▲ Lee Yong-cheol, minister of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, gives a congratulatory speech at a ceremony marking the departure of the ROKS Dosan Ahn Chang-ho for joint drills with Canada in June, in this file photo taken March 25, 2026. (Yonhap)

S Korea-India-arms cooperation

DAPA chief discusses arms cooperation with India's defense minister

SEOUL, May 20 (Yonhap) -- The chief of South Korea's defense procurement agency on Wednesday met with India's defense minister and discussed ways to expand bilateral arms cooperation, officials said.

Lee Yong-cheol, minister of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, and Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh met in Seoul, after the leaders of both countries agreed to step up economic cooperation during a summit in New Delhi last month.

On Wednesday, the two officials agreed to expand arms cooperation, citing last year's deal to export South Korea's K9 self-propelled howitzers to India.

The two sides also discussed launching a joint platform to link defense firms, startups and universities from each country to accelerate arms cooperation involving new technologies, such as artificial intelligence and unmanned aircraft.

At a defense forum that took place following the meeting, South Korean defense firms Hanwha Aerospace and Hanwha Systems Co. signed a memorandum of understanding with Mumbai-based Larsen & Toubro on bilateral arms cooperation.

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