oleh admin | Mar 30, 2025 | asia, foreign policy, international relations, military, politics
Experts suggest that India’s naval diplomacy aims at fostering trust and providing a ‘non-confrontational’ alternative to China’s investment strategies.
India
is scheduled to commence its initial significant maritime drill involving 10 African countries next month, indicating its expanding strategic aspirations.
The Africa-India Key Maritime Engagement (AIKEYME) drill will be conducted off the coast of Dar es Salaam.
Tanzania
In mid-April, amidst New Delhi’s expanding military engagement on a continent where China has historically held significant influence.
The Indian Defense Minister, Rajnath Singh, will kick off the six-day drill, where India will be co-hosting alongside the Tanzania People’s Defence Force. This gathering will assemble navies from various countries including Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, and South Africa.
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This exercise represents a significant move in India’s maritime diplomacy, strengthening its position as a regional security contributor and enhancing both strategic and economic connections with Africa, asserts Robinder Sachdev, an expert in international relations and the founding president of the Imagindia Institute, a Delhi-based research organization.
India’s naval activity in the area isn’t completely unprecedented. The nation currently runs a coastal radar monitoring system across Mauritius, Seychelles, and the Maldives through its Integrated Coastal Surveillance System. However, “AIKEYME enhances the level of combined operational preparedness,” as noted by Sachdev, thereby facilitating quicker and better-coordinated reactions to marine security challenges.
He stated that strategically, this exercise strengthens India’s role as a dependable and non-coercive maritime ally, especially in nations such as Mozambique and Tanzania, where India maintains significant interests in LNG and ports.
Sachdev stated that AIKEYME held significant geopolitical importance as it aligned with the policy objectives of the
United States
And other democratic allies were also mentioned. He stated, “The United States has continually urged partners such as India to assume more significant responsibilities in ensuring regional security, particularly within the Indian Ocean and the broader Indo-Pacific region.”
A ‘managerial role’
The scheduling of AIKEYME is not accidental. China, with its vast
Belt and Road Initiative
has solidified its position as Africa’s biggest trading partner and lender, with official statistics indicating that commerce between them totaled $295 billion last year. China has additionally set up a military presence in Djibouti and significantly increased investment in East African ports and infrastructure.
India’s action is seen as a deliberate strategy to offset Beijing’s increasing clout, according to experts. Analysts suggest that East Africa holds significant strategic importance for India across various sectors such as energy resources. In this light, they believe this specific combined naval drill will enhance India’s reputation as a trustworthy ally in Africa. As stated by C. Uday Bhaskar, a retired Indian navy official and director of the Society for Policy Studies research organization, “This military exercise underscores India’s commitment to strengthening ties with African nations.”
He recognized the difficulties involved, though. Given that China’s economic assets vastly exceed those of India, Bhaskar suggested that Delhi should concentrate on fostering good relations instead of attempting to compete with China financially.
“It would be perfect if India and China could both collaborate to support Africa, but achieving this would demand significant political acumen and cooperation from both nations,” he noted.
Alongside AIKEYME, there’s another pioneering effort known as the Indian Ocean Ship Sagar. Between mid-April and early May, the offshore patrol ship INS Sunayana will operate with a mixed crew consisting of Indian naval officers alongside servicemen from nine African countries such as Kenya, Madagascar, and South Africa. This team will carry out combined patrols within the exclusive economic zones of Tanzania, Mozambique, Mauritius, and the Seychelles. During these operations, they’ll also make stops at ports like Dar es Salaam, Nacala, Port Louis, Port Victoria, and Malé.
Dongkeun Lee, a defense studies academic from the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre at the Australian National University, noted that this initiative underscored India’s ambition to assume a “management position” within the Indian Ocean region.
While the Western Indian Ocean is frequently excluded from discussions about the Indo-Pacific, especially within U.S. circles, India views the region as an integral part of the Indo-Pacific concept,” he stated. “Furthermore, several African nations participating in naval drills are situated in the Western Indian Ocean, highlighting India’s desire to play a leading role throughout the larger area.
Lee stated with certainty that China intended to broaden its Belt and Road investments throughout Africa. This suggests that programs like AIKEME and Sagar could be viewed as part of New Delhi’s approach to counterbalance China’s growing sway over the larger Indian Ocean area.
The importance of AIKEYME has grown due to its timing after “Peace-Unity 2024,” a one-month joint military exercise conducted in mid-2024 involving China, Tanzania, and Mozambique. According to Paul Nantulya, a researcher affiliated with the Africa Centre for Strategic Studies at the National Defense University in the U.S., this particular drill marked China’s biggest troop deployment to Africa since 1997.
“It appears AIKEYME was intentionally made bigger than Peace-Unity 2024. Since China hasn’t held any exercises in Africa for 2025, it will be intriguing to see their response to this upcoming Indian effort,” Nantulya commented.
India’s economic involvement in Africa began before China started engaging with the continent, he stated. “India boasts a significantly larger native populace that forms an integral part of Africa’s demographics, arriving in the 17th century and actively participating in the region’s political landscape, particularly during its fight for freedom,” explained Nantulya.
This indicates that they possess an edge since they assimilate with African communities and turn ‘native’ in a manner that Chinese enclaves do not.
Economic, strategic stakes
According to the Confederation of Indian Industry, India’s commerce with Africa amounts to $83 billion, with 90 percent of this volume transacted through maritime channels. In the last ten years, New Delhi has provided approximately $12 billion in credit to 42 African countries, accounting for roughly 40 percent of its international credit pledges.
However, commentators indicate that India’s initiatives appear modest alongside China’s substantial investments. These Chinese investments encompass 643 direct projects totaling $150 billion, as reported by the Hinrich Foundation, a trade sustainability organization based in Singapore.
Sayantan Haldar, a maritime-security specialist with the Observer Research Foundation think tank based in Delhi, views these naval drills as an essential move for India to position itself as a key security ally in Africa.
“Towards this objective, India’s strategic presence within the area is expected to gain significant enhancement,” Haldar stated, emphasizing that converting this progress into an economic aspect would be crucial. He pointed out that India’s main hurdle was China’s extensive economic involvement in Africa.
In order to rival China in Africa, India should refine its strategy and foster stronger economic collaborations.
Sayantan Haldar, maritime-security expert
“Africa has been striving for consistent development collaborations,” Haldar stated. “In this regard, China is considered a vital ally. In order to rival China in Africa, India must refine its strategy and enhance economic alliances. Nonetheless, collaboration on maritime security could serve as a significant foundation for India’s efforts in Africa.”
African countries are facing challenges such as drug smuggling, unauthorized fishing, and piracy—areas where India’s naval experience could offer valuable assistance, according to Bhaskar.
Even with these initiatives, India’s impact in Africa stays restricted due to the absence of permanent diplomatic missions in 16 African nations and its comparatively sluggish implementation of developmental aid.
Sachdev stated that India’s initiatives in Africa do not seek to outcompete China economically, but rather provide a reliable, long-term strategic option. This approach is particularly focused on sectors where China’s debt-fueled, government-dominated strategy has sparked worries amongst African countries.
In September, China hosted leaders from 53 African nations at the ninth summit.
Beijing Forum on China-Africa Cooperation
, ending with a shared statement advocating for a more multipolar global order, along with the endorsement of an action plan designed to enhance collaboration between them in the upcoming years.
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oleh admin | Mar 30, 2025 | architecture, french, government, politics, politics and government
“Versailles keeps revealing new wonders all the time; it seems endless!” exclaims Martine as we begin our tour.
The guide has roamed through the numerous corridors of the castle for 15 years, yet she claims that many mysteries remain hidden within the sturdy walls.
Among these, the Salle du Congrès and the presidential apartment, which are accessible to the public… However, let’s start with the basics.
Our tour starts beneath the opulence of the Royal Opera House, a site rich with tradition and grace. This is where Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette held their wedding ceremony in 1770.
A hundred years afterward, the lawmakers of the Third French Republic (1870-1940) convened their sessions in this very place.
As
The widespread revolt ignited a fire across France.
, the castle of the kings turned into a sanctuary for the republicans. Quite a symbol.
A president in the monarch’s residence
Exactly this shift — encompassing both structural and governmental aspects — lies at the core of an exclusive guided tour currently open to the public, commemorating the 150th year since the adoption of the Wallon amendment.
This document led to the creation of the Senate and the National Assembly and established the process for electing the President by these two bodies. As a result, the Third Republic, which had been operating as a provisional government up to that point, was officially confirmed.
The political history surrounding this event has largely faded from memory,” says Christophe Leribault, President of the Château. “We see this as a chance to highlight the relatively unknown aspects of 19th-century Versailles.
The massive semicircular hall called the Salle du Congrès, constructed in 1875 for the new legislature, stands in stark contrast to the Versailles of Louis XIV’s era. The fleur-de-lis on a blue backdrop have been supplanted by crimson velvet chairs.
“I never imagined encountering this here,” remarks Capucine. “This contemporary element changes our perspective of the château,” comments her mother, Florence.
For the first time, the apartment of the President of the Congress was revealed. It was here that the ballots from the presidential elections were tallied. A total of fifteen Presidents were elected in Versailles up until 1954.
On infrequent occasions, this apartment is utilized by the presidents of the National Assembly and the Senate.
Reinstating the French Presence at Versailles
Even though MPs and senators ultimately returned to Paris from Versailles in 1879, the Third Republic permanently etched its legacy into the chateau.
The French President had the authority to summon Parliament solely within the Versailles hemicycle. This is where constitutional amendments occur, such as the one on March 4, 2024, which further developed the Constitution.
the constitutional rights included women’s freedom to terminate a pregnancy
.
“My inaugural day as President of the Château saw it teeming with Members of Parliament, senators, and reporters. This reinforced my belief that these spaces must be made accessible, for Versailles transcends being merely the site of the Hall of Mirrors—it stands as a cornerstone of political influence and French heritage,” remarks Christophe Leribault.
Last year, approximately 8.4 million individuals toured the château. Among them, 80% were visitors from abroad, and the château’s president aims to shift this trend.
“It’s crucial to unlock additional areas so that guests from France and Paris return to Versailles,” he states. “While having visitors from around the globe is wonderful, it’s equally vital for this legacy to remain close to our hearts.”
Might this also present an occasion for the French to come to terms with a contentious site?
A legacy of power
Throughout the decades, the Château de Versailles has evolved into an essential resource and setting for French diplomatic efforts. However, it remains a potentially hazardous location from a political standpoint.
President Emmanuel Macron frequently faces criticism for his use of it and has been denounced for hosting heads of state and
multinational bosses
there with great fanfare.
Denis, who frequently visits the chateau, admits, “It often presents an overly flashy and arrogant appearance, detached from reality.”
This embodies the contradiction of Versailles: a emblem of both monarchical and republican authority, simultaneously criticized for its extravagance yet celebrated for its grandeur.
This unique tour unveils these intriguing and distinctly French paradoxes as it retraces 150 years of Republican history.
The exhibit is accessible to everyone each weekend, and weekday visits include guided tours up until the conclusion of September.
oleh admin | Mar 30, 2025 | government, news, politics, politics and government, politics and law
Amos Khaemba, who works as a journalist for SANGGRALOKA.co.ke, has accumulated more than four years of expertise in reporting on politics and contemporary issues within Kenya.
Nairobi –
The head of the Wiper Democratic Movement, Kalonzo Musyoka, has presented fresh conditions to President William Ruto and ODM chief Raila Odinga prior to the 2027 General Election.
In a missive directed at Raila and also sent to the president, Kalonzo voiced his apprehensions about the current restructuring of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
In his correspondence, the ex-vice president emphasized the importance of appointing impartial electoral officers and organizations.
Kalonzo asserts that the president must confer with the opposition prior to appointing members to the new electoral commission.
Nevertheless, the Wiper leader maintained that Raila could not anymore advocate for the opposition’s interests after his recent agreement with Ruto.
Kalonzo stated emphatically that both the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and the OrangeDemocratic Movement (ODM), which have united on our side, must participate in talks with members ofthe opposition to guarantee a fair and all-encompassing procedure.
Kalonzo, who leads the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party, cautioned both Ruto and Raila not to proceed with appointing the head of the polling agency and the six specified commissioners without involving the opposition in discussions.
He asserted that this action would be viewed as an attempt by the ODM-UDA coalition to predetermine the outcome of the 2027 elections.
“To avoid any ambiguity, if the UDA/ODM Alliance proceeds with appointing the IEBC chairperson and commissioners without significant involvement from the opposition, this move would be seen as an effort to create a politically biased election commission and potentially rig future elections beforehand,” he cautioned.
Even as he expressed hope that the president would make the correct choice, Kalonzo pledged to resist any attempt to erode the sovereignty of the Kenyan people.
More to follow…
oleh admin | Mar 30, 2025 | news, police and law enforcement, politics, politics and law, technology
As anti-government demonstrations spread throughout Turkey, the authorities have employed various technological methods to suppress these movements. This includes limiting internet accessibility and utilizing facial recognition technology to pinpoint demonstrators, leading those involved to adjust their tactics accordingly.
Despite the prohibition on protests, approximately 2,000 individuals have been detained in relation to the demonstrations that began on March 19 after Istanbul’s mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu, was arrested on corruption allegations.
In addition to individuals caught in public spaces, numerous others have been detained during early morning operations at their residences following identification through images or videos captured by law enforcement officers during the protests.
Up until now, 13 Turkish journalists have been arrested for reporting on the demonstrations. Among them is AFP photographer Yasin Akgul, who faced charges of “participating in unlawful protests and parades,” allegedly based on photographs taken by law enforcement.
According to Orhan Sener, an authority on digital technologies, the utilization of tech signifies a significant shift since 2013. Back then, a modest demonstration against tearing down Gezi Park in downtown Istanbul escalated into widespread civil discontent regarding the governance of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who held the position of prime minister at that time.
Sener stated that the capabilities of the security forces in information technology have significantly improved since then.
“During the Gezi movement, the demonstrators took control of social media platforms, making it difficult for the police to pinpoint their identities,” he stated.
However, nowadays, when you participate in a protest in Turkey, your image is identified by a camera, which then compares it with your information on social media profiles.
Faces masked
Confronted with this danger, numerous protesters are now shielding their heads and faces using hats, masks, and scarves.
In Istanbul, law enforcement officers often encircle demonstrators, mandating that they remove facial coverings to enable filming, according to AFP correspondents. These individuals are not permitted to leave unless compliant with this demand, causing significant anguish among numerous youths.
Arif Kosar, an expert in the influence of emerging technologies, stated that “every form of pressure prompts a corresponding response. In the near future, we can expect increased utilization of various attire, eyewear, or cosmetics to evade facial recognition systems.”
He stated, ‘However, I do not believe that facial recognition technology represents the primary form of pressure currently. Instead, the dissemination of misinformation to defame the demonstrations, or to undermine and fragment them, holds greater significance.’
Erdogan has condemned the demonstrations as “street terrorism,” alleging that the protesters engaged in “desecration” of a mosque and a cemetery, accusations which the opposition refutes.
Sener pointed out that authoritarian governments have learned to leverage the internet for their benefit and have discovered methods to censor it.
“But above all, they use it for their own propaganda.”
‘Shifting toward a surveillance society’
Right after Imamoglu was arrested during a predawn operation, which he described on X just before his detention, officials began decreasing internet bandwidth for people in Istanbul. This made it impossible to access social media platforms for 42 consecutive hours.
The social media platform X was requested to shut down over 700 accounts associated with journalists, news organizations, political figures, students, and various individuals, as stated by the platform itself.
“Neither the bandwidth reduction nor the attempt to block X accounts had any backing from a court ruling. These actions were implemented without justification,” stated Yaman Akdeniz, a law professor and president of Turkey’s Freedom of Expression Association (IFOD).
He mentioned that new laws were being drafted which would mandate messaging platforms like WhatsApp, Signal, and Telegram to establish offices within Turkey and share user identification details with government officials.
Akdeniz stated that we are heading toward a surveillance society.
In 2020, as disclosed by the opposition news site MedyaScope in 2022, Internet Service Providers began supplying information about web usage patterns and user identities to the Information and Communication Technologies Agency (BTK).
According to the law, the BTK is permitted to retain collected data for just two years. Nevertheless, during the probe involving the Istanbul mayor, evidence dating back as far as ten years has been handed over to prosecutors, as stated by Akdeniz.
“Despite the legal framework, this data retention serves unspecified purposes, thereby enabling potential abuse,” he stated.
For Sener, activism in the real world and online “used to be two different worlds, but now they are intertwined”.
“The government is attempting to deter individuals from participating in protests using facial recognition technology, while also impeding their organization via social media platforms,” he stated.
oleh admin | Mar 30, 2025 | cambodia, events and festivals, travel destinations, vietnam, world
Phu Quoc Island, located in southern Vietnam, ranked among the top ten most sought-after destinations in the country for the approaching Hung Kings’ Festival in early April, as reported by travel agency Booking.com.
Da Nang emerged at the top of the rankings, with Dalat and Nha Trang following closely behind, according to accommodation inquiries for stays from April 4th through April 7th.
The Vietnamese commemorate their ancestors’ death anniversaries on the tenth day of the third lunar month, set for April 7th this year—a Monday—resulting in a three-day holiday encompassing the upcoming weekend.
The dry season in Phu Quoc occurs between November and April, providing sunny conditions perfect for enjoying outdoor beach activities.
Last year, Phu Quoc was ranked as the world’s second most beautiful island by an American publication.
Travel + Leisure
, after Maldives.
In the initial two months of this year, the island received 1.4 million visitors, with 320,888 being foreign travelers, representing a 52.7% rise compared to the same period last year.
