Hon’ble Minister for Education of Mongolia HE Mr P Naranbayar, HE Mr Enkhbayar, the 3rd President of Mongolia, Hon’ble Members of Parliament, respected ITEC Alumni, Friends of India, Distinguished guests.
San Bainu/Namaskar/Good Evening
It is my privilege and honour to welcome you all to the Annual Gathering of Mongolian Alumni of ITEC Scholarship Programme. India and Mongolia are strategic partners and spiritual brothers.
The Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme, ITEC for short, is the leading capacity building platform of the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. Instituted in 1964, ITEC is one of the oldest institutionalized arrangements for international capacity building having trained more than 200,000 officials from 160+ countries in both the civilian and in the Defence Sector. ITEC is administered by the Development Partnership Administration-II Division of the Ministry of External Affairs. I am happy that the programme has completed 70 years of its successful existence. ITEC Programme consists of Course Fees, Airfare, Daily Allowance, Lodging and Boarding.
Building on India's vast and rich network of governance and development related expertise available in higher educational institutions and training facilities, ITEC offers nearly 10,000 fully-funded in-person training opportunities through nearly 400 courses offered at 100+ eminent institutes in India each year.
Since 2014, India has offered close to 100,000 world-class capacity building trainings and scholarships at premier institutions in India, along with a chance to experience the culture and hospitality of India. Even during the disruptions occasioned by the COVID pandemic, the ITEC programme continued with its commitment to share India's development experience with the world, providing online healthcare and governance related trainings to nearly 10,000 professionals through digital platforms.
Apart from our regular calendar-based training programmes, India also responds to country-specific requests for training in specific areas of governance by organizing customized training programmes which are designed and delivered by the leading institutions in India. I recall that in the month of February 2024 .I met 19 ITEC scholars from the Mongol Refinery who had come to India for a specialized course at the prestigious Engineers India Limited.
Today, ITEC utilizes a bouquet of varied modalities to meet its mandate of capacity building. Even as we have re-commenced in-person (or on-campus) courses, we have also introduced modalities like eITEC (for online trainings using digital delivery platforms), ITEC-Executive (short-term policy-focused, in-person trainings for senior government executives), ITEC-Onsite and ITEC-Expert (onsite capacity building assignments carried out by Indian experts) in the words of the Prime Minister of India HE Mr. Narendra Modi, India’s offer of development aid and our development model are guided by the developmental requirements of partner countries. Our focus has always been on Capacity Building and Resource Development.
I am glad to share that over last several decades, India has been able to assist our strategic partner and spiritual brother Mongolia for capacity building in various fields. At the same time, India has also become as strong and reliable developmental partner through 3 big projects:
a) India’s single largest project of assistance to ensure energy security for Mongolia with ongoing construction of USD 1.236 billion Oil Refinery in Dornogobi,
b) Construction of US 20 million specialized Centre of Excellence in IT, Communication and Outsourcing with Mongolian University of Science and Technology in UB City
c) Ongoing construction of India-Mongolia Secondary Friendship School in Zaisaan.
Under ITEC programme, for 2023-24, around 13000 scholarships are on offer in about 350, short-term and long-term programmes in about 100 premier Indian institutes in India to 160 partner countries, including Mongolia, in various areas of civilian and defence competencies. Mongolia is one of the largest beneficiaries with about 250 scholarships under ITEC & ICCR. If Mongolia needs more scholarship slots , India will be happy to increase it next year when we celebrate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of Diplomatic relations between India and Mongolia.
During the last 5 to 7 decades about 3500 Mongolians have benefited from the programme. The most prominent of those are Mr Damdinyam, Justice Mr Odbayar, Justice Mr Bayasgalan, State Secretary Ministry of Defence ,Gen Gankhuyag, Economist of Mongol Bank and many others, who all now occupy high positions in the Mongolian government.
The ITEC programme is based on the Indian Principle of Vasdhaivaa Kutumnbakam i.e the World is a Family and we should help each other to progress. It is also in line with India’s foreign policy of south south cooperation. I request all the ITEC Alumni to pass on the information of the ITEC programme to your friends, family members, relatives and Colleagues so that they too can get suitable benefit of the programme. I also request you all to implement the knowledge gained by you in the ITEC programme for the progress and development of Mongolian people.
Shortly, you would all be hearing about the personal experiences from some of the ITEC alumni. I would request, urge and implore on all you to play an active role as the Brand Ambassadors of India and further intensify powerful link between India and Mongolia; to become a catalyst for expand our economic & digital cooperation and our traditional friendship.
Before concluding, I reiterate that India is ready to partner with Mongolia for promoting socio-economic development; for improving human & resource capital by assisting in capacity building to fast track its economic development. I invite you all to follow Embassy’s Facebook page / Twitter / Instagram and to share with us your valuable suggestions on further improving the ITEC scholarship programme & study courses
Happy ITEC Day.
Before Concluding I will say a couplet which I have penned today morning-
- India – Mongolia
Our future is turning brighter,
Our relations are going higher,
Our partnership is getting deeper and
Our bond of friendship is growing stronger.
Long live the friendship between India and Mongolia
Thank you Bayarllala
