Meeting Prime Minister Chimed Saikhanbileg, Modi praised the resource-rich nation as ‘the new bright light of democracy in our world’ and said the two were ‘closely linked to the future of the Asia-Pacific region’.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks on Sunday with his counterpart during a visit to Mongolia, with the two nations upgrading relations as Delhi tries to strengthen its influence in China’s backyard.
Other agreements included a US$1 billion line of credit from India to support the expansion of Mongolia’s infrastructure, and promises to deepen cooperation on border security and defense, reports The Straits Times.
Mongolia is seeking to counterbalance China’s growing influence in the landlocked nation. The leaders signed a joint statement upgrading relations to a ‘strategic partnership’, just a year after Mongolia and China reached a similar agreement.
