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Seoul, Oct 18 (IANS) Infrastructure, energy, IT hardware, small and medium enterprises as well as defence are some of the most promising areas of cooperation in an expanded relationship between South Korea and India. The 11th Korea-India Dialogue on 'Deepening Partnership for the 21st Century' concluded here Wednesday, according to am embassy press statement. Sponsored by the Korea Foundation and Korean steel giant POSCO, the dialogue was co-organized by Seoul Forum for International Affairs (SFIA) and Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER). The Korean side was led by SFIA president Ku-Hyun JUNG and the Indian side was led by Member of Parliament Baijayant Panda. The participants brainstormed over two days to identify ways and means to further deepen cooperation between the two countries. SFIA chairman and former prime minister Hong-Koo Lee expressed satisfaction at the steady expansion and strengthening of India-South Korea ties. He noted that the India-Korea Dialogue series, initiated in 1996, had emerged as an important platform for exchange of views on enhancing bilateral synergies. Ambassador Vishnu Prakash spoke about the "strategic convergence of interests" between both countries and the "bipartisan political consensus" for the close bilateral relations. He said there was no conflict of interest and that the relationship had entered a transformative phase. He identified security and defence, infrastructure, energy, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), IT hardware and third-country projects as some of the most promising areas of cooperation. The forum would submit its recommendations to their respective governments. The 12th Dialogue would take place in the latter part of 2013 in India.
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