South Korea working with India to secure Hormuz, security of key maritime routes essential for survival of both nations: President Lee
South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung undertook a three-day state visit to India, holding a bilateral summit with India's Prime Minister — the first standalo...
What Happened
- South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung undertook a three-day state visit to India, holding a bilateral summit with India's Prime Minister — the first standalone summit between the two countries' leaders outside a multilateral forum.
- Both sides agreed to deepen coordination on energy security, supply chain resilience, and freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific, with the Strait of Hormuz crisis providing immediate urgency to the strategic dialogue.
- President Lee described the India–South Korea partnership as increasingly vital given the ongoing 2026 Hormuz crisis, noting that both nations are heavily import-dependent on energy flowing through the strait and face existential economic risks from prolonged disruption.
- The South Korean leader also participated in a multilateral virtual summit — co-convened by France and the United Kingdom — attended by approximately 50 nations to coordinate a possible international naval mission to protect shipping in the strait.
- Both governments signalled intent to upgrade the bilateral relationship to a "completely different level," with complementary economies (India: large domestic market, services, emerging manufacturing; South Korea: advanced manufacturing, technology, defence exports) and shared democratic values forming the strategic foundation.
Static Topic Bridges
Strait of Hormuz: Strategic Geography and International Maritime Law
The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway (~33 km wide at its narrowest navigable point) connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and thence to the Arabian Sea. It is flanked by Iran to the north and Oman (including the Musandam exclave) to the south. It is the world's most critical oil chokepoint.
- Location: between Iran (north) and Oman/Musandam Peninsula (south); connects Persian Gulf to Arabian Sea via Gulf of Oman
- Oil throughput: ~20–21 million barrels/day — approximately 20–21% of global oil consumption
- LNG throughput: ~20% of global LNG trade
- Countries most exposed: China, India, Japan, and South Korea — together ~69% of Hormuz crude intake
- Legal status: governed by Part III of UNCLOS (1982) — ships enjoy right of transit passage (Article 38) through international straits used for international navigation
- India's Hormuz dependence: ~50% of crude imports transit the strait; Middle East supplies ~45–50% of India's oil
Connection to this news: The 2026 Hormuz closure — triggered by the US-Israel-Iran conflict — directly imperils both India and South Korea's energy security, providing the immediate strategic context for the bilateral summit and multilateral naval coordination effort.
India–South Korea Bilateral Relations
India and South Korea established diplomatic relations in 1973. The relationship was elevated to a "Special Strategic Partnership" in 2015. South Korea is one of India's key technology and investment partners in the Indo-Pacific region. Bilateral trade stands at approximately $20–25 billion annually, with South Korean conglomerates (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, POSCO) having major manufacturing and investment footprints in India.
- Diplomatic relations established: 1973
- Upgraded to Special Strategic Partnership: 2015 (during Prime Minister Modi's visit to Seoul)
- Bilateral trade: ~$21–25 billion annually (FY2024)
- Key South Korean investments in India: Samsung (electronics), Hyundai/Kia (automobiles), LG (electronics), POSCO (steel)
- Defence cooperation: South Korea's K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzer co-produced with India (Hanwha-L&T partnership); South Korea a potential partner for India's fleet tanker and warship programmes
- Both nations are democracies with technology-driven economies and similar export-led growth models
Connection to this news: The bilateral summit represents an upgrade of the Special Strategic Partnership into a more operationally significant relationship — moving from trade and investment into active coordination on energy security and maritime domain awareness.
Freedom of Navigation and India's Maritime Security Doctrine
India's maritime security interests are governed by its national security doctrine, the Maritime Zones of India Act (1976), and international law frameworks including UNCLOS (1982), to which India is a party. India has consistently advocated for freedom of navigation and overflight as foundational principles of the rules-based international order — particularly in the context of the Indo-Pacific.
- UNCLOS (1982): India ratified in 1995; Article 38 guarantees transit passage through international straits
- Indian Ocean Region (IOR): India's "blue economy" and security perimeter extends from the Strait of Hormuz (west) through the Strait of Malacca (east)
- Indian Navy's SAGAR doctrine (Security and Growth for All in the Region): articulated 2015, positions India as a "net security provider" in the IOR
- Combined Maritime Forces (CMF): US-led multinational naval coalition operating in the Persian Gulf/Arabian Sea — India has participated in anti-piracy operations in the region
- India's strategic interests in Hormuz: direct supply security + transit of Indian labour remittances (GCC Indian diaspora ~9 million)
Connection to this news: India's active engagement with the South Korean initiative to coordinate a multilateral naval response to the Hormuz crisis is consistent with its SAGAR doctrine and its self-declared role as a responsible maritime power and net security provider in the Indian Ocean Region.
Indo-Pacific Architecture and Emerging Multilateral Alignments
The Indo-Pacific as a strategic concept encompasses the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean as an integrated geopolitical space. Multiple overlapping frameworks operate within this architecture: the Quad (India, US, Japan, Australia), ASEAN, BIMSTEC, the East Asia Summit, and emerging ad-hoc coalitions addressing specific threats such as supply chain disruption and maritime security.
- Quad (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue): India, US, Japan, Australia — institutionalised at leaders' level from 2021
- ASEAN-India Summit: annual; India's Act East Policy (2014) prioritises ASEAN
- India-South Korea: potential for greater integration given South Korea's interest in Indo-Pacific stability
- Supply Chain Resilience Initiative (SCRI): India-Japan-Australia; South Korea a candidate for inclusion
- 2026 Hormuz multilateral summit: co-hosted by UK and France, ~50 nations — ad hoc coalition addressing acute energy route security
Connection to this news: The India-South Korea coordination on Hormuz security represents an emerging bilateral layer within the broader Indo-Pacific architecture — two major democracies with complementary geopolitical interests finding common cause on energy route protection.
Key Facts & Data
- Strait of Hormuz oil throughput: ~20–21 million barrels/day (~20–21% of global oil)
- Hormuz LNG throughput: ~20% of global LNG trade
- India crude imports via Hormuz: ~50% of total; Middle East share: ~45–50%
- South Korea crude oil imports via Hormuz: ~70%
- India-South Korea diplomatic relations: established 1973; upgraded to Special Strategic Partnership 2015
- Bilateral trade: ~$21–25 billion annually
- South Korean investment in India: major presence across electronics, automobiles, steel sectors
- 2026 Hormuz crisis context: US-Israel-Iran conflict; Brent crude >$100/barrel; traffic near-zero
- SAGAR doctrine: "Security and Growth for All in the Region" — articulated 2015
- India ratified UNCLOS: 1995; Article 38 — right of transit passage through international straits
- Multilateral Hormuz summit: ~50 nations; co-hosted by UK and France