SEOUL: India and the Republic of Korea (RoK) have significantly upgraded their strategic partnership by signing a series of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) spanning defence cyber security, military training, and joint technological innovation.
The agreements were exchanged following wide-ranging, comprehensive bilateral discussions between Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and South Korean Minister of National Defence Ahn Gyu-back in Seoul.
Expanding the Strategic Footprint
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Institutional Linkages: Key agreements were signed to promote cooperation in Defence Cyber frameworks. Additionally, institutional ties were solidified through a training partnership between India’s National Defence College (NDC) and the Korea National Defence University (KNDU), alongside enhanced agreements on UN Peacekeeping Cooperation.
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Geopolitical Alignment: Both ministers reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral ties, noting a strong convergence between India’s Act East Policy and South Korea’s regional strategic vision to maintain a free, open, and rule-based Indo-Pacific.
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The KIND-X Initiative: Discussions focused on unlocking the potential of the India-Korea Defence Innovation Accelerator Ecosystem (KIND-X), designed to synergize the startup, MSME, and semiconductor capabilities of both nations.
Industrial Co-Development & Corporate Tie-ups
During the visit, Rajnath Singh chaired the India-RoK Defence Industry Business Roundtable, urging South Korean defence giants to leverage India’s massive scale and skilled talent pool. He emphasized that future warfare will be defined by advanced electronics, AI, autonomous systems, and space-based platforms rather than just conventional hardware.
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L&T and Hanwha Pact: Solidifying this industrial push, two key agreements were signed between India’s Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and South Korea’s Hanwha Co. Ltd. to facilitate tech transfers, capacity building, and joint manufacturing.
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Meeting with DAPA: The Defence Minister also met with Lee Yong-chul, Minister of the Defence Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), to establish reliable supply chain partnerships for joint global exports.
The Vision of a Decisive India
Addressing the Indian diaspora in Seoul, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh highlighted India’s transformed global stature and its aggressive stance on national security.
“While India remains firmly committed to its ‘No First Use’ policy as a responsible nuclear power, it will not tolerate any form of nuclear blackmail. This is New India.” — Rajnath Singh, Defence Minister
He further highlighted India’s soaring domestic capabilities, noting that national defence production reached an all-time high of approximately ₹1.54 lakh crore with exports touching ₹40,000 crore in the Financial Year 2025–26. Defence exports are projected to scale up to ₹50,000 crore within the next one to two years.
To begin his official visit, the Defence Minister laid a wreath at the Korean War Cemetery in Seoul to pay homage to the fallen soldiers of the Korean War.
