New Delhi: Union Minister of Culture and Tourism, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, said on Thursday that exchanges between India and Mongolia have extended beyond religion to fields including literature and philosophy, reflecting centuries of shared civilizational bonds.
He made the remarks at the two-day international conference “Cultural Interflow between India and Mongolia”, organized by the Department of Brihattar Bharat and Area Studies at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) to mark 70 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
A special exhibition showcasing Mongolian culture was also inaugurated on the occasion and will remain open to the public at IGNCA’s Darshanam Gallery until February 25, according to an official statement.
Shekhawat highlighted the significance of the Mongolian Kangyur, describing it as an important record of linguistic and philosophical scholarship. He said its preservation and digitization strengthen civilizational dialogue and cultural diplomacy. The minister also recalled Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2015 visit to Mongolia, noting India’s role as a “spiritual neighbor.”
Vivek Agarwal, Secretary, Ministry of Culture, said India and Mongolia are building a partnership grounded in shared civilizational memory and cultural kinship. He noted cooperation in strategic sectors, including oil refinery projects, defense, education, and initiatives for manuscript preservation, such as the dissemination of the Mongolian Kangyur. Projects like Project Mausam and Project Brihattar Bharat are documenting shared intangible heritage for multinational recognition at UNESCO.
Ambassador Ganbold Dambajav of Mongolia called India a key regional partner and emphasized Buddhism as a central shared value. He appreciated India’s support in the translation and preservation of classical Buddhist texts, including the Kangyur and Tengyur, and highlighted the expanding partnership between the two nations.
The conference brought together 31 scholars from India, Mongolia, the USA, France, and other countries, with 75 research papers presented over two days.
