Thread: Why did an Indian minister just go to North Korea?

Why did an Indian minister just go to North Korea?

Soutik Biswas India correspondent

36 minutes ago
May 17, 2018

On Thursday, India revealed that it had sent a minister to North Korea for the first time in two decades.

The last time an Indian minister visited North Korea was in September 1998. Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, information and broadcasting minister of then ruling BJP-led alliance, had flown to Pyongyang to attend a film festival.

This time, it is more substantial. VK Singh, a junior foreign minister and the former Indian army chief, met a range of senior ministers and officials. The two days of talks earlier this week covered "political, regional, economic, educational and cultural cooperation between the two countries".

Interestingly, this rare diplomatic outreach happened weeks after the two Koreas held their first summit in more than a decade and as the US and North Korea prepare for their first meeting next month. The highly anticipated meeting 12 June meeting between Donald Trump and North Korea's Kim Jong-un is now uncertain after North Korea said it may pull out if the US insists it gives up its nuclear weapons.

So has India chosen this moment to re-engage with North Korea to ensure it doesn't get left behind in the diplomatic flurry? Or are they doing a favour for their US allies?

Many forget India and North Korea have had a full diplomatic relationship for the past 45 years. They have small embassies in Delhi and Pyongyang. The two countries have had cultural exchange programmes, and inked science and technology cooperation agreements. North Korean diplomats have attended courses for foreign diplomats in Delhi. India has sent food supplies to Pyongyang under an UN programme. And when the tsunami struck India in 2004, North Korea reciprocated by donating $30,000 (£22,174) to India as a goodwill gesture.

Although India sent a minister to Pyongyang last time 20 years ago, senior officials from Pyongyang have continued to visit India over the years.

In April 2015, North Korea's foreign minister visited Delhi and met his Indian counterpart to seek humanitarian assistance. In September next year, a junior Indian minister visited the North Korean embassy in Delhi to mark North Korea's Independence Day, in what was possibly the first time a minister represented the government at an official event. The Indian minister Kiren Rijiju spoke about how a "relationship based on greater trade and commerce between two sides is the way ahead".

In 2013, India was possibly North Korea's third-largest trading partner after China and South Korea. India mainly exported industrial chemicals, crude oil and agricultural products, and imported dried and fried fruits, natural gum and asafoetida. Bilateral trade has declined to around $130m - from more than $200m in 2014 - after India banned almost all trade after fresh UN sanctions on North Korea over its missile tests in 2017.

'Long relationship'

"India is one of the few countries with which North Korea maintains diplomatic relations. India is an important window to the world for North Korea. The two countries have a long, low-intensity relationship," Prashant Kumar Singh, a fellow at the Delhi-based Institute of Defence Studies and Analyses and a specialist on India's engagement in East Asia, told me.

Last year, India refused to diminish its diplomatic presence in Pyongyang as suggested by the former US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. India's Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj had pointedly told Mr Tillerson that "embassies of some of your friendly countries should remain there so that some channels of communications remain open."

Delhi says that Pyongyang had provided Mr Singh with an "overview of the recent developments in the Korean peninsula", and that the minister had reiterated India's support to the Korean peace initiative. So did Mr Singh's visit have anything to do with the upcoming - and now uncertain - meeting between Mr Kim and US President Donald Trump?

"We can only speculate. Mr Trump does not want to jeopardise his summit meeting. Maybe the Americans are seeking some Indian support to ensure that the summit is saved," says Dr Singh.

"India is a bit player here, but is also the only major country in the region that is not a party to the problem but has good contacts with North Korea." Clearly, when it comes to negotiating with an isolated heritage regime, even the rare, relatively minor friend can be of help.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-44151102

Oh, so is this why the North Korean "high officials" canceled on South Korea yesterday? They stayed to meet with the foreign minister from India for 2 days and there was a conflict in schedule? Could it all be that simple? Rather than tell South Korea, oops, we have a conflict, they make up this big story about the drills and Bolton as an excuse to reschedule the meeting with South Korea to save face? It was after all North Korea who asked for the meeting with South Korea to begin with. It really could be that simple, because nothing else makes sense.

We'll see!