India, South Korea Deepen Defence Ties With Focus on Production and Logistics

India and South Korea on Tuesday reaffirmed their growing defence partnership, with both sides discussing ways to expand cooperation in defence production, industrial collaboration and logistics.

The discussions took place during the 10th India-Republic of Korea Joint Committee Meeting (JCM) on Defence Industries and Logistics Cooperation in New Delhi.

The two countries reviewed ongoing cooperation in defence industries and logistics and explored avenues to further strengthen and expand bilateral engagement, according to an official statement.

The meeting provided an opportunity for both sides to exchange views on increasing cooperation between their defence industries and promoting greater participation in defence production and logistics.

The JCM was co-chaired by Dinesh Mahur, Additional Secretary (Defence Production), Ministry of Defence, and Kim Il Dong, Vice Minister of South Korea’s Defence Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA).

Representatives from leading defence companies of both countries also participated in the discussions.

India was represented by Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML), while the South Korean delegation included representatives from Hanwha Aerospace, Korean Air, Hanwha Systems, Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) and DS Navcours.

The meeting also included a focus on strengthening industrial linkages and creating greater opportunities for collaboration between companies in the two countries.

On the sidelines of the JCM, Kim Il Dong met Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth. During the interaction, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral defence cooperation and expanding collaboration in defence industries and logistics.

The 10th JCM provided an institutional platform for reviewing progress in the bilateral defence partnership and identifying areas for further cooperation in production and logistics.

Seong Ho Lee, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to India, and Dr Vijay Namdeorao Zade, Joint Secretary (Naval Systems), Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence, along with senior officials from both countries, also attended the meeting.

The discussions reflect the continued efforts by India and South Korea to expand defence-industrial cooperation and strengthen ties between their respective defence sectors.