ABOUT THE BOOK
fjrigjwwe9r0pp_Books:Description
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 Author
fjrigjwwe9r0pp_Books:aboutAuthor
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).