Issue 259 丨India, Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh Dynamic Weekly Report www.deekpay.com

## India's internal and external dynamics: a look at foreign affairs, defence, home affairs and more I. India's Foreign Affairs: Layout of Multilateral Relations, Indo-Pacific in the Spotlight 1. Indo-Korea-Japan trilateral relations heating up, Joint Commission meeting to be held soon Indian External Affairs Minister Sujeethan will visit South Korea and Japan in March to chair the 10th Indo-Korea Joint Commission meeting and the 16th Indo-Japanese Foreign Ministers' Strategic Dialogue respectively. The two sides will discuss strengthening bilateral cooperation and exchange views on regional and global issues. India-Japan relations have deepened cooperation in defence, science and technology, energy and other areas in recent years to build a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region. 2. The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QSD) mechanism will continue to evolve, but India refuses to transform it into an "Indo-Pacific version of NATO". Speaking on the sidelines of the Raisina Dialogue, Sujeet Singh emphasised that the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue will continue to exist and evolve and that no country has the right to overrule the choices of its member countries. He also countered the "negative propaganda" that sees the mechanism as a counter to China and rejected the proposal to transform it into an "Indo-Pacific version of NATO". India has insisted on benign non-military measures and not openly confronting China. 3. India-US Homeland Security Dialogue, Countering Khalistan Movement in focus A delegation from the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) visited India and the two sides discussed issues such as the fight against the Khalistan movement, immigration, counter-narcotics and border security. The dialogue mechanism will continue to strengthen Indo-US counter-terrorism cooperation initiatives when it is reactivated. 4 Russia to repatriate Indian citizens serving in Russian Army at India's request The Indian Ministry of External Affairs and the Russian authorities are actively pursuing cases related to Indian citizens and have made the withdrawal of Indian military personnel from the Russian Army a priority. Earlier, some Indian citizens were forced to participate in Russian combat operations against Ukraine. 5. Indian External Affairs Minister Sujeethan: Rise of India and China is reshaping the global order Sujeethan pointed out that the rise of China and India has complicated the diplomatic relations between the two countries. 2020 has disrupted the balance of Indo-China relations after China's military build-up along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). India has increased its investment in border infrastructure, self-sufficiency and defence forces to meet the Chinese challenge. 6. India expresses grave concern over the situation in Gaza and calls for a sustainable solution Addressing the UN Human Rights Council, Sujeethan expressed India's grave concern over the situation in Gaza and called for a sustainable solution to the humanitarian crisis arising out of the conflict and immediate relief. Stressing that terrorism and hostage-taking were unacceptable, he called on all parties to work towards a two-State solution. 7. India hoped that foreign authorities would take measures to suppress the "Khalistani" movement. Mr Sujeethan demanded that foreign authorities take action against the Khalistani activists involved in violent protests or arson attacks against Indian embassies. He emphasised that these acts could not be justified under the pretext of freedom of expression and hoped that the Governments of Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States would investigate and take action in this regard. India's Defence: Military Modernisation, Indo-Pacific Cooperation, Arms Exports 1. Indo-Malaysian military exercise Dost-16, Bangladesh as observer for the first time. India, Maldives and Sri Lanka jointly held the Dost-16 military exercise, with Bangladesh as an observer for the first time, with the aim of strengthening ties and promoting cooperation among the three countries to jointly address maritime security challenges. 2. India's defence output planned to reach Rs 30,000 crore by FY 2029, arms exports to reach Rs 500 billion India's gross defence product has crossed Rs 1 trillion and it plans to boost annual defence production to Rs 3 trillion by 2029 and arms exports to reach Rs 500 billion, the defence minister said. India is aggressively building an autonomous defence industry system and moving towards the world arms export market. 3. Indian and Japanese armies held the "Protect the Law" joint land combat exercise in Rajasthan. India and Japan held a joint land combat exercise "Dharma Protector" in Rajasthan with the aim of strengthening bilateral military engagement and promoting cooperation to address common security challenges. 4. India hosted the Milan 2024 multinational naval exercise with the participation of more than 50 countries. India hosted the Milan 2024 multinational naval exercise with the participation of more than 50 countries, making it the largest multilateral naval exercise in India's history. The exercise will enhance cooperation among navies and promote maritime security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. India's internal affairs: economic development, energy strategy, social development 1. India's Congress Party leader criticised the Modi government's economic policies, saying that India's economy had regressed by 20 years The Indian National Congress (INC) has criticised the Modi government's economic policies, saying that its "mismanagement" has led to a regression in India's economy. The party accused the Modi government of reversing the gains of the previous economic transformation, leading to job losses and price increases. 2. India plans to add 18 nuclear power plants by 2032, increasing the share of nuclear power in its energy mix. Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the inauguration ceremony of the Cakrapati nuclear power plant, announcing that India will add 18 nuclear power plants, and it is expected that the total share of nuclear power in India's energy mix will reach 22,480 megawatts by 2032, reflecting India's determination to develop nuclear power. 3. India's Poverty Rate May Have Fallen Below 51 TP3T, Shift in Consumption Patterns, Says CEO of National Transformation Council (NTC) The latest survey shows that the consumption expenditure of both urban and rural households in India has increased, and the proportion of food expenditure of rural households is lower than the total expenditure of 50% for the first time, indicating that the consumption pattern is undergoing a transformation. The CEO of the National Transformation Council of India believes that India's poverty rate may have fallen below 5%. 4. India's Indigo Airlines launches direct Hyderabad-Thailand-Bangkok route to boost India-South East Asia connectivity The launch of daily non-stop flights by Air Indigo from Hyderabad, India to Bangkok, Thailand will further facilitate transport links and economic co-operation between India and the South East Asian region. 5. Indian PM Modi announces launch of railway infrastructure worth Rs 410 billion Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced the launch of around 2,000 railway infrastructure projects aimed at rebuilding railway stations across India, modernising the rail network and reflecting India's confidence in the future of railway development. iv. developments in nepal, bhutan, bangladesh 1. Nepal faces inflation risk from Red Sea crisis Escalating tensions over the Red Sea could have an impact on Nepal's exports and imports and lead to imported inflation, which in turn could affect Nepal's economic development. 2. Bhutan's total imports fall for the first time since the New Crown Pneumonia outbreak As a result of government policies, Bhutan's total imports declined and total exports also declined slightly, narrowing the trade deficit. 3. Bangladesh's Foreign Minister hopes that Bangladesh will soon become a dialogue partner in the ASEAN sector The Foreign Minister of Bangladesh hoped that Bangladesh would soon become an ASEAN Sectoral Dialogue Partner and benefit both sides through initiatives such as expanding trade and investment and enhancing people-to-people exchanges. 4. US delegation visits Bangladesh to explore future development of bilateral relations A high-level US delegation visited Bangladesh to open a new chapter in the development of relations between the two countries by discussing topics such as strengthening diplomatic relations, addressing challenges and promoting common interests in the Indo-Pacific region. Please note: The above content is for reference only, not all content is suitable for publication in today's headlines, Baike number and other platforms. Please screen and process according to the rules of the platform and your own positioning, and pay attention to originality. 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