South Korean President Lee Jae Myung to visit India, focus on defence, AI, trade ties

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung is set to embark on a three-day official visit to India beginning Sunday, aimed at deepening bilateral cooperation in trade, defence, and critical emerging technologies amid rising global geopolitical uncertainties.

During the visit, Lee will hold wide-ranging talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Monday. The discussions are expected to culminate in the signing of several agreements to further strengthen cooperation in key strategic sectors, according to people familiar with the matter.

In Seoul, South Korea’s National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac said the visit would mark a “new chapter” in India-South Korea relations, particularly in areas such as shipbuilding, maritime industries, finance, artificial intelligence (AI), and defence . He also noted that both countries would enhance coordination on energy supply chains in response to shifting global dynamics, including disruptions linked to conflicts in the Middle East.

Lee’s India visit is part of a broader two-nation tour that also includes Vietnam , with New Delhi being the first stop. He is also expected to participate in a bilateral business forum involving leading industry representatives from both countries.

India and South Korea have steadily expanded their strategic partnership in recent years, supported by structured defence engagement mechanisms, including military-to-military exchanges and defence industrial cooperation . Economic ties gained significant momentum after the implementation of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in 2010 .

Bilateral trade continues to grow, reaching USD 25.1 billion in 2024 , while trade between January and October 2025 stood at USD 21.5 billion . India’s major exports to South Korea include aluminium, cereals, iron and steel .

South Korea remains a significant source of foreign direct investment in India, ranking as the 15th largest investor , with total investments amounting to USD 929 million in 2024 .