DPG Indo-Pacific Monitor
Indo-Pacific Monitor
Authors Commodore Lalit Kapur (Retd.)
Date: December 31, 2024
South Korea plunged into political crisis following a short lived declaration of martial law on December 3, followed by the impeachments of President Yoon Suk-yeol on December 14 and of acting President Han Duck-soo on December 27. Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok took over as the Acting President.
The US National Defense Authorisation Act 2025 was signed into law on December 23. The Act allocates about $ 870 billion for the Department of Defense, including $ 167.85 billion for procurement and $ 295 billion for operations.
Sri Lanka’s President Anura Kumara Dissanayaka made his first visit abroad to India from December 15-17. The visit resulted in a positive reset in bilateral relations and several measures to enhance the India-Sri Lanka partnership.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid an official visit to Kuwait from December 21-22. Kuwait became India’s 37th strategic partner, and the fifth in the Gulf Region.
The fourth India-UAE Strategic Dialogue was held on December 12. The two sides discussed expansion of bilateral relations in defence, emerging technologies, nuclear energy, critical minerals and renewable energy, among other areas.
India-China relations saw initial steps towards normalisation following the 23rd meeting of the Special Representatives on the Boundary Issue on December 18.
Australia-China trade relations were fully normalised on December 20, ending all bans imposed by China on Australia’s exports in 2020.
Cambodia’s former Prime Minister Hun Sen said on December 20 that Japan would be granted visiting rights to Ream Naval Base. A USN warship made its first visit to a Cambodian port since 2016 on December 16, signalling a thaw in Cambodia-US relations.
The first Coast Guard training exercise among Quad countries will reportedly be held in January 2025.
On December 12, a Royal Australian Navy submariner became the first officer to be fully qualified by the USN to hold watch on a Virginia-class nuclear submarine. More than 100 Australian submariners are undergoing nuclear submarine training under the AUKUS Agreement.
The Australian Defence and Foreign Ministers met their British counterparts in London on December 16. The ministers recognised the inseparable nature of security and prosperity in the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions and took steps to enhance their bilateral relationship, including under AUKUS.
The Australia-Papua New Guinea bilateral security agreement entered into force on December 12. Australia also announced a package of support to grow the size and capability of the Solomon Islands Police Force on December 20.
Japan will provide Official Security Assistance (OSA) amounting to $ 10.6 million for procurement of small boats and radars for the Philippines Navy and Air Force. Separately, Japan announced OSA assistance of $ 7 million for coastal radars and associated infrastructure for Djibouti on December 25.
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INS Tushil, the seventh Talwar-class frigate, was commissioned at the Yantar Shipyard in Kaliningrad on December 09. INS Nirdeshak, the second large survey vessel, was commissioned at Visakhapatnam on December 18. Mazagon Docks Limited delivered INS Surat and INS Nilgiri, respectively the fourth Vishakhapatnam-class destroyer and the first Nilgiri-class frigate, to the Indian Navy on December 20. The two ships will be commissioned in early 2025.
These and other developments are covered in this Indo-Pacific Monitor Vol. V, Issue 12. To read about them, please see the PDF attached.
The US National Defense Authorisation Act 2025 was signed into law on December 23. The Act allocates about $ 870 billion for the Department of Defense, including $ 167.85 billion for procurement and $ 295 billion for operations.
Sri Lanka’s President Anura Kumara Dissanayaka made his first visit abroad to India from December 15-17. The visit resulted in a positive reset in bilateral relations and several measures to enhance the India-Sri Lanka partnership.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid an official visit to Kuwait from December 21-22. Kuwait became India’s 37th strategic partner, and the fifth in the Gulf Region.
The fourth India-UAE Strategic Dialogue was held on December 12. The two sides discussed expansion of bilateral relations in defence, emerging technologies, nuclear energy, critical minerals and renewable energy, among other areas.
India-China relations saw initial steps towards normalisation following the 23rd meeting of the Special Representatives on the Boundary Issue on December 18.
Australia-China trade relations were fully normalised on December 20, ending all bans imposed by China on Australia’s exports in 2020.
Cambodia’s former Prime Minister Hun Sen said on December 20 that Japan would be granted visiting rights to Ream Naval Base. A USN warship made its first visit to a Cambodian port since 2016 on December 16, signalling a thaw in Cambodia-US relations.
The first Coast Guard training exercise among Quad countries will reportedly be held in January 2025.
On December 12, a Royal Australian Navy submariner became the first officer to be fully qualified by the USN to hold watch on a Virginia-class nuclear submarine. More than 100 Australian submariners are undergoing nuclear submarine training under the AUKUS Agreement.
The Australian Defence and Foreign Ministers met their British counterparts in London on December 16. The ministers recognised the inseparable nature of security and prosperity in the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions and took steps to enhance their bilateral relationship, including under AUKUS.
The Australia-Papua New Guinea bilateral security agreement entered into force on December 12. Australia also announced a package of support to grow the size and capability of the Solomon Islands Police Force on December 20.
Japan will provide Official Security Assistance (OSA) amounting to $ 10.6 million for procurement of small boats and radars for the Philippines Navy and Air Force. Separately, Japan announced OSA assistance of $ 7 million for coastal radars and associated infrastructure for Djibouti on December 25.
.
INS Tushil, the seventh Talwar-class frigate, was commissioned at the Yantar Shipyard in Kaliningrad on December 09. INS Nirdeshak, the second large survey vessel, was commissioned at Visakhapatnam on December 18. Mazagon Docks Limited delivered INS Surat and INS Nilgiri, respectively the fourth Vishakhapatnam-class destroyer and the first Nilgiri-class frigate, to the Indian Navy on December 20. The two ships will be commissioned in early 2025.
These and other developments are covered in this Indo-Pacific Monitor Vol. V, Issue 12. To read about them, please see the PDF attached.
