India–Mauritius Energy Deal: Hardeep Singh Puri visited Mauritius and India and Mauritius signed an MoU on oil and gas cooperation plus a five-year pact under which IOCL will supply Mauritius’ full needs for motor spirit, high-speed diesel and aviation turbine fuel, with training and biofuels cooperation. India Court on Wildlife: India’s Supreme Court ordered states to keep elephant corridors unobstructed, survey and remove barriers, and ban “hulla parties” that use fireballs and burning stakes to drive elephants away. China–South Korea Grid Security: US-blacklisted CGN is running power plants in South Korea, raising security concerns as South Korea allows access to its power grid, with the Daesan LNG combined-cycle unit among the latest operations. Thailand Gun Crackdown: Thailand moved to tighten gun controls after deadly shootings highlighted how modified guns and parts can be bought online. Japan Budget & Defense: Japan’s FY2027 budget requests are set to top 130 trillion yen, with defense seeking a record ~8.9 trillion yen amid missile and drone plans. Japan–India Business Link: Yamato Transport is merging its “analogue” job approach with India’s DX/AI push, training workers in Kaizen and supporting logistics under India’s Gati Shakti. India Sugar/Ethanol Policy: India’s government said sugar price rises aren’t driven by ethanol diversion, pointing instead to lower sugarcane output, global supply tightness and speculation, while keeping stock limits. India Education Pressure: Delhi and other states face renewed scrutiny as schoolchildren protest missing toilets, water and teachers, while officials debate the coaching system and reservation demands. India–Nepal Border Talks: The 14th India-Nepal Joint Working Group in Dehradun reviewed border management and security, including boundary pillars and use of existing infrastructure. Climate Risk for Asia: A potentially record El Niño is forming, with forecasts up to near 4°C anomalies that could intensify heat and disrupt India’s monsoon and crops.