India's influence over the Indian Ocean has been downplayed by successive governments despite being referred to as its "traditional sphere of influence" by Western nations. This shift began a decade before China claimed ownership of the South China Sea, which has sparked protests from neighboring countries. India can now look to strengthen bilateral defense cooperation with regional leaders, particularly after recent state visits, to secure shared waters and counterbalance the presence of non-regional powers like China. With strategic partnerships in place with the US and France, as well as its own naval and air presence in the Andaman and Lakshadweep Island groups, India can potentially set a trap for any adversarial power threatening its security from the sea and challenge its geo-strategic supremacy in the region.
https://www.firstpost.com/opinion/reconverting-the-ior-pond-into-indias-traditional-sphere-of-influence-13852073.htmlCBI director Praveen Sood has stated that the newly introduced Interpol 'Silver Notice' is a more effective tool than Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties (MLATs) for gathering information on illicit assets parked offshore. The Silver Notice, which was proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015 and has now taken shape, aims to locate illicit assets laundered across borders. It is the newest addition to Interpol's suite of eight colour-coded Notices and Diffusions, enabling countries to share alerts and requests for information worldwide. India has MLATs with 45 countries, but Sood believes that the Silver Notice has a higher degree of emphasis and sanctity than MLATs, making it more acceptable to member countries. The Interpol mechanism allows States and central agencies to use the Bharatpol system to send their requests for information through the CBI, which is designated as the National Central Bureau of India for all matters pertaining to the global organisation. A pilot phase of the Silver Notice involving 52 countries and territories was launched on Friday and will run until November 2025.
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/silver-notice-more-effective-than-mlats-for-info-on-offshore-illicit-wealth-cbi-director/article69092471.eceIndia and Nepal held an Inter-Governmental Committee (IGC) meeting on January 10-11, where India agreed to send 2,00,000 MT of wheat to Nepal. The meeting was held in Kathmandu, Nepal, and was facilitated by the Indian Embassy in Nepal. This move is a continuation of India's support for ensuring the supply of essential commodities to Nepal.
https://www.lokmattimes.com/international/india-holds-inter-governmental-committee-meet-with-nepal-to-send-200000-mt-wheat/Indonesia has officially become a full member of the influential economic group BRICS, which consists of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. This historic moment in Indonesia's economic diplomacy was announced by Brazil, which currently holds the BRICS presidency. Indonesia's entry into BRICS marks a significant milestone for the country, following its acceptance as a member by consensus among all BRICS members in 2023. The move is seen as mutually beneficial, with Sugiono emphasizing that it will ensure the interests of developing countries and the Indo-Pacific region remain intact.
https://en.tempo.co/read/1962929/foreign-minister-reveals-why-indonesia-is-a-full-member-of-bricsJapanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba concluded a four-day visit to Malaysia and Indonesia on Saturday, aiming to strengthen ties with Southeast Asia as China's influence in the region grows. During his trip, Ishiba met with Malaysian leader Anwar Ibrahim and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, agreeing to deepen cooperation in areas such as economic investment, energy, and security. The visits were seen as strategic moves by Ishiba, particularly targeting Malaysia as chair of ASEAN this year and Indonesia as the region's largest economy.
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/01/12/japan/politics/ishiba-visit-southeast-asia/Indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas are taking place in Qatar, with the goal of securing a ceasefire and releasing Palestinian hostages held in the Gaza Strip. The talks involve exchanging these hostages for Palestinian prisoners being held by Israel.
https://www.fakti.bg/en/world/940928-four-israeli-soldiers-killed-in-fighting-in-the-northern-gaza-stripJapanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya plans to attend Donald Trump's inauguration as US president, aiming to maintain close ties between Japan and its security ally. This move is part of Tokyo's efforts to build a relationship of trust with the new administration, led by Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.
External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar will represent India at the swearing-in ceremony of President-elect Donald J. Trump in Washington DC, on the invitation of the Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee. During his visit, he will conduct meetings with incoming US administration representatives and hold talks with other foreign dignitaries attending the event. This marks an opportunity for India to strengthen bilateral ties with the United States under the new Trump administration.
https://www.firstpost.com/world/jaishankar-will-be-representing-india-at-the-trump-inauguration-ceremony-mea-13852013.htmlExternal Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is set to embark on a two-day visit to Spain starting January 13, where he will review the overall trajectory of bilateral relations with Spanish leaders, including a meeting with his counterpart Manuel Albares. This visit comes nearly two-and-a-half months after Spanish President Pedro Sanchez visited India.
https://www.news18.com/india/eam-jaishankar-to-embark-on-2-day-visit-to-spain-on-january-13-9186450.html