A Message from

H.E. Mr. Skand R. Tayal, Ambassador of India to the Republic of Korea,

on the occasion of the

62nd Republic Day of India

In celebrating the 62nd Republic Day on 26 January 2011, India crosses yet another milestone in its independent history, and I take this opportunity to convey my heartiest greetings, and Best Wishes for a peaceful, successful and prosperous New Year, to all the readers of the prestigious and popular English daily The Korea Times.

The world is aware that India had secured independence on 15 August 1947 through a non-violent struggle led by Mahatma Gandhi, the apostle of peace and “Father of the Indian Nation’. Thereafter the people of India proceeded to promulgate a comprehensive written constitution on 26 January 1950 with the aim of establishing an inclusive and plural society based on the principles of equality and fundamental human dignity, and declared India a sovereign, secular and democratic Republic. Despite the colonial legacies of poverty and illiteracy, India has gone on to become today the largest and a vibrant democracy of the world, and the fourth largest economy in PPP terms.

India and Korea have similar colonial and historical experiences. India’s peaceful contribution during the Korean War marked a positive beginning to the relations between two newly independent nations. The two countries can today rightly boast of a multifaceted relationship that encompasses a wide range of fields and is characterized by a commitment at the highest political level for a deeper engagement.

It was on the occasion of the Republic Day of India exactly a year ago that President Lee Myung-bak had visited India to be the Chief Guest at the celebrations in New Delhi. It was during this visit that India and Korea agreed, after a careful consideration of the importance of their relationship and its relevance in the 21st century, to elevate it to a ‘Strategic Partnership’.

India has deep interest in peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. Government of India closely follows the developments here. India believes that peaceful negotiations rather than the use of force should be the basis for addressing differences between States. India appreciates the maturity and restraint with which the Republic of Korea has handled the situation after the events of last year.

 It was a year ago that the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) was launched by the two countries signaling a new chapter in their economic and commercial cooperation. CEPA has the potential to transform the extensive synergies between the two economies into tangible and mutually beneficial results and is complemented well by the Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (BIPPA) which already exists between the two countries. The positive impact of this institutional framework is already evident – bilateral trade in 2010 witnessed an impressive surge of 45% over 2009, and reached a figure of $ 17 billion. Investments both ways are estimated to be in the range of $ 4 billion, while increasing number of industrial majors has begun to explore investment opportunities in each other’s market.

Another healthy fact is the jump in the number of business visas. Indian Embassy in Seoul issued close to 80,000 visas to Korean citizens in 2010 out of which about 29000 were business visas. While the overall increase in the total number of visas last year was 47% over the previous year, which itself is impressive, the rise in Business visas was a phenomenal 230%! What is further encouraging is that both the trade and investment profiles are diversifying rapidly and at present cover a variety of products and services – be it electronics or automobiles and auto-parts or Steel or IT services etc.

Cultural contacts deriving strength from close cultural affinities impart human touch to the political and commercial relations established by States.
Direct Air India service between Delhi and Seoul that commenced last year was a conscious decision by the Indian Government to make physical connectivity between the two countries and peoples much easier.  Responding to the yearning from Korean people to learn more about Indian Culture and Arts, Government of India is also establishing an Indian Cultural Center that will bring Indian classical dances, music and Yoga much closer to the Korean people.

It is gratifying to see that India and Korea are strengthening their partnership in the international and multilateral forums. Close cooperation between us on matters of regional and global significance is essential in a rapidly evolving international scenario. This was already evident at the recent Seoul G20 Summit.  We are also working in close coordination through East Asia Summit process and Comprehensive Economic Partnership for East Asia (CEPEA) towards greater integration in Asia.  Clearly, India-RoK relations have attained a new dynamism and are poised to hit a higher trajectory in the days to come.

   ( Skand R. Tayal )

 Ambassador of India