COUNTRY REVIEWS

East Asia

China

• Chinese military delegation led by Deputy Chief of PLA General Staff meets Mr. Antony; China gives $700,000 for UN peacekeeping missions; Fourth Chinese naval task force returns from the Gulf of Aden; PLA conducts exercise to better handle medical emergencies; PLA conducts exercise to enhance long-distance mobility

Southeast Asia

• Security forces detain former governor of the southern Philippines province of Maguindanao in connection with the November 23 massacre; Chinese Defence Minister Liang Guanglie calls on Thai PM Vejjajiva; Cambodian PM Hun Sen: Relations with Thailand will not improve till Vejjajiva is in office; India-Myanmar bilateral trade to reach $1 billion in 2009-10

West Asia

Iran

• IAEA votes 25-3 censuring Iran; Russia, China, India among other countries support the move; Iran vows to build 20 more nuclear reactors; Iranian authorities ban foreign media from covering December 7 rally

Iraq

• Oil companies upbeat about prospects in Iraq

DEFENCE, NUCLEAR AND SPACE REVIEW

Defence National

• M&M and BAE Systems set up joint venture
• Gorshkov scheduled for induction in 2012
• SU-30MKI crashes near Pohkran
• FIPB rejects EADS-L&T joint venture
• Antony: India taking steps to indigenize MBT power pack and Tejas engine
• Antony: Delay in Scorpene delivery due to “some teething problems”
• Navy gets first batch of Mig 29 K fighters

Nuclear Issues

• Obama expresses concerns about Pak nuclear weapons; MoS Chavan: Government to review processes and procedures at nuclear power stations

Space Issues

• ISRO to launch GSLV-III in January 2010