AGP Executive Report

APEC Tech for Good: Shenzhen will host an APEC workshop (July 8–10) on responsible tech and digital governance, aiming to produce policy recommendations and model cases across 17 Asia-Pacific economies. Cybersecurity: Bitdefender warns of criminals posing as Interpol investigators, using Proton Drive links and archive-based ransomware lures to hit small businesses across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and North America. AI & Mobility: Ryde (Singapore) signed an MoU with UISEE to explore L4 autonomous vehicle projects, including regulatory engagement for AV feasibility. Semiconductors & AI supply chain: Unimicron is seeking up to US$1.4b via a global share sale to ride the AI server boom, while GM and Micron announced a long-term memory/storage chip supply deal. Geopolitics in the Pacific: China test-launched a nuclear-capable ballistic missile from a submarine into the South Pacific, drawing protests and renewed regional concern. Health tech: Elucid will showcase next-gen CCTA analysis at SCCT 2026, including plaque-based FFR-CT 2 and stenosis quantification 2. Business expansion: AscentHR acquired OS HRS to expand regional payroll and compliance capabilities across APAC and the Middle East.

Subsea Connectivity: Microsoft-led consortium plans the 3,600km I-2SEA cable linking India with Malaysia and Singapore, built for AI data traffic and targeting service in Q4 2029. EV Manufacturing Push: Thailand secured $4.1bn in EV supply-chain investment via 198 BOI-backed projects, backing hybrids and charging alongside BEVs. AI Infrastructure & Energy Debate: Thailand’s data-centre boom faces rising scrutiny over power and water use, as UN calls for AI firms to disclose environmental costs. Green Fuels Trade: India’s ACME signed long-term export deals with Japan for green ammonia and methanol under the National Green Hydrogen Mission. Space Tech Salvage: A Pegasus rocket launched a spacecraft to capture NASA’s Swift telescope and raise its orbit after solar storms. Regional Environment Governance: Asia-Pacific ministers adopted a new ESCAP roadmap to tackle climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution together. Finance & Open Banking: QNB won ABF awards for open banking and cash management, highlighting API-based transaction banking. Market Watch: UK investors shifted toward bonds as equity valuations stretched, pulling inflows into fixed income.

Indo-Pacific Diplomacy: India’s EAM S Jaishankar starts a six-nation tour across Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, the US and Belgium, aiming to lock in energy and security cooperation after the Iran-US ceasefire, then heads to Brussels for the India-EU Trade and Technology Council. Mega Infrastructure: India’s Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project moves underground as a TBM begins excavation from Vikhroli toward the BKC station, using a 13.6m cutterhead for a 6km twin-track tunnel. Green Energy & Climate Risk: The world’s oceans hit record June temperatures as El Niño strengthens, raising odds of heatwaves, floods, stronger cyclones and marine heat stress across Asia and beyond. Pharma Industry Push: CPHI South East Asia 2026 opens in Bangkok (July 8-10) with 10,000+ visitors and 60+ sessions on biopharma, cleanroom tech and AI in manufacturing. EV Supply Chain: Australia’s Pure Battery Technologies plans a US$350m Indonesia pCAM cathode precursor plant to complete the nickel-to-battery ecosystem. Geology Watch: A Taiwan-Philippines team maps four new fault zones off western Luzon, branching from the Philippine Fault Zone—important for earthquake and tsunami risk planning. Regional Security Tech: Philippines think tank urges AFP modernization into land-sea-air-cyber operations to better counter West Philippine Sea threats.

Space Tech: Katalyst Space Technologies launched its Link spacecraft to rescue NASA’s Swift Observatory, aiming to raise the telescope’s orbit after solar storms accelerated its fall—observations could resume by September. AI & Security: A new report says AI is supercharging iGaming identity fraud, with Asia-Pacific showing a higher fraud rate than most regions; meanwhile, cybersecurity is increasingly treated as a board-level risk as governments warn frontier AI will change attacks and defenses fast. Semiconductors Trade: Hong Kong handled over half of China’s chip imports in early 2026, underscoring its role as a high-speed semiconductor hub amid US-China tensions. Digital Compliance: UAE e-invoicing gets a boost as Advintek earns Federal Tax Authority Accredited Service Provider status ahead of the 2027 mandate. Health & Inclusion: Cebu Pacific partners with a deaf education school to place deaf interns in airline operations. Biopharma: Sanyou Bio and Baiyunshan Xihe sign to co-develop AI-driven radiopharmaceuticals and radiodiagnostics for precision oncology.

India–Japan Clean Energy & Security: PM Modi and Japan’s Sanae Takaichi used the 16th annual summit in New Delhi to expand clean energy cooperation (biogas, green hydrogen, clean ammonia, solar) alongside defence, economic security and resilient supply chains. AI in Finance Infrastructure: The Philippine Stock Exchange added an AI-focused independent director as it pushes an AI transition for its IT-heavy trading platforms. Semiconductor Push for AI: Micron broke ground on a $9.3B western Japan memory-chip plant to supply high-bandwidth memory for AI, with output targeted for 2028. Energy Transition Debate: Critics attacked Canada’s nuclear energy strategy as a costly “cash cow” that could crowd out renewables and weaken oversight. Space Tech for Telescope Rescue: NASA launched the Swift Boost Mission using a LINK satellite to tow the aging Swift Observatory away from re-entry risk. Maritime Safety Tech: Researchers unveiled an airborne imaging approach using hyperspectral sensing plus AI to detect shallow-water underwater weapons. India Monsoon Watch: India’s monsoon is running about 30% below normal rainfall, raising stakes for water and agriculture. Healthcare Logistics: GEODIS won IATA CEIV Pharma certification for its Hyderabad facility to handle temperature-sensitive pharma shipments.

Markets & Chips: Asian stocks mostly rose as tech rebounded and investors digested softer US jobs data, while the yen steadied after a 40-year low. AI Power Politics: Trump called AI “bigger than the internet” and warned the US must boost electricity for AI buildouts. Central Asia Digital Push: Kazakhstan is betting on AI and digitalization, including a “Data Center Valley,” while Solana-linked partners back Alatau City’s $6B smart-city and crypto payments plan. Undersea Connectivity: NEC will supply the ~3,600-km I-2SEA submarine cable linking India, Malaysia and Singapore, targeting service in 2029 to feed AI and cloud demand. Space Tech Rescue: NASA launched a space robot mission to capture the sinking Swift telescope using a three-armed Link spacecraft. Green Industry: Vietnam is accelerating offshore wind as a driver for its green marine economy, aiming to build an industrial supply chain beyond power generation. Pacific Resilience: Tonga received a $114k parametric drought insurance payout for the Niuas, and ADB proposed a regional TA to strengthen public finance and procurement systems across Asia-Pacific.

India–Japan Summit: Modi and Japan’s Takaichi unveiled a 16-point roadmap spanning AI, defence, economic security, semiconductors, clean energy and mobility, with joint statements on AI and energy resilience plus economic-security plans. AI Policy: India’s MeitY signalled it may start work on a dedicated AI legal framework as regulators move beyond existing rules for deepfakes and content labelling. AI Infrastructure & Markets: A rebound in Asian tech followed softer US jobs data, lifting Korea’s Kospi and chip names; meanwhile, investors kept piling into AI hardware suppliers tied to memory and components. Healthcare Tech: Malaysia’s IJN completed Southeast Asia’s first transradial renal denervation using the Iberis system, aiming to improve comfort and reduce access complications. Space Tech: A rescue mission launched to boost NASA’s Swift Observatory orbit after solar storms threatened its safe return. ASEAN Science: Malaysia said MOSTI will prioritise talent development for AMMSTI-23, alongside AI, digitalisation and advanced materials. Automotive Tech Forecasts: New reports project rapid growth in night vision, robotics, automotive semiconductors and EV motor controllers, with Asia-Pacific leading several categories. AI for Work: ADP warned of a “confidence gap” as AI unbundles jobs into tasks, pushing skills and trust needs. Philippines STEM: The Philippines won medals at the inaugural Asia-Pacific Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence (APOAI 2026).

AI Infrastructure & Research: ASEAN opened a Korea-backed high performance computing facility in Jakarta to boost AI and data research across Southeast Asia. AI Adoption & Skills: Thailand launched the Thailand AI Readiness Index (TARI) to help organisations assess AI capability and plan upgrades, with findings due in December. Energy & Resilience Engineering: DNV updated seismic design guidance for wind power plants as Asia-Pacific projects expand into earthquake-prone regions. Digital Economy & Trade: Microsoft is investing $2.5B in a new “Frontier Company” to embed AI engineers with customers, while a Microsoft-led consortium moves ahead on an India–Southeast Asia undersea cable. Semiconductors & Economic Security: India and Japan unveiled a joint economic security roadmap spanning semiconductors, critical minerals, ICT, clean energy and pharmaceuticals. Markets & Chips: Asia tech stocks slid on chip sell-off fears as AI-linked trading cooled, while US markets stayed mixed amid renewed tech weakness. Space Tech: NASA postponed a satellite rescue mission after weather and launch-vehicle snags. Climate & Cooling Tech: China’s viral “outdoor air conditioner” is actually mist cooling that relies on rapid evaporation to pull heat from the air.

Undersea Connectivity: A Microsoft-led consortium plans a 3,600-kilometer India–Malaysia–Singapore subsea cable (I-2SEA), aiming to boost AI and cloud data links across Southeast Asia. Bilateral Tech Push: India and Japan set a target of 10 trillion yen in Japanese investment over the next decade and unveiled a roadmap spanning semiconductors, quantum, clean energy, and resilient supply chains, alongside deeper defence cooperation. Semiconductor Race: A Korea-focused analysis warns China’s HBM push is narrowing the gap, even as SK hynix and Samsung push HBM4/4E. Market Shock: South Korea’s Kospi slid nearly 8% as chip giants fell amid AI-fueled valuation worries and reports of Apple chip talks with Chinese firms. AI in Infrastructure: UAE firm Presight AI signed a Kazakhstan smart-road deal, tying AI to traffic and city digital platforms. Crypto Governance: South Korea tightened KOSDAQ rules to stop tech-listed firms from covertly pivoting into crypto treasury businesses. Renewables & Industry: China Resources New Energy’s IPO tripled on debut, while Covestro outlined new MDI capacity plans in China and a UAE feasibility study.

Indo-Pacific Defense Drills: U.S. Marines trained with Japan’s Type 16 maneuver combat vehicles during Resolute Dragon 26, underscoring joint plans to control and defend key maritime terrain. Missile Industrial Policy: Germany is seeking U.S. approval to license-produce Tomahawk cruise missiles and Patriot PAC-3 interceptors, aiming to reduce reliance on strained U.S. production lines. Climate & Risk Forecasting: New Zealand declared El Niño conditions, with an 80% chance of strong intensity in July–September 2026; expect drier conditions in the north/east and wetter weather in the west/south of the South Island. AI & Robotics Shift: A new “physical AI” wave is driving record robotics investment, as labor shortages and better real-world sensing/learning push automation beyond software. Digital Governance: Canada tabled the Safe Social Media Act to make platforms and AI chatbots safer by design for kids under 16. Tech Sector Watch: Lawsuit pressure is mounting on Samsung and SK Hynix to “speak up,” while markets remain sensitive to tech swings. Startup/Regional Tech Push: Türkiye is positioning itself as an entrepreneurship hub, including plans to host GITEX AI in September. Space Heritage: NASA’s Skylab story highlights how early space stations adapted fast after a launch failure.

Defence Tech & Sovereignty: Malaysia says it wants stronger domestic defence technology, signing a cooperation deal between Weststar Defence Industries and Australia’s Rocket Technologies to build aerospace capability and cut reliance on foreign assets. Aviation & Digitalisation: Kazakhstan’s President Tokayev met Air Astana’s CEO as the airline plans fleet expansion (including Boeing 787s) and route growth, with digitalisation a key theme. DeepTech Funding: Ruya Ventures closed a €43m fund to help lab-born deep-tech cross into scalable, real-world deployment. Disaster Recovery: The ADB approved $200m emergency assistance for Sri Lanka after Cyclone Ditwah, targeting resilient rebuilding of roads, irrigation, housing and livelihoods. AI in the Real World: An AI underwater monitoring system on Lake Victoria triggered SMS alerts that helped fish farmers prevent mass die-offs. Cloud & Local Latency: AWS launched its Hanoi Local Zone, aiming to keep latency-sensitive workloads in Vietnam for fraud detection, gaming and smart factory alerts. Data Centres Under Scrutiny: A fresh debate continues over data centres’ environmental and social impacts across the region. Aviation Carbon Offsets: A UN-backed airline carbon scheme could drive major demand for high-integrity credits in Southeast Asia if governments authorise more projects. Quantum/Space: ICEYE and AgniKul Cosmos plan an end-to-end sovereign SAR capability using Indian-built satellites and indigenous launches. Manufacturing for AI Racks: Vertiv opened a Johor plant to make power and cooling gear for rising AI data centre demand.

AI Infrastructure Push: South Korea plans massive investment—about $1.2tn-equivalent—into a new chip-building hub and AI data centres, with Samsung and SK Hynix leading record-scale memory capacity to feed the AI boom. Cyber & Security: A Gulf cybersecurity executive warns AI will make attacks more automated, targeted and persistent, with visibility and talent shortages becoming the next big gaps. Digital Payments Expansion: India’s UPI goes live in Greece via Eurobank, enabling instant, low-cost transfers and extending India’s digital finance footprint. Data Centres for AI: Digital Realty will buy Blackstone’s interests in three Northern Virginia hyperscale data centres (288 MW) to deepen exposure to the AI infrastructure market. Energy & Climate Accountability: The World Bank reports gas flaring rose for a third straight year in 2025, wasting $54bn worth of gas and adding major emissions. Scam Tech Scrutiny: AP reports American tech is embedded across scam supply chains, from AI tools for fakes to infrastructure enabling operations—raising questions about enforcement incentives. Regional Trade: Mercosur starts talks with Japan to diversify toward Asia, but internal EU quota allocation disputes remain unresolved.

Satellite & Space: Es’hailSat signed a strategic partnership with Türksat and a contract with Thales Alenia Space for Es’hail-3/Türksat-Biruni, a Ka-band high-throughput satellite at 50°E aimed at faster, dynamically allocated connectivity across MENA, Sub-Saharan Africa, Europe and Central Asia. AI & Telecom: Tech Mahindra and Microsoft are teaming up on an AI-driven 5G network digital twin using Azure to modernize operations and help operators monetize 5G. AI Models & Export Controls: Chinese cybersecurity firm 360 unveiled an AI tool it claims rivals Anthropic’s Mythos, while Japan’s Sakana AI launched Fugu, as US restrictions reshape Asia’s AI race. Philippines IT-BPM: Twilio says AI could lift Cebu’s IT-BPM beyond customer support into higher-value AI-enabled services, with modernization of contact centers as the next step. Maritime Tech: Veritas Petroleum Services opened a marine fuel testing lab in Shanghai for bunker fuels including methanol, targeting faster turnaround and compliance support across Asia-Pacific. Blockchain in Central Asia: Solana Company signed an MoU with Alatau City to build a digital asset and fintech blockchain hub in Kazakhstan. Security Hardware: Hytera debuted its SC700 smart 4G body camera at CCW 2026, pushing connected, real-time workflows for public safety. Geopolitics & Water: Pakistan warned it will “chop off the hand” interfering with its Indus Water Treaty water supply, escalating legal and diplomatic tensions with India.

Regional Security: The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada launched CSCAP’s Regional Security Outlook 2026, warning that U.S.-China rivalry is reshaping Indo-Pacific security, with tech competition, politicized supply chains, and climate risks driving a tougher navigation challenge for regional states. Wealth & Tech Boom: Southeast Asia’s ultrarich population is set to surge, with tech growth and natural resources cited as key tailwinds. Semiconductors & AI Industrial Policy: South Korea unveiled an $880bn semiconductor-and-AI investment push, aiming to build new memory chip capacity—another signal that AI demand is still pulling the region’s chip race forward. AI in Education: Sri Lanka launched its first national AI policy framework for higher education, aiming to modernize curricula and embed ethical AI standards across universities. Clean Energy in Central Asia: Masdar broke ground on a 1 GW wind plus 600 MWh battery project in Kazakhstan, positioning 24/7 renewable power for future data-centre and AI infrastructure. Space Tech Rescue: NASA is paying Katalyst Space Technologies to capture and lift the Swift gamma-ray telescope as atmospheric drag threatens re-entry, with science already paused. Health Tech Research: Lung-on-a-chip work shows asthma attacks can permanently remodel airways via mechanical stress, pointing to new angles for treatment. Maritime Decarbonization: ClassNK and NMRI launched joint research on corrosion-rate evaluation for low-temperature, low-pressure liquefied CO₂ cargo tanks to support safer CCUS shipping.

Semiconductor Push: Samsung and SK Hynix plan a combined $518B chipmaking hub in South Korea’s southwest to meet AI-driven demand, reshaping regional manufacturing. AI Hardware Rivalry: Nvidia’s AI chip sales in China face headwinds as Huawei and other local players gain ground amid US export controls. Antitrust Clash: Apple escalated its fight with India’s Competition Commission, accusing investigators of “copy-pasting” rivals’ claims in an iOS App Store case. Energy Storage Deal: Pace Digitek’s Lineage Power signed a master supply agreement for 3 GWh of LFP battery cells from China’s Rongjie Energy, aiming to strengthen BESS production and logistics. Battery Supply Chain: CXMT reportedly locked in a long-term DRAM supply deal with Tencent ahead of its IPO, underscoring China’s push to secure server-memory demand. Maritime Tensions: Chinese coast guard ships escorted a research vessel near areas overlapping Japan and Philippines EEZs, as Manila-Washington drills continued near Scarborough Shoal. Regional Markets: MUFG flagged the Philippine peso’s weakness as tied to a structural current account deficit and reliance on external financing. Cooling Demand: With Europe in a heatwave, Chinese-made air conditioners are surging, adding fuel to China-EU trade friction debates. Life Sciences M&A: Merck agreed to acquire Bio-Techne to expand end-to-end life sciences workflows from research to manufacturing. Medical Procurement Watch: China’s bulk drug procurement crackdown continues, with regulators disqualifying firms over serious quality and production-control defects.

ASEAN Minerals & Critical Supply Chains: Malaysia is pushing the ASEAN Mineral Investment Forum (AMIF) 2026 in Kuala Lumpur to boost cooperation on critical minerals, sustainable mining and downstream value-add across the region. Bangladesh-China Tech & Capital: Twelve Chinese firms have proposed about $9.21b in Bangladesh spanning waste-to-energy, ports, energy and education, with deals framed around renewed investor confidence and policy predictability. SME Digital Push: Bangladesh’s SME Foundation says small firms must adopt digital tech and AI fast, backed by training and inclusive support so rural entrepreneurs aren’t left behind. India–Seychelles Tech, Defence & Digital Payments: Modi’s visit expands cooperation with a Rs 1,250 crore rupee credit line, rice/cement aid, defence maritime support and UPI-based payments, plus space and healthcare plans. China’s Supercomputing Win: China’s LineShine tops the TOP500 list with 2.198 EFLOPS, a major milestone despite US curbs. Robotics in the Spotlight: A New York pop-up shop showcases general-purpose humanoid robots from Chinese makers, highlighting Asia’s momentum in robotics. Health Tech Regulation: A US bill would add cybersecurity checks to already-approved Chinese-made medical devices. Climate & Food Security: India braces for weaker monsoon risks as El Niño looms, threatening farm output and water stress.