Author: AsiaOne

New Zealand’s Foreign Minister, Winston Peters, announced on Monday a renewed commitment to strengthen ties with intelligence partners, including the United States, Britain, Canada, and Australia. The four countries, which together with New Zealand are known as the Five Eyes, have shared intelligence since World War Two, though the alliance has come under pressure in recent years.

Peters, a key figure in the right-of-center government led by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, aims to bolster defense and security engagement, marking a departure from New Zealand’s traditionally moderate stance within the Five Eyes alliance.

Peters, a former foreign minister and leader of the populist New Zealand First Party, used his first major policy speech to highlight the government’s intention to revitalize security partnerships.

Addressing the diplomatic corps in Wellington, Peters emphasized the need for increased defense and security capabilities. New Zealand’s stance on China, a significant player in the South Pacific, is expected to evolve, reflecting a more assertive position in response to China’s growing presence in the region.

Peters also acknowledged the importance of improving relations with Asian nations, singling out India as a country with which New Zealand seeks stronger ties.

A Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court has unanimously upheld the President’s authority to abrogate Article 370 in August 2019, leading to the reorganization of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories. Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, leading the five-judge Bench, affirmed that the President could unilaterally issue a notification to cease the existence of Article 370.

The court emphasized that the President possessed the power to abrogate Article 370 when “special circumstances warrant a special solution,” and that the judiciary could not question the decision based on the assessment of such circumstances.

Describing the abrogation as the culmination of a “gradual and collaborative exercise” spanning 70 years, the court declared the Jammu and Kashmir Constitution “redundant” and “inoperative,” asserting that the Indian Constitution was the comprehensive code for constitutional governance.

The ruling also accepted the Centre’s commitment to restoring Statehood to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and directed the Election Commission of India to conduct Assembly elections by September 30, 2024.

While the court refrained from examining the permissibility of the reorganization into the Union Territories of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir, it endorsed the carving out of Ladakh from the erstwhile state.

Chief Justice Chandrachud clarified that Jammu and Kashmir had divested itself of “any element of sovereignty” after executing the Instrument of Accession in 1947. The court affirmed that Article 370 was a temporary provision to facilitate accession during times of internal strife and war.

In an insightful suggestion, Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul proposed the establishment of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to address the intergenerational trauma caused by violence and mass migration in Jammu and Kashmir.

This verdict settles a long-standing legal debate and establishes the constitutional validity of the abrogation of Article 370 and the reorganization of the region.

In a significant move aimed at enhancing bilateral ties and addressing shared concerns over China’s assertiveness in the South China Sea, the Indian and Vietnamese armies commenced an 11-day joint military exercise on Monday. The exercise, named “VINBAX-23,” is scheduled to take place in Hanoi from December 11 to 21, marking the latest chapter in the growing strategic partnership between the two nations.

The primary objective of VINBAX-23 is to foster collaboration and promote interoperability between the Indian and Vietnamese armed forces. With 45 personnel from each side participating, the exercise will focus on deploying and employing an engineer company and a medical team. Both contingents will engage in a command post exercise-cum-field training exercise, exchanging ideas and rehearsing tactics, techniques, and procedures.

Against the backdrop of territorial disputes between Vietnam and China in the South China Sea, the exercise holds particular significance. India’s decision to gift its in-service missile corvette, INS Kirpan, to Vietnam in July further underscores the strengthening defense cooperation between the two nations. Notably, India also has oil-exploration projects in Vietnamese waters in the South China Sea.

The VINBAX series, initiated in 2018, is an annual training event alternately conducted in India and Vietnam. This year’s exercise follows the successful edition held at the Chandimandir military station in August 2022. Both sides expressed the aim of promoting understanding and cooperation, emphasizing the exchange of modern methods in constructing infrastructure in operational areas.

The joint military exercise showcases the commitment of India and Vietnam to peacekeeping operations under Chapter VII of the UN Charter. As the drill progresses, both contingents will conduct technical military operations aligned with scenarios resembling the worldwide deployment of United Nations’ contingents. The exercise will culminate in a validation exercise, demonstrating the standards attained by both armies.