COUNTRY REVIEWS

South Asia

Bangaldesh

• Bangladesh opens a new deputy high commission in Mumbai; Government appeals death penalty for convicted war criminal Ghulam Azam; Indian offers assistance in developing the education sector of Bangladesh; US Ambassador in Bangladesh: United States wants a dialogue between Bangladesh’s two major political parties; Trial of BSF trooper began in connection with the killing of a Bangladeshi teenage girl; Reports: Attempts being made to reorganise the banned terror outfit Huji.

Sri Lanka

• Sri Lanka's External Affairs Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris visits India; Sri Lanka and Pakistan hold discussions on strengthening the cooperation in water and power sectors; Sri Lanka and Belarus hold discussions on reaching an agreement to avoid double taxation on income; Representatives of Tamil National Alliance (TNA) meet with officials from the United States Department of State; Representatives from 15 Commonwealth countries visit Sri Lanka; Two Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) ships arrive at the Port of Colombo

Maldives

• MoU between Maldives and the Turkish National Police signed; The first phase of the project to develop a harbour for the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) Coastguard inaugurated.

East Asia

China

• New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully to visit to China, Mongolia; The Pentagon: The visit to the United States by Chinese Minister of National Defense Chang Wanquan will help sustain the "positive momentum"; Russian President Vladimir Putin meets Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi in Sochi; Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held telephonic talks with his Egyptian counterpart Nabil Fahmy over the violence in Egypt; a four-ship fleet of the China Coast Guard (CCG) patrolled the territorial waters surrounding the Diaoyu Islands ; China summons Japan's ambassador to lodge a strong complaint after two Japanese cabinet ministers publicly paid their respects at the Yasakuni Shrine ; Chinese People's Liberation Army will conduct a four-day live-fire exercise ; China issues first guideline to prevent unjust or wrongful judgments; PLA Air Force team visits Moscow to stage their first air show with J-10 jet fighters

West Asia

Iran

• Rohani calls first meeting of his cabinet members; MRPL plans to lift four Iranian oil cargoes this month

Iraq

• US Secretary of State warns of potential instability in Iraq due to violence in the country and an ongoing conflict in Syria; Syrian refugees poured into the Kurdistan region of northern Iraq

Russia

• Russia to officially hand over first unit of Bushehr NPP to Iran; Russia-China anti-terrorist military exercises have ended successfully; Russia is ready to help investigate India’s submarine accident; Russia praises Syria’s willingness to allow chemical weapons inspection; Construction of Russia-Ukrainian nuclear fuel plant in Ukraine to start in mid-September; North Korea says its friendship with Russia will contribute to peace in North East Asia; Russia urges political forces in Egypt to show restraint; Russia criticises Lithuania’s decision to extradite its citizen to US; Russian and Ukrainian Presidents discuss customs issues; Russia’s Presidential aide says there is no pause in Russia-US ties; President Putin pays an official visit to Baku.

United States of America (USA)

• Japan and the United States agree to strengthen bilateral ties; United States greets India on its 67th Independence Day; United States urges India and Pakistan to contribute to stability and prosperity in South Asian region; United States begins reopening embassies in the Middle East and Africa that were closed due to security threats.

DEFENCE REVIEW

National

• Union Cabinet accords 'in principle’ approval to the setting up of Indian National Defence University (INDU); Defence Minister Shri AK Antony :A bilateral Agreement provides for cooperation between the Armies of India and Singapore for periodic conduct of training and exercises in India remains valid for five years until August, 2018

International

• US to address Israel’s concerns in future US Foreign Military Financing (FMF) grants; Poland to limit its participation in overseas military missions and concentrate on modernizing its forces at home.