ASEAN Digital Deal: Negotiations for the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) are wrapped up, with signing expected in November after issues were cleared at the 57th ASEAN Senior Economic Officials Meeting in Manila—aimed at pushing a more integrated, secure and interoperable digital economy worth up to $2T by 2030. Malaysia-China Tourism Push: Malaysia is stepping up marketing in China for luxury, youth and education-led travel, shifting from generic sightseeing to “tourism plus X” via partnerships with Chinese travel firms. India Cotton Relief: India waives customs duty on cotton imports from June 1 to Oct 30 to stabilize textile inputs and costs, alongside a broader cotton productivity push. China EV Battery Rules: China tightens recycling rules for retired EV batteries, targeting illegal disposal and low-quality processing as retired volumes could top 1M tons annually by 2030. Indo-Pacific Security: US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signals a tougher “partners, not protectorates” approach, urging allies to shoulder more defense responsibility while warning against any single power dominating the region. India Hydrogen Reality Check: A new push argues India’s green hydrogen success must go beyond production to include storage, transport, industrial use and export infrastructure. Japan Industry Turnaround: Japan’s industrial production rose 0.8% in April, ending a two-month slide, though some sectors still fell.