COUNTRY REVIEWS

South Asia

Bangladesh

• UN Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs visits Bangladesh; UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon reiterates his call to all major political parties in Bangladesh to engage in a dialogue for creating a congenial atmosphere to hold credible polls

Sri Lanka

• Reconstructed railway track from Medawchchiya to Madhu under Indian credit facility commissioned; PNS SAIF made a good will visit to Sri Lanka; President congratulates Pakistan’s PML (N) leader Nawaz Sharif; Second Round of political consultations between Sri Lanka and Viet Nam; New Sri Lankan High Commission in Uganda; Beijing based company to fund water project in Sri Lanka; Sri Lanka lifts its ban on fact-finding visits by IBAHRI; Project 'Blue Sky 2020', to minimize emission of greenhouse gases; Celebration of fourth anniversary of the victory over the terrorist.

Maldives

• Maldives backs Sri Lanka; Delegation of the European Union Ambassadors in Colombo meets President; President congratulates Nawaz Sharif

East Asia

China

• President Xi to visit Latin America and the United States; Primere Li visits India, stresses upon developing mutual strategic trust; Tajikistan President visits China; China gains observer status in Arctic Council; Chinese government releases White Paper on Human Rights.

Japan

• Japanese govt’s special adviser to the cabinet visits North Korea; Two Japanese maritime SDF vessels are to make port call in Myanmar; The LDP insists on strengthening the role of the Japanese SDF.

South Korea

• South Korea expresses concern over Japanese delegation’s recent visit to North Korea; US naval Chief visits South Korea; South Korea-US joint naval exercises take off involving the USS Nimitz; South Korea joins the Arctic Council as a permanent observer.

North Korea

• North Korea launches four short-range guided missiles; North Korea slams South Korea’s critical stance on Japanese delegation’s recent Pyongyang visit; North Korean regime appoints a new defense minister.

Russia

• President Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu have agreed to continue to have discussions on the peaceful settlement of Syrian crisis; Russia insists that Syrian neighbours participate in international conference on Syria; Russia seeks to resume negotiations in the Arab-Israeli conflict; Russia to build a nuclear power plant in Vietnam; Rosneft and Petro Vietnam sign an MoU for joint projects in Russia and Vietnam; Russia expresses regret over the new spy scandal with CIA agent detention in Moscow; Rosneft plans to produce 206 million tons of oil in 2013; Russia seeks a visa free deal across Latin America.

DEFENCE REVIEW

National

• Antony calls upon navy and coast guard to ensure timely implementation of measures envisaged under Coastal Security Plan Phase-II; Arrival of P-8I aircraft is expected to greatly enhance India's maritime surveillance capability.

International

• North Korea test-fires fourth short-range missile in a span of two days; Number of US SEAL platoons in Afghanistan to be cut to half by December 2012.

INTERNAL SECURITY REVIEW

Jammu & Kashmir

• Doda and Bhaderwah rocked by protests; Former Hizb militant Liyaqat Shah granted bail; An Army officer and soldier attacked by militants at Kupwara; Chief Minister J&K meets Prime Minister.

North East India

• Army Chief Gen Bikram Singh for an early decision to raise Strike Corps in North-East; Meet on border haats between India and Bangladesh put off.

Ministry of Home Affairs

• Union Home Minister to attend Homeland Security Dialogue to be held in the United States.

UNITED NATIONS (UN) REVIEW

• UN General Assembly passes resolution on Syria, India abstains; UN Security Council condemns attacks in Turkish-Syrian border and Benghazi; UNSC condemns temporary detention of peacekeepers in Golan Heights; Indian Police Unit in DRC receives UN Peacekeeping medal; Public service initiative of Dhanbad receives UN award.