New Delhi: South Korea President Lee Jae Myung was given a ceremonial reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Monday, where he was received by President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi, heralding the official commencement of his three-day state visit to India.
The ceremonial reception featured traditional performances and a warm welcome by children holding both the Indian Tricolour and the South Korean national flag.
Among those present during the ceremony were India’s Minister for External Affairs S. Jaishankar and other top-ranking officials, underlining the significance that New Delhi gives to the visit.
This trip comes at a critical juncture for India-South Korea ties, as both sides work towards enhancing their special strategic partnership by increasing cooperation in trade, technology, and security.
This is the first visit by a South Korean President to India in over eight years and is expected to provide a platform for increasing cooperation in the future.
After the reception, Lee will pay respects to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat and meet with Prime Minister Modi to hold delegation-level talks later in the day.
The talks are projected to concentrate on enhancing collaboration in key areas such as semiconductors, shipbuilding, artificial intelligence, and defence technology.
Economic ties between India and South Korea took off after the implementation of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in 2010.
Both nations seek to enhance the CEPA with the aim of doubling bilateral trade volume to $50 billion by 2030, from about $25.7 billion recorded in the previous year, according to presidential adviser Wi Sung-lac.
Lee will also participate in business functions alongside corporate leaders during his visit, with other potential areas for cooperation in finance, artificial intelligence, and defence, Wi said.
Lee, who arrived in New Delhi on Sunday alongside South Korean First Lady Kim Hea Kyung and a high-level delegation, has stressed the significance of India’s rising status as a production centre.
President Murmu is expected to organise a state banquet in honour of the visiting dignitary, and various high-level engagements during his visit could result in the signing of several agreements aimed at enhancing the multi-faceted relationship between the two nations.
(DD News)