India's Proximity Archives
Date: January 10, 2024
South Asia
India’s External Affairs Minister, Dr. S Jaishankar, visited Nepal on January 4-5, 2024. Dr. Jaishankar co-chaired the 7th meeting of the India-Nepal Joint Commission with the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nepal, Mr. N.P. Saud. During the meeting, they reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral cooperation, including developmental partnership and exchanged agreements/MoUs related to implementing High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDPs) in Nepal, power trade, science and technology, and renewable energy. Dr Jaishankar paid courtesy calls on the President of Nepal, Ram Chandra Paudel, and the Prime Minister of Nepal, Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’.
India’s External Affairs Minister, Dr. S Jaishankar, visited Nepal on January 4-5, 2024. Dr. Jaishankar co-chaired the 7th meeting of the India-Nepal Joint Commission with the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nepal, Mr. N.P. Saud. During the meeting, they reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral cooperation, including developmental partnership and exchanged agreements/MoUs related to implementing High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDPs) in Nepal, power trade, science and technology, and renewable energy. Dr Jaishankar paid courtesy calls on the President of Nepal, Ram Chandra Paudel, and the Prime Minister of Nepal, Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’.
Southeast Asia
The Philippines and the United States concluded a two-day joint patrol in the South China Sea on January 5, 2024. The patrol involved four Philippine Navy vessels and four ships from the U.S. Indo-Pacific command, including an aircraft carrier, a cruiser and two destroyers. Romeo Brawner, Philippine armed forces chief, stated that the US and Philippines “are advancing a rules-based international order and a free and open Indo-Pacific region in the face of regional challenges”.
East Asia
Japanese Foreign Minister, Yoko Kamikawa, made an unannounced visit to Ukraine on January 7. During her meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba, Minister Kamikawa pledged $37 million to the NATO Trust Fund. She announced that Japan would provide equipment such as anti-unmanned aircraft detection systems and winter support by offering five mobile gas turbine generators and transportation support for seven large transformers. Kamikawa also met President Volodymyr Zelensky, who offered condolences for Japan’s New Year’s Day earthquake and thanked Japanese Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, for “elevating the level of relations” with Ukraine during Japan’s G7 presidency in 2023.
West Asia
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with UAE’s President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Ahmedabad ahead of the ‘Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2024' to be held from January 10-12. India and the UAE have further deepened their partnership by signing three Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) to expand bilateral investment cooperation in renewable energy, food processing, and healthcare. Meanwhile, on January 4, India condemned the bombings in Kerman city of Iran, which occurred during the commemoration of the fourth anniversary of the targeted killing of Qassem Soleimani. The Afghanistan branch of Islamic State, ISIS-Khorasan, has claimed responsibility for the bombings in Iran.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with UAE’s President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Ahmedabad ahead of the ‘Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2024' to be held from January 10-12. India and the UAE have further deepened their partnership by signing three Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) to expand bilateral investment cooperation in renewable energy, food processing, and healthcare. Meanwhile, on January 4, India condemned the bombings in Kerman city of Iran, which occurred during the commemoration of the fourth anniversary of the targeted killing of Qassem Soleimani. The Afghanistan branch of Islamic State, ISIS-Khorasan, has claimed responsibility for the bombings in Iran.
China
Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu arrived in Beijing for a state visit at the invitation of President Xi Jinping on January 9, 2024. During this visit, President Muizzu is seeking support from China to bolster and stabilise the Maldivian economy by increasing the number of tourists visiting the country. The call comes at the heels of a diplomatic row with India, Maldives’s top tourism market in 2022 after derogatory remarks were made towards Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. President Muizzu emphasised China as Maldives’ “closest” ally and praised President Xi's infrastructure projects.
Central Asia
Kazakh Minister of Trade and Integration, Arman Shakkaliyev, and Uzbek Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade, Laziz Kudratov, signed a protocol on expanding mutual cooperation on January 5. The negotiations focused on transit and transport policy issues, modernisation of border checkpoint infrastructure, cross-border and regional cooperation, and preparing for the fourth Forum of Interregional Cooperation between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
