Indo-pacific

US, allies to launch tracking system to monitor illegal fishing by China

The Indo-Pacific countries and the United States will monitor illegal fishing even when boats turn their transponders off to go under the radar.

Quad members India, Australia sign interim trade agreement

The deal cuts tariffs on more than 85 percent of Australian exports to India, as the two countries gear up for negotiations on a full trade pact amid hopes that it would be signed by the end of the year.

Australia says it had 'grave concerns' as crisis over subs deal continues

Prime Minister Morrison says he understood the French government's "disappointment" but said he had raised issues with the deal "some months ago", as had other Australian government ministers.

France recalls envoys in US and Australia amid submarine row

France said it was recalling its ambassadors in the United States and Australia for consultations following Australia's decision to scrap a big French conventional submarine purchase in favour of nuclear subs built with US technology.

France says US torpedoed its submarine deal with Australia

"This brutal, unilateral, and unpredictable decision reminds me a lot of what Mr Trump used to do," says FM Jean-Yves Le Drian, accusing US President Biden of stabbing Paris in back and acting like his predecessor Trump.

China: UK-US-Australia risk 'shooting themselves in foot' with new pact

Beijing slams Western allies and their new alliance under which Canberra will acquire nuclear submarine technology, calling it "extremely irresponsible".

Why India views Mauritius as a strategic outpost in the Indian Ocean

As power dynamics in the Indian Ocean change, India has come to view Mauritius as an integral part of its new security architecture to counterbalance China’s growing footprint.

With eyes on China, US and India agree to expand multilateral security ties

Top diplomats Antony Blinken and Subrahmanyam Jaishankar pledge to stretch their multilateral security partnership, underscoring deepening of ties between both countries concerned over China's growing influence in the region.

UK to boost nuclear stockpile, focus on Asia in post-Brexit policy overhaul

Prime Minister Boris Johnson sets out his government’s post-Brexit foreign and defence priorities, pledging to counter China’s dominance and build a new counterterrorism centre in response to “likely” chemical or nuclear attack.

Biden says free Indo-Pacific 'essential' as US, allies launch vaccine plan

US President Joe Biden stresses importance of free Indo-Pacific region as concerns mount about China's assertion of power around the region.

US declassifies its strategy to use India against China

It paints a cold picture of how the US seeks to use its South-East Asian allies to contend with China and North Korea.