Middle East Oil Pricing: Iraq cut July Basrah medium crude OSP to Asia to plus $0.30/bbl versus Oman/Dubai, while Basrah heavy was set at minus $1.80/bbl—another signal of how West Asia tensions are reshaping Asian crude economics. Strait of Hormuz Risk: Oil jumped after renewed US-Iran strikes and Iran’s move to close the Strait of Hormuz to tankers, reviving fears of supply disruption and inflation spillovers across Asia. OECD Stockpile Stress: The EIA said OECD oil reserves hit the lowest since 2003 as the region draws down commercial and emergency stocks to offset Middle East disruption. India Energy Policy: India scrapped excise duty on petrol with 22%-30% ethanol, pushing higher ethanol blends as a hedge against imported crude volatility. Upstream Royalties: CLSA flagged India’s onshore crude royalty rate rising to 13.33% and warned of near-term EPS pressure for ONGC and Oil India. Renewables Buildout: Juniper Green Energy commissioned 305 MWp of solar-wind capacity in Gujarat, adding to India’s fast-growing clean power pipeline. Smart Grid Investment: Adani Energy Solutions’ ₹3,050 crore bid for smart-meter firm IntelliSmart highlights the race to scale meters ahead of India’s RDSS rollout. Regional Energy Diplomacy: Japan and Malaysia pledged stronger energy and maritime security cooperation, including stable LNG supplies for Japan. Nuclear Watch: Japan restarted a reactor at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa, but the reboot underscores Japan’s spent-fuel disposal bottleneck. Trade & Sanctions: The US added major Chinese solar and battery firms to a military-linked list, while China warned of retaliation over EU sanctions targeting Chinese companies.