to visit Mongolia in
23 years.
After her half-an-hour restricted talks with this
country's leadership, Patil said her parleys with President
Tsakhia Elbegdorj were held in a warm, friendly and cordial
atmosphere.
"My visit seeks to strengthen our relationship, building
upon the momentum generated by the visit of President
Elbegdorj to India in September 2009, when our ties were
expanded to a comprehensive partnership," she said.
"We have signed an agreement of cooperation between the
Planning Commission of India and its Mongolian counterpart.
There is considerable expertise on plan formulation and
implementation in India. We look forward to sharing our
experience in this area with Mongolia," Patil said.
A bilateral defence cooperation agreement was also
signed, she said. "...India is willing and ready to expand
collaboration in this sphere."
Besides, she said that New Delhi will extend a Line of
Credit of USD 20 million for the 'India–Mongolia Joint
Information Technology, Education and Outsourcing Centre' to
be established here.
The two countries also discussed ways to further
cooperation in the peaceful use of radioactive minerals and
nuclear energy.
"We also agreed to explore the possibilities of
improving air connectivity between our two countries so as to
enhance contacts between our peoples, including through
tourism," Patil said.
With an MoU on media exchanges signed between the two
governments, "we can now hope to see more media persons from
Mongolia in India. We will also send more Indian journalists
here," she said.
The agreements were signed in a grand hall at the
National Assembly.
Patil, who arrived here Wednesday following her three-day
visit to South Korea, visited the historic Sukhbaatar square
Thursday and offered floral tributes to a statue of Mahatma
Gandhi here. Members of the Indian community sang a song in
praise of the Father of the Nation.
The President was given a ceremonial welcome by the
Mongolian security services personnel at the Sukhbaatar
square, which has a grand statue of Genghis Khan.
She took salute from the force during the grand ceremony
and said 'thank you' in Mongolian language, which was
applauded by a number of people present at the event,
including politicians and officials.
Mongolia is celebrating the "Year of Anniversaries",
including the 805th anniversary of the establishment of the
Great Mongolian State under the leadership of the legendary
Genghis Khan and 90th anniversary of the Mongolian
Independence and Sovereignty.
Patil stressed on reviving Mongolia's contacts with
Nalanda University, which is being rejuvenated as a regional
seat of learning and excellence, in particular of Buddhist
studies.