India favours peace dialogue on Korean peninsula: Rajnath
Seoul: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said India supports all efforts to bring about peace and stability on the Korean peninsula and its de-nuclearization through dialogue and diplomacy.
Rajnath Singh, who was on a four-day visit here, also said that the summits between the US and North Korea and between South Korea and North Korea have been “positive developments” in this regard.
He stated this in a tweet before winding up his visit, during which he held talks with his counterpart Jeong Kyeong-Doo.
The Indian Minister visited the Demilitarized Zone which lies between South Korea and North Korea, and the historic site where South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attended tree planting ceremony during the inter-Korean summit at Panmunjom on April 27, 2018.
Rajnath Singh also visited the Joint Security Area (JSA) at Panmunjom in South Korea. India had played a crucial role in the Korean War.
“As we approach the first anniversary of the Pyongyang Declaration, it is time for us to reiterate our commitment to the path of peace,” he said in another tweet.
During the talks between the two Defence Ministers, the two sides agreed that there was great potential to further enhance these ties.
“The ongoing Defence cooperation engagements have made good progress in recent years,” Rajnath Singh said after the talks.
During a visit to the War Memorial at Seoul, he said that “the sacrifice and dedication of the UN forces and veterans in the Korean War will never be forgotten”.
Rajnath Singh also visited the National Cemetery in Seoul and laid a wreath to show his respect to the loyalty and devotion of those who sacrificed their lives in the cause of the Korean nation.
He addressed a session of CEOs of South Korean companies engaged in the field of defence and invited them to invest in India.
“Had extremely fruitful interactions with the CEOs of several big companies operating in the Defence sector of India-RoK. Invited them to invest under ‘Make in India’ and assured them of all necessary assistance to facilitate their investments and joint ventures,” Rajnath Singh tweeted after the session.
