Asia Communique
India tightens satellite controls, Philippines drills for coastal defense, Taiwan prepares for U.S. MQ-9B delivery in shifting Indo-Pacific security landscape
Hello Readers,
Some of you may remember I spent last year reporting on air for Taiwan’s leading English-language news channel. I was later asked to step away. For those interested in the context, you’ll find it here: https://focustaiwan.tw/politics/202511070004
I’m not looking to fuel the ongoing debate. I’m fine staying out of the cross-fire — no TV appearances, no drama. But surely Taiwan is going to be a very different place in the coming years — unlike its recent track record.
Meanwhile, here is the latest edition of Asia Communique!
India restricts China-linked satellites to strengthen national security
India has begun restricting access to China-linked satellite companies as space-based assets become national security priority. The target of this decision is Asia Satellite Telecommunications Company Limited (AsiaSat) which as series of satellites that many broadcasters in India rely on.
AsiaSat owned by Chinese state-owned firm CITIC Limited and private equity firm The Carlyle Group with headquarters in Hong Kong. AsiaSat has over three decade of operational history in Indian market and has been used many major news broadcasting houses. AsiaSat has a fleet of six satellites, AsiaSat 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 — providing critical services to many broadcasters in India.
Imagine the adversary government having indirect control over the networks used by your major broadcasters. That’s been true for a very long time. It may sound mundane, but in a fast-moving news environment — especially during proxy or direct conflict — those services can be used to snoop on communications or be shut down entirely. The psychological effect of losing broadcast capability can go a long way toward helping your rival during a crisis.
Philippines launches anti-invasion drills in Northern Luzon and South China Sea
The Philippines has begun large-scale anti-invasion exercises across Northern Luzon and the South China Sea, underscoring Manila’s growing focus on external defense amid friction with China.
The annual joint drill, Dagit, Langit at Lupa (“sea, air and land”), kicked off Monday with around 2,000 troops, alongside units from the national police and Coast Guard. This year’s iteration places notable emphasis on testing new capabilities tied to the Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept — a strategy designed to counter threats emerging beyond the country’s immediate territorial boundaries.
Most of the activities will take place under the Northern Luzon Command, the military region closest to Taiwan. Three of nine field exercises will stage anti-invasion scenarios near the Luzon Strait, including counter-landing drills and the recapture of seized ports and airfields. The focus reflects growing concern that a cross-strait conflict could spill over into Philippine territory.
These drills build on earlier coastal defense and rapid-deployment training by the Philippine Marine Corps and Army. Since shifting forces northward in 2022, Manila has increasingly rehearsed repelling amphibious assaults and defending airfields — a shift away from decades of counter-insurgency focus. Military chief Gen. Romeo Brawner has openly directed Northern Luzon units to plan for contingencies in the event of a Taiwan crisis.
Training will also extend to Thitu Island (Pag-asa) in the Spratlys, following upgrades to the island’s runway and port. The drills come amid renewed tensions at Scarborough Shoal, where Beijing recently declared a “national nature reserve” and where a collision between Chinese and Philippine vessels took place in August.
Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro has warned that China’s claims and actions amount to creeping militarization. Brawner has pledged Manila will not allow another effective occupation of a Philippine-claimed feature.
Taiwan on track to receive first U.S. MQ-9B drones next year
Taiwan expects to take delivery of the first two MQ-9B SkyGuardian long-endurance drones from the United States in the third quarter of 2026, with production proceeding on schedule, Air Force Chief of Staff Lee Ching-jan told lawmakers on Thursday. The remaining two drones in the four-unit package are slated for delivery in 2027, according to the Ministry of National Defense’s 2025 budget filings.
The MQ-9B sale was approved in 2020, with the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency describing the platform as providing Taiwan with enhanced intelligence-gathering, maritime surveillance, and precision strike options — including against naval and undersea targets. The drones are expected to play a key role in extending Taiwan’s sensor reach across the Taiwan Strait and deep into surrounding air and maritime approaches.
The planned arrivals come amid broader concerns in Taipei over delays in U.S. weapons deliveries. The Air Force confirmed last month that the timeline for receiving 66 F-16V Block 70 fighters has slipped beyond 2026 due to U.S. production and workforce constraints. Other U.S. systems remain scheduled: 14 M136 Volcano mobile mine-laying systems and 28 M1A2T Abrams tanks are expected to be handed over in 2026.
Lee sought to reassure lawmakers that the MQ-9B program remains on track despite the broader backlog, as Taiwan works to expand both its long-range surveillance network and its capacity to complicate any amphibious assault by the People’s Liberation Army.
Reads:
How War in Taiwan Ends — Zack Cooper for Foreign Affairs
Nvidia’s Jensen Huang says China ‘will win’ AI race with US — Financial Times
The 900-page book that China watchers count on — Financial Times