New Defense, Tech Partnerships Mark Modi’s Visit to White House
During the visit today, the United States and India are expected to announce plans (WaPo) for General Electric fighter jet engines to be built in India and for India to buy General Atomics armed drones. U.S. chipmaker Micron is also expected to announce it will build a plant in India. Modi heralded an “unprecedented trust” (WSJ) between the two countries ahead of his visit, which includes an address to Congress and a press conference with Biden.
Human rights groups plan to protest (Reuters) today’s visit due to what they view as deteriorating human rights under the Modi administration. U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Biden will address concerns about democratic backsliding in India.
Analysis
“India sees itself as having a large stake in the success of the U.S.-India relationship—a drastic change from its past attitude—and the United States sees India as one of its most valuable partners today. This trajectory is unlikely to change in the near future,” CFR expert Manjari Chatterjee Miller writes.
"The United States should not only do the hard work of renewing faith in democracy at home—it should also expect its allies to be equally committed. Absent this, any efforts at values-based economic deepening or friendshoring will be perceived as mere window dressing to our allies, and as evidence to China that U.S. concerns about its rise have less to do with authoritarianism than with economic competition," CFR expert Inu Manak writes.
Pacific Rim
Seoul Moves Forward With Missile Defense System Decried by Beijing
South Korea completed an environmental impact assessment (Nikkei) of a missile defense system yesterday that it is deploying with the United States. The first time South Korea deployed such a system, in 2017, China suspended some forms of economic cooperation.
South Korea: The country will remove so-called killer questions (NYT) from standardized college entrance tests that have powered a booming private test-prep industry, officials said.
South and Central Asia
Pakistan Considers Transferring Ports to UAE Amid Economic Crunch
To help raise emergency funds amid its deepening economic crisis, Pakistan is considering selling terminals at the port of Karachi to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Nikkei reported.
Afghanistan: The Taliban government told the UN Security Council yesterday that it is seeking United Nations recognition, which the head of the UN assistance mission in Afghanistan said is near “impossible” (Al Jazeera) if the Taliban continues to impose harsh restrictions on womens’ rights.
After weeks of Saudi-hosted talks to end the eight-year conflict in Yemen, Saudi Arabia and the Houthi rebel group exchanged sixty-four fighters’ bodies (Reuters) at the Saudi-Yemeni border yesterday.
Brussels/Iran: Iran’s lead nuclear negotiator said he discussed the potential lifting of sanctions (Bloomberg) with European Union (EU) officials amid a Western push for an informal deal that limits Iran’s nuclear activities.
Sudan’s Warring Sides Escalate Attacks After Three-Day Cease-Fire Ends
Rival military groups have been fighting in Sudan for over two months, and cease-fires have been repeatedly broken. The United States and Saudi Arabia said they could stop holding talks (Reuters) if the warring sides continue to violate such truce agreements.
China/Tanzania: National oil firms from both countries plan to jointly explore (Bloomberg) deepwater offshore oil and gas blocks held by the Tanzanian government, Tanzania’s energy minister said.
Europe
Macron Hosts Climate Finance Conference in Paris
Low-income countries that are most vulnerable to climate change urged reforms (NYT) on debt relief and greater access to financial support from the international monetary system.
Brussels/Kosovo/Serbia: EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell summoned the leaders (AP) of Serbia and Kosovo to crisis talks in Brussels, where he is calling for a de-escalation in tensions after recent border clashes.
Americas
Panama Canal Issues New Restriction on Ships Amid Drought
The shallower depths necessitates that ships shed weight to float higher in the water (Reuters) according to the new restrictions. A canal administrator said more moderate restrictions that are already in place have not affected shipping traffic.
Brazil: The country’s electoral court begins a trial (WaPo) today against former President Jair Bolsonaro, who is accused of abusing his power to cast unsubstantiated doubts about the country’s voting system. Under the charges, he could be banned from running for office for eight years.
