ASEAN Diplomacy in Manila: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told ASEAN partners the US “will never abandon” the bloc, citing $2.5bn in strategic investments and $1.5bn more via the US International Development Finance Corporation, as the Quad and ASEAN-focused talks also pushed Indo-Pacific peace and ASEAN unity amid South China Sea and China-related security concerns. Quad Signals: India joined Quad foreign ministers in Manila to back a free and open Indo-Pacific and practical delivery of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific, including maritime security, critical tech and emergency response. Indonesia Rights Backlash: Asean SOGIE Caucus warned Indonesia’s move to label “dissemination of LGBTQ culture” a “non-military threat” could legitimize discrimination and state repression. Southeast Asia Business Expansion: Three Fourth Solutions is expanding into Southeast Asia via Thailand as its first overseas hub for integrated marketing, AI consulting and business transformation. Payments & Subscriptions: Juspay partnered with Recurly to integrate Hyperswitch, aiming to cut payment failures and speed subscription go-to-market. Aviation Tech Deal: Odys Aviation and ST Engineering signed an MOU to develop hybrid-electric propulsion for ST Engineering’s DrN-600 cargo UAS. Markets & Energy: India’s Sensex and Nifty fell for a third straight session as Brent surged on West Asia tensions; gold rose to a two-week high while silver rebounded. PNG Digital Push: Papua New Guinea’s DTS26 seeks investment in digital infrastructure and AI adoption through regional partnerships.