Current Affairs - International

India and Singapore held the 3rd India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (ISMR) in New Delhi, underscoring their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The meeting focused on six pillars of cooperation: digitalization, skill development, sustainability, healthcare, advanced manufacturing, and connectivity. With high-level ministerial participation from both sides, the roundtable highlighted Singapore’s role as a key partner in India’s Act East Policy and Indo-Pacific strategy. Singapore is among India’s largest foreign investors and acts as a gateway to ASEAN markets, making it central to regional cooperation. This roundtable reaffirmed mutual commitment to innovation, economic growth, and strategic collaboration in the Indo-Pacific region.

Australia announced a major foreign policy decision to formally recognise the State of Palestine at the 80th United Nations General Assembly in September 2025. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese emphasised that this move aims to support the long-pursued two-state solution, help achieve a ceasefire in Gaza, and push for the release of hostages. The recognition will be conditional on governance reforms by the Palestinian Authority, including elections, demilitarisation, and ensuring Hamas plays no role in governance. With over 138 UN member states already recognising Palestine, Australia’s step adds to the growing global momentum pressing for peace in the Middle East.

India sent five metric tonnes of cowpea (black-eyed pea) seeds to Fiji as part of its Act East Policy, reinforcing its commitment to supporting Indo-Pacific partners. The aid was handed over in Sabeto, Nadi, through the High Commission of India in Suva, to strengthen agricultural resilience, food security, and farmer empowerment in Fiji. Cowpea seeds are drought-tolerant and protein-rich, making them highly beneficial for adapting to climate challenges and enhancing nutrition. This initiative not only supports Fiji’s agricultural sector but also deepens bilateral cooperation, reflecting India’s role as a reliable partner in humanitarian and developmental assistance across the region.

The Ulchi Freedom Shield military exercise is a long-standing joint drill between the United States and South Korea. Originally beginning in the 1960s as the Taeguk Exercise, it evolved over time to strengthen readiness against potential threats in the region. In 2008, the exercise was renamed Ulchi-Freedom Guardian, and later became Ulchi Freedom Shield. The drills not only demonstrate military preparedness but also symbolise the close defence partnership between the U.S. and South Korea. Their collaboration ensures stability on the Korean Peninsula while reinforcing cooperation across land, air, sea, and cyber domains.

In 2025, the World Health Organisation (WHO) certified Kenya free of human African trypanosomiasis, commonly known as sleeping sickness, marking a major victory in public health. This achievement makes Kenya the 10th country to eliminate the disease as a public health challenge, following decades of dedicated efforts in tsetse fly control, improved diagnostics, effective treatment, and community awareness campaigns. The disease, caused by protozoa transmitted via tsetse flies, can be fatal if untreated. Kenya’s success builds on its earlier milestone of eliminating Guinea worm disease in 2018 and reinforces Africa’s broader drive to eradicate neglected tropical diseases through coordinated strategies.