NEW DELHI

06 September 2019 22:03 IST

MoU to extend logistical support to each other’s Navies signed

India and South Korea concluded a military logistics agreement during the ongoing visit of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to Seoul. The two countries also formulated a forward-looking road map to take bilateral defence industry cooperation to the next level, the Defence Ministry said in a statement on Friday.

“The Ministers exchanged views on regional and international developments of mutual interest. Two MoUs to further defence educational exchanges and extend logistical support to each other’s Navies were signed,” the statement said on the talks between Mr. Singh and his South Korean counterpart Jeong Kyeong-doo.

A defence source said this foreign cooperation initiative would greatly help interoperability.

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“India will be able to get assured logistic support when it operates in the Indo-Pacific in the ports of South Korea.” Such agreements extend the reach, presence and sustainability of Navy ships when deployed at great distances from home ports, the source added.

On the road map, Mr. Singh said it had listed a number of proposed areas of cooperation in land, aero and naval systems, research and development cooperation and collaboration in testing, certification and quality assurance.

Mr. Singh also invited the South Korean industry to explore the feasibility of local production of items, used in main weapon systems imported by Defence public sector undertakings (PSUs).