Indian Refineries Pipe Supplies to Korea and MoU

· Strategic Partnership:

o India and ROK reaffirmed their Special Strategic Partnership with a shared vision for an open, inclusive, prosperous Indo-Pacific.

o Energy resource cooperation identified as a central pillar of bilateral ties.

· Energy Trade Cooperation:

o India supplies naphtha and petroleum feedstocks to ROK.

o ROK supplies petroleum products and lubricant base oils to India.

o Cooperation advanced through CEPA and bilateral frameworks.

· Supply Chain Resilience:

o Joint commitment to strengthen energy resource supply chains.

o Focus on regional cooperation, energy transition, and open trade arrangements.

o Exploration of collaboration among LNG-consuming countries to enhance market stability and transparency.

· Maritime & Shipbuilding Cooperation:

o Recognised importance of resilient maritime infrastructure for energy security.

o Plans to strengthen cooperation in shipbuilding, including:

§ Setting up shipyards in India.

§ Shipyard modernization.

§ Human resource development.

§ Technology partnerships.

· Joint Endeavours:

o Maintain stable, secure, reliable energy supply across the value chain.

o Promote open trade in petroleum products.

o Collaborate on LNG market frameworks.

o Build a robust shipbuilding ecosystem to support safe energy transport.

· Regional Call:

o India and ROK urged regional partners to join efforts in keeping global energy supply chains open, ensuring prosperity and security for their peoples.

[ABS News Service/21.04.2026]

1. India and the Republic of Korea are Special Strategic Partners with a common vision for an open, inclusive and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.

2. The central pillar of our Special Strategic Partnership is a long and trusted economic and energy resource partnership, grounded in a shared commitment to open markets and rules-based trade, which underpins our prosperity and economic security. Reaffirming these shared principles and understanding the impact of current situation on industries and markets is essential at this time.

3. We endeavour to advance our energy resource trade and investment cooperation through the India-ROK Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and relevant bilateral frameworks. India is a key supplier to the ROK of naphtha and other petroleum feedstocks, while the ROK is a leading supplier to India of petroleum products and lubricant base oils.

4. We are committed to working together to strengthen energy resource supply chain resilience, including through deepening regional cooperation, accelerating energy transition and supporting open trade arrangements for energy resources. We recognized the need to explore closer collaboration as major LNG consumer to enhance market stability, transparency, and better reflect buyers’ perspectives.

5. We recognize our shared commitment to resilient trade in energy. We recognize that resilient maritime infrastructure, including shipbuilding, is critical to ensuring the energy security of both countries. We acknowledge the importance of a robust and diversified shipbuilding ecosystem, in supporting the safe, reliable and efficient transportation of energy resources.

6. Against this backdrop, India and the ROK endeavour to:

- maintain a stable, secure and reliable supply of energy resources to each other, including efforts by both countries to maintain open trade in naphtha and other petroleum products; and cooperation in entire energy value chain.

- explore closer collaboration among LNG-consuming countries

- strengthen cooperation in the shipbuilding sector, including though not limited to, setting up shipyards in India, shipyard modernization, human resource development, and technology partnership.

7. India and the ROK call on regional partners to join in ensuring global energy resource supply chains are kept open, for the benefit of the security and prosperity of our peoples.