India’s Proximity Archives
South Asia
The Taliban’s Minister of Industry and Commerce, Alhaj Nooruddin Azizi, visited India with a trade delegation from November 19-25. Minister Azizi engaged in discussions with External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and also participated in delegation-level talks with Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal. The talks addressed trade facilitation, market access, connectivity, and capacity-building. The Air Freight Corridor connecting Kabul with Delhi and Amritsar was announced after the meeting. Both nations decided to assign commercial representatives to their respective embassies and establish a Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry. During the five-day visit, the Afghan delegation visited trade fairs and institutions to establish a long-term supply of agricultural products, medicines, and other essential commodities to Afghanistan.
Southeast Asia
During the G20 summit in Johannesburg, Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong urged countries to work together and find ways forward even without U.S. participation. Still, he emphasized that Singapore prefers America to remain actively engaged in shaping global affairs, noting the U.S. can join “at any time” when ready. Echoing his appeal at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting, PM Wong again called on world leaders to reform the World Trade Organization (WTO). He highlighted the importance of pursuing plurilateral and minilateral trade initiatives in parallel, while acknowledging that revitalizing the WTO—already a complex task—will be even harder without U.S. involvement.
East Asia
On November 23, the Japanese Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, met the South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on the sidelines of the Leaders’ Meeting at the 2025 G20 Summit. Takaichi emphasised the need for greater cooperation between the two countries, particularly in the area of mineral resources, towards strengthening global supply chains and enhancing economic security. Both leaders unequivocally affirmed their commitment to continue deeper cooperation through platforms such as TICAD 9 and the G20 Summit.
West Asia
India’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, visited Israel between November 20-22, deepening India-Israel strategic and economic cooperation. During Minister Goyal’s meeting with Israel’s Minister of Economy and Industry Nir Barkat, the two sides signed the Terms of Reference which would guide negotiations for the India-Israel Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Major issues discussed with the Israeli side included opportunities for Indian workers, partnership in cybersecurity, desalination and wastewater management, agriculture and food security, AI, fintech, quantum computing, and pharmaceuticals.
Central Asia
On November 21, Kazakhstan and Armenia elevated their ties to a strategic partnership following talks between President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Astana. A joint statement marked the start of a new phase in cooperation, accompanied by the signing of 15 intergovernmental and interagency agreements. These agreements cover classified information protection, land for diplomatic missions, a 2026–2030 trade and economic roadmap, and collaboration in industry, agriculture, healthcare, science, education, digitalization, and peaceful atomic energy. They also establish new cultural links between national museums, libraries, and film institutions. During the visit, President Tokayev awarded Prime Minister Pashinyan Kazakhstan’s highest honor, the Order of Altyn Qyran (Golden Eagle), recognizing his contributions to Armenia’s development, regional peace, and bilateral relations.
Indian Ocean Region
The 7th National Security Adviser (NSA)-level Meeting of the Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) was held in New Delhi, India, on 20 November 2025. The meeting was hosted by Ajit Doval, National Security Adviser of India, and attended by his counterparts from Member States—Maldives, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. The Republic of Seychelles participated as an observer, while Malaysia joined the meeting as a guest for the first time. At the 7th NSA-level meeting, the first Secretary General, appointed by India, presented a comprehensive review to the CSC Member States on the decisions taken at the 6th NSA-level meeting in Mauritius on 7-8 December 2023 and activities undertaken since then under the five pillars of cooperation. Member States discussed pathways to further enhance cooperation across these priority areas through joint initiatives, training programmes, and capacity-building activities. The Conclave also welcomed the decision of the Republic of Seychelles to accede to the CSC as a full Member State.
