The Auckland agreements propose direct flights, payment-system connectivity, an annual maritime dialogue and wider cooperation in education, agriculture, sports and disaster management.
A security assessment by Tsinghua University's International Security and Strategy Center identifies Taiwan, Japan, US technology restrictions and South China Sea tensions among the biggest external challenges China expects to face in 2026.
The United States has expressed concern over China's submarine-launched intercontinental-range ballistic missile test, urging Beijing to improve transparency and join formal arms control discussions amid growing regional unease.
The issue came up during a House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on East Asia and the Pacific hearing, where Michael G. DeSombre, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, flagged Beijing’s activities in the South China Sea as a major concern for the United States.
India hosted the Quad foreign ministers in Delhi as the grouping sharpened focus on maritime security, critical minerals and supply chain resilience amid rising Indo-Pacific challenges.
The two sides also reaffirmed their shared ambition to conclude negotiations on the Free Trade Agreement by the end of this year and to accelerate negotiations on the Investment Protection Agreement and the Agreement on Geographical Indications.
"PM Phạm Minh Chính of Vietnam and I met in Johannesburg. Our commitment to a stronger, future-oriented friendship between India and Vietnam remains steadfast," Modi said in a post on X, highlighting the positive outcome of the meeting.
Earlier, the External Affairs Minister attended the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting Outreach Session on Maritime Security and Prosperity, where he underlined India’s approach to maritime security through the MAHASAGAR outlook, Indo-Pacific cooperation, and its role as a first responder in the maritime domain.
The India-US defense pact signed last week is a 10-year framework agreement that aims to deepen defense cooperation between the two nations through enhanced coordination, information sharing, and technological collaboration.
"The Indo-Pacific Oceans’ Initiative, where Japan co-leads the Maritime Trade, Transport and Connectivity pillar, has the potential to advance our contributions," Jaishankar said while addressing the 8th India-Japan Indo-Pacific Forum.
