Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is in Seoul today, presented South Korean President Park Geun-Hye two finely woven pashmina stoles on which a poem that Rabindranath Tagore had written specially for Korea is hand embroidered in English and Korean. The text of Tagores poem that was published in 1929 in the Korean daily Dong-A Ilbo reads: ]
In the golden age of Asia
Korea was one of its lamp bearers
And that lamp is waiting
To be lighted once again
For the illumination of the East


India and South Korea on Monday signed seven bilateral agreements and agreed to upgrade ties to "special strategic partnership".


"Our relationship started with a strong economic emphasis. But, it has also now become strategic in content," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday.


"The decision to upgrade bilateral ties reflect how seriously we take the new framework of our relationship. Republic of Korea is the second country with which India will have a diplomatic and security dialogue in 2+2 format," PM Modi said while addressing a joint press conference with South Korean President Park Geun-hye in Seoul.


PM Modi said that "we consider South Korea a crucial partner in India's economic modernization".