BRICS Summit in Delhi: Xi Jinping arrived for the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit, with wars, trade and energy security expected to dominate, and Modi scheduled to meet him as India pushes for reforms and a bigger Global South voice. India-China thaw: Reports say both sides want an “early and substantial harvest” on border issues, even as the territorial dispute and troop deployments remain. Diplomacy & tech rules: BRICS adopted the Delhi Declaration calling for equal participation for the Global South in future technologies and rule-making, while also flagging concerns over unilateral tariffs. Local-currency push: India urged faster cross-border payments and rupee internationalisation, including capacity-building centres and a DPI repository for shared digital models. Energy pressure: Brent crude jumped to a four-month high near $108.8/bbl amid West Asia tensions, raising inflation and import-bill risks for India. India-Malaysia ties: Modi met Malaysia’s Anwar Ibrahim, reviewing cooperation across trade, defence, semiconductors, digital and energy, and noting Malaysia’s support for ASEAN-India ties. Sports—Afghanistan opener: Delhi Traffic Police issued curbs for India’s 1st T20I against Afghanistan at Arun Jaitley Stadium; Bumrah is back and selection debates continue. Cricket—Asia Cup: India and Sri Lanka set for a spin-heavy Women’s Asia Cup final narrative as both teams lean on their bowling strengths. Security: Moldova extradited Punjab gangster Amritpal Singh to India after an Interpol Red Notice. Politics: Rahul Gandhi renewed criticism of India’s education system, citing paper leaks, fees and failing infrastructure. Business—EU FTA: India-EU FTA opens quotas for European ICE/hybrid cars and expands the premium car market for Indian buyers.