Seoul [South Korea], May 20 (ANI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday held a bilateral meeting with South Korean counterpart Ahn Gyu-back in Seoul, with both sides agreeing to expand defence, cyber, and strategic cooperation as part of the growing special strategic partnership between India and South Korea.

In a post on X, Rajnath Singh called the discussions 'excellent' and said the two countries explored ways to deepen defence industry ties and technological collaboration.

https://x.com/rajnathsingh/status/2056955124493529419

He said, 'Held an excellent meeting with my South Korean counterpart, Ahn Gyu Back in Seoul. We discussed ways to further deepen India-Republic of Korea defence, defence industry and strategic cooperation, with a shared commitment towards regional peace, stability and technological collaboration.'

The meeting, according to the defence minister, resulted in the exchange of multiple agreements aimed at strengthening bilateral institutional cooperation in defence and security. According to Singh, India and South Korea exchanged agreements on promoting defence cyber collaboration between the National Defence College and the Korea National Defence University, as well as cooperation in United Nations (UN) Peacekeeping initiatives.

'It was a highly productive meeting as India and Korea exchanged Agreements on Promoting Defence Cyber Cooperation, between the National Defence College of India and the Korea National Defence University of RoK and UN Peacekeeping Cooperation, making our partnership stronger and multidimensional,' Singh stated.

Singh also reaffirmed India's commitment to strengthening the broader strategic partnership between the two countries. 'Looking forward to strengthening the special strategic partnership between our nations,' he added.

Meanwhile, in a significant move to bolster bilateral security ties, India and the Republic of Korea (ROK) signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), targeting enhanced cooperation in the critical domains of defence, cyber and defence information.

The agreement was signed during Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's official visit to Seoul, in the presence of his South Korean counterpart, Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back.

The MoU marks a deepening strategic alignment between New Delhi and Seoul, specifically focusing on modern warfare and intelligence challenges.

The primary areas of cooperation outlined in the agreement include collaboration on countering evolving cyber threats, protecting critical military infrastructure, and sharing best practices in digital defence and enhancing institutional mechanisms for information sharing to boost situational awareness and regional security.

Before the signing ceremony, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited the Seoul National Cemetery to pay tribute to South Korean servicemen and women who sacrificed their lives for the nation, particularly during the Korean War.

Singh laid floral tributes and observed a moment of silence at the national memorial site, underscoring the deep historical and emotional ties between the two nations.

The stop in South Korea marks the second leg of a high-profile, two-nation tour undertaken by the Indian Defence Minister from May 18 to May 21.

Leg 1 from May 18-19, Official visit to Vietnam to strengthen Southeast Asian security dynamics.

Leg 2 from May 19-21, South Korea visit, kicked off on Tuesday upon his arrival in Seoul, where he was received by the Ambassador of India to the ROK, Gourangalal Das, and senior officials.

Detailing the broader vision behind the diplomatic push, Rajnath Singh shared on X.

'I will focus on deepening strategic military cooperation, strengthening defence industrial partnerships, and boosting maritime collaboration, promoting peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.'

The newly signed MoU is expected to pave the way for more robust military-to-military engagement and a stronger defence industrial partnership between India and South Korea in the Indo-Pacific era. (ANI)