CHINA

In 2023, India ranked as the world's fourth-largest military spender, with a total expenditure of $83.6 billion, marking a 4.2% increase from the previous year. This data comes from a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), which also revealed a global rise in military spending, reaching $2,443 billion, a 7% increase from 2022. The top 10 spenders, including the United States, China, and Russia, all boosted their military expenditures.

A Chinese drone's proximity to the Philippines, coinciding with the country's receipt of Indian BrahMos missiles and upcoming US drills, raises tensions in the region. The drone sighting over the West Philippine Sea, amid territorial disputes, underscores the strategic moves by nations to enhance their defensive capabilities.

PRC's CMC created the ISF on April 19, 2024, replacing the PLA SSF. Xi Jinping awarded the military flag. ISF focuses on communication networks. New arms redefine PLA's structure for modernization goals.

The defence ministry expressed thanks to the U.S. House of Representatives for passing the package on Saturday, saying it demonstrated the "rock solid" U.S. support for Taiwan.

While China has been the biggest supplier of weapons and technology to Pakistan in recent years, the link between a Belarusian entity and Pakistan has come as a surprise to many experts. Ukraine, however, is known to have supplied defence items to Pakistan since the dissolution of the Soviet Union. On the implications of the sanctions, the US said, "As a result of today's action, all property and interests in property of the designated persons described above that are in the US, or in possession or control of US persons, are blocked and must be reported to the Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)."

The United States has imposed sanctions on Chinese and Belarusian companies for allegedly supplying components to Pakistan's ballistic missile program. Pakistan has denied the allegations, calling for evidence and proposing discussions on export controls. The US has reiterated its commitment to nonproliferation but faces criticism for perceived double standards in arms control. The sanctions highlight challenges in global arms control efforts and the need for international cooperation to address proliferation concerns.

Xi is creating a new branch called the Information Support Force. The aerospace and cyber units previously under the Strategic Support Force will now be organisationally parallel to the newly created Information Support Force, the defence ministry said in a statement. The aerospace unit will improve China's capability to use space and step up the management of space crises, the ministry said.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson has voiced concerns about China's alleged use of civilian space activities to conceal military operations. He highlighted the competitive nature of the US-China space race and expressed hopes for peaceful cooperation in space. China's Tiangong space station stands in contrast to NASA's collaborative approach with the ISS. Nelson also expressed concerns about China potentially reaching the Moon before the US, which could impact lunar resource access. Both nations have ambitious lunar exploration goals, reflecting the competitive landscape of space exploration.

China's foreign minister criticized the AUKUS security pact, accusing Western powers of causing division and nuclear proliferation risks in the South Pacific. During his visit to Papua New Guinea, Wang Yi condemned the agreement between the US, UK, and Australia, which aims to provide Australia with nuclear-powered submarines. He emphasized that AUKUS goes against a South Pacific treaty banning nuclear weapons in the region and could destabilize the area. Wang's remarks reflect China's efforts to counter US and Australian influence in the Pacific Islands, which are strategically significant despite their small populations.

Currently, China is provoking countries in the East China Sea, Taiwan and the South China Sea at the same time. For China’s strategy, these areas are one set. For example, if China wants to invade Taiwan, China should dominate the East China Sea and the South China Sea to isolate Taiwan. And government in Beijing can control all these areas under one integrated strategy.

It is the first time since November 2022 that Austin has held talks with his Chinese counterpart when he spoke with the then defence minister of China Wei Fenghe in Cambodia. Dong was appointed China's Defence minister in December. China then named General Li Shangfu as its defence minister.

The Defence Secretary reaffirmed the announcement by President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping in November 2023 that both sides will resume telephone conversations between theatre commanders.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Tuesday he had urged Xi Jinping to press ally Russia to end its "senseless" war in Ukraine and that the Chinese President had agreed to back a peace conference in Switzerland. He added that Xi had agreed to back a peace conference on the war in Switzerland.

India's military modernization in 2023 aimed at countering China and reducing Russian equipment reliance. Tensions with China persist post-Galwan clash. Pakistan focuses on nuclear modernization despite economic challenges and increased terrorist violence.

The redevelopment of Kadhdhoo domestic airport into an international airport entails a 2.45-km runway with a terminal capable of handling 300 passengers during peak hours, according to a press release by the Maldives President's Office.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. highlighted the significance of a cooperation agreement between the Philippines, the United States, and Japan, stating that it would change the dynamic in the South China Sea and the region. The agreement, following the first trilateral summit between the nations, aimed to deepen economic and security relations without targeting any specific country. Despite recent tensions with China over the South China Sea, Marcos emphasized that the summit's focus was on enhancing cooperation rather than confrontation.

The relations between India and China have been frozen except for trade ties ever since the eastern Ladakh border standoff erupted on May 5, 2020, following a violent clash in the Pangong Tso (lake) area. The two sides have so far held 21 rounds of corps commander-level talks to resolve the standoff.

A number of US and South Korean guided missile destroyers and a Japanese warship joined the April 10-12 drill in the disputed East China Sea, where worries about China territorial claims are rising. The Associated Press was one of several news organizations allowed a front-row look at the drills.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's recent visit to China raised eyebrows about the depth of the Beijing-Moscow alliance. Despite appearances, the partnership is more complex than a simple embrace. Russia lacks a formal military alliance with China, maintaining a strong military partnership with India instead. Recent deliveries of warships and Igla-S systems to India underscore this relationship, enhancing India's air defense capabilities. Russia should tread carefully with China, which aims to become the dominant partner, a prospect Moscow finds uncomfortable.

China's military announced on Sunday that it had conducted air and sea patrols, asserting control over activities in the South China Sea, likely in response to joint naval exercises by the US and its allies. The US, Japan, Australia, and the Philippines had declared joint exercises in the sea to safeguard the rule of law and ensure freedom of navigation. China has longstanding territorial disputes in the South China Sea, particularly with Southeast Asian nations.

A statement from the Chinese army indicates that military "combat patrols" will be carried out in the contested South China Sea on Sunday, coinciding with joint drills involving the Philippines, the United States, Japan, and Australia.