The Andaman and Nicobar Islands, located in the Bay of Bengal, northwest of the pivotal maritime choke point at the Strait of Malacca, are an immensely valuable geopolitical asset for India, particularly as it looks to ‘Act East’ and play an increasingly more visible role in the eastern Indian Ocean and beyond. The islands host an Indian tri-service command, the …

China has offered to expand its military aid to Afghanistan, the Wall Street Journal reports, following a visit to the country by a top Chinese general. Outlook Afghanistan put the total value of the proffered military aid at 480 renminibi ($73 million). The offer came during a visit to Afghanistan by General Fang Fenghui, chief of China’s joint staff department, …

BLOOMBERG Dubai stocks advanced the most among Middle Eastern equities as the European Central Bank’s monetary stimulus boosted demand for emerging-market assets, adding fuel to bullish sentiment in the emirate. The DFM General Index climbed 1.4 percent to 3,401.03, extending four weeks of gains, the longest streak since April. Emirates NBD PJSC, the emirate’s biggest lender, added 4.6 percent to …