Indian PM Narendra Modi, Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Mauritian President Pravind Jugnauth will be virtually present at the launch of Unified Payment Interface (UPI) services today in Sri Lanka and Mauritius and RuPay card services in Mauritius. With the launch, Indian nationals travelling to Sri Lanka and Mauritius, as well as Mauritian nationals flying to India, would have access to UPI settlement services. RuPay card services will be extended to Mauritius, allowing Mauritian banks to issue cards utilising the RuPay mechanism there, facilitating the use of RuPay cards for settlements in both Mauritius and India.
Speaking at the 7th Indian Ocean Conference held in Perth, Australia, from 9-10 February, Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar took a veiled dig at China, cautioning the world against the supply-side problems arising out of the concentration of manufacturing and technology. The conference, which brought together delegations led by ministers from over 22 countries, senior officials from 16 countries, and 6 multilateral organisations, was held with the theme ‘Towards a Stable and Sustainable Indian Ocean.’
Egypt has warned Israel that sending troops to Rafah in the Gaza Strip will result in the suspension of the Camp David Accords, the Associated Press reported on Sunday, citing officials. Cairo is concerned that the fighting may push Palestinians into the Sinai Peninsula, forcing the closure of Gaza’s primary aid supply route. The threat to suspend the Camp David Accords — a series of landmark treaties that led to peace between Egypt and Israel in 1978 — came after Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu declared that sending troops into Rafah was required to win the four-month war against Hamas. The Israeli leader claims that Hamas has four battalions there.
US President Joe Biden on Sunday held a phone conversation with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu wherein they discussed ongoing attempts to secure the release of remaining hostages held by Hamas. The President emphasised the shared goal of defeating Hamas and ensuring Israel’s long-term security, a White House statement read. He also called for immediate steps to increase the flow and regularity of humanitarian aid to Palestinian people. Furthermore, Biden reiterated his view that military action in Rafah should not be carried out unless there is a credible and executable plan in place to ensure the protection and support of the over one million civilians sheltering there.
On Monday, North Korea announced that it had successfully developed a new ballistic control system for a multiple rocket launcher, along with controllable shells. A day earlier, the Academy of Defence Science, responsible for missile development, carried out a test firing of 240-mm calibre controllable multiple rocket launcher shells. It added that the strategic significance of the launcher will be “re-evaluated,” with its role on battlefields expected to grow due to rapid technical advancements.
Myanmar’s military government on Saturday declared mandatory military service for all men and women between 18-35. The directive mandates serving a minimum of two years under military command. Although specific details are yet to be disclosed, the junta mentioned that the defence ministry would provide necessary “bylaws, procedures, announcements, orders, notifications, and instructions.”