Asia Pacific
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Feb- 2018 -6 February
US expands air campaign in northern Afghanistan
The US expanded its air campaign in northern Afghanistan, carrying out airstrikes in Badakhshan province near the border with China and Tajikistan, amid reports that American soldiers are being redeployed from Iraq.
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2 February
Why Pakistan will not back down to US pressure
The Pakistani military views the Taliban as vital to securing Pakistan's continued existence and has cards to play against the US in Afghanistan
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1 February
Afghanistan claims ‘undeniable’ evidence Kabul attacks planned in Pakistan
Afghanistan has handed "undeniable" evidence to Pakistan that it claims shows a recent spate of deadly attacks were planned on Pakistani soil, Afghan officials said, amid growing public anger over their impotence to protect civilians
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1 February
The ‘weak link’: Afghan Police bear the brunt of insecurity in Afghanistan
Undertrained and improperly equipped, the Afghan National Police act more as a security force than civilian police, and they bear the brunt of terrorist attacks
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1 February
India’s defense spending to increase over 7.8% in 2018
India’s military spending is set to increase under the 2018-19 budget unveiled on Thursday. The defense sector has been allocated 2,95,511.41 crore rupees (29 billion rupees, $454 million) – 12.10 percent of the total central government expenditure – in the budget Finance Minister Arun Jaitley presented to parliament. The budget is a 7.81 percent increase over the amount allocated for 2017-18. Capital expenditures including defense purchases were set at 99,947 crore rupees. A recent report from the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence found that the capital budget for the Indian Air Force was 46 percent lower than required, while the Army’s budget was 41 percent lower and the Navy’s was 32 percent. NDTV reported on Wednesday that India’s $250-billion military modernization is also in trouble as Prime Minister Narenda Modi has failed to fix the country’s disfunctional defense procurement system. Jaitley noted that the government is continuing to emphasize the military’s operational capacity, and said a number of initiatives have been undertaken to advance Modi’s “Make in India” program. India is the world’s largest defense importer, and Modi has sought to make it more self-reliant and an eventual arms exporter. The ‘Make II’ strategy includes significant transfer of technology in defense acquisition, encouraging …
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1 February
South Korea pursues defense cooperation with Thailand as first T-50 deliveries underway
South Korea is seeking to bolster its defense industry cooperation with Thailand as the first deliveries of T-50TH Golden Eagle fighter jets are underway
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Jan- 2018 -31 January
Indian Navy launches 3rd Scorpene-class submarine Karanj
India's Navy launched the third Scorpene-class submarine Karanj, from Mazagon Docks Mumbai on Wednesday
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29 January
Gunmen attack Kabul military compound, multiple casualties
Gunmen launched a pre-dawn raid on a military compound in Kabul, causing multiple casualties in the third major attack in recent days
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25 January
China invited to take part in US-led RIMPAC naval exercise
China has been invited to participate in RIMPAC, a major US-led naval exercise, officials said, despite tensions over the South China Sea.
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25 January
US denies hitting Afghan refugee camp in Pakistan drone strike
Pakistan's claim that the US hit an Afghan refugee camp in a drone strike is "false," a US embassy spokesman said
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