Indo-Pacific Monitor

Donald J. Trump was sworn in as the 47th President of the United States on January 20.  By the month’s end, he had issued more than 65 executive orders to implement his agenda in matters as diverse as withdrawing the US from the WHO and the Paris Accords, designating the Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation, and declaring national emergencies in on the Southern border and on Energy.
 
President Prabowo Subianto of Indonesia made a State Visit to India from January 23-26.  He was the Chief Guest at India’s Republic Day Parade. 

In his first overseas visit after becoming Prime Minister, Japan’s Shigeru Ishiba visited Malaysia and Indonesia from January 10-12.  

Sri Lanka’s President Anura Kumara Dissanayaka visited China from January 14-17, to commemorate the 68th anniversary of diplomatic ties.  

The 9th Quad Ministerial Meeting took place in Washington DC on January 21, hours after the swearing in of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.  The ministers reaffirmed their shared commitment to a Free and Open Indo-Pacific and looked forward to advancing the work of the Quad, as well as to preparing for the next Quad Leaders’ Summit to be hosted by India. 

External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar visited the UAE from January 27-29. He was the Chief Guest at the inaugural Raisina Middle East Conference.
 
The outgoing Biden administration’s National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan visited India on January 05-06.  He participated in a iCET meeting with his counterpart Ajit Doval and called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

Russia and Iran upgraded their relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership on January 19.  Japan and Laos upgraded their relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership on January 21. 
 
In a red-letter day for the Indian Navy, three frontline warships, IN ships Surat, Nilgiri and Vaghsheer, were commissioned at Mumbai on January 15. 

The DRDO successfully conducted the ground test of a scramjet engine on January 21. India’s Ministry of Defence signed a contract with Bharat Dynamics Limited on January 16 for the acquisition of Medium Range Surface to Air Missiles for the Indian Navy.
 
Multinational exercise La Perouse 2025, involving the participation of nine Indo-Pacific nations including India, took place in the approaches to the Malacca, Sunda and Lombok Straits from January 16-24.  In the South China Sea, the USS Carl Vinson CSG exercised with Philippine Navy ships on January 17-18. 

INS Tushil, on her maiden voyage back to India, called at Dakar (Senegal), Lagos (Nigeria) and Walvis Bay (Namibia) during the month.  She entered the Indian Ocean on January 29 and is expected to reach India by mid-February.