Speaker Om Birla to lead Indian parliamentary delegation to Mongolia

NEW DELHI: On the invitation of the Speaker of the State of Great Khural (Parliament) of Mongolia, Om Birla, Speaker of Lok Sabha is leading a delegation of the Parliament of India to Mongolia from July 6 to July 8, 2023, according to an official press release.

The Parliamentary delegation is visiting Mongolia after a gap of 7 years. This is the return visit of the Parliamentary delegation since the Parliament of India hosted the Mongolian Parliamentary delegation in India in December 2021.

The delegation comprises of Hon'ble Members of Parliament Rajesh Verma, Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah, Narain Dass Gupta, Rebati Tripura, and Shri Pabitra Margherita as well as Utpal Kumar Singh, Secretary General, Lok Sabha. The visit will contribute towards sustaining high-level exchanges and reinforcing the strategic partnership between India and Mongolia, the release said.

During the visit, the Speaker of Lok Sabha will be accorded a ceremonial welcome at Sukhbaatar Square, Ulaanbaatar by the Speaker of the State of Great KhuralZandanshatar Gombojav. The delegation will call on Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh, President of Mongolia and will have a bilateral Parliamentary dialogue with the Speaker of the host Parliament, Zandanshatar Gombojav. The Prime Minister of Mongolia Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai plans to call on Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.

Since the visit is coinciding with the commencement of the Nadaam festivities marking the beginning of the Mongolian New Year, Birla and the delegation are afforded a rare opportunity to participate in the Mini Nadaam celebrations hosted by Speaker of the Mongolian Parliament, Zandanshatar Gombojav, as per the release.

The delegation would visit places of cultural and historical significance and also the Headquarters of the Oil Refinery Project funded from USD 1.23 billion soft loans from the EXIM Bank of India. The Oil Refinery project is India's single most significant development project in Mongolia and is critical for Mongolia's energy security.

Birla will bestow the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) Award to Khamba Nomun Khan Mr Choijamts Demberel who is the head of Gandan monastery the highest seat of Mongolian Buddhism. The ICCR gave the award for the promotion of Buddhist Studies for the year 2022, said the press release.

The delegation is scheduled to visit the Pethub Monastery where the Hon'ble Speaker and the delegation would pay floral tributes to the statute of Mahatma Gandhi. Later, they would be interacting with the Indian community in Mongolia on July 6.