New Delhi
India and South Korea on Tuesday agreed to strengthen the Special Strategic Partnership and upgrade the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) following official talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Moon Jae In.

A day after the two leaders jointly inaugurated the biggest mobile hub of the Korean telecom giant Samsung in Greater Noida, both stressed on strategic convergence between India’s Act East Policy and ROK’s New Southern Strategy. Both leaders agreed to enhance bilateral military exchanges, training and experience-sharing and to encourage mutual defence industries to intensify cooperation. President Moon briefed on the recent developments in the Peninsula and expressed optimism over dialogue between US President Trump and Chairman Kim Jong Un towards denuclearisation of North Korea.

“Credit for accelerating the peace process in the Korean peninsula goes to President Moon Jae-in,” said PM Modi. “The proliferation links between north Asia and south Asia are a matter of concern of India, India is a stakeholder in peace process. We will offer all possible cooperation in order to reduce tension,” added the PM while underlining India’s concerns to proliferation linkages in the region alluding to Pakistan.

“We pledged to work together to prevent proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and delivery systems, particularly to terrorists and non-state actors,” said a joint vision statement issued after the talks. PM Modi also detailed his vision for the Indo-Pacific in talks. “We supported initiatives for peaceful resolution of conflict through dialogue, underlying the centrality of sovereignty and territorial integrity, in accordance with the universally-recognised principles of international law,” said the vision document.

Meanwhile, after China, India and ROK too have agreed to explore tripartite partnership for development in third countries, beginning with capacity building programmes in Afghanistan. South Korea also batted for India’s entry into the Nuclear Suppliers’ Group.

“Today, PM Modi and I agreed to promote cooperation for people, prosperity and peace in response to the fourth Industrial Revolution so as to create emergence of future growth envisioned by cooperation in a vigorous manner,” said President Moon.