During Vietnamese President To Lam's recent visit to Paris, Vietnam and France formally upgraded their bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership, Vietnam's highest degree of diplomatic connection. This significant movement highlights Vietnam's crucial role in international supply chains, establishing it as a vital French ally and demonstrating its flexible foreign strategy, sometimes known as "bamboo diplomacy." Lam and French President Emmanuel Macron reached a consensus to enhance collaboration in multiple areas, with a specific emphasis on defence and security. The partner
South Korea and Singapore are set to become strategic partners in 2024, commemorating 50 years of diplomatic relations. During South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol's visit to Singapore on October 8, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong made the announcement about the collaboration. In addition to establishing closer ties in trade, defence, artificial intelligence, and climate change, the countries have signed an extradition treaty. Wong said, "This upgrade signifies deeper cooperation," pointing out that both countries have a history as "Asian Tigers" that have had notable economic growth. He unde
In response to growing security concerns in the region, Presidents Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of the Philippines and Yoon Suk-yeol of South Korea have decided to enhance bilateral ties through increased defence cooperation. The leaders discussed the Korean Peninsula and the South China Sea tensions during their meeting at the presidential palace of the Philippines. Coastguard cooperation and nuclear energy were among subjects of the pacts they signed. During his first official visit to Manila in over a decade, Yoon took the opportunity to convey South Korea's readiness to assist the Philippines
South Korea, a technological pioneer, is looking to improve connections with Southeast Asia as it embraces advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and sustainable energy. President Yoon Suk Yeol characterises this collaboration as an important outcome of the ASEAN-South Korea comprehensive strategic partnership (CSP), which will be established during upcoming talks in Vientiane, Laos. He noted that ASEAN's rapid expansion in the digital sector might create mutually beneficial cooperation, resulting in practical benefits for both regions. South Korea, home to tech titans like Samsung and L
On Sunday, Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu and First Lady Sajidha Mohamed came to India for their first bilateral visit, a watershed moment in developing relations between the two countries. Kiriti Vardhan Singh, Union Minister of State for External Affairs, greeted them when they arrived. The visit aims to strengthen diplomatic and economic ties, which have been strained in recent years. President Muizzu will meet with President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to talk about economic cooperation, maritime security, and regional issues. On Monday, he will attend a ceremoni
India and the United States are negotiating an agreement to boost collaboration in vital minerals. The issue will focus on India's Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal's visit to Washington from September 30 to October 3. The visit is at the invitation of US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. Goyal and Raimondo will address methods for diversifying and expanding vital mineral supply networks between India and the United States. According to the Commerce Ministry, both countries are negotiating a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to capitalise on their complementary strengths and i
According to a statement issued by Greece's foreign ministry on Wednesday, Greece and Turkey are considering beginning conversations about demarcating respective maritime zones. Both countries, NATO partners with a long history of friction, have been at odds for decades over problems ranging from airspace conflicts to marine authority in the eastern Mediterranean, as well as Cyprus' unresolved status. The designation of maritime zones is critical in deciding rights to potential natural gas reserves and future power infrastructure developments. While tensions were intense in the past, new e
Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Sri Lanka's freshly elected president, has named Harini Amarasuriya, a college professor and first-time legislator, as the country's prime minister. Amarasuriya, 54, earned a degree in social anthropology from the University of Edinburgh and was elected to parliament in 2020 as part of Dissanayake's National People's Power Coalition. Selects Harini Amarasuriya, Sri Lanka's third woman prime minister, succeeding Sirimavo Bandaranaike and her daughter Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga. Dissanayake, a Marxist politician, was elected president on Saturday. He now
The United States has maintained its support for India's permanent membership on the United Nations Security Council. This endorsement was noted in a joint statement issued by the Quad nations—India, Australia, Japan, and the United States—that emphasised the need for UNSC reform to reflect modern geopolitical realities. During a conversation with Prime Minister Modi, President Biden highlighted the United States' support for India's membership in a reformed UN Security Council. The White House highlighted the importance of changing global institutions to include India's voice, signall
In a significant boost to India's semiconductor ambitions, US President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have established strategic cooperation to build the country's first national security semiconductor fabrication factory, Bharat Semi Fab. This collaboration between India's Bharat Semi, 3rdiTech, and the United States Space Force is the two countries' first semiconductor cooperation, with the fab focussing on cutting-edge technology for national security and vital sectors. The Bharat Semi Fab, dubbed "Shakti," will manufacture infrared, gallium nitride, and silicon carbide sem