South Korean President Lee Jae-myung arrives for three-day state visit; 'Special Strategic Partnership' in focus
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung arrived in New Delhi on April 19 for a three-day state visit (April 19–21, 2026), his first official visit to India as P...
What Happened
- South Korean President Lee Jae-myung arrived in New Delhi on April 19 for a three-day state visit (April 19–21, 2026), his first official visit to India as President.
- The visit aims to deepen the "Special Strategic Partnership" established between the two countries in 2015, with focus on shipbuilding, defence, artificial intelligence, and trade expansion.
- A high-level business delegation accompanied the President, signalling emphasis on industrial and investment linkages alongside diplomatic engagement.
- Both sides are targeting a bilateral trade figure of $50 billion by 2030, up from the current approximately $27.8 billion.
- South Korea is expected to support a new Shipbuilding Technology Cooperation Centre in India to address a global shortfall in skilled maritime labour.
Static Topic Bridges
India's Act East Policy and South Korea
India's "Look East" policy, initiated in 1991, was rebranded as the "Act East" policy in 2014 to signal a more proactive and strategic engagement with East and Southeast Asia. The policy seeks to develop economic, strategic, and cultural ties with nations in the Asia-Pacific region as a counterbalance to China's growing influence and to integrate India more fully into regional value chains.
- Act East Policy prioritises ASEAN, Japan, South Korea, and Australia as strategic partners.
- South Korea is regarded as one of the two major pillars of India's Act East outreach (alongside Japan).
- The policy aligns with India's broader Indo-Pacific vision, emphasising freedom of navigation and rules-based maritime order.
- In 2018–2019, India's Act East Policy was synergised with South Korea's New Southern Policy to deepen bilateral cooperation.
Connection to this news: Lee Jae-myung's state visit operationalises the Act East Policy's strategic intent by advancing high-tech industrial collaboration, maritime cooperation, and de-risking of supply chains with a key Indo-Pacific partner.
Special Strategic Partnership (2015) and CEPA
India and South Korea established diplomatic ties in 1973. The bilateral relationship was upgraded to a "Strategic Partnership" in 2010 and further elevated to a "Special Strategic Partnership" during Prime Minister Modi's visit to Seoul in May 2015. The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) was signed on August 7, 2009, and operationalised from January 1, 2010 — India's first CEPA with an East Asian economy.
- CEPA covers goods, services, and investment; it committed both sides to eliminating tariffs on a wide range of products over eight years.
- Bilateral trade has grown from $0.6 billion (1992–93) to approximately $27.8 billion (2022).
- A review of CEPA was initiated in 2015 to comprehensively upgrade the agreement.
- The 2026 visit targets raising trade to $50 billion by 2030.
Connection to this news: The state visit is being used to renew momentum on CEPA upgradation and to translate the "Special Strategic Partnership" designation into concrete industrial and technological outcomes, including in shipbuilding and AI.
Shipbuilding as a Strategic Industry
India has identified shipbuilding as a priority sector under its Maritime India Vision 2030. South Korea, the world's second-largest shipbuilder, possesses advanced technology in LNG tanker construction and marine engineering. Cooperation in shipbuilding directly feeds into India's goal of becoming a global maritime hub and addresses the 25% global shortfall in skilled maritime labour.
- India and South Korea signed an MoU on Defence Industry Cooperation in Shipbuilding in 2017.
- A proposed Shipbuilding Technology Cooperation Centre in India would transfer skills and technology.
- South Korea's involvement aligns with India's Sagarmala Programme and Maritime India Vision 2030.
- LNG tanker co-production would serve India's growing LNG import requirements and support energy diversification.
Connection to this news: Shipbuilding is the centrepiece economic deliverable of the 2026 visit, positioning India-South Korea maritime cooperation as both a commercial and strategic asset in the Indo-Pacific.
Indo-Pacific Strategy and Supply Chain De-Risking
The Indo-Pacific is a geopolitical and economic construct that encompasses the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, home to some of the world's busiest sea lanes and most dynamic economies. India's Indo-Pacific vision, articulated at the Shangri-La Dialogue in 2018, emphasises a "free, open, and inclusive" Indo-Pacific, maritime security, and rules-based order.
- India is a member of the Quad (India, USA, Japan, Australia), which aligns with Indo-Pacific security objectives.
- Supply chain de-risking — reducing over-reliance on single suppliers, particularly China — has become a key objective for both India and South Korea.
- Middle East tensions (including the 2026 Iran conflict disrupting the Strait of Hormuz) have accelerated the push to diversify energy and industrial supply chains.
- India and South Korea's complementarity (India's manufacturing base + Korean technology) makes them natural partners in resilient supply chain construction.
Connection to this news: The 2026 visit explicitly frames cooperation in shipbuilding, AI, and defence as a means of "de-risking" supply chains amid ongoing Middle East volatility — squarely within the Indo-Pacific strategic framework.
Key Facts & Data
- India–South Korea diplomatic ties established: 1973
- Upgrade to "Special Strategic Partnership": May 2015 (PM Modi's visit to Seoul)
- India–South Korea CEPA signed: August 7, 2009; operationalised January 1, 2010
- Current bilateral trade: ~$27.8 billion (2022); target $50 billion by 2030
- South Korea is the world's second-largest shipbuilder
- India's Act East Policy announced: November 2014 (ASEAN Summit, Naypyidaw)
- Lee Jae-myung's visit dates: April 19–21, 2026 (3-day state visit)
- Focus sectors: Shipbuilding, AI, defence, LNG, supply chain resilience