ModiWatch: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Brunei (September 3-4) underscores the strengthening of bilateral relations between India and Brunei. The discussions during the visit, as highlighted by Jaideep Mazumdar, Secretary (East), India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), will focus on areas such as defence, trade, energy, technology, health, and cultural exchanges. PM Modi's visit coincides with the tenth anniversary of India's 'Act East Policy,' which aims to enhance cooperation with Southeast Asian countries. According to Mazumdar, Brunei, a former Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Country Coordinator, plays an important role in India's vision for the Indo-Pacific region. 

India and Singapore to sign semiconductor cooperation agreement: During PM Modi’s visit to the island nation (September 4-5), India and Singapore will unveil several agreements, including a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on developing a semiconductor ecosystem. This partnership aims to leverage Singapore’s established semiconductor infrastructure, which contributes to 10% of global chip production and 20% of semiconductor manufacturing equipment. PM Modi will discuss this and other areas of cooperation, such as digital health and skill development.

Regional maritime security in the Indian ocean region: Maldives, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, and India have signed the Charter of the Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) for a regional maritime security architecture in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). The agreement, signed at the national security advisor level, focuses on cooperation in maritime safety, counterterrorism, cyber security, and transnational crime. Areas of cooperation include combating trafficking, radicalisation, and protecting critical infrastructure. The CSC will facilitate information sharing on threats like terrorism and cyber security, and will promote capacity building through joint training, exercises, and workshops. The agreement also covers cooperation in oceanography, maritime law, and the protection of marine resources.

Indian space tech collaboration: India's top space technology companies—Kawa Space, Azista Industries, Kepler Aerospace, and Dfy Graviti—have come together to form the Bharat Space Collective (BSC). This alliance is set to revolutionise space technology development, focusing on innovative solutions to global challenges, particularly those aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By combining their expertise, BSC aims to position India as a global leader in delivering world-class space products and services.

Cabinet approves one more semiconductor unit: The Union Cabinet has approved Kaynes Semicon Pvt Ltd's proposal to establish a semiconductor unit in Sanand, Gujarat, under the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM). With an investment of ₹3,300 crore, the unit will produce 60 lakh chips daily, serving industries like automotive, consumer electronics, and telecom. This follows the June 2023 approval of a similar unit in Sanand and the February 2024 approval of three more units across Gujarat and Assam.  These 4 units will bring an investment of almost ₹1.5 trillion and a combined capacity of 70 million chips per day.

Delhi Today: Plenty of clouds; occasional rain and a thunderstorm in the morning followed by a couple of thunderstorms in the afternoon.

Lok Sabha: Not in session.

Rajya Sabha: Not in session.