Daily News - Monday, 27 October 2025
To work with Asean for development goals: PM (Financial Express)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaffirmed India’s commitment to working with ASEAN toward shared prosperity, aligning India’s Viksit Bharat 2047 vision with ASEAN’s Community Vision 2045 for sustainable and innovation-driven growth. He emphasized the steady progress of the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership despite global uncertainties, highlighting cooperation in disaster relief, maritime security, and the blue economy, with 2026 declared as the ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation. Modi also underscored ASEAN’s central role in India’s Act East Policy, pledging to deepen collaboration in education, tourism, technology, green energy, and cybersecurity while strengthening cultural and people-to-people ties.
Vietnam PM proposes economic connectivity, maritime cooperation to advance ASEAN-India relations (ANI)
At the 22nd ASEAN-India Summit, Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh proposed three main areas to deepen the ASEAN-India strategic partnership: strengthening economic connectivity, enhancing people-to-people exchanges, and promoting maritime cooperation and a sustainable blue economy. He called for greater investment in technology, renewable energy, and infrastructure, restructuring the ASEAN-India Business Council, and expanding collaboration on maritime security under international law. The summit concluded with agreements to review the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement, adopt the 2026–2030 Action Plan, and issue a Joint Statement on Sustainable Tourism to drive inclusive and sustainable regional growth.
India's rare earth plan faces fresh hurdles as China tightens exports (Business Standard)
India’s ₹7,300 crore plan to boost domestic production of rare earth magnets, crucial for EVs and high-tech industries, faces a setback after China tightened export controls on rare earth processing equipment. Since most of the specialized machinery needed for processing comes from China, the new restrictions could increase costs and delay India’s efforts to build a self-reliant manufacturing ecosystem. With China dominating 92% of global processing capacity, India’s push for independence in this critical sector risks losing momentum despite government incentives and strong industrial interest.
Maritime sector drives India's economic surge as 95% of trade moves through sea routes (The Economic Times)
India’s maritime sector, which handles 95% of trade by volume and 70% by value, is crucial to its economic growth and global competitiveness. Through initiatives like the Maritime India Vision 2030 and Sagarmala Programme, the government is investing over ₹3–3.5 lakh crore to modernize ports, expand shipping and inland waterways, and enhance efficiency—evidenced by a sharp drop in vessel turnaround times and rising port profits. With port capacity doubling, coastal shipping and inland water transport surging, and over three lakh Indian seafarers now forming 12% of the global workforce, India is steadily steering toward its long-term Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047.
Trump says India cutting back Russian oil purchases 'completely' (The Economic Times)
US President Donald Trump claimed that India would completely stop importing Russian oil and that China would also reduce its purchases substantially, though India has maintained that its energy policy is driven by national interests and secure, affordable supplies. His remarks come amid strained India-US relations following Washington’s decision to double tariffs on Indian goods, including additional duties linked to India’s Russian crude imports. Trump also reiterated his disputed claim of mediating peace between India and Pakistan, despite India asserting that the ceasefire was achieved through direct military-level talks after cross-border hostilities in May.
