Jaishankar Drives Bilateral Innovation in South Korea
Symbolising India's expanding footprint in the Indo-Pacific region, External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar commenced a diplomatic journey to South Korea from March 5th to March 6th, 2024. Leading the 10th India-South Korea Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) with his counterpart Cho Tae-Yul, Jaishankar drives collaboration in critical technologies, semiconductors, and green hydrogen, propelling bilateral ties to the forefront of innovation.
Following PM Modi's visit to South Korea in 2015, the bilateral relationship between South Korea and India elevated to a Special Strategic Partnership. In line with this, during his discussions with South Korea’s NSA Chang Ho-jin, Jaishankar emphasised the unity of the Indo-Pacific region amid rising competition and an increasingly belligerent China. Asserting India's proactive role, he also highlighted the importance of shaping a regional framework grounded in inclusivity, transparency, and adherence to international norms. The conversation delved into maritime security challenges and explored avenues for economic cooperation between the two countries, which already share a history of goodwill.
The timing of Jaishankar's visit is particularly poignant, coinciding with global recalibrations and power shifts. As traditional alliances face scrutiny and new alignments form, India is dedicated to strengthening ties with like-minded nations such as South Korea, committed to preserving a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific.
The strategic partnership between India and Korea is not confined to the Indo-Pacific region; it transcends geographical boundaries, rooted deeply in historical and cultural affinities that have evolved over two millennia. Moreover, beyond governmental entities, there exist people-to-people engagements. A notable instance is the recent discourse aimed at enhancing knowledge about Korean Best Practices in aqua and seafood processing. This initiative, undertaken in collaboration with The Seafood Exporters Association of India and the Korea International Cooperation Agency, aims to boost India's seafood exports. As of 2021, India has solidified its economic ties with Korea, ranking Korea as its 16th-largest import source and 7th-largest export market.
India and South Korea's alliance ignites a beacon of opportunity and growth. With shared values and economic synergy, they chart a course towards a vibrant Indo-Pacific, poised to catalyse transformative change regionally and globally.!
