External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s upcoming visit to Seoul from 5 to 6 March 2024 to co-chair the 10th India-Republic of Korea Joint Commission Meeting with his Korean counterpart Cho Tae-yul heralds a watershed moment in Delhi-Seoul bilateral diplomatic engagements. The JCM envisages a comprehensive review of bilateral cooperation with a concerted effort to explore avenues for its augmentation. Concurrently, the press briefing statement disseminated by South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs underscores the JCM’s significance as an opportunity to consolidate the ‘special strategic partnership’ with India, an indisputable linchpin in the Indo-Pacific geopolitical landscape.
Emanating from these official pronouncements is a resounding chorus advocating for the fortification of the existing partnership, thereby accentuating the exigency to meticulously dissect the pathways toward enhancing bilateral relations. This meeting assumes profound significance, underscored by two salient factors. First, it is convening after a hiatus of six years; second, it will be held against the backdrop of dramatic shifts in the regional strategic milieu during this interregnum. This confluence of circumstances underscores the imperative for a profound introspection, necessitating a paradigmatic shift toward the recalibration, redefinition, and restrategisation of Indo-Korea relations.
These six years have witnessed tectonic shifts in the strategic postures of both nations. A notable evolution is discernible in Seoul’s strategic prism, marked by the ascendancy of a new conservative administration and the concomitant embrace of a pragmatic foreign policy orientation. This strategic recalibration, catalysed by the evolving power dynamics within the Indo-Pacific theatre, particularly vis-à-vis China’s assertive military ascendancy, finds resonance in India’s recalibration toward a more proactive engagement with like-minded regional stakeholders. This strategic repositioning is a direct response to the exacerbation of India-China border tensions, compelling Delhi to foster closer ties with its regional counterparts.
Concomitant with Seoul’s strategic recalibration is the acknowledgement of the Indo-Pacific paradigm, which has emerged as the lodestar guiding strategic deliberations in both New Delhi and Seoul. South Korea’s articulation of its Indo-Pacific strategy, underpinned by a nuanced understanding of the region’s geopolitical imperatives, resonates synergistically with India’s proactive endeavours aimed at fortifying regional maritime security architectures. It shows Delhi and Seoul’s shared commitment toward shaping a stable and rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific theatre.
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Transforming India-Korea relations
A transformative impetus underpins the imperative to infuse substantive content into bilateral relations, transcending the transactional predilections that were, till now, predominant in India-Korea engagements. The architecture of India-Korea relations must transcend the economic realm, embracing a holistic strategic calculus underpinned by shared normative values and convergent strategic interests. At the vanguard of this strategic repositioning lies maritime cooperation, envisaged along three cardinal axes, each embodying strategic imperatives intrinsic to the Indo-Pacific epoch.
Foremost amongst these axes is the imperative to fortify regional security architectures, predicated upon normative consensus vis-à-vis the Indo-Pacific security calculus. South Korea’s vocalisation vis-à-vis China’s assertive behaviour in maritime domains, mirrored by India’s forthrightness, underscores the shared imperative to uphold the rules-based international order.
Augmenting defence collaboration assumes paramount significance as the second axis of maritime cooperation. A bilateral maritime cooperative framework, underpinned by the enforcement of international maritime law, joint patrols, and bolstering domain awareness, serves as the sine qua non for fortifying regional security architectures. The infusion of cutting-edge technological interventions, exemplified by maritime cybersecurity cooperation, augments operational capabilities and resilience against emergent maritime threats.
The third axis of maritime cooperation converges upon the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), envisaging a confluence of efforts aimed at enhancing the country’s maritime capabilities. Closer coordination, epitomised by South Korea’s liaison officer to India’s Information Fusion Centre, will lay the foundation for synergistic endeavours aimed at enhancing maritime domain awareness. This symbiotic partnership will not only fortify India’s role as the net security provider in the IOR but also safeguards South Korea’s interests in the Western IOR.
Such collaborative efforts, akin to the interlocking cogs of a well-oiled machine, infuse vitality into the India-Korea partnership, propelling it beyond the confines of conventional paradigms toward a future characterised by resilience, dynamism, and strategic foresight. In essence, the impending convocation of the JCM symbolises more than a mere diplomatic engagement; it embodies a clarion call for recalibrating the contours of India-Korea relations in consonance with the imperatives of the Indo-Pacific century. Through a strategic repositioning underpinned by maritime cooperation, India and South Korea chart a course toward a future characterised by synergy, resilience, and strategic foresight.
Moreover, delving into the historical maritime ties between India and South Korea can provide valuable context for understanding the depth of their relationship. Ancient trade routes, cultural exchanges, and shared maritime heritage between the two nations underscore the natural affinity for enhancing maritime cooperation. Economic interdependence further solidifies the argument for cooperation. The significant trade volumes, investments, and joint ventures between India and South Korea highlight the critical role of maritime security in preserving economic interests, emphasising the need for collaborative efforts to ensure secure sea lanes for trade and energy transport.
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A ‘3 Rs’ methodology
Multilateral engagement offers additional avenues for cooperation. Platforms such as the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) or the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) provide frameworks for India and South Korea to collaborate within broader regional security initiatives, demonstrating a shared commitment to stability and security in the Indo-Pacific. Technological innovation in maritime security is paramount. Exploring emerging technologies such as unmanned maritime vehicles, satellite surveillance, and artificial intelligence can facilitate joint research and development efforts, enhancing maritime domain awareness and operational capabilities.
Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) efforts underscore the humanitarian aspect of maritime cooperation. Past collaborations in providing disaster relief or conducting joint exercises for humanitarian purposes showcase the broader societal benefits of maritime security cooperation. Addressing environmental challenges in the maritime domain is also crucial. Collaboration on marine pollution, illegal fishing, and climate change mitigation can contribute to environmental protection and sustainable resource management, fostering long-term cooperation.
Cultural and educational exchanges related to maritime affairs further enrich the relationship. Initiatives such as student exchange programmes, joint research projects, or maritime heritage tourism promote mutual understanding and cooperation between the people of India and South Korea, laying the groundwork for deeper maritime collaboration.
By incorporating these supplementary elements, the rationale for embracing a 3 Rs methodology — redefine, reinvent, and restrategise — India-Korea maritime collaboration becomes significantly more robust and all-encompassing. It underscores the imperative for both nations to not only envision but actively pursue a collaborative framework that is agile, innovative, and strategically aligned with the evolving dynamics of the Indo-Pacific region.
Amid the Indo-Pacific’s shifting power dynamics, the time has come for both countries to rejuvenate their defence cooperation using the 3 Rs strategy: redefining shared objectives, reinventing naval capabilities, and restrategising for regional challenges.
Let the push begin with Jaishankar’s visit to Seoul.
Lakhvinder Singh is the Director of the department of peace and security studies at the Asia Institute in Seoul. Abhishek Sharma is a PhD Scholar at Delhi University and a Research Associate with the Centre for Air Power Studies. Views are personal.