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Lee stresses joint efforts to navigate Strait of Hormuz, stabilize supply chains ahead of summit with Indian prime minister

Published: 20 Apr. 2026, 15:29 Updated: 20 Apr. 2026, 21:01

SARAH KIM
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Korean President Lee Jae Myung, second from left, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, left, accompanied by Lee's spouse Kim Hea Kyung, right, and India's President Droupadi Murmu, second from right, inspect an honor guard during a welcome ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on April 20. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

NEW DELHI — President Lee Jae Myung stressed that Korea and India need to work together to ensure the safe navigation of the Strait of Hormuz and called for joint efforts to stabilize global supply chains in an interview published on Monday ahead of his bilateral summit with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"Ensuring the security of critical maritime routes is essential to the safety of our peoples and the very survival of our nations," Lee said in a written interview with The Times of India published on Monday amid the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran. "Korea will maintain close communication with India to ensure that all vessels can navigate the Strait of Hormuz safely and freely."

Korean President Lee Jae Myung, right, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi embrace ahead of a welcome ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on April 20. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

Lee noted that another task that Korea and India must undertake together is diversifying their energy supply chains, taking into consideration the importance of reducing excessive reliance on any single country for critical materials.

"Amid growing uncertainties in the global economy, I am confident that forward-looking and strategic cooperation between Korea and India can substantially further our shared national interests," Lee said.

Korea and India depend on the Middle East for a significant share of their energy supplies, including crude oil and natural gas, Lee added.

On Monday morning, Modi greeted Lee and first lady Kim Hea Kyung in a welcome ceremony ahead of their bilateral summit at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the official presidential residence in New Delhi.

Modi greeted Lee upon his arrival in his motorcade, and the two leaders embraced. They then listened to the Indian military band and reviewed the honor guard.

Lee and Modi have met three times since the Korean leader took office, having had talks on the margins of the Group of 7 summit in Canada in June last year and the Group of 20 gathering that November.

Later on Monday morning, Lee and Kim paid respects at Raj Ghat, a memorial dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi, in New Delhi. The presidential couple laid flowers and observed a moment of silence.

President Lee Jae Myung, right, and first lady Kim Hea Kyung pay respects at Raj Ghat, a memorial dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi, in New Delhi on April 20. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

Lee, in his interview with The Times of India, wrote that a key priority of his visit is to accelerate negotiations to upgrade the bilateral comprehensive economic partnership agreement and broaden cooperation from electronics and automobiles to shipbuilding, finance and the defense industry in keeping with the vision of "Make in India Together with Korea."

He noted that Korea supports India's Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, and that the K9 Vajra howitzer project "stands as an exemplary case of our bilateral defense and defense industry cooperation."

Lee also said the two countries will step up collaboration involving AI and digital technologies.

BY SARAH KIM [[email protected]]