India and South Korea Aim Larger Defense Cooperation To Confront China

After setting up the world’s largest mobile factory in India, South Korea now aims at bolstering India-South Korea relations in the defence sector. India and South Korea on Wednesday agreed to build a larger cooperation in defence through military exercises and training as the two nations look beyond the economic ties between them. India too is keen to have South Korean defence firms invest in India.

India and South Korea will intensify the military exchanges, joint training modules, sharing of research and development and sharing of innovative technologies among them. This announcement was made after bilateral talks between the two nations concluded. India and South Korea look to find a strategic partner in each other to stand by each other in their regional influence and supremacy.

After a diplomatic row with China last year, South Korea is pursuing a new southern policy under which it hopes to build more cordial ties with India. The new southern policy of South Korea is well in line with India’s act east policy through which India aspires to topple the Chinese supremacy in Asia. Hence, given the fact that both nations see mutual benefits in expanding each other’s power, they are keen to be each other’s, strategic partners.

Defence cooperation on the foundation of economic cooperation

Economic cooperation between India and South Korea has always been healthy. They have developed deep ties through high-level exchanges and now they look to beyond economic cooperation to have better relations in terms of defence. Many Korean firms like Hyundai, Samsung, LG and others are big players in the Indian market and speak for the economic cooperation between the two. There exist as much as 500 South Korean companies in India. Bilateral trade between the two nations last year stood at USD 16.8 billion.

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