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India, South Korea to Boost Strategic Ties at 6th Foreign Policy Dialogue

P. Kumaran, Secretary in India's MEA, will visit South Korea to co-chair the 6th Foreign Policy and Security Dialogue with counterpart Park Yoon-joo. This follows the 5th Dialogue in January, where both nations agreed to enhance their Special Strategic Partnership across multiple fronts. Key agreements included deepening cooperation in trade, investment, security, defense, and new technologies, with a goal to raise bilateral trade to $50 billion by 2030. The dialogues also cover regional issues, including the Korean Peninsula and Indo-Pacific strategy, and multilateral cooperation, including India's G20 presidency.

Key Points: India-South Korea 6th Foreign Policy Dialogue Co-Chaired

  • 6th Foreign Policy Dialogue in Seoul
  • Strengthen Special Strategic Partnership
  • Boost trade to $50B by 2030
  • Deepen defense & tech cooperation
  • Discuss Indo-Pacific & G20 priorities
2 min read

P. Kumaran to co-chair 6th India-South Korea Foreign Policy dialogue

P. Kumaran to co-chair 6th India-South Korea Foreign Policy dialogue, building on recent talks to enhance strategic partnership and trade.

"Both sides agreed to enhance India-ROK Special Strategic Partnership by strengthening strategic communication - Ministry of External Affairs"

New Delhi, February 10

P. Kumaran, Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, will undertake an official visit to the Republic of Korea from February 12 to 13. During his visit, he will co-chair the 6th Foreign Policy and Security Dialogue with his ROK counterpart, Park Yoon-joo, First Vice Foreign Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Korea, according to a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs.

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 Defense 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, as well as cultural and people-to-people exchanges, as per the statement.

Secretary (East) informed the Korean side about the opportunities India offers to Korean companies for investments 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 USD 28 billion approx. and agreed to take concrete steps to realise the vision of taking it to 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 the situation on the Korean Peninsula and in the Indo-Pacific region. 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 its full support in the success of the G20.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
Good to see consistent high-level engagement. The $50 billion trade target by 2030 is ambitious but achievable if we can attract more Korean manufacturing plants here. The focus on resilient supply chains is key in today's geopolitics.
P
Priya S
While the strategic talks are important, I hope they also discuss easier visa processes for students and professionals. So many Indian techies want to work with Korean companies, and more cultural exchanges would be wonderful, especially with K-pop being so popular here!
R
Rohit P
The '2+2' dialogue involving defence is the most significant part. In a volatile Indo-Pacific, having a strong defence partner like ROK, which also faces challenges from North Korea, aligns with our security interests. Jai Hind.
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Michael C
As an observer, I appreciate the mature and forward-looking nature of this partnership. Both democracies focusing on trade, tech, and regional stability is a net positive for the global order. The G20 coordination mentioned is particularly timely.
K
Kavya N
It's great to celebrate 50 years of ties. But I have a respectful criticism: these dialogues often sound repetitive. I'd like to see more public disclosure on what specific "concrete steps" will be taken to reach the $50B trade goal. Transparency would build more public support.
V
Vikram

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

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