Current Affairs - International

Anutin Charnvirakul, leader of the Bhumjaithai Party, was elected as Thailand’s new Prime Minister on September 5, 2025, securing 63% of the parliamentary vote. His victory marked a major shift in Thai politics, ending the long-standing dominance of the Pheu Thai Party and signaling the decline of the Shinawatra family’s influence. Known for his role in managing Thailand’s COVID-19 response and for spearheading the decriminalization of cannabis, Anutin is considered a pragmatic dealmaker. His success was also due to a strategic pact with the People’s Party, which supported him in exchange for promises of constitutional reform and fresh elections.

Singapore has endorsed India’s initiative to patrol the Malacca Strait, a critical maritime chokepoint connecting the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea. This strategic move enhances regional maritime security, counters concerns over Chinese naval activity, and strengthens India’s Act East and Indo-Pacific strategies. The agreement was announced during Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s visit to India on September 4, 2025, alongside signing five new pacts covering green energy, technology, and defence cooperation. Singapore’s support reflects the deepening bilateral partnership and commitment to safeguarding one of the world’s busiest sea lanes, which handles over 60% of global maritime trade.

Andrew Holness, leader of the Jamaica Labour Party, has secured a rare third term as the Prime Minister of Jamaica after his party won 34 seats in the 2025 elections. His campaign focused strongly on economic reforms, particularly the promise of reducing income tax rates from 25% to 15%, which appealed to a broad section of the population. His opponent, Mark Golding, conceded defeat, marking another significant victory for Holness’s leadership. Jamaica, located in the Caribbean region of North America, has Kingston as its capital, the Jamaican Dollar as its currency, and English as its official language.

Nepal banned 26 unregistered social media platforms on September 4, 2025, under its Directive for Regulation of Social Media Use, 2080. The platforms included globally popular services like Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter). The decision was announced by Nepal’s Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Prithvi Subba Gurung, after platforms failed to comply with requirements such as registering with the government, establishing a local office, and appointing a contact person in Nepal. TikTok, which had earlier been banned, was reinstated after registration in 2024, while Telegram continues to remain banned due to concerns over misuse.

India has entered into a landmark Joint Credit Mechanism (JCM) agreement with Japan under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement. This collaboration aims to enhance carbon trading, promote green investment, and accelerate sustainable innovation. The partnership is strategically important as it comes amid challenges like U.S. tariffs on Indian goods and China’s restrictions on rare earth exports. Japan’s role provides India with an alternative pathway to strengthen clean energy development and manufacturing. Additionally, the JCM facilitates bilateral carbon credit trading, technology transfer, and capacity building, helping India progress toward its Net Zero 2070 target while positioning both nations as leaders in sustainable climate action ahead of COP30.