Category: Politics

Prime Minister Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke over the phone, and PM Modi reaffirmed his willingness to attend the BRICS Summit, which is scheduled for Kazan from October 22–24.

Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE have joined Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa as founding members of the BRICS group; this summit is the first gathering of the expanded BRICS group.

The leaders reviewed the upcoming implementation of the trade agreements made during PM Modi’s July visit to Moscow. The two parties were pleased with the progress made in the BRICS partnership. The Kremlin claims that Modi has reaffirmed his intention to attend the summit as a participant, with Russia serving as chair.

The two heads of state have committed to keeping in touch on a variety of levels to facilitate the actualisation of their prior trade and economic accords.

Russia, as the current chair of BRICS, will head the forthcoming summit in Kazan, and the goal is to strengthen collaboration among the ten members of the bloc that have recently grown. Aiming to strengthen economic and geopolitical links within the organisation, the integration of new members is underway.

On Monday, thousands of military troops from Indonesia, the US, and eight other nations began two weeks of Super Garuda Shield exercises in Sidoarjo, East Java, emphasising joint capabilities in Asia-Pacific.

Indonesia has deployed around 4,400 troops, with approximately 1,800 US forces and several hundred from other countries taking part. The exercise began in 2007 and has grown into a “world-class joint/multinational event designed to enhance our collective capabilities,” according to Major General Joseph Harris, Commander of the Hawaii Air National Guard.

The program includes expert academic exchanges, professional development workshops, command-and-control exercises, and field training, which culminate in a live-fire event.

Staff and cyber exercises, airborne operations, combined strikes, amphibious exercises, and simulated ground operations will all be included in the training program. According to US Army Pacific Commanding General Charles Flynn, the drills reinforce the Army’s commitment to a stable and secure Indo-Pacific area. Participants from Australia, Japan, UK, Singapore, South Korea, Canada, New Zealand, and France are taking part in the drills, which will continue until September 6 at various sites throughout Indonesia.

Brazil, Germany, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, the Netherlands, Timor Leste, and Papua New Guinea are all participating in the exercise as observer nations.

The Union Minister of Home Affairs, Amit Shah, has announced the formation of five additional districts in Ladakh, bringing the total to seven from two. The new districts—Sham, Nubra, and Changthang in Leh, and Zanskar and Drass in Kargil—are intended to enhance governance and bring services closer to inhabitants. A committee will evaluate several features of the new districts, including boundaries, headquarters, and administrative structures, and report back within three months.

Political groups and organisations in Ladakh, including the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), applauded the decision, while they continue to advocate for statehood and Sixth Schedule status. The LAB and KDA want to continue their campaign with a padayatra to New Delhi beginning September 1.

Despite some regional unhappiness with district distributions, many regard this as a step towards improved governance. Concerns exist regarding whether the new districts will have autonomous hill development councils similar to those in Leh and Kargil or if a single regional council will be established. The government has not extended the Sixth Schedule or conferred statehood, but newly formed districts will now receive special administrative attention.

On Monday, four high-ranking Indian ministers will attend the second India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable, an event that aims to fortify bilateral relations between the two countries. Ministers Ashwini Vaishnaw (Electronics and IT), Piyush Goyal (Commerce and Industry), S. Jaishankar (External Affairs), and Nirmala Sitharaman (Finance) will meet with their Singaporean counterparts and senior leadership for high-level discussions.

Given that Singapore received around $11.77 billion in FDI for India’s fiscal year 2023-24, making it the top source of FDI inflows, the timing of the roundtable is noteworthy. From April 2000 to March 2024, a total of approximately $159.94 billion has been invested in India by Singapore.

With a global ranking of 6th in FY 2023-24, Singapore is also an important trading partner for India. The total value of commerce between the two countries was $35.61 billion, or 29% of India’s trade with the ASEAN area.

Minister Piyush Goyal will meet with important Singaporean business executives before the roundtable to discuss potential new partnerships and strengthen economic relations. These leaders include representatives from DBS Bank, Temasek Holdings, OMERS, Keppel Infrastructure, and the Owners Forum.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Malaysian counterpart Dato’ Seri Anwar bin Ibrahim recently strengthened bilateral relations by signing Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) and agreements at Hyderabad House in Delhi.

A joint statement emphasised the opportunity for more collaboration, particularly in new technologies such as finance, semiconductors, artificial intelligence (AI), and quantum computing. A major statement included plans to integrate India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) with Malaysia’s PayNet, to revolutionise cross-border digital payments.

Malaysia’s digital payment business, famed for its fintech innovation, has drawn Indian startups like Pine Labs and Razorpay. Razorpay’s acquisition of Malaysian recurring payment company Curlec, now known as ‘Curlec by Razorpay,’ has increased its service offerings to over 700 Malaysian firms, including Tune Protect and Mary Kay. Through Curlec’s participation in Malaysia’s DuitNow system, which is similar to UPI, the country is moving towards a cashless society.

Beyond fintech, PM Modi and Anwar talked about developing educational and cultural ties. PM Modi offered 100 scholarships for Malaysian students under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) program and the establishment of an Ayurveda Chair and a Thiruvalluvar Chair in Malaysian universities. He praised the expanding alliance, which demonstrates the countries’ commitment to mutual growth.

Australia has approved a $13.5 billion solar project to send energy from a large solar farm in the north to Singapore via a 4,300-kilometre underwater cable. The SunCable Australia-Asia Power Link will create enough energy to power three million homes, establishing Australia as a global leader in green energy, according to Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek.

The project, which includes solar panels, batteries, and an eventual cable link, intends to address the growing need for domestically and internationally green energy. Electricity supply is planned to commence in the early 2030s, with a final investment decision made in 2027.

The approval is subject to stringent environmental requirements, including measures to protect the habitat of the greater bilby, a tiny marsupial. The project will be constructed in two stages, with the eventual goal of providing up to 6 gigawatts of green electricity to industrial users in Darwin and Singapore.

Singapore’s Energy Market Authority (EMA) is in talks with SunCable as part of the city-state’s overall ambition to import up to 4 GW of low-carbon electricity by 2035, accounting for around 30% of its total electricity supply. EMA has previously given conditional clearance to projects from Indonesia, Cambodia, and Vietnam, deeming them technically and commercially viable.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi formally welcomed Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of Malaysia at Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi. Ibrahim is on his first state visit to India, and this reception is the first stop on his journey as prime minister of Malaysia.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) highlighted the visit’s significance by publishing images of the leaders’ meeting on X. Malaysia plays a pivotal role in India’s Act East Policy.

Union Minister of State V. Somanna was there to receive Ibrahim upon his arrival in Delhi on Monday. After he met with Prime Minister Modi, Ibrahim visited Rajghat to lay a wreath and sign the visitor’s book in honour of Mahatma Gandhi.

Prime Minister Ibrahim met with President Droupadi Murmu and Minister S. Jaishankar during his visit. Following its 2015 elevation to the status of an Enhanced Strategic Partnership, the bilateral relationship between India and Malaysia is the intended target of the visit. As both nations approach the second decade of this collaboration, an all-encompassing cooperation program for the future, strengthening their historic and socio-cultural links, is likely to be outlined during the visit.

PM Modi and Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim are resetting bilateral relations years after ties soured over India’s 2019 decision to scrap Jammu and Kashmir’s special status. Ibrahim’s visit to India marks his first since becoming Malaysia’s Prime Minister in 2022.

During their meeting, the leaders agreed to upgrade their ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, focusing on cooperation in areas such as semiconductors, financial technology, and defence production. This announcement is significant as Anwar has recently moved closer to China, a country involved in a border dispute with India.

Relations between India and Malaysia deteriorated in 2019 after Malaysia’s then-Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad criticised India’s Kashmir policy. Now, the two nations seek to expand economic ties and bolster defence and security cooperation.

PM further emphasised Malaysia’s $5 billion investment in India over the last year and the importance of continued collaboration in developing areas such as AI, quantum technology, and fintech. The leaders inked new agreements, including digital technologies, tourism, and traditional medicine. Anwar emphasised the significance of strengthening partnerships in areas such as building, agriculture, and military cooperation to protect borders.

Bilateral trade is substantial, totalling $20 billion, with major commercial exchanges between the two countries.

The leaders of South Korea, Japan, and the United States have reiterated their commitment to addressing regional concerns through trilateral collaboration. On the anniversary of their summit at Camp David, South Korea’s presidential office issued a joint statement emphasising the enduring values of their alliance.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s office made a statement emphasising the continuous commitment to consult on matters impacting collective interests and security. The leaders, including US President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, first met on August 18 last year to strengthen military and economic cooperation in response to China’s expanding influence and North Korea’s security threats.

While South Korean media sources predict another meeting this year, details are uncertain, particularly given Kishida’s planned resignation. A senior South Korean official stated that there will be occasions for the three leaders to meet again, but the planning is still in its early stages.

Despite leadership changes, the official emphasised that the spirit of cooperation between the three countries will persist even after Biden and Kishida left office. “The three main actors who established the Camp David framework won’t be in their roles forever,” he told me.

Thailand’s king has officially supported Paetongtarn Shinawatra as the country’s new prime minister, a watershed event in the country’s political history. Paetongtarn, 37, becomes Thailand’s youngest prime minister and the second woman to hold the role, succeeding her aunt, Yingluck Shinawatra.

Paetongtarn is the daughter of Thaksin Shinawatra, the former Thai premier deposed in a 2006 coup. Her appointment comes after the Constitutional Court ousted her predecessor, Srettha Thavisin, for ethical infractions.

King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s approval was read to her during a ceremony in Bangkok. Paetongtarn paid tribute to the king’s portrait and conveyed her gratitude. She emphasised her determination to serve the country with dedication and honesty.

Paetongtarn intends to form a 35-member cabinet and prioritise programs promoting Thailand’s culture and tourism. Despite her family’s political tradition, she stated that she will lead independently; however, she may seek counsel from her father, Thaksin.

The Shinawatra family has long dominated Thai politics, with Thaksin and Yingluck being driven from office owing to coups or judicial challenges. Despite previous defeats, Paetongtarn’s ascent to prominence indicates that the family’s influence will endure.