COUNTRY REVIEWS

South Asia

Afghanistan

• President Karzai visits the United States and meets US President Obama; Both leaders agreed to speed up the handover of combat operations in Afghanistan to Afghan forces

Pakistan

• Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani: Pakistan expresses reservations over MFN status to India; Pakistan accuses India of attack on its check post, India denies the allegation; India accuses the Pakistan Rangers of resorting to "unprovoked mortar shelling" at Indian positions in Hajipir area of Uri sector.

Bangladesh

• Bangladesh earned a record amount in remittance in 2012

Sri Lanka

• Mahinda Rajapakse removes the country's first female Chief Justice Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake; Sri Lankan cabinet approves Chinese loan to finance additional cost of Phase I of the Hambantota Port Development Project; Rear Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne-New DG of SLCG; Sri Lanka and Canada agrees to cooperate on curbing the illegal migration of Tamils to Canada

Maldives

• Maldives’ export and import increased in 2012

East Asia

China
December 31-January 13

• Beijing sends aircraft to counter Tokyo’s aircraft; Beijing rejects Japanese protests over Diaoyu Islands; Beijing publishes new maps; Beijing opposes US arms sale to Taiwan; Russia-China vow closer ties; Xi asserts Russia as top priority; French finance minister visit China; Beijing negates reports of Myanmar’s jets intrusion; China shows concern over Vietnamese maritime law; China to continue ahead with reform and modernization in 2013

Central Asia & Russia

Central Asia

• The European Union allocates €19.6 million to Kyrgyzstan to improve social protection, develop local income-generating initiatives and safety of uranium tailings; Kazakhstan and Russia to continue their cooperation over the Baikonur space station; European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) provides a US$ 196.5 million loan to Kazakhstan for building a strategic road network; Russian and Kazakhstan drug control agencies have seized a major drug haul; Pakistan pushes for more engagement with Central Asia; Central Asian economies rank low in economic freedom report

Russia

• Russia declares that Syrian President Assad cannot be removed from the ongoing political process; Russia reiterates its support for Brahimi as the joint special envoy of the United Nations and League of Arab States for Syria; Russia expresses its concern over the current turmoil in Mali; TNK-BP increases production in Uvat by 19 per cent in 2012; Russia commissions the first Borei class nuclear-powered submarine Yuri Dolgoruky in its Northern Fleet; Russia to start building two additional Borei Class submarines in 2013

West Asia

Syria

• UN and Arab League special envoy on Syria Brahimi: Assad speech was “lost opportunity” for Syria peace; Rebels capture key military airbase; Humanitarian crisis deepens for Syrian refugees; Arab foreign ministers hold emergency meeting on Syria crisis; Russia reiterates that Assad departure cannot be precondition for peace; International Rescue Committee has requested international donors to step up aid for Syrian refugees

Jordan

• King Abdullah: Jordon is in the process of forming an international coalition for talks on Israeli-Palestinian issue; Jordan blames Israel for plight of Palestinian refugees from Syria

Iran

• Iran successfully launched long range missile; United States imposed fresh sanctions on Iran; Iranian Foreign Minister visits Egypt.

Qatar

• Qatar reiterates proposal to send an Arab force to Syria

Saudi Arabia

• Saudi Arabia announces USD 10 million aid for Syrian refugees in Jordan

DEFENCE REVIEW

National

• India successfully test-fires manoeuvrable version of supersonic cruise missile BrahMos; Inshore patrol vessel ICGS Rajkamal commissioned

International

• U.S. Defense Department concerned about impending budget cuts in March; China sends fighter jets to the East China Sea after the report of after Japanese aircraft following a Chinese plane

INTERNAL SECURITY REVIEW

Jammu & Kashmir

• Two Indian soldiers killed by Pak troops at Line of Control (LoC); India strongly condemn the killing of its two soldiers, Pakistan envoy summoned to MEA to register India’s strong protest; Taliban threaten to fight in Kashmir; India protests soldier’s killing at LoC; Sarpanch shot dead in Sopore, North Kashmir

North East India

• Operations against North-East ultras to intensify; Poll dates of three North-East States announced; Ban on ULFA and National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) to continue; North-East ultra groups setting up bases in Nepal

UN REVIEW

• UN calls for de-escalation of tensions between India and Pakistan, India rejects UN probe; UN Security Council condemns attacks in North Mali; Intergovernmental Committee to work on treaty to reduce use of mercury; UN Human Rights report highlights hazards faced by mine workers in Rajasthan