The Narendra Modi government in India has decided to supply only food and medicines to North Korea.
New Delhi said in a statement over the weekend that it would not be possible for India to export other items to the Asia-Pacific nation because of UN Security Council sanctions. According to the statement, India respects the UNSC’s move and it has no plan to allow Pyongyang to use foreign materials to add to its military’s operational capabilities. The Modi government further asked Indian nationals or firms not to supply arms and nuclear related materials or technology to North Korea.
Although India has maintained low-key diplomatic ties with North Korea for the last several years, it provides the Communist country with food items. India also hosted the North Korean foreign minister in 2015 and urged him not to back Pakistan’s nuclear programme. However, India’s recent decision is significant amid the rising US pressure on North Korea.
India has also assured the international community that it will not co-operate with North Korea in fields, like advanced physics, aeronautical engineering and nuclear engineering. It will also not provide bunkering services to North Korean ships in any case.
Foreign policy experts have welcomed the government’s decision, saying that the move is sound because it is not possible for India to make profits by supplying any goods or services, other than medicines and foods, to North Korea. China’s close relationships with North Korea means India will also have no diplomatic or strategic gains from broader engagement. On the contrary, India can make profits by strengthening trade ties with countries, which are trying to isolate North Korea. And among them, South Korea and Japan are India’s close partners.
By making such a move, India has once again made clear that it is a responsible Asian power.

Published by Koushik Das

Koushik Das (born on May 16, 1976 in Kolkata) is a career journalist. Based in the Indian capital of New Delhi, Koushik writes mainly about foreign policies and current geopolitical issues, and rarely about other topics. His own political ideas are highly influenced by Antonio Gramsci, Louis Althusser, Michel Foucault, Michael Oakeshott and others. English philosopher and political theorist Oakeshott (Dec 11, 1901-Dec 19, 1990) says that “in political activity, men sail a boundless and bottomless sea. There is neither harbour for shelter nor floor for anchorage, neither starting-place, nor appointed destination. But we have to keep afloat”. (Rationalism in Politics, 1962) As a student of Political Science, Koushik loves to share his views on issues, which have great impacts on his thought process (and also on India, South Asia and of course on the global community), with his readers through his website – Boundless Ocean of Politics. By doing so, he tries to keep himself afloat. You will find some of his articles in https://inserbia.info/today/ (https://inserbia.info/today/author/kou_das13_i/), as he has been trying to assess the global geopolitics since 2003. You can also mail him at kousdas@gmail.com View all posts by Koushik Das