The Indian Navy on Wednesday commissioned INS Jatayu at Minicoy, the southernmost island of Lakshadweep, to "augment security infrastructure at the strategically important islands." INS Jatayu is the second naval base on Lakshadweep after INS Dweeprakshak at Kavaratti. The base will extend the Navy's "operational surveillance, reach and sustenance" and aid in the island's development.
India on Wednesday urged the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to ensure that loans given to Pakistan are not used to pay defence bills or repay loans from other countries. Krishnamurthy Subramanian, the Indian nominee for the IMF’s executive board, expressed Indian concerns during a review of the ongoing $3 billion short-term Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) granted by the IMF to Pakistan last July. He called for the “stringent monitoring” of any emergency funds that are being provided to the crisis-ridden nation.
During China's annual legislative meeting on Tuesday, it was disclosed that the country's defence budget has risen by 7.2%, reaching 1.6 trillion yuan ($222 billion). However, this amount represents only a fraction of the total spending by the People’s Liberation Army, which includes funding for research, development, and procurement of foreign weapons.
The US is encouraging the Netherlands, Germany, South Korea, and Japan to enhance restrictions on China’s access to semiconductor technology. Washington has been pressuring Japanese companies to limit exports of crucial chipmaking chemicals, including photoresist. It is also pressing the Netherlands to halt semiconductor equipment maker ASML from servicing chipmaking equipment acquired before recent sales limits for Chinese clients.
Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley announced on Wednesday that she is withdrawing from the Republican presidential race, encouraging presumptive nominee Donald Trump to “earn” the support of voters who backed her. “I said I wanted Americans to have their voices heard. I have done that. I have no regrets,” Haley said during remarks in Charleston announcing the end of her campaign. “It is now up to Donald Trump to earn the vote [of] those in our party and beyond it, who did not support him. And I hope he does that,” she said.
The US on Wednesday urged Iran to dilute all of the uranium it has enriched to up to 60% purity, which is close to weapons-grade level. “Iran should downblend all, not just some, of its 60% stockpile, and stop all production of uranium enriched to 60% entirely,” the statement said. “We continue to have serious concerns related to the stockpile of highly enriched uranium that Iran continues to maintain,” it added.