Page 3 - Indo-pacific

Japan, EU announce security & defence partnership as regional tensions rise

Japan and the European Union announced a security and defence partnership on Friday as they seek to step up military ties, including joint exercises and exchanges between their defence industries, amid growing tensions with China, North Korea and Russia. It is the first security partnership that the EU has concluded with an Indo-Pacific country, Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya and EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told reporters. We live in a very dangerous world. We live in a world of growing rivalries, climate accidents and threats of war. And there is only one antidote to this challenging world, which is partnerships among friends, Borrell said. It is an historical and very timely step given the situation in both of our regions. Borrell is in Tokyo as part of an East Asia tour that includes South Korea, where he will also hold a strategic dialogue, underscoring the EU's increasing engagement with the Indo-Pacific region, as China and Russia step up joint military ...

UK plans to expand pacific fishing patrols in pushback against China

Countries such as the US and France, which each have overseas territories in the South Pacific, have announced similar efforts

Need collaborations in areas of strength for IPEF's full potential: Goyal

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday said the full potential of the IPEF can only be achieved if partner countries contribute their strengths, such as technology, investment, market potential and skilled workforce, to address supply chain challenges. The ministry said this in a virtual meeting of IPEF (Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity) ministers. Goyal also said that healthcare, including pharmaceuticals and medical devices, is an "extremely" relevant area due to over concentration of global production of APIs and Key Starting Materials which can severely impair supply chain resilience and impact our capacity to address the healthcare needs of our economies. Besides, the multimodal transport systems, upgrades of logistics infrastructure, enhanced technological interoperability and data flows among freight and logistics enterprises, are some of the key areas which need to be focused upon, he said. He "emphasised that the full potential of IPEF can onl

Next meeting of IPEF's Supply Chain Council in Dec: Commerce ministry

The next meeting of the Supply Chain Council, set up under an agreement of the 14-member IPEF, will be held in December, the commerce ministry said on Monday. The IPEF (Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity) bloc was launched jointly by the US and other partner countries of the Indo-Pacific region on May 23, 2022, in Tokyo. Together, they account for 40 per cent of the world's economic output and 28 per cent of trade. The framework is structured around four pillars relating to trade, supply chains, clean economy and fair economy. India has joined all the pillars except the trade. Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, the US, and Vietnam are members of the bloc. The Supply Chain Resilience Agreement came into effect on February 24. It seeks to strengthen supply chains through engagement among the partner countries. Under this agreement, three institutional bodies have be

IPEF identifies semiconductors, minerals, batteries as critical sectors

India attends IPEF Supply Chain Council, Crisis Response Network in Washington

China blows hot, cold over Quad summit; calls it US tool against Beijing

China on Monday termed Quad as a tool used by the US to contain Beijing, asserting that interference by any external force will not shake its determination to uphold its "sovereignty and maritime rights" in the disputed South and East China Seas. The Quad, identified as the premier regional grouping in the US Indo-Pacific strategy, is a tool used by Washington to contain China to perpetuate its hegemony, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a media briefing, fielding a spate of questions on the Quad summit. Hosted by President Joe Biden, the Quad Summit took place on Saturday in his hometown Wilmington, Delaware. The summit was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia, and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida of Japan. Lin accused the US of pooling together countries to muster military and security cooperation under the pretext of maritime issues to contain China by peddling the China threat narrative. The US says Qaud doesn't targe

China testing us, Biden tells Quad leaders; Modi discusses Bangladesh

Quad a force for good, more strategically aligned than ever, says joint statement

US President Biden fumbles again while introducing PM Modi at Quad event

In yet another gaffe, US President Joe Biden experienced an embarrassing moment during a Quad event in Wilmington, Delaware, when he struggled to introduce Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This brief confusion, captured on camera, has sparked comments on social media. After finishing his speech at the Cancer Moonshot event on Saturday, Biden, 81, appeared to have forgotten the name of the next leader who was going to speak -- and asked his staffers. "So, I want to thank you all for being here. And now, who am I introducing next?" After a pause of a few seconds, he asked, this time in a louder voice, Who's next?" There was an awkward silence in the audience. A staff member finally pointed to the podium, leading to the introduction of Modi by the compere. Distinguished guests, the Prime Minister of the Republic of India, the announcer said, as Modi walked towards the podium. Biden then put his arm around Modi's shoulder and cracked a joke. The embarrassing moment involving the US ...

India announces $500,000 Quad scholarship for Indo-Pacific students

India has announced a new initiative to award fifty Quad scholarships, worth USD 500,000, to students from the Indo-Pacific. These scholarships will enable students to pursue a four-year undergraduate engineering programme at a Government of India-funded technical institution, said the Wilmington Declaration issued after the fourth in-person Quad Summit. Hosted by President Joe Biden, the Quad Leaders' Summit took place on Saturday in his hometown Wilmington, Delaware. It was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia, and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida of Japan. "India is pleased to announce a new initiative to award fifty Quad scholarships, worth USD 500,000, to students from the Indo-Pacific to pursue a 4-year undergraduate engineering programme at a Government of India-funded technical institution," the declaration read. According to the declaration, the Quad is committed to strengthening the deep and enduring ties between our people, a

Quad summits from 2021 virtual meeting to Wilmington in 2024: A timeline

Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in Philadelphia Saturday to begin his three-day US trip with the Quad Leaders' Summit being held in Wilmington, Delaware. The Quad Leaders' Summit this year was earlier supposed to be held in India, but US President Joe Biden was keen to hold the event in his hometown. This will be a farewell summit for both Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida as they near the end of their terms in office -- January 20, 2025 for the US president and Oct 1 for Japanese prime minister. The fourth leader attending the meeting is Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Here's a look at previous summits. -- May 20, 2023 (Hiroshima, Japan) Format: In-person Attending leaders: PM Albanese, PM Modi, PM Kishida, and President Biden Notes: Australia was the host of the summit for the year, and was supposed to hold the summit in Sydney just after the G7 Hiroshima Summit. However, President Biden postponed his trip to Australia and Papua New Guinea at th

Biden to put personal touch on Asia-Pacific ties in final months in office

President Joe Biden is looking to showcase the Indo-Pacific partnership he has nurtured since taking office as he hosts the leaders of Australia, Japan and India in his hometown Saturday with an eye on his legacy as well. When Biden entered the White House he looked to elevate the so-called Quad, which until then had only met at the foreign minister level, to a leader-level partnership as he tried to pivot U.S. foreign policy away from conflicts in the Middle East and toward threats and opportunities in the Indo-Pacific. This weekend's summit is the fourth in-person and sixth overall gathering of the leaders since 2021. Biden put a personal touch on the engagement potentially the last of the group before he leaves office on Jan. 20 by opening his home in Wilmington, Delaware, to each of the leaders and hosting a joint meeting and formal dinner at the high school he attended more than 60 years ago. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and

Naval commanders decide to bolster India's combat skill in strategic waters

Top commanders of the Indian Navy have decided to significantly bolster the force's combat prowess in the Indian Ocean against the backdrop of China's increasing forays into the region and geopolitical power play being witnessed in the Indo-Pacific. The decision to enhance India's combat capabilities in the maritime sphere following extensive deliberations at a four-day naval commanders' conference that concluded here on Friday, officials said. In his address to the commanders, Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi underlined the need to maintain vigil towards ensuring maritime security and coastal defence through close synergy and functional linkages with the Coast Guard and other maritime agencies. The admiral called on commands and staff at the naval headquarters to continue evolving as a well-balanced multi-dimensional seamlessly networked force ready to respond, protect and promote the national maritime interests -- "anytime, anywhere, anyhow", according to the Navy. The Navy .

Quad has emerged as key group to work for peace in Indo-Pacific: PM Modi

PM Modi will take part in the sixth Quad Leaders' Summit in Wilmington, Delaware, which is being hosted by US President

Quad leaders to unveil milestone initiative to combat cancer during summit

Top Quad leaders will unveil a "milestone" initiative on Saturday to prevent, detect, treat and alleviate the impact of cancer on patients and their families, when they gather in Wilmington in the US for their annual summit. Being hosted by US President Joe Biden, the "Quad Leaders Summit" will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese and Japan's Fumio Kishida. The leaders are expected to deliberate on pressing global challenges, including the Russia-Ukraine conflict, escalating tensions in West Asia and the overall situation in the Indo-Pacific. At a media briefing on Modi's visit to the United States from September 21-23, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said the "signature" "Cancer Moonshot" event will take place on the sidelines of the Quad summit in Wilmington, Delaware. "One of the signature initiatives to be unveiled on the sidelines is the Cancer Moonshot event," he said. "Through this milestone initiative, the Quad aims to ...

US and EU discuss value of engagement with India on global challenges

The US and the European Union as part of its dialogue on China have discussed the value of engagement with India in addressing global challenges, including in the maritime sphere, energy and connectivity in the Indo-Pacific. Discussion on India was part of the two-day 'US-EU Dialogue on China' and the sixth meeting of the 'US-EU High-Level Consultations on the Indo-Pacific', here on September 9 and 10. The dialogue was led by Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell from the US and European External Action Service (EEAS) Secretary General Stefano Sannino from the EU side. They discussed the value of the US and the EU's respective engagement with India on global challenges, on security, including in the maritime sphere, energy and connectivity in the Indo-Pacific. The United States and the European Union also discussed the latest developments in Bangladesh, said a joint statement issued on September 11. They discussed ongoing and increasing engagement in the Indian Ocean Region, ...

EU committed to stronger cooperation with India in Indo-Pacific, says envoy

The European Union is committed to forge a stronger cooperation with India to ensure a free, open, inclusive and rules-based maritime order in the Indo-Pacific, EU envoy Herve Delphin said on Thursday. The EU envoy to New Delhi described the Indo-Pacific as a "vital hub" of strategic importance to both India and the EU in view of the region's role in the maritime supply chains. "We're committed to forge a stronger cooperation with India to ensure free, open, inclusive and rules-based maritime order, address common security challenges and promote peace and stability in the region," he said. Delphin's comments came following a visit of senior Indian officials to EU institutions in Brussels to strengthen two-way security and defence ties. "The Indo-Pacific region is a vital hub of strategic importance to both India and the EU due to the growing interdependence of global economies and the importance of maritime supply chains," he said. The Indian delegation was led by Muanpuii Saiawi,

PM Modi's visit to Brunei and Singapore: What is India's Act East Policy?

India's Act East Policy focuses on building ties with Asean countries to promote peace, economic collaboration, and cultural ties while also acting as a counterweight to China's growing influence

PM's Singapore visit to bolster Act East Policy, Indo-Pacific vision: MEA

Elaborating on the next day's schedule, Jaiswal said that PM Modi is set to meet with the CEOs of top Singaporean companies

PM Narendra Modi arrives in Brunei on first leg of two-nation visit

As he embarked on a visit to Brunei and Singapore, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday that the two nations are "important partners" in India's 'Act East' policy and asserted that his visits would further strengthen the partnership with the two countries and the larger ASEAN region. Modi is on a two-nation visit from September 3-5, starting with Brunei. "Today, I am embarking on a first ever bilateral visit to Brunei Darussalam. As we celebrate the 40 years of our diplomatic relations, I look forward to my meetings with His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah and other esteemed members of the Royal family to advance our historical relationship to new heights," he said in his departure statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs. The visit will further strengthen India's cooperation with Brunei in all existing sectors, including defence cooperation, trade and investment, energy, space technology, health cooperation, capacity building, culture as well as ...

Will continue to work with Malaysia for prosperous Indo-Pacific: Prez Murmu

India will continue to work with Malaysia and extend all cooperation in the pursuit of shared objectives of a peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific region, President Droupadi Murmu said on Tuesday. Welcoming Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim at the Rashtrapati Bhavan here, Murmu said the common cherished values of democracy, multiculturalism, pluralism and mutual respect have been the guiding force for India-Malaysia relations. This is Ibrahim's first India visit as the prime minister of his country. Murmu noted that both sides have decided to further intensify India-Malaysia relations by upgrading the ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership, and are working towards an action-oriented roadmap for its implementation across various sectors of cooperation. The President said that India sees Malaysia as a strong partner in the Global South. Malaysia is also a key partner for India in the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) and an important country in the Act East