South Korean President Lee Jae Myung to pay State Visit to India from April 19-21

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, Lee will be accompanied by First Lady Kim Hea Kyung and a high-level delegation comprising ministers, senior officials, and business leaders. This will mark President Lee's first visit to India.

During the visit, Lee will hold discussions with PM Modi on "strengthening bilateral cooperation across a wide spectrum of areas," including shipbuilding, trade, investments, AI, semiconductors, and critical and emerging technologies.

The two leaders are expected to focus on "people-to-people connect and cultural exchanges," while also exchanging views on regional and global issues of mutual interest. The Prime Minister will host a lunch in honour of the visiting dignitary.

As part of the official itinerary, the South Korean President will hold discussions with President Droupadi Murmu, who will host a banquet in his honour. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is also scheduled to call on Lee during the stay.

India and the Republic of Korea share a multifaceted partnership "rooted in ancient civilisational ties and shared values of democracy and the rule of law." The visit highlights the "shared aspiration of both countries to further strengthen existing areas of cooperation while expanding collaboration in new and emerging areas of mutual interest."

This high-profile visit builds on a period of sustained diplomatic momentum, following a key meeting between Modi and Lee on the sidelines of the G7 Summit 2025 in Kananaskis, Canada, in June 2025. During those talks, both leaders reached a consensus to enhance cooperation in strategic sectors such as commerce, investment, technology, and shipbuilding.

To further operationalise this vision, the sixth India-Republic of Korea Foreign Policy and Security Dialogue was convened in Seoul in February this year. Co-chaired by Secretary (East) P Kumaran and South Korea's First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo, the dialogue provided a platform for both nations to conduct a comprehensive review of the full spectrum of bilateral ties, setting the stage for the upcoming State Visit. (ANI)