India and South Korea Deepen Strategic Partnership: Discussions on Defence, Tech, and Maritime Cooperation

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held talks with a delegation of special envoys from the Republic of Korea (RoK), led by former Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum, focusing on reinforcing the strategic partnership between India and South Korea. Key areas of discussion included economy, technology, defense, maritime security, and initiatives to promote greater people-to-people exchanges. Jaishankar provided updates on the meeting via his official X account, highlighting the range of collaborative opportunities discussed, including economic, technological, defense, and maritime cooperation. The discussions also covered ways to expand cultural and social exchanges between the two nations. This meeting took place amidst ongoing efforts to intensify cooperation in various sectors, including green hydrogen, shipbuilding, investment, semiconductors, and regional security, specifically in the Indo-Pacific region. Before the official visit, Indian Ambassador to South Korea Amit Kumar also met with Kim Boo-kyum. The South Korean delegation comprised Representative Lee Kai Ho and Democratic Party of Korea’s Supreme Council Member Song Sun-ho. Discussions focused on the multifaceted Special Strategic Partnership, with both sides exploring methods to enhance ties in areas such as peace, prosperity, and regional connectivity. The meeting follows a recent gathering between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung in Canada last month, where both leaders committed to collaborate in trade, investment, green energy, and emerging technologies. Earlier initiatives such as Korea Plus have been put in place to encourage Korean investments in India, while a Korea-India SME and Start-up Centre was established in Gurugram in 2019. As of June 2023, South Korea’s total foreign direct investment (FDI) in India amounted to USD 8.02 billion.