Russia-North Korea deal 'food for weapons' raises geopolitical concerns
3 min read . Updated: 15 Apr 2023, 01:39 PM IST
Premium- The Russians find themselves in a situation where they are compelled to seek assistance from North Korea to replenish their diminishing ammunition supplies, which is not surprising.
Information has come to light regarding an arrangement between the Russian Federation and North Korea, also known as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), involving the exchange of food supplies for weapons.
As per a report by ORF, the implications of this deal extend beyond Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine, raising concerns about potential geopolitical ramifications.
The Russians find themselves in a situation where they are compelled to seek assistance from North Korea to replenish their diminishing ammunition supplies, which is not surprising.
As per media reports, it is widely known and documented that Russia's Wagner group of mercenaries has obtained military provisions from Pyongyang, including missiles and rockets for use in battlefield situations. The Wagner group has been actively involved in hostilities in Ukraine, including their current presence in Bakhmut.
Additionally, the North Korean participation in the supply arrangement can be attributed to the Russian defense industry's failure to adequately meet the operational and supply needs of their forces engaged in combat in Ukraine.
This could be seen as a manifestation of Russia's desperation to sustain the ongoing conflict against Ukraine, but it also serves as a foreboding indication of potential future developments.
Additionally, the North Korean participation in the supply arrangement can be attributed to the Russian defense industry's failure to adequately meet the operational and supply needs of their forces engaged in combat in Ukraine. This could be seen as a manifestation of Russia's desperation to sustain the ongoing conflict against Ukraine, but it also serves as a foreboding indication of potential future developments.
According to U.S. security officials, as reported by Fox News, North Korea is reportedly looking to strike a deal with Russia where it would exchange its surplus weapons for essential food supplies.
"Any arms deal between North Korea and Russia would directly violate a series of U.N. Security Council resolutions. We've taken note of North Korea's recent statements that they will not provide or sell arms to Russia, and we are continuing to monitor this closely," National Security Council (NSC) coordinator John Kirby made the assertion during a press conference.
As a U.S. aircraft carrier strike group arrived in South Korea, North Korea unveiled smaller nuclear warheads on Tuesday, according to reports.
According to experts, the recent unveiling of the Hwasan-31 weapons by North Korea indicates potential progress in developing smaller yet powerful warheads that could potentially be mounted on intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of reaching the United States, as reported by Reuters.
Impact on India
The trade between North Korea and Russia highlights the urgent need for New Delhi to break free from Moscow's dominant influence over its military requirements.
As a recent statement by a former Indian Foreign Secretary pointed out, China's ability to pressure Moscow into withholding military equipment, ammunition, and spare parts for India's existing Russian-origin weapon systems has increased significantly.
In the future, New Delhi must adopt a strategy that combines closer alignment with countries such as the United States (US), Western Europe, Israel, Japan, South Korea, and Australia, along with an increased emphasis on the indigenous development of military equipment where possible. This approach is necessary to mitigate the negative consequences of India's reliance on Russian military hardware.
To meet the need for reverse engineering and manufacturing of components and spares for Russian-origin weapon systems and platforms used by the Indian armed services, the government will need to depend not only on DRDO, its subsidiaries, and DPSUs but also on private sector enterprises in India.
(With inputs from ORF and media reports)