S. Korean President Lee Jae Myung on First State Visit to India on April 19-21

New Delhi, April 16: South Korean President Lee Jae Myung will pay a State Visit to India from April 19 to 21 at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in what will be his first visit to India since assuming office, the Ministry of External Affairs announced on Thursday. He will be accompanied by First Lady Kim Hea Kyung and a high-level delegation of ministers, senior officials and business leaders.

The visit is set to give fresh momentum to India-Republic of Korea ties at a time when both countries are seeking to expand cooperation in traditional as well as emerging sectors.

The timing is strategic. Lee began 2026 with a state visit to China in January, followed by summit talks in Japan, positioning Seoul strongly with two major Asian powers. A visit to India next would signal that Seoul views New Delhi not only as a political ally but also as a long-term partner in manufacturing, technology, and supply chains.

According to the MEA, President Lee and Prime Minister Modi will hold discussions on strengthening bilateral cooperation across a wide range of areas, including shipbuilding, trade, investments, artificial intelligence, semiconductors, critical and emerging technologies, people-to-people ties and cultural exchanges. The two leaders are also expected to exchange views on regional and global issues of mutual interest.

Prime Minister Modi will host a lunch in honour of the visiting South Korean leader during the trip, underscoring the importance New Delhi is attaching to the visit. President Lee is also scheduled to meet President Droupadi Murmu, who will host a banquet in his honour. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will call on the South Korean President as part of the official programme.

The MEA said India and the Republic of Korea share a “multifaceted partnership” rooted in ancient civilisational links and common democratic values. It noted that the visit reflects the shared desire of both sides not only to further strengthen existing pillars of cooperation, but also to widen collaboration in new and emerging areas of mutual interest.

The announcement indicates that economic and technology-driven engagement is likely to dominate the summit agenda. Sectors such as semiconductors, AI, advanced manufacturing and critical technologies have increasingly become central to India-ROK cooperation, alongside established areas such as trade, investment and industrial partnerships. The inclusion of business leaders in President Lee’s delegation also points to a strong commercial dimension in the upcoming visit. This is an inference based on the official agenda outlined by the MEA.

President Lee’s India visit is being closely watched as a significant diplomatic engagement between two major Indo-Pacific democracies. With strategic, technological and economic alignments becoming more important in the region, the visit is expected to reinforce the growing convergence between New Delhi and Seoul and open the door for new initiatives in high-value sectors.

A strong foundation for high-level engagement already exists.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Lee have met twice since Lee took office: at the G7 Summit in Canada in June 2025 and the G20 Summit in South Africa in November 2025. According to India’s official notes, these meetings reaffirmed their commitment to deepen the Special Strategic Partnership and expand cooperation in trade, investment, and advanced technologies. A full bilateral visit would build on this momentum and seek more concrete outcomes.