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HD Hyundai chief meets with India's Modi to discuss shipbuilding cooperation

Published: 29 Jan. 2026, 14:38 Updated: 29 Jan. 2026, 17:19

LEE JAE-LIM
[email protected]

HD Hyundai Chairman Chung Ki-sun and HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering CEO Kim Hyung-kwan, shown at the far right of the back and front rows respectively, attend the Global Energy Leader Roundtable at the Prime Minister’s residence in New Delhi on Jan. 28, at the invitation of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. [HD HYUNDAI]

HD Hyundai Chairman Chung Ki-sun met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss expanding bilateral cooperation in shipbuilding, the Korean shipbuilder said on Thursday.

Chung, along with Kim Hyung-kwan, chief executive of HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, attended India Energy Week 2026, the country's flagship international energy conference that brings together global policymakers, energy companies and investors to discuss the energy transition as well as security and innovation in the sector.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of a high-level roundtable at the event, attended by some 30 government officials, heads of state-owned enterprises and chief executives from global companies to explore cooperation possibilities.

During the meeting, Chung asked Modi for continued interest and policy support for HD Hyundai’s collaborative initiatives in India.

“HD Hyundai continues to maintain close collaborative relationships with India across a wide range of areas,” Chung said in a statement. “India is a key pillar of our strategy to diversify overseas production bases, and we believe it will serve as a new engine of growth for the group.”

HD Hyundai has been seeking to expand its footprint in India through participation in the government-led Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 initiative, which aims to transform India into a global maritime hub by 2047 through the large-scale expansion and modernization of ports, shipbuilding, ship repair, logistics and maritime manufacturing.

In July of last year, the company signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Cochin Shipyard, India’s largest state-owned shipbuilder, to cooperate on shipbuilding, including design and procurement support and productivity improvements. The scope of the partnership has since been expanded to include naval vessels.

In December that same year, HD Hyundai also signed an exclusive MOU with the Tamil Nadu state government to build a joint-venture shipyard and is pursuing crane-related business cooperation with state-owned BEML.

BY LEE JAE-LIM [[email protected]]