Young Indian entrepreneurs increasingly contributing to advanced technology, Def Min says
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his South Korean counterpart Ahn Gyu-back have discussed ways to further expand collaboration in areas such as industry, production, maritime security, emerging technologies, military exchanges, logistics & regional security.
The two Ministers reviewed the entire spectrum of defence cooperation during their meeting in Seoul on 20 May, the Ministry of Defence said.
Both sides acknowledged the growing convergence between India’s Act East Policy and South Korea’s regional strategic vision, reiterating their commitment to strengthening defence ties in line with the shared objectives of maintaining a free, open, inclusive and rule-based Indo-Pacific.
The Ministers witnessed signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) in key areas of defence cooperation, reflecting the expanding scope and depth of the bilateral partnership. “Agreements were exchanged on promoting cooperation in the field of Defence Cyber; training between India’s National Defence College and Korea National Defence University; and UN Peacekeeping Cooperation, making the partnership stronger and multidimensional,” the Ministry said.
Rajnath Singh also met South Korean Minister Defense Acquisition Program Administration, Lee Yong-chul. They agreed to harness the symbiotic efforts to create avenues for joint development, joint production and joint exports. A roadmap to unlock the potential of the India-Korea Defence Innovation Accelerator Ecosystem (KIND-X) to synergise the innovation ecosystems of the two countries was discussed.
Rajnath Singh, later, chaired the India-RoK Defence Industry Business RoundTable, which brought together senior government officials and leading defence industry representatives from both countries. The interaction provided an important platform for exploring new opportunities in defence manufacturing, co-development, co-production and supply chain partnerships.
Addressing the business leaders, he highlighted India’s growing defence industrial ecosystem and the opportunities available under the Government’s initiatives aimed at promoting indigenous defence manufacturing and global partnerships.
He invited Korean defence companies to strengthen engagement with Indian industry and contribute towards long-term mutually beneficial collaboration. He appreciated the enthusiasm of Korean and Indian companies to jointly play a pivotal role in the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
“The success of India-Korea industrial cooperation in the commercial sector demonstrates the enormous potential of long-term trusted partnerships between the two countries,” said the Indian Minister on a visit to Seoul.
“The time has now come to extend this successful model into the defence sector, where technology, innovation, manufacturing capability, and strategic trust are becoming increasingly interconnected. Korea’s technological excellence, combined with India’s scale, talent, manufacturing ecosystem, and innovation capabilities, creates a powerful foundation for cooperation.
“Together, our two countries can jointly develop and produce advanced technologies and defence systems for the future. Trusted partnerships between technologically capable nations acquire immense strategic importance. India and RoK are uniquely positioned to work together in this changing global landscape,” said Rajnath Singh.
He highlighted that defence manufacturing is no longer confined only to conventional platforms and equipment, as modern defence ecosystems are powered by advanced electronics, artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, cyber technologies, sensors, semiconductors, quantum technologies, advanced materials, and space-based capabilities.
He added that the future of defence will increasingly depend upon the ability to innovate rapidly and integrate technologies across multiple domains. This, he stated, is precisely where India and South Korea possess enormous potential for collaboration.
Rajnath Singh stressed that India possesses a vibrant innovation ecosystem comprising start-ups, MSMEs, private industry, academia, research institutions, and public sector enterprises.
“Young Indian entrepreneurs are increasingly contributing to advanced technology domains including unmanned systems, AI-enabled platforms, cyber security, advanced communications, and defence software systems. The future of India–Korea defence cooperation lies in innovation-led collaboration,” he said.
During the event, two agreements between L&T, India and Hanwa Co Ltd were also signed, signalling a promising future for India-Korea defence innovation and technology partnership. The agreements are expected to facilitate enhanced collaboration between the defence industries of both countries and promote technology cooperation and capacity building.
He the Government’s commitment to achieve self-reliance in defence manufacturing, stating that the all-time high figures of approx. Rs.1.54 lakh crore worth of defence production and nearly Rs.40,000 crore worth of defence exports in Financial Year 2025-26 are results of persistent efforts.
He added that defence exports are poised to reach Rs.50,000 crore within the next 1-2 years, while defence production is projected to rise to Rs.1.75 lakh crore in the next couple of months. Fiinews.com
