DPG Indo-Pacific Monitor
Indo-Pacific Monitor
Authors Commodore Lalit Kapur (Retd.)
Date: February 28, 2025
Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman presented India’s Union Budget for 2025-26 on February 01. The budget estimates the GDP for the current year as ₹ 356,97,923 crores (about $ 4.11 trillion), total government spending of ₹ 5065345.04 crores (about $ 583.5 billion), and a defence budget of ₹ 681210.27 crores (about $ 78.5 billion).
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited France from February 10-12, to co-chair the Third Artificial Intelligence Action Summit and review bilateral relations. He followed up with a consequential visit to the US on February 13, becoming the fourth foreign leader to meet President Donald Trump after his inauguration and formulating the blueprint for the near-and medium-term future of the India-US relationship.
The Amir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani visited India on February 17-18, elevating the bilateral relationship to a strategic partnership and advancing bilateral economic cooperation between the two countries.
Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba visited Washington D.C. on February 07 for a summit meeting with US President Donald Trump, offering to increase Japan’s investment stock in the US to over $ 1 trillion and supporting the ‘Make in America’ agenda.
Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles met US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon on February 07, obtaining reconfirmation of US support for AUKUS. USS Minnesota arrived at HMAS Stirling for a port visit on February 25, confirming AUKUS remains on track.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese launched the new Roadmap for Australia’s Economic Engagement with India on February 26. The roadmap identifies clean energy, education and skills, agribusiness and tourism, as key sectors of significant potential.
China continued its provocative brinkmanship in the South China Sea during the month, dropping flares in close proximity of an Australian Maritime Patrol Aircraft on February 11, followed by a PLA(N) helicopter flying with 10 feet of a Philippines reconnaissance aircraft in the region. Later, PLA (N) warships conducted live firing exercises in the Tasman Sea without advance notice on February 21 and 22, contravening international norms. China was reported to have sent two additional warships to Ream Naval Base in Cambodia on February 18.
Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs established the country’s baseline to measure the breadth of its territorial waters and EEZ in the Gulf of Tonkin on February 21.
The Philippines and New Zealand completed negotiations for a Status of Visiting Forces Agreement on February 18. The expectation is that the agreement will be signed later in the year.
An Indian contingent of 120 personnel departed for Japan on February 23 to participate in Exercise Dharma Guardian which runs from February 24 – March 09, 2025.
Two USN ships transited the Taiwan Strait from February 10-12, marking the first Taiwan Strait transits under the Trump administration. On February 16, HMCS Ottawa became the first allied warship to transit the Taiwan Strait under the Trump administration.
INS Tushil, on her maiden voyage back to India, arrived at her home port of Karwar on February 15 after calls at Durban and Seychelles during the month.
These and other developments are covered in this Indo-Pacific Monitor Vol. VI, Issue 2. To read about them, please see the PDF attached.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited France from February 10-12, to co-chair the Third Artificial Intelligence Action Summit and review bilateral relations. He followed up with a consequential visit to the US on February 13, becoming the fourth foreign leader to meet President Donald Trump after his inauguration and formulating the blueprint for the near-and medium-term future of the India-US relationship.
The Amir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani visited India on February 17-18, elevating the bilateral relationship to a strategic partnership and advancing bilateral economic cooperation between the two countries.
Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba visited Washington D.C. on February 07 for a summit meeting with US President Donald Trump, offering to increase Japan’s investment stock in the US to over $ 1 trillion and supporting the ‘Make in America’ agenda.
Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles met US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon on February 07, obtaining reconfirmation of US support for AUKUS. USS Minnesota arrived at HMAS Stirling for a port visit on February 25, confirming AUKUS remains on track.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese launched the new Roadmap for Australia’s Economic Engagement with India on February 26. The roadmap identifies clean energy, education and skills, agribusiness and tourism, as key sectors of significant potential.
China continued its provocative brinkmanship in the South China Sea during the month, dropping flares in close proximity of an Australian Maritime Patrol Aircraft on February 11, followed by a PLA(N) helicopter flying with 10 feet of a Philippines reconnaissance aircraft in the region. Later, PLA (N) warships conducted live firing exercises in the Tasman Sea without advance notice on February 21 and 22, contravening international norms. China was reported to have sent two additional warships to Ream Naval Base in Cambodia on February 18.
Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs established the country’s baseline to measure the breadth of its territorial waters and EEZ in the Gulf of Tonkin on February 21.
The Philippines and New Zealand completed negotiations for a Status of Visiting Forces Agreement on February 18. The expectation is that the agreement will be signed later in the year.
An Indian contingent of 120 personnel departed for Japan on February 23 to participate in Exercise Dharma Guardian which runs from February 24 – March 09, 2025.
Two USN ships transited the Taiwan Strait from February 10-12, marking the first Taiwan Strait transits under the Trump administration. On February 16, HMCS Ottawa became the first allied warship to transit the Taiwan Strait under the Trump administration.
INS Tushil, on her maiden voyage back to India, arrived at her home port of Karwar on February 15 after calls at Durban and Seychelles during the month.
These and other developments are covered in this Indo-Pacific Monitor Vol. VI, Issue 2. To read about them, please see the PDF attached.
