Page 9 - Military

Japan to offer military aid to like-minded countries to counter China

Japan has unveiled a new plan to provide "like-minded" countries especially in Asia with military aid as it looks to expand its influence in the Indo-Pacific region to counter China's aggressive push over Taiwan and the South China Sea issues. The guidelines announced by Tokyo early this month included a new programme to strengthen the militaries of like-minded countries by providing official security assistance - a move that breaks with its previous policy of avoiding the use of development aid for military purposes other than disaster relief, the Japan Times reported. Japanese Foreign Ministry officials said the Philippines will be one of the first beneficiaries of Overseas Security Assistance (OSA), with Malaysia, Bangladesh and Fiji also among those being considered, the report said. Japan, a member of the Quad alliance consisting of the US, India and Australia, is actively pursuing the Indo-Pacific strategy which China claims aimed at countering its rise. Tokyo's decision to u

Guns vs Butter-II: Indian military's quest for indigenous weaponry

The second of a five-part series takes a close look at the military's push for acquisition of defence equipment from domestic sources rather than from overseas

Import dependence

Changing global environment can increase military risks

Man behind China's 'Dream Come True' boosted balloon programme

China has a long history of fostering civil-military partnerships to make technological advances

Kim Jong-un calls for stronger military power during photo session

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called for bolstering the country's military strength at an unprecedented pace, during a photo session with the participants of a military parade held earlier this week

North Korean leader Kim brings daughter to visit troops

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un brought his daughter to visit troops to mark the 75th founding anniversary of the country's army as he lauded the irresistible might of his nuclear-armed military, state media said Wednesday. The visit came amid indications North Korea is preparing to stage a massive military parade in the capital, Pyongyang, where it could showcase the latest hardware of a growing nuclear weapons program that stokes the concern of its neighbors and the United States. In her fourth known public appearance, Kim's daughter Kim Ju Ae, believed to be 9 or 10 years old, stood closely with her father as he shook the hands of senior officials and sat next to him at a table. Analysts say Kim's decision to bring his daughter to public events tied to his military is to remind the world he has no intentions to voluntarily surrender his nuclear weapons, which he apparently sees as the strongest guarantee of his survival and the extension of his family's dynastic rule. State media

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un orders military to improve war readiness

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has ordered his military to expand its combat exercises and strengthen war preparedness as he looks to escalate an already provocative run in weapons demonstrations in the face of deepening tensions with its neighbours and Washington. Kim presided over a meeting of the ruling Workers' Party's Central Military Commission on Monday and encouraged the armed forces to perform ever-victorious feats and display matchless military strength to open a new phase in development, the country's official Korean Central News Agency reported on Tuesday. The commission's members discussed a series of tasks aimed at inducing great change in the military, including constantly expanding and intensifying the operation and combat drills and more strictly perfecting the preparedness for war," the agency said. The meeting came amid signs that North Korea is preparing a massive military parade in the capital Pyongyang, to celebrate the 75th founding anniversary of the Korean

After extension of emergency, Myanmar declares martial law in 37 towns

The council gave the administrative and judicial power to commanders of respective military commands to perform security, maintain the rule of law and tranquility

China extends diplomatic, military support to Myanmar despite resistance

According to the report, Myanmar saw a wave of protests and all sections of society participated in it. The demonstrations have morphed into an armed struggle against the military in the past 2 years

Cash-strapped Sri Lanka plans to downsize military by half by 2030

President Ranil Wickremesinghe said last year that military strategy reforms were needed to gear the island's army to face new challenges

Iran, Pakistan call for setting up joint military task force: Report

Noting the good relations between the armed forces of the two countries and the development of defence and security cooperation especially on the common borders

Time to take stock

India's military is unique in facing a multiple-front threat without a long-term security strategy

Myanmar's military extends ceasefire agreement period until end of 2023

According to the statement released on Saturday, the military has extended the ceasefire agreement with ethnic armed groups for 21 times from December 21, 2018, till December 31, 2022

Taiwan extends compulsory military service from 4 months to 1 year in 2024

Taiwan will extend its compulsory military service from four months to a year starting in 2024, President Tsai Ing-wen said Tuesday, as the self-ruled island faces China's military, diplomatic and trade pressure. Taiwan, which split from the mainland in 1949 during a civil war, is claimed by China. The decades-old threat of invasion by China has sharpened since Beijing cut off communications with Taiwan's government after the 2016 election of Tsai, who is seen as pro-independence. China's People's Liberation Army in particular has stepped up its military harassment, sending fighter planes and navy vessels toward Taiwan on a near-daily basis in recent years. In response, the island's military actively tracks those movements, which often serves as training for its own military personnel. The longer military service applies to men born after 2005, and will start Jan. 1, 2024. Those born before 2005 will continue to serve four months, but under a revamped training curriculum aimed at ..

Fiji calls military to maintain security after close election is disputed

Fijian police on Thursday said they were calling in the military to help maintain security following a close election last week that is now being disputed. It was an alarming development in a Pacific nation where democracy remains fragile and there have been four military coups in the past 35 years. The two main contenders for prime minister this year were former coup leaders themselves. Police Commissioner Brig. Gen. Sitiveni Qiliho said in a statement that after police and military leaders met with Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama they collectively decided to call in army and navy personnel to assist. The commissioner said there had been threats made against minority groups who were now living in fear following recent political developments. Reporters in the capital, Suva, said there were no immediate signs of any military presence on city streets. The military move came after Bainimarama's Fiji First party refused to concede the election, despite rival Sitiveni Rabuka's party a

North Korea threatens to take strong military action against Japan

North Korea threatened Tuesday to take bold and decisive military steps against Japan as it slammed Tokyo's adoption of a national security strategy as an attempt to turn the country into an aggressive military power. The North's statement came four days after Japan announced a security strategy that reflects its determination to possess counterstrike capability and double its military spending to gain a more offensive footing against threats from China and North Korea. The North's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Japan's push to acquire counterstrike capability has nothing to do with self-defense but is a clear attempt to acquire pre-emptive attack capability meant to launch strikes on other countries' territories. Japan's foolish attempt to satiate its black-hearted greed -- the building up of its military invasion capability with the pretext of a legitimate exercise of self-defense rights -- cannot be justified and tolerated, an unidentified ministry spokesperson said in

Xi ensures 'complete control' over Chinese military in third term: Report

As per the news report, Chinese armed forces must "resolutely be loyal" to Xi Jinping and "support, safeguard and defend" the leadership to the core

Permanent Indian residents now eligible to be part of Canadian military

As per data, Canada is likely to welcome more than a million new permanent residents between 2022 and 2024, which drastically widens the pool of candidates the military can choose from.

EU Defence Ministers mull military training programme for Ukraine

The meeting in Prague is in the Gymnich format, but no legal decision is possible as the talks are taking place informally

EU to consider military training for Ukrainian soldiers, says Borrell

Six months ago, in the early stages of the Russian invasion, EU Foreign Ministers had raised the idea of providing training for Ukrainian forces amid broader discussions on military aid