COUNTRY REVIEW

South Asia

Afghanistan

• 72 countries /brepresented at The Hague conference on Afghanistan; US to provide $40 million for Afghan presidential elections; Stabilising Afghanistan figures prominently at the G20 and NATO Summits; NATO allies agree to contribute 5,000 additional troops

Pakistan

• At least 8 killed and 93 injured in a terrorist attack on Lahore police centre; Baitullah Mahsud claims responsibility for the attack; 12 people die in drone attack in the Orakzai tribal agency

Sri Lanka

• Colombo seizes remaining LTTE-controlled territory; Government pledges to improve condition of IPD welfare centres

Maldives

• 9 Maldivian citizens arrested in Pakistan; At Bonn climate change talks, Maldives calls for stabilizing GHG emissions below 350 parts per million; Advisory Council on Climate Change set up

East and SouthEast Asia

China

• Beijing urges regional countries to show restraint as DPRK launches rocket; President Hu and PM Aso meet at G20 Summit, pledge to increase cooperation, Hu proposes 5-point proposal to improve ties

Japan

• Japan brands Pyongyang’s rocket launch “extremely regrettable”; Chavez on a state visit to Japan, to seek Japanese investments

SouthEast Asia

• Najib Razak sworn in as Malaysia’s PM; Shinawatra declines Thai PM’s offer of negotiations; Thai and Cambodia’s border commanders meet to ease tensions following death of 2 Thai soldiers

West Asia

Iran

• Iran at The Hague conference: Sending more foreign troops is ineffective; Holbrooke meets Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister; Tehran condemns Arab League statement on islands in Persian Gulf

Iraq

• Violence erupts in Baghdad following arrest of member of Awakening Council; Suicide attack kills seven in Mosul

MISSILES, SPACE AND DEFENCE REVIEW

Missiles and Space

• Pyongyang goes ahead with its satellite launch, termed a failure by analysts

• Indian Army to induct Block-II version of Brahmos misile

Defence National

• CNS: 160 warships to be inducted into IN in the next 10-15 years

• TATA to supply Akash SAM to IAF

• A.K. Antony: Allegations of bribes could hurt missile deal with Israel

International

• Iron Dome rocket and artillery shell defence system successfully tested by Israel

• Australian Defence Minister: Large investments required to overcome hollowness of defence capability

• US Army releases ‘Robotics Strategy’ paper

• US purchases Russian Mi-17CT Helicopters for Iraq

INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM REVIEW

• ISRO scientists and engineers are LeT targets: Let Operative

INTERNAL SECURITY REVIEW

Jammu and Kashmir

• Intercepts suggest Taliban presence in J&K; Yasin calls for complete demilitarization

NorthEast Development

• Bomb blast in Guwahati

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