South Korean President Lee Jae-myung received a ceremonial welcome in New Delhi on Monday, where he met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address key issues including shipbuilding and artificial intelligence. In a social media post, Lee highlighted the growing strategic importance of the partnership between the Republic of Korea and India amid global supply chain disruptions and economic challenges following the Middle East conflict. The agenda for their discussions encompasses shipbuilding, trade, investments, artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and critical emerging technologies, according to India’s foreign ministry. Additionally, the leaders will focus on fostering ongoing collaboration for peace on the Korean Peninsula and in the broader region, as stated by South Korea’s National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac prior to the visit. The two heads of state appeared together outside the presidential palace while Indian soldiers paraded in review. South Korea has encountered heightened threats to its energy security since U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February led to Tehran’s blockade of the vital Strait of Hormuz. Both nations aim to strengthen their 2010 economic cooperation pact, with bilateral trade rising from $14.2 billion at its inception to $26.89 billion in the 2024-25 period, marking an almost 90% growth, per the Indian foreign ministry.
