India, Indonesia and Japan are laying the groundwork for a trilateral defence framework as the three countries expand security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. The discussions come amid growing engagement through military exercises, defence technology and maritime cooperation. The move gained momentum after Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi met in India in August. During their discussions, the two sides agreed on the importance of promoting trilateral cooperation with Indonesia. The three countries have already increased def
The second edition of the ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise (AIME-2026) began at Subic Bay in the Philippines on September 28, bringing together the Indian Navy and maritime forces from ASEAN member states. The exercise is being conducted under the theme “Anchored in Trust, United at Sea”. Indian Naval Ships Sahyadri and Kulish are participating in the exercise. The opening ceremony was attended by Harsh Kumar Jain, India’s Ambassador to the Philippines, who addressed the participating maritime forces. The harbour phase includes professional and operational engagements bet
Morocco’s King Mohammed VI has appointed Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri as the country’s first woman prime minister following parliamentary elections held on September 23. The appointment was announced on September 29 by the Royal Palace. El Mansouri, 50, is a lawyer and a senior figure in Morocco’s Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM). She previously served as mayor of Marrakech and as minister responsible for housing and urban planning. Her appointment followed PAM’s performance in the parliamentary election. The party won 97 of the 395 seats in the House of Represen
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has called for greater self-reliance across India’s defence sector, saying the country must be able to manufacture critical components and complete weapon systems domestically. Speaking at the NDTV Defence Summit 2026, Singh said India’s approach should extend from semiconductor chips and small components to naval ships and complete defence platforms. He described the principle behind the government’s Make in India approach as producing domestically wherever possible. Recent structural reforms, he said, had strengthened India’s defence manufacturin
US President Donald Trump signed a security agreement with Denmark and Greenland on September 22 at the United Nations headquarters in New York. The agreement is aimed at strengthening security in the Arctic and North Atlantic and follows months of tension over Greenland’s strategic position. Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen joined Trump for the signing. The agreement recognises Greenland’s right to self-determination while reaffirming the security relationship between Greenland, Denmark and the United States. Under the agree
World leaders and governments are calling for stronger international safeguards on artificial intelligence as AI governance becomes a major issue at the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York. UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for greater oversight of the technology during his address on September 22. Guterres urged countries to develop a multilateral framework for managing AI risks, with independent oversight. He also warned against allowing machines to make life-and-death decisions and called for additional safeguards as AI systems become more capable. The push f
World leaders gathered at the United Nations headquarters in New York as the high-level General Debate of the 81st UN General Assembly that began on September 22. The debate will continue through September 26 before concluding on September 28. Heads of state, government leaders and ministers are attending the annual meeting. The theme for this year’s General Debate is “Restoring trust, managing transformation: a United Nations that delivers for all”. The 81st session itself opened on September 8, with the General Debate forming the main high-level segment of the annual Assembly
Vietnam has begun construction of what its government describes as the country’s largest and most advanced domestically made anti-submarine frigate. Work on the multipurpose warship began at the Defence Ministry’s Song Thu Shipyard in Da Nang on August 10. The vessel is being built by Song Thu Corporation under Vietnam’s General Department of Defence Industry, with the Vietnam People’s Navy serving as the project owner. Vietnamese state media said the ship will be equipped primarily with weapons and systems developed or assembled within the country. Military-run tech
India and the European Union discussed the implementation of shared priorities under their Strategic Partnership during a meeting in Brussels on September 20. The discussions focused on inter-parliamentary engagement and high-level exchanges between India and the EU. India’s Ambassador to Belgium and the EU, Pranay Verma, met Pietro Ducci, Director-General for External Policies in the European Parliament. The Indian Embassy in Belgium described the meeting as an exchange of views on inter-parliamentary engagement, high-level exchanges and the implementation of priorities under the
Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Canada’s formal application to join the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) after meeting British Prime Minister Andy Burnham in Liverpool on September 16. The meeting was held during Carney’s visit to the UK, with the two leaders discussing closer defence, security and economic cooperation. The JEF currently has 10 NATO members, with the UK serving as its framework nation. The other members are Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden. The force was established in 2014 and focuses particular