Global Horizons
This issue opens with a review of the unfolding foreign policy game plan under President Trump, and his perceived successes in the Middle East and elsewhere.
With the ceasefire deal in Gaza and a grand summit attended by 30 countries that followed at Sharm Al Shaikh on October 10, Trump made it clear that the US has every intention to maintain its pre-eminent super power status and its control over the Middle East. Later in the month, Trump attended the East Asia Summit in Kuala Lumpur and visited Japan and ROK, highlighting the importance of the Ind0-Pacific in US foreign and security policies. Trump was also able to secure a range of trade deals and commitments from the nations of East and Southeast Asia.
While the Trump-Putin meeting planned to be held in Budapest did not materialise, the Trump-Xi summit in ROK on October 30 represented a tactical thaw in US-China relations. However, there were no clear winners, and it remains to be seen if the implementation of undertakings by the two sides will be sustainable, and will lead to an effective reduction in bilateral tensions.
As the war in Ukraine continued unabated, the Trump administration appeared to persist with its willingness to give Russia a long rope to weaken its partnership with China.
Closer to India, the month saw the outbreak of serious hostilities between Pakistan and Afghanistan, with tensions remaining unresolved despite mediation efforts by Qatar and Turkiye. The bloody conflict in Sudan worsened. The crisis in resource-rich eastern DRC continued to simmer.
The CPC Plenum concluded in Beijing on October 23, adopting recommendations for China’s 15th Five Year Plan which, inter alia, laid emphasis on high quality growth incorporating technological innovation and advanced manufacturing.
October, this was a busy month for Indian diplomacy, which saw incoming visits by the Prime Ministers of the UK and Sri Lanka and the President of Mongolia. PM Modi attended the 22nd ASEAN-India summit held in Kuala Lumpur on October 26 in virtual mode, while EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar delivered India’s statement at the 20th East Asia Summit held on October 27. India’s engagement in these events underlined its interests in taking forward the comprehensive strategic partnership with ASEAN, and highlighted the growing role and importance of economic security issues in the international space.
In the margins of the 12th ADMM Plus meeting held in Kuala Lumpur on October 31, India and the US signed a ten-year framework agreement for the US-India Major Defence Partnership.
To read this issue of Global Horizons, Vol. III, Issue 10, please see the PDF attached.
