Having discarded the Soviet style communism and state controlled economy following the collapse of the USSR, Mongolia of today is a young democratic country with free market economy. It seeks to ensure the security of its own existence by strictly observing the policy of neutrality due to being a landlocked country between the two influential geographic neighbours - Russia and China. Over the years internal changes in society, economy and politics have seen Mongolia coming a long way in trying to strengthen the country`s outlook-both strategic and economic- by political means. Similarly, Mongolia`s external linkages which are based on “third neighbour” foreign policy too are influenced by national interest at the first place, i.e., strengthening its internal and external security. In other words, the new foreign policy guided Mongolia to take a resolute stand while discarding dependence on Russia or China and reaching out to countries that can counterbalance the inclinations and serve as a check on the economic, political, and strategic ambitions of Moscow and Beijing. Mongolia believes that the ‘diverse foreign economic and trade relations are an element of broader stability’. This is relevant given that Mongolia possesses abundant natural resources, including Asia’s largest copper mine and massive uranium deposits, which point to a promising future in terms of economic growth.
It is in this context that this book provides Indian viewpoints, particularly of young research scholars, on the developments taking place in Mongolia by taking into consideration country`s internal changes and external linkages. The book, as such, is another addition to the slender collection of literature on Mongolian studies in particular and Inner Asian studies in general which will be an asset for the researchers, students, think-tanks and policy makers.

About the Author

SHARAD K SONI, Ph.D. is Professor and Director of Area Studies Programme at the Centre for Inner Asian Studies, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. He is also Deputy Director at the UGC-Human Resource Development Centre (formerly Academic Staff College), Jawaharlal Nehru University. He specializes in Inner Asian history, culture and politics with particular focus on Mongolia, Central Asia and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China. He has to his credit five books, three monographs and over 80 articles/research papers/chapters published in scholarly journals and edited volumes. His major publications include Mongolia in the 21st Century: Society, Culture and International Relations (New Delhi and London: Pentagon, 2010) [Co-edited]; Modern Mongolia: A Concise History (New Delhi, 2007) [Co-author]; Mongolia-China Relations: Modern and Contemporary Times (New Delhi, 2006); Mongolia-Russia Relations: Kiakhta to Vladivostok (Delhi, 2002); Reign of Terror in Mongolia, 1920-1990 (New Delhi, 1992) [Co-author]. In recognition of his contribution to the development of relations between Mongolia and India as well as Mongolian Studies, Prof. Soni has recently been awarded the Order of Nairamdal(Friendship), the Mongolian State Award by the decree of the President of Mongolia (2015).He has also been a recipient of ASIA Fellows Award (2005) from Asian Scholarship Foundation (ASF), Bangkok (Thailand). His academic assignments abroad include Visiting Professor at Eurasian National University, Astana, Kazakhstan (2013 & 2014); Visiting Scholar at Mongolian Academy of Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (2011); and Visiting Faculty at School of International Studies, Peking University, Beijing, China (2005-06). He has served as Assistant Editor, Himalayan and Central Asian Studies (1997-2011), and is presently serving as Book Review Editor (South Asia), Asian Ethnicity Journal (Routledge). He is also Joint Secretary, Association of ASIA Scholars (an Asia-wide Network of ASF Alumni Fellows).