On December 10, 2023, India-Korea celebrated the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties when President Yoon Suk Yeol and Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote each other congratulations. On December 10, 1973, diplomatic ties were established between Korea and India.
President Yoon wrote to the Prime Minister and the people of India to congratulate them and to wish them a warm and cordial greeting. He continued with gratitude, noting that the strong India-Korea partnership, built on their friendship forged through their time-honoured cultural and historical solidarity as well as during the Korean War, has advanced their “Special Strategic Partnership” in diverse sectors, including supply chains, defence industries, science and technology, and culture. He also noted that the two nations have been working together to address global issues through the G20 and other organisations, as well as pursuing peace and development in the area as fundamental partners who share principles like freedom and democracy.
Speaking with assurance that the “Special Strategic Partnership” between Korea and India will continue to grow, President Yoon expressed his anticipation of working closely with the Prime Minister in order to achieve this.
Prime Minister Modi expressed in his letter his appreciation for the development of bilateral relations into a “Special Strategic Partnership” and the growth of cooperation between Korea and India over the past 50 years in a variety of fields. During their bilateral meeting on the fringes of the G20 in September, the Prime Minister recalled his in-depth conversation with President Yoon about general India-Republic of Korea bilateral relations. He expressed his belief that the two nations will continue to collaborate for Indo-Pacific peace and stability because they share common values like democracy and the rule of law.
The considerable increase in bilateral trade serves as an example of the significance of this diplomatic achievement. Currently, several significant South Korean corporations, such as Hyundai Motor, POSCO, LG Electronics, and Samsung Electronics, have established significant footholds in the Indian market.
India’s defence ties with the Republic of Korea have improved recently. Since 2015, the defence ministers of India and the Republic of Korea have had frequent meetings. The Indian Ministry of Defence and the Korean Defence Acquisition Programme Administration (DAPA) hold a Joint Committee Meeting (JCM) at the secretary level to discuss defence industry and logistics cooperation regularly. Every year, service-level discussions are held for all three branches of the military. Ships from the Navy and the Coast Guard have been undertaking combined exercises and frequently visiting each other’s ports. In September 2019, the two nations signed a roadmap for Defence industry cooperation.
Two ROK naval vessels visited Chennai port in October 2022, according to current communications. In November 2022, the Indian naval vessels INS Shivalik and INS Kamorta paid a visit to the Busan Naval Base. October 2022 saw army staff discussions in South Korea, and April 2023 saw staff talks for the Navy in New Delhi. In April 2023, the Coast Guards convened their 11th High-Level Meeting in New Delhi. On a study tour, a delegation from the National Defence College visited ROK from June 4–9, 2023. India and Korea maintain strong and cordial relations in various spheres.
