Prime Minister Narendra Modi today reiterated that the Indo-Pacific region is a "shared concern" and outlined a vision that the region be "free from domination" -- a comment that was seen by many as a reference to China. "Dark clouds of coercion and confrontation are casting their shadow in the Indo-Pacific. The stability of the region has become one of the central concerns of our partnership," he said. "We share a vision of a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific, connected by secure seas, defined by international law, free from domination and anchored in ASEAN centrality... A region  where all nations small and large, are free and fearless and in their choices, where progress is not suffocated by an impossible burden of debt, where connectivity is not leveraged for strategic purposes," he added in his address to the joint session of the US Congress. While the US invite for a state visit for PM Modi was seen to cement the bond between the two nations, many feel that one of its key drivers is the rise of China and its growing clout in the Indo-Pacific region. India is seen by a section as a possible counterweight to China, both in terms of economy and geo-politics. White House, however, has brushed off speculation, saying that PM Modi's visit was not about Russia or China. "This state visit is also not about Russia. And what we're trying to do with our bilateral relationship with India is improve the bilateral relationship for its own sake and on its own foundation, because it's that important to us," John Kirby, White House National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications, had said. Today, the Indo-Pacific region had featured prominently in the bilateral discussions between PM Modi and US President Joe Biden. "Our cooperation will serve the global good as we work through a range of multilateral and regional groupings -- particularly the Quad -- to contribute toward a free, open, inclusive, and resilient Indo-Pacific," President Biden had said at the joint briefing after the talks. In this context, the two leaders had  mentioned the initiatives being taken in the zone, including the Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness, through which the Quad partners are providing maritime domain data across the Indian Ocean, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific region. "The two leaders welcomed the progress made at the Hiroshima Summit last month among the four maritime democracies to further advance a positive and constructive agenda for peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific," read a statement issued after the bilateral. Source: ndtv.com

Even though INS Vikrant is headed for “guarantee refit” at Cochin shipyard, INS Vikramaditya is fully operational and ready to chart Indo-Pacific. After the Indian Navy showcased its maritime teeth and flawless execution of two carrier battle group operations off the coast of Goa in the first week of June, India’s latest aircraft carrier INS Vikrant is headed for a “guarantee refit” at Cochin Shipyard and will be prepared for long endurance operations by the end of 2023. Around June 3-4, the Indian Navy put out its formidable maritime capabilities on display with strike forces headed by INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant wargaming on high seas in Arabian sea with 35 MiG-29K strike aircraft, newly acquired MH 60 R helicopters from US, and a host of warships and submarines. The synchronized war drill was watched by top naval commanders as India projected its dominance in the Indian Ocean. Even though INS Vikrant is headed for its mandatory “guarantee refit”, the INS Vikramaditya carrier is fully operational after a major overhaul last year and will be charting oceans this year. The Indian Navy will be sending its warships, submarines and P-8I anti-submarine warfare aircraft for the Quad Malabar exercises off the coast of Sydney this August with serious multi-level participation from US, Japan, and host Australian Navy. While INS Vikrant is getting refitted, the Narendra Modi government is also expected to take a decision on acquiring possibly 26 Rafale-Maritime aircraft for the new aircraft carrier to maintain operational synergy and seamless maintenance of its top end fighter platforms with the Indian Air Force. The IAF’s Rafale fighters will be seen in action at the Bastille Day parade on July 14 in France with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in attendance at the show. The Indian Navy is also expected to get 10 Sikorsky multi-role helicopters from the US by the end of this year with remaining joining the fleet next year. Given that the Indian Navy has the maritime capability to project dominance in the Indo-Pacific, it is no longer either operationally or doctrinally bound between the Straits of Malacca and the Gulf of Aden as was projected in the past. While the Indian Navy is projecting demand for a third aircraft carrier, the Navy has plans to deploy one carrier on the east and another carrier on the western seaboard of India with mission specific deployments and no maritime diplomacy. With China investing in ports and bases in ASEAN, Indian sub-continent and the Middle East the Indian Navy has to also look at new bases to operate in the south Indian Ocean and deter any sub-continental power to host Chinese PLAN warships. India is also seeking investments from oil rich powers in the Middle East to invest in ports in Indian Ocean littoral states so that there is ready infrastructure for future maritime security of the Southeast Asia region. That city state of Singapore has the largest military in the ASEAN does not bode well for countering the challenge of expansionist Chinese Navy. Source: hindustantimes.com

Speaking from the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Pistorius hailed ASEAN for a reach "far beyond its geographic composition." He also stressed the need to collectively stand against Russia's invasion of Ukraine. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has stressed his country's commitment to contributing to the Indo-Pacific region's peace and security, during a speech addressing the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Sunday. "And we are ready to strengthen our engagement in the years to come," Pistorius said, referring to the importance of solidifying European-Asian ties. He added that European and Indo-Pacific partners "must defend the rules-based international order — no matter where it is challenged." The defense minister's attendance of the Asia-Pacific security meeting comes after he addressed the Munich Security Conference in February. On Saturday, Pistorius made use of his presence in the meeting to hold talks on the sidelines with Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu. The meeting, which includes talks with defense ministers and other government officials, is considered the region's most significant security forum. Russia's Ukraine invasion 'incredibly dangerous' for world Pistorius used his speech to reiterate his country's utter condemnation of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. He described it as "an attack on the foundations of international security architecture and the foundations of international law." The German defense minister stressed the danger the invasion poses "for the world order as a whole." "If Russia wins, the message to revisionist powers around the world will be that aggression and the unprovoked use of military force are acceptable and can be successful," he said. "Also here in the Indo-Pacific." He thanked Asian countries who were quick to condemn the invasion for clarifying to Moscow that "the global community does not accept this illegal war." "With dedication, it is opposing any attempt to undermine the rules-based international order, and any attempt to change the status quo by force — be it in Europe, in the Asia-Pacific or elsewhere," he said. Pistorius hails the regional ASEAN union Pistorius said Germany supports multilateral institutions, specifically the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN). He hailed the Asian union for its ability "to unite countries with a high degree of diversity in terms of history, ethnicity, religion and governance." "We believe in the centrality of ASEAN – with its reach far beyond its geographical composition," Pistorius said. He added that Germany fully shares the union's "unwavering commitment to the rules-based international order." Pistorius also recalled to Germany's efforts toward establishing a partnership between the Asian alliance and the European Union during its 2020 EU Council presidency. The ASEAN alliance also helps to bring other major global powerhouses to the table, he added. "It provides an excellent platform to maintain dialogue with all important players in the region — including, specifically, the US and China," he said. What did Pistorius say about the US-China tensions? The German defense minister welcomed a Saturday offer of the US administration to enter into negotiations with Russia and China on nuclear arms control, without pre-conditions. Beijing declined an official invitation for a meeting between US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin during the Shangri-La Dialogue talks in Singapore. "We will not get very far if we are not ready to stand up for the rules-based international order, also by contributing with military capabilities," Pistorius said. He gave the examples of enforcing United Nations Security Council sanctions against North Korea, as well as protecting sea lines of communication. Pistorius confirmed that Germany would deploy next year maritime assets to the Indo-Pacific region, including a frigate and a supply ship. In the face of rising geopolitical tensions, Pistorius said it is more important than ever to boost cooperation instead of confrontation. "We need the rule of law instead of the rule of force," the German defense minister said.

US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, India's Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal in a virtual meeting on Monday discussed the US, India shared interest in maximizing progress on the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF), according to a release by the US Department of Commerce. This comes as negotiators continue working towards achieving ambitious and high-standard outcomes ahead of the May round of negotiations, which will take place in Singapore. Secretary Raimondo thanked Minister Goyal and the Indian government for its ongoing contributions and strong support for IPEF, according to the release. Raimondo recently said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the most popular leader and is a visionary, adding that his commitment to the people of India is "indescribable". Addressing the Reception at India House, which was hosted by Indian Ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Raimondo said, "I had an incredible opportunity to spend more than an hour and a half with Prime Minister Modi, who is I don't need to tell anyone here who he is. He is the most popular world leader for a reason. He is an unbelievable visionary. And his level of commitment to the people of India is just indescribable and deep and passionate and real and authentic." "And his desire to lift people out of poverty and move India forward as a global power is real and it is happening. But the best part of the meeting for me was this, anyone who knows Prime Minister Modi, all of you, knows he is a tech guy and he is deep into the details. So I found myself at his home at 7:30 on a Friday night, talking about the details of radio access networks and artificial intelligence. And it was just amazing," she added.

Foreign ministers of the Group of Seven nations on Tuesday reiterated the importance of a "free and open Indo-Pacific" and cooperating with India as well as reaffirmed their commitment to promoting cooperation in line with the ASEAN outlook on the Indo-Pacific. The comments mark the culmination of a three-day long meeting that were held in Karuizawa, Nagano in central Japan and comes ahead of the G7 leaders' summit to be held in Hiroshima this May. "We reiterate the importance of a free and open Indo-Pacific, which is inclusive, prosperous, secure, based on the rule of law, and that protects shared principles including sovereignty, territorial integrity and peaceful resolution of disputes, fundamental freedoms and human rights," the joint comminique stated. "We reaffirm individual initiatives of the G7 members and welcome those of our partners to enhance their engagement with the region. We underscore our commitment to further strengthening our 3 coordination among the G7 on the region, to working with regional partners, including ASEAN and its member states," it read. The G-7 ministers said they reaffirmed their unwavering support for ASEAN centrality and unity and our commitment to promoting cooperation in line with the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific. The ministers also reaffirmed their partnership with Pacific Island countries and reiterate the importance of supporting their priorities and needs, in accordance with the Pacific Islands Forum's 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, including through the 4th International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in 2024. "We welcome and further encourage efforts made by the private sector, universities and think tanks, which contribute to realizing a free and open Indo-Pacific," they said. On April 17, the second day of the G-7 foreign ministers' meeting, Japan's foreign minister Hayashi Yoshimasa, hosted the "Indo-Pacific" session which he explained his country's views "Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP)" and the New Plan for a FOIP. The G7 Foreign Ministers expressed their support, according to a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. Hayashi also stated that, with the emerging and developing countries known as the "Global South" facing a variety of issues, the G7 intends to work together with them to tackle these issues. "Furthermore, in addition to underscoring the importance of cooperating with India, the G7 Foreign Ministers shared the view to increase engagement in the Indo-Pacific region, including ASEAN and the Pacific Island countries, and, as part of the G7 framework, to regularize discussions and strengthen cooperation in relation to the Indo-Pacific," the statement by Japanese ministry of foreign affairs read. Japan's PM Fumio Kishida had unveiled the Japanese plan for a Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) while delivering a speech entitled "The Future of the Indo-Pacific-Japan's New Plan for a 'Free and Open Indo-Pacific-Together with India, as an Indispensable Partner" at the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA) in New Delhi on March 20 this year. He had said "India is an indispensable partner" to achieve the objectives of FOIP. Meanwhile, at the G-7 ministers' meeting in Karuizawa, regarding Southeast Asia, Japanese foreign minister Hayashi stated the need for the G7 to strengthen cooperation with ASEAN in the medium and long term, while supporting ASEAN centrality and unity, and the importance of cooperating with ASEAN in line with the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP). The G7 Foreign Ministers meeting was presided by Yoshimasa and attended by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, Candian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, and Deputy Secretary-General of the European External Action Service (EEAS) Enrique Mora. Source: www.business-standard.com

Quad -- a "force for good"-- with the help of its maritime initiative, Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA), is eyeing to combat China in its expansionist ambitions in the South and East China Sea where the country's fishing practices have long been called out for being "opaque, vast and at times, illegal", reported a Canada-based think tank, International Forum for Rights and Security (IFFRAS). While the bloc's members took no names, the target of this maritime initiative is unmistakable, with brewing concerns over questions of sovereignty in the South China Sea disputed waters in recent times. The communication system set up between the Quad member countries will allow these major global players to monitor and keep a check on the political, military, and unhindered flow of economic activities carried out by China in the Indo-Pacific region. Given China's strategic and callous attitude towards violating sovereign and jurisdictional rights of neighbouring nations, China's illegal expansion in the Pacific waters continues to remain a grave cause of concern.   Chinese maritime militia's illegal fishing is not a standalone issue. China is also carrying out "dubious operations". China's move to prohibit Vietnam and the Philippines from fishing activity in the South China Sea has raised serious concerns regarding the sovereign rights of these nations over the Sea's disputed waters. All of this calls for checks to be put in place regarding China's expansive maritime activities, both illegal as well as covert. The government in Hanoi condemned Beijing's despotic move, initially appealing to the country to respect the jurisdiction and sovereign rights of Vietnam. However, Beijing has since rejected the fishing ban, deeming it invalid and instructing its citizens to carry on their fishing activities within the limits of Vietnamese maritime territory. On May 31, the Philippines was reported to have filed a diplomatic protest against the fishing ban for harassment and violating its jurisdictions at the hands of Beijing's coast guard. Earlier in 2021, tensions remained high between the Philippines and China over sovereignty conflicts, as the latter had a fishing fleet comprising over 200 fishing vessels anchored at Whitsun Reef, an area in the South China Sea that is claimed by the Philippines, as per the think tank. Quad members India, Japan, Australia, and the US signed IPMDA on May 24, a maritime security initiative meant to monitor and tackle illicit fishing activities, dark shipping, and other tactical activities in the Indo-pacific region. This maritime security partnership will allow the member countries to monitor illegal fishing, track "dark shipping" and other tactical-level activities. "The benefit of this maritime initiative will allow tracking of dark shipping and other tactical-level activities, such as rendezvous at sea, as well as improve partners' ability to respond to climate and humanitarian events and to protect their fisheries, which are vital to many Indo-Pacific economies," said the White House in a media statement on the sidelines of Quad Summit. Notably, "dark ships" are vessels with their Automatic Identification System (AIS) - a transponder system - switched off so as not to be detectable. This crucial maritime pact between the Quad member countries will enhance the security apparatus of the Indo-Pacific region. The maritime initiative IPMDA will offer a near-real-time, integrated, and cost-effective maritime domain awareness picture, added the White House in the statement. This initiative will transform the ability of partners in the Pacific Islands, Southeast Asia, and the Indian Ocean region to fully monitor the waters on their shores and, in turn, to uphold a free and open Indo-Pacific. Quad countries are committed to contributing to the region's maritime domain awareness -- a fundamental requirement for peace, stability, and prosperity -- through investment in IPMDA over five years, stated the White House in the statement. The partnership will innovate upon existing maritime domain awareness efforts, rapidly bringing emerging technologies to bear for the greater good of the Indo-Pacific community. IPMDA will build a faster, wider, and more accurate maritime picture of near-real-time activities in partners' waters. This common operating picture will integrate three critical regions -- the Pacific Islands, Southeast Asia, and the Indian Ocean region -- in the Indo-Pacific. Source: The Economic Times

      Four-nation grouping Quad on Tuesday launched a major new initiative for the Indo-Pacific that allows the partner countries to fully monitor the waters on their shores and help ensure peace and stability in the region, a move that comes amid China's increasingly intimidatory behaviour. The announcement on the rollout of the Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) came at the end of the second in-person Quad summit attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese.         A joint statement by the four leaders said the IPMDA will support and work in consultation with Indo-Pacific nations and regional information fusion centres in the Indian Ocean, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands by providing technology and training to support shared maritime domain awareness to promote stability and prosperity. The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific and vowed to work "tirelessly to deliver tangible results" for the region. "The IPMDA embodies what the Quad stands for: catalysing our joint efforts towards concrete results that help to make the region more stable and prosperous," it said. The leaders also announced the establishment of the 'Quad Partnership on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) in the Indo-Pacific' that is aimed at further strengthening collaboration to effectively respond to disasters in the region. According to a White House fact sheet, the IPMDA will offer a "near-real-time, integrated, and cost-effective" maritime domain awareness picture and it will transform the ability of partners in the Pacific Islands, Southeast Asia, and the Indian Ocean region to fully monitor the waters on their shores, and, in turn, "uphold a free and open Indo-Pacific”. It said the new initiative will allow tracking of 'dark shipping' and other tactical-level activities, such as rendezvous at sea. "Quad countries are committed to contributing to the region's maritime domain awareness -- a fundamental requirement for peace, stability, and prosperity -- through investment in IPMDA over five years. “The partnership will innovate upon existing maritime domain awareness efforts, rapidly bringing emerging technologies to bear for the greater good of the Indo-Pacific community," the White House said. China claims nearly all of the disputed South China Sea, though Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam all claim parts of it. Beijing has built artificial islands and military installations in the South China Sea. China also has territorial disputes with Japan in the East China Sea. The White House said the IPMDA will build a faster, wider, and more accurate maritime picture of near-real-time activities in the waters of its partners. "This common operating picture will integrate three critical regions -- the Pacific Islands, Southeast Asia, and the Indian Ocean region -- in the Indo-Pacific. The benefits of this picture are vast: it will allow tracking of 'dark shipping' and other tactical-level activities, such as rendezvous at sea, as well as improve partners' ability to respond to climate and humanitarian events and to protect their fisheries, which are vital to many Indo-Pacific economies," the White House said. It said the IPMDA will harness commercially-available data using existing technologies. "Through a combination of automatic identification system and radio-frequency technologies, Quad partners can provide an unprecedented 'common thread' of activities. Because of its commercial origin, this data will be unclassified, allowing the Quad to provide it to a wide range of partners who wish to benefit," it said. It said existing support infrastructure for information-sharing such as the Information Fusion Cente for Indian Ocean Region in India, the Information Fusion Center based in Singapore; the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency based in the Solomon Islands and the Pacific Fusion Center, based in Vanuatu, could be part of the initiative.   The White House said the Quad partners will begin immediate consultations on the opportunity with partners in the region. "As the initiative proceeds, the Quad will identify future technologies of promise, allowing IPMDA to remain a cutting-edge partnership that promotes peace and stability throughout the region," it said. In their statement, the Quad leaders reaffirmed their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific and emphasised the importance of fundamental values and principles. They also expressed their commitment to work tirelessly to deliver "tangible results" to the region. "In doing so, we will regularise the Quad activities, including regular meetings by the leaders and foreign ministers. We agree to hold our next in-person summit in 2023 hosted by Australia," they said. The Quad leaders on Tuesday also strongly opposed any coercive, provocative or unilateral actions that seek to change status quo and increase tensions in the Indo-Pacific and reaffirmed their resolve to uphold the international rules-based order, amidst China's growing assertiveness in the region. "We strongly oppose any coercive, provocative or unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo and increase tensions in the area, such as the militarization of disputed features, the dangerous use of coast guard vessels and maritime militia, and efforts to disrupt other countries' offshore resource exploitation activities," said a joint statement issued after the meeting. It said the Quad is committed to cooperation with partners in the region who share the vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific. "We will champion adherence to international law, particularly as reflected in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and the maintenance of freedom of navigation and overflight, to meet challenges to the maritime rules-based order, including in the East and South China Seas," the statement said. The summit took place at a time when the relations between China and the Quad member countries have become tense, with Beijing increasingly challenging democratic values and resorting to coercive trade practices. Relations between India and China nose-dived after the Eastern Ladakh standoff in 2020 following Beijing moving thousands of troops to several disputed areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) which was strongly objected to and resisted by New Delhi. China claims nearly all of the disputed South China Sea, though Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam all claim parts of it. Beijing has built artificial islands and military installations in the South China Sea. India, the US and several other world powers have been talking about the need to ensure a free, open and thriving Indo-Pacific against the backdrop of China's rising military manoeuvring in the region. "We strongly support the principles of freedom, rule of law, democratic values, sovereignty and territorial integrity, peaceful settlement of disputes without resorting to threat or use of force, any unilateral attempt to change the status quo, and freedom of navigation and overflight, all of which are essential to the peace, stability and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region and to the world," the joint statement said. The Quad will continue to act decisively together to advance these principles in the region and beyond, the statement said as it reaffirmed the four-nation grouping's resolve to uphold the international rules-based order where countries are free from all forms of military, economic and political coercion.   Source: rediff.com

As a counter to China’s Belt and Road Initiative, the Quad nations — India, the US, Japan and Australia — on Tuesday agreed to extend more than $50 billion of assistance to the Indo-Pacific region over the next five years to bridge the infrastructure gaps. “We reaffirmed our shared commitment to deepen cooperation on infrastructure, which is critical to driving productivity and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. We are committed to working closely with partners and the region to drive public and private investment to bridge gaps,” the Quad leaders said in a joint statement. Briefing reporters at the end of the two-day visit of Prime minister Narendra Modi to Japan, Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra said the Quad leaders mentioned that the filling up of the infra gaps had to be in a manner that it did not result in unsustainable burden and unsustainable bouquet of projects. “The figure ($50 billion) that you saw is a projected figure. Infrastructure cooperation that will flow out of this will precisely address these points -- that the projects are sustainable, they are demand-driven, and they meet the specific needs of the Indo-Pacific countries,” Kwatra said.   Kwatra said Modi put forward specific proposals at the Quad summit which could contribute to guiding the grouping’s agenda in the months and years ahead. “Some of the proposals include the need to take solid initiatives in the field of climate finance and sustainable developments; emphasis on the importance of building appropriate platforms for the industry and businesses in the Quad and Indo-Pacific countries to forge partnerships in the field of critical and emerging technologies; formal and informal mechanisms to strengthen partnership among the like-minded countries in the areas of common interest,” he added. Without naming Sri Lanka, the Quad leaders also resolved to address debt issues of countries in the region. “We will work to strengthen capacities of the countries in need to cope with debt issues under the G20 Common Framework, and by promoting debt sustainability and transparency in close collaboration with finance authorities of relevant countries, including through the ‘Quad Debt Management Resource Portal,’ which consists of multiple bilateral and multilateral capacity building assistance,” the joint statement said. The Quad countries also launched a new maritime domain awareness initiative, the Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA), to combat illegal fishing and respond to humanitarian and natural disasters in the region. China is believed to have become the world’s largest perpetrator of illegal fishing, depleting global fish stocks and undermining traditional livelihoods of many countries. Biden hails Modi’s Covid handling During a closed session of the Quad summit, US President Joe Biden praised Modi for handling the Covid pandemic successfully in a democratic manner. He contrasted India's success with China's failure to handle the pandemic, though both countries are of comparable size, a senior official said. Source: The Business Standard

US President Joe Biden's 2023 budget proposal seeks around USD 1.8 billion to support a free and open Indo-Pacific region, an official document revealed on Monday. "To support American leadership in defending democracy, freedom and security worldwide, the budget includes nearly USD 1.8 billion to support a free and open, connected, secure, and resilient Indo-Pacific region and the Indo-Pacific strategy, and USD 400 million for the Countering the People's Republic of China Malign Influence Fund," the budget proposal said. The US is officially proposing USD 813.3 billion in defense and national security spending as part of his budget request for 2023, The Hill reported. The request comes as the US looks to counter China and Russia. "I'm calling for one of the largest investments in our national security in history, with the funds needed to ensure that our military remains the best-prepared, best-trained, best-equipped military in the world," Biden said in a statement. "In addition, I'm calling for continued investment to forcefully respond to Putin's aggression against Ukraine with U.S. support for Ukraine's economic, humanitarian, and security needs," he added. The USD 813.3 billion request is more than USD 31 billion, above the USD 782 billion in defence spending that was enacted in the USD 1.5 trillion government funding bill signed this month. Source: ANI

The Indo-Pacific is at the centre of ongoing efforts aimed at achieving multi-polarity and rebalancing of powers, including respect for international law and territorial integrity, external affairs minister S Jaishankar said on Tuesday in an apparent swipe at China.   Jaishankar made the remarks while addressing the opening session of the European Union (EU) ministerial forum on Indo-Pacific in Paris. Besides French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and EU foreign policy Chief Josep Borrell, Jaishankar and his counterparts from Cambodia and Indonesia, Prak Sokhonn and Retno Marsudi, were the only foreign ministers to address the session.   Jaishankar said addressed that the Indo-Pacific is at the heart of the multipolarity and rebalancing that characterises contemporary changes. But it is essential that greater power and stronger capabilities lead to responsibility and restraint.   He added that above all, respect for international law, territorial integrity and sovereignty. It means economics free of coercion and politics free from the threat or the use of force. It means observing global norms and practices, and refraining from making claims on the global commons.   Though Jaishankar didn’t name any country, it was apparent that his remarks were aimed at China, whose aggressive actions across the Indo-Pacific – from the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with India to the South China Sea – have contributed to an increase in tensions.   He also said that while India perceives the challenges in the Indo-Pacific with clarity because of its proximity to the region, “distance is no insulation” and the problems could well extend to Europe.   Jaishankar did not refer to the Ukraine crisis in his speech, except to note that the forum was being organized by Europe.   He said that the Europe’s “considered voice and mature capabilities” are crucial to the emergence of a multi-polar world order, and the Indo-Pacific will be an important area for the EU-India strategic partnership.   Jaishankar described France as a “resident power in the Indo-Pacific” an apparent reference to the presence of 1.5 million French citizens on island territories and France’s exclusive economic zone of 9 million sq km in the Indo-Pacific.   He also welcomed EU’s commitment to contribute to the security of the Indo-Pacific, and said that their collective efforts can keep the oceans peaceful, open and secure, and, at the same time, contribute to conserve its resources and keep it clean.   The EU, with its economic heft and expertise, can promote economic development, infrastructure, connectivity, digital transformation, climate change, biodiversity and concerns such as health and security, he said.   He added that Countries with shared values and vision can better ensure a regional culture of working together. One in which all nations, irrespective of size, have sovereign options and make their own choices. That is the essence of our shared endeavours.   The EU’s strategy for the Indo-Pacific is also consistent with India’s vision of a free, open, balanced and inclusive region, anchored in Asean centrality, Jaishankar said.   India’s broad-based approach, which emphasizes multilateralism and collective action, is part of the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative launched in 2019, and France is already among the country’s foremost partners, he said.   Source: Hindustantimes.com