Author: Defenceline Webdesk

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President To Lam of Vietnam reaffirmed that defence and security cooperation remains a central pillar of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two nations.Both sides agreed to intensify collaboration in traditional and emerging areas of defence, with a particular emphasis on enhancing defence systems procurement and expanding engagements across multiple domains. This reflects the shared commitment of India and Vietnam to strengthen their strategic alignment and contribute to stability in the wider Indo-Pacific region.The joint statement highlighted that defence cooperation will be deepened through defence policy dialogue, joint exercises, staff talks, joint research and co-production…

Ayaan Karan, RealClearDefense the fall of Iran’s regional empire and the death of Khamenei begs the question: What is next for Shiism? Do Shias revert to a more politically quietist mindset,… Source link

BELFAST — Norwegian manufacturer Kongsberg has reported a first quarter order intake of 27 billion NOK ($2.9 billion), increasing sales over the same period last year by more than 100 percent, all the while the company is setting its sights on US growth. The order uplift was largely a result of securing deals for counter-drone technologies and weapon systems, including a 16 billion NOK contract struck with Poland in January for the supply of 18 counter-drone batteries, in support of Warsaw’s anti-drone program. In a statement on Wednesday announcing the new financial results, Kongsberg said that it is “seeing increased…

The Philippines, the current chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), has requested that Myanmar let the bloc’s special envoy meet with ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi, following her reported transfer to house arrest. In a statement yesterday, the country’s Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said that it welcomed last week’s reported move of the 80-year-old from prison to house arrest and the partial reduction in her prison sentence. “We ​view these developments as vital steps in a ​sequence of confidence-building measures necessary for long-term ⁠national stability in Myanmar,” it said. In order to “further build international…

India and Japan have taken another decisive step in strengthening their strategic partnership in science and technology with the signing of key agreements in healthcare innovation and frontier technologies during a high-level bilateral meeting in New Delhi.The meeting was attended by Japan’s Minister for Science and Technology Policy and Minister of State for Space Policy, Kimi Onoda, and India’s Union Minister of State for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Jitendra Singh.The discussions culminated in the exchange of a Memorandum of Cooperation in the field of health and medical devices between the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED),…

Thailand has cancelled a longstanding agreement with Cambodia over joint offshore energy exploration in the Gulf of Thailand, a move likely to worsen further the relations between the two estranged neighbors. Signed in 2001, the memorandum of understanding – often referred to as “MoU 44,” after the Buddhist calendar year 2544 – set up a framework ​for discussions on joint oil and gas exploration in areas of the Gulf where the two countries’ maritime claims overlap, and for the demarcation of maritime boundaries. The ⁠withdrawal, which was approved by the Thai cabinet on Tuesday, has long been expected. Prime Minister…

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman held discussions with Vietnam’s Finance Minister Ngo Van Tuan in New Delhi on Wednesday, focusing on ways to deepen cooperation across technology, innovation, energy, and pharmaceuticals.The meeting came against the backdrop of evolving global economic and geopolitical challenges, with both sides emphasising resilience and stability in their respective economies.The talks coincided with the celebration of ten years of the India-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which both ministers acknowledged as a relationship that has continued to strengthen and expand.The Vietnamese side expressed keen interest in advancing collaboration in technology-driven sectors, energy cooperation, and pharmaceutical development, reflecting Vietnam’s…

Jihoon Yu, RCDefense Critical maritime infrastructure has become a core pillar of national security for the United States, Japan, and South Korea Source link

DENVER ― The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) is “working to finalize” a new framework for its use of artificial intelligence (AI) and “will make it available very soon,” NGA Director Army Lt. Gen. Michelle Bredenkamp said today. The document will be NGA’s “blueprint for becoming an AI first organization,” she told the US Geospatial Intelligence Foundation’s annual GEOINT Symposium here in her first major address since taking up the NGA reins in November. “The framework will align to the department’s AI strategy, reflecting its pace, setting projects, lines of effort and goals.” It will “cover everything from operationalizing GEOINT and…

The Indonesian rupiah is currently trading at around 17,400 to one U.S. dollar. The currency, which has been steadily weakening against the dollar for many years, pushed past the 17,000 mark last week and is now at its weakest point in history. It is weaker than it was during the height of the Asian Financial Crisis, an event that severely damaged the economy and took the country many years to recover from. Why is the rupiah weakening right now, and are we on the precipice of another financial crisis? To answer the first question, currencies tend to rise and fall…