BRICS Diplomacy: PM Modi met China’s Xi on the BRICS sidelines in New Delhi, sending best wishes for China’s next BRICS presidency and stressing “differences should not become disputes,” with both sides committing to a fair, reasonable border resolution. West Asia De-escalation: Iran’s Pezeshkian met India’s Murmu and later Abu Dhabi’s crown prince, with talks focused on friendship and calls for de-escalation amid regional hostilities. Security & Sanctions: US officials linked Chinese-supplied high-resolution satellite imagery to an Iranian strike in Jordan that killed three American troops, while China denied involvement; separately, the US finalized steep anti-dumping and countervailing duties on solar imports from India, Indonesia and Laos. Markets & Reserves: India overtook Russia to become the world’s 4th-largest forex holder as reserves jumped to $785.7bn, while RBI moved to drain liquidity via large government securities sales. Local Governance & Health: Baguio won a Gold Award in ASEAN smoke-free efforts, highlighting sub-national enforcement. Information Integrity: China and Nepal diverged after Nepal’s deadly Himalayan flood, with rights groups alleging Beijing suppressed eyewitness footage. Trade/Innovation: India’s FITT Forward summit wrapped up, spotlighting how startups and tech licensing could shape India’s deep-tech decade.