President Lee Jae-myung’s state visit to India: Opening new chapters

Discussions focused on boosting shipbuilding, AI, defence, and critical technologies, targeting USD 50 billion bilateral trade by 2030.

New Delhi: South Korean President Lee Jae-myung’s first state visit to India from 19 to 21 April 2026, comes eight years after President Moon Jae-in last state visit in 2018. This visit marks a defining moment in bilateral ties between two of the Indo-Pacific’s growing middle powers and dynamic economies. Discussions will span shipbuilding, trade, investments, AI, semiconductors, critical and emerging technologies, as well as people-to-people connect and cultural exchanges.

Strengthening the partnership

India and South Korea have been steadily expanding the strategic partnership in recent years, supported by structured defence engagement and economic cooperation. Bilateral trade reached USD 25.1 billion in 2024 following the implementation of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in 2010, with a target of USD 50 billion by 2030. Diplomatic groundwork was laid when Prime Minister Modi and President Lee met at the G7 Summit in Canada in June 2025, agreeing to collaborate on commerce, investment, technology, and shipbuilding. A sixth India-Korea Foreign Policy and Security Dialogue in Seoul in February 2026 reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral relations. This visit is expected to open new chapters, with particular emphasis on shipbuilding, maritime industries, finance, AI, defence, and energy supply chains.

Anchoring........

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