Wang Yi in Delhi: Hindi-Chini Bhai Bhai…. again??

Written by: Aarthi Ramnath, Raghav Bikhchandani & Yash Budhwar

Our daily list of Souk picks

First, an apology: While testing the template, our Souk newsletter was accidentally sent out multiple times to our subscribers. Sorry about that! We are fixing the glitch asap so we don’t ever flood your inbox again.

Editor’s note: As you may have noticed, we just unveiled a beta version of Souk—which has one simple goal: To help you find unique, high quality products that are worth your time and money.

One: It is quite hard to find a pair of statement earrings online. The Tiara Studs rework a floral shape into something sharp and sculptural: folded metal petals with a centre that feels bold, almost elemental. They’re especially great on days when you’re wearing something easy and plain and just need that one detail to pull it all together.

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PS: This is a beta launch and feedback—good or bad—is key. So please email the team at dearsouk@splainer.in with your thoughts. We want to get this right!

Wang Yi in Delhi: Hindi-Chini Bhai Bhai…. again??

The Chinese Foreign Affairs minister Wang Yi is in New Delhi on a three-day visit. He had a very busy Tuesday—meeting NSA chief Ajit Doval, MEA S Jaishankar and PM Modi. This is Yi’s first trip to India since the 2020 Galwan Valley border clashes. It also comes ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit to be held in Tianjin later this month. Modi is now expected to attend—in what will be his first China trip in seven years. Cue the bromance soundtrack!

A big branch of dosti: Wang Yi came bearing three significant gifts—fertilisers, tunnel boring machines and rare earth metals. The last is critical for defence manufacturing, EVs and electronics—while fertilisers are key for agriculture, and the machines for infrastructure projects. Beijing has removed export controls on all three. In return, New Delhi made a significant statement on Taiwan—affirming it is an integral part of China for the first time since 2008.

Reminder: Despite the big breakup over the Galwan conflict, China remains India’s largest trading partner. We exported more than $14 billion in goods in the 2024-25 financial year—and imported a record $113 billion.

The Trump factor: The US president is indeed proving to be a peacemaker—though not quite as he intended. His wild tariff war has shown New Delhi the wisdom of sticking close to known frenemies—rather than wildly unpredictable friends. Beijing has been given a 90-day reprieve, but India has already been hit with a 50% tariff—which Yi pointedly referred to:

A Chinese statement following the meeting said Wang Yi told Dr Jaishankar that the world is undergoing a "once-in-a-century transformation at an accelerating pace". In an apparent reference to Washington, DC's pressure, he said "unilateral bullying is rampant" and free trade and the international order face severe challenges.

FYI: Jaishankar, in contrast, was more coy—saying: “When the world’s two largest nations meet, it is natural that the international situation will be discussed. We seek a fair, balanced and multipolar world order, including a multipolar Asia.”

Point to note: China has been eagerly wooing a number of nations—including the EU and Australia—to counter Washington’s effort to isolate it.

But, but, but: Some experts emphasise the limits of this thaw:

“If India seeks to improve its relations with China, China welcomes that,” said Lin Minwang, an expert on China’s relations with South Asia at Fudan University in Shanghai. “However, China will not make significant concessions or sacrifices to accommodate India’s so-called diplomatic posture.”

OTOH, others like Vijay Gokhale argues that Beijing has always offered an invaluable check on American dysfunction:

It is rarely acknowledged that China’s rise has benefitted the Global South. It has been the strategic balancer to the West, a source of capital and tech for the rest, and a partner in areas like climate change, global trading and financing arrangements that matter to India. Without China’s enormous financial and tech capacities, the West would have strangled efforts to build a more equitable global order in this century.

The road to reconciliation: rarely runs smooth. China’s military support to Pakistan—which was a big factor in Operation Sindoor—will remain a sticking point, as will Chinese incursions on the border.

The big picture: Right now, Washington is using its economic might to force nations to their knees. But the photo-ops of European powers fawning over Trump in the White House are misleading. The Chinese have shown little interest in buckling to tariff threats. And the Russians made no concessions at the recent Trump-Putin summit. In fact, Putin called Modi almost immediately after the meeting. After all, New Delhi is facing American wrath for sticking with Moscow—and that loyalty may help ease the relationship with Putin’s other BFF President Xi.

Reading list: Al Jazeera offers a good overview of Wang’s visit. Economic Times has more on the lifting of export curbs. New York Times has the analysis on how Trump has pushed New Delhi closer to Beijing. Vijay Gokhale’s op-ed is worth a read—and is available on X.

Government declares war on online gaming

A new bill to be introduced in the Lok Sabha today will ban all online games that require players to shell out cash. Every kind of gaming company is in the crosshairs:

Armed with provisions for prison terms and stiff penalties for violators, the law is expected to deliver a body blow to India's real-money gaming sector, dominated by companies such as Dream11, Gameskraft and Games24x7. The bill treats fantasy games and gambling alike and makes no difference between games of skill and chance, effectively criminalizing an industry that generated over $2 billion in revenue last year from millions of gamers, advertisements, and in-app purchases.

This assault on gaming was not telegraphed in advance—and comes as a brutal shock to the industry—which has been busy fighting battles over GST.

Reminder: Real-money gaming accounted for two-thirds of all online gaming revenue in FY24.

The justification: is similar to the argument made against gambling:

“Individuals have fallen victim to financial losses… sometimes resulting in extreme outcomes. Players are lured into a cycle with little awareness of risks or legal protections. These platforms frequently employ predatory monetization tactics… and reward systems designed to exploit psychological triggers to increase spending," the bill states. It adds that online gaming startups have also enabled financial fraud and money laundering.

The penalties: of violating the ban are fairly severe. The offences carry a prison sentence of up to five years—and Rs 1 crore in fines. Also this: “Anyone advertising these games will face penalties as well. Any bank enabling transactions through these apps will also face penalties.” The government plans to create a special agency to monitor online gaming.

The big picture: The bill—if passed–will cripple online gaming in India. As one company exec says:

In the end, it is the offshore betting and gambling firms that have won, because this ban doesn't mean that a person who loves playing rummy online will stop—they will simply move on to whatever other platform they can find.

Mint has the best reporting but is paywalled. The Hindu has basic deets of the bill.

Water is the new wine at this restaurant

La Popote, a Michelin-starred eatery in Cheshire, is now the first restaurant in the UK to offer a menu solely of bottled water. It includes three brands of still water and four of sparkling. Happily, you can still opt for tap water—which is free (whew!). The paani prices are eye-watering:

[Water sommelier Doran Binder] curated La Popote’s water menu, which features a selection from across Europe, including Britain, France, Spain and Portugal. Prices range from £5 ($6.80) for a large bottle of his Crag brand to £19 ($26) for The Palace of Vidago, a Portuguese sparkling water.

To make things even more absurd/entertaining, the waters are paired with “with certain foods — like Manchego cheese, Comté cheese, chocolate, Parma ham, olives”—which apparently change the taste just like with a wine.

The big picture: This is part of a larger trend toward sobriety—embraced by Gen Z types in the West. We now have water sommeliers who claim that different waters come with their own “terroir”—that fancy word for how the land shapes its taste. Hey, if you won’t drink wine, let us sell you over-priced water. (CNN)

MAP Academy & Nalli Fellowship is now open!!

Editor’s note: As you know, the wonderful MAP Academy is our content partner for Advisory. It is one of the few Indian institutions deeply invested in cultural research and education. They also offer rare funded opportunities for researchers, designers, archivists, journalists, writers and educators. The Nalli Fellowship is one of them.

Over to MAP Academy…

Are you working on the histories and practices of South Asian textiles and their socioeconomic, environmental or cultural implications?

The MAP Academy & Nalli Fellowships is offering four Research Fellowships of Rs 5.5 lakh each, for the study of textiles from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Tibet, Afghanistan, Myanmar, the Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. Applications are welcome from individuals—students, journalists, educators, designers, researchers—as well as from collectives and non-profit organisations. The grant must be used to support one year of research, which may be part of a longer-term project.

Applications will be assessed by an Advisory Committee, based on the responses in the submitted form, which will also double as the project proposal. Shortlisted applicants will be interviewed via an online video call, after which a final selection will be made.

Applications will remain open until October 15, 2025.

Find out more, and apply through this link. For any queries, contact us at: fellowships@map-india.org.

what caught our eye

business & tech

Mint has all the deets on ChatGPT Go’s India debut at Rs 399—and how it compares with OpenAI’s Plus, Pro, and Team plans.
Some Silicon Valley startups are adopting China’s banned “996” grind—12-hour days, six days a week—sparking debate over whether it fuels AI dominance or just mass burnout.
Intel has secured a $2 billion boost from SoftBank even as Washington pushes for an equity stake in the struggling chipmaker in return for federal grants.
Nvidia is developing a new high-powered AI chip for China after US export bans wiped out billions in sales.
Air Canada’s deal with 10,000 flight attendants has ended a walkout that disrupted half a million passengers—and could strengthen unions while reshaping pay practices across the nation’s airline industry.

sports & entertainment

Indian Express has all you need to know on India’s Asia Cup 2025 squad—Shubman Gill returns as vice-captain, Suryakumar Yadav takes charge, and Jasprit Bumrah is included as well.
Here is the Women's World Cup Squad—Renuka Singh and Amanjot Kaur return from injury, while Shafali Verma, Tejal Hasnabis, and Sayali Satghare miss out on the 15-member team.
The Guardian has a good read on how Bangladesh’s women’s football team, led by 18-year-old captain Afeida Khandaker, has made its first-ever Asian Cup and is dreaming even bigger.
CNN has an interesting read on why the ongoing US Open’s new mixed doubles format has stirred up so much controversy.
This is for all LOTR fans! Ian McKellen has confirmed that Gandalf and Frodo will appear in Andy Serkis’ upcoming film 'The Hunt for Gollum'.
The director of 'Manjummel Boys', Chidambaram, has announced his next Malayalam film 'Balan', with production now underway.

health & environment

American demand for tropical wood used in motor homes is driving massive illegal logging in Borneo’s rainforests, wiping out habitats for orangutans, leopards, and sun bears.
Coconut water isn’t the electrolyte-packed hydration fix it’s made out to be, despite its popularity as a post-workout drink.

meanwhile, in the world

An Israeli cyber directorate official has been arrested in Las Vegas after a police sting caught him attempting to meet a 15-year-old girl for sex.
The US State Department has revoked 6,000 international student visas just days before the new academic year, sparking concerns many won’t make it to campus in time.
Muslim men in Malaysia’s Terengganu state could now face jail time or fines for skipping Friday prayers without a valid reason under Shariah law.
Norway’s crown princess’s eldest son, Marius Borg Høiby, has been charged with 32 offences, including rape, abuse of a former partner, and violating restraining orders. For more context, read our curation here.

meanwhile, in India

Amit Shah is set to introduce three bills in Parliament to allow the removal of the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers and Ministers facing serious criminal charges.
As the Yamuna rises above danger levels in Delhi, displaced families say their daily worries now include thieves, snakes, and swarms of mosquitoes.
NCERT’s new school module says that India’s Operation Sindoor was a military success, tech breakthrough, and political message all in one.

Five things to see

One: Mumbai has been flooded by nonstop rain since Monday. Yesterday, nearly 800 people were stranded inside two separate monorails due to power failure. The clip below shows one of them—with 200 people on board. Though the train came to a halt at around 6.15 pm, rescue operations didn’t start until an hour later. Several passengers complained of suffocation as the AC systems were down as well. See the rescue effort below. (The Telegraph)

Two: Seems delulu is the only solulu… for the Donald. On Monday, during the White House meeting with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders, Trump’s private exchange with French President Emmanuel Macro was caught on the hot mic. You can hear him saying: “I think he wants to make a deal for me… Do you understand? As crazy as it sounds.” Below is the moment. (USA Today)

Three: Western brand campaigns in China are a racist shitstorm waiting to happen. This time, Swatch is in trouble for an advertisement that shows an Asian man pulling the corners of his eyes in a “slanted eye” pose. Wow! Just think of the layer of approvals an ad has to go through to be greenlit by a global brand—to be carried in one of its biggest markets. Shares in the company fell by 4% on Monday. (Reuters)

Four: An iconic church in Sweden—the Lutheran church in Kiruna—is being moved 5 km to a new location. The reason: the ground is sinking due to more than a century of iron ore mining in the region. The 113-year-old, 672-tonne church is literally being rolled down the road over a two day period, at a pace of half-a-kilometre an hour. The relocation began on Tuesday with more than 10,000 people—including the Swedish king himself—lining the streets to see this engineering feat. See the tamasha below. (The Guardian)

Five: Say hello to the desi batmobile! Mahindra & Mahindra has partnered with Warner Bros to launch an electric SUV inspired by Batman. It’s a collector’s edition—with only 300 vehicles up for sale at the hefty price of Rs 27.79 lakh. Bookings open on August 23—with deliveries scheduled from September 20—aka Batman Day. See the cool promo below. (NDTV)