"Korea India Friendship – Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow."

Hatred, revulsion, aversion, rage, fury, envy, hostility, violence??.These are some of the generic traits amongst the modern Hearts of the skilled pundits beating for the technologically advanced greed. However, a ray of splendid hope has ascended from the relationship of "Friendship" among the pure sacred hearts. As rightly said by 'Anais Nin'. "Each Friend represents a World in us, a World not possible until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new World is BORN.?"Let the world be as bad or even exasperatingly worst but it becomes a soothing Paradise of happiness and ecstasy if there are close friends.

Friendship like what?? Like a bond which made history in the world, two friends who are ever ready with open arms for a Tight HUG!! Who are None other than two culturally, ethically and even technologically rich countries, India and South Korea. Now the friends that are India and Korea who met somewhere in 1973 and ever since assisting each other with continuous and comprehensive effort for a mutual aim that is to attain individual prosperity and Global Development to make this a beautiful World.

As it is appropriately said by Lord Buddha, ?Do not dwell in Past, do not Dream of Future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.? However, it is notably beneficial to ponder on the past to analysis the mistakes made, goals achieved and hence plan a constructive path for the future keeping in mind the present scenario.

The Yesterday, in this friendship, is filled with events that gave a lot of motivation and courage to continue in the same streak for stupendous results. To give the same stats, facts and overwhelming figures given in all the referred sites will be of no help and is sheer waste. The first common and significant occurrence shared by both the countries is India attained its Independence Day on 15 August and on the same day Korea achieved a great feat of becoming Republic. In both ways the day was of huge importance but it meant a new beginning of a new story. Was this the very first foundation of the ties between Korea and India? No, this wasn't so the first known connection ranges to 48 AD according to the book "The Heritage History of the three Kingdom" it is believed a princess from Ayodhya named Suriratna went to Korea married King Suro and became Queen Hur-Hwabg-Ok. Many former Presidents of Korea connect themselves as their descendent.

Was this the base of the first string of link?? To be more specific its not. The first connection ranges to the Golden Era of Lord BUDDHA, who took birth in the Great sacred land of India and made it privileged and honoured. He also achieved his enlightment here in India. After which he enlightened the whole world and made everyone wise by his teaching. This reached Korea too, and this was adopted by many.

The historic bilateral ties between these great nations are celebrating their bond with lot of zest and jauntiness.  There were many agreements  that involved Trade Promotion and Economic and technological Cooperation in 1974,  Agreement on cooperation in Science and Technology in 1978 and convention on Double Taxation Avoidance in 1985, followed by Bilateral Investment Protection in 1996. All these agreements and ties brought a widespread bloom and development in all fields stretching from education, Science and technology to Trade.

Trade in particular has achieved new heights of success year after year in both the countries. Major Korean MNCs such as Samsung, Hyundai Motors and LG have made significant investments into India which are estimated to be around $2.6 billion. Whereas, Indian investments in Republic of Korea have already exceeded $ 1 billion. Novelis, a Hindalco subsidiary, acquired a Korean aluminium company by investing about $ 600 million. Mahindra & Mahindra purchased a majority stake in SsangYong Motors which is India's 4th largest auto manufacturer on March 2011 with an investment of about $470 million. Tata Motors procured Daewoo Commercial Vehicle Company for $ 102 million in March 2004. All these have stimulated by the South Korean open market policies which found resonance with India's economic liberalization and 'Look East Policy'. The India-Republic of Korea Joint Commission for bilateral cooperation was established in February 1996 which augmented this process. So far, six meetings of the Joint Commission have been held, the last one being in June 2010 in Seoul. These true efforts has resulted in increased trade between two nations, epitomised by the $530 million during the fiscal year of 1992-1993, and the $10 billion during 2006-2007. These all helped to tackle the Asian Financial Crisis for both the countries.

These are all the past remembrance of happily placed achievements in the memorable treasure box. However, to see the real effects of the friendship between two nations and its merry time trade, can be evaluated by peeping in the common man?s house and the products he uses. If my house is to be taken for a simple example, the main household products used like LED TV, refrigerator, Micro-wave, Air conditioner to the small cell-phones (4 in number) are all of Samsung. Even my Car that is Matiz Daewoo is of Korean Company. These are not things I am using for past 1 or 2 years but at least since 10 years.  

South Korea is currently the fifth largest source of investment in India.The relationship was taken to the zenith when President of Korea was invited to India as the Chief Guest on 26^th January 2009 on the occasion of Republic Day. An Indian Cultural Centre was established in Republic Of Korea in April 2011 and the Festival of India in Korea was inaugurated by Dr. Karan Singh, Honorable President of Indian Council for Cultural Relations on 30 June 2011.

The prominent institutions of both the countries like Korean Advanced Institute for Science and Technology (KAIST) signed MoUs with IIM, ISB in India has been sending its students to KAIST on study tour since 2010 for Executive Development Programmes. A large group of MBA students from IIM (B) came to KAIST for a 2 week orientation in August 2012.

Tourism and migration is growing rapidly which is evident from some events like tourism ?ROAD SHOW? was held in Seoul in February 2013 during the visit of a Ministry of Tourism delegation and close to 90 travel agents and media representatives participated in the event. There was also Tourism Roads shows by different states like Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and many more. All these resulted in over 110,000 Korean tourists traveled to India in 2012 making them one of the top 15 nationalities visiting India.

Another mechanism Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) which came into force on 1st January, 2010. Rapidly expanding trade and investment flows lie at the core of the bilateral cooperation. Bilateral trade in 2011 crossed $ 20.5 billion registering a 70% growth over a two year period. A revised trade target of $ 40 billion by 2015 was established by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and President Lee on 25 March 2012. At the end of it the present scenario can be evaluated from the fact that the first time ever India Day was held at the Seoul National University on 7 June 2013. The Present also looks very idealistic and rosy but how far these should be taken into the future and what we should adopt different and unique in our policies.

Some of the hitches and glitches that has arose in the present day are, Economic Crisis and Global Recession, Environmental Hazards like Global Warming and Climate Change, Poverty which is a pain in neck of India, Over Population, different kinds of Epidemics, Pollution, Health and also Peace. Hence, the future of the relationship of both the countries would revolve around these points. So, the policies should now aim at ?Sustainable Development? keeping in mind that Green Economy is the best Economy and is the way out of all Environmental Hazards caused due to anthropogenic causes. In other words policies should be made with corresponding 3Ps that are People, Planet and Profit.

Poverty is a serious problem in India, so the bilateral policies should contain the ways out of this situation by the technological help from our Developed friend Korea. Whereas India can provide the required resources from its vast sources it has to the natural resource deprived country Korea. Over population is a problem in both countries but due to different reasons as in Korea it is because of less area and India it is of more People. So, the government should focus on their development and we should try to increase quality of health and welfare in all aspects. The development should be people centric and not based only on Money or mere GDP. New, research centers and institutions should be established so as to attain the above necessity by the collaboration of both the countries.

Both the countries should look into preserving Peace through policies and both the countries should help for the mutual aim. So, that the whole world can Unite and become a Stable Huge Force.

At the End of all, we the citizens should put our bits and efforts in this great initiative of friendship and should say INDIA-KOREA Bhai Bhai (Bro-Brother) and try to make the Government policies and hence also our life a Grand Great Success. We should remember these last words of Lord Buddha and should march ahead-

"No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path."