Around The World Archives - Defence Monitor

09 Sep

UN condemns Houthi attacks in southern Saudi Arabia

United Nations, Sep 9 (IANS) The United Nations condemns the cross-border attacks by the Houthis in Yemen against multiple sites in southern Saudi Arabia, which affected civilian and energy infrastructure, said a UN spokesperson. The world body also expresses deep concern over reports of civilian casualties in the attacks, said Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday (local time). The United Nations is equally concerned by the intensification of military clashes across multiple front lines within Yemen, particularly reports of possible civilian casualties resulting from the fighting, said the spokesperson. "We call upon the parties to exercise…

09 Sep

US, Colombia seal critical minerals, nuclear pacts

Washington, Sep 9 (IANS) The United States and Colombia have signed two arrangements aimed at strengthening critical-minerals supply chains and expanding civil nuclear cooperation. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Colombian Foreign Minister Omar Bula signed the arrangements in Barranquilla on Tuesday during Rubio’s visit to Colombia, according to the US State Department. The State Department said the initiatives were intended to reinvigorate the more than 200-year partnership between the two countries and restore it as a central pillar of hemispheric security and economic cooperation. Under the critical-minerals framework, the two governments will work to build secure, diversified and…

25 Aug

India already building robust defence supply chain through MSMEs: ASSOCHAM

New Delhi, Aug 25 (IANS) India’s growth in global defence market will depend largely on the country’s determination to capitalise on emerging opportunities, Rajiv Gupta, chairman of ASSOCHAM National Council on Defence and Aerospace, said on Tuesday. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the ASSOCHAM National Conference on Aerospace & Defence Manufacturing, Gupta said the initiative by ASSOCHAM would help stakeholders in the defence and aerospace sectors better understand the needs of the industry, the requirements of the country and the enabling factors necessary to drive growth. “I think this is a great initiative given by ASSOCHAM to make…

25 Aug

South Korea, US remain committed to North Korea denuclearisation: Seoul

Seoul, Aug 25 (IANS) South Korea and the United States remain committed to the goal of denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula despite the omission of the term from the readouts of their top diplomats' latest phone call, Seoul's foreign ministry said Tuesday. The ministry made the comment after its press release on Monday's call between Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio referred to "the resolution of the North Korean nuclear issue" but did not explicitly mention denuclearisation. The US State Department's separate readout of the talks also did not mention Pyongyang's nuclear issue or denuclearisation.…

20 Aug

Iran’s President says negotiation with US does not mean surrender

Tehran, Aug 20 (IANS) Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said that negotiating with the United States did not mean surrender. At a conference in Tehran on Wednesday (local time), Pezeshkian stressed the need to defend Iran's territorial integrity, according to a statement posted on his office's website. "In the process of negotiations, we are moving forward step by step at the height of our power and while maintaining wisdom, dignity and expediency," Pezeshkian said. "Our goals have been to end the war, lift the (anti-Iran naval) blockade, release the country's frozen assets and, then, (hold) nuclear talks," he noted. US…

20 Aug

US-North Korea dialogue key first step to halting Pyongyang’s nuclear program: South Korea’s Unification Ministry

Seoul, Aug 20 (IANS) Direct talks between Washington and Pyongyang are the first step toward halting North Korea's nuclear weapons program, Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said on Thursday. He made the remarks while meeting with reporters at the government complex in Seoul, amid speculation that US President Donald Trump might seek to rekindle his personal diplomacy with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, which produced three bilateral meetings during his first term. "The first gateway to stopping North Korea's nuclear program is a meeting between the two sides, and we should work hard to support it," he said. "Halting the program…

20 Aug

North Korea fires barrage of short-range ballistic missiles despite Trump overture

Seoul, Aug 20 (IANS) North Korea fired a barrage of short-range ballistic missiles toward the East Sea on Thursday, despite a recent olive branch offered by US President Donald Trump, who signalled a willingness to reengage with the North's leader Kim Jong-un. The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it detected roughly a dozen short-range ballistic missiles launched from the Pyongyang area at around 5 pm, adding that further analysis is under way in cooperation with the United States. The military has stepped up surveillance and vigilance for possible additional launches while closely sharing related information with the US and…

19 Aug

India, Japan to hold talks on deepening defence ties, ‘Make in India’ initiative (Lead)

New Delhi, Aug 19 (IANS) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will hold a meeting with his Japanese counterpart Shinjiro Koizumi here on Thursday to further strengthen bilateral defence relations, enhance strategic trust and cooperation, promote stability and security in the Indo-Pacific region, and identify new areas of collaboration, according to a Defence Ministry statement issued on Wednesday. The two ministers will exchange views on deeper maritime security cooperation and closer defence equipment and technology collaboration under the ‘Make in India’ framework, following Japan’s revision of the 'Three Principles on Transfer of Defence Equipment and Technology'. The meeting provides an opportunity to…

18 Aug

Over 52 including children injured in grenade blast near Kabul school

Kabul, Aug 18 (IANS) Over 52 people, including children, were injured in Afghanistan following a grenade explosion near the Sham-e Hedayat private school in Dasht-e Barchi area of western Kabul, local media reported citing security officials and witnesses. Taliban police spokesperson Khalid Zadran said that the blast was caused by a hand grenade, but provided no further details about who was carrying the grenade or how it detonated. According to witnesses, the grenade exploded while in the possession of a school student, who was also wounded in the blast. The circumstances under which the student acquired the grenade and why…

18 Aug

Defence Secretary visits IT lab established by India’s support in Armenian Military Academy

Yerevan, Aug 18 (IANS) Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh on Tuesday visited the Military Academy of Armenia and reviewed the IT Lab established with New Delhi's support, the Ministry of Defence stated. During his visit to the military academy, Singh was also briefed on weapon systems supplied by India. He underlined the expanding cooperation in capacity building and training and reiterated India’s commitment to supporting Armenia in areas of mutual interest. India and Armenia on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in research, development, innovation and shared production in the defence industry, the ministry noted. “Defence Secretary…