New Delhi, April 20 (IANS) PM Modi will hold a bilateral summit with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Monday, with discussions expected to focus on deepening economic ties and strengthening their strategic partnership amid the war in West Asia.

Lee will first pay tribute at Raj Ghat, a memorial dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi, before holding talks with PM Modi.

The summit will be their third in-person meeting, following earlier talks on the sidelines of the Group of Seven and Group of 20 gatherings last year.

PM Modi and President Lee are likely to explore ways to expand cooperation in strategic areas, including shipbuilding, maritime industries, finance, artificial intelligence and defence, according to South Korean National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac.

Coordination on global supply chains and energy security is also likely to be high on the agenda as both countries, heavily reliant on imported energy, grapple with the fallout from the war between the United States and Iran.

Following the summit, Lee will attend a roundtable with business leaders of the two countries and a state luncheon hosted by President Droupadi Murmu.

President Lee arrived in New Delhi on Sunday for a three-day state visit.

Union Minister of State for Corporate Affairs Harsh Malhotra had received President Lee and First Lady Kim Hea Kyung at the airport.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met with the South Korean President on Sunday and appreciated his commitment to expanding ties across various sectors. He expressed confidence that the ongoing visit will further reinforce the Special Strategic Partnership between the two nations.

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had noted that the South Korean President’s visit to India marks an “important milestone” in advancing the Special Strategic Partnership between the two nations.

“A very warm welcome to H.E. President Lee Jae Myung of Republic of Korea as he arrives in New Delhi on a State Visit to India. This is President Lee’s first visit to India,” Jaiswal had posted on X.

“President Lee was received by Shri Harsh Malhotra, MoS, Ministry of Corporate Affairs and Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. The visit marks an important milestone in advancing the India-South Korea Special Strategic Partnership,” he had said.

South Korean President Lee is on a three-day visit to India at the invitation of PM Modi.

President Lee is accompanied by First Lady Kim Hea Kyung and a high-level delegation, including ministers, senior officials, and business leaders. This marks his first visit to India.

This visit will mark a significant step towards further deepening the ties between India and South Korea, as both countries already share a strong and multifaceted partnership rooted in ancient civilisational ties and shared democratic values.

–IANS

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