South Korean President Lee Jae-myung arrives in India on first state visit in over 8 years
Lee Jae-myung arrived in New Delhi on Sunday on a three-day state visit , marking the first visit by a South Korean leader to India in over eight years , signalling a renewed push to strengthen bilateral ties and strategic cooperation.
He was accompanied by First Lady Kim Hea-kyung and received by MoS Harsh Malhotra upon arrival. The visit is being viewed as an important step in advancing the India–South Korea Special Strategic Partnership , first established in 2015.
In an official message on X, the Ministry of External Affairs said President Lee’s visit marks a key milestone in strengthening bilateral relations , with both sides aiming to deepen engagement in trade, technology, defence, and innovation .
The visit carries significant diplomatic weight as it is being framed as a “reboot” of South Korea’s Global South outreach and a reinforcement of its strategic engagement with India in the Indo-Pacific region.
President Lee, who assumed office in June 2025, will hold a series of high-level engagements. He is scheduled to meet External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar before formal summit talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Hyderabad House.
The bilateral summit is expected to produce several Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) focusing on semiconductors, green energy cooperation, defence production under Make in India, and expansion of CEPA-based trade relations .
As part of his itinerary, President Lee will receive a ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan and pay homage at Rajghat**, reflecting the cultural and historical depth of ties between the two nations.
He will also participate in a business forum at Bharat Mandapam , where industry leaders from both countries will explore investment opportunities, supply chain resilience, and industrial collaboration .
The visit will conclude with a meeting with President Droupadi Murmu, underscoring the importance of political trust and people-to-people engagement .
Beyond strategic and economic ties, the two countries continue to expand cultural exchanges, with growing interest in Korean culture in India and Indian traditions gaining visibility in South Korea.
The visit comes at a time when both nations are seeking to navigate a rapidly evolving global order, making their strategic partnership increasingly vital in the Indo-Pacific framework .