Page 4 - Indo-pacific

India, US, 12 other IPEF members conclude talks on fair economy agreements

After signing the supply chain resilience pact, India, the US, and 12 other members of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) have announced the conclusion of negotiations on fair and clean economy agreements. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal was here for the IPEF ministerial meeting. According to a joint statement from IPEF partner nations, the member countries will now undertake the necessary steps, including further domestic consultations and a legal review, to prepare the final texts of the agreements. Once finalised, the proposed agreements will be subject to IPEF partners' domestic processes for signature, followed by ratification, acceptance, or approval. "Today, the 14 IPEF partners announced the substantial conclusion of the negotiations of the IPEF Clean Economy Agreement, the IPEF Fair Economy Agreement, and the Agreement on the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity at the IPEF Ministerial Meeting in San Francisco, California," the

Cambodia inaugurates new Chinese-funded airport serving Angkor Wat

Cambodia on Thursday inaugurated its newest and biggest airport, a Chinese-financed project meant to serve as an upgraded gateway to the country's major tourist attraction, the centuries-old Angkor Wat temple complex in the northwestern province of Siem Reap. The Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport is located on 700 hectares (1,730 acres) of land about 40 kilometers (25 miles) east of Angkor Wat and boasts a 3,600-metre long runway. It can handle 7 million passengers a year, with plans to augment it to handle 12 million passengers annually from 2040. The airport began operations October 16, with the first flight to land coming from neighbouring Thailand. The old airport it replaces was about 5 kilometres from the famous tourist site. Thursday's inauguration was presided over by Prime Minister Hun Manet, Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wentian, the governor of China's Yunnan province, Wang Yubo, and other officials. Speaking at the ceremony, Hun Manet said the old airport was

APEC Summit: Biden seeks to assert US' grip on Pacific amid global turmoil

President Joe Biden is looking to use this week's summit of Asia-Pacific leaders to show world leaders the United States has the gumption, attention span and money to focus on the region even as it grapples with a multitude of foreign and domestic policy crises. Biden's highly anticipated meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday is the main event of his four-day visit to San Francisco, where leaders from the 21 economies that make up the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum are gathering for their annual summit. The talks with Xi are of enormous importance as the leaders of the world's two biggest economies try to find a measure of stability after what's been a difficult year for U.S.-China relations. But the White House also wants to demonstrate to APEC's leaders that Biden can remain focused on the Pacific while also trying to keep the Israel-Hamas war from exploding into a broader regional conflict and to persuade Republican lawmakers to continue to spend .

Rajnath Singh discusses defence ties, Indo-Pacific with UK counterpart

Singh also congratulated Shapps on his appointment as the Secretary of State for Defence

We support India's emergence as global power, vital for stability: US

The country said the US-India relationship is one of the most strategic and consequential of the 21st century, as per a fact sheet released by the US State Department

India likely to close discussions on 2 more IPEF pillars in US next week

According to government officials, the process for domestic approval for signing the supply chain resilience agreement is underway

Italy, EU's interest in Indo-Pacific is stabilising factor: Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday welcomed Italy's and the European Union's "greater interest" in the Indo-Pacific region, terming it as a "stabilising factor" and underlining that in a globalised world, it is important for all to take an interest in every corner of the world. Addressing the Joint Session of the Senate's External Affairs and Defence Commission here, Jaishankar talked about how India sees the world today. "We see, very frankly, very difficult times ahead, very turbulent times ahead," said Jaishankar, who is here on a two-day official visit to Italy, his fourth as Foreign Minister to Italy in the last four and a half years. He said India was watching with increasing concern the evolving situation in the Middle East. "Obviously, all of us will have an interest in ensuring that there is no escalation. But it is definitely an issue of concern," Jaishankar said. In his address, Jaishankar also welcomed the greater interest shown by Italy and the European .

Russia-Ukraine war showed we can't rely on defence imports: Army chief

General Manoj Pande also said that India is putting significant focus on leveraging the infusion of modern technology in the Army

No decision yet on India joining trade pillar of IPEF, says official

The government has not yet taken any decision on the issue of India joining the trade pillar of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), a 14-member grouping, a senior official said. The IPEF was launched jointly by the US and other partner countries of the Indo-Pacific region on May 23 in Tokyo. The 14 IPEF partners represent 40 per cent of global GDP and 28 per cent of global goods and services trade. The framework is structured around four pillars relating to trade, supply chains, clean economy, and fair economy (issues like tax and anti-corruption). India has joined the three pillars except the trade part. The member countries are holding negotiations to sign separate agreements on these subjects. Talks are already concluded on the supply chain resilience and the process for domestic approval in India for this agreement is underway. The member nations are holding talks on clean economy, and fair economy pillars under the sixth negotiating round, which is undergoing in Kuala

Pentagon releases footage of 180 aircraft intercepts by Chinese planes

The Pentagon has released footage of some of the more than 180 intercepts of US warplanes by Chinese aircraft that have occurred in the last two years more than the total amount over the previous decade and part of a trend US military officials called concerning. The photos and video were released in advance of a soon-to-be issued annual report by the Pentagon on the China's military power and the security threats it may pose to partners in the Indo-Pacific. The Pentagon has tried for years to posture itself to be ready for a potential conflict with China over Taiwan even as it now finds itself supporting allies in two hot wars, Ukraine in Europe and Israel in the Middle East. Admiral John Acquilino, head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, said at a Pentagon press briefing Tuesday that despite the US surging carrier strike groups and amphibious ships to support Israel, and now almost 20 months of war in Ukraine, I haven't had one piece of equipment or force structure depart" his command

Cooperation in Indo-Pacific in interests of India and Vietnam: Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday said that the cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region is in the shared interests of India and Vietnam as he underlined the significance of ASEAN centrality and highlighted the contribution of the Quad grouping. Jaishankar, who arrived in Vietnam on Sunday on a four-day official visit, made the remarks during his address to the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam on India in the Indo-Pacific. "Discussed why cooperating in the Indo-Pacific construct is in our shared interests. Underlined the significance of ASEAN centrality and highlighted the contribution of the Quad, the minister said in a post on platform X. Brought out how India and Vietnam, with their independent mindset, can promote a multipolar and rules-based global order, he added. The US, India, Japan and Australia compose the Quad, a four-way grouping. They have been stepping up cooperation in various fields such as defence and energy amid China's increasing military and economic .

Bengal CoC launches Indo-Pacific Chamber of Commerce with MEA in Kolkata

The conclave was organized in Kolkata considering the strategic position of the city, a press release from the Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry read

Rajnath calls for collective efforts to address Indo-Pacific complexities

Rajnath Singh postulated that Indo-Pacific is no longer a maritime construct, but a full-fledged geo-strategic construct that faces complex security challenges, including boundary disputes and piracy

PM Modi gave mantra for Indo-Pacific, says Defence Minister Rajnath Singh

In his address, Rajnath Singh highlighted that climate change-related concerns of small nations in the Indo-Pacific region should get due importance

India to host conclave of Army chiefs of Indo-Pacific to ensure peace

The Indian Army will host a two-day conference of Army chiefs of the Indo-Pacific nations next week with an aim to evolve a common strategy to ensure peace, prosperity and stability against the backdrop of growing global concerns over China's increasing military muscle-flexing in the region. Fifteen Army chiefs and delegations from 22 countries will attend the event to be held in Delhi on September 26 and 27, officials said. The US Army is co-hosting the conference. The Indo-Pacific Armies Chiefs' Conclave (IPACC) will deliberate on the role of military diplomacy in mitigating various crises, ways to enhance collaboration among the armed forces of the region and boosting interoperability. An exhibition of India's indigenously developed weapons, military systems and platforms is also being organised on the sidelines of the event. Alongside the 13th edition of the IPACC, the Indian Army is also hosting the 47th Indo Pacific Armies Management Seminar (IPAMS) and the Senior Enlisted ..

The Indo-Pacific power play

The US bolstering its alliances in the region to counter China puts India's strategic autonomy to the test

Modi, Biden stress on importance of Quad in supporting open Indo-Pacific

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden on Friday stressed the importance of the Quad grouping in supporting a free, open, inclusive, and resilient Indo-Pacific. A joint statement issued after bilateral talks between the two leaders also said the Prime Minister looked forward to welcoming the US President to the next Quad Leaders' Summit to be hosted by India in 2024. The Quad, comprising India, the US, Japan and Australia, has been focusing on practical cooperation to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific in the backdrop of China's increasing military muscle-flexing in the region. The joint statement was issued after comprehensive talks between Modi and Biden to further economic and people-to-people bilateral linkages with the Prime Minister asserting that the friendship between the two nations will continue to play a great role in furthering global good. This is President Biden's first visit to India as US President. The last US President to visit India was Donald

India believes code of conduct for S China Sea should be effective: PM Modi

In his remarks at the East Asia Summit on Thursday, the Prime Minister said that peace, security, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region is in the interest of all

India extending insights from its progress beyond its borders: US diplomat

India has come a long way from receiving US help to meet its food security needs to now becoming an exporter and is extending insights from its remarkable development progress to countries well beyond its borders, a top American diplomat has said. In her address to the US Indo-Pacific Command Chiefs of Defense (CHOD) Conference in Fiji on Wednesday, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Samantha Power said investments in one country can often yield benefits in other nations. She applauded India's efforts to help other countries. Investments we make in one country can often yield benefits in others. Take food security. In India, starting in the 1960s, we worked with scientists and local farmers to develop and distribute high-yield, resilient seeds. Over the next two decades, those seeds helped to increase rice production in India by 50 per cent and wheat production by 230 per cent, ending a cycle of recurring famine and helping kick off a Green ...

Digital trade issue continues to be a major cause for concern for India

Govt seeks clarity before joining trade pillar under IPEF