Jaishankar, South Korean FM hold talks to deepen strategic partnership

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Wednesday held wide-ranging talks with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun in Seoul, focusing on strengthening bilateral ties and reviewing developments in the rapidly changing global environment.

The meeting took place during Jaishankar’s two-day visit to South Korea, the second leg of his ongoing foreign tour after Mongolia.

The discussions focused on advancing key agreements reached during South Korean President Lee Jae-myung’s state visit to India in April, particularly in the areas of trade, investment and finance.

Welcoming the opportunity to meet his counterpart, Jaishankar said the talks came at an important time given both the evolving international situation and the growing importance of India-South Korea relations.

More from World

Focus on trade, investment and strategic cooperation

During the meeting, the two leaders reviewed progress in several sectors and discussed ways to further strengthen cooperation.

Jaishankar said India and South Korea have significant untapped potential in their relationship and stressed the need to build a modern, forward-looking partnership. He reaffirmed India’s commitment to deepening ties across multiple sectors.

After the talks, Jaishankar said the discussions covered cooperation in political relations, shipbuilding, trade, investment, defence, technology, clean energy, culture and people-to-people exchanges.

The two ministers also explored opportunities in emerging sectors such as startups and financial technology (fintech), while discussing cooperation in multilateral forums and regional developments.

The meeting, which lasted around three hours and continued over lunch, reflected the growing strategic importance both countries attach to their partnership.

Building on President Lee’s India visit

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun described President Lee Jae-myung’s visit to India in April as a major milestone in bilateral relations.

According to a PTI report, he said both sides reviewed the progress made since that visit and discussed ways to build on cooperation in trade, investment and finance.

Cho also appreciated India’s efforts in hosting “Korea Week”, an initiative aimed at addressing concerns and challenges faced by South Korean businesses operating in India.

He thanked the Indian government for its support and announced that South Korea plans to organise a similar dialogue mechanism for Indian companies operating in Korea.

Discussion on global developments

Apart from bilateral issues, the two ministers exchanged views on major international developments and regional security concerns.

According to Cho, both leaders held detailed discussions on the changing global landscape and agreed to remain in close contact regarding the economic impact of developments in West Asia.

Jaishankar and Cho are scheduled to meet again on Thursday at the Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity, where the Indian External Affairs Minister will deliver the keynote address.