NEWS 01/05/2022. NEWS FOR 2nd-MAY (MONDAY) 1. Leaders of QUAD nations from America, Japan, Australia & India held their meeting, at Tokyo (Japan), on May 24 this year. 2. External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar visited Bangladesh & Bhutan. This visit is a part of India's "Neighborhood First Policy". Also, this year could see the opening of the India Bangladesh Maitri Pipeline for the movement of goods through Chattanooga port of Bangladesh. 3. India’s trade deficit with China hit a record $77 billion from April 2021 to March 2022. Data showed that India’s exports to China stood at $26.46 billion while its imports from China stood at $103.47 for this period. 4. World military spending continued to grow in 2021, reaching an all-time high of $2.1 trillion. The five largest spenders in 2021 were the United States, China, India, the United Kingdom and Russia. India's military spending of $76.6 billion is ranked 3rd highest in the world. 5. Lt Gen BS Raju has taken over as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff, replacing Lt Gen Manoj Pande, who became the Army Chief after the retirement of Gen M M Naravane. < < Back