Category: Politics

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.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced India’s desire to host the 2036 Olympic Games in his 78th Independence Day speech from the Red Fort. This news highlights India’s increasing prominence in the global athletic arena.

Prime Minister Modi stated, “It is the dream of India to host the 2036 Olympics, and we are making preparations for that.” This is in line with the initial step of the bidding process, which is the Indian Olympic Association’s (IOA) ongoing dialogue with the International Olympic Committee’s Future Host Commission.

On behalf of 140 crore Indians, the prime minister congratulated the Indian athletes on their success at the Paris Olympics and lauded their efforts. He went on to say that he was rooting for the forthcoming Paralympics and that he hoped all twelve of India’s participants, including swimmers, archers, and sprinters, would do well in Paris.

PM Modi spoke from the Red Fort for the eleventh year in a row on Independence Day. ‘Viksit Bharat @ 2047,’ the theme of this year’s Independence Day, echoes the government’s goal of making India a developed nation by that specific year.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo, popularly known as Jokowi, held his first cabinet meeting in the projected new capital, Nusantara, on Monday, hoping to convince investors that the $32 billion mega-project is still on schedule. This endeavour comes as Jokowi prepares to stand aside in October after serving a maximum of two terms.

Nusantara, announced years ago as a landmark infrastructure project, was expected to alleviate Jakarta’s congestion, sinking, and overpopulation problems. However, the project has encountered severe problems, such as building delays and a lack of foreign funding.

During the meeting, Jokowi emphasised that Nusantara marks a momentous new chapter for Indonesia, characterising it as a “canvas on which we can carve out our future.” The new capital, strategically positioned on the island of Borneo, 1,200 kilometers from Jakarta, aims to encourage balanced development throughout Southeast Asia’s largest economy, which has long been dominated by the island of Java, accounting for 58% of total GDP.

Almost all 34 cabinet members attended the meeting, including Defence Minister and President-elect Prabowo Subianto, who will be inaugurated on October 20th. Jokowi expressed confidence that Prabowo will continue to support the project, and Prabowo pledged to complete it if possible.

Vietnam has confirmed its support for Cambodia’s ambitious plan to build a canal connecting the Mekong River basin and the Cambodian coast. On the other hand, Vietnam is eager to work with others to mitigate potential negative consequences, according to the Vietnamese foreign ministry on Thursday, August 8.

On Monday, the Cambodian government broke ground on the Funan Techo Canal project worth US$1.7 billion. This canal proposes to divert a considerable amount of Cambodian cargo away from Vietnam, representing a significant improvement in regional infrastructure. Despite this, Vietnam remains committed to Cambodia’s sovereign decision to build the canal. “We support the project and respect the decision to build the canal,” said Doan Khac Viet, the Vietnamese foreign ministry’s spokesperson, at a regular media briefing.

Vietnam is keen to engage with Cambodia on research and impact assessments to develop effective measures for mitigating any negative consequences. While Cambodian authorities have continuously dismissed environmental concerns, conservationists and Vietnamese officials warn that the canal will worsen harm to the already vulnerable Mekong Delta, a vital rice-producing region.

As both countries manage this difficult undertaking, collaboration and thorough assessment will be critical to balancing economic gains and environmental protection.

The Philippines and Germany have agreed to sign a defence cooperation deal this year, strengthening the Indo-Pacific region’s international rules-based system. During the first visit of a German defence minister to Manila, Boris Pistorius and his Philippine counterpart, Gilberto Teodoro, agreed to create long-term military relations to enhance training and bilateral exchanges, investigate armament cooperation, and pursue cooperative projects.

As the two countries mark 70 years of diplomatic relations, Teodoro emphasised the Philippines’ aim to modernise its military and sees Germany as a prospective supplier of sophisticated capabilities such as command and control systems, and maritime, and aerial defence assets.

The meeting takes place amid rising tensions between China and the Philippines over disputed territories in the South China Sea, where China is accused of ramming Filipino military boats and injuring sailors.

China claims the majority of the South China Sea, which conflicts with the exclusive economic zones of numerous Southeast Asian nations. Pistorius affirmed the 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration verdict that invalidated China’s claims, reiterating his commitment to maintaining maritime borders.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar set a goal of Yen 5 trillion (about $42 billion) in investments between India and Japan by 2027. Speaking in Tokyo, Jaishankar emphasised the developing economic connection and cited substantial progress under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.

Over the last decade, India has built eight new airports per year, 1.5 to 2 new metro lines in various cities, and 28 kilometres of highways per day. Furthermore, 8 km of railway tracks are laid daily, and the number of educational institutions has doubled, supporting 1,600 global capacity centres worth more than $100 billion in exports each year.

Jaishankar emphasised the importance of Japanese enterprises in India, with 1,400 now functioning in the nation. The goal is to increase Japanese investment, particularly in semiconductors, electric vehicles, high-speed rail, and green energy.

Jaishankar spoke with Japan’s Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa, Australia’s Penny Wong, and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during the Quad foreign ministers’ conference in Tokyo on July 29. The leaders reiterated their commitment to regional cooperation, naming India as the next host of the Quad Leaders’ Summit later this year, followed by the United States hosting the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in 2025.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at Hyderabad House in Delhi to discuss the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between India and Vietnam. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the meeting’s goal was to strengthen bilateral relations.

Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, said on X, “Taking India-Vietnam collaboration to new heights! PM @narendramodi welcomed PM Pham Minh Chinh of Vietnam to Hyderabad House. Substantial discussions to revitalise the India-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership are on the agenda.”

On a three-day visit to India, Chinh also paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat. Earlier, he met with External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and expressed gratitude for the warm welcome.

Chinh welcomed the efforts made to arrange his visit and congratulated Prime Minister Modi on his third consecutive election victory, calling it a historic achievement. Jaishankar emphasised the strong connections between the countries and extended his condolences on the death of Secretary General Niren Fu-Chang.

The visit intends to examine bilateral relations and assess regional strategic trends, with ten agreements and three announcements scheduled to chart the route for future cooperation.