Mauritius Fintech & Digital Policy: Sri Lanka and Mauritius are pushing digital finance reforms—Sri Lanka is consulting on a hybrid sovereign cloud to keep sensitive data under local legal control, while Mauritius rolls out a National Fintech Strategy aimed at inclusion and sustainable growth. Cross-border Payments: India and Indonesia agreed to link UPI with Indonesia’s payment system via Cross-Border QR, targeting easier transactions for MSMEs, tourism and students. MSME Credit in Focus: Indifi Technologies plans to raise about $8.3m (Rs 79 crore) led by ICICI Venture to expand its digital lending platform for underserved small businesses. Air Connectivity for the Region: New direct routes from India include Chennai–Réunion Island (IndiGo) and Navi Mumbai–Abu Dhabi (Air India Express), cutting travel via hubs like Mauritius. Energy & Trade Pressure: Fertilizer trade is disrupted by Strait of Hormuz conflict, raising risks of shortages and price hikes for vulnerable economies. Local Industry & Jobs: KOKO Networks’ ethanol cooking tech is being shopped for sale after the firm’s collapse, with assets including IP and a Gujarat manufacturing plant. Environment & Research: GAEC is coordinating African scientists to harmonise microplastics monitoring protocols using nuclear and isotopic techniques, with Mauritius among participating countries.