Common concerns: On India-South Korea ties
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500+ questions on Current Affairs & GK with explanations
📌 Summary:
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South Korean President Lee Jae Myung completed 2-day state visit to Delhi; met PM Modi — first South Korean presidential visit to India in 8 years; last Modi visit to Seoul was 7 years ago
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Key outcomes: (1) Trade target: bilateral trade to reach $50 billion by end of decade (from current ~$21 billion) (2) India-RoK Special Strategic Partnership launched — upgraded framework (3) Joint vision statements on: shipbuilding and maritime logistics; energy resource security and sustainability (4) 15 MoUs signed across economic sectors
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Priority sectors: critical minerals (Korean tech + India scale), quantum computing, shipbuilding, battery technology, semiconductor supply chains
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Context: Both nations seek to diversify dependencies amid US tariff uncertainty and global supply chain disruptions; India's Act East Policy; Korea's need to reduce China exposure
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India-South Korea complementarity: Korea's advanced technology in semiconductors, shipbuilding, batteries vs India's large market, manufacturing scale, demographic dividend
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Common strategic concerns: Indo-Pacific security, North Korean provocations, supply chain resilience
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Long-overdue visit: gap in high-level engagement highlighted the need for institutional deepening
🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS2 – International Relations: India-East Asia bilateral; Act East Policy; GS3 – Economy: critical minerals, tech supply chains; relevant for India's diversification strategy
📝 Prelims Facts:
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India-RoK trade target: $50 billion by end of decade
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India-RoK Special Strategic Partnership: new upgraded framework agreed April 2026
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MoUs signed: 15 across economic areas
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Areas of cooperation: shipbuilding, maritime logistics, energy, critical minerals, quantum computing
🔑 Key Term: Act East Policy – India's foreign policy initiative (rebranded from Look East in 2014) to promote strategic, economic and cultural ties with Southeast and East Asia; South Korea is a key partner alongside Japan, Australia and ASEAN nations
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