Korea-India Summit Held... "Cooperation Development in Defense, Digital, Biohealth, Space, etc." (Comprehensive)

Yoon and Modi Hold First Face-to-Face Meeting on 50th Anniversary of Korea-India Diplomatic Relations
Leaders of Both Nations "Establishing a Cooperation Framework Based on Democratic Solidarity"

President Yoon Suk-yeol, who is staying in Hiroshima, Japan to attend the Group of Seven (G7) summit, held a Korea-India summit with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the 20th and agreed to advance cooperation in cutting-edge technology sectors such as defense industry, digital, bio-health, and space.

President Yoon and Prime Minister Modi held the Korea-India summit at a hotel in Hiroshima on the morning of the same day, agreeing to upgrade the Korea-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which came into effect in 2010, to further expand trade between the two countries and pioneer cooperation in new fields, presidential spokesperson Lee Do-woon said.

This summit marked the first face-to-face meeting between the two leaders in celebration of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and India this year.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The two leaders expressed their shared view that "Korea and India are building a solid framework of cooperation based on democratic solidarity," the spokesperson said.

The two leaders also agreed to jointly contribute to regional peace and stability in harmony with Korea's Indo-Pacific strategy and India's Act East Policy.

They also pledged to join efforts in global South development (referring mainly to emerging and developing countries located in the Southern Hemisphere) and climate response initiatives.

President Yoon said, "I appreciate Prime Minister Modi's attendance at the 2nd Democracy Summit co-hosted by Korea and the United States last March," and proposed, "Korea and India, sharing democratic values, should unite to jointly address regional and global issues."

In response, Prime Minister Modi said, "Let us strengthen strategic communication and cooperation between our two countries."

The two leaders agreed to seek deeper exchanges and the development of a special strategic partnership between the two countries around the Group of Twenty (G20) summit scheduled for September.

Additionally, President Yoon requested Prime Minister Modi's attention to ensure that appropriate tariff standards are applied to Korean companies operating in India.

Meanwhile, during the summit with Prime Minister Modi, President Yoon's rendition of Don McLean's "American Pie," which he sang during his state visit to the United States last month, became a topic of conversation.

A presidential office official said that Prime Minister Modi praised President Yoon's leadership during the meeting and said, "I know how excellent you are as a singer."

The official also introduced that during the first schedule of the Hiroshima visit, a summit with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Norman Albanese, Prime Minister Albanese also greeted President Yoon by saying, "I saw your singing and wanted to say hello."

The official conveyed the atmosphere on site, saying, "Each leader gave positive feedback on 'American Pie,' which spread its influence to all the leaders and injected vitality into the otherwise dry meetings."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.