India's Proximity Archives
Date: April 10, 2024
South Asia
Shahbaz Sharif, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, paid his first visit abroad to Saudi Arabia from April 6-8 and held discussions with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. According to the joint statement, “both sides affirmed their commitment to expediting the first wave of investment worth USD 5 billion” to Pakistan. The minerals sector, particularly the Reko Diq gold and copper mines, is anticipated to receive a direct investment of USD 1 billion.
Shahbaz Sharif, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, paid his first visit abroad to Saudi Arabia from April 6-8 and held discussions with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. According to the joint statement, “both sides affirmed their commitment to expediting the first wave of investment worth USD 5 billion” to Pakistan. The minerals sector, particularly the Reko Diq gold and copper mines, is anticipated to receive a direct investment of USD 1 billion.
Southeast Asia
The Philippines, Japan, Australia, and the U.S. conducted a joint maritime exercise in the South China Sea on April 7, 2024. The exercise was intended to “uphold the right to freedom of navigation and overflight and respect for maritime rights under international law”, according to the joint statement. The Philippine military stated that the exercise involved communication exercises, division tactics, and other drills.
East Asia
Vuong Dinh Hue, Vietnam’s top legislator and potential presidential contender, made an official visit to China at the invitation of the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China, Zhao Leji, from April 7 to April 12. The visiting dignitary met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on April 8. President Xi emphasised the importance of upholding the socialist system and maintaining national stability and development for both China and Vietnam, underscoring that the salient feature of China-Vietnam relations is their shared destiny and values and that their traditional friendship can be accurately described as “comrades-plus-brothers”. President Xi also urged authorities in Hanoi to exercise "political wisdom" in managing ties with Beijing”.
West Asia
On April 8, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that a date had been set for an invasion of Rafah in southern Gaza. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken informed Washington that Israel had not shared any specific date for the offensive Since Rafah is the last refuge for around 1.4 million displaced Palestinians, the US has asked Israel for a credible plan to protect civilians in the area. Meanwhile, Israeli officials informed that there had been no significant progress in the hostage negotiations in Cairo.
Central Asia
On April 5, the European Union and the United States held a joint EU-US-Armenia high-level meeting in support of Armenia’s resilience. The unusual format of the tripartite meeting has been viewed as an attempt to help pull Armenia out of Russia’s orbit and support its economy in the face of growing tensions in the region. Azerbaijan, a key natural gas exporter to the EU and a country that has recently engaged in a series of conflicts with Armenia, expressed strong objections to the trilateral meeting.
Indian Ocean Region
On April 5, the US Navy and Cochin Shipyard (CSL) inked a Master Shipyard Repair Agreement (MRSA), making CSL the third Indian shipyard to do so after Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) and Larsen & Toubro (L&T) Shipyard at Kattupalli. The MSRA will enable American naval vessels operating in the Indian Ocean region to undergo repair works at CSL's facilities.
