When Narendra Modi touches down in Mongolia on Sunday, it will be the first time an Indian prime minister is ever paying a visit to the Northeast Asian country. To some, the trip comes as a surprise. The primary focus of Modi’s three-nation tour is the other two destinations, China and South Korea, countries that share strong economic and political ties with India. Why include Mongolia in the mix then? What exactly is the significance of the birthplace of Genghis Khan in India’s foreign relations?
Some believe Modi is spending two days in Mongolia during his latest foreign excursion to send out a subtle message to Beijing – while you make frequent forays into South Asia, we’ll make friends in your immediate neighbourhood. Others point to the vast mineral resources and uranium deposits in Mongolia, which is keenly searching for partners to exploit this enormous wealth.
Religion solidified bond
Landlocked between Russia to the north and China on the other three sides, Mongolia is a vast country with a population of about 3 million, the majority of whom live in the capital Ulaanbaatar. Sandwiched between two giants, Mongolia has evolved the concept of the “third neighbour”. While it strikes a balance between the two geographic neighbours and avoids domination by either, it seeks out friends or “virtual neighbours” in other regions, both in the West and in Asia.
Mongolia has had excellent relations with India ever since they first established diplomatic ties in 1955 – India was in fact the first country outside the Soviet bloc to do so. A few years later, India backed Mongolia’s membership in the United Nations while Taiwan and China were united in opposition. In the 1970s, when even the Soviet Union was standing back in hesitation, Mongolia was the second country after Bhutan to recognise Bangladesh. Still, it was not a strategic convergence but religion that solidified the bond.
In one of those inspired decisions made occasionally by the government, India sent out a political appointee, a former Member of Parliament as Ambassador to Ulaanbaatar. The former MP Kushak Bakula also happened to be the Head Lama of Ladakh and was recognised as one of the greatest scholars of Tibetan language and Buddhist studies.
In the late 1980s, this had little import for the Communist regime in Ulaanbaatar. The Communists had wiped out Buddhism from Mongolia, burning scriptures, destroying monasteries and driving out monks. Before this obliteration, Mongolia had more than 300 monasteries and about a third of its male population were monks. By 1990 there was just one monastery, Gandan, and a handful of government-appointed monks left. The knowledge of Buddhist thought and practices was lost.
Monk and ambassador
This changed once Mongolia developed into a multi-party democracy after a peaceful revolution in 1990. The revolution was Mongolian style: the main square in Ulaanbaatar was packed with pro-democracy protestors and, as the situation grew more fraught, late night meetings were held and the Politburo was persuaded to resign. At first the economic adjustment to market reforms was difficult but then a strong nationalistic pride developed.
In the wake of the revolution, along with freedom of religion came restoration of old symbols and icons as well as a revival of interest in Buddhism. The Mongolians follow the same Mahayana school of Buddhism as the people of Ladakh, and this is where Kushak Bakula came in.
He is credited with reviving Buddhism in Mongolia. He took Buddhist scriptures to Mongolia and set up a school for Buddhist learning in Ulaanbaatar. He sent newly ordained monks to India to study Buddhism at Sarnath and Dharamshala, and invited Buddhist teachers to visit Mongolia. He travelled through the vast country, giving lectures and discourses. Old-timers were said to prostrate themselves before him and young Mongolians sought autographs and blessings – usually a red thread tied around the wrist. During the pro-democracy protests in Ulaanbaatar, he is believed to have advised the demonstrators to remain non-violent.
In 1993, on his personal urging, the Indian government allowed the holy relics of the Buddha (housed in the National Museum in New Delhi) to be displayed outside India for the first time. Mongolians, from the president to herders from remote places, queued up for a darshan. Even after he completed his six-year diplomatic assignment, Kushak Bakula retained strong ties with Mongolia till he died at the age of 87 on November 6, 2003.
Long overdue visit
The Buddhist link between Mongolia and India has been in place for 2,500 years, but the connection exists at different levels in contemporary times. People from Mongolia often travel to India to visit the Buddhist sites. Hindi films are popular in the country and the television serial Mahabharat, dubbed in Mongolian, was once a great favourite.
Modi’s visit will add another layer to this texture. It comes on the 60th anniversary of the establishment of India-Mongolia diplomatic relations and in the 25th year of Mongolia adopting a democratic system. His first engagement in Ulaanbaatar will be a visit to the Gandan Monastery, where a sapling of the Bodhi tree will be presented to the Chief Abbot. As a special gesture, the Mongolian Parliament will meet on Sunday, a holiday, for an address by Modi.
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Some believe Modi is spending two days in Mongolia during his latest foreign excursion to send out a subtle message to Beijing – while you make frequent forays into South Asia, we’ll make friends in your immediate neighbourhood. Others point to the vast mineral resources and uranium deposits in Mongolia, which is keenly searching for partners to exploit this enormous wealth.
Religion solidified bond
Landlocked between Russia to the north and China on the other three sides, Mongolia is a vast country with a population of about 3 million, the majority of whom live in the capital Ulaanbaatar. Sandwiched between two giants, Mongolia has evolved the concept of the “third neighbour”. While it strikes a balance between the two geographic neighbours and avoids domination by either, it seeks out friends or “virtual neighbours” in other regions, both in the West and in Asia.
Mongolia has had excellent relations with India ever since they first established diplomatic ties in 1955 – India was in fact the first country outside the Soviet bloc to do so. A few years later, India backed Mongolia’s membership in the United Nations while Taiwan and China were united in opposition. In the 1970s, when even the Soviet Union was standing back in hesitation, Mongolia was the second country after Bhutan to recognise Bangladesh. Still, it was not a strategic convergence but religion that solidified the bond.
In one of those inspired decisions made occasionally by the government, India sent out a political appointee, a former Member of Parliament as Ambassador to Ulaanbaatar. The former MP Kushak Bakula also happened to be the Head Lama of Ladakh and was recognised as one of the greatest scholars of Tibetan language and Buddhist studies.
In the late 1980s, this had little import for the Communist regime in Ulaanbaatar. The Communists had wiped out Buddhism from Mongolia, burning scriptures, destroying monasteries and driving out monks. Before this obliteration, Mongolia had more than 300 monasteries and about a third of its male population were monks. By 1990 there was just one monastery, Gandan, and a handful of government-appointed monks left. The knowledge of Buddhist thought and practices was lost.
Monk and ambassador
This changed once Mongolia developed into a multi-party democracy after a peaceful revolution in 1990. The revolution was Mongolian style: the main square in Ulaanbaatar was packed with pro-democracy protestors and, as the situation grew more fraught, late night meetings were held and the Politburo was persuaded to resign. At first the economic adjustment to market reforms was difficult but then a strong nationalistic pride developed.
In the wake of the revolution, along with freedom of religion came restoration of old symbols and icons as well as a revival of interest in Buddhism. The Mongolians follow the same Mahayana school of Buddhism as the people of Ladakh, and this is where Kushak Bakula came in.
He is credited with reviving Buddhism in Mongolia. He took Buddhist scriptures to Mongolia and set up a school for Buddhist learning in Ulaanbaatar. He sent newly ordained monks to India to study Buddhism at Sarnath and Dharamshala, and invited Buddhist teachers to visit Mongolia. He travelled through the vast country, giving lectures and discourses. Old-timers were said to prostrate themselves before him and young Mongolians sought autographs and blessings – usually a red thread tied around the wrist. During the pro-democracy protests in Ulaanbaatar, he is believed to have advised the demonstrators to remain non-violent.
In 1993, on his personal urging, the Indian government allowed the holy relics of the Buddha (housed in the National Museum in New Delhi) to be displayed outside India for the first time. Mongolians, from the president to herders from remote places, queued up for a darshan. Even after he completed his six-year diplomatic assignment, Kushak Bakula retained strong ties with Mongolia till he died at the age of 87 on November 6, 2003.
Long overdue visit
The Buddhist link between Mongolia and India has been in place for 2,500 years, but the connection exists at different levels in contemporary times. People from Mongolia often travel to India to visit the Buddhist sites. Hindi films are popular in the country and the television serial Mahabharat, dubbed in Mongolian, was once a great favourite.
Modi’s visit will add another layer to this texture. It comes on the 60th anniversary of the establishment of India-Mongolia diplomatic relations and in the 25th year of Mongolia adopting a democratic system. His first engagement in Ulaanbaatar will be a visit to the Gandan Monastery, where a sapling of the Bodhi tree will be presented to the Chief Abbot. As a special gesture, the Mongolian Parliament will meet on Sunday, a holiday, for an address by Modi.