
President Moon Jae-in and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is making a state visit to Korea, held a summit at Cheong Wa Dae this morning.
On the subject of nuclear power plant construction, Indian Foreign Secretary Vijay Keshav Gokhale explained that the nuclear agreement concluded between Korea and India back in 2011 has laid the foundation for expanding bilateral cooperation in that field. He further expounded on India’s ambitious plan to build seven more nuclear reactors. The Foreign Secretary asked for Korean businesses’ direct participation in India’s nuclear power plant construction projects and looked forward to their contribution to the advancement of nuclear power generation in his country.
In reply, President Moon said, "Over the past 40 years, Korea has used its own technology to construct and operate nuclear power plants. They are internationally recognized for their safety and efficiency. If India builds additional nuclear power plants, Korean businesses will be able to make significant contributions. It will be appreciated if India provides them many opportunities."
Concerning aerospace cooperation, Secretary Gokhale noted that the Indian Space Research Organization has reliable launch technology and proven expertise. He expressed the hope that Korea would use his country's launch vehicles to carry Korean satellites into space.
Prime Minister Modi also said that India is continuing its Chandrayaan program for lunar exploration and expressed his wish for bilateral cooperation in the area.
In response, President Moon said, “The area where we want to cooperate most with India is aerospace. Korea is quite advanced in satellite technology, but it still lags with launch vehicles. In some past occasions, Korean satellites were sent into orbit using Indian launch vehicles. I’m well aware that India possesses world-class aerospace technology and is far ahead of other countries. I hope that our nations will strengthen bilateral cooperation to the point where we can explore the moon together.”