Hitesh Kumar S. Makwana, IAS, Surveyor General of India, represented the country at the meeting. He said India’s election reflects the nation’s growing leadership in the global geospatial sector and acknowledges its contributions in innovation, capacity building, and regional cooperation. India will serve a three-year term aligned with the UN-GGIM Strategic Framework.

Makwana highlighted that India’s initiatives will focus on leadership, secure digital transformation, and good governance. He emphasized promoting data-driven decisions, inclusivity, transparency, and strengthening partnerships. The committee will aim to deliver measurable impacts across the Asia-Pacific region.

The UN-GGIM-AP represents 56 countries and works to maximize economic, social, and environmental benefits from geospatial information. It supports global policymaking on geospatial information management and helps member countries share solutions, enhance capacity, and cooperate effectively in using geospatial data.

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India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, P. Harish, said the election reflected India’s unwavering commitment to human rights and fundamental freedoms. He noted on X that India looked forward to serving this goal during its tenure. India emphasized that its nomination represented its dedication to advancing human rights globally and fostering dialogue to achieve collective progress.

India highlighted that its commitment to human rights stems from its Constitution, which guarantees fundamental rights and promotes justice, liberty, and equality. The country’s guiding philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam—“The world is one family”—underlines its belief in unity and mutual respect.

In the proforma voting, India received 177 votes out of 188. Other nations elected included Britain, Pakistan, Egypt, and Vietnam. India last served on the HRC in 2024 and returns after a mandated one-year break.

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Kim addressed North Korea’s parliament over the weekend. He suggested conditional dialogue with the US and recalled a “good memory” of former President Donald Trump. His remarks raised expectations for renewed summit talks.

Trump expressed interest in meeting Kim again this year. Observers believe he may seek talks during the APEC summit in Gyeongju, South Korea, from October 31 to November 1. The potential engagement could focus on regional peace and stability.

During Trump’s first term, he met Kim three times: in Singapore (2018), Hanoi (2019), and Panmunjom (2019). Analysts say new talks could strengthen US-North Korea relations and advance global security objectives.

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Semiconductors led the export surge, rising 27 percent to $9.49 billion and accounting for nearly 24 percent of total exports. Automobile shipments advanced 14.9 percent to $3.42 billion, while vessels exports soared 46.1 percent to $1.51 billion. Steel exports increased 7.1 percent to $2.53 billion, but chemical product shipments declined 4.5 percent to $2.68 billion.

Exports to China, South Korea’s largest trading partner, grew 1.6 percent to $7.77 billion. Shipments to the U.S. rose 6.1 percent to $6.55 billion, but the daily average fell 16.4 percent amid new U.S. tariffs. In July, Seoul and Washington agreed to lower reciprocal tariffs on Korean goods to 15 percent in exchange for a $350 billion Korean investment commitment in the U.S.

August exports rose 1.3 percent year-on-year to $58.4 billion, driven by strong semiconductor demand. Analysts expect trade performance to remain a key growth driver, despite ongoing tariff pressures and global uncertainties.

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