India tells Rex Tillerson plans to retain North Korea embassy

India's foreign minister told U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Wednesday that New Delhi wanted to retain its small embassy in North Korea despite Washington's efforts to isolate Pyongyang over its nuclear and ballistic missile tests.

Sushma Swaraj made the statement after meeting Tillerson in New Delhi. Tillerson is due to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi later in the day. Swaraj said New Delhi believed a diplomatic presence in North Korea was necessary to keep the lines of communication open.

India and North Korea maintain diplomatic offices in each other's capitals, though New Delhi recently banned trade of most goods with the country, except in food or medicine.