India's Proximity Archives
Date: October 30, 2024
South Asia
Pakistan is under international pressure to achieve political and economic stability and ensure a secure environment for international investors. During the week, terrorist attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Baluchistan claimed the lives of over 30 security personnel. A polio vaccination campaign in North Waziristan was halted due to incidents of attacks on vaccination teams in the area. Five workers responsible for dam maintenance lost their lives in the Panjgur district of Balochistan on October 29. Urging action, the Chinese ambassador to Pakistan called for Islamabad to take tangible and decisive action against terrorist organisations that are targeting Chinese nationals in the country. On October 23, over 60 members of the US House of Representatives penned a letter to President Joe Biden urging the release of political detainees in Pakistan, including ex-PM Imran Khan.
Pakistan is under international pressure to achieve political and economic stability and ensure a secure environment for international investors. During the week, terrorist attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Baluchistan claimed the lives of over 30 security personnel. A polio vaccination campaign in North Waziristan was halted due to incidents of attacks on vaccination teams in the area. Five workers responsible for dam maintenance lost their lives in the Panjgur district of Balochistan on October 29. Urging action, the Chinese ambassador to Pakistan called for Islamabad to take tangible and decisive action against terrorist organisations that are targeting Chinese nationals in the country. On October 23, over 60 members of the US House of Representatives penned a letter to President Joe Biden urging the release of political detainees in Pakistan, including ex-PM Imran Khan.
Southeast Asia
Vietnam Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and UAE Prime Minister Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum signed the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement in Dubai on October 28, 2024. The Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien and UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi were also present at the signing. This agreement, the first free trade agreement that Hanoi has established with a Middle East country, comes after a year of negotiations. The agreement opened “a new era in the upgraded and increasingly substantive relationship between Vietnam and the UAE in particular and Arab countries in general”, according to the official statement by Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade.
East Asia
On October 27, Japan’s ruling coalition failed in the lower-house for the first time since 2009. The election results put Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on thin ice, with the PM being quoted as saying, “We are receiving severe judgement.” The election in Japan called by Prime Minister Ishiba shortly after he won the party’s leadership contest last month has dealt a huge blow to the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), the most powerful and dominant party in the country. Keiichi Ishii, who took over as LDP’s leader last month, lost in his district. The outcome may force parties into fractious power-sharing deals to rule, potentially ushering in political instability as the country faces economic headwinds and a tense security situation in East Asia.
West Asia
Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) conducted targeted airstrikes against Iranian military targets on October 25 in response to Iran's ballistic missile attack on Israel. India expressed deep concern over the escalation in West Asia and urged all involved parties to exercise restraint and resume dialogue and diplomacy. The US Department of Defence reaffirmed America's "ironclad commitment" to Israel's security and emphasised that the strikes in Iran should be the end of tit-for-tat between the two countries. Egypt, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Turkey, Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, and Syria condemned Israel's military action as a “violation of Iran’s sovereignty” and urged all parties to exercise restraint.
Central Asia
The 11th China-Central Asia Cooperation Forum was held from October 25 to 28 in Yinchuan, the capital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in Northwest China. Shen Yueyue, vice-chairperson of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, announced that leaders from China and five Central Asian countries developed a new cooperation strategy. During the forum, 35 agreements worth 11.2 billion yuan (about US$ 1.6 billion) were signed, covering trade, agriculture, and sister city partnerships. The event also launched the Yinchuan Initiative, promoting collaboration in green development, smart agriculture, e-commerce, and cultural exchanges.
Indian Ocean Region
The Indian Navy’s destroyer INS Delhi, the German Navy’s frigate Baden-Württemberg, and the replenishment tanker Frankfurt Am Main conducted a Maritime Partnership Exercise (MPX) in the Bay of Bengal region. This exercise marks the inaugural collaboration between the Indian and German navies. The MPX coincided with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s visit to India from October 24 to 26, 2024. The timing of the naval exercise alongside the diplomatic engagements underscores the commitment of both nations to strengthen maritime security and operational interoperability.
