Archive · 11 Aug 2026
South Korea eyes West Bengal gateway for second investment wave
South Korea is a country that has been making cars and electronics in India for more than thirty years.
Companies like Hyundai and Samsung built factories here.
Now, South Korea wants to invest even more in India in what it calls a 'second wave.'
This time, they want to build big ships and help make computer chips.
Computer chips are the tiny brains inside phones and computers.
The Korean ambassador says West Bengal, a state in eastern India, could help Korean companies reach that part of the country.
Two big steel companies, JSW and Posco, also agreed to build a new steel plant together in Odisha.
India and South Korea want to trade more with each other, aiming to reach $54 billion by 2030.
This could mean new factories, jobs and products for people in India.
South Korean Ambassador Lee Seong-ho said a second wave of Korean investment in India, led by shipbuilding, is expected over the next few years.
West Bengal could serve as a key gateway connecting South Korean companies with opportunities in eastern India and neighbouring regions.
Semiconductors are emerging as a new investment frontier, with South Korean suppliers of the chip ecosystem showing interest in entering India.
JSW Steel and Posco have announced a joint venture to set up a 6 million tonnes per annum greenfield steel plant in Odisha.
India and South Korea aim to raise bilateral trade to $54 billion by 2030, with South Korea committed to doubling or tripling its investments.
- Who
- Lee Seong-ho, ambassador of the Republic of Korea to India, speaking at a CII-organised session.
- What
- Announced expectations of a second wave of South Korean investment in India, led by shipbuilding, with semiconductors as a new frontier and West Bengal as a potential gateway.
- When
- Monday, at a CII-organised session.
- Where
- India, with focus on West Bengal for entry into eastern India; Odisha for the new JSW Steel-Posco steel plant.
- Why
- To diversify investment across Indian states and help meet the India-South Korea target of $54 billion in bilateral trade by 2030.
- South Korean Ambassador
- Lee Seong-ho
- New Investment Focus
- Shipbuilding and semiconductor supply chain
- First-Generation Investors
- Hyundai, Kia, Samsung, LG
- Steel Joint Venture
- JSW Steel and Posco: 6 mtpa greenfield plant in Odisha
- Bilateral Trade Target
- $54 billion by 2030
- Investment Commitment
- Double or triple investments over next few years
- Announcement Venue
- CII-organised session