New Indian envoy to S. Korea, Herald vow to deepen diplomacy

Newly appointed Indian Ambassador to South Korea Gourangalal Das and The Korea Herald pledged to deepen ties between their countries on Wednesday.

“Future cooperation can expand through various formats — articles, films, music and more,” said Das during a courtesy meeting held at Herald Corp. headquarters in Seoul.

India is now “one of the youngest and fastest-changing nations in the world,” the ambassador said, emphasizing the need to enhance Korea’s understanding of contemporary India.

India-South Korea trade reached $26.9 billion in the fiscal year 2024-25, with India exporting $5.8 billion to Korea and importing $21.1 billion. South Korea is India’s 13th-largest investor, accounting for 0.92 percent of foreign direct investment, with major activity in sectors such as electronics, steel, mobility, chemicals and food processing, according to the embassy.

Korean companies such as Hyundai Motor India and LG Electronics India recently completed successful IPOs on Indian stock exchanges in October 2024 and October 2025, respectively.

In the financial sector, Mirae Asset has expanded aggressively, acquiring Indian brokerage Sharekhan in November 2024 and launching Mirae Asset Sharekhan.

However, Das pointed out that Korean SMEs still lag behind their Japanese counterparts in entering the Indian market and expressed hope for greater participation.

Several Indian state governments — including Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Punjab — have actively reached out to Korean businesses, hosting investment forums and roadshows throughout 2024 and 2025.

The cultural sector has also gained momentum, with K-pop powerhouse Hybe entering the Indian market in September and JYP Entertainment preparing for its local debut. The Korea Herald recently reported that Galaxy Corp. is planning to establish a branch in India.

Das also noted that a delegation led by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is set to visit Korea next Monday.

“We invite Korean companies to join the Punjab roadshow at Lotte Hotel for new opportunities,” he said.

Meanwhile, Herald Media Group CEO Choi Jin-young expressed appreciation to the Indian government for facilitating the India-Korea Economic Partnership Forum and the Haryana-Korea Business Connect.

Choi noted that although Hyundai Motor India completed its local IPO, the overall Korean corporate presence in the country remains limited.

“Samsung, Hyundai, LG and POSCO are present, but fewer than 1,000 Korean companies operate in India — far behind Vietnam’s 10,000. This is why economic and cultural exchanges must expand rapidly,” Choi said.

Das has been a career diplomat since 1999. Before arriving in Seoul, he headed the East Asia Division at India’s Ministry of External Affairs. He previously served in the Indian Prime Minister’s Office and oversaw China-Japan affairs at the ministry. He holds master’s degrees in economics from the Delhi School of Economics and in Chinese translation and interpretation from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in the United States.