COUNTRY REVIEWS

South Asia

Bangladesh

• Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and India’s Border Security Force (BSF) agreed to strengthen joint patrol and enhance coordination; Dipu Moni pursues EU officials to continue with the generalised system of preferences for Bangladesh

Sri Lanka

• President Rajapaksa visits China; Thailand PM visits Sri Lanka; Australian Naval Ship visits Port of Colombo.

Maldives

• Thai Prime Minister visits Maldives; Maldives inflation rate increased.

East Asia

Southeast Asia

• India’s Prime Minister visits Thailand; India and Thailand sign extradition treaty; Cambodia blocks Thai border; China condemns the Philippines over grounded ship; Demand for poll review rises in Malaysia; World Bank to support trade facilitation in Laos

China

• Chinese President Xi Jinping begins his seven day trip to Latin America and Caribbean states; China and Finland agreed to further their cooperation on trade and arctic affairs; China and United States work towards enhancing cooperation on climate change issues; Chinese VP meets leaders of Sri Lanka, Cambodia and Laos; China reiterates that it is against all Internet hacking attacks and hopes to conduct dialogues and cooperate with the United States

West Asia

Syria

• Syrian death toll crosses 3,000 in May, 2013 alone

Turkey

• Anti-government protests as Erdogan rejects ‘dictator’ claims.

Palestine

• New Palestinian prime minister appointed.

GCC

• GCC designates Hezbollah a terror group

Bahrain

• Seven policemen injured in bomb explosion, Ten suspects arrested.

Kuwait

• Kuwait grants Oman US$ 2.5 billion development aid.

DEFENCE REVIEW

National

• Air Force Station at Thanjavur dedicated to the nation by the defence minister; Pilatus PC-7 MK II trainer aircraft inducted into the Indian Air Force.

International

• Deputy Chief of the general staff of the People’s Liberation Army: Chinese patrols in Asian Seas 'Legitimate'; First F-35s to be operational by 2015.

INTERNAL SECURITY REVIEW

Jammu & Kashmir

• Defence Minister Antony: Chinese incursion in Ladakh handled by Army; Jammu & Kashmir Police disturbed by changing trends in militant attacks; Union Home Secretary designate to visit Kashmir; Gunfight in Pulwama killed a militant; 26 hour Shopian Encounter ends.

North East India

• Assam government requests Centre to declare nine districts as Maoist affected; Two border haats to come up at Manipur-Myanmar border; Lt Gen (Retd) Nirbhay Sharma assumes charge as new governor of Arunachal Pradesh; Manipur governemnt claims Maoist-PLA links broken.

UNITED NATIONS (UN) REVIEW

• India and Japan to hold consultations on UN issues; India wants greater say in deciding UN peacekeeping mandates; Mandate of UN force in Abyei extended; UNSC called on regional actors to cooperate on Central African Republic.