Mithun Rajesh
The author is a graduate Student at the Institute for Multidisciplinary Programmes in Social Sciences (IMPSS), Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala. This article was an outcome of the ‘Korea Centre Summer Internship Programme.
Abstract
The 21st century stands witness to the growing defense ties between India and South-Korea, two nations with rather limited contact when explored historically and culturally in response to regional security challenges at the Indo-Pacific. Their limited interactions, is slowly evolving to military exchanges, joint exercises, and high-level defense diplomacy under initiatives like India’s Act East Policy and South Korea’s New Southern Policy. This has taken the shape of collaborations between the defense industries and joint naval exercises, as both nations seek to enhance defense self-reliance and secure regional stability through improving cooperation in defense technology, maritime security, and military engagements, crucial for maintaining the status-quo of the Indo-Pacific. This paper explores the growth of India-South Korea defense relations, Military exchanges, joint training exercises, improved defense diplomacy, and the historical development of bilateral defense cooperation. By analyzing these aspects, this study not only adds to the wider discourse on India-South Korea relations but also emphasizes their significance in determining Asia’s security environment.
INTRODUCTION
India and South Korea, two former colonies that attained independence after World War 2, was a result of partition on the grounds of religious or ideological differences. After Independence, both recognized a significant adversary in their partitioned neighbor, with a common tie to China.
The rise of Chinese Military aggression and it’s growing friction with the U.S.A, India and South-Korea find themselves in the cross-roads of navigating security, stability and co-operations in securing a free and open Indo-Pacific, vital to the functioning of both economies and global trade.
India’s gradual shift from non-alliance to an increased engagement with other regional powers such as South-Korea, which in turn reciprocate the call for co-operation in a variety of sectors, including defense signifies the growing frustration among the Asian nations, towards the dominant Chinese influence and aggression in the region. Understanding this partnership will help impart insights on how emerging regional powers can co-operate to address shared challenges and act as counter-balance, to rising regional adversaries.
BACKGROUND
India played a significant role in brokering a ceasefire agreement during the Korean War in 1953, yet the relationship between the two nations were mostly symbolic. In 1963, India established consular relations with South Korea and it was not until the year 1973, ambassador-level diplomatic relations between the two nations were established.
During The Cold War, India’s strict ‘Non-Alignment Policy’ and South Korea’s close relationship with the USA, limited the interactions between the two nations. The Koreans, were rather suspicious of the close ties between India and the Soviet-Union. The last three decades has marked a shift in the relationship between India and South-Korea, which can be now formally defined as ‘Special Strategic Partnership’.
It was only after discarding its Cold War Policies and liberalizing the economy during 90’s, India was able to achieve more frequent engagements with other South-East Asian Countries. South-Korea in particular, was quick in recognizing the innate potential of the Indian market.
Currently, both countries are concerned by the friction between the ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ (BRI) of China and the ‘Free and Open Indo-Pacific’ (FOIP) Strategy of the United States along with the rise of Chinese Military aggressiveness in the region, owing to China’s Malacca dilemma. The Debt-trap diplomacy often undertaken by China, taming under-developed countries in the process to adhere to Chinese national interests, facilitated the need for much stronger strategic and defense co-operations between India and South-Korea.
Despite all this, both countries do not want to maintain a direct anti-China stance, especially South-Korea, upon whose economy China has a significant influence on.
INDIA-KOREA DEFENCE RELATIONS: EVOLUTION
In some sense, India-Korea defense interaction if not cooperation began with India’s involvement in the Korean War.
During the Korean War, both sides adhered to the terms of an Indian sponsored UN Resolution and a ceasefire was declared on 27 July, 1953. Despite being a skilled diplomat, KPS Menon’s role in advancing the ceasefire agreement, was frowned upon by the then President of South Korea, Syngman Rhee who was against the military presence of India in the Korean Peninsula. President Rhee did not accept India as a neutral nation and saw India as a pro-communist force, aiming to influence South-Korea.
India chaired the Neutral Nations Repatriation Commission after the armistice and helped out in various humanitarian issues, resulting from the war. India even dispatched the 60th Parachute Field Ambulance, an Army medical unit with 627 medical personnel under the direction of Lt. Col. A.G. Rangaraj as part of the UN direction, which provided treatment to over 220,000 patients. Under Major General SSP Thorat, India sent a Brigade Group known as Custodian Forces-India (CFI) to Korea with 5230 soldiers, which played a key role in settling the POW problem.
Post-Independent Seoul, traditionally relied on its alliance with the U.S.A, for its security interests, especially during the Cold War era. Amid the rising rivalry between China and U.S.A, Seoul aimed diversify its relationships and engagements with other regional powers such as India, recognized as a ‘central pillar’ in Seoul’s diplomatic and economic portfolios
At present, over 50 countries have defense co-operation agreements with India. New Delhi’s ‘Act East Policy’ and Seoul’s ‘New Southern Policy’ has played a major role in boosting their bilateral relations. Over the years, India and South-Korea has been keenly observing the increasing Chinese support to Pakistan and North-Korea. The new millennium witnessed an expansion in the scope and scale of India-Korea relations including in the defense cooperation.
The militarizing of islands in the South-China Sea (part of the Indo-Pacific region), advancing unlawful maritime claims, utilizing economic and military coercion by China has prompted other Asian countries to redefine their priorities. In the 1990’s, reports of possible defense collaborations between Pakistan and North Korea, prompted India and South-Korea to consider greater collaboration between their defense sectors.
Currently, Seoul is the 10th largest arms exporter in the world and is aiming to occupy the 4th position by 2027. They identified opportunity within India, who has a continually rising military budget and are looking to diversify their sources for defense equipment in the wake of recent tensions.
The foundation of the bilateral defense relations between the 2 countries were established in the year 2005, where both countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for co-operations in the areas of defense, industry and logistics. The following year, another MoU was laid out for co-operation between the coast-guards of the two countries.
DEFENCE DIPLOMACY
Till 2012, India had only a single official based in Tokyo who was tasked with the duties for Tokyo and Seoul.
After Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Seoul during 2015, the status-quo between India and South-Korea was elevated to ‘Special Strategic Formation’.
During the 1980’s, Seoul and New-Delhi encouraged exchange of visits of military personnel of the two nations. Despite a defense wing being inaugurated in the South-Korean embassy in New Delhi, the bilateral military ties between New Delhi and Seoul during the first decade of the 21st century was limited to low-level naval exercises. It was only after former Indian Defense Minister, A.K Antony’s visit to South-Korea during 2010, improved military diplomacy between the two nations were observed.
Two landmark MoU’s were signed during this visit to Seoul. The first MoU aimed to promote shared defense information and experience, along with visits by military experts and personnel and support military education, training and joint exercises. The second MoU aimed to promote research and development in areas of mutual future defense technological interests of both countries. Antony also sought to utilize Seoul’s superior ship-building technology.
Several High-level exchanges and discussions are being undertaken by the two nations. Established in 2013 at the deputy ministerial level, the Defense Policy Dialogue (DPD) has now been promoted to the defense secretary level and will now be a component of the ‘2+2 Dialogue’ between the two sides. Ten Joint Committee Meetings (JCMs), a bilateral discussion for collaboration in the defence industries and logistics, have been held since 2005. Similar to this, four Steering Committee Meetings (SCMs) have been held between DRDO and DAPA to talk about joint defence research and development. However, the Vice Minister/ Secretary level 2+2 meeting agreed in 2015 has not yet been conducted.
Following Antony’s visit, there have been several visits from various officials of the State and Central level to Seoul and vice-versa, to further enhance bilateral co-operation. In December 2012, there was a visit of Mr. Kim Kwan-jin, former ROK’s Minister of National Defence, to India. In 2015, Former Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar lead a 7-member delegation team to South-Korea, to identify ways to further improve defence relationships. The current Indian Minister of Defence, Rajnath Singh delivered a key-note address in the Seoul Defence Dialogue-2019. The meeting between the two defence ministers in 2021, pushed for further improvement on joint-research, joint-production and joint-export in defence industrial co-operation, including cyber, intelligence-sharing and space domains.
The latest cyber-dialogues between India and South-Korea were held on May,2024 in Seoul. The two parties talked on a number of topics related to bilateral cyber cooperation, such as cyber security, standardization, and capacity building and training. In order to create a secure and resilient cyberspace, they also discussed current advancements in the field, global issues brought on by the quick advancement of technology, strategies for strengthening collaboration at the UN etc.
Delegations from various military training facilities in both countries have visited each other on a regular and active basis. Courses are being taken by Officers of the Armed forces of both nations, as part of their military education exchange program.
MILITARY CO-OPERATION
Service level staff discussions along with reciprocal visits by military leadership highlights the growing military co-operation between the 2 nations.
In 2020, The Chief of Army Staff of India, visited Seoul and met with the senior military and civilian leadership of Seoul. The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, travelled to Seoul, to strengthen strategic Air Force-to-Air Force relations with South-Korea.
Both Armies have agreed to engage in mutual subject matter expert exchanges as well as military drills. The Air Forces are discussing reciprocal participation in military drills and visits by Subject Matter Experts.
The coast guards of India and South Korea have held joint-exercises like ‘SAHYOG-HYEOBLYEOG-2016’, in Chennai. The two nations have also participated in multilateral military drills, such as the ‘Sea Dragon 23 Exercises’, along with Canada, Japan and the USA.
In 2019, India and South-Korea signed a logistics agreement, which increased the influence of the Indian Navy to the North of South China Sea.
After India was granted ‘observer’ status at the sixth Western Naval Symposium held in South-Korea, Indian Navy ships participated in a joint exercise with the South Korean Navy and an International Fleet Review to mark 50 years of the Korean Armed Forces. The two nations even participated Maritime partnership exercises undertaken in the East China Sea in June 2021, Bay of Bengal in October 2022, and off Busan in November 2022. India’s naval capability to provide maritime security in the vital sea lanes of the Indian Ocean, prompted countries like South-Korea and Japan to form stronger naval relationship with India.
Recently, The Indian Airforce and the Republic of Korea Airforce participated in the multinational exercise named, ‘Pitch Black’, held in Australia from July 12 to August 2.
In order to improve cooperation among like-minded regional entities, the Trilateral defense co-operation between India, South- Korea and USA aligns with strategic goals in the Indo-Pacific. The U.S.A supports a strong India and South-Korea as key partners in strengthening security and promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
DEFENSE INDUSTRY CO-OPERATION
The recent years, has witnessed an increase in the co-operation of Defense Industries of the two nations.
In 2020, a roadmap for Defense Industry co-operation between India and South-Korea was exchanged between the defense ministers of the two countries, listing possible areas of co-operation such as Land system, Naval system, Aero system and Guided Weapons systems, this roadmap lists a number of possible areas of cooperation in Land Systems, Naval Systems, Aero Systems, Guided Weapon Systems including R&D co-operation. The roadmap aims to facilitate defense industries in participation and collaboration on Make in India initiatives of Government of India. This Roadmap also aims to promote investment and technology transfer in Defense Industrial Corridors in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, a part of the ‘Make in India’ policy mentioned by Prime Minister Modi during DefExpo 2018.
Notably, the K-9 Vajra, a 155mm, 52 Caliber artillery gun has been developed by the Indian company L&T in their plant in India, in collaboration with Korea’s Hanwha Defense. Around US $646 million, was approved by India for the acquisition of 100 modified Vajra-T 155 howitzers, developed by L&T and Hanwha Defense.
The L&T’s Armored System’s Complex was the first private facility in India to produce advanced armor platforms for the defense sector. Furthermore, Indian businesses have contacted Korean partners to discuss joint ventures on diesel submarines, utility helicopters, LT tanks, lithium batteries for Future Ready Combat Vehicles, and submarines. Furthermore, Indian businesses have contacted Korean partners to discuss joint ventures on diesel submarines, utility helicopters, LT tanks, lithium batteries for Future Ready Combat Vehicles, and submarines.
Additionally, they have an intergovernmental Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on “Defense Industry Co-operation in Shipbuilding, anticipated to aid India in its defense modernization objective. A deal between Hyundai Heavy Industries and India’s Hindustan Shipyard Ltd. (HSL) to build five fleet support ships for an estimated US$1.5 billion has reportedly fallen through due to standards and cost issues
In order to support future Indian navy projects, including Mine Countermeasure Vessels (MCMV), Fleet Support Ships (FSS), and Landing Platform Docks (LPD), Korean industry is also thinking of transferring a number of cutting-edge naval shipbuilding technology. Additionally, Indian partners have initiated discussions on a number of subjects, such as batteries and energy management systems, small weapons manufacture, smart ammunition, and all variant ammunition.
CONCLUSION
As Asia’s geopolitical landscape changes, the foreign policies and strategic interests of both countries have changed significantly, which is reflected in the developing relationship between South Korea and India.
Supported by programs such as South Korea’s New Southern Policy and India’s Act East Policy, their bolstered defense and strategic partnership has produced a comprehensive defense diplomacy framework that consists of strong defense industry partnerships, frequent high-level exchanges, and joint military exercises.
At present, economic ties continue to be the main defining factors between the two nations. Despite agreements between the armies of the two nations joint-exercises and drills, it is very limited compared to the engagements between their Navies and Coastguards. South-Korea and India should also further collaborate on ship-building technologies in order to safeguard the maritime security of the Indo-Pacific region.
These collaborations not only strengthen the defense capabilities of the two nations, but also help them achieve their individual objectives such as, being self-reliant or being a major arms-exporter in the world-market. Increased engagements in the defense sector hold the potential for deeper economic and cultural connections between the two nations, which will in turn encourage the improvement of relations between other countries of the Indo-Pacific region, ultimately presenting an invisible united front of against countries, who aim to threaten the status quo of the Indo-Pacific region. Increased participation in military exercises and games between the various wings of the armed forces of the two nations is important to improve their Military-to-Military co-operation, identifying the weaknesses of their engagements and deriving solutions to improve them.
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