At a
Glance:
|
|
India
|
South Korea (ROK)
|
Population: 1282 Million
|
Population: 49 Million
|
GDP (PPP): 7.27 Trillion USD
|
GDP (PPP): 1.781 Trillion USD
|
Per Capita GDP: 5,827 USD
|
Per Capita GDP: 35,400 USD
|
Education Expenditure: 3.9%
of GDP
|
Education Expenditure: 4.9%
of GDP
|
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
● Earliest ties date back to 48AD, when an Indian princess came to the Korean Peninsula and married King Kim Suro. A Buddhist monk from Korea visited India from 723-729 AD; throughout, Buddhism has been an important link between the two countries
● India played a significant role in the independence of Korea. Mr. K P S Menon (from India) was the chairperson of the UN Temporary Commission on Korea (UNTCOK) designated to hold elections in Korea in 1948
● During the Korean War (1950-1953), India provided medical assistance by way of the deployment of the 60th Parachute Field Ambulance Platoon, instead of deploying its armed forces as part of the UN Command
● Consular relations with ROK were established in 1962 and were upgraded to Ambassador-level in 1973
● After ROK’s move towards democracy in 1987, India and ROK found resonance in the open economic policies of both countries
STRATEGIC TIES
● Initial steps included the establishment of the “Long-Term Cooperative Partnership for Peace and Prosperity”, signed in 2004
● Bilateral ties were raised to the level of a Strategic Partnership during the visit of President Lee Myung-bak as Chief Guest of India’s Republic Day celebrations in 2010.
● The 8th India-ROK Joint Commission (established in 1996) meeting was held in Seoul on 28th and 29th December, 2014 to explore and further work upon a “stronger strategic relationship” (source No.269)
● Special Strategic Partnership decided during Modi’s visit to ROK set out numerous goals
○ Annual summit meetings, and Joint Commissions by the Foreign Ministers
○ Significant investments in defence cooperation such as partnerships between defence education institutions, greater cooperation between naval shipyards, and cooperation in UN Peacekeeping
○ Aim to enhance cooperation in shipbuilding, steel, and electronics manufacturing in both countries
○ India will host a Festival of Korea in 2016, and a Festival of India will be held in Korea in 2015
POLITICAL TIES
● Most recent high-level visit from ROK to India was President Park Geun-Hye’s in March 2015. The outcome of this visit was increased cooperation on defence, South Korea’s creation of a 1 billion USD Economic Development Cooperation Fund and a 9 billion USD in export credits to India
● Most recent high-level visit from India to ROK was by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in May 2015. The outcome of this visit resulted in 7 points of agreement: Agreement on a plan to reduce double taxation and tax evasion; Agreement on cooperation in audio-visual production; MOU for cooperation between the National Security Council Secretariat (India) and Office of National Security (Korea); MOU on cooperation in the electric power development and new energy industries; MOU on cooperation in youth matters and gender equality; Framework of cooperation between the transport ministries of each country; MOU on cooperation in maritime transport and logistics
● MOUs have also been signed in areas including cooperation in space for peaceful uses, joint applied research and development programmes in science and technology, and mutual recognition of each other’s certifying authorities
● South Korea’s strained relationship with Japan hurt the G-4 (India, Japan, Germany and Brazil) bid for permanent seats on the United Nations Security Council
● ROK’s “hands-off” policy in matters of India’s dealing with terrorism emanating from territory under Pakistan’s control is another area that requires more efforts
ECONOMIC TIES
● Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) (signed on August 7, 2009 and operationalised on January 1, 2010)
● During the first two years of CEPA, trade increased by around 60% but has since dropped from a high of 20.57 billion USD to 17.56 billion USD in 2013
● Up until October 2014 bilateral trade was approximately 11.38 billion USD
● Major Indian exports include mineral fuels/oil distillates (mainly naphtha), cereals, iron and steel. Major Korean exports include automobile parts, telecommunication equipment, hot rolled iron products, and petroleum refined products, base lubricating oils and nuclear reactors, inter alia.
● India’s bilateral trade deficit with South Korea was 5.2 billion USD in 2013. In this period, India imported 11.38 billion USD worth of goods and services and exported only 6.18 billion USD worth of goods and services.
● ROK’s investment in India is estimated at over 3 billion USD and Indian investment in ROK has already surpassed 2 billion USD. Major investments by Korean companies in India have come from Samsung, LG, Hyundai, and POSCO mainly in the area of manufacturing and mining.
● The world’s fourth largest steel-maker, POSCO, proposes to invest 12 billion USD in an integrated steel plant in Orissa. There have been delays, but the pace of implementation has now picked up with environmental clearance being accorded in January 2014. Separately, POSCO has completed construction of its first steel mill in Maharashtra.
● Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to South Korea in May, 2015 yielded a 10 billion USD investment from South Korea in India’s infrastructure development.
DEFENCE TIES
● Military cooperation began with the deployment of the 60th parachute field ambulance to Korea during the Korean War
● Memorandum of Understanding in 2005 on Cooperation in Defense, Industry and Logistics
● Indian Defence Minister AK Anthony’s visit to ROK in September 2010 led to the signing of an MoU on Defence Cooperation as well as one between Defence Research and Development Organisation (India) and Defence Acquisition Programme Administration (ROK); the most recent meeting between DRDO (India) and DAPA (ROK) was held in March 2015 in Seoul
● Naval ships of each country make regular calls at each other ports most recently in November 2014;
● Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit in May 2015 further enhanced defense cooperation with an MOU being signed between National Security Council Secretariat of India and the Office of National Security of South Korea.
SOCIO-CULTURAL TIES
● A cultural cooperation agreement was signed in August 1974
● India established an Indian Cultural Centre (ICC) in Seoul in 2011 and Korea established a Korean Cultural Centre (KCC) in New Delhi in 2012. Cultural exchanges have been ongoing along with film festivals and movie festivals
● During the recent visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ROK in 2015, an Agreement on Cooperation in Audio-Visual Co-production was signed under the provisions of India-ROK CEPA. It is aimed at enabling opportunities for collaboration between Indian and Korean film industries
● Randindranath Tagore’s 150th birthday was celebrated in 2011-12 in collaboration with the Tagore Society of Korea and Korean Foundation
● Three Indian universities, Madras University, Jawaharlal Nehru University and Delhi University, have opened Korean studies and language departments. Various other Indian universities offer courses in Korean Language. Two Korean universities, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies and Busan University of Foreign Studies, maintain Indian Studies departments. Various other Universities in Korea offer degree courses in Indian Philosophy, Yoga and Ayurveda. Further, several MOUs have been signed between universities in both countries
● Annual exchange of youth delegations between India and RoK is in place. The nodal Ministries on the two sides are: Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, India and the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, RoK
● Both governments offer scholarships and fellowships to meritorious students. India extends ICCR scholarships for various programmes and disciplines, as well as Ayush scholarships in the field of alternative medicine. ROK extends scholarships for courses in Korean Language and Literature at Masters and PhD levels at select universities
● Indian Community in RoK is estimated at 10,500, which includes businessmen, IT professionals, scientists, research fellows, students and workers. Korean expatriates in India are estimated at 10,000.
● An agreement on visa simplification was signed on 25 March 2012 during the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to ROK. In order to boost people-to-people relations and travel between the two countries, India extended visa-on-arrival (VoA) facility for Korean tourists from April 15, 2014
● Earliest ties date back to 48AD, when an Indian princess came to the Korean Peninsula and married King Kim Suro. A Buddhist monk from Korea visited India from 723-729 AD; throughout, Buddhism has been an important link between the two countries
● India played a significant role in the independence of Korea. Mr. K P S Menon (from India) was the chairperson of the UN Temporary Commission on Korea (UNTCOK) designated to hold elections in Korea in 1948
● During the Korean War (1950-1953), India provided medical assistance by way of the deployment of the 60th Parachute Field Ambulance Platoon, instead of deploying its armed forces as part of the UN Command
● Consular relations with ROK were established in 1962 and were upgraded to Ambassador-level in 1973
● After ROK’s move towards democracy in 1987, India and ROK found resonance in the open economic policies of both countries
STRATEGIC TIES
● Initial steps included the establishment of the “Long-Term Cooperative Partnership for Peace and Prosperity”, signed in 2004
● Bilateral ties were raised to the level of a Strategic Partnership during the visit of President Lee Myung-bak as Chief Guest of India’s Republic Day celebrations in 2010.
● The 8th India-ROK Joint Commission (established in 1996) meeting was held in Seoul on 28th and 29th December, 2014 to explore and further work upon a “stronger strategic relationship” (source No.269)
● Special Strategic Partnership decided during Modi’s visit to ROK set out numerous goals
○ Annual summit meetings, and Joint Commissions by the Foreign Ministers
○ Significant investments in defence cooperation such as partnerships between defence education institutions, greater cooperation between naval shipyards, and cooperation in UN Peacekeeping
○ Aim to enhance cooperation in shipbuilding, steel, and electronics manufacturing in both countries
○ India will host a Festival of Korea in 2016, and a Festival of India will be held in Korea in 2015
POLITICAL TIES
● Most recent high-level visit from ROK to India was President Park Geun-Hye’s in March 2015. The outcome of this visit was increased cooperation on defence, South Korea’s creation of a 1 billion USD Economic Development Cooperation Fund and a 9 billion USD in export credits to India
● Most recent high-level visit from India to ROK was by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in May 2015. The outcome of this visit resulted in 7 points of agreement: Agreement on a plan to reduce double taxation and tax evasion; Agreement on cooperation in audio-visual production; MOU for cooperation between the National Security Council Secretariat (India) and Office of National Security (Korea); MOU on cooperation in the electric power development and new energy industries; MOU on cooperation in youth matters and gender equality; Framework of cooperation between the transport ministries of each country; MOU on cooperation in maritime transport and logistics
● MOUs have also been signed in areas including cooperation in space for peaceful uses, joint applied research and development programmes in science and technology, and mutual recognition of each other’s certifying authorities
● South Korea’s strained relationship with Japan hurt the G-4 (India, Japan, Germany and Brazil) bid for permanent seats on the United Nations Security Council
● ROK’s “hands-off” policy in matters of India’s dealing with terrorism emanating from territory under Pakistan’s control is another area that requires more efforts
ECONOMIC TIES
● Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) (signed on August 7, 2009 and operationalised on January 1, 2010)
● During the first two years of CEPA, trade increased by around 60% but has since dropped from a high of 20.57 billion USD to 17.56 billion USD in 2013
● Up until October 2014 bilateral trade was approximately 11.38 billion USD
● Major Indian exports include mineral fuels/oil distillates (mainly naphtha), cereals, iron and steel. Major Korean exports include automobile parts, telecommunication equipment, hot rolled iron products, and petroleum refined products, base lubricating oils and nuclear reactors, inter alia.
● India’s bilateral trade deficit with South Korea was 5.2 billion USD in 2013. In this period, India imported 11.38 billion USD worth of goods and services and exported only 6.18 billion USD worth of goods and services.
● ROK’s investment in India is estimated at over 3 billion USD and Indian investment in ROK has already surpassed 2 billion USD. Major investments by Korean companies in India have come from Samsung, LG, Hyundai, and POSCO mainly in the area of manufacturing and mining.
● The world’s fourth largest steel-maker, POSCO, proposes to invest 12 billion USD in an integrated steel plant in Orissa. There have been delays, but the pace of implementation has now picked up with environmental clearance being accorded in January 2014. Separately, POSCO has completed construction of its first steel mill in Maharashtra.
● Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to South Korea in May, 2015 yielded a 10 billion USD investment from South Korea in India’s infrastructure development.
DEFENCE TIES
● Military cooperation began with the deployment of the 60th parachute field ambulance to Korea during the Korean War
● Memorandum of Understanding in 2005 on Cooperation in Defense, Industry and Logistics
● Indian Defence Minister AK Anthony’s visit to ROK in September 2010 led to the signing of an MoU on Defence Cooperation as well as one between Defence Research and Development Organisation (India) and Defence Acquisition Programme Administration (ROK); the most recent meeting between DRDO (India) and DAPA (ROK) was held in March 2015 in Seoul
● Naval ships of each country make regular calls at each other ports most recently in November 2014;
● Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit in May 2015 further enhanced defense cooperation with an MOU being signed between National Security Council Secretariat of India and the Office of National Security of South Korea.
SOCIO-CULTURAL TIES
● A cultural cooperation agreement was signed in August 1974
● India established an Indian Cultural Centre (ICC) in Seoul in 2011 and Korea established a Korean Cultural Centre (KCC) in New Delhi in 2012. Cultural exchanges have been ongoing along with film festivals and movie festivals
● During the recent visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ROK in 2015, an Agreement on Cooperation in Audio-Visual Co-production was signed under the provisions of India-ROK CEPA. It is aimed at enabling opportunities for collaboration between Indian and Korean film industries
● Randindranath Tagore’s 150th birthday was celebrated in 2011-12 in collaboration with the Tagore Society of Korea and Korean Foundation
● Three Indian universities, Madras University, Jawaharlal Nehru University and Delhi University, have opened Korean studies and language departments. Various other Indian universities offer courses in Korean Language. Two Korean universities, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies and Busan University of Foreign Studies, maintain Indian Studies departments. Various other Universities in Korea offer degree courses in Indian Philosophy, Yoga and Ayurveda. Further, several MOUs have been signed between universities in both countries
● Annual exchange of youth delegations between India and RoK is in place. The nodal Ministries on the two sides are: Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, India and the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, RoK
● Both governments offer scholarships and fellowships to meritorious students. India extends ICCR scholarships for various programmes and disciplines, as well as Ayush scholarships in the field of alternative medicine. ROK extends scholarships for courses in Korean Language and Literature at Masters and PhD levels at select universities
● Indian Community in RoK is estimated at 10,500, which includes businessmen, IT professionals, scientists, research fellows, students and workers. Korean expatriates in India are estimated at 10,000.
● An agreement on visa simplification was signed on 25 March 2012 during the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to ROK. In order to boost people-to-people relations and travel between the two countries, India extended visa-on-arrival (VoA) facility for Korean tourists from April 15, 2014
Andrew Inglis & Shivendra Mehndiratta
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