We were honored to feature Dong Kyu Kim, Former Director General of KOTRA Bengaluru, at the India–Korea Forum 2026 held in Seoul ahead of the upcoming India–Korea Summit.
Drawing on over 30 years of hands-on experience in India across both corporate and public sectors, he shared a deeply insightful and practical vision for advancing India–Korea business cooperation. His remarks emphasized that the bilateral partnership is entering a new phase—moving beyond traditional investment and trade toward a model driven by human capital, innovation, and strategic synergy.
🔑 Key Insights:
• India–Korea cooperation is built on strong historical and cultural foundations, now evolving into a partnership driven by technology, talent, and intelligence
• The synergy between the two countries lies in combining India’s strengths in software, innovation, and talent with Korea’s capabilities in manufacturing, execution, and global scaling
• A unique competitive advantage emerges from the fusion of India’s “Jugaad” (frugal innovation) and Korea’s “Pali-Pali” (speed and efficiency)
• One of the key challenges is overcoming the “fear of the unknown” among businesses, which can be addressed through experience-based trust and deeper engagement
• Enhancing mobility of people, including streamlined visa processes, is critical to enabling seamless business and innovation collaboration
• True success in India requires not just localization of operations, but “localization of mindset” and building a genuine One-Team culture
• The future of cooperation depends on shifting from a buyer–seller relationship to a knowledge-partnership model, supported by trust, cultural understanding, and government-level alignment
His reflections underscored a critical point:
➡️ The future of India–Korea relations lies not just in economic exchange, but in building shared vision, mutual trust, and co-created growth.
At a time of rapid global transformation, strengthening India–Korea partnership through people, trust, and strategic collaboration is more important than ever.
