AGP Executive Report

BRICS Diplomacy: BRICS leaders in New Delhi unanimously adopted the 140-point “New Delhi Declaration,” backing UN Security Council reform, local-currency trade, AI and financial-risk cooperation, and urging a multilateral approach amid the Middle East crisis while calling for “maximum restraint.” India–China Border Reset: After Modi met Xi on BRICS sidelines, both sides pledged commitment to a fair, reasonable, mutually acceptable resolution of the boundary question and to keep peace in border areas, while also pushing business and transport links. Global Security & Tech: U.S. officials warned it can’t lose the AI race to China, citing a joint advisory alleging industrial-scale extraction of capabilities from U.S. frontier models by China-based AI firms. Trade Watch: China bought about 1 million tons of U.S. soybeans this week as harvest nears, with more purchases reported by USDA—another sign of trade talks staying active ahead of a possible Trump–Xi meeting. Sports (Asia Cup): India and Sri Lanka meet in the Women’s T20 Asia Cup final in Dubai, both unbeaten, with India chasing an eighth title. Pacific/Regional: Indonesia is working with India to repatriate five orangutan cubs rescued in Odisha, suspected in wildlife trafficking.

BRICS Diplomacy: Xi Jinping arrived in India for the 18th BRICS summit, with Modi and Xi putting border peace and trade concerns at the center of talks; the bloc also adopted the New Delhi Declaration amid West Asia tensions. U.S.-China Flashpoint: China warned it could cancel the Xi–Trump summit over new U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, as Beijing calls Taiwan a “red line.” India-EU Trade: India’s draft India-EU FTA text outlines a tariff-rate quota letting EU carmakers export 1 lakh vehicles annually to India, rising to 1.6 lakh from year 10. Middle East Tech & Security: Reports say Iran used Chinese-sourced satellite imagery to target U.S. bases in Jordan, underscoring how Asia-linked tech is shaping West Asia conflict. Sports & Society: Hockey India stripped DG Cdr RK Srivastava of all powers amid internal dispute; China dominated Bahrain in Asian Games basketball while Iran edged Chinese Taipei. Health: WHO South-East Asia pledged stronger, integrated TB action with earlier diagnosis and wider access to prevention and treatment. Business Watch: China’s soybean purchases from the U.S. jumped ahead of harvest and upcoming Trump–Xi talks.

BRICS Summit Watch: Xi Jinping arrives in New Delhi for the 18th BRICS summit, with Modi set for face-to-face talks as wars, energy security and trade turbulence test the bloc’s unity; both sides signal a “properly handle differences” approach while the border dispute remains unresolved. Diplomatic Agenda: UN chief Guterres meets Modi ahead of BRICS, urging reforms to multilateral institutions and warning about risks from lethal autonomous weapons. India–China Thaw in Practice: China Southern will restart Guangzhou–New Delhi flights from Sept 21 after a six-year gap, adding to recent direct-air link restorations. Security Flash: North Korea fires a projectile toward the Sea of Japan after US-Japan-South Korea drills. Health & Society: Japan study links higher mushroom intake with better memory scores in middle-aged and older adults; Japan’s Autism Society Japan criticizes a planned anime adaptation over disability portrayals. Business & Finance: Bank of India mobilises $2.2bn via FCNR(B) deposits to bolster liquidity. Pacific Focus: Samoa Pure Water backs the Samoa Pacific Games as a silver sponsor.

BRICS Diplomacy: India’s PM Narendra Modi met Russia’s Vladimir Putin in New Delhi ahead of the BRICS summit, with talks expected to cover energy, defense, critical minerals and fertiliser, while China’s Xi Jinping is set to arrive for a Modi-Xi meeting where the India-China border dispute remains the key hurdle. Global South Finance: China says BRICS should push cross-border payments and banking interoperability, and backs a 2027 pro-tempore presidency plan, spotlighting digital economy, green minerals, AI and special economic zones. Cyber & Data Security: Japan’s Digital Agency reported a possible leak of about 246,000 government employees’ records after unauthorized access detected in late May. Markets & Energy: Japan faces a “toxic triple shock” for investors as yen strengthens, oil rises and US yields climb; separately, Nippon Steel is investing about $2bn to expand automotive supply capacity, and Japan is considering subsidies to boost drone and ammunition production. Trade & Industry: India says it’s building “economic bridges” as global trade barriers rise, pointing to free trade deals with nearly 40 countries since 2014. Public Health: India passed 80 lakh HPV vaccinations in its cervical cancer push, with several states hitting full or near-full coverage. Sports: North Korea’s athletes began arriving in Japan for the Asian Games, while Japan and India cricket gear up for a landmark one-off T20I in September.

BRICS in New Delhi: Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived for the 18th BRICS summit, with Modi talks and expected Xi Jinping side meetings, as New Delhi rings off parts of the city with heavy security and major traffic curbs. India Growth & Finance: The IMF backed India’s 7.8% Q2 growth as resilient despite energy shocks, and welcomed changes to India’s GDP estimation framework; Japan’s credit rating agency also upgraded India’s sovereign rating. Energy Costs: Brent crude pushed past $105 amid West Asia tensions, raising the odds of higher fuel costs for India that imports most of its oil. China Tech & Auto Push: China mapped smart EV expansion, aiming for large-scale autonomous-driving deployment by 2030, while Japan’s wholesale prices rose 7.6% and markets watch the next Bank of Japan rate move. Cyber & AI Security: Anthropic said it disrupted alleged Russia- and China-linked misuse of Claude, including efforts to replicate capabilities. Regional Governance & Pacific: New Zealand’s Pacific Islands Forum hosting offer drew scrutiny over cabinet approval, while Fiji’s media summit got $27,000 support and Japan weighs bringing foreign workers into understaffed security roles. Trade & Industry: BYD shelved a Malaysia plant for a local partner, and Ford faced U.S. pressure to drop CATL ties over national security concerns.

BRICS Diplomacy: India hosts the 18th BRICS summit Sept 12–13 as Xi Jinping heads to New Delhi for the first trip since 2019 and Putin arrives for talks with Modi, with defence and border management among the key themes. Trade & Tech: China extended an anti-dumping probe on US and Mexico pecans ahead of Xi’s US visit, while Chinese chipmakers stockpile ASML tools for three years and Huawei coordinates a domestic DUV scanner push to blunt export-control pressure. Disaster Watch: Eastern India’s Bihar floods have affected about 4.3 million people across 14 districts, with relief camps and boats in action; Nepal-China flash floods on the border have killed 1,420 with 5,649 missing. Maritime Safety: A fire on a foreign-flagged cargo ship at Qingdao has killed 25, with search efforts continuing after all missing were found. Energy & Industry: India’s power demand hit a record 169 BU in August as heat and rainfall deficits drive cooling needs; India also moves deeper into the 6G race. Sports: India and Bangladesh set for a Women’s T20 Asia Cup semi-final after Bangladesh won the toss and chose to bowl.

BRICS Diplomacy: Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will attend the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on Sept. 12-13, joining as ASEAN chair and seeking ties with the bloc that now includes 11 members. South China Sea Tensions: China’s foreign ministry urged Manila to stop “provocations” after Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro criticized Beijing’s stance on a 2016 arbitration ruling. Health & Primary Care: WHO chief Tedros praised India’s healthcare gains, highlighting Ayushman Arogya Mandirs and ASHA workers for bringing screening for hypertension, diabetes and cancers closer to communities. Japan Social Policy: Japan’s paternal leave take-up hit 50.9% but gaps remain versus women’s leave, with calls to rethink workplace culture and long hours. Japan Security for Asian Games: Japan plans to mobilize about 10,000 police for Nagoya’s Asian Games opening, including drone no-fly zones and a new info-gathering center. China Investment Mood: Business leaders at CIFTIS in Xiamen and Beijing say policy predictability and innovation are keeping long-term investor interest in China strong. India Trade Boost: India’s exports under free trade pacts grew faster than imports in April-July, with trade deficit narrowing as exporters overcome rules-of-origin friction. EV Momentum in India: Mumbai’s EV registrations topped 77,000, while Maharashtra sits near 11.5 lakh EVs, led by e-bikes. Pacific Culture Fight: Pacific leaders backed a Kava Declaration to protect the crop’s origins, even as “Pacific Kava” branding is already being claimed in the United States.

South China Sea Tensions: Philippines defence chief Gilberto Teodoro publicly slammed a Chinese note handed to him at the Seoul Defence Dialogue, rejecting Beijing’s stance on the 2016 arbitration and calling it disrespect for international law. Japan Flood Fallout: Nagoya’s record rain disrupted transport and left 41 injured as Asian Games preparations continue, with early-arriving athletes reporting no major venue problems. Nepal Hydropower Shock: Flood damage has halted Nepal’s contentious hydropower exports to Bangladesh via India, underscoring how disaster risk can quickly derail cross-border energy trade. India–Sri Lanka Security: India’s Rajnath Singh urged Sri Lanka to upgrade air defences and proposed a maritime domain awareness grid for real-time tracking of threats like illegal fishing and smuggling. US–China AI Clash: China rejected US claims that labs like DeepSeek and others used “industrial-scale” distillation to steal American AI capabilities, calling the accusations groundless. Air India Governance Talks: Singapore Airlines and Temasek are reportedly seeking stronger control and loss-narrowing conditions before any further capital injection into Air India. India EV Momentum: India’s EV retail sales jumped 52.9% YoY in August, lifting EV penetration to 12.3%. China Brand Power: Kantar BrandZ unveiled China’s Top 100 most valuable brands, with total value up 13% to $1.4 trillion. ASEAN–India Food Security: Malaysia’s agriculture minister highlighted technology and R&D cooperation at the ASEAN–India agriculture meeting in New Delhi. China–Singapore Naval Drills: China and Singapore wrapped a five-day joint maritime exercise focused on communications, replenishment and search-and-rescue.

South China Sea Tensions: Philippines defense chief Gilberto Teodoro Jr. blasted China after a surprise on-stage note at the Seoul Defense Dialogue, calling it “extortion, blackmail” and rejecting China’s stance on the 2016 UNCLOS arbitration. UK-China Call: UK PM Andy Burnham pledged “frankly and constructively” engaging China in his first phone call with Xi, while also raising Hong Kong and human rights and condoling Nepal flood losses. Internet Security & IPv6: India’s NIXI partnered with APNIC in Mumbai to push IPv6 adoption and routing security, including RPKI training and lab support as APNIC 62 returns to India. Hong Kong as Gateway: John Lee said Hong Kong is a “two-way springboard” for Belt and Road deals, with 60+ MOUs worth over $3bn expected at the summit. Japan Floods & Asian Games Prep: Record rain hit Nagoya, triggering evacuations, transport disruption, and even leaks at Asian Games venues; South Korea again skipped the Sado mine memorial. India-Sri Lanka Defense Links: Rajnath Singh’s Sri Lanka visit will see agreements on cadet training, defense education, and air defense equipment maintenance. Pacific Infrastructure: US and New Zealand plan to fund redevelopment of Penrhyn Port in the Cook Islands, underscoring Pacific competition via ports and long-term support. Business & Markets: Torrent Gas filed an updated IPO prospectus; China’s August CPI rose to 0.8% y/y while PPI picked up to 3.8% y/y.

EU-China Trade Tensions: The EU has set an October deadline to rebalance trade, with trade chief Maroš Šefčovič warning China’s exports keep rising while EU market share shrinks. Auto Industry Shock: Jaguar Land Rover will cut about 4,000 jobs over two years, citing cyberattack fallout, US tariffs and tougher competition from Chinese automakers. China Economy & Trade: China’s exports surged in August on high-tech and AI demand, while a major river-to-sea canal in Guangxi is set to open for navigation later this month. Disaster Watch: Typhoon Saudel-linked landslides in eastern China killed six and left nine missing. India-Sri Lanka Security Ties: Sri Lanka’s governor says Rajnath Singh’s visit gives “great momentum” to shared culture, faith and security cooperation. India Mobility Push: NITI Aayog’s e-FAST launched PACT to scale zero-emission trucks, linking shippers, charging operators and financiers. Japan Finance: Japan’s foreign reserves fell by $79.6B in August after record yen support intervention. Sports & Culture: India thrashed Japan 7-0 to book a Junior Asia Cup quarter-final spot, while a Malaysia-Japan friendship concert in Kuala Lumpur spotlights decades of ties.

Philippines-Security Watch: Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro warned that cuts to US-South Korea drills could give China room to “exploit gaps,” while Manila says Washington’s commitments remain unchanged. China Trade & Industry: China’s exports jumped 25% y/y in August on autos and high-tech/AI demand, with imports up 28.2% and the trade surplus hitting $119.1B. China Finance Rules: Beijing proposed tougher investor rules for private funds and tightened automaker payment practices to curb supplier payment loopholes. China Venture Reset: Analysis says stricter private-fund and venture rules are reshaping China’s startup ecosystem, pushing power toward state-backed players. India Tech & Diplomacy: India joined a US-led 6G alliance with 24 countries, aiming to shape next-gen network security and rollout. BRICS in Focus: India hosts the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on Sept 12-13, with finance ministers and central bank governors meeting in Mumbai Sept 9-10. Japan Economy: Japan revised Q2 GDP growth up to 1.4% and reported a July current account surplus of 2.99T yen. Disaster Preparedness: New Zealand and Japan signed an emergency-management cooperation memo to share disaster risk reduction know-how. Energy Costs for India: Crude prices above $100 are raising India’s oil import-bill worries and could widen the current account deficit.

Japan Flood Disruption: Heavy rain has forced closure of 3,661 schools across 11 Japanese prefectures, while train suspensions hit more than 140,000 people in the Tokyo metro. China Air Quality Gains: China says its air is at the best level on record, with PM2.5 down to 28 micrograms per cubic meter in 2025 and health benefits estimated at $6.67 trillion. China Finance Push: Beijing plans 300 billion yuan in special treasury bonds to recapitalise eight state-owned financial firms, aiming to boost resilience and support the real economy. China–Pakistan Defense Link: Pakistan Air Force unveiled China’s HQ-17AE short-range air defense system, citing a gap in point defense against low-altitude threats like drones. India–China Border Talks: Indian and Chinese armies held corps commander-level talks in Arunachal Pradesh to maintain peace and tranquillity along the LAC. OPCW–Japan Chemical Weapons Row: OPCW visited chemical weapons excavation sites in China’s Jilin, with sources saying it offered a more “objective” view of Japan’s claims about disposal efforts. BRICS Summit Prep: India is ramping up New Delhi ahead of the Sept 12-13 BRICS summit, with focus on how India will steer cooperation. Semiconductor Trade Friction: China imposed preliminary anti-dumping deposits on Japanese dichlorosilane used in chipmaking, while Huawei’s US trial over sanctions and trade secrets is set to begin.

North Korea Tensions: Kim Jong Un commissioned a second naval destroyer as the U.S., South Korea and Japan kicked off a trilateral military drill, with Seoul warning it’s aimed at countering nuclear and missile threats. Philippines Watch: Manila’s defence chief said China could exploit gaps from reduced U.S.-South Korea exercises, while also noting Washington gave “definite assurances” on U.S. commitments to the Philippines. Disaster Response: A mudslide on the China–Nepal border port in Gyirong has killed 43 and left 519 missing, with China deploying thousands of rescuers and sharing daily monitoring updates with Nepal. China Rural Push: Beijing unveiled a plan to boost funding for rural revitalisation by 2030, linking fiscal support with credit, insurance, bonds and private capital to strengthen food security. India Safety Alarm: A Delhi building collapse at a student hostel in Satya Niketan left at least five dead, raising scrutiny over unsafe, high-density hostel conversions. Business & Tech: Li Auto will inject $402.3m into battery maker Sunwoda EVB; and CATL expects new-energy trucks to make up half of China’s truck sales by 2028. Pacific Islands Diplomacy: At the Pacific Islands Forum, attempts to build a unified stance over China’s missile tests failed to win unanimous agreement. Sports: India’s Satwik-Chirag won the China Masters title, a confidence boost ahead of the Asian Games.

Badminton Spotlight: Satwik-Chirag broke their China Masters jinx, fighting back to beat China’s He Ji Ting and Ren Xiang Yu 11-21, 21-13, 21-17 and win the Super 750 title—an early confidence boost ahead of the Asian Games. China Finance: Beijing plans fresh capital injections into major insurers—China Life (35bn yuan), PICC (up to 15bn via A-share issuance), and China Taiping (7bn)—to strengthen solvency and resilience. Disaster Watch (China): Typhoon Saudel-linked rain continues to batter east China; Jiangxi’s Suichuan County reported multiple deaths and missing after mudslides and landslides, with thousands relocated. Disaster Watch (India): A building collapse in New Delhi’s Satya Niketan killed at least one and left dozens trapped; rescue teams are still working amid uncertainty over the final toll. Maps & Sovereignty (India): India backed a UN map resolution on equal-area projections but reiterated it will not accept depictions of J&K and Ladakh that don’t match its official map. Digital Policy (India): Raghav Chadha told an IPU conference that India’s digital public infrastructure and UPI show “scale and inclusion” can go together—if rights and protection keep pace. Tech & Security (China): China launched a “national anti-fraud AI” app to help users spot scams using text, audio, and video risk checks.

Women’s Cricket Showdown: India thrashed Pakistan again in the Women’s Asia Cup in Dubai, bowling Pakistan out for a tournament-low 55 and cruising to a seven-wicket win; Harmanpreet Kaur praised ruthless execution and pitch-reading. China Weather Disaster: Typhoon Saudel’s rain triggered deadly mudslides in China’s Jiangxi, with 2 confirmed dead and 10 missing, as Fujian faces major evacuations after flooding and collapsed homes. Nepal Rescue After Floods: A Chinese man was pulled alive from a tunnel in Nepal’s Upper Trishuli-1 hydropower site after 10 days, while searches continue for others missing since the Aug. 26 disaster. Japan Tech & Safety: Japan’s Kura Sushi cancels its “Chiikawa” collab after staff allegedly embezzled goods; separately, Japan’s Hokkaido sees a cockroach surge linked to warming. EV Buzz in China: Tesla plans to exhibit its Cybercab robotaxi in major Chinese cities, aiming to spark attention despite slower sales. Science & Industry: A Chinese-German team unveiled a room-temperature ultra-sensitive magnetometer for dark matter research, and China began mining iron from tailings to cut import dependence. Regional Politics & Rights: UN’s anti-racism watchdog urged action on India’s treatment of minorities, including calls tied to policing and electoral rolls. Sports (Badminton): India’s Satwik-Chirag booked a third China Masters final with a three-game win over Malaysia.

Nepal Floods & Rescue: Nepal’s border disaster death toll has climbed to 1,375 with 5,531 still missing after Aug. 26 flash floods and mudslides; rescuers pulled a Chinese national alive from a hydropower tunnel 10 days later as China ramps up satellite-based meteorological support for real-time monitoring. Monsoon Watch: India’s monsoon remains below normal, with El Niño concerns and uneven rainfall raising questions for kharif crop outcomes. India-Pakistan Cricket (Women’s Asia Cup): Pakistan won the toss and batted first in Dubai, but India’s spinners bowled Pakistan out for 55, keeping India on track in Group A amid a continued no-handshake protocol. Badminton (China Masters): India’s Satwik-Chirag surged into the China Masters final after a three-game semifinal win in Shenzhen. UN & Maps: The UN General Assembly backed a resolution pushing for more accurate world maps, with India voting in favour. Japan-Russia Tensions: Japan’s PM urged Russia to remove a war monument in Khabarovsk depicting destruction of Japan’s chrysanthemum crest. Typhoon Saudel (China): Nearly 600,000 people were evacuated in Fujian as Typhoon Saudel brought torrential rain and flooding.