President Lee Jae Myung has returned home after a productive visit to India and Vietnam, focusing on enhancing strategic cooperation in energy and supply chains amid uncertainties from the Middle East conflict. During his six-day trip, Lee engaged in summits with leaders of both nations to strengthen economic and strategic partnerships across various sectors. In New Delhi, he met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to boost collaboration in critical minerals, energy, artificial intelligence, finance, and shipbuilding.
Lee also held talks with Vietnam’s top leader To Lam in Hanoi, agreeing to deepen economic relations in energy, infrastructure, and technology, while emphasizing the need for enhanced coordination in supply chains. Addressing concerns over energy resources and raw materials stability in the wake of Middle East developments, Lee highlighted the importance of bilateral cooperation in ensuring a steady supply.
The discussions in both countries included plans to upgrade the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement to facilitate a potential doubling of bilateral trade to US$50 billion by 2030 from the current $25 billion. Notably, fifteen memorandums of understanding were signed during the Lee-Modi summit, with a focus on expanding cooperation with India, a nation boasting the world’s fourth-largest economy and a population of around 1.5 billion. Lee expressed optimism for future collaboration in the shipbuilding sector, particularly following an agreement to establish a shipyard in India.
