7th meeting of India-Mongolia Joint Committee on Cooperation focuses on bilateral relations
Dec 03, 2020
New Delhi [India], December 3 : The seventh meeting of the India-Mongolia Joint Committee on Cooperation was held virtually on Thursday between External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr S Jaishankar and Chief Cabinet Secretary of Mongolia L Oyun-Erdene, wherein the two ministers held comprehensive discussions on the range of issues covering bilateral cooperation.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) release, during the meeting, the ministers recalled the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Mongolia in May 2015, and Mongolia President Khaltmaagiin Battulga's visit to India in September 2019.
Both sides further expressed satisfaction over the arrangement of several special flights between the two countries, and exchanged views of possible cooperation in combating COVID-19, including procurement by Mongolia in the future of COVID-19 vaccine from India.
The two ministers also positively evaluated the coordination between the two countries in regional and multilateral forums and agreed to continue to support each other in relevant international forums. The Indian side welcomed the decision by Mongolia to join the International Solar Alliance (ISA), and agreed that this initiative would further promote the use of clean energy in both countries and the world.
Jaishankar and L Oyun-Erdene acknowledged that this year marked the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Mongolia, and noted with satisfaction that the relationship between the two countries had grown deeper and stronger, especially in the last few years.
"The two sides agreed to establish AYUSH Information Cell in Ulaanbaatar at an early date. The Indian side conveyed its appreciation on the institution by Mongolia of a 'visa on arrival' status for Indian citizens," read the release.
The Ministers also reviewed the progress of ongoing developmental partnership projects including the USD 1.236 billion Line of Credit Oil Refinery Project and the USD 20 million Atal Bihari Vajpayee Centre of Excellence in ICT and Outsourcing.
The two sides agreed to hold the next meeting of the India-Mongolia Joint Committee on Cooperation in 2021.
