South Asia in April 2026: the most important developments in security
In South Asia in April 2026, security news centred on the Strait of Hormuz and the war between Iran and the United States and Israel. Thai crew members died on a vessel attacked in the strait, and Thailand confirmed three deaths on April 8. Israel struck Iran's Asaluyeh petrochemical complex, and Donald Trump gave Iran a deadline to reopen the waterway. On April 11 Trump said US forces were clearing the strait. After talks produced no agreement, the US military said it would block ships from Iranian ports. On April 20 the US fired on and seized an Iranian cargo ship, and on April 23 it intercepted three Iranian-flagged tankers near India, Malaysia and Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka repatriated 238 Iranian sailors stranded after a US torpedo attack, and Iran cleared a Thai-linked ship to leave the strait after a diplomatic push from Bangkok.
In Sri Lanka, crime dominated. Police arrested a Chinese national over a murder in Kohuwala and repatriated 125 telecom fraud suspects to China. They later arrested nine Chinese nationals over equipment allegedly used in cyberscams. In late April 22 Buddhist monks were arrested at Bandaranaike International Airport with 110 kg of cannabis smuggled from Thailand. Four inmates escaped from the Kandakadu Rehabilitation Centre.
In Southeast Asia, the US and the Philippines began their largest joint military exercises on April 20, with Japan taking part for the first time. China criticised such drills, and the Philippines accused Chinese boats of using cyanide around a disputed atoll. Indonesia signed a defence cooperation pact with the US while facing criticism over a US request for military overflight. Thailand and Cambodia stayed at odds along their border, with armoured vehicles deployed, Cambodia introducing new military service and a fence project under way. Cambodia also received a Type 056 corvette from China. Thailand, China and Vietnam arrested 41 people in a joint anti-drug operation, and Thai authorities seized billions of baht from scam networks. In Myanmar, the president offered peace talks within 100 days and major rebel groups rejected the offer.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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