South Korean President Lee honoured at Rashtrapati Bhavan

President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday accorded a ceremonial welcome to South Korean President Lee Jae Myung at Rashtrapati Bhavan, marking a key highlight of his three-day State Visit to India.President Lee, accompanied by First Lady Kim Hea Kyung, was received with full honours, including traditional performances and a warm reception by children waving the Indian Tricolour and the South Korean national flag.Following the ceremonial reception, the visiting leader paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat, where he laid a wreath, honouring the Mahatma’s enduring ideals of peace and non-violence.

#WATCH | Delhi: Lee Jae Myung, President of South Korea and his wife, Kim Hea Kyung, lay a wreath paying tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat. pic.twitter.com/l3j4pjiExK

— ANI (@ANI) April 20, 2026

According to information, President Lee arrived in New Delhi on Sunday and was received at the airport by Union Minister of State Harsh Malhotra. Soon after his arrival, he interacted with members of the Korean community and expressed confidence that the upcoming India–Republic of Korea (ROK) summit would serve as a “turning point” in bilateral ties.
Highlighting India’s growing global stature, President Lee noted that the country has emerged as a key driver of global production and supply chains, moving beyond its earlier perception as primarily a consumption-driven market.
Earlier, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar called on the visiting leader and welcomed his commitment to deepening bilateral engagement.“Honoured to call on President Lee Jae Myung of the Republic of Korea as he begins his State Visit to India. Value his commitment to deepen India-Korea relations across multiple domains,” the EAM said in a post on X, expressing confidence that his talks with Prime Minister Modi will “further strengthen our Special Strategic Partnership”.
Meanwhile, President Lee will hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Modi later in the day, with discussions expected to focus on strengthening cooperation across sectors including shipbuilding, trade, investments, artificial intelligence, semiconductors, critical and emerging technologies, people-to-people ties, and cultural exchanges.India and the Republic of Korea share a multifaceted partnership rooted in ancient civilisational ties and shared democratic values. “The visit of President Lee underscores the shared aspiration of both countries to further strengthen the existing areas of cooperation while expanding collaboration in new and emerging areas of mutual interest,” the Ministry of External Affairs said.
According to information,last November, Prime Minister Modi met President Lee on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Johannesburg. The two leaders also interacted earlier this year during the G7 Summit in Canada, marking their second meeting in 2025.According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the visit marks an important milestone in advancing the India–South Korea Special Strategic Partnership. Anchored in shared democratic values and longstanding civilisational links, both countries are looking to expand cooperation into new and emerging sectors while strengthening existing ties.This is President Lee’s first visit to India and the first by a South Korean leader in over eight years, signalling renewed momentum in bilateral relations between the two nations.