The India Korea Joint Committee on Defence Industries and Logistics Cooperation held its 10th meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday, with both sides reviewing the cooperation already under way and discussing ways to widen it, according to a Ministry of Defence release.

Dinesh Mahur, Additional Secretary (Defence Production), and Kim Il Dong, Vice Minister of the Republic of Korea's Defence Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), co-chaired the session.

Delegations at the India Korea Joint Committee

Seong Ho Lee, the Republic of Korea's Ambassador to India, attended the meeting along with Dr Vijay Namdeorao Zade, Joint Secretary (Naval Systems) in the Department of Defence Production of the Ministry of Defence, and senior officials from both countries.

Larsen and Toubro (L&T) and Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) took part from India. Hanwha Aerospace, Korean Air, Hanwha Systems, Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) and DS Navcours represented Korea.

What the two sides reviewed

The Ministry said both countries reviewed the ongoing cooperation in defence industries and logistics and discussed avenues to strengthen and expand defence ties. The delegations also exchanged views on cooperation between the two countries' defence industries, and on greater engagement in defence production and logistics.

Vice Minister calls on Sanjay Seth

On the sidelines, Kim Il Dong called on Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral defence cooperation and deepening collaboration in defence industries and logistics.

How the committee works

The India Korea Joint Committee is a secretary-level forum between DAPA and India's Ministry of Defence that meets regularly, according to the Embassy of India in Seoul. A Roadmap for Defence Industries Cooperation is in place between the two countries.

DAPA was formed on 1 January 2006, when acquisition functions spread across eight institutions were brought under one administration.

The Ministry has also reported the second India Ethiopia Joint Defence Cooperation meeting, held in Addis Ababa and co-chaired by Joint Secretary Sanjay Kumar and Maj Gen Teshome Gemechu.

L&T's foreign defence tie-ups

L&T's association with the Hanwha group on the K9 Vajra self-propelled howitzer is a matter of public record.

The company's tie-up with Belgium's Exail was among the ten India Belgium defence deals signed in New Delhi earlier this month. Seth made an industry pitch at the India Belgium CEOs roundtable as well, setting India's FDI ceilings, iDEX and ADITI before Belgian companies.

What the leaders set out in April

The Joint Strategic Vision issued after the leaders of India and the Republic of Korea met in New Delhi on 20 April said the two sides would aim to hold the Joint Committee Meeting on Defence Industry Cooperation and an inaugural Defence and Foreign Affairs 2+2 Dialogue at Vice Minister level. The two sides also adopted a Comprehensive Framework for Partnership on Shipbuilding, Shipping and Maritime Logistics.