Korea as a Factor in Indo-Soviet Relations, 1947-50

Abstract

The paper analyses the impact India's position on the Korean question in the pre-1950 period had on the course of Soviet-Indian relations. When the U.S. brought up the issue of Korean unification before the U. N. in 1947, India, because of its concern about Communist expansion in Asia, supported Washington's objective of bringing about a non-Communist, unified Korea. At the suggestion of the U.S., an Indian was also appointed chairman of a U.N. Commission which was assigned the job of supervising elections in the country. Moscow refused to cooperate with the U.N. Commission headed by India's K. P.S. Menon. The U.S. then proposed that the U.N. should proceed with elections in South Korea. Despite Menon's personal opposition to the proposal, New Delhi, at the special urgings of the U.S., decided to support the American move. Later, at the U.N., India also voted for the recognition of the U.S.-backed South Korean government as the sole representative of all Korea. India's pro-American policy drew sharp protests from the Soviet Union. Moscow found it difficult to accept India's claim that it was following an independent policy. It was this perception of New Delhi's approach to questions such as Korea, and not ideological considerations, that shaped Moscow's policy toward New Delhi during the early years of lndia's independence.