On Thursday, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer met with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris to discuss ways to boost post-Brexit cooperation with Europe. Paris was the second stop on Starmer's tour of key EU capitals, after Berlin, when he launched treaty talks with Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Macron greeted Starmer warmly with a hug and a handshake, signalling a positive start to their conversations. France, like Germany, is an important security partner for the United Kingdom, with a permanent seat on the UN Security Council and one of Western Europe's nuclear-armed states. Both countr
On Thursday, France's President Emmanuel Macron paid a visit to Belgrade to boost ties with Serbia and encourage it to align with the European Union, as Serbia attempts to strike a balance between the EU, Russia, and China. During his two-day visit, Macron met with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic to discuss a variety of issues, including the purchase of France's Rafale fighter jets, energy cooperation, and advances in AI. This is Macron's second meeting with Vucic this year, following Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Belgrade in May, highlighting Serbia's key location on the EU's
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz agreed in Berlin to pursue an ambitious bilateral treaty aimed at re-establishing UK-EU relations. This treaty will address issues ranging from defence to trade and try to move beyond the strained ties that existed under the previous Conservative government. Starmer, who assumed office last month, emphasised the significance of repairing partnerships with European allies to help Britain's economy develop. The proposed pact aims to improve collaboration in science, technology, business, and culture while expanding trad
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 pa
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
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 A
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 roundtabl
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 bu
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, wit
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