DPG Indo-Pacific Monitor
Indo-Pacific Monitor
In a significant development, the UK and Mauritius agreed to transfer sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius. The agreement announced on October 03 is subject to finalisation of a treaty and supporting legal instruments, which the two countries have committed to complete at the earliest. The UK will be authorised to exercise all rights of Mauritius over Diego Garcia as required to continue operation of the military base on that atoll for the next 99 years.
Shigeru Ishiba was sworn in as Japan’s 102nd Prime Minister on October 1. However, the snap elections he called saw the ruling LDP-Komeito coalition, which obtained only 215 seats, falling well short of the 233 required for a majority, likely ushering in a period of political instability. China challenged the new Ishiba administration by expelling a Japanese fishing vessel from the vicinity of the Senkaku Islands.
Prabowo Subianto was sworn in as Indonesia’s eighth President on October 20. China moved promptly to test his administration, with three intrusions by its Coast Guard vessels into Indonesia’s maritime zones in the Natuna Sea during the ensuing week.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Vientiane, Laos, to attend the 19th East Asia Summit and the 21st ASEAN-India Summit on October 10. He also visited Kazan, Russia, for the 16th BRICS Summit on October 22-24.
Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu visited India from October 6-10 to reset bilateral ties. A new Comprehensive Economic and Maritime Security Partnership Agreement was signed by the two countries.
External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar visited Colombo on October 04 to establish contacts with the new Dissanayake administration. He also attended the 23rd meeting of the Council of the Heads of Government of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation held in Islamabad on October 15-16.
France became Vietnam’s seventh comprehensive strategic partner on October 7, during the visit of Vietnamese President To Lam to France. The Philippines and South Korea elevated their relationship to a strategic partnership on October 7, during the State Visit of President Yoon Suk-Yeol to the Philippines.
Days after Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te delivered a strong National Day address, China’s Eastern Theatre Command launched Exercise Joint Sword 2024B on October 14, effectively the test of a complete blockade of Taiwan, as a warning to “separatist” forces.
Exercise Malabar returned to the Indian Ocean, with India hosting the exercise in the Bay of Bengal from October 08-18. Indian Naval ships also participated in Exercise IBSAMAR-2024 with the South African Navy from October 06-18, Exercise Naseem Al-Bahr with Oman’s Navy from October 13-18, and Exercise SIMBEX-2024 with the Singapore Navy from October 23-29.
North Korea carried out an ICBM test on October 31, with the missile estimated to have a range of over 18,000 Km, sufficient to cover all of the continental United States.
India’s Cabinet Committee on Security accorded approval for the indigenous construction of two nuclear attack submarines on October 09. The submarines are expected to enter service about a decade hence.
India’s Ministry of Defence concluded a contract for the supply of 31 Sea/Sky Guardian UAVs on October 15. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the C-295 tactical transport aircraft factory at Vadodara on October 28.
These and other developments are covered in this Indo-Pacific Monitor Vol. V, Issue 10. To read about them, please see the PDF attached.
