Seoul: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and South Korean President Moon Jae-in held ‘constructive’ talks here Friday on enhancing bilateral cooperation in key areas including trade, investment, defence and security.
Modi, who is on a two-day visit to South Korea to strengthen India’s strategic ties with the country, was accorded an official reception at the ‘Blue House’, the executive office and official residence of the South Korean President here. He also met First Lady Kim Jung-sook.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said the two leaders held ‘constructive talks on enhancing cooperation in trade and investment, defence and security, energy, space, start-ups and people-to-people exchanges’.
Modi, addressing the media after the talks with the President Moon, said that South Korea is an important partner in India’s economic transformation.
“I express my gratitude to President Moon for his condolences and support on the last week’s Pulwama attack and support against terror. We are committed towards strengthening our bilateral and multilateral cooperation against terrorism.
“A MoU signed between India’s Home Ministry and South Korea’s National Police Agency today (Friday) will further take forward our counter-terrorism cooperation,” Modi said.
The Prime Minister asserted that the time has come when the world, going beyond talks, should unite and act against terrorism.
“In India’s economic transformation, we consider Korea as a valuable partner. Our trade and investment relations are growing. Today, President Moon and I have repeated our commitment to increasing our bilateral trade to USD 50 billion by 2030,” Modi informed.
“In sectors like Infrastructure, port development, marine and food processing, start-ups and small and medium enterprises, we agree to increase our cooperation,” Modi added.
Modi said that the defence sector has an important role in the growing ‘strategic’ partnership.
“An example of this can be seen in the induction of the K-9 ‘Vajra’ artillery gun in the Indian Army,” Modi stated.
To take the remarkable cooperation in defence production ahead, India and South Korea have also agreed to create a roadmap on defence technology and co-production. Under this, India welcomes the involvement of South Korean companies in the defence industrial corridors being developed in India.
“I am happy that after the visit of President Moon to India last year, we have made significant progress in our relations in a very short time. This is based on our shared vision of progress and roadmap of our relations in future, people, peace and prosperity,” Modi pointed out.
Modi is visiting South Korea on the invitation of President Moon. This is his second visit to the Republic of Korea since 2015 and second summit meeting with the South Korean president. He will receive the ‘Seoul Peace Prize’ announced by the Seoul Peace Prize Foundation in October last year.
PTI