Asia-Pacific
Afghanistan opium production jumps fivefold in a year, UN survey finds, the first rise since the Taliban ban
UNODC says the area under opium poppy in Afghanistan grew by 330 per cent and production by 400 per cent…
Desk
Asia-Pacific
China, Taiwan, Japan, the Korean Peninsula, India, Pakistan and the Indo-Pacific.
Asia-Pacific
Vietnam becomes the 78th country to sign the Artemis Accords, the State Department says
Vietnam’s science minister signed the US-led Artemis Accords on 28 October in Ha Long, nine days after Uzbekistan became the…
Asia-Pacific
Hegseth proposes a US-ASEAN defence cooperation framework in Cebu, calling the US approach “strong, quiet and clear”
Speaking to ASEAN defence ministers in the Philippines, the U.S. Secretary of War proposed a defence cooperation framework for the…
Asia-Pacific
DIA: China has tripled its reconnaissance and surveillance satellites since 2018, with over 510 in orbit, aimed at US forces in the Indo-Pacific
A new US Defense Intelligence Agency report counts more than 510 Chinese ISR satellites in orbit in July 2026, three…
Asia-Pacific
Philly Shipyard: Hanwha Defense USA takes control of the Philadelphia shipyard to build ships for the US Navy
Hanwha Defense USA announced on October 27 that it is acquiring a controlling stake in Hanwha Philly Shipyard, which will…
Asia-Pacific
USS Colorado to be the first US submarine rotating through Australia under AUKUS
The Virginia-class attack submarine USS Colorado (SSN 788) will be the first to join Submarine Rotational Force-West at HMAS Stirling…
Asia-Pacific
Japan’s 2026 Defense White Paper: China the “greatest strategic challenge”, North Korea a threat “more serious and imminent than ever”, strong concern over Russia
Japan’s Ministry of Defense released its 2026 White Paper on October 26, calling the security environment the most severe and…
Asia-Pacific
India clears 2.12 trillion rupees of military procurement: kamikaze drones, counter-drone systems, helicopters and naval platforms
India’s Defence Acquisition Council, chaired by Rajnath Singh, approved procurement worth about 2.12 trillion rupees for the three armed services…
Asia-Pacific
Japan and Finland sign defence equipment and technology transfer agreement in Tokyo
Japan and Finland signed an agreement on the transfer of defence equipment and technology in Tokyo on October 26, giving…
Asia-Pacific
Taiwan MND: 3 Chinese aircraft sorties, 1 crossing the median line, and 6 PLA Navy ships around the island on 26 October
Taiwan’s defence ministry reported three PLA aircraft sorties, six PLA Navy ships and nine official ships in the 24 hours…
Asia-Pacific
Integrity Tech: UK’s NCSC and allies call out a Chinese company that helped hackers steal sensitive data
The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre and nine partner agencies from seven countries said on October 8 that China-based Integrity…
Asia-Pacific
U.S. Marines fly the Neros Archer one-way attack drone with live explosives at Camp Fuji, Japan, for the first time
U.S. Marines tested the Neros Archer one-way attack drone with a live payload at Camp Fuji on 20 October, flown…