Geopolitics, Security and Bilateral Relations Perspectives from India and South Korea

India-South Korea bilateral relations achieved a critical landmark with the upgrade of a fast growing relationship to a ‘Strategic Partnership'. As a timely initiative intended to contribute to the process of this upgrade, two premier strategic think tanks, namely the United Services Institution of India (USI) and Research Institute for National Security Affairs (RINSA), South Korea, undertook a joint research project. The project brought together in house security scholars from the Indian and South Korean think tanks to reflect on specified security themes. In true bilateral spirit, a total of eight scholars - four each from USI (India) and RINSA (South Korea), took part in this project. Since both nations today stand at the cusp of a strategic partnership, four themes of strategic significance were chosen for joint research. The themes broadly dealt with Geopolitics of the Regions, India-South Korea Bilateral Relations, Security Cooperation and Nuclear Issues. Each theme was addressed by two scholars-one from India and one from South Korea. This ensured that each theme was ‘viewed' from both vantage spots. This collection of papers is the first structured attempt to state both Indian and South Korean perspectives on chosen strategic themes. The hope is that it will serve as the start point of further engagement and research, and will be able to guide those involved in crafting the trajectory of this strategic partnership.

Bal Krishan Sharma is the Deputy Director Research and head of Center for Strategic Studies and Simulation at United Service Institution (USI) of India, New Delhi. He specialises in Strategic Net Assessments, Scenario Building and Gaming. He conducts strategic games for the National Defence Collage, Higher Command Course of the Army, Navy and Air Force and Academy of India Foreign Service, New Delhi.
MH Rajesh is an alumnus of Indian Naval Academy and Defence Services Staff College. He has post graduate degree in Strategic Studies from Madras University. He is presently a Research Fellow at United Services Institution of India, focusing on China and Indian Ocean.

1. Introduction by RINSA, 2. Chapter One-Emerging Geopolitical Trends in East Asia by Seok-soo Lee, 3. Chapter Two- Geopolitical Trends in Indo-Pacific: Implications For Regional Security by Maj Gen B K Sharma, 4. Chapter Three- Cooperative Governance in East Asia: Lessons from European Case by Hanbeom Jeong, 5. Chapter Four - Security Cooperation between Republics of India And Korea by Lalit Kapur, 6. Chapter Five- Nuclear Security Issues: Challenges and Opportunities (North Korea's Nuclear Threat Perspective) by Yong Soo Kwon, 7. Chapter Six - Nuclear Security Issues: Challenges and Opportunities by Dr Roshan Khanijo, 8. Chapter Seven - Bilateral Cooperation between the ROK and India-: ROK's Perspective by Park Min-hyoung, PhD, 9. Chapter Eight- India South Korea Relations- An Indian Perspective by MH Rajesh, 10. Conclusion by USI