During a visit to Oman on Monday, Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval met with Sultan Haitham bin Tarik and other top officials to discuss “strengthening mutually beneficial cooperation” in the areas of economy, technology, and security. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs stated that Doval’s visit underscored Oman’s role as a “key partner” for India in the Gulf region and showcased New Delhi’s commitment to strengthening its “strategic partnership” with Muscat.
During a meeting on Monday, Special Representative of the Chinese Government on Korean Peninsula Affairs, Liu Xiaoming, and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko agreed although 70 years have passed since the armistice of the Korean War, the transition to peace has not been realised, as North Korea’s “reasonable security concerns have not been addressed in a balanced manner.” This was “the root cause and crux of tension and confrontation on the Korean Peninsula today,” they agreed.
On the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on Monday, Myanmar junta authorities reported burning almost half a billion dollars worth of illegal drugs in Yangon. They also raised concerns that they were failing to stop a surge in the production and trafficking of narcotics.
Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stated that Pakistan-occupied Kashmir was, is, and will remain a part of India. While addressing a “security conclave” at Jammu University, Singh remarked that the Indian Parliament has passed a unanimous resolution to this end, and the Pakistan government will achieve nothing by repeatedly claiming the region.
India summoned a senior diplomat of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi following the recent attacks on members of the Sikh community in Pakistan. After a Sikh man was shot dead in Pakistan on Saturday, India urged the Pakistani authorities to investigate the case thoroughly.
The White House reacted strongly on Monday in response to those harassing Sabrina Siddiqui, the Wall Street Journal reporter who questioned Indian PM Narendra Modi about India’s democratic backsliding during his joint press conference with US President Joe Biden. US National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby stated, “It’s unacceptable, and we absolutely condemn any harassment of journalists anywhere under any circumstances.” He added that it was “antithetical to the very principles of democracy that were displayed last week during the state visit.”
On Monday, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius announced that Berlin is prepared to permanently station a 4,000-strong army brigade in Lithuania in line with the NATO defence strategy in the face of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. However, Pistorius added that the essential infrastructure must be in place as a prerequisite. According to the minister, the deployment must also be compatible with NATO’s regional plans outlining how it would respond to a Russian strike.