Executive summary
India–Korea trade reached USD 25.6 billion in 2025, and Korea's cumulative investment in India from 1980 to December 2025 stands at USD 10.29 billion, according to the Embassy of India in Seoul. A trade agreement has been in force since 2010 and upgrade talks are active. For a Korean company or startup, the question is where a specific project fits. This guide uses official sources and states where the evidence stops.
Trade and investment, in official figures
The Embassy of India in Seoul reports, using Korea International Trade Association data, annual bilateral trade of USD 25.6 billion in 2025. Korea's investment into India in 2025 was USD 824 million. Indian investment into Korea is about USD 5.2 billion, led by Tata Daewoo and Aditya Birla Group's Novelis.
At the April 2026 summit, the two governments agreed to set up a ministerial-level Industrial Cooperation Committee and set a goal of raising trade to USD 50 billion by 2030. They named critical minerals, nuclear power, clean energy, artificial intelligence, shipbuilding and finance as areas for wider cooperation. A goal is a political commitment, not a forecast.
The trade agreement
The India–Korea Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) was signed on 7 August 2009 and came into force on 1 January 2010, according to India's Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The Embassy reports that most tariff lines — 93.1% for India and 83.7% for Korea — are in preferential categories. Upgrade negotiations began after a 2015 summit; the 12th round was held in New Delhi in May 2026, and a joint declaration aims for early conclusion by the first half of 2027. Check your product's tariff line rather than assuming a preference applies.
What this means for different companies
India's FDI policy allows up to 100% foreign ownership under the automatic route in most sectors, subject to sectoral conditions.
What this data does not tell you
Questions to resolve before committing
How Nirji Ventures engages
The Nirji Community is a private network for companies and startups exploring Asia Pacific expansion; expressing interest is free and does not promise funding, introductions or programme admission. NirjiX, the group's consulting firm, takes on paid market-entry, partner-diligence and project-execution engagements. The two paths are separate: Community participation is not a consulting engagement, and consulting enquiries do not require Community membership.