South Korea's Lee departs for India on 2-nation Asia visit

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung departed Sunday on a two-nation visit to India and Vietnam for summit talks that are likely to focus on stabilizing supply chains amid global energy market uncertainties stemming from the Middle East war, according to media reports.

Lee will hold talks Monday with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi in the first leg of his visit, Seoul-based Yonhap News reported.

It will mark the third in-person meeting between Modi and Lee, following talks on the sidelines of the G7 and G20 summits last year.

The talks are expected to focus on expanding economic cooperation in shipbuilding, maritime industries, artificial intelligence and defense areas, as well as coordinating responses to energy supply chain uncertainties linked to the Middle East situation, Seoul's National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac said Thursday.

Lee also plans to attend a business forum to explore new opportunities and support the operations of Korean companies in India.

The South Korean leader is scheduled to head Tuesday to Hanoi, Vietnam, for a state visit and hold talks Wednesday with To Lam, Vietnam's president and general secretary of the Communist Party.

The summit will focus on cooperation on energy supply chains and critical minerals.

The visit will make Lee the first foreign leader to travel to Vietnam since To Lam was elected state president earlier this month.

On Thursday, Lee is set to meet Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung, and National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man, and attend a business forum to explore ways to bolster economic cooperation between the two countries.