Jaishankar holds ‘productive' talks with South Korean Foreign Minister
Ways to ramp up the overall bilateral cooperation figured prominently in talks between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his visiting South Korean counterpart, Cho Hyun.
"Held productive discussions on advancing our bilateral cooperation in trade, manufacturing, maritime and people-to-people exchanges as well as new opportunities in AI, semiconductors, clean energy and defence," the External Affairs Minister said in a post on X.
Mr. Jaishankar said he and Mr. Hyun also exchanged perspectives on the Indo-Pacific region and contemporary global developments.
"Appreciated our deepening convergences and growing engagement as our Special Strategic Partnership completes 10 years," he added.
In his opening remarks at the meeting, Mr. Jaishankar also thanked Seoul for its condemnation of Pahalgam terror attack.
The External Affairs Minister also made a mention of Seoul's support to an Indian parliamentary delegation that visited South Korea in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor.
"You have been barely a month in the job (as the Foreign Minister), the fact that you are here literally a day after your National Day, and our National Day, says a lot really about the value we attach to the relationship," Mr. Jaishankar said.
The India-South Korea ties have been on an upswing in the last few years, especially in the areas of trade and defence.
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The Wire
11 minutes ago
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Modi's Three Sudarshan Chakras: From Mythic Precision to Military Confusion
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This Sudarshan Chakra was actively deployed during Operation Sindoor across northern and western India as part of the air-defence grid, successfully intercepting incoming threats and reportedly downing five Pakistan Air Force fighters. along with a large military surveillance platform at ranges of around 300 km inside neighbouring enemy territory. Announcing this development on August 9, more than three months US President Donald Trump announced the ceasefire which 'paused' Operation Sindoor, Air Chief Marshal A. P. Singh described it as the longest recorded surface-to-air kill. Other officials praised the S-400 for living up to its 'Sudarshan Chakra' name, citing its unerring precision, formidable speed, and ability to strike multiple targets, much like Vishnu's divine discus, which, the legend goes, never missed and always returned unerringly to its master. 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Indian Express
11 minutes ago
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North Block is leaving the building, with files, stationery and nostalgia
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Many of my former colleagues who have worked here have been dropping by to see the offices one last time.' Like the South Block that stands across it, North Block, designed by British architect Herbert Baker in red sandstone, incorporating Indian features like jaali, chajja and chhattri, is as much a regal structure as a functional one, with plenty of light and ventilation. The new buildings, in comparison, look like any modern corporate office, with glass cabins for officers, open plan seating for most employees and access-control systems. Offices in the South Block, which houses the Prime Minister's Office and the Ministries of Defence and External Affairs, have not started moving out yet. Once both the buildings are emptied, they are to be restored and refurbished, before reopening as Yuge Yugeen National Museum. The government claims it will be the largest museum in the world. The 'charm' of North Block is what those who have worked here keep coming back to in conversations. 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A section official says: 'We are looking forward to the new building. I've heard that the canteen is very nice.' But true to form, the open-plan layout of the new Secretariat also has its share of detractors. On August 5, the Central Secretariat Service Forum, which represents around 13,000 employees, wrote a letter to the Prime Minister's Office expressing concerns about 'the lack of privacy and confidentiality' in the new arrangement.
