Securing ceremonial reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan, Mongolian President pays tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on one of five days in India

New Delhi, September 20: Arriving in India ahead of the high rated scheduled business meets, Mongolian President Khaltmaagiin Battulga, being on a five day crucial visit, was accorded a ceremonial reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan this morning where President Ram Nath Kovind welcomed him officially. Later the duo together paid tribute to the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat.

 

 

The Mongolian President also met PM Narendra Modi at his official residence at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg on Friday ahead of his scheduled meet with Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu. PM Modi and President Battulga are to jointly unveil the Lord Buddha's statue at Gandan Monastery in Ulaanbaatar through video conferencing today. He is also slated to participate in an India-Mongolia Business Forum in New Delhi.

 

In the evening the visiting dignitary will meet President Ram Nath Kovind at Rashtrapati Bahavan. where the duo are expected to sign and exchange agreements in different fields following a Banquet that will be hosted by President Kovind in honour of the visiting President.

This is the first State Visit by a Mongolian President in last ten years. “The India-Mongolia Strategic Partnership is based on the ideals of freedom and democracy and on a strong foundation of our shared Buddhist heritage", said the ministry of external affairs in a press note.

 

 

Though India was among the first countries outside the Soviet Bloc to establish diplomatic ties with Mongolia in 1955, there hasn't been much progress in the bilaterals. Even something as simple as connectivity remains a problem. PM Modi visited Mongolia in 2015 marking himself the first prime minister from India to ever visit.