South Korean President Lee Jae-myung received a red carpet welcome in New Delhi, with shipbuilding and artificial intelligence high on the agenda for talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“Amidst ongoing supply chain instability and a global economic crisis stemming from the aftermath of the Middle East conflict, the Republic of Korea and India are emerging as increasingly vital strategic partners for one another,” Lee, on his first visit to India, said in a statement on social media.
Talks will include discussions on “shipbuilding, trade, investments, AI, semiconductors, critical and emerging technologies”, the foreign ministry said.
Lee and Modi will also discuss “continuing constructive cooperation for the sake of peace on the Korean Peninsula and within the region”, South Korea’s National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac said.
Modi and Lee stood outside the presidential palace, as lines of Indian troops marched past.
South Korea has faced mounting risks to its energy supplies since US-Israeli attacks on Iran in late February prompted Teheran to effectively close the crucial Strait of Hormuz.
The two countries are also seeking to bolster a 2010 economic partnership agreement.
Bilateral trade has grown from US$14.2bil at the time of its implementation to US$26.89bil in 2024-25, an increase of nearly 90%. — AFP
