The Importance of South Korea: A Strategic Perspective on India’s Engagement with Northeast Asia

Abstract

A minimal, nonaligned foreign policy, which India followed during the Cold War, can no longer produce the economic and political benefits that accrued during those years. Today, in view of changing geopolitical realities in Asia and the rest of the world, India must pursue policies that place greater focus on strategic and economic content rather than the ideological. It is desirable for India that it discards old mindsets and establishes long-term strategic relationships with the newer global power centers that are emerging in other parts of the world. India’s ‘‘Look-East’’ policy, which was designed to strengthen its engagement with the Asia-Pacific as a whole, has somehow remained concentrated on its immediate neighborhood, namely Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore and ASEAN countries. Other regions, especially Northeast Asia, have not received the desired attention from Indian policymakers. This must change. Different regions of East Asia must be given equal importance by India. The lopsided implementation of the ‘‘Look-East’’ policy can only cause more harm than good to India’s interests in the region. India must begin looking at Northeast Asia as strategically important, as it has the ASEAN countries. In the next 20 years Northeast Asia is projected to be the economically richest and militarily most powerful region in the world. The combined economic and military power of Japan, China, South Korea, Russia, the United States (even though the United States is not a Northeast Asian country it is actively involved in the region) and other smaller countries of the region will outmatch any other grouping (both military and economic) in the world. India can ignore this region only at its own peril. South Korea is located at the center of Northeast Asia. It has good economic relations with all regional countries. Closer economic, political, military and strategic relations with South Korea can help India in strengthening its foothold in the whole region. India should pay special attention to developing closer relations with South Korea and a comprehensive strategy should be designed, which must go beyond the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) to achieve this.