Kimchi Diplomacy: Unpacking the Enigmatic India-North Korea Affair Samvada World

India’s engagement with North Korea is, in many ways, a balancing act — a careful dance between principles and pragmatism.
For India, staying in touch with Pyongyang isn’t just a diplomatic choice — it’s a way to keep a watchful eye on the activities that could pose a direct threat to its security.
India’s approach to North Korea is a reminder that diplomacy can still be about finding common ground, however narrow that ground might be.

On September 9th, North Korea celebrated its National Day ^[1]— or, as it’s often called, the Grand National Day. For most, this is just another obscure holiday in a far-off country, a nation often viewed through a lens of secrecy and suspicion. But for a select group of diplomats in New Delhi, this date serves as a reminder of an unusual diplomatic relationship that has quietly persisted for decades between India and North Korea. So, what’s the story behind this curious friendship? What keeps India connected to a country that the rest of the world seems to want to forget?

To understand this relationship, we have to turn the clock back to the early days of the Cold War. In 1950, when the Korean War erupted, most countries felt compelled to pick a side — either with the Communist North, supported by China and the Soviet Union, or with the South, backed by the United States. But India chose a different path. Newly independent and led by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, India opted for neutrality.

Nehru, a staunch advocate of non-alignment, believed in charting a course independent of the great power rivalries of the day. He appealed to both Moscow and Washington to localize the conflict and sought to mediate peace. India even chaired the Neutral Nations Repatriation Commission (NNRC) ^[2]after the Korean War, overseeing the delicate task of returning prisoners of war. This impartial stance earned India credibility on both sides of the Korean divide and paved the way for future diplomatic engagement.

By 1962, India and North Korea had established consular relations, and in 1973, they took things up a notch by formalizing full diplomatic ties. At the time, it may have seemed like a bold move; after all, North Korea was already displaying signs of its future erratic behaviour. But for India, the relationship aligned with its policy of engagement over isolation — a policy that has continued to define the relationship ever since.

Why Does India Stay Engaged? The Strategic Calculus

Fast forward a few decades, and the question still looms: why does India maintain a relationship with North Korea, a nation viewed by many as a global outlier? The answer isn’t just in diplomatic niceties; it’s far more strategic and layered.

One of the key reasons lies in North Korea’s nuclear program and its connection to Pakistan, India’s long-standing rival. For years, the two countries have shared clandestine nuclear and missile technology, creating a significant security concern for India. The most glaring example of this cooperation came in 2004 when A.Q. Khan, the architect of Pakistan’s nuclear program, confessed to selling nuclear secrets ^[3]to North Korea. For India, staying in touch with Pyongyang isn’t just a diplomatic choice — it’s a way to keep a watchful eye on the activities that could pose a direct threat to its security.

India has often been the one to raise alarms about the North Korea-Pakistan nuclear nexus on the global stage. During Minister of State VK Singh’s 2018 visit to Pyongyang^[4], North Korea made a rare public pledge not to engage in activities that would endanger India’s security. For a country that often operates in secrecy, that promise, vague as it might seem, was a significant diplomatic win for New Delhi.

Walking a Diplomatic Tightrope

India’s engagement with North Korea is, in many ways, a balancing act — a careful dance between principles and pragmatism. While much of the world has turned its back on North Korea, condemning its nuclear ambitions and isolating it diplomatically, India has opted to keep the door ajar. This approach is not without its critics. In 2017, the United States openly urged India ^[5]to reduce its engagement with North Korea, especially after a series of provocative missile tests. India, however, stood its ground, with then-Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj emphasizing ^[6]that communication channels should remain open.

India’s stance reflects its broader foreign policy doctrine — to engage, not isolate. It’s a philosophy that suggests even the most difficult nations should not be entirely cut off from dialogue. After all, talking is better than not talking, especially in the complex theatre of international relations.

But there’s more to India’s North Korea strategy than just cold, hard security calculations. For decades, India has been quietly extending a helping hand to the North Korean people through humanitarian aid. While Pyongyang’s regime has remained defiant and secretive, the country has suffered repeated food shortages and economic hardship, often exacerbated by natural disasters.

India has sent food supplies, medical assistance, and even basic goods to North Korea, reflecting a softer side to its diplomacy. In 2020, India responded to a World Health Organization ^[7]request and sent $1 million worth of medical aid to North Korea. Back in 2004, when a devastating tsunami struck India, North Korea, in a surprising gesture, donated $30,000 to India ^[8]— a modest amount, but a powerful symbol of goodwill.

These gestures underscore the human dimension of India’s policy. While New Delhi is mindful of the complexities of engaging with a regime like North Korea, it has always maintained that its differences are with the government, not the people.

Keeping an Eye on China: The Geopolitical Chessboard

There is another significant aspect to consider — one that involves a third player: China. North Korea may be deeply dependent on China, its closest ally and largest trading partner, but the relationship is not without underlying tension. Pyongyang has long been wary of becoming overly reliant on Beijing, while China has often expressed frustration over North Korea’s unpredictable behaviour.

For India, this presents a unique opportunity. By maintaining its own line of communication with North Korea, India subtly counterbalances China’s influence in the region. It provides Pyongyang with an option outside of its alliance with Beijing, however limited that option may be. This isn’t about flipping North Korea into India’s camp — that’s unrealistic — but it’s about keeping strategic doors open in a region dominated by Chinese and American power plays.

Of course, it would be naive to assume that India’s relationship with North Korea is without its constraints. High-level interactions have been sparse in recent years, and New Delhi has been clear in condemning Pyongyang’s reckless missile tests and nuclear ambitions. The relationship is far less significant than India’s deep partnerships with the United States, South Korea, or Japan.

India also faces limitations in terms of its influence on the Korean Peninsula. It is not a permanent member of the UN Security Council and did not have a seat at the table in the Six-Party Talks ^[9]on North Korean denuclearization, which was launched in 2003 and has been stalled since 2008. None of the major players in the region — be it China, the United States, South Korea, or Japan — actively sought India’s involvement. Yet, India’s decision to keep a working relationship with North Korea underscores its desire to assert an independent foreign policy stance, one that isn’t overly beholden to any single power or alliance. It’s a strategy that values flexibility and balance, even in dealing with a country as complicated as North Korea.

So, as North Korea marks its National Day, it serves as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of international relations. In the realm of diplomacy, friendships are rarely straightforward. They can be built on history, strategy, pragmatism, or simply the belief that no door should ever be fully shut.

India’s engagement with North Korea is all of these things. It’s a relationship that has survived the Cold War, nuclear threats, international sanctions, and diplomatic pressure. And while it may seem puzzling at first glance, it is a testament to India’s ability to navigate a complex world with its unique brand of diplomacy — one that sees engagement not as a concession, but as an opportunity.

In an era where global politics often feels like a zero-sum game, India’s approach to North Korea is a reminder that diplomacy can still be about finding common ground, however narrow that ground might be.

_{(Diksha Bharti is currently pursuing a Master’s program in Russian studies. She has previously worked as a Research Associate at Politika and the Consilium Research Institute. She has a keen interest in geopolitics and has contributed to several reputed platforms. Views expressed are the author’s own.)}

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