Korea and India to elevate ties to "entirely new level"

SEOUL, April 20 (AJP) -South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said Seoul and India are entering “an entirely new level” in bilateral ties, positioning each other as “the most critical strategic partners” as global supply chains fracture under prolonged geopolitical shocks stemming from the Middle East conflict.

Speaking at a dinner meeting with the Korean community in New Delhi Sunday, Lee framed his state visit as a turning point in bilateral ties, signaling a shift toward deeper cooperation in supply chains, energy security and advanced manufacturing.  

“With supply chain instability and global economic crises becoming structural amid the fallout of the Middle East war, Korea and India are in a position to become indispensable partners to one another,” Lee said.  

He expressed confidence that his summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi would elevate the relationship “to an entirely new level,” underscoring India’s emergence not merely as a consumer market but as a central node in global production and supply networks.  

 

Lee highlighted structural parallels between the two economies, noting that both rely heavily on imported raw materials and energy — a shared vulnerability that opens space for strategic cooperation in securing stable supply chains. 

The visit marks the first state trip by a South Korean leader to India in eight years and is widely seen as part of Seoul’s broader push to deepen engagement with the Global South while recalibrating its economic and security posture.

Lee also struck a symbolic note, referencing Korean novelist Choi In-hoon’s “The Square,” drawing parallels between the Korean Peninsula’s division and the diasporic Korean experience in India. He praised the local Korean community as a model for peaceful coexistence and future reunification. 

Earlier in the day, Lee met Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, who emphasized the need to turn global instability into an opportunity to further solidify bilateral ties. 

Accompanying the president is a large business delegation of around 200 executives, including top conglomerate leaders such as Lee Jae-yong, Chung Eui-sun and Koo Kwang-mo, signaling the strong commercial focus of the trip. 

The delegation is expected to participate in business forums and sign memorandums of understanding aimed at expanding cooperation in semiconductors, green energy, infrastructure and defense manufacturing. 

Following his India leg, Lee will travel to Vietnam, where South Korean firms have built extensive manufacturing bases, making it Seoul’s third-largest trading partner after China and the United States. 

The twin visits reflect South Korea’s strategic intent to diversify economic partnerships and reduce exposure to geopolitical chokepoints, particularly as energy and logistics disruptions tied to the Strait of Hormuz continue to ripple through global markets.