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US force move to new base in South Korea

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US force move to new base in South Korea

Seoul says USFK should work to stabilize situation

In a major development in US-South Korea ties, United States Forces Korea (USFK) has moved its 73-year old headquarters from prime location in Seoul to a new but largest overseas base, 65 kms south of the capital, spread over 14.6 square kilometers in Pyeongtaek, Gyeoggi province on Frirday.

According to Seoul based The Korea Times, hundreds of ranking military officials from Seoul and Washington participated in the relocation ceremony.

Vincent Brooks, the USFK commander general, while addressing the ceremony, pledged to tighten Seoul-Washington security alliance and said, “With a mandate to restore peace, security and defence of the Republic of Korea, the USFK will remain the living proof of the American commitment to the alliance. Our relationships and histories are intertwined and they are strong enough to support this separation.”

US force move to new base in South Korea

South Korea’s Minister of National Defence Song Young-moo praised the USFK for helping to bring peace to the Korean Peninsula. He also emphasised on the need to maintain strong alliance for the common goal of the denuclearization of North Korea.

Song said, “The Korean Peninsula is at a turning point from a violent post-war confrontation to peace. North Korea’s nuclear weapons should be scrapped for good and the two Koreas will open up a new era of exchanges and cooperation. All the achievements are the result of the Seoul-Washington alliance.”  He urged U.S. soldiers to have a sense of the new mindset to be in line with the new peace era.

US force move to new base in South Korea

Read More: US Defence Secretary meets South Korean Defence Minister

Reuters reports that USFK commander general also announced that South Korea has shouldered nearly all the coast of building the largest US overseas military base. He said, “This was a project that cost nearly $10.8 billion to build over 10 years and the Republic of Korea investment was over 90 percent of the cost.”

Expressing US full support to the South Korea, the USFK commander general further said, “For that 90 percent, the United States remains with you 100 percent.”

The South Korean Minister, while describing the changing priority with the new scenario, said, “The USFK and United Nations Command soldiers, who will serve their military duty at this new headquarters, should be aware that their new mission is to contribute to world peace as a stabilizer in Northeast Asia.”

Read More: Russian FM Sergei Lavrov meets Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang

The U.S. military has been stationed in South Korea since September 1945 when it dispatched troops with a mission to disband remaining Japanese armed forces after they surrendered on Aug. 15, 1945.

The USFK, however, had to continue to stay in the wake of the outbreak of the 1950-53 Korean War. In 1953, Seoul and Washington signed a defence treaty to legalize  status of the US forces stationed in Yongsan Garrison, central Seoul.

The Yongsan district has since been home to U.S. troops in South Korea and served as a symbol of the Seoul-Washington military alliance.

Read More: Surprise: North-South Korean leaders held “sudden meeting”

Meanwhile, South Korean President Moon Jae-in has appreciated USFK for serving as a cornerstone and future of the alliance between the two countries. “The solid Seoul-Washington alliance has played a critical role as strong war deterrence on the peninsula, helping the two countries to successfully hold summits with North Korea,” he said.

US force move to new base in South Korea

U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly stressed, since his election campaign in 2016 office, that Seoul should burden more of the expenses needed for the upkeep of some 28,500 U.S. troops in South Korea.

Read More: North Korea criticize US for misleading and provocative move

The shifting of US base in South Korea has taken place at a time when the leaders of two Koreas held two summits in demilitarized areas with a very short span of time. Their historical meetings were followed by a landmark summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on June 12 in Singapore.

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India envoy Dinesh Trivedi meets PM Modi after talks with Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman 

India’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi met PM Modi after talks with Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman amid diplomatic tensions.

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India’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Tuesday, a day after his meeting with Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in Dhaka.

According to the High Commission of India in Bangladesh, Trivedi sought PM Modi’s guidance on further strengthening the bilateral relationship between India and Bangladesh through a constructive and people-centric approach.

The meeting came a day after Trivedi held discussions with Tarique Rahman on matters of mutual interest and ways to advance ties between the two neighbouring countries.

Dinesh Trivedi Meets Bangladesh PM

During his meeting with Tarique Rahman on Monday, Trivedi conveyed greetings from Prime Minister Modi and reiterated India’s commitment to working with the Bangladeshi administration and its people in a positive, constructive and forward-looking manner.

The two sides discussed issues of mutual interest and explored avenues for strengthening India-Bangladesh relations with a people-centric approach.

The engagement took place at the Prime Minister’s Office in the Cabinet Division at the Bangladesh Secretariat. Trivedi also shared his experience of serving in Dhaka over the previous two months.

Sheikh Hasina Extradition Request

The meeting assumed significance as Bangladesh has expressed hope that India will expedite the extradition process involving former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted following a student-led uprising in 2024.

According to a statement issued by the Bangladesh Prime Minister’s Office, Dhaka also reiterated its request for India to return individuals it alleges were involved in the killing of Shahid Osman Hadi, a prominent figure associated with the July uprising who was shot on December 12, 2025.

Tarique Rahman stressed the need to create a suitable environment to take forward relations between Bangladesh and India.

Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman, Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kabir and other officials attended the meeting.

India-Bangladesh Ties Amid Diplomatic Friction

The latest high-level engagements come amid diplomatic tensions between the two countries following a virtual press interaction by Sheikh Hasina in New Delhi on August 5.

The event, organised by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South Asia to mark the second anniversary of her ouster, prompted strong objections from Dhaka.

During the interaction, Hasina said she remained determined to return to Bangladesh in December and restore democracy, while acknowledging the possibility of imprisonment or a death sentence upon her return.

Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs subsequently registered a strong protest and said the development had affected public sentiment and complicated efforts to strengthen bilateral cooperation.

India has said the government had no involvement in the event. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said it was organised by a private media entity and clarified that New Delhi did not endorse views expressed at the forum.

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Trump, PM Modi will resolve tariff issue over Russian oil trade, says US official

White House Trade Adviser Peter Navarro said Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will resolve the issue over US tariff threats linked to India’s Russian oil trade.

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US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will resolve the issue surrounding the threat of US tariffs linked to India’s purchase of Russian oil, White House Trade Adviser Peter Navarro said on Tuesday.

Navarro’s remarks came days after the US Senate passed a bill authorising the US President to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on the top five purchasers of Russian oil. The measure argues that such purchases directly contribute to financing Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Navarro comments on India’s Russian oil trade

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Navarro said India was not involved in the oil trade with Russia before the Ukraine war began in 2022.

He alleged that India became heavily involved in the trade after Russia’s invasion and sold refined products on behalf of Russia, which he said helped support the Russian war effort.

“Prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, India was not involved in the oil trade with Russia, but afterwards it got heavily involved,” Navarro said.

The White House adviser also claimed that the issue had since been resolved and attributed some of the shift in India’s Russian oil trade to an opinion article he recently wrote in the Financial Times.

Trump and Modi will resolve issue, Navarro says

Navarro said the relationship between Trump and Modi would help address the tariff-related issue.

“The president and your prime minister have a very good working relationship. They are going to work that out amongst themselves,” he said, adding that it was not his place to intervene.

His comments come amid US concerns over countries purchasing Russian oil and proposed measures aimed at imposing additional tariffs on major buyers.

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US Senate passes Russia sanctions bill, India-China face 100% tariff risk

The US Senate has passed a Russia sanctions bill that could allow 100% tariffs on major buyers of Russian oil and gas, including India and China.

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Donald Trump

The US Senate has approved a bipartisan Russia sanctions bill that could allow President Donald Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100% on major buyers of Russian oil or natural gas, including India and China.

The legislation was passed by an 86-11 vote and will now move to the US House of Representatives, which is scheduled to reconvene on August 31.

The bill is named in honour of Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a strong supporter of Ukraine who died on July 11. Graham had pushed for tougher sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine.

India and China among major Russian energy buyers

The legislation gives the US president the power to impose tariffs on the world’s top five purchasers of Russian oil or natural gas.

India and China are among those countries, along with Azerbaijan, Hungary and Slovakia.

The bill also contains an exception for countries importing less than 15% of their natural gas from Russia and taking steps to reduce their dependence on Russian supplies.

What does the Russia sanctions bill contain?

Apart from the proposed tariffs, the legislation includes sanctions targeting Russian President Vladimir Putin, senior Russian political and military officials, financial institutions and energy projects.

The bill would also expand US sanctions to older and reflagged oil tankers allegedly used by Moscow to bypass existing restrictions on Russian oil and energy revenues.

At the same time, the White House would have the option to waive sanctions or restrictions if the president certifies to Congress that doing so is in the national interest.

Bill also extends Iran sanctions law

The legislation also contains a provision related to Iran. It would extend the expiration date of the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 until 2031.

The law penalises companies that invest in Iran’s energy sector.

The bill’s passage in the Senate marks the next step in the US legislative process, but it still needs approval from the House of Representatives before it can move forward.

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