Our Bureau
Seoul
India and South Korea have taken a major step to strengthen their defence and cyber security cooperation with a new Memorandum of Understanding signed in Seoul during Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s official visit. The pact was inked in the presence of South Korean Defence Minister Ahn Gyu‑back, marking a fresh push in the two countries’ “Special Strategic Partnership” that began in 2015. The agreement focuses on collaboration in defence, cyber security and defence information sharing, with an emphasis on countering evolving cyber threats and protecting critical military infrastructure.
The MoU also aims to enhance digital defence capabilities, share best practices and build stronger institutional mechanisms for information sharing. Officials said this would help both militaries improve their situational awareness and better coordinate actions in the Indo‑Pacific region. During the visit, Singh held wide‑ranging talks with Ahn Gyu‑back on expanding military‑to‑military ties, joint exercises, defence industry projects and technology transfer. The two sides agreed to deepen strategic communication, including through foreign and defence ministerial dialogues, and to support India‑Korea task forces established to fast‑track joint initiatives.
The signing comes a month after South Korean President Lee Jae‑myung’s state visit to India, which both governments described as a milestone in bilateral relations. Defence Minister Singh said India and South Korea are fully poised to take their partnership to “new heights”, while Ahn Gyu‑back called the relationship a crucial pillar for stability in the Indo‑Pacific. Apart from the MoU, the two armies also discussed expanding cooperation in UN peacekeeping operations and defence education exchanges, signalling a broader push to institutionalise long‑term defence collaboration.
