Make in India with South Korea: South Korea President backs Atmanirbhar BharatWhen South Korean President Lee Jae-myung arrived in India for a state visit, he said that amid heightened geopolitical uncertainty, South Korea and India must work closely together as emerging global leaders. The two countries can chart a new direction for multilateralism as it faces increasingly severe challenges. Lee said in an exclusive interview with The Times of India that South Korea has demonstrated significant economic growth under the multilateral trading system, while India is well-positioned to set new global rules thanks to its economic size and dynamism. Regarding China’s dominance in critical minerals, Lee said reducing over-reliance on any single country has become a matter of survival and is directly related to the economic security of India and South Korea.Referring to the Hormuz crisis, the president said ensuring the security of key sea lanes is crucial to the survival of both countries and South Korea will work together to ensure freedom of navigation in key energy waterways. The president said that the focus now is defense industry cooperation, and Seoul will fully support the “independent production” of Indian defense equipment while exploring joint technology development and cooperative production. In an exclusive interview with Sachin Parashar and Arpi Singh, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung shared his vision for a special strategic partnership with India in key areas such as trade, technology, critical minerals, defense and shipbuilding, where Seoul is a global leader.
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This is your first visit to India as President. Under the current situation, how do you hope to further strengthen the China-India special strategic partnership, especially in key areas such as trade and key emerging technologies? India, the world’s most populous country, fourth-largest economy and a leading voice for the global South, is an ideal partner for South Korea. Our partnership is based not only on highly complementary economies but also on shared core values ​​of democracy and market economies. At a time of heightened geopolitical uncertainty and increasingly severe challenges to multilateralism, close cooperation between South Korea and India as emerging global leaders is more necessary than ever. We will deepen our comprehensive cooperative relationship on the basis of our special strategic partnership, promote mutual growth and innovation, and expand our strategic horizons. The first priority is to speed up negotiations to upgrade the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). In addition to traditional fields such as electronics and automobiles, we will also expand cooperation in the fields of shipbuilding, finance and defense industries to realize the vision of “Made in India, hand in hand with South Korea”. We will also strengthen cooperation in artificial intelligence and digital technology. South Korea’s world-class AI infrastructure and India’s vast AI talent pool make us natural partners. Together, we will actively seek projects that can create meaningful synergies. At the same time, we will further expand people-to-people and cultural exchanges, which is the lasting foundation of bilateral relations. By bringing together India’s rich cultural assets, represented by Bollywood, with South Korea’s globally influential Korean culture, we aim to create greater synergy. since i first saw Prime Minister Modi In Canada last June, I felt a real sense of warmth and familiarity, like reuniting with an old friend. I believe that together we are committed to people-centered politics and hope even in the face of adversity. Therefore, it is a pleasure for me to visit India again and meet Prime Minister Modi, which is particularly meaningful to me. I believe that this visit will become an important milestone in further strengthening the friendship and trust between the two countries. Like India, South Korea relies heavily on the safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz to meet its energy needs. How the two countries can work together to help keep key energy routes open and minimize the impact of the energy crisis West Asia Global economic and energy security crisis, and reducing global supply chain risks? South Korea and India depend on the Middle East for a large part of their energy supplies, including crude oil and natural gas. Therefore, ensuring the security of critical sea lanes is critical to the safety of our people and the survival of our nation.South Korea will maintain close communication with India to ensure that all ships can safely and freely pass through the Strait of Hormuz. We will also continue to work together in relevant international forums to abide by this common commitment. Another task our two countries must share is diversifying energy supply chains. Amid growing global economic uncertainty, I believe forward-looking strategic cooperation between South Korea and India can greatly advance our shared national interests.The strategic defense partnership has been strengthened through joint production of the K9 King Kong howitzer. How do you propose to take this partnership forward, especially in terms of technology sharing that can boost India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative? The Republic of Korea fully supports India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative. This is a plan with huge industrial and economic potential and I am confident that it will come true due to Prime Minister Modi’s strong commitment. However, it is difficult to achieve self-reliance by relying solely on your own strength. South Korea’s rapid industrial development and economic growth benefit from the strong support and assistance from partner countries.In this regard, South Korea seeks to be India’s main partner in advancing the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative. In particular, the K9 “King Kong” howitzer project can be regarded as a model of cooperation between the defense and defense industries of the two countries. The second phase contract of the K9 King Kong project signed in April last year stipulates that more than 60% of the manufacturing process will be carried out in India. It is currently being implemented smoothly as planned. Building on these examples of cooperation, South Korea will continue to fully support the independent production and operation of Indian defense equipment. In addition, we will discuss various avenues for cooperation in joint technology development, joint production, and operations and maintenance so that the defense industrial ecosystems of both countries can grow together. Amid global efforts to diversify resources to avoid dependence on China, the two countries are exploring cooperation opportunities in areas such as minerals key to the energy transition and the maritime sector and shipbuilding, where South Korea is a global leader. Do you have a roadmap for more results-focused partnerships in these areas? As global supply chains are reconfigured, reducing overreliance on any single country has become a matter of life and death, directly related to the economic security of both countries. In particular, securing key minerals critical to cutting-edge industries and a maritime logistics network to stabilize these resources will be key factors in future national competitiveness.India has critical minerals and South Korea has the ability to manufacture them into rechargeable batteries, electric vehicles and other advanced products. This makes our two countries ideal partners for synergy. By moving beyond the traditional model of importing raw materials and combining Korean technology with the Indian mining and refining industry, we can jointly build a stable supply chain for critical minerals. The two countries have unlimited potential for cooperation in the field of shipping and shipbuilding. For India to become a global logistics and manufacturing hub, ensuring shipbuilding and maritime transport capabilities is crucial.With its world-class shipbuilding and shipping expertise and extensive experience in overseas port projects, South Korea is well-positioned to become India’s most important partner. As far as I know, relevant memorandums of understanding are expected to be signed during this visit. I look forward to the day when ships built by our two countries sail the world’s oceans. With the U.S.’s commitment to the Indo-Pacific in doubt under President Trump—and Washington’s focus turning to West Asia—how do you propose working with like-minded countries to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific? Today’s world faces complex and multi-layered crises. We are living in an era of profound turmoil, with rising protectionism and the reorganization of global supply chains shaking the foundations of the existing international order.The wars in the Middle East have highlighted the strategic reality that the Indian and Pacific oceans form a single, interconnected maritime space—the stability of which no country can ensure alone. Although the Indo-Pacific region has great dynamism and great potential, it has long been more of a beneficiary than a shaper of the international order due to geopolitical tensions and the lack of an institutional framework.Today, however, regional countries, including South Korea, are capable of taking the lead in strengthening multilateralism and advancing a rules-based order. At this critical moment, South Korea will work closely with regional partners to serve as a bridge to promote deeper cooperation and help build a more resilient regional order.As strategic coordination and unity across the Indo-Pacific region becomes increasingly important, our government will continue to expand cooperation with regional partners, including India. In this spirit, we participated in the International Ship Review and the Milan multilateral exercise hosted by India this year. We intend to join the India-led Indo-Pacific Initiative. Peace and prosperity are critical to achieving a free and open Indo-Pacific. To this end, we will deepen cooperation with major partners, including India, in strategic areas such as shipbuilding, finance, artificial intelligence, and defense industry.Both India and South Korea are victims of US tariff policies. While Seoul signed a trade deal to invest $350 billion in US industry, India’s efforts to reach a bilateral trade deal with Washington are still ongoing. What advice can you give New Delhi on how to handle its trade relationship with the United States? Furthermore, how can India and South Korea help keep the global trade framework multilateral, rules-based and inclusive?Last year, South Korea and the United States were able to successfully reach a trade agreement because both sides pursued creative, pragmatic solutions.
