On May 20, Republic of Korea (RoK) Minister of National Defence Ahn Gyu-back and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had extensive bilateral talks in Seoul.
The Ministry of Defence claims that the two Ministers examined every aspect of defence cooperation and talked about measures to increase cooperation in fields like manufacturing, industry, new technologies, maritime security, military exchanges, logistics, and regional security.
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to fortifying military ties in accordance with the same goals of preserving a free, open, inclusive, and rule-based Indo-Pacific, acknowledging the growing convergence between India's Act East Policy and RoK's regional strategic vision.

In important areas of defence cooperation, Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) were signed, demonstrating the growing breadth and depth of the bilateral relationship. The partnership became more robust and multifaceted as agreements were made to advance cooperation in the areas of defence cyber, training between Korea National Defence University and India's National Defence College, and UN peacekeeping cooperation.
Singh also met with Lee Yong-chul, the Minister of Defence Acquisition Program Administration for the Republic of Korea. The two leaders decided to use their mutually beneficial efforts to establish opportunities for cooperative development, manufacturing, and exports.
It was explored how to maximise the potential of the India-Korea Defence Innovation Accelerator Ecosystem (KIND-X) to combine the two nations' innovation ecosystems.

Subsequently, Rajnath Singh presided over the India-RoK Defence Industry Business RoundTable, which brought together prominent figures from both nations' defence industries and senior government officials. The exchange offered a crucial forum for investigating fresh prospects in supply chain collaborations, co-development, co-production, and defence manufacturing.
Speaking to the business leaders, the Defence Minister emphasised India's expanding defence industry and the prospects presented by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government's efforts to support domestic defence production and international collaborations. He extended an invitation to Korean defence firms to deepen ties with Indian business and support sustained, mutually beneficial cooperation.

He valued the eagerness of Indian and Korean businesses to work together to play a crucial part in the Aatmanirbhar Bharat program.Long-term, reliable collaborations between the two nations have immense potential, as evidenced by the commercial sector success of India-Korea industrial cooperation. Now that technology, innovation, manufacturing capacity, and strategic trust are becoming more intertwined, it is time to apply this successful approach to the defence industry. A strong basis for collaboration is created when Korea's technological prowess is paired with India's size, talent, manufacturing ecosystem, and capacity for innovation. Our two nations can work together to create cutting-edge technology and future defence systems. Reliable alliances between technologically advanced countries gain significant strategic significance.

According to Rajnath Singh, India and RoK are in a unique position to collaborate in this shifting global environment.
Singh emphasised that since modern defence ecosystems are driven by advanced electronics, artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, cyber technologies, sensors, semiconductors, quantum technologies, advanced materials, and space-based capabilities, defence manufacturing is no longer limited to traditional platforms and equipment.
The future of defence, he continued, will depend more and more on the capacity to develop quickly and integrate technologies from many fields. He said that this is the exact area where there is a great deal of potential for cooperation between India and RoK.

India has a thriving innovation ecosystem that includes start-ups, MSMEs, private industry, academia, research institutions, and public sector businesses, Rajnath Singh emphasised.Unmanned systems, AI-enabled platforms, cyber security, sophisticated communications, and military software systems are among the advanced technology fields where young Indian entrepreneurs are rapidly making contributions. Innovation-led cooperation is the key to India-Korea defence cooperation's future, he stated.
Two agreements between L&T, India, and Hanwa Co Ltd were also inked during the ceremony, indicating a bright future for defence innovation and technology cooperation between Korea and India. The agreements are anticipated to foster technology exchange, capacity building, and improved cooperation between the defence industry of both nations.

Speaking with the Indian diaspora in RoK, the Defence Minister emphasised how PM Modi's leadership has led to extraordinary advancements that have elevated India's standing internationally. India was seen as a weak country twelve or thirteen years ago, but because of the changes the country has seen over the past 10 years, the world now pays close attention to what we have to say. We are now becoming a global force that provides answers to the world's problems. Our policy has fundamentally changed, becoming strong, bold, consistent, and resolute when it comes to both internal and external security," he stated.
Operation Sindoor, according to Rajnath Singh, is evidence of India's development into a powerful, self-assured, and competent country.The action served as evidence that India will not put up with any kind of terrorism.

But occasionally, people confuse our moderation and dedication to peace for weakness. India will not put up with any kind of nuclear blackmail, even though it is still dedicated to its No First Use policy. "This is New India," he declared.
Singh reaffirmed the government's commitment to achieving self-sufficiency in defence manufacturing, saying that the record-breaking figures of nearly Rs 40,000 crore in defence exports and approximately Rs 1.54 lakh crore in defence production in the Financial Year 2025–2026 are the outcome of persistent efforts. He stated that defence output is expected to increase to Rs 1.75 lakh crore in the next months, while defence exports are expected to reach Rs 50,000 crore within the next one to two years.

In order to honour the courageous troops who gave their lives during the Korean War, Singh laid a wreath at the Korean War Cemetery in Seoul at the start of his visit to RoK, the last stop on his two-nation tour. He expressed India's support for the people of RoK and said that their bravery, commitment, and sense of patriotism continue to be a constant source of motivation.