The key component of India-South Korea strategic partnership continues to be a robust economic engagement. Critically analyse what India needs to do to deepen this relationship and how will it benefit from deeper partnership with South Korea. (200 Words)
With India looking forward to strengthen its position in Asia and counter the rise of china, South Korea is a lucrative partner. Along with the common ideologies of democracy, both the countries have had many things in common including a common historical trajectories, colonial experiences, bloodshed of partition and hostility in the neighbourhood. This gives both the countries a chance to benefit from a strong relationship.
India needs to push this relationship forward, which can be done through:
- Skill development: to benefit from the demographic dividend, India needs to learn from RoK experiences
- Increase economic growth by increasing entrepreneurship and joint ventures with south korean industries like Samsung, Hyundai etc.
- Ship building: South Korea has world class technology, but India has obsolescent equipment and management. India would need to make special arrangements right from assigning a port completely to Korean companies. Also, their state-of-the-technology while building ships and ancillary products need to be tapped
- Nuclear co-operation : technology and investment would come at a lower cost from south korea
- Tourism: can be built up due to common cultural ties. facility of ‘e-visa’ and ‘visa on arrival’, tourism from both sides will increase.
- It will benefit india’s film producing industry by providing a joint venture with south Korean films and will also boost cultural ties.
Certain issues:
- The present CEPA has not generated any extra exports from India, and the bilateral trade gap is widening against India. Renewed partnership in the CEPA agreement signed in 2009 is needed to rejuvenate renewed energy in order to utilise Korean expertise of Technical sector and consumer goods. But Indian interest needs to be protected by confidence building measures so as to increase scope of IT services in Korea, also measures are needed to increase import of generic industry and agriculture products in the Korean market
- Approvals for import of Indian generic drugs and agricultural products into SK is not easy.
- Land acquisition problems in india eg –POSCO steel plant in odisha
- SK are usually sceptical in sharing technology and knowledge and hence they may demand special treatment not entering in to any JVs
Write a note on the importance of culture in the relationship between India and Korea. (200 Words)
Cultural thread between India and South Korea dates goes back from the ancient times when a young princess from Ayodhya married King Kim soro of Korea.
The various cultural facets which have given impetus to the relations are:
- Buddhism: originated in India, 2nd most popular religion in Korea. Tourism potential – India’s Buddhist circuit, HRIDAY partnership; e-visas granted to Koreans. Diplomacy – Modi planted sapling of Bodhi tree
- Yoga and Ayurveda: Korea voted in UNGA for international Yoga day, has an ageing population Yoga for fitness and wellbeing of body and mind, Ayurveda has export potential.
- Bollywood: Korea as a market. Korea as a destination (Gangster film shot there). Korea as source of inspiration (Korean films officially adapted to Hindi like Man from Nowhere). Korea as a source of investment – Korean production houses operating in India
- Hallyu, particularly K-Pop (Korean music). Ambitious industry, extremely popular in China, Japan and SE Asia. India huge market, relatively untapped. Slightly popular in NE (but because insurgents banned Bollywood and no other option)
- Common cultural ethos. Society that values education, community and respect for elders. Help in skill development and education strategy, where Korea is a pioneer having emerged from sub-Saharan levels of poverty to OECD status
- Cuisines of both the countries have gained familiarity and play a binding factor.
- The Korean-Indian cultural Philip is also provided by the Korean giants Samsung and LG which makes our Diwali (Dhanteras)even more special.
- Cultural diplomacy be amplify our efforts to boost our bilateral relations and aid in the economic prosperity and cultural wellbeing.