India Chairs BRICS Agriculture Ministers’ Meeting
On 12–13 June 2026, the 16th BRICS Agriculture Ministers’ Meeting was held in Indore (Madhya Pradesh, India), concluding with the unanimous adoption of a joint declaration. Participants agreed on four key initiatives: establishing a Network of Centres of Excellence on Agroecology and Regenerative Agriculture, a Network on Digital Agriculture, a Global Forum on Farmers’ Rights in Seed Systems, and the BRICS AGRIN Framework. Special emphasis was placed on the role of smallholder farmers, women, and youth in ensuring food security. For the first time, the meeting brought together both BRICS member countries and partner countries — around 100 delegates in total.
Indonesia Launches Nationwide 2026 Economic Census
Statistics Indonesia (BPS) has launched the nationwide field data collection for the 2026 Economic Census. BPS Deputy Head Sonny Harmadi described the census as a strategic, ten-year programme designed to capture the structure of the country’s macro- and micro-economy. Unlike previous censuses, the 2026 edition expands its coverage by including the agriculture, forestry, and fisheries sectors for the first time. The field data collection will run for two and a half months, from 15 June to 31 August 2026.
China Accelerates the Deployment of Humanoid Robots in Industry
Beijing is launching a nationwide programme to move humanoid robots from demonstration performances and marathons into factories, warehouses, and hospitals. Authorities have set a window of less than six months to prove the technology’s viability in real-world settings: implementation plans must be submitted by the end of June, and progress reports by the end of November. The goal is to create more than 100 high-value application scenarios and deploy 10,000 units by the end of 2026.
Strait of Hormuz Open, Trump Claims
US President Donald Trump announced on his Truth Social platform that shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has resumed, noting that many vessels are loaded with oil and are travelling along a safe southern route. Earlier, on 15 June, he announced the conclusion of a peace deal with Iran and the reopening of the strait. According to the Iranian agency Mehr, the full lifting of the American naval blockade is one of 14 points in the agreement, and within 60 days the parties will discuss the removal of sanctions, including the ban on oil sales.
Russia Remained the Top Oil Supplier to India and China in April
According to an OPEC report, Russia was once again the largest oil supplier to India in April 2026 — around 1.7 million bpd, slightly below March’s 2.1 million bpd. Saudi Arabia came in second with 670,000 bpd. India’s overall oil imports rose 9% compared to March. In China, by contrast, oil imports fell to their lowest level since October 2021 — from 11.76 to 9.32 million bpd. Despite this, Russia remained the top supplier to China as well, with a 23% share, followed by Brazil (15%) and Saudi Arabia (13%).
