India and the Maldives had their third High-Level Core Group meeting in Malé. They discussed replacing Indian military troops with technical personnel for operating Indian aviation platforms in the Maldives. The group also discussed speeding up development cooperation and improving connections between people through training and travel. They agreed to hold the next meeting in New Delhi.
An Indian Army contingent departed for Seychelles on Sunday to participate in the tenth edition of the 'Lamitiye-2024' joint military exercise, which will be held from 18 to 27 March. Forty-five personnel from each side will participate in the exercise, which has been conducted in Seychelles since 2001.
On Friday, India strongly rejected US remarks about the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), describing them as "misplaced, misinformed, and unwarranted." MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that the CAA is an internal issue for India and aligns with the country's inclusive traditions and its ongoing dedication to human rights. He emphasised that the Act is focused on granting citizenship rather than revoking it. Jaiswal cautioned against lectures from those with a limited understanding of India's diverse traditions and the historical context of the region post-partition.
India's First Training Squadron, comprising INS Tir and CGS Sarathi, concluded a visit to Port Louis, Mauritius, as part of their long-range training deployment. Before entering Port Louis, they participated in joint EEZ surveillance with the Mauritius Coast Guard Dornier, coinciding with the 57th Mauritius National Day celebrations. Additionally, the Indian naval trainees visited the Maritime Air Squadron and Police Helicopter Squadron of Mauritius, and the National Coast Guard personnel of Mauritius were imparted training on small arms and firefighting onboard the 1TS ships.
Vladimir Putin won the Russian presidential election on Sunday by a landslide, with 87.8% of the vote. This victory reinforces Moscow's stance against the West and its actions in Ukraine. If he completes his new six-year term, Putin will surpass Josef Stalin and become Russia's longest-serving leader in over 200 years.
On Monday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stressed the importance of using technology to uphold democratic principles and highlighted the necessity of countering authoritarian regimes’ use of technology to subvert democracy and human rights. “As authoritarian and repressive regimes deploy technologies to undermine democracy and human rights, we need to ensure that technology sustains and supports democratic values and norms,” Blinken said at the opening of the Summit for Democracy in South Korea.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said he is sure that the Russia-China relationship will continue to grow due to his personal relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping. “But the most important thing is that our national interests coincide, and this creates a favourable environment for resolving our common tasks and in the sphere of international relations, where relations between Russia and China serve as a factor of stability,” he added.