COUNTRY REVIEWS

South Asia

Bangladesh
(OCTOBER 29-NOVEMBER 4)

• Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Khaleda Zia visits India; Bangladesh PM and Indian High Commissioner to Dhaka discussed the possibility of importing gas to Bangladesh from India

(NOVEMBER 5-11)

• Bangladesh- Meghalaya land border survey meeting held; Agriculture Minister of Bangladesh visits India; India completes its commitment of delivering a consignment of 290 double-decker buses; Indian Health and Family Welfare Minister visits Bangladesh; Pakistan's Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar visits Bangladesh; Sixth meeting of Bangladesh-Myanmar Joint Commission for economic cooperation held; PM visits Vietnam; Bangladesh joins ASEM

Sri Lanka
(OCTOBER 29-NOVEMBER 4)

• Sri Lanka makes its presentation at the UPR; Sri Lanka’s total outstanding Government debt stood at SLR 6161 bn at the end of July 2012; Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs of Oman, Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah made an official visit to Sri Lanka; External affairs of Sri Lanka and India met on the sideline of the 12th meeting of the Council of Ministers of Member States of IOR-ARC; Sri Lanka hands over its largest passenger craft 'Jetliner' to Indonesia

(NOVEMBER 5-11)

• Preparation on for 19th amendment to replace 13th amendment; Gotabaya Rajapaksa meets Chinese Defence Minister General Liang Guanglie, President Rajapaksa congratulates US President Obama

Maldives
(OCTOBER 29-NOVEMBER 4)

• President Waheed briefs Indian PM about the adverse weather conditions experienced in Maldives; President sends sympathy message to the US president following the devastation caused by the hurricane

(NOVEMBER 5-11)

• President congratulates Obama; Agreement between the State Trading Organisation and EXIM Bank of Thailand signed; Greenpeace International to monitor illegal fishing in Maldives EEZ.

East Asia

China
(OCTOBER 29-NOVEMBER 4)

• Beijing prepares the report for the CPC National Congress; Beijing approves of Libyan cabinet line-up; China looks forward to stable and smooth ties with US after presidential elections; China tests second stealth fighter; PLAN completes military exercise in Pacific; China-Cambodia call for better ties

Japan
(OCTOBER 29-NOVEMBER 4)

• The third trilateral talks among India, the US and Japan held in New Delhi; Japan- South Korea dialogue insist on improving bilateral relationship

(NOVEMBER 5-11)

• Japan and North Korea are to hold bilateral official talks next week in Ulan Bator; Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda reiterates Japan’s desire to resolve the bilateral territorial disputes according to the international law

South Korea
(NOVEMBER 5-11)

• South Korea and Thailand to upgrade their bilateral ties to ‘strategic partnership’; South Korea pledges to double its ODA fund by 2015

Central Asia & Russia

Central Asia
(NOVEMBER 5-11)

• Uzbekistan has received close to US$ 2 billion foreign investment so far in the year 2012; Islamic Development Bank to provide a US$ 100 million loan to Uzbekistan for upgrading and capacity building of two hydropower stations; United States to build two border posts in Tajikistan; Tajikistan has received U$ 38 million grant from the World Bank in order to support its budget; French energy firm Total buys 75% of two Kazakh exploration blocks

Russia
(NOVEMBER 5-11)

• Russia and the League of Arab States have agreed to establish a cooperation forum at Foreign Minister’s Level; Russia and Vietnam have decided to deepen their energy cooperation; Poland has struck a deal with Gazprom on gas price reduction; Russia to never support the call for Assad to step down; Russia to contribute US$ 150,000 to Asia-Europe Meeting fund annually; Vikramaditya to be handed over to India by the middle of next year; Russia’s capital outflow in October 2012 stood at US$ 5 billion; Japan interested in construction of direct gas pipeline between Sakhalin, and Ibaraki prefecture

West Asia

Bahrain
(OCTOBER 29-NOVEMBER 4)

• Two people killed in serial blasts in Bahrain

DEFENCE REVIEW

National
(OCTOBER 29-NOVEMBER 4)

• India, US to hold joint military exercise in the United States in 2013; Bangladesh Naval Ship Bangabandhu visits Southern Naval Command

(NOVEMBER 5-11)

• Indian Navy commissions stealth frigate INS Tarkash; AK Antony inaugurates Defcom India-2012

International

(OCTOBER 29-NOVEMBER 4)

• Drone controversy sparks off between Israel and Iran; United States closely monitoring Iranian warships’ Sudan visit

(NOVEMBER 5-11)

• Japan urges China to act peacefully and responsibly amid growing Chinese maritime ambitions; Taiwan plans to buy two warships from the U.S. as part of an effort to modernize its naval force

INTERNAL SECURITY REVIEW

Jammu & Kashmir
(OCTOBER 29-NOVEMBER 4)

• Blasphemous picture on social networking site triggers protests; Youths of Kashmir valley joined militant ranks in 2012; Combing operation launched by Army in Uri, North Kashmir; Shootout at Silver Star Hotel, Srinagar carried out by LeT

(NOVEMBER 5-11)

• Chief Minister Omar Abdullah ruled out any possibility of extending the 73rd amendment of Indian Constitution to J&K; Durbar opens in winter capital amid protests; Panchayat representatives continue to resign; Defence Minister A.K. Antony said no hasty decision to be taken on AFSPA; Election Commission (EC) issues notification; Militants killed in Keran, North Kashmir; Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to convene high-level meet

North East India
(OCTOBER 29-NOVEMBER 4)

• Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) extends support to check North-East ultras; Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP) militant of Manipur arrested in New Delhi

(NOVEMBER 5-11)

• World Bank to give assistance for road projects in Assam; Irom Sharmila completes twelve years of fast against the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA); Large turnout in Sikkim Panchayat polls; ASEAN-India car rally to be flagged off by Assam Chief Minister; Mizoram border panel to submit interim report

Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) News
(NOVEMBER 5-11)

• Indian Delegation to participate in Interpol meeting

UNITED NATIONS (UN) REVIEW

(OCTOBER 29-NOVEMBER 4)

• India assumes presidency in UN Security Council; India calls for UNSC reforms; UNSC calls for prominent role of women in peace process; Mandate of international mission in Somalia extended; UN Secretary-General expresses disappointment over Syrian violence

(NOVEMBER 5-11)

• Security Council imposes sanctions on Haqqani network; UNSC commends achievements made by Timor-Leste; UN condemns Bahrain bombings; India’s IFFCO at 95th position for turnover in global list of co-operatives