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Leading Indicators: Off the Radar News Roundup

Judah Grunstein | Bio | 01 Feb 2010

- India's biannual multilateral naval exercise, Milan 2010, will kick off later this week, with nine countries, including Australia and Indonesia, participating. The focus this year will be on naval counterterrorism. (Think Mumbai.) Looks like the Chinese didn't get an invitation.

- India appointed a new military secretary after a land purchase scandal brought down the old one.

- In the aftermath of South Korea's Afghan deployment signaling Seoul's greater willingness to assume a global security role, the launching of its first Aegis-class destroyer-led squadron signals its first steps toward developing a blue-water naval capacity.

- Turkey's prime minister vowed to abolish a secret national security protocol that allows the military to conduct internal security operations. He also signaled a strategic posture review to bring national security priorities in line with current concerns.

- With relations warming since the election of a new Greek government, Turkey and Greece expect the latest round of ongoing exploratory talks later this month to lead to further high-level contacts, with a prime ministerial visit expected before summer.

- More on the Sukhoi T-50, Russia's fifth-gen stealth fighter. (Heads up for those interested: Don't miss Richard Weitz' WPR column tomorrow.)

- Growing anti-Putin rumbles in Russia?

- Brazil has already supported Iran's right to a peaceful nuclear program. Now Iran is seeking Brazil's help in another area of mutual interest: biofuels.

Researched by Kari Lipschutz.