Current Affairs - International

Sri Lanka has approved visa-free entry for Indian visitors and six other countries, namely China, Russia, Malaysia, Japan, Indonesia, and Thailand. This pilot project began on October 24, 2023, and will continue till March 31, 2024.

The US imposed sanctions on three Chinese firms—General Technology Limited, Beijing Luo Luo Technology Development, and Changzhou Utek Composite Company—accusing them of supplying missile components to Pakistan.

The 21st India-France Military Sub Committee (MSC) meeting was held on October 16-17, 2023, at the Air Force Station in New Delhi. The crucial meeting was co-chaired by Air Vice Marshal Ashish Vohra from the Indian side and Major General Eric Peltier from the French side. The meeting served as a vital platform for strengthening defence cooperation between the two nations.

In 2023, NATO consists of 31 sovereign member countries. While Israel is not counted among these members, it holds the designation of a major non-NATO ally, underscoring its substantial involvement within the alliance's structure. The major non-NATO ally status is a designation conferred by the U.S. government upon select close allies

India and the UK held their first-ever 2+2 foreign affairs and defence dialogue in New Delhi on October 18, 2023. The dialogue was co-chaired by the External Affairs Minister of India, Dr. S. Jaishankar, and the Foreign Secretary of the UK, James Cleverly.