Diplomacy

• India expanded its defense diplomacy during the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, with Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh conducting high-level bilateral meetings. • The engagements focused on strengthening security ties and strategic cooperation with senior counterparts from the Netherlands and Australia. • These discussions are critical for enhancing regional stability and diversifying India's defense partnerships across the Indo-Pacific and Europe.

• Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar held a joint press availability at the State Department in Washington on May 25, signaling continued high-level US-India engagement. • The meeting comes as Washington and New Delhi manage trade, security, and Indo-Pacific coordination, with the two governments seeking to keep diplomatic channels active on strategic issues. • The talks matter because India remains a central US partner in regional balancing, supply-chain resilience, and coordination on global security challenges.

US secretary of state says president would like a negotiated agreement with Havana but likelihood ‘is not high’The US president, Donald Trump, and the secretary of state, Marco Rubio, on Thursday again raised the spectre of military intervention in Cuba, a renewed threat that takes on greater weight a day after the administration announced criminal charges against the island’s former leader, Raúl Castro.Trump said previous US presidents have considered intervening in Cuba for decades but that “it looks like I’ll be the one that does it”. Continue reading...

• Asia-Pacific markets traded higher, with notable gains including South Korea's Kosdaq (over 3%), Kospi (0.52%), Hong Kong's Hang Seng (0.66%), and China's CSI 300 (0.78%). • Investors are reacting to diplomatic efforts regarding a U.S.-Iran peace deal, though tensions remain as Tehran intends to keep its enriched uranium stockpile domestically. • Economic data showed core inflation dropped to 1.4%, falling below both the previous March reading of 1.8% and the 1.7% forecast by Reuters economists.

Change reflects both transformation of US in Trump era and China’s increasing confidence on world stageAsked before he departed for Beijing if he would raise with the Chinese president the case of Jimmy Lai, the pro-democracy activist jailed in Hong Kong, Donald Trump said: “I’ll bring him up.”But, the US president added: “It’s like saying to me, ‘If Comey ever went to jail, would you let him out?’ It might be a hard one for me.” Trump was referring to James B Comey, a former FBI director and a frequent target of Trump’s ire. Continue reading...

• Iranian and Egyptian foreign ministers held a phone call on Sunday, May 10, 2026, to address latest regional developments and ongoing diplomatic efforts between Tehran and Washington mediated by Pakistan. • The discussions occur amid heightened uncertainty in ceasefire diplomacy following US President Donald Trump's rejection of Iran’s latest response to a US proposal as “totally unacceptable.” • This outreach signals Egypt's potential role in bridging divides between Iran and the US, amid escalating Middle East tensions involving Pakistan as a key intermediary.

• Laos is ramping up regional diplomacy before the 48th ASEAN Summit in Cebu on May 7-8, with Foreign Minister Thongsavanh Phomvihane visiting Indonesia for bilateral talks. • Discussions covered trade, investment, tourism, human resource development, and broader ASEAN priorities, including meetings with business groups and the ASEAN Secretariat. • Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone will lead Laos at the summit, focusing on unity amid geopolitical tensions in Southeast Asia.