South Asia

Politics

Bangladesh underwent a major political shift with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party securing a two-thirds majority in the general election, positioning Tarique Rahman to become the next prime minister. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Tarique Rahman and received an invitation to his swearing-in ceremony. In Thailand, a snap election resulted in the ruling Bhumjaithai party winning the most votes but failing to secure an outright majority, leading to coalition negotiations.

Economy

The United States finalized trade agreements with South and Southeast Asian nations, lowering general tariff rates for Indonesia and Bangladesh and securing zero tariffs on textile exports from India. Thailand's government announced a series of domestic policy shifts following 2.4% economic growth for 2025, including a tougher anti-corruption stance and a tightening of cannabis laws. Indonesia significantly reduced its nickel mining quota, causing a sharp increase in the global nickel price.

Humanitarian

A 5.9 magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar, with strong tremors felt in Kolkata, India, and Dhaka, Bangladesh. In Dhaka, the city also experienced severe air pollution and separate incidents included a student stabbing and a fatal motorcycle accident. Singapore reported a surge in respiratory cases due to haze and imposed isolation measures for measles, while Malaysia is managing a tuberculosis outbreak.

Information

In Bangladesh, preparations for elections included the launch of a 333 Helpline amid reports of a 'flood' of disinformation online, including AI-generated images. A large trove of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein was made public, leading to false claims online and prompting Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to deny any connection. Singapore's government announced it will create a National AI Council, chaired by Prime Minister Wong.

Security

Indonesia's military stated it is preparing up to 8,000 soldiers for a potential deployment to Gaza as part of a peacekeeping force. Cambodia announced the closure of nearly 200 scam centers as part of a major fraud crackdown. Cambodia and Thailand had recent military clashes along their border, with Cambodia firing a grenade into Thai territory, causing damage to a temple.

Energy

In Malaysia, a government report warned that a projected decline in oil prices could reduce the country's petroleum revenue by approximately 4 billion ringgit in 2026. Vietnam expressed concern about a U.S. plan to impose tariffs on countries that supply oil to Cuba.