External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday underscored the need for India and South Korea to strengthen cooperation as “like-minded” partners amid an increasingly complex global environment, as he held talks with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun in Seoul.
Describing the bilateral relationship as both timely and strategically important, Jaishankar said recent high-level engagements between the leadership of the two countries had provided clear guidance for taking ties to a higher level.
“We are following up on a recent Presidential visit, and the timing is significant given the current state of the world and the importance of our relationship in an increasingly complex global environment,” Jaishankar said in his opening remarks during the meeting.
The External Affairs Minister said India and South Korea, as countries that share common values, mutual trust and converging interests, must work more closely together to address emerging global challenges.
“The world particularly requires countries that are like-minded, countries that share values and have strong mutual trust to work with each other,” he said.
Referring to recent interactions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung on the sidelines of the G7 summit, Jaishankar said both governments were committed to unlocking the untapped potential of the bilateral partnership.
“There is a lot that remains to be realised in our relationship and we will strive to achieve that,” he said, while assuring Seoul of New Delhi’s full commitment to advancing cooperation across sectors.
Jaishankar also highlighted his longstanding association with Cho Hyun and acknowledged the South Korean minister’s personal commitment to strengthening bilateral ties.
The two leaders are expected to review cooperation in trade, investment, critical technologies, defence, supply-chain resilience and regional security issues during their discussions.
Jaishankar is on a two-day visit to South Korea from June 24-25. Besides holding talks with his South Korean counterpart in Seoul, he is scheduled to deliver the keynote address at the Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity on Thursday.
The visit comes amid growing convergence between India and South Korea on Indo-Pacific security, economic resilience and emerging technology partnerships, with both sides seeking to expand their strategic partnership in the face of shifting geopolitical dynamics.
