Rajnath Singh holds wide-ranging defence talks in Seoul, pushes strategic cooperation

📌 Summary:

• Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held comprehensive bilateral talks with South Korea's Minister of National Defence Ahn Gyu-back in Seoul, with both sides agreeing to expand defence cooperation across industry, maritime security, emerging technologies, logistics and military exchanges

• The two Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to a free, open, inclusive and rules-based Indo-Pacific, highlighting the growing convergence between India's Act East Policy and South Korea's regional strategic vision

• Several MoUs were signed — on defence, cyber security, training exchanges between India's National Defence College and the Korea National Defence University, and UN peacekeeping operations

• Two significant MoUs covered future-oriented projects on self-propelled air defence systems and directed energy weapon systems, both with a strong "Make in India" focus

• Mr. Singh and South Korea's Defence Acquisition Programme Administration Commissioner discussed joint development, joint production and exports, and a roadmap for the India-Korea Defence Innovation Accelerator Ecosystem (KIND-X) to integrate the two countries' innovation ecosystems

• At a defence-industry round table, Mr. Singh invited Korean firms to join India's indigenous defence manufacturing under Aatmanirbhar Bharat; agreements were signed between Larsen & Toubro and Hanwha

• He said future defence ecosystems will rely on AI, autonomous systems, cyber technologies, semiconductors, quantum technologies and space-based capabilities; addressing the diaspora, he described Operation Sindoor as proof of India's emergence as a strong nation and reaffirmed India's No First Use nuclear policy while warning against terrorism and nuclear blackmail

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS2 (International Relations) — India-South Korea strategic partnership, the Act East Policy, Indo-Pacific cooperation, and defence-industrial collaboration.

📝 Prelims Facts:

• India and South Korea are deepening cooperation under India's Act East Policy

• KIND-X refers to the India-Korea Defence Innovation Accelerator Ecosystem

• Two India-South Korea MoUs cover self-propelled air defence systems and directed energy weapon systems

• India maintains a No First Use nuclear policy

🔑 Key Term: Act East Policy — India's foreign-policy initiative to deepen economic, strategic and cultural ties with the Asia-Pacific, including East and Southeast Asian partners such as South Korea.