India's Proximity Archives
Date: September 25, 2024
South Asia
Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD), the leader of the left-leaning National People’s Power (NPP), emerged victorious in the Sri Lankan Presidential Elections held on September 21. He secured a significant mandate with 5.6 million votes, constituting 42.3% of the total, which reflects the strong backing of the public. Dissanayake surpassed both the current President, Ranil Wickremesinghe (17%), and the opposition leader, Sajith Premadasa (32.8%). This election was the first in Sri Lanka’s history to require a second round of counting, as no candidate achieved the necessary 50% threshold for an outright victory. Official voter turnout was about 79.5%, lower than the 2015 and 2019 elections.
Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD), the leader of the left-leaning National People’s Power (NPP), emerged victorious in the Sri Lankan Presidential Elections held on September 21. He secured a significant mandate with 5.6 million votes, constituting 42.3% of the total, which reflects the strong backing of the public. Dissanayake surpassed both the current President, Ranil Wickremesinghe (17%), and the opposition leader, Sajith Premadasa (32.8%). This election was the first in Sri Lanka’s history to require a second round of counting, as no candidate achieved the necessary 50% threshold for an outright victory. Official voter turnout was about 79.5%, lower than the 2015 and 2019 elections.
Southeast Asia
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting with the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam and State President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, To Lam, in New York on the sidelines of the Summit of the Future at UNGA on September 23, 2024. The leaders discussed views on important regional and global issues, including the Indo-Pacific and underscored a collective role for the Global South on international platforms. They also reaffirmed the deep civilizational and cultural links between India and Vietnam. Prime Minister Modi expressed his sympathies in the face of loss and damage caused by Typhoon Yagi in Vietnam.
East Asia
US President Joe Biden, Prime Minister Modi of India, Prime Minister Kishida of Japan, and Prime Minister Albanese of Australia convened the sixth Quad Leaders’ Summit Meeting in Wilmington, Delaware on September 21, 2024. The leaders announced Quad Cancer Moonshot, a new regional Maritime Initiative for Training in the Indo-Pacific (MAITRI), Quad Indo-Pacific Logistics Network pilot project, a first-ever Quad-at-Sea Ship Observer Mission in 2025 in the Indo-Pacific, Quad Ports of the Future Partnership, and the finalization of the Memorandum of Cooperation for the Semiconductor Supply Chains Contingency Network. Prime Minister Modi in his remarks stated that “Quad is here to stay, to assist, to partner and to complement” and pledged 40 million vaccine doses for Indo-Pacific countries.
West Asia
The Israeli Air Force struck several Hezbollah targets in Lebanon on September 23, killing at least 569 people, including Ibrahim Muhammad Qubaisi, one of Hezbollah’s top commanders. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Lebanon's civilians to get out of harm’s way as the IDF would conduct more strikes against Iran-backed Hezbollah's rockets and missiles arsenal. The escalation of conflict has caused tens of thousands to flee south Lebanon. Amidst this, the US is sending additional troops to the Middle East to augment its existing forces.
Central Asia
During the Second Armenian Global Summit on September 18, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that the Russian-led CSTO poses a threat to “Armenia’s security, statehood and sovereignty”. He reaffirmed that Armenia has effectively frozen its membership in the military bloc, stating that the country will only consider reinstating its activities if its questions and concerns are addressed. He further stated that the ongoing re-evaluation of Armenia’s defence strategies aligns with its broader aim of diversifying its security partnerships and reducing reliance on Russian support. Pashinyan noted that Armenia’s military reforms are not aggressive in nature, emphasising the need to protect its territory. In response to Pashinyan’s claims, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov defended the CSTO, asserting that the alliance is designed to protect its members, not threaten them.
Indian Ocean Region
The Indian Navy’s stealth frigate, INS Talwar, arrived in Mombasa, Kenya, on September 22, 2024. Both navies will engage in various professional interactions and cross-exchange visits aimed at improving cooperation and interoperability. This visit is part of ongoing efforts to strengthen maritime cooperation and align with the Joint Vision Statement ‘BAHARI’, released by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Kenyan President William Samoei Ruto in December 2023.
