India, South Korea to explore ways to boost ties in AI, clean energy, defence, shipbuilding

India and South Korea today discussed ways to expand industrial cooperation, especially in hi-tech sectors such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors, clean energy, shipbuilding and defence.

The ways to ramp up the overall bilateral cooperation figured prominently in talks between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his visiting South Korean counterpart Cho Hyun.

Putting out the details of the India-South Korea talks, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said Jaishankar and Hyun agreed to set new industrial ambitions. “External Affairs Minister Jaishankar held a wide-ranging and productive round of discussions with Foreign Minister Cho Hyun,” the MEA said. It was Hyun’s first working visit to India. The ministers also shared their assessment on regional and global issues of common interest. At the meeting, the duo reaffirmed the strong and growing special strategic partnership between India and South Korea. They took stock of bilateral cooperation, including in the political, security, trade and economy, technological and people-to-people domains, the MEA said.

In a social media post, Jaishankar described the talks as “productive”. “Held productive discussions on advancing our bilateral cooperation in trade, manufacturing, maritime and people-to-people exchanges as well as new opportunities in AI, semiconductors, clean energy and defence,” he said.

Jaishankar said he and Hyun also exchanged perspectives on the Indo-Pacific region and contemporary global developments. “Appreciated our deepening convergences and growing engagement as our Special Strategic Partnership completes 10 years,” he said.

Jaishankar also thanked Seoul for its condemnation of the horrific April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. The External Affairs Minister also made a mention of Seoul’s support to an Indian parliamentary delegation that visited South Korea in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor. “You have been barely a month in the job (as the foreign minister), the fact that you are here literally a day after your National Day, and our National Day, says a lot really about the value we attach to the relationship,” Jaishankar said.

The India-South Korea ties have been on an upswing in the last few years, especially in the areas of trade and defence. The partnership is rooted in shared democratic values, shared economic interests and commitment to global stability, it said.

(With PTI inputs)