Explaining the origins and evolution of India’s Korean policy

This paper attempts to explain the origins and evolution of India’s Korean policy since its independence. India’s Korean policy during the Korean crisis mainly revolved around its commitment to non-alignment in which India adopted a neutral stance. After initially pursuing a non-alignment policy, there was a gradual shift away from this early neutralism towards a policy in which India seemed to be more inclined towards North Korea than to South Korea. The end of the Cold War brought about a remarkable change in India’s Korean policy, as it forged a new India–South Korea partnership. As a result of this, India improved its relationship with the South, whereas its interaction with the North remained minimal. Now it seems that India’s Korean policy is entering a new phase in which it is seeking to deepen its security and economic ties with South Korea, and is showing a fresh enthusiasm to resolve the Korean issue. What factors have accounted for the evolution of India’s Korean policy over the last seventy years? The paper employs a binary approach to examine such a complex and intricate phenomenon, and argues that a combination of external and domestic factors have influenced the origins and evolution of India’s Korean policy. This study is based mainly on primary sources.