First South Korean state visit in 8 years as President Lee Jae-myung lands in Delhi

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung arrived in New Delhi on April 19, 2026, for a three-day state visit — the first state-level visit by a South Korean head...

What Happened

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung arrived in New Delhi on April 19, 2026, for a three-day state visit — the first state-level visit by a South Korean head of state in over eight years, marking a significant diplomatic milestone.
The visit follows President Lee's assumption of office in June 2025 and is aimed at revitalising the Special Strategic Partnership that India and South Korea established in 2015.
Scheduled engagements include a bilateral summit at Hyderabad House with the Prime Minister, meetings with the Minister of External Affairs and the President of India, a ceremonial reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan, and a Business Forum at Bharat Mandapam.
Discussions are expected to yield multiple Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) in areas of semiconductors, green energy, defence production under "Make in India," and review and expansion of the bilateral Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).
The visit carries a Global South dimension, with South Korea signalling intent to deepen engagement with major developing economies as part of a foreign policy recalibration.

Static Topic Bridges

India–South Korea Special Strategic Partnership

India and South Korea established diplomatic relations in 1973. The bilateral relationship was elevated to a "Strategic Partnership" in 2010 and further upgraded to a "Special Strategic Partnership" during the Indian Prime Minister's visit to Seoul in May 2015. This framework encompasses cooperation in trade, defence, advanced manufacturing, technology, energy, infrastructure, and people-to-people ties.

Diplomatic relations established: 1973
Strategic Partnership: 2010
Special Strategic Partnership: 2015 (upgraded during PM's Seoul visit)
Bilateral trade (2025): approximately $25.6 billion
India-South Korea CEPA signed: August 7, 2009; entered into force January 1, 2010
South Korea is among India's top 20 trading partners
Over 500 South Korean companies operate in India; major investors include Samsung, Hyundai, LG, Kia, and POSCO
India runs a trade deficit with South Korea, a longstanding structural issue in CEPA negotiations

Connection to this news: The state visit — the first in eight years — represents an attempt to convert the Special Strategic Partnership from a declaratory framework into an operationally active one, with concrete deliverables in technology and defence.

Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) — India–South Korea

The India–South Korea CEPA, signed on August 7, 2009 and in force from January 1, 2010, is a broad-based free trade agreement covering goods, services, and investments. It was the first FTA India signed with a Northeast Asian economy. Under CEPA, India committed to eliminating tariffs on approximately 85% of tariff lines and South Korea on about 93% of tariff lines over a phased period.

Signed: August 7, 2009; in force: January 1, 2010
Tariff eliminations: India ~85% of tariff lines; South Korea ~93%
Trade balance concern: India faces a consistent and growing trade deficit with South Korea under CEPA
CEPA review initiated: 2015 summit; comprehensive upgrade negotiations ongoing
Services and investment chapters under renegotiation to enable better market access for Indian IT, healthcare, and professional services
CEPA is supplemented by a Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) and a Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) framework

Connection to this news: The expected MoUs on CEPA expansion represent the key economic deliverable of the visit, with India pushing for a rebalanced agreement that corrects the bilateral trade deficit and enhances market access for Indian services and manufacturing exports.

Semiconductors and Green Energy — Bilateral Cooperation Drivers

South Korea is a global leader in semiconductor manufacturing, home to companies such as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, which together account for over 60% of global DRAM memory chip production. India is building a domestic semiconductor ecosystem under the Semicon India Programme (₹76,000 crore incentive scheme, notified 2022), creating strategic convergence with South Korean chipmakers and equipment suppliers. In green energy, South Korea has expertise in offshore wind, hydrogen technology, and battery storage systems relevant to India's energy transition goals.

Semicon India Programme: ₹76,000 crore (~$10 billion) approved outlay for semiconductor fabrication, display fabs, and ATMP (Assembly, Testing, Marking and Packaging) facilities
Samsung: Korea's largest investor in India; operates major smartphone manufacturing facility in Noida
India's target: 500 GW renewable energy capacity by 2030
South Korea's green energy expertise: offshore wind, hydrogen economy, EV battery technology
Defence cooperation: South Korea's K9 Vajra self-propelled howitzer produced under license in India (L&T partnership); mutual interest in expanding co-production

Connection to this news: The semiconductor and green energy MoUs expected from this summit would operationalise India's technology partnership with a leading industrial democracy, advancing both the Semicon India Programme's supply chain objectives and the energy transition agenda.

Key Facts & Data

India–South Korea diplomatic relations: since 1973
Relationship upgraded to Special Strategic Partnership: May 2015
Last state visit before this: over 8 years ago (~2018)
CEPA: signed August 7, 2009; in force January 1, 2010
Bilateral trade (2025): ~$25.6 billion
Visiting delegation accompanied by First Lady Kim Hea-kyung
President Lee Jae-myung assumed office: June 2025
Key MoU areas: semiconductors, green energy, defence ("Make in India"), CEPA expansion
Over 500 Korean companies operate in India