Foreign Affairs Archives - Defence Monitor

08 Aug

India-Israel partnership evolves into wider regional strategic network: Report

Athens, Aug 8 (IANS) India-Israel defence ties have evolved beyond a robust bilateral partnership into a broader, interest-driven strategic architecture linking geographically distant but complementary partners. While political will and regional dynamics will determine whether it becomes a formal grouping or remains a flexible network, the trajectory is already clear, a report has stated. The partnership extends beyond defence, intersecting with initiatives such as the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), which seeks to strengthen connectivity in trade, energy, digital infrastructure and supply chains. Shared concerns over Iran's regional activities, threats to maritime routes and the need to build greater resilience…

07 Aug

Internal matter, several nations regulate flow of foreign funds: MEA rejects US lawmaker’s remarks on FCRA Bill

New Delhi, Aug 7 (IANS) India on Friday rejected comments made by a section of the international community, including a US lawmaker, on the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act Amendment (FCRA) Bill, stressing that legislative matters concerning India are internal affairs of the country on which decisions are taken by the Parliament. Addressing a bi-weekly media briefing in New Delhi on Friday, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal noted that several nations, including the United States (US), regulate the flow of foreign funds. "We have seen the comments; legislative matters concerning India are our internal affairs on which decisions…

06 Aug

North Korea fires short-range ballistic missile toward East Sea: South Korea’s military

Seoul, Aug 6 (IANS) North Korea fired at least one short-range ballistic missile toward the East Sea on Thursday, South Korea's military said. The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said the missile was launched from the eastern coastal Wonsan area in the North at around 5 pm (local time). The number of missiles launched was not immediately known. "While strengthening monitoring and surveillance against potential additional launches, our military is maintaining a full readiness posture and closely sharing relevant information with the United States and Japan," the JCS said, Yonhap News Agency reported. The latest launch comes over a month…

06 Aug

Seoul seeks exemption from UK sanctions on Russian LNG: official

Seoul, Aug 6 (IANS) South Korea's trade minister on Thursday asked his British counterpart to exempt South Korea's imports of Russian Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) from Britain's upcoming sanctions, citing concerns over Seoul's energy security. Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo made the request during a video meeting with Britain's newly appointed Minister for Trade Anas Sarwar to discuss bilateral trade issues, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said in a press release, Yonhap News Agency reported. "Britain's plan to ban the provision of maritime transport, insurance and related services for Russian LNG starting in January 2027 could undermine South Korea's…

04 Aug

Pakistan feeling insecure, frustrated over positive trajectory of India-Afghanistan ties: MEA

New Delhi, Aug 4 (IANS) India on Tuesday slammed the recent objectionable comments made by the Pakistani Army spokesperson on friendly ties between New Delhi and Kabul, saying that such statements only reflect Islamabad's growing insecurity and frustration. Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR), had once again invoked religion while reacting to growing India-Afghanistan ties and urged the Taliban regime to stay away from "non-believers" of Islam. "Regarding the comments made by the spokesperson of the Pakistani army, I would like to say that such statements and comments reflect the Pakistani state's…

03 Aug

Taiwan reiterates its claim over islands in South China Sea

Taipei, Aug 2 (IANS) The Taiwan government on Sunday reaffirmed its sovereignty claim over islands in the South China Sea after the Philippines shared an official nautical chart of Scarborough Shoal with the United Nations, local media reported. Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said any disputes in the South China Sea should be resolved peacefully as per international law and the law of the sea, and called for Taipei's inclusion in the multilateral dispute settlement mechanisms, Taiwan's Central News Agency (CNA) reported. Taiwan's MoFA statement comes after the Philippines shared an official nautical chart of Scarborough Shoal with the…

03 Aug

Death toll rises to 15 in suicide attack at police station in Pakistan (Lead)

Islamabad, Aug 2 (IANS) The death toll in the suicide bombing outside Kabal police station in Swat district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province has reached 15, including six police personnel, local media reported. "Fifteen people were martyred, including six police personnel, while nine civilians were wounded and 25 critically injured people are receiving treatment at Saidu Sharif Teaching Hospital," the District Police Officer (DPO) Muhammad Ome told The Express Tribune. According to Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Malakand, Syed Fida Hussain, police lines facility and other sensitive government buildings were located near the police station. "Preliminary reports indicated that four police officers…

03 Aug

Iran says talks with Oman focused on designating temporary route for safe shipping in Hormuz Strait

Tehran, Aug 3 (IANS) Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Monday that negotiations between Iran and Oman are focused on reaching an agreement on designating a "temporary" route to ensure safe shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. "The negotiations have been focused on the idea that the southern route, which passes through Oman's waters, and the northern route, which passes through Iran's territorial waters, would turn into an intermediate route," Baghaei said at a weekly press conference in Tehran. He said the talks are centred on a round-trip corridor, not two or three separate routes, and the intermediate route…

30 Jul

US military drone flies over inter-Korean border area, prompts civilian evacuation

Seoul, July 30 (IANS) A US military drone flew over an inter-Korean border region during combined drills with South Korea on Thursday, military officials said, prompting residents in the area to evacuate as a precaution. The unmanned flying vehicle was detected south of a general outpost in northern Gyeonggi Province near the border with North Korea and was later identified as a US military drone belonging to its Marine Corps stationed here, according to military officials from both sides. "Upon further verification, the unmanned vehicle was identified as a US military drone participating in a training exercise," an official from…

24 Jul

Partnership with India blueprint for collective future of Global South: Mauritius FM

Port Louis, July 24 (IANS) Terming the partnership with India as "multifaceted", Mauritius Foreign Minister Dhananjay Ramful on Friday highlighted the active involvement of Indian government in financing and developing numerous infrastructure projects in the Indian Ocean nation. In an interview with IANS, Ramful, who is also a minister for Regional Integration and International Trade, highlighted the growing business ties between both countries. "India-Mauritius partnership is multifaceted and it's geared towards a steady socio-economic transformation, from infrastructure and capacity building to education, technology, health and various sectors. Many projects in Mauritius bears the footprint of the Indian government. Many of…