By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee 

Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul had a meeting with Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, External Affairs Minister of India, on July 26, on the occasion of the ASEAN-related Foreign Ministers’ Meetings in Vientiane, Lao PDR.  

This was the second face-to-face meeting between the two ministers, following the 10th ROK-India Joint Commission Meeting in March. The two Ministers noted with appreciation the active high-level exchanges between the two countries this year, which marks the first year after the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties. 

In addition, Minister Cho once again extended congratulations on Prime Minister Modi’s victory in the recent 18th Indian general elections held on April 19-June 1 and on the reappointment of Minister Jaishankar. The two sides shared a common understanding that Korea and India, as key partners in the Indo-Pacific region with shared values, should further strengthen strategic communication and cooperation to advance the ‘Special Strategic Partnership.’

The two Ministers agreed to continue working together to ensure smooth progress of the procurement of the second batch of the K-9 self-propelled howitzers (known as ‘Vajra’ in India), a symbol of defense industry cooperation between the two nations. The two sides pledged continued consultations to ensure the successful holding of the 2+2 Meeting of Foreign and Defense Vice Ministers later this year.

The two ministers also welcomed the successful holding of the 11th round of negotiation on the upgradation of the ROK-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA, 7.17~19) and agreed to work together to realize the potential for bilateral economic cooperation by continuing to expand trade and investment between the two countries. 

In particular, Minister Cho mentioned many Korean companies’ contributions to India’s economic development and requested Minister Jaishankar’s attention for fostering a favorable trade environment. Minister Cho also asked for continued efforts to quickly resolve the difficulties faced by Korean companies in India through the FTM (Fast Track Mechanism), which is scheduled to be launched next week.

Moreover, the two Ministers concurred that North Korea’s ongoing provocations and deepening ties with Russia pose a serious threat to peace and stability not only on the Korean Peninsula but also across the world, and agreed to take a firm approach in solidarity with the international community.

The two Ministers exchanged a wide range of views regarding North Korea, as well as regional and international issues and discussed ways to work together to stabilize the situation.