High-level Korean delegation meets minister to explore business, tech partnerships
Bengaluru: A high-level business delegation from the Republic of Korea met IT Minister Priyank Kharge on Saturday to explore opportunities for investment, business expansion and technology partnerships between Korea and Karnataka, officials said.
The meeting brought together investors, venture capital representatives and business leaders exploring opportunities across technology, food and beverage, retail, startups and other emerging sectors, they said.
According to a statement issued by the minister’s office, the discussions focused on strengthening Korea-Karnataka business linkages and creating practical pathways for Korean companies and investors to enter and scale in the Indian market through Karnataka.
The Korean delegation highlighted the growing interest among Korean investors in overseas markets, particularly India, as the mature Korean market presents fewer avenues for new investment, it said.
“The delegation noted that while Indian businesses and the country’s growth potential are increasingly attracting attention, Korean investors would benefit from stronger institutional linkages and greater awareness of potential partners and opportunities in India,” the minister’s office said.
The discussion also touched upon the growing cultural connect between Korea and India, it said.
Referring to the popularity of K-pop, K-dramas, Korean cosmetics and other Korean products in India, the minister Kharge noted how quickly global products, services and cultural influences are adapted to the Indian market.
Speaking at the meeting, Kharge, Minister for Home, Information Technology, Biotechnology, and E-Governance, Government of Karnataka, said, “Karnataka is open for business, and our proposition to global investors goes beyond technology. We have the talent, innovation ecosystem, research capabilities and market access platforms to support companies across sectors.
For Korean companies and investors, we want to build practical pathways into the Indian market through partnerships, market access, co-investment opportunities, Centres of Excellence and the Global Innovation Alliance. We would like to move from broad interest to a focused set of opportunities that can be taken forward and delivered on the ground,” he said.
The minister highlighted Karnataka’s deep technology ecosystem and its network of Centres of Excellence, incubators and innovation institutions across areas including AI, semiconductors, fintech, agri-tech, life sciences, aerospace, space and robotics.
He also invited the Korean delegation to identify specific sectors and opportunities of interest and offered to work with them on a focused roadmap. The minister suggested that the delegation could share a broader “wish list” of areas, following which Karnataka could identify a smaller number of priority opportunities to begin with and take forward for implementation. The delegation expressed interest in exploring Karnataka as a destination for Korean capital and companies seeking to expand in India, with discussions spanning technology, F&B, retail, market access and government partnerships, talent and skills, and other sectors, it said.
The minister’s office said that the Korean delegation highlighted the experience of Korean companies already operating in India and expressed interest in building greater awareness among Korean investors about opportunities in
the country.