A U.S. strike on Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militants in the Red Sea while they were attacking a container ship is the latest sign that the Gaza war is widening beyond Israel-Palestine.
But the U.S.’s attempt to deal with the Houthi threats as a stand-alone security crisis might run into its own limitations. No Red Sea basin country has joined the U.S.-led task force, which includes even Egypt, whose economy has taken a hit due to the drop in the Suez traffic. This shows the growing anger in the Arab world towards the Biden’s administration’s unconditional support for Israel’s offensive in Gaza, which has killed at least 22,000 people in 11 weeks.
Two missions the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has launched in the five months since its success with Chandrayaan-3 have both been scientific in nature: the Aditya L-1 space probe to study the sun and the X-ray Polarimeter Satellite (XPoSat) to study polarised X-rays emitted in astrophysical phenomena.
XPoSat is only the second space-based experiment to study X-ray polarization, and at higher x-ray energies than the other, NASA’s Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer.
It is time we handle SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19 just like any other respiratory illness; it is more of an individual health.
The JN.1 sub-variant of Omicron has been reported from multiple countries and designated as a variant of interest (VoI) by the World Health Organization.
But is it really cause for concern? The short answer is a no. The reason is that the reporting of a new variant or sub-variant is on expected lines.
Since the reporting of the novel virus in 2019, more than 1,000 subvariants and recombinant sub-lineages have been reported. Against this backdrop, the emergence of JN.1 is not surprising.
JN.1 has been designated a VoI, which means it has some genetic changes and indicative characteristics in circulating viruses which need to be monitored by the health agencies and government.
The vaccine response - Does it mean we need to get additional shots of COVID-19 vaccines? Current scientific evidence supports that vaccines and natural infection continue to provide protection from any sub-variant, though there is some possibility of a decline in protection, as time has lapsed since the last vaccination.
Act responsibly - Yet, four years should help us to learn. The government’s COVID-19 response and actions should be more nuanced and informed by all evidence and real time data. Citizens need to act responsibly and not share unverified social media messages or forwards.
The recent diplomatic overture during the visit of General Manoj Pande, Chief of the Army Staff of India, in November 2023, to the Republic of Korea, signifies a critical juncture in the trajectory of India-Korea defence relations.
The imperative for India and Korea is to transcend the confines of bilateral cooperation, and embrace a paradigm shift that cultivates a more profound understanding of their roles in the swiftly evolving global scenario.
A departure from Cold War mentalities, where the Korean government perceived India as standing in the opposite Soviet bloc, is imperative for Korea to forge a deeper, more meaningful partnership with India.
Korean view of India’s regional role - A hurdle lies in the resistance on the Korean government side to reassess India’s role in the region. It is incumbent upon Korea to comprehend that India is not merely the largest consumer of defence products. Rather, it stands as a regional power capable of substantial contributions to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.
the prevailing overemphasis by the Indian government side on weapons acquisition and technology transfer from Korea, while undeniably pivotal, has tended to overshadow broader strategic considerations.
The emerging coalition of North Korea, China, and Russia poses a new serious challenge to collaborative efforts between the two nations.
Explore technological collaborations- Leveraging their technological capabilities, India and South Korea are aiming to collaborate in developing advanced defence systems and equipment.
In an era where defence against space warfare, information warfare, and cybersecurity is paramount, both nations can further explore opportunities for cooperation.
Peacekeeping and exercises - India and South Korea can leverage their United Nations peacekeeping expertise for collaborative efforts. Sharing insights and resources in peacekeeping operations can enhance regional and global stability, underscoring their joint commitment to peace and security.
