Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Ali Sabry said on Wednesday that the Kachchatheevu issue between India and Sri Lanka was settled 50 years ago, and there’s no need to revisit it. Sabry added that India was having an internal political debate about the island, and nobody was claiming it. This was the first reaction from Sri Lanka to the dispute since the controversy was rekindled in India ahead of the upcoming general elections.
The Indian Navy’s P8I aircraft arrived in Astugi, Japan on Wednesday to participate in bilateral anti-submarine warfare (ASW) operations. The aircraft crew will participate in knowledge-sharing sessions with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF). Additionally, the naval crew will plan and execute maritime reconnaissance operations along with the Japanese forces.
Indian PM Narendra Modi on Wednesday expressed solidarity with the “resilient people of Taiwan” after the country was struck by a strong 7.2 magnitude earthquake on Wednesday. Expressing sadness over the loss of lives in the calamity, Modi wished for the heartfelt recovery of those injured. As per reports, two Indians are said to be missing in the aftermath of the earthquake and the India-Taipei Association has set up an emergency helpline for Indian nationals living in the country.
Chinese state media CCTV reported on Wednesday that eight individuals were reported missing following a collision between a Chinese fishing vessel and a Panama-registered container ship near a town in Hainan, an island province. Search and rescue efforts are currently in progress, with authorities investigating the cause of the accident.
Raymond Greene, presently serving as the deputy chief of mission at the US embassy in Tokyo, will succeed Sandra Oudkirk as the director of the American Institute in Taiwan, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. Greene is known to be a strong supporter of Taiwan. This transition coincides with the inauguration of the island’s new president amid escalating tensions with China.
On Wednesday, North Korea announced that it had successfully tested a new hypersonic intermediate-range missile utilising solid propellants. This comes as part of a series of weapons tests escalating nuclear tensions with neighbouring countries and the US. However, the South Korean military dismissed North Korea’s claims, suggesting an exaggeration of the test’s success and its broader missile capabilities.