India’s Proximity Archives

Date: December 31, 2025

By Shreyas Durgadasrao Deshmukh, Sanket Joshi, Jayantika Rao T. V., Divya Rai, Arshiya Chaturvedi

South Asia

On December 30, Khaleda Zia, the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh and the Chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), passed away in Dhaka. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his condolences to the people of Bangladesh, noting that her vision and legacy will remain a guiding force in shaping India-Bangladesh partnership. Meanwhile, Tarique Rahman, the son of Khaleda Zia and Acting Chairman of BNP, returned to Bangladesh after nearly 17 years in exile ahead of the parliamentary elections to be held on February 12, 2026. He vowed to unite people of all faiths to create a secure and inclusive Bangladesh.

Southeast Asia

On December 28, the first phase of Myanmar’s three-phase elections was held in various parts of the country. The first phase covered 102 townships; subsequent phases will be held on January 11, 2026 (100 townships) and January 25 (63 townships). On December 29, Myanmar’s main pro-military party has claimed an overwhelming lead. A senior official from the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) said that the party had won 82 of 102 seats in the lower house of the legislature in townships where counting had been completed, suggesting it secured more than 80 percent of the seats contested in the first phase. The official added that the party had also won all eight townships in the capital, Naypyidaw. Official figures have yet to be published by Myanmar’s Union Election Commission.

East Asia

China hosted a trilateral meeting of the foreign ministers of China, Cambodia, and Thailand on December 29, 2025, in Yuxi, Yunnan Province. The meeting, which was attended by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Prak Sokhonn and Thai Foreign Minister SihasakPhuangketkeow, along with senior military officials from the three countries, aimed at facilitating constructive dialogue to achieve peace and maintain the ceasefire between Cambodia and Thailand. The parties unanimously agreed that the ceasefire agreement must neither stagnate nor be derailed. An agreement was also reached by both sides for step by step implement the ceasefire arrangement through continuous communication and consultation, while also committing to rebuilding mutual trust. This is a part of China’s ongoing shuttle diplomacy for the two Southeast Asian countries, which have witnessed rising hostilities since mid 2025. Under the same diplomatic effort, China’s Special Envoy for Asian Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs visited Cambodia and Thailand from December 18 to 23, 2025.

West Asia

On December 26, Israel became the first nation to officially recognise the ‘Republic of Somaliland’ as an independent and sovereign state. Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the recognition of Somaliland is in accordance with the Abraham Accords, signed at the initiative of US President Donald Trump. 21 Arab, Islamic, and African countries including Somalia rejected the recognition of Somaliland by Israel as a blatant violation of international law, warning that such measures would adversely affect peace and security in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea. The US supported Israel's right to conduct diplomatic relations as a sovereign state, while reminding that some members of the UN Security Council had unilaterally recognised a "non-existent Palestinian state", yet no emergency meeting was called.

Central Asia

President Sadyr Japarov presented Kyrgyzstan's National Development Program through 2030 at the fourth People’s Kurultai in Bishkek on December 25-26, 2025. Kyrgyzstan’s fourth People’s Kurultai, a national forum for direct dialogue between citizens and state leadership, outlined the government’s economic, social, and environmental priorities for the coming years. Japarov described the past three years as a period of strong economic performance, with average annual GDP growth of 9.8%. Real GDP grew by 10.2% in the first 11 months of 2025. GDP per capita in 2024 reached approximately $2,513. Japarov presented the government’s National Development Program through 2030, which is centred on four key pillars: industrialisation, transformation into a regional transport and logistics hub, agricultural and tourism development, and expansion of green energy. The industrialisation strategy includes the creation of industrial and technology zones and the construction of new production facilities to double industrial output by 2030. Large-scale investments in railways, highways, logistics centres, and warehouses are expected to bolster Kyrgyzstan’s role as a regional transit corridor.

Indian Ocean Region

The Indian Naval Sailing Vessel (INSV) Kaundinya, the Indian Navy’s indigenously built traditional stitched sailing vessel, commenced her maiden overseas voyage from Porbandar, Gujarat, to Muscat, Sultanate of Oman. Constructed using traditional stitched shipbuilding techniques dating back centurieswith natural materials, INSV Kaundinya draws inspiration from historical sources and iconographic evidence. She embodies India’s rich legacy of indigenous shipbuilding, seamanship, and oceanic navigation. The voyage retraces ancient maritime routes linking India’s western coast with Oman, which once facilitated trade, cultural exchange, and sustained civilisational interactions across the Indian Ocean.

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