K9 Vajra success sparks India-South Korea push for new missile, gun systems
Discussions are underway to replicate this model for future projects, including advanced air defence guns and missile systems
India and South Korea are poised to significantly deepen their defense cooperation, building on the success of the K9 Vajra-T self-propelled howitzer collaboration, with both nations actively exploring expanded partnerships in air defense guns, missile systems, and other advanced military platforms. This next phase of collaboration was discussed during South Korean President Lee Jae Myung's visit to India in April, where the K9 Vajra program was hailed as a prime example of successful bilateral defense manufacturing, and discussions are already underway to move into a third stage of cooperation. The ambassador highlighted the potential for replicating the K9 Vajra's success in new areas, emphasizing that India and South Korea are "natural partners" well-positioned to strengthen defense ties amidst evolving global dynamics, a sentiment reinforced by the recent launch of the Korea-India Defence Accelerator (KIND-X) innovation platform aimed at fostering business and startup collaboration.
India and South Korea are poised to significantly deepen their defense cooperation, building on the success of the K9 Vajra-T self-propelled howitzer collaboration, with both nations actively exploring expanded partnerships in air defense guns, missile systems, and other advanced military platforms. This next phase of collaboration was discussed during South Korean President Lee Jae Myung's visit to India in April, where the K9 Vajra program was hailed as a prime example of successful bilateral defense manufacturing, and discussions are already underway to move into a third stage of cooperation. The ambassador highlighted the potential for replicating the K9 Vajra's success in new areas, emphasizing that India and South Korea are "natural partners" well-positioned to strengthen defense ties amidst evolving global dynamics, a sentiment reinforced by the recent launch of the Korea-India Defence Accelerator (KIND-X) innovation platform aimed at fostering business and startup collaboration.
India and South Korea are poised to significantly deepen their defense cooperation, building on the success of the K9 Vajra-T self-propelled howitzer collaboration, with both nations actively exploring expanded partnerships in air defense guns, missile systems, and other advanced military platforms. This next phase of collaboration was discussed during South Korean President Lee Jae Myung's visit to India in April, where the K9 Vajra program was hailed as a prime example of successful bilateral defense manufacturing, and discussions are already underway to move into a third stage of cooperation. The ambassador highlighted the potential for replicating the K9 Vajra's success in new areas, emphasizing that India and South Korea are "natural partners" well-positioned to strengthen defense ties amidst evolving global dynamics, a sentiment reinforced by the recent launch of the Korea-India Defence Accelerator (KIND-X) innovation platform aimed at fostering business and startup collaboration.
Following the success of K9 Vajra-T self-propelled howitzer, India and South Korea are now looking to expand their defence cooperation with more air defence guns and missile systems and other such advanced military platforms.
During the April visit of South Korea President Lee Jae Myung to India, both sides welcomed ongoing efforts to replicate the K9 Vajra collaboration model in future defence technologies.
South Korean Ambassador to India Lee Seong-ho said on Monday that the K9 Vajra programme had emerged as one of the most successful examples of defence cooperation between the two countries and that discussions were already underway to take the partnership further.
"The first defence collaboration in the form of the K9 Vajra howitzer has been one of the most successful precedents between our two countries. We are currently at the second stage of this collaboration, and both sides are already discussing the possibility of moving into the third stage," he said.
He added that both countries had begun exploring opportunities to expand cooperation beyond artillery.
"We have begun to discuss further possibilities for expanding our defence collaboration into other areas, such as air defence guns and missile systems, and other defence systems that can replicate the success of the K9 Vajra," the ambassador said.
The K9 Vajra-T is an Indian adaptation of South Korea's K9 Thunder 155 mm self-propelled howitzer and is among the most successful defence manufacturing collaborations between the two countries.
Media reports recently suggested that the Indian Army is planning to procure up to 300 additional K9 Vajra-T self-propelled howitzers under one of its largest artillery acquisition programmes.
Describing India and South Korea as natural partners, Lee said the two countries were well placed to deepen defence cooperation amid rapidly changing global dynamics.
"Both Korea and India are ideal natural partners for each other, especially in these very fragile, rapidly changing global dynamics," he said.
As part of efforts to further strengthen bilateral defence ties, India and South Korea also agreed in April to launch the Korea-India Defence Accelerator (KIND-X), an innovation platform that will connect businesses, defence start-ups, incubators, investors and universities from both countries.