Welcome to Your Week in Asia.
When Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered an Independence Day speech last year, he spoke for over 100 minutes as he vowed to protect farmers amid trade tensions with the U.S. This year, in the wake of weekslong youth protests that brought down the education minister, he has plenty to talk about again as he looks to set out a vision that addresses growing concerns about job opportunities and inequality.
Vietnamese President To Lam continues his run of diplomatic outreach since becoming general secretary of the Communist party in 2024 with visits to Australia and New Zealand. Multiple bilateral agreements are expected to be signed with both countries.
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MONDAY
The Bank of Japan releases policy meeting opinions
The Bank of Japan will release its summary of opinions from its most recent monetary policy meeting, which was held on July 30 and 31. The central bank kept interest rates unchanged but the vote was split, with one board member calling for a quarter point hike. Gov. Kazuo Ueda had also stressed "meaningful upside risks" to inflation during his news conference. Markets will be looking for fresh clues on the pace of future BOJ rate hikes.
TUESDAY
To Lam-Albanese meeting
To Lam is expected to meet Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during a tour of Australia and New Zealand running from Sunday to Friday, with talks expected to focus on deepening economic and strategic ties. Building on the Vietnam-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership established in 2024, the trip is expected to prioritize cooperation in science and technology, innovation, digital transformation and resilient supply chains, while also advancing collaboration in energy, infrastructure, food security, trade, investment and education. Bilateral trade between Vietnam and Australia reached $8.1 billion in the first half of 2026, up nearly 22% from a year earlier.
Earnings: Sea
Monetary policy: Australia
Data: Singapore gross domestic product
WEDNESDAY
Earnings: Foxconn, Tencent
Indian inflation data
India releases its consumer inflation data for July amid continued volatility in oil prices. The indicator breached the central bank's target level of 4% in June for the first time in about one-and-a-half years as rising energy costs trickled into the economy. However, it remains well within the RBI's tolerance band of 2% to 6%, and on Wednesday the central bank predicted inflation to come in at 5% for the fiscal year through March 2027, with a slowdown expected after the third quarter of the fiscal year.
THURSDAY
Earnings: Hong Kong MTR, CK Hutchison
FRIDAY
Prabowo's State of the Nation speech
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto is set to deliver the annual State of the Nation Address ahead of the country's Independence Day on Aug. 17. Prabowo will also present the government's macroeconomic assumptions and fiscal policy framework for the proposed 2027 state budget. The address is expected to outline policy priorities in his administration's third year and set out major targets, including projected economic growth and government spending.
SMIC earnings
Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp., China's top contract chipmaker, announces its quarterly earnings. Attention will be on any comments SMIC makes about artificial intelligence-related demand, its pricing strategy and expansion plans amid an industrywide supply crunch.
Data: Malaysia GDP
SATURDAY
Modi independence day speech
Modi will address the nation from the ramparts of the historic Red Fort in Delhi, marking the country's 80th Independence Day. He will unfurl the national flag and lay out the government's programs and policies and future roadmaps in his customary address, which this year follows youth-led protests over the alleged leaks of exam question papers.