India’s Proximity Archives
Date: March 05, 2025
South Asia
On February 28, Bangladeshi students, key players in last year’s government ouster, formed a new political party. The party’s leadership comprises key organisers from Students Against Discri¬mination (SAD). The new ‘Jatiya Nagorik Party’ is led by its convener, Mr. Nahid Islam, a former advisor to the interim government, with Akhtar Hossain serving as its secretary. Nahid said the new party would be a “democratic, egalitarian, people’s party”.
On February 28, Bangladeshi students, key players in last year’s government ouster, formed a new political party. The party’s leadership comprises key organisers from Students Against Discri¬mination (SAD). The new ‘Jatiya Nagorik Party’ is led by its convener, Mr. Nahid Islam, a former advisor to the interim government, with Akhtar Hossain serving as its secretary. Nahid said the new party would be a “democratic, egalitarian, people’s party”.
Southeast Asia
The 4th India-Vietnam Policy Planning Dialogue was held in New Delhi on March 4, 2025. According to a statement from India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the meeting was co-chaired by Raghuram S, Joint Secretary (Policy Planning and Research), MEA, and Le Dinh Tinh, Director General of the Policy Planning Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), Vietnam. The dialogue enabled both sides to share views on various regional and global issues, including recent developments in the Indo-Pacific, the functioning of multilateral institutions, and development priorities of the Global South.
The 4th India-Vietnam Policy Planning Dialogue was held in New Delhi on March 4, 2025. According to a statement from India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the meeting was co-chaired by Raghuram S, Joint Secretary (Policy Planning and Research), MEA, and Le Dinh Tinh, Director General of the Policy Planning Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), Vietnam. The dialogue enabled both sides to share views on various regional and global issues, including recent developments in the Indo-Pacific, the functioning of multilateral institutions, and development priorities of the Global South.
East Asia
On February 28, President Xi Jinping met with Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu in Beijing. The Chinese President emphasised the strong China-Russia relationship, highlighting their close cooperation on major global and regional issues. Noting that 2025 marks the 80th anniversaries of the victories of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War, the World Anti-Fascist War, and the founding of the UN, he called for deeper strategic partnership between the two countries. Mr. Shoigu praised Russia-China relations as a model for major power relations and reaffirmed Russia’s commitment to strengthening them. He also acknowledged China’s efforts toward a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine crisis.
On February 28, President Xi Jinping met with Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu in Beijing. The Chinese President emphasised the strong China-Russia relationship, highlighting their close cooperation on major global and regional issues. Noting that 2025 marks the 80th anniversaries of the victories of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War, the World Anti-Fascist War, and the founding of the UN, he called for deeper strategic partnership between the two countries. Mr. Shoigu praised Russia-China relations as a model for major power relations and reaffirmed Russia’s commitment to strengthening them. He also acknowledged China’s efforts toward a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine crisis.
West Asia
Egypt hosted an Emergency Arab Summit for Palestine on March 4, during which leaders endorsed Cairo's plan for the reconstruction of Gaza to ensure that its residents are not displaced and the core principles of the Palestinian cause remain intact. Egypt's proposal is an attempt to offer an alternative to President Trump's plan to relocate Palestinians and turn Gaza into a “Riviera of the Middle East”. The joint communique issued at the Arab Summit also called for the return of the Palestinian Authority (PA) to Gaza, which would symbolise Palestine's political and geographical unity.Analysts however questioned the prospects of the Palestinian Authority governing Gaza, given that Israel had ruled out any future role for the body and President Trump had closed the PLO liaison office in Washington DC during his first term.
Egypt hosted an Emergency Arab Summit for Palestine on March 4, during which leaders endorsed Cairo's plan for the reconstruction of Gaza to ensure that its residents are not displaced and the core principles of the Palestinian cause remain intact. Egypt's proposal is an attempt to offer an alternative to President Trump's plan to relocate Palestinians and turn Gaza into a “Riviera of the Middle East”. The joint communique issued at the Arab Summit also called for the return of the Palestinian Authority (PA) to Gaza, which would symbolise Palestine's political and geographical unity.Analysts however questioned the prospects of the Palestinian Authority governing Gaza, given that Israel had ruled out any future role for the body and President Trump had closed the PLO liaison office in Washington DC during his first term.
Central Asia
On March 3, the Standing Committee on European Integration of the National Assembly (NA) began discussions on a bill to initiate Armenia's membership in the European Union. The proposed law was introduced by Artak Zeynalyan, a member of the Republic Party of Armenia and one of the bill's initiators. The authors of the EU bill in Armenia believe that Western democratic institutions are essential for the country's security. During the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the Armenian Prime Minister emphasised the government's endorsement of the bill on January 9.
On March 3, the Standing Committee on European Integration of the National Assembly (NA) began discussions on a bill to initiate Armenia's membership in the European Union. The proposed law was introduced by Artak Zeynalyan, a member of the Republic Party of Armenia and one of the bill's initiators. The authors of the EU bill in Armenia believe that Western democratic institutions are essential for the country's security. During the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the Armenian Prime Minister emphasised the government's endorsement of the bill on January 9.
Indian Ocean Region
The Indian Navy’s INS Tarkash conducted a Maritime Partnership Exercise (MPX) with the Hellenic Navy’s flagship, HS Hydra, in the Western Indian Ocean Region. This exercise was designed to enhance interoperability and strengthen bilateral maritime cooperation between the two navies. Key activities during the MPX included cross-deck landings by integral helicopters of the two ships, anti-piracy drills such as simulated boarding operations on a hijacked vessel, subject matter exchanges where naval personnel shared expertise and best practices, and advanced tactical manoeuvres to improve operational coordination.
The Indian Navy’s INS Tarkash conducted a Maritime Partnership Exercise (MPX) with the Hellenic Navy’s flagship, HS Hydra, in the Western Indian Ocean Region. This exercise was designed to enhance interoperability and strengthen bilateral maritime cooperation between the two navies. Key activities during the MPX included cross-deck landings by integral helicopters of the two ships, anti-piracy drills such as simulated boarding operations on a hijacked vessel, subject matter exchanges where naval personnel shared expertise and best practices, and advanced tactical manoeuvres to improve operational coordination.
