Australia is aggressively pursuing stronger ties with Thailand through four strategic methods, indicating a willingness to cooperate despite changes in Thailand's political scene. Bilateral commerce remains a focus, providing an opportunity to expand expertise across a wide range of areas. Nicholas Moore, Australia's Special Envoy for Southeast Asia, stated that despite changes in Thailand's government, Australia remains committed to long-term collaboration. "Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's strategy, aiming towards 2040, highlights that while short-term challenges exist, the future of Th
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived in Vientiane, Laos, for a two-day visit to attend the 21st ASEAN-India Summit and the 19th East Asia Summit. He was greeted with a guard of honour and met with Vilayvong Bouddakham, Laos' Minister of Home Affairs. Before his departure, Prime Minister Modi emphasised the importance of the East Asia Summit as a forum for discussing Indo-Pacific peace and security. This year commemorates a decade of India's Act East Policy, which has strengthened ties with ASEAN countries, particularly Laos, through common cultural linkages like Buddhism and the Ramaya
Dr. Munir Al-Dasouki, President of King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), gave a presentation on Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030-driven efforts to promote innovation at the Science and Technology in Society (STS) Forum in Kyoto, Japan. He underlined how science and technology may be used to address global concerns like food security, climate change, health problems, and advances in artificial intelligence. By 2026, Saudi Arabia hopes to produce 600 tonnes of green hydrogen, which will cut annual carbon dioxide emissions by almost 5 million tonnes. To further demonstrate its ded
The 12th Meeting of the India-UAE High-Level Joint Task Force on Investments (HLJTFI) in Mumbai highlighted opportunities for increased economic engagement, particularly in food parks, digital payments, and green energy. The meeting, co-chaired by Piyush Goyal, minister of commerce for India, and Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, managing director of ADIA, showcased the expanding collaboration, strengthened by the CEPA. India and the UAE decided to expedite the establishment of food parks to improve food security in the UAE, generate employment, and raise farmer incomes. ADIA's su
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