Guardians in Dialogue: India and Korea Deepen Maritime Ties at 13th Coast Guard Summit in Delhi

Key highlights

 

The 13th High-Level Meeting (HLM) of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and the Korea Coast Guard (KCG) was conducted in New Delhi on July 21, 2025, with increasing maritime cooperation between India and South Korea taking center stage. Top officials of both coast guards attended the meeting that was a follow-up to yearly bilateral interactions to promote strategic, operational, and technical collaboration in the Indo-Pacific.

 

Strategic Priorities and Areas of Cooperation

 

The summit reaffirmed the common commitment to enhancing maritime safety, security, and law enforcement in the Indian Ocean and in East Asian waters, both vital routes for global trade and energy.

 

Priorities included joint search and rescue operations, anti-piracy patrols, sharing of information on maritime crime, prevention of pollution, and capacity-building for both countries' personnel.

 

The two nations stressed the importance of close cooperation in countering new non-traditional security threats such as illegal fishing, arms and drug trafficking, and environmental challenges.

 

Bilateral Relationship and Wider Context

 

The session was held with senior delegations of the ICG and KCG, in which they reviewed progress under the existing Memoranda of Understanding. They agreed on action plans for further action, exchanges of best practice, and continued dialogue at both operational and leadership levels.

 

The top-level interaction was followed by deliberations on harnessing technology for tracking vessels, e-recordkeeping, and joint maritime surveillance—all considered important to bolstering regional security architecture.

 

This was preceded by recent discussions on more comprehensive defense and maritime cooperation, economic cooperation, and people-to-people ties between India and South Korea, demonstrating the two nations' determination to a Special Strategic Partnership.

 

Looking Ahead The 13th HLM reiterated Delhi and Seoul's determination to enhance maritime governance and safety standards, with new initiatives already in the pipeline. Both sides are poised to strengthen relations through increased joint operations, regular information exchanges, and continued coordination in regional and multilateral maritime forums.

 

Sources: Press Information Bureau