Int’l India–South Korea Seminar Explores Industrial, Academic Collaboration for Global Competitiveness

New Delhi, March 13, 2026: Strengthening industrial cooperation and expanding professional and academic engagement between India and the Republic of Korea (ROK) formed the core focus of an international seminar held in the national capital on Friday. The seminar, titled “India and South Korea (Republic of Korea): Strengthening Industrial and Professional Engagement for Global Competitiveness,” brought together diplomats, government officials, industry leaders, economists, and academics to explore opportunities for deeper collaboration between the two countries.

Organised by Mata Sundri College for Women with the support of SIGMA Group, the seminar was held at India International Centre (Annexe), Lodhi Road, and featured multiple sessions examining the evolving India–ROK partnership across business, policy, and academia.

Delivering the welcome address, Prof. (Dr.) Harpreet Kaur, Principal of Mata Sundri College for Women, highlighted the growing importance of India–South Korea ties in shaping new global economic partnerships. She noted that stronger engagement between industries, educational institutions, and policy think tanks could help both countries leverage innovation and skill development for greater global competitiveness.

The seminar was graced by Lee Seong-Ho, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to India, as the Chief Guest, who underlined the expanding scope of India–Korea cooperation beyond traditional trade and manufacturing into areas such as technology, education, research collaboration, and startups.

He emphasised that partnerships between universities, industries, and research institutions could play a vital role in further strengthening bilateral relations.

Ambassador lauded the organisers of the event for bringing both nations together for this timely conversation. He said, “We live in a world of great turbulence and uncertainties, the world has not seen for many decades. The post-war international order is under severe stress, and new power configurations are taking shape. Korea and India, as two important Indo-Pacific nations, have a profound stake in the region’s peace, stability and continued economic development. Today’s geopolitical and geo-economic context calls for a deeper strategic partnership between us, particularly in strengthening supply chain resilience, advancing innovation, promoting cooperation in critical and emerging technologies and expanding collaboration in strategic domains.”

Among the distinguished dignitaries present was S. Jagdip Singh, Chairman of SIGMA Group and Honorary Consul General of the Republic of Korea, who attended as the Distinguished Guest of Honour. Also present as the Guest of Honour was Ambassador (Retd.) C. Rajasekhar, Vice President of the India–ROK Friendship Society, who highlighted the growing people-to-people engagement and institutional linkages between the two countries.

Siddharth Rajhans, Deputy Secretary in the Government of India, currently serving at the United Nations, also attended as Guest of Honour, reflecting the increasing international significance of India–Korea partnerships in global governance and economic cooperation.

Delivering the keynote address, Prof. Charan Singh, Executive Officer of the EGROW Foundation and former Senior Economist at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), discussed the changing global economic landscape and emphasised the importance of India–Korea cooperation in strengthening supply chains, technology exchange, and investment flows. He noted that stronger institutional collaboration and policy coordination could help both nations address emerging global economic challenges.

The inaugural session also featured remarks by Prof. Sumita Rai, Dean of Industry Connect (MDI–Hyundai Program), who spoke about the importance of academic–industry partnerships in preparing skilled talent for global markets and supporting innovation-led growth.

The session was presided over by Prof. Anju Vali Tikoo, Member of the Governing Body of Mata Sundri College for Women and Head and Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Delhi, who emphasised the importance of interdisciplinary engagement between policy experts, scholars, and industry leaders in strengthening international partnerships.

Following the inaugural session, the seminar moved into a technical panel discussion on “Korean Business in India,” which examined the expanding presence of Korean enterprises in the Indian market and the opportunities for collaboration in manufacturing, innovation, and entrepreneurship. The session featured Ms Beetika Chhabra, Advisor to High Commissioners, and Jae Kyeong Lee, Director of the Korea SMEs and Startups Agency (KOSME), as Guests of Honour.

The panel discussion was moderated by Prof. S. P. Sharma of the New Delhi Institute of Management, and included distinguished panelists such as Dr. Vishal Khanna, Joint Director at FICCI; Seong Heum Park, Chairman of the Korean Small and Medium Enterprises Association in India (KOSMA); Prof. Nisha Taneja of the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER); Dr. Radha Kumari Bagai, Assistant Professor at the University of Delhi; and Prof. Ujjwal Kumar Singh from the university’s Department of Political Science.

The second technical session focused on “Academic and Korean Industry Cooperation,” exploring how universities, research institutions, and Korean companies could collaborate more closely to promote innovation, knowledge exchange, and skill development. The session was moderated by Prof. Gurmeet Singh, former Vice Chancellor of Pondicherry University.

The panel featured speakers including Dr Abraham Lee, Managing Director and CEO of Atomy Enterprises India; Ms Suzy Choi, Managing Director of Sole-Mono Pole; Prof. Sheetal Sharma from the Centre for European Studies, School of International Studies, University of Delhi; and Prof. Anirudh Deshpande, Head of the Department of History at the University of Delhi.

The seminar concluded with a valedictory session featuring remarks by Dr Bidisha Bhattacharya, Associate Fellow at Chintan Research Foundation, and Dr Neerja Samjhdar from the Department of South Asian Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University. Capt. L. S. Bahl, President of the Indo-Dutch Chamber of Commerce, and Sardar Kulbir Singh, Acting Treasurer of the Governing Body of Mata Sundri College for Women, attended as Guests of Honour.

The discussions throughout the seminar underscored the importance of strengthening India–ROK collaboration across industry, academia, policy research, and entrepreneurship, highlighting the potential of the bilateral partnership to contribute to innovation-driven economic growth and global competitiveness.

Photo Courtesy: Atomy India

InfoBox

International Seminar on India–South Korea Cooperation

• Theme: India and Republic of Korea: Strengthening Industrial and Professional Engagement for Global Competitiveness
• Date: March 13, 2026
• Venue: India International Centre (Annexe), Lodhi Road, New Delhi
• Organiser: Mata Sundri College for Women
• Chief Guest: Lee Seong-Ho, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to India
• Key Focus Areas:
  • Korean business presence in India
  • Academic–industry cooperation
  • Global economic collaboration
  • Innovation and professional engagement between India and South Korea