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.
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
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 Bangk
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 cong
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.
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 rema
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 p
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 wort
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
UAE-based artificial intelligence company G42 is collaborating with U.S. partners and the Emirati government to meet global AI development and deployment standards. This decision comes amid questions about the company's possible ties to China. A G42 spokeswoman confirmed that the company is committed to adhering to "the highest global standards" in AI. This is G42's first official comment since discussions between the business and US Congressional officials were cancelled by the UAE in July. Following Microsoft's $1.5 billion investment in G42, politicians in the United States voiced co