India asks South Korea to join solar alliance, Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative
NEW DELHI : India’s external affairs minister S. Jaishankar on Tuesday pitched for South Korea to participate in India-led initiatives such as the International Solar Alliance, the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, and the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative. Jaishankar is in South Korea for a two-day visit, during which he will chair a joint commission meeting with his Korean counterpart.
“If I were to give some examples for (Republic of Korea) as an important trading country, maritime security is a very, very vital concern. We in India host a Fusion Centre which is built as a result of a number of White Shipping agreements with different partners where you actually have a common operative picture across the entire Indian ocean," Jaishankar said addressing a gathering at the Korean National Diplomatic Academy. “Similarly, RoK’s participation in initiatives like the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative, which looks at a range of oceanic issues from ecology and environment to transport and science technology, would, I think, be a very valuable addition," he said.
India’s top diplomat was referring to the Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR), which is hosted by the Indian Navy and headquartered in Gurugram. It has 25 partner countries, including the US, Japan, Australia, and Bangladesh. Jaishankar also suggested cooperation through the International Solar Alliance and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, both of which are led by India.
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