Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

 
During ROK-India defense ministers’ talks, the two ministers agreed to “cooperate in the research, development, and testing of armaments” and to make efforts to achieve a lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula

 
The defense authorities of the Republic of Korea (ROK) and India finalized the “roadmap for cooperation in the arms industry,” which includes easing regulations on and providing political support for ROK defense firms advancing in India.
 
“During their meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday, ROK Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo signed a roadmap to cooperation in the arms industry with his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh. The two ministers agreed to work to achieve the ROK’s New Southern Policy and the India’s Act East Policy through the roadmap for the defense and arms industry,” an official from the ministry said on February 5. “Minister Singh expects this roadmap to open a new chapter for bilateral cooperation in the arms industry, and pledged to actively support ROK firms joining India’s “Make in India” policy,” the official added.
 
The roadmap was first suggested by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the ROK-India summit of 2018. The roadmap consists of ▲ enhanced bilateral cooperation in a wide range of arms industry areas, as well as in the research, development, testing and evaluation of armaments on land, at sea and in the air, ▲ easing regulations on and providing political support for ROK arms industry firms advancing into India in accordance with the Indian government’s “Make in India” policy, and ▲ setting up a task force in charge of the implementation of the agreement between ROK and India.
 
After inspecting the honor guard upon his arrival in India, Jeong discussed ways to strengthen defense exchanges and cooperation in the arms industry between the two countries during his talks with Singh, as well as the situation on the Korean Peninsula and in the Asia Pacific region. Jeong also asked for India’s continued backing to induce North Korea to return to dialogue, stressing the importance of North Korea’s denuclearization and the establishment of a lasting peace on the peninsula for peace and prosperity in the international community as well as in the Northeast Asian region. In response, Minister Singh expressed his government’s continued commitment, highly appreciating the ROK government’s efforts to resume the dialogue for a lasting peace on the peninsula.
 
The two ministers shared the assessment that their countries have made steady progress in exchanges in their defense fields since the ROK-India defense ministers’ talks held in Seoul in September 2019. They agreed to make efforts to further boost defense cooperation by holding vice ministerial talks and setting up a regular consultative body of their respective military services. They also exchanged opinions on a variety of areas, including combined exercises, cooperation in military education, military cooperation in medical and international relief, cooperation in peacekeeping operations (PKO), and cooperation in the cyber security field.
 
Significantly, the two ministers had wide–ranging discussions under the theme of ways to strengthen their cooperation in the arms industry, sharing the view that cooperation in the arms industry would lead defense cooperation between the two countries. Singh expressed his gratitude to Jeong for accepting his invitation to “DEFEXPO INDIA　2020” held in Lucknow. Jeong asked for India’s particular attention to ROK firms seeking cooperation with India in the arms industry field.
 
On the sidelines of the talks with Singh, Jeong met with India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. During the meeting, they discussed a variety of security-related issues, including the security situation on the Korean Peninsula and in the region, cyber security problems, and prevention of the novel coronavirus infection. Acknowledging that their bilateral cooperation has been making substantial progress as a “special strategic partnership” based on the cordial ties of friendship between their leaders, they also agreed to work closely to further enhance their cooperation in the national defense and arms industry fields.

By Su-Yeol, Maeng <guns13@dema.mil.kr >

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