Indo-Pacific

Today's wrap looks at the new rural jobs law, the push to open civil nuclear power to private investors, a US strategic reset, RBI's views on bank ownership, and a book on American power

The new US national security strategy signals a retreat from global dominance while reaffirming continuity in India's role in Indo-Pacific security and Quad cooperation

US Representative Bill Huizenga also stressed the wider strategic stakes of cooperation between Washington and New Delhi, noting the importance of their combined economic and geopolitical influence

The US military deployed a range of personnel, aircraft and logistical support capabilities to assist with lifesaving and life-sustaining humanitarian operations

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth met their Australian counterparts Monday in Washington for annual talks focused on Indo-Pacific security and countering China's increasing assertiveness in the region, including in the South China Sea and directed at Taiwan. Rubio, Hegseth, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Defence Minister Richard Marles gathered at the State Department, with many eyes also on the Russia-Ukraine war, a fragile ceasefire in Gaza and US military strikes against alleged drug traffickers in the Western Hemisphere that have raised questions about the use of force there. This is a very strong partnership, it's a strong alliance, and what we want to do is continue to build on it. We think we have a lot of momentum behind this alliance, Rubio said, hailing cooperation between Washington and Canberra on critical minerals, defense production and troop deployments. None of the four mentioned China by name in their brief comments to ...

The White House's new national security strategy urges deeper ties with India to reinforce Indo-Pacific stability, citing the region's rising economic weight

G7 Foreign Ministers meeting under Canada's G7 Presidency in Niagara on November 11-12, issued a joint statement highlighting their shared position on key global security challenges

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has met with his Philippine counterpart Tess Lazaro here and discussed bilateral cooperation in the UN and the Indo-Pacific region. Jaishankar, who arrived in New York on Sunday for the high-level UN General Assembly meeting, said he was pleased to meet Lazaro on the sidelines of the UNGA. "We followed up on the recent State Visit of President @bongbongmarcos to India. Also discussed our cooperation in the UN and the Indo-Pacific region," Jaishankar said on social media. Lazaro said her discussion with Jaishankar "reaffirms our 2 countries' commitment as Strategic Partners to actively develop cooperation in political, defence and security, the maritime domain, etc." Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos last month visited India for talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other top officials to boost cooperation in defence, trade and investment, agriculture, tourism, and the pharmaceutical industry.

India's Act East policy needs fresh momentum through deeper economic integration with Asean

US State Department Deputy Spokesperson Mignon Houston said that Quad countries understand the maritime issues that countries face

Houston underlined the United States' aim of establishing a "fair and reciprocal" trade relationship with its partners, in line with the Trump administration's "America First" agenda

The US has expressed hope that it can complete several major pending American defence sales to India, as it stressed that Washington and Delhi are mutually aware of the security concerns in the Indo-Pacific region. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday at the Pentagon and said he had a productive conversation on advancing the India-US defence partnership, building on growing convergences of interests, capabilities and responsibilities. According to the Department of Defence (DoD) news article, Hegseth said the US and India are mutually aware of the security concerns in the region, and both nations have the ability to counter that threat together." Hegseth also touched on US efforts to provide India with the tools needed to counter threats in the Indo-Pacific region, the DoD news said. The United States is very pleased with the successful integration of many US defence items into India's inventory," Hegseth said, according to the DoD

The leaders expressed their support for ASEAN and its centrality, the Pacific Islands Forum and Pacific-led regional groupings, as well as the Indian Ocean Rim Association

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt highlighted the special relationship that US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi share

S Jaishankar is visiting the US at the invitation of US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio to participate in the QUAD Foreign Minister's Meeting, the MEA, said in an official statement

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is in the US for Quad talks and to raise India's concerns over Trump's mediation remark on the India-Pakistan conflict

This visit is part of ongoing efforts to enhance bilateral maritime ties and cooperation between India and Vietnam, reinforcing the strategic partnership in the Indo-Pacific region

The deal includes the delivery of advanced SeaVision software to India, designed to enhance real-time maritime surveillance