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Jaishankar on Saturday said he is confident that the relevance of the Quad grouping would grow and it would become a bigger factor in the larger regional, and beyond the region, politics and policy. Jaishankar's remarks came during a fireside chat with his Australian counterpart Penny Wong at the Indian Ocean Conference. Jaishankar is here to attend the two-day conference. Speaking about the Quad or Quadrilateral Security Dialogue comprising India, the US, Japan and Australia, Jaishankar said the grouping is the outcome of the changing capabilities of the major powers and the implications that it has for all of the world.

India, France to strengthen defence ties On the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and France, Chinese President Xi offered to "break new ground" to give a fillip to bilateral ties between the two countries. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said they have offered to step up French imports to the country.

cargo shipped along the Northern Sea Route (NSR) in 2023 totaled 36.254 million tons which is more than 250 thousand tons above the target set in the “Development of the Northern Sea Route” federal project being implemented under Russia's nuclear major Rosatom. Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev said that the cargo shipping record was set even before the end of the year thanks to partner companies that had found an opportunity to redirect their cargo from west to east, including first of all PAO NOVATEK, LNG accounts for more than half of the cargo, as well as Gazprom Neft, LUKOIL, PJSC MMC Nornickel. «In 2023, we saw intensified transit traffic, 2 million 129 thousand tons of cargo were shipped, which makes it a historical peak. “Transit cargo shipping evidences the NSR popularity, therefore its intensification from the maritime logistics point of view is the most important result,” noted Vladimir Panov, Rosatom Special Representative for the Arctic development. It is also worth noting the growing interest of foreign shipping companies in the Northern Sea Route including from India. In addition, there were 3 round regular domestic voyages along the Northern Sea Route from the northwestern part of Russia to the regions of the Far East in 2023. The Northern Sea Route (NSR) is the shortest shipping route connecting the western part of Eurasia and the Indo-Pacific region. The goal of the “Development of the Northern Sea Route” project is to create infrastructure to facilitate the increase in cargo shipping as well as in the total capacity of seaports.

Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit where both leaders reviewed relations between the two countries and held discussions on various sectors. A joint statement after the meeting said India and the Czech Republic are committed to deeper engagement within the Indo-Pacific region based on an open, free, inclusive and rules-based approach with respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.

defence synergy and trade links in 2024 and remain steadfast in securing a free and open Indo-Pacific region. In a statement issued on Thursday, Mukesh Aghi, the President and CEO of the US-India Partnership Forum (USISPF) also said that as the world moves into 2024, now the fastest-growing major economy and the most populous nation in the world has a «bolder vision.

INS Imphal" was commissioned into the India Navy. "It epitomises our naval excellence and engineering prowess. Compliments to everyone involved in this milestone for Aatmanirbharta.

India has invited French President Emmanuel Macron to be the chief guest at the country’s national day celebrations next month

The aim was to strengthen efforts, including information sharing, to counter extremism in the Indo-Pacific region. As part of the Quad Counterterrorism Working Group’s efforts, this multi-day event included presentations and a tabletop exercise focused on enhancing Quad cooperation in response to an overwhelming terrorist incident in the Indo-Pacific region, according to a US State Department statement. Discussions included exchanging information on ever-evolving terrorism threats, further developing regional coordination mechanisms, and countering terrorist use of emerging technologies. Participants explored what capabilities and support the Quad could offer, and how the Quad might coordinate in order to support the existing capacities of Indo-Pacific countries. Gregory LoGerfo, acting principal deputy coordinator for counterterrorism, led the US interagency delegation. The Quad convenes four like-minded regional partners—the US, Australia, India and Japan—to make tangible progress on pressing challenges within the region and support a free and open Indo-Pacific that is inclusive and resilient, the statement affirmed. During their meeting in September, the Quad foreign ministers held detailed discussion on counter-terror partnership. “We also discussed the recent Quad Counterterrorism Working Group’s Consequence Management Exercise, which explored the capabilities and support Quad countries could offer regional partners in response to a terrorist attack and look forward to the upcoming Quad Counterterrorism Working Group meeting and tabletop exercise in Honolulu, Hawaii in December, which will focus on countering the use of emerging technologies for terrorist purposes,” the Quad foreign minister’s statement

Japan said on Friday it would prepare to ship Patriot air defence missiles to the United States after revising its arms export guidelines earlier that day, in the pacifist nation's first major overhaul of such export curbs in nine years. The announcement comes as Japan, which had long adopted a stance of not allowing exports of deadly weapons, seeks to boost its defence industry amid an increasingly tense security environment in the Indo-Pacific. «This holds significant meaning in terms of further strengthening the Japan-U.S. alliance.

The defense ministers of Japan, Britain and Italy have signed an agreement to establish a joint organization to develop a new advanced jet fighter, as the countries push to strengthen their cooperation in the face of growing threats from China, Russia ...

Asia and Russian leadership and erstwhile Soviet leadership have long sought to play a greater role in the Asia-Pacific (or what India terms as the Indo-Pacific region). This role is gaining further momentum following rupture in ties with the West in the aftermath of the Ukraine conflict.

India and Australia have affirmed their commitment to strengthening both economic and security ties, stressing on a joint dedication to a “free, open, inclusive, and rules-based” Indo-Pacific region. At the end of the India-Australia Foreign Ministers’ Framework Dialogue, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar highlighted preparations for a forthcoming meeting of the Quad grouping, consisting of Australia, India, Japan, and the US. Both sides during discussions underscored the importance of advancing the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) negotiations. The ministers also explored pathways for increased mobility among students and professionals, reflecting a shared commitment to fostering trusted and resilient supply chains in the Indo-Pacific.

defence cooperation and deepen the strategic partnership in sectors such as critical minerals and trade and investment. Defence minister Rajnath Singh and external affairs minister S. Jaishankar met Australian deputy prime minister and defence minister Richard Marles and foreign minister Penny Wong in New Delhi as part of the second India-Australia 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue. Understandably, the situation in the Indo-Pacific region amid China’s military ambitions figured in the Dialogue. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, external affairs ministry spokesman Arindam Bagchi said, «Ministers will exchange views on deepening multifaceted India-Australia ties, including in areas of defence and security, trade & investment, critical minerals, energy, climate change, S&T, space, education and people to people linkages.

India and Australia are expected to hold their 2 + 2 (Foreign & Defence Minister) Ministerial here on Monday eyeing to expand the strategic partnership even as the Australian PM sought to improve Canberra’s ties with China during his recent visit to Beijing. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Defence Minister Richard Marles would engage with their Indian counterparts S Jaishankar and Rajnath Singh respectively threadbare on the situation in the Pacific region and SE Asia where China has upped the ante. India has been closely following efforts by Australia to improve its ties with China after a downturn in relations over the past few years, ET has learnt.

Indian Navy is playing a key role in supporting a free, open, rule-based and inclusive Indo-Pacific region where no country gets excluded, chief of the Indian Navy Admiral R Hari Kumar said on Saturday. The Navy will remain persistent and patient in its efforts while ensuring a regular presence in the wider Indo-Pacific region, Kumar added. Addressing a session on 'Indo-Pacific Challenges and Way Ahead' at the Synergia Conclave, Kumar said the Indian Navy acts as a uniting force for bringing friends together to exchange views and address the common concerns for holistic maritime security.

President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to agree to restore some military-to-military communications between their armed forces

India, the US and 12 other members of the IPEF grouping have signed a supply chain resilience agreement that would provide benefits like potential shifting of production centres in critical sectors and mitigating risks of economic disruptions from supply chain shocks. The agreement was signed in San Francisco, where Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal is attending the ministerial meeting of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework For Prosperity (IPEF).

Mukesh Aghi, CEO of the US-India Strategic and Partnership Forum (USISPF) told PTI that it is important that communication starts between the US and China, the two largest global economies. The much-anticipated summit between Biden and Xi will take place on Wednesday on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, which the US is hosting in San Francisco from November 11 to 17. “I think the summit is important both from President Biden's perspective and also President Xi's perspective. China is struggling with its economy.

India and the United States pledged to strengthen their strategic alliance by enhancing defence and security collaborations and expanding cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region in response to China's growing military assertiveness on Friday. Additionally, they unveiled intentions to collaborate on the joint production of an armoured infantry vehicle.

Indo-Pacific region. 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. The fact sheet said the 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue between the US Secretaries of State and Defence and their Indian counterparts is the premier recurring dialogue mechanism between the United States and India. «Through the 2+2 mechanism, US and Indian officials advance a wide range of initiatives across the breadth of the United States-India partnership,» it said. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday arrived in New Delhi to co-chair the 5th India-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Official Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said Blinken's visit will give further boost to India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership. «A warm welcome to U.S.

NEW DELHI/WASHINGTON : US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will hold talks with India this week that officials say will focus on security challenges in the Indo-Pacific and concerns over China, rather than the wars in Gaza and Ukraine. The talks in New Delhi on Friday with India's foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and defence minister Rajnath Singh are part of the so-called "2 2 Dialogue", launched in 2018 to boost defence cooperation and align policy objectives in the Indo-Pacific region.