DPG Indo-Pacific Monitor
Indo-Pacific Monitor
Authors Commodore Lalit Kapur (Retd.)
Date: August 31, 2024
The month witnessed three major political upheavals in Indo-Pacific countries. In Bangladesh, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled the country following violent protests, leading to the installation of an interim regime led by Nobel Laureate Mohammed Yunus backed by the Bangladesh army. In Thailand, Paetongtarn Shinawatra was selected as the Prime Minister, replacing Srettha Thavisin who was dismissed by the country’s Constitutional Court. In Japan, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced that he will not run in elections for leadership of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party to be held in September, effectively announcing that he will be stepping down as Prime Minister.
Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh paid a State Visit to India from July 30-August 01, strengthening bilateral cooperation across the fields of political, defence and security, trade and investment, science and technology, and culture and people-to-people exchanges.
Malaysia’s Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim visited India on August 20, upgrading bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
The 34th AUSMIN (Foreign and Defence 2+2 Ministerial Meeting) was held in Washington D.C. on August 06, resulting in agreement on the substantial stepping up of the US military presence in Australia.
The third India-Japan 2+2 Ministerial Meeting took place on August 20, resulting in incremental progress in bilateral defence and security cooperation. The India-Japan Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation dating back to 2008 is to be updated to reflect contemporary realities.
India’s Defence Minister Shri Rajnath Singh visited the US from August 23-26, taking bilateral defence relations forward.
The Indonesian and Australian Defence Ministers paid reciprocal visits to each other’s country on August 19-20 and August 28-29, formalising a new treaty level Defence Cooperation Agreement between the two countries.
The three AUKUS partners moved decisively forward in developing Australia’s nuclear submarine capability by formalising a trilateral agreement for cooperation related to naval nuclear propulsion, implementing an exemption for export licensing for defence trade between them (including an exemption from ITAR provisions), and commencing a submarine tendered maintenance period for USS Hawaii at HMAS Stirling, with Australian personnel as part of the maintenance team.
Sabina Shoal, well within the Philippines’ EEZ, emerged as a new flashpoint in South China Sea tensions between China and the Philippines. China sought to enforce its claim to virtually the entire South China Sea and prevent the Philippines from resupplying its vessel in the Sabina Shoal. Aggressive action by China’s Coast Guard resulted in damage to Philippines Coast Guard vessels.
Warships from Italy and France exercised with US and Japanese ships in the Philippine Sea, marking an increased demonstration of the NATO presence in the Indo-Pacific. INS Arighat, India’s second SSBN, was commissioned at Visakhapatnam on August 29.
Houthi attacks on MT Delta Sounion at the mouth of the Red Sea left the tanker abandoned and in danger of sinking, threatening to result in her cargo of 150,000 tonnes of oil spilling and creating an environmental disaster in the region.
These and other developments are covered in this Indo-Pacific Monitor Vol. V, Issue 8. To read about them, please see the PDF attached.
Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh paid a State Visit to India from July 30-August 01, strengthening bilateral cooperation across the fields of political, defence and security, trade and investment, science and technology, and culture and people-to-people exchanges.
Malaysia’s Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim visited India on August 20, upgrading bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
The 34th AUSMIN (Foreign and Defence 2+2 Ministerial Meeting) was held in Washington D.C. on August 06, resulting in agreement on the substantial stepping up of the US military presence in Australia.
The third India-Japan 2+2 Ministerial Meeting took place on August 20, resulting in incremental progress in bilateral defence and security cooperation. The India-Japan Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation dating back to 2008 is to be updated to reflect contemporary realities.
India’s Defence Minister Shri Rajnath Singh visited the US from August 23-26, taking bilateral defence relations forward.
The Indonesian and Australian Defence Ministers paid reciprocal visits to each other’s country on August 19-20 and August 28-29, formalising a new treaty level Defence Cooperation Agreement between the two countries.
The three AUKUS partners moved decisively forward in developing Australia’s nuclear submarine capability by formalising a trilateral agreement for cooperation related to naval nuclear propulsion, implementing an exemption for export licensing for defence trade between them (including an exemption from ITAR provisions), and commencing a submarine tendered maintenance period for USS Hawaii at HMAS Stirling, with Australian personnel as part of the maintenance team.
Sabina Shoal, well within the Philippines’ EEZ, emerged as a new flashpoint in South China Sea tensions between China and the Philippines. China sought to enforce its claim to virtually the entire South China Sea and prevent the Philippines from resupplying its vessel in the Sabina Shoal. Aggressive action by China’s Coast Guard resulted in damage to Philippines Coast Guard vessels.
Warships from Italy and France exercised with US and Japanese ships in the Philippine Sea, marking an increased demonstration of the NATO presence in the Indo-Pacific. INS Arighat, India’s second SSBN, was commissioned at Visakhapatnam on August 29.
Houthi attacks on MT Delta Sounion at the mouth of the Red Sea left the tanker abandoned and in danger of sinking, threatening to result in her cargo of 150,000 tonnes of oil spilling and creating an environmental disaster in the region.
These and other developments are covered in this Indo-Pacific Monitor Vol. V, Issue 8. To read about them, please see the PDF attached.
