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India is committed to a free and open Indo-Pacific with a recognition of the centrality of the ASEAN grouping in the region, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said during a meeting of the Quad coalition in Manila. Besides Jaishankar, the meeting was attended by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and her Japanese counterpart Toshimitsu Motegi. The Quad foreign ministers last met in New Delhi in late May, when Rubio travelled to India. "Glad to participate in the Quad Foreign Ministers Meeting in Manila. Reviewed the Indo-Pacific landscape and discussed recent developments. Followed up on the outcomes of the recent New Delhi meeting," the external affairs minister said on social media. "Committed to a free and open Indo-Pacific with a recognition of ASEAN centrality," he said. The Quad foreign ministers are in the Philippine capital to attend meetings related to ASEAN. The ASEAN or the Association of Southeast Asian Nations is considered
Deeper cooperation between India and New Zealand, both maritime nations, will inject new strength into the Indo-Pacific, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasised on Saturday during talks with his Kiwi counterpart, Christopher Luxon. Modi travelled to New Zealand from Australia in the third and final leg of his three-nation tour that largely focused on expanding cooperation in the Indo-Pacific against the backdrop of China's increasing assertiveness in the region. "As two maritime nations, our close cooperation, lends new strength to the Indo-Pacific, and our ties can infuse fresh energy into achieving our shared goals of peace," the prime minister said in his televised opening remarks at the meeting. Following the Modi-Luxon talks, the two sides inked a number of agreements to expand cooperation in multiple sectors. Modi's visit to New Zealand is the first by an Indian prime minister after a gap of 40 years. The visit comes following the recent signing of the IndiaNew Zealand Free
Eight years after his last bilateral visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to Indonesia this week - at a time, experts say, the Indo-Pacific needs New Delhi and Jakarta to work closely together. "India and Indonesia occupy pivotal geographic positions at either end of the Indian Ocean and both have an interest in preserving a stable, inclusive and rules-based regional order," said Fitriani, senior analyst with the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. Hadza Min Fadhli Robby, associate professor at Islamic University of Indonesia, said: "A stable and secure regional order will help the Indian economy to thrive amidst possible instability in both West Asia and the South China Sea." Modi will travel to Indonesia from July 6 to 8 - his fourth visit to the country but first bilateral trip since May 2018, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said at a briefing last week in New Delhi. Modi will hold talks with President Prabowo Subianto, address the diaspora in Jakarta and vi
The US has restored the name of the US Indo-Pacific Command to the US Pacific Command, reversing an eight-year-old decision. The US Department of Defence announced the decision on Tuesday, stating that the designation honours the Command's deep historical roots, established in 1947 by then-President Harry Truman. The US Pacific Command extends from the US West Coast to India's western border. "Originally established on January 1, 1947, by President Harry S. Truman, the command operated under the USPACOM banner for over 70 years, standing as the oldest and largest of the United States' unified combatant commands," the Department of Defence said in a statement. The US Pacific Command was renamed as the US Indo-Pacific Command in 2018 during US President Donald Trump's first term in office. "Restoring the legacy USPACOM designation honours the command's deep historical roots, fostering a sense of pride and collective spirit among all who serve in the Pacific," the Department of Defen
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Thursday said he looked forward to hosting PM Narendra Modi again soon, while describing India's growing economic importance as an "extraordinary opportunity" for the Indo-Pacific region. Addressing the parliament in Canberra, Albanese said India, which already has the largest population in the world, was set to become the third-largest economy over this decade. "That is an extraordinary opportunity for us in our region. We are a Pacific nation, but we are also an Indian Ocean nation as well," he said. He said the Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement, which was signed in 2022, had enhanced the trading relationship between the two countries, and that they were further drawn together through culture, education and cricket. Albanese recalled that he had first visited India as a backpacker in 1991 and had since made two visits as prime minister. He said the best way to understand India was to travel by bus or train. "It is a wonderful
Navy chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi stressed the importance of coordination and interoperability among the Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard to address emerging security challenges in the Indo-Pacific. Admiral Tripathi was on a two-day visit to the Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC), during which he reviewed the operational preparedness and discussed measures to strengthen jointmanship and enhance synergy among the services. During the visit from April 21 to 22, Admiral Tripathi held detailed interactions with senior officers and was briefed on ongoing operational activities and initiatives, officials said on Thursday. Discussions focused on strengthening operational synergy, improving readiness and deepening integration among the services, they said. Highlighting the strategic significance of the islands, Admiral Tripathi reiterated the pivotal role of ANC in ensuring maritime security, enhancing surveillance and maintaining rapid response capability in the region, particularl