On Thursday, India voted in favour of a resolution in the UN General Assembly (UNGA) condemning ‘Israeli settlements in the “Occupied Palestinian Territory,” including East Jerusalem and the occupied Syrian Golan.’ A vast majority of 145 countries voted in favour of the draft resolution approved by the Special Political and Decolonisation Committee (Fourth Committee) of the UNGA. Seven countries, including Canada, Hungary, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, and the US voted against the resolution, while 18 countries abstained.
Indian External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar is on an official visit to the UK from 11-15 November. Jaishankar will hold discussions with his British counterpart, James Cleverly, and meet several other dignitaries. During the visit, the Indian EAM also called on UK PM Rishi Sunak on Diwali and conveyed the best wishes of Indian PM Narendra Modi on the occasion.
Indian PM Narendra Modi received a telephone call from Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on 10 November. The two leaders shared concerns about the ongoing developments in West Asia and expressed deep concern regarding the terrorism, violence, and loss of civilian lives. During the talks, Modi and Lula called for concerted efforts for early resolution of the situation.
On Sunday, US military forces carried out “precision” attacks on sites used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Iranian-affiliated groups in Syria, as reported by the Pentagon. US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin stated that the most recent US airstrikes were carried out in eastern Syria “against a training facility and a safe house near the cities of Abu Kamal and Mayadin, respectively.”
US defence officials reported that five American servicemen were killed in a military helicopter accident during a training exercise in the Mediterranean Sea on Friday. According to the statement issued by the US European Command on Sunday, the helicopter “suffered a mishap and crashed” during a “routine air refuelling mission.”
Indian PM Narendra Modi is expected to attend the two-day World Climate Action Summit (WCAS), which begins on 1 December, during the 28th session of the UN Climate Conference (COP28) in Dubai, and advocate for his country’s approach to tackling critical environmental issues through Mission LiFE (‘lifestyle for environment’). Although the Indian PM’s visit has not been officially announced, sources suggest he will most likely attend the summit.