India, South Korea Strengthen Strategic Ties at 6th Security Dialogue

India and the Republic of Korea held their 6th Foreign Policy and Security Dialogue in Seoul, reviewing the entire scope of their bilateral partnership. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the Special Strategic Partnership, covering areas from trade and defense to science and culture. They noted record bilateral trade of approximately $28 billion and agreed on a concrete goal to increase it to $50 billion by 2030. The dialogue also included exchanges on regional and global issues, including the Indo-Pacific and cooperation in multilateral forums like the G20.

Key Points: India-South Korea Review Strategic Partnership at Security Dialogue

  • Reviewed full spectrum of bilateral relations
  • Set $50 billion bilateral trade target by 2030
  • Discussed cooperation in Indo-Pacific & new technologies
  • Agreed to strengthen strategic communication & high-level exchanges
3 min read

India, South Korea review ties at 6th Foreign Policy and Security Dialogue

India and South Korea reaffirm their Special Strategic Partnership, review bilateral ties, and set a $50 billion trade target by 2030 at the 6th FPSD.

"They agreed to work to further enhance the Special Strategic Partnership. - Indian Embassy in South Korea"

Seoul, February 13

India and the Republic of Korea reviewed the full spectrum of their bilateral relations and reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening the Special Strategic Partnership during the 6th India-RoK Foreign Policy and Security Dialogue.

In an X post, the Indian Embassy of South Korea said, "Secretary (East) P. Kumaran co-chaired 6th Foreign Policy and Security Dialogue (FPSD) with Park Yoon-joo and reviewed the whole gamut of the bilateral relations including sharing the views on high-level exchanges, economic and commercial issues, security, defence, S&T, Cultural and People to People ties."

It added, "They also shared their perspectives on the issues of regional and global significance and agreed to work to further enhance the Special Strategic Partnership."

Secretary (East) P Kumaran co-chaired the dialogue with Park Yoon-joo, First Vice Foreign Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea, during his official visit to Seoul from February 12 to 13, 2026.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the two sides reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral ties, including high-level exchanges, economic and commercial issues, security, defence, S&T, Cultural and people-to-people ties.

Both sides also exchanged perspectives on regional and global issues, reflecting the growing strategic convergence between the two countries in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.

Earlier on January 17, 2023, Saurabh Kumar, Secretary (East), Ministry of External Affairs, paid an official visit to the Republic of Korea (ROK) from January 16-17, 2023 to co-chair the 5th Foreign Policy and Security Dialogue (FPSD) with his ROK counterpart Cho Hyundong, First Vice Foreign Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Korea, on January 16, 2023, a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs said.

During the FPSD, both sides agreed to enhance India-ROK Special Strategic Partnership by strengthening strategic communication through regular high-level engagements, including the Foreign Minister-level Joint Commission Meeting, '2+2' dialogue involving Foreign Ministry and Defence Ministry at Vice Minister/Secretary level, other ministerial and senior official dialogues, as the two countries celebrate 50 years of establishment of diplomatic relations this year.

Both sides agreed to deepen cooperation in areas including trade and investment, security and defence, science and technology, and cultural and people-to-people exchanges, according to the statement.

The Secretary (East) informed the Korean side of the investment opportunities India offers to Korean companies in manufacturing, infrastructure, and other sectors.

The two sides agreed to work to make global supply chains more resilient and robust. They also noted that bilateral trade was at an all-time high of approximately USD 28 billion. and agreed to take concrete steps to realise the vision of reaching USD 50 billion by 2030. Both sides also discussed opportunities for cooperation in new and emerging technologies, the statement said.

FPSD provided an opportunity to share perspectives on regional and global issues, including developments on the Korean Peninsula and in the Indo-Pacific. The two sides noted that the ROK's recently announced Indo-Pacific Strategy provides an opportunity to deepen bilateral cooperation, including expanding it to new areas. They also discussed cooperation in multilateral fora. Secretary (East) briefed the ROK side about the priorities of India during its Presidency of G20. The latter appreciated India's efforts and assured it of full support for the G20's success.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
$28 billion trade is impressive! Aiming for $50 billion by 2030 seems ambitious but achievable. More cultural exchanges would be wonderful too. I love K-dramas, and I know many Koreans are fascinated by Indian culture and yoga. People-to-people ties are the real foundation.
R
Rohit P
Good to see focus on security and defence cooperation. In today's geopolitical climate, having a reliable partner in the Indo-Pacific is vital. Hope this leads to more tech transfer and joint ventures in defence manufacturing, not just imports.
S
Sarah B
While the strategic dialogue is important, I hope the discussions also touched upon ensuring fair trade practices. Sometimes there's a trade imbalance. The partnership should be mutually beneficial for small businesses and startups, not just large corporations.
V
Vikram M
Cooperation in new technologies is the key! South Korea is a leader in semiconductors and green tech. If we can collaborate on R&D and set up joint institutes, it will be a game-changer for our tech ecosystem. Jai Hind!
K
Karthik V
Regular high-level dialogues like this are essential. It shows the relationship is maturing beyond just economics to a genuine strategic partnership. Shared perspectives on the Indo-Pacific are particularly significant for regional stability.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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