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The rally reflected a market view that the worst-case economic fallout from the conflict may yet be avoided if negotiations regain momentum. Investors were encouraged by signs that talks between Washington and Tehran could resume after earlier efforts faltered, easing some fears over energy supply disruptions and allowing attention to swing back to earnings, economic data and the resilience of household demand in the United States and Asia. That shift in mood helped lift US stock futures and underpinned broader gains from Tokyo to Mumbai.

Japan led the advance, with exporters and technology names benefiting from stronger risk appetite and the market’s belief that any easing in Middle East tensions could reduce pressure on fuel costs and shipping. The Nikkei’s record level also reflected investor confidence that large Japanese companies remain well placed to benefit from global demand for semiconductors, automation and artificial intelligence infrastructure. Elsewhere, South Korean and Hong Kong shares also moved higher, while mainland Chinese markets were supported by data showing the economy expanded by 5.0 per cent in the first quarter, beating expectations and offering some reassurance that domestic activity has retained momentum despite the geopolitical shock.

Wall Street’s lead mattered. The S&P 500 closed at 7,022.95 on Wednesday, a record that marked a full recovery from losses triggered after the conflict began in late February, while the Nasdaq posted another record finish and extended a powerful winning streak. Strong results from major banks, including Bank of America and Morgan Stanley, reinforced the idea that corporate America is entering the earnings season on firmer footing than many investors had feared when oil prices spiked and risk assets sold off. Reuters reported that 84 per cent of companies that had reported by then had beaten expectations, helping to steady nerves about margins and consumer activity.

The earnings story is now sharing the stage with geopolitics. Markets are effectively pricing a narrower range of negative outcomes than they were only weeks ago, but that optimism remains conditional. Oil prices, while off their most alarming levels, are still elevated by historical standards, and every diplomatic headline continues to carry outsized weight because the Strait of Hormuz remains central to global crude flows. Reports that Iran may allow shipping through the waterway helped calm traders, though supply risks have not disappeared, especially with refinery disruptions in Australia and the threat of fresh sanctions or military miscalculation still present.

That tension between relief and caution is visible across asset classes. The dollar was broadly steady, the euro stayed firm, gold edged up and cryptocurrencies drifted lower, all signs that investors have not fully abandoned hedges even as they add exposure to equities. In India, shares opened higher as lower oil prices and hopes of renewed dialogue supported all major sectors, with the Nifty 50 and Sensex building on gains from the previous session. For economies that import large volumes of energy, any sustained cooling in crude would ease inflation pressure, support currencies and give central banks more room to focus on domestic growth rather than external shocks.

Technology remains a central pillar of the market’s confidence. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. was in focus ahead of results that investors expected to show a sharp profit jump, driven by demand tied to artificial intelligence chips. That anticipation has fed into a broader belief that the AI investment cycle can continue to offset weakness elsewhere in the global economy. Yet the strength of that narrative also creates a vulnerability: richly valued technology shares leave little room for disappointment, and any sign of slowing orders or tighter capital spending could quickly change the market tone.

The tour, taking place from April to August, will include visits to major academic hubs in the United Kingdom, the United States, Europe, Japan, South Korea and South East Asia. Through a series of academic exchanges, faculty dialogues, and participation in leading international conferences—including IEEE International Conference on Acoustics, Speech, and Signal Processing (IEEE); the Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (CVPR), the International Conference on Machine Learning (ICML); The 17th Asian Conference on Arts & Humanities (ACAH); and The Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management (AOM). VinUni seeks to foster meaningful engagement with scholars working at the forefront of research, particularly in artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.

This initiative reflects VinUni’s evolving approach to academic recruitment, characterised by sustained international engagement and an emphasis on scholarly collaboration. The University aims to attract individuals of high academic distinction who are committed not only to advancing disciplinary knowledge, but also to contributing to the broader societal application of research.

Central to this effort is the VinUniversity Assistant Professorships (VAP), established to support exceptional early-career scholars. The programme provides a comprehensive academic environment, including significant research funding, access to dedicated laboratory space, and advanced research infrastructure. Scholars are further supported through institutional mechanisms for research development, grant acquisition, and academic administration.

In addition to internal resources, VAP appointees may pursue competitive funding opportunities through established national and international channels, including the Vingroup Innovation Foundation and the National Foundation for Science and Technology Development (NAFOSTED), thereby enabling the sustained growth and international visibility of their research programmes.

Professor Ling San, Senior Deputy President of VinUniversity, noted:
“The VinUniversity Assistant Professorships program is designed to attract exceptional early-career scholars who want to do more than follow traditional academic pathways. With up to $1M in research funding, dedicated lab support, and strong industry partnerships, VinUni provides the conditions for scholars—particularly in AI and emerging technologies—to move quickly from ideas to real-world impact.

What makes VinUni distinctive is the rare opportunity to help build a world-class university in a rapidly evolving economy. For many scholars, this is not just a career move, but a chance to shape the future of research and innovation in a new global hub.”

Established as Vietnam’s first private, not-for-profit university founded on international standards, VinUni has developed strategic partnerships with leading global institutions, including Cornell University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Nanyang Technological University (Singapore). These collaborations contribute to the University’s academic development and its integration within the international higher education landscape.

Supported by Vingroup, VinUni operates within a broader ecosystem that connects academic inquiry with industry and innovation. This environment offers faculty the opportunity to extend the reach of their research beyond the academy and engage with questions of practical and societal significance.

Through the Global Academic Recruitment Tour 2026, VinUni affirms its commitment to academic excellence and international engagement, and extends an invitation to scholars who seek to contribute to the advancement of knowledge within a dynamic and globally connected setting.

Hashtag: #VinUniversity

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The partnership brings together DFIQ Media’s extensive omnichannel retail media ecosystem with WPP Media’s advanced programmatic and predictive intelligence capabilities. By integrating customer audience insights through InfoSum – WPP’s privacy-first, no-data-movement collaboration platform – advertisers can activate high-value audiences while ensuring strict data privacy and regulatory compliance.

Through this initiative, advertisers will gain access to aggregated customer insights from the yuu loyalty ecosystem and retail platforms across DFI Retail Group banners, enabling more precise and effective targeting strategies. These audience segments can be securely matched and activated via WPP Media’s Open Intelligence, and delivered through WPP Open – WPP’s agentic marketing platform. This enables brands to unlock new growth audiences, improve targeting accuracy, and access deeper performance insights across digital and in-store environments, including incremental sales, new-shopper contribution, and audience-level effectiveness.

“Retail media is the fastest growing media channel globally and rapidly becoming one of the most important channels for brands to connect with consumers in meaningful and measurable ways,” said Wee Lee Loh, Group Chief Digital & yuu Rewards Officer from DFI Retail Group. The partnership also includes WPP Media’s investment in DFIQ Media’s omnichannel retail media inventory. This includes digital advertising opportunities across the e-commerce and mobile apps of yuu, Wellcome, 7-Eleven, and Mannings, as well as DFIQ Media’s in-store digital screen network of more than 6,000 screens across these retail locations in Hong Kong. “Our collaboration with DFIQ Media represents an important step in shaping the future of commerce-driven media in Hong Kong,” said Michael Beecroft, CEO of WPP Media North East Asia.

Collectively, these retail touchpoints generate more than 60 million store visits every month, giving brands a powerful platform to connect with consumers across the full shopping journey — from digital discovery to in-store purchase.

“By partnering with WPP Media and leveraging privacy-safe technology from InfoSum, we are unlocking the next phase of retail media in Hong Kong – one that combines powerful first-party data with omnichannel activation across digital and physical retail environments,” said Chandana Sunder, Group Retail Media Director from DFI Retail Group.

WPP Media will also bring its advanced programmatic advertising, predictive modelling, and Open Intelligence capabilities to the partnership, enabling automated buying, real-time optimization, and sophisticated audience targeting powered by DFIQ Media’s retail signals.

“By connecting DFIQ Media’s rich retail audiences with our Open Intelligence framework, we can deliver high-yield, privacy-safe, and outcome-driven advertising solutions that reduce waste and drive measurable growth for brands,” said Kenny Ip, Vice President, Media and Partnership Management at WPP Media Hong Kong.

Together, DFIQ Media and WPP Media aim to push the boundaries of retail media innovation – building a more advanced and future-ready retail media landscape in Hong Kong. The partnership marks a significant milestone in next-generation retail media development, combining privacy-first data collaboration, predictive intelligence, and large-scale omnichannel activation to create new opportunities for brands to engage shoppers and measure incremental impact.
Hashtag: #DFIRetailGroup #DFIQ #yuuRewards #Mannings #7-Eleven #Wellcome

https://www.dfiretailgroup.com/

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

DFI Retail Group

DFI Retail Group is a leading Asian retailer driven by its purpose to ‘Sustainably Serve Asia for Generations with Everyday Moments’. As at 31 December 2025, the Group and its associates operated 7,580 outlets and employed more than 79,000 people across 12 markets. The Group is committed to delivering quality, value and service to consumers across the region through trusted brands, strong local market positions, and a broad retail ecosystem supported by extensive store networks, digital capabilities and efficient supply chains. DFI Retail Group and its associates operate a portfolio of well-known brands across five key divisions: health and beauty, convenience, food, home furnishings and restaurants.

DFIQ Media is the retail media arm of DFI Retail Group, connecting brands with millions of shoppers through a powerful omnichannel ecosystem that spans loyalty, e-commerce, and in-store media across leading retail banners. Established in 2025, it aims to deliver everyday omnichannel customer experience through full funnel media solutions powered by first party data intelligence.

The slowdown matters because overseas sales have been doing much of the heavy lifting for China while the property downturn and soft household spending continue to restrain growth at home. Economists surveyed by Reuters expect the economy to have expanded 4.8 per cent in the first quarter, up from 4.5 per cent in the previous three months, but they also see the outlook dimming as the Middle East conflict pushes up input costs and clouds demand in key markets.

March’s figures suggest that what had looked like a strong start to the year is becoming harder to sustain. Earlier gains had been supported by front-loaded shipments, strong demand for artificial intelligence-linked electronics and a rebound in some advanced manufacturing exports. That mix is now facing a harsher external backdrop. The conflict involving Iran has disturbed energy markets, with the Strait of Hormuz under severe strain and oil prices climbing towards the $100 a barrel mark, a level that raises transport, production and logistics costs across Asia and Europe.

Imports into China, by contrast, jumped 27.8 per cent in March, the strongest increase since late 2021. Part of that rise reflected demand tied to semiconductors, components and technology supply chains, but it also pointed to stockpiling and shifting trade flows as businesses prepared for a more volatile energy and freight environment. The divergence between softer export growth and surging imports may complicate Beijing’s effort to keep its large trade surplus intact through 2026.

Pressure from the Iran conflict is being transmitted through more than one channel. China remains heavily exposed to imported energy, and although it has reserves and a diversified supply base, higher crude and gas costs squeeze manufacturers’ margins and can erode the price competitiveness that has underpinned the country’s export machine. Reuters reported that March also brought the first rise in factory-gate prices in more than three years, indicating that cost pressures are building just as external demand becomes less predictable.

There are also direct trade effects. Reuters reported that crude and natural gas imports fell as the regional conflict disrupted flows. OPEC, in its first formal assessment of the war’s economic effect, cut its forecast for second-quarter global oil demand by 500,000 barrels a day, saying the conflict had become a meaningful drag on consumption and trade. For export-oriented economies such as China, that points to a tougher environment in which customers abroad may curb discretionary spending while producers face steeper energy bills.

Yet the picture is not uniformly bleak. China’s technology and clean-energy manufacturers still have areas of strength that could cushion the blow. Overseas demand for electric vehicles, batteries and solar equipment has been supported by the same oil shock that is hurting traditional exporters. Associated Press reported that Chinese new-energy vehicle exports continued to surge in March, while another AP analysis said the energy crisis was sharpening global interest in Chinese clean-tech supply chains. Those sectors are unlikely to offset every weakness, but they do show that the country’s export story is becoming more uneven rather than simply weaker across the board.

That unevenness is visible across product categories. Lower-value consumer goods such as clothing, furniture and other labour-intensive shipments were hit by seasonal factors and softer foreign demand, while higher-end electrical and AI-linked exports remained more resilient. South Korea’s sharp rise in exports to China, driven by chip demand, underlined the point that advanced technology supply chains are still expanding even as broader goods trade loses pace.

Beijing now faces a familiar policy dilemma made more acute by war. It wants to preserve growth without adding excessive leverage, support exporters without worsening trade tensions, and stabilise domestic demand while avoiding another debt-fuelled property cycle. Current forecasts still place full-year growth within the official 4.5 to 5 per cent target range, but many analysts now expect a weaker second quarter than they did before the Iran crisis deepened. Fiscal support, bond issuance and selective easing remain on the table, though officials appear cautious about deploying a large stimulus immediately.

Sánchez, on his fourth trip to China in four years, arrived with a message that mixed engagement with caution. On the eve of meeting Xi, he told an audience at Tsinghua University that China should assume a larger role in tackling climate change, inequality, global health, responsible artificial intelligence and major conflicts, while also arguing that Europe must step up as the United States pulls back from several fronts. That language reflected Madrid’s attempt to deepen economic relations with Beijing without ignoring the strategic unease that still colours China’s ties with much of the West.

For Xi, Spain offers a politically valuable counterpart inside the European Union. Beijing has been looking for reliable European interlocutors as Brussels tries to defend industrial interests, scrutinise state-backed Chinese investment and manage disputes over electric vehicles and market access. Spain has often sounded less confrontational than some other European capitals. Sánchez has previously urged compromise over tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles and has continued to frame China as a strategic partner rather than only a rival. That posture does not place Madrid outside the EU mainstream, but it does make Spain one of the more open major economies for Chinese diplomacy.

Trade remains the hardest fact beneath the warmer language. Sánchez acknowledged in Beijing that China accounts for 74 per cent of Spain’s overall trade deficit, and Reuters reported that Spain’s deficit with China approached $50 billion in 2025 after more than doubling over four years. Madrid wants better access for agricultural and manufactured exports while preserving inward investment that could help its green transition and industrial base. Chinese capital has already been tied to projects in batteries, hydrogen and manufacturing in Spain, underlining why the government sees practical gains in staying engaged even as the imbalance in trade grows harder to ignore.

That commercial logic is colliding with a tougher geopolitical climate. Sánchez’s visit has drawn scrutiny because it comes as China seeks stronger European ties during a period of strain with Washington. Reuters reported before the trip that Sánchez’s independent line on China had already irritated U. S. President Donald Trump, while Spain also rejected sharp U. S. criticism of moves to expand trade with Beijing. Chinese officials, for their part, signalled before the visit that they wanted to use it to deepen strategic trust, cooperation and multilateral coordination. The result is a diplomatic balancing act in which Madrid is trying to protect its autonomy, retain access to both superpowers and avoid being forced into a binary choice.

The political symbolism runs beyond bilateral ties. Sánchez’s stop in Beijing follows a succession of other European leaders visiting China this year, suggesting that even governments wary of Beijing’s security posture and industrial policies still see a need for direct dialogue. China is encouraging that trend, presenting stable relations with Europe as proof that it is not isolated despite mounting tension elsewhere. Spain’s government has echoed part of that argument, with Sánchez saying in Beijing that Europe and China had prospered together before and could do so again. That sentiment fits neatly with Xi’s effort to frame China as a pillar of order against a backdrop of war, protectionism and institutional drift.

The company, which appears to have been incorporated in Singapore in March 2026 as SEOEXPERT PTE. LTD., is presenting itself as a performance-driven agency focused on SEO, paid advertising and social media marketing. Its public-facing claims centre on AI-assisted content publishing, competitor monitoring, campaign optimisation and lead qualification, alongside a “no long-term contracts” offer and a promise to be judged on outcomes rather than retainers alone. That message lands at a time when many smaller businesses are under pressure to justify every marketing dollar and are increasingly wary of vague promises around rankings and traffic.

The broader backdrop helps explain why such positioning may resonate. Singapore’s digital economy accounted for 18.6 per cent of gross domestic product in 2024, up from 14.9 per cent in 2019, according to the Infocomm Media Development Authority, while SME adoption of AI more than tripled in one year to 14.5 per cent in 2024. That expansion has widened the addressable market for agencies promising to help firms compete online, but it has also sharpened scrutiny of whether AI-branded services genuinely improve sales, lead quality and discoverability or merely repackage familiar tactics with new language.

SEOExpert is entering a field where established players already market many of the same ideas. Rival agencies in Singapore promote AI-assisted SEO, performance pricing, flexible contracts and proof-of-results case studies, while independent directories and agency marketplaces show a busy, fragmented sector serving everything from small retailers to larger regional brands. That means the newcomer is not inventing a category so much as trying to sharpen a proposition around trust, transparency and speed of execution. The challenge will be whether it can demonstrate that its systems produce durable gains rather than short bursts of visibility.

For SMEs, the appeal of a results-linked arrangement is obvious. Search marketing has long suffered from an information imbalance: agencies control the technical work, clients often lack the tools to assess quality, and outcomes can depend on shifting search algorithms, website health, content quality and competition in a given niche. In that environment, a promise that reduces fixed commitment can sound attractive, particularly for businesses that have previously paid monthly retainers without a clear link to revenue. Yet such offers also deserve careful reading. “Results” can mean rankings, clicks, leads or sales, and those metrics do not carry equal commercial value. A company can rise in search results without converting more customers.

The AI element also cuts both ways. Automation can help agencies monitor competitors, scale content operations and identify technical issues faster, which may lower delivery costs and shorten turnaround times. At the same time, search platforms and clients alike are becoming more alert to thin, repetitive or mechanically generated material. That raises the bar for agencies claiming proprietary tools. The real test is not whether software is involved, but whether the work improves relevance, authority and user experience in a way that survives algorithm changes and stricter expectations from search engines and AI-driven discovery platforms.

Another factor is credibility. Public records indicate the company is newly formed, which is not unusual for a startup agency but does mean prospective clients will have limited operating history to assess. Its website advertises more than 100 brands served and showcases commercial claims around measurable growth, though such statements are difficult to independently verify from public information alone. For buyers in Singapore’s SME segment, that typically shifts due diligence towards contract terms, reporting standards, client references, attribution methods and whether performance targets are clearly defined before money changes hands.

The early-April figures reinforce a broader pattern already visible through the first quarter. South Korea, one of the world’s most closely watched export economies because of its central role in memory chips, displays and consumer electronics, has been benefiting from a steep recovery in semiconductor sales after a prolonged industry downturn. Reuters reported at the end of February that the country’s chip exports had jumped 160.9 per cent in that month alone, passing $20 billion for a third straight month as AI investment and stronger memory prices lifted demand.

Semiconductors were again the main engine in the latest 10-day release. Chip exports surged 152 per cent from a year earlier, underscoring how heavily South Korea’s trade performance is now tied to data-centre investment, high-bandwidth memory demand and the wider AI build-out led by large technology firms. That strength has helped offset a less even backdrop in other parts of the economy, where investment, household demand and external policy risks remain more mixed.

The export rebound matters well beyond monthly trade headlines. South Korea’s central bank raised its 2026 growth forecast to 2.0 per cent in February and signalled that a chip-led upswing was giving policymakers more room to hold interest rates steady while watching inflation and financial stability risks. Reuters also reported this month that central bank officials see strong semiconductor exports and an extra budget as factors easing downward pressure on growth, even as won weakness and higher energy costs complicate the inflation outlook.

Factory data has pointed in the same direction. A Reuters report on S&P Global survey findings showed South Korea’s manufacturing activity expanded in January at the fastest pace in nearly a year and a half, helped by stronger export orders from China, North America and Europe. Manufacturers reported improving optimism as orders strengthened in sectors such as autos and semiconductors, indicating that the recovery is not only statistical but also visible in production and order books.

Still, the trade picture is not free of risk. South Korea remains highly exposed to swings in global demand, to US trade policy and to supply disruptions linked to tensions in the Middle East. Reuters polling before the March trade data showed imports rising sharply as higher oil prices pushed up the energy bill, even while exports surged on semiconductor strength. That combination can support headline trade values, but it also leaves the economy vulnerable to a renewed squeeze from commodity inflation and currency volatility.

Another uncertainty lies in concentration. The same chip boom that is lifting exports also raises dependence on a narrow cluster of products and companies. South Korea’s trade resilience is being powered largely by memory and advanced semiconductor demand, especially products linked to AI servers. Investment plans such as SK Hynix’s announcement in February of 21.6 trillion won in new facilities show confidence in long-term demand, but they also underline how central the semiconductor cycle has become to the country’s broader growth model.

For now, the momentum remains hard to ignore. Reuters polling ahead of the March data had already pointed to the fastest export growth in nearly five years, with shipments to the United States and China both showing strong gains alongside the semiconductor surge. Monday’s early-April figures suggest that pace has carried into the second quarter, strengthening the case that South Korea’s exporters are entering another period of outsized performance after a weak stretch in 2025.

In 2026, the Hong Kong Gifts & Premium Fair will spotlight four key focuses – personalisation, sustainability, health & wellness, and culture & creativity – guiding buyers to discover products that reflect the latest market trends and consumer preferences.

The fair will once again feature the highly acclaimed Hall of Fine Designs, a convergence point of reputed brands. First time exhibitors include Alpha Art Gifts LLC (United Arab Emirates), known for its unique and high-quality gift solutions; Crown Decor Pvt Ltd (India), a leading manufacturer for premium laminates. And the distinguished Hong Kong brands Camel and RedA will continue showcase their products at the fair. In addition, the Shanxi Pavilion will make its debut at the Hong Kong Gifts & Premium Fair 2026. This year, the Zhejiang Pavilion, for the first time led by the Department of Commerce of Zhejiang Province, will bring a large number of exhibitors. Meanwhile, the Korea Pavilion and Busan Pavilion will return with even greater presence.

Furthermore, the Hong Kong Exporters’ Association will assemble Hong Kong companies to form a pavilion, showcasing the design skills and branding excellence of Hong Kong’s product designers. The Smart Design Global, organised by Hong Kong Exporters’ Association, will also showcase shortlisted entries and signature products from its participating companies at the Gifts & Premium Fair, leveraging the fair as a platform to promote Hong Kong original designs to international markets.

Running concurrently, Home InStyle will focus on new materials, culture & creativity, and gerontechnology for silver‑age living, aligning with emerging lifestyle and consumer trends. The fair completes the sourcing journey by fostering meaningful connections and spark fresh inspiration across the design and lifestyle community.

A key highlight remains the signature Cultural and Creative Avenue, which will showcase distinguished designs from around the world and welcome international brands that blend unique design concepts with cultural heritage. The fair’s collaboration with Pantone will be elevated, with the Colour of the Year 2026 “Cloud Dancer” prominently featured in this zone. Through trend-focused displays and real-life applications, visitors will see the colour brought to life, helping buyers and exhibitors visualise its use in contemporary home and lifestyle products.

Furthermore, funded by the Innovation and Technology Commission, Home InStyle will launch the Gerontech and Innovative Material Pavilion, where nearly 20 local enterprises will present a wide range of innovative technology products and solutions designed for senior living, while highlighting the application of new materials in home spaces.

“Adding to the fair’s design-led highlights, the 2nd MOTIFX – Embracing the Beauty of Chinese Culture exhibition, organised by the Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI) under the Vocational Training Council (VTC) and sponsored by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA), invites emerging designers to reinterpret traditional Chinese elements for contemporary contexts. The project seamlessly integrating historical components into modern objects, interiors, and lifestyle products while deepening new generations’ engagement with their cultural heritage.”

Home InStyle will also host a selection of international brands known for their craftsmanship and creativity. Highlights include vibrant hand-blown Bohemian glassware, handmade baskets and bags woven from wild grapevines alongside classic bamboo steamers, and licensed DC Comics illuminated signs.

Throughout the fairs, a series of seminars and forums will bring together leading industry experts to share forward-looking insights on key trends and future developments, from creative thinking and the silver economy to sustainability and beyond. These sessions are crafted to foster meaningful dialogue and equip attendees with the latest market intelligence. As a comprehensive one-stop sourcing platform, the fairs unlock exciting business opportunities and deliver a diverse, world-class selection of lifestyle products and services tailored to every buyer’s needs.

Digital platform creates efficient exhibition experience
Under the EXHIBITION+ model, the fairs integrate offline and online elements. Buyers can continue searching for products and services on the hktdc.com Sourcing platform and network through the Click2Match smart business-matching platform. During the physical fair, buyers can use the Scan2Match function of the HKTDC Marketplace App to scan exhibitors’ exclusive QR codes, bookmark favourite suppliers, browse product information and continue discussions with exhibitors online during or after the show.

One stop registration for HKTDC trade fairs:
https://tinyurl.com/yc8jvdpp

Hashtag: #HKTDC #GiftsFair #HongKong #TradeFair #Innovation #sustainable

https://www.hktdc.com/event/hkgiftspremiumfair/en

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

That debate has sharpened after comments by Arun Subramaniyan, founder and chief executive of Articul8, who argued that India’s AI trajectory should not be framed as a choice between sovereign control and cultural depth, but as a need for both. His view comes at a time when the public and private sectors are moving from broad enthusiasm around generative AI to harder questions of ownership, trust, utility and scale.

The timing is notable. Under the IndiaAI Mission, the government has been expanding support for domestic compute, foundational models, datasets, skills and applications, while official messaging at the India AI Impact Summit in February cast sovereign AI as a strategic capability rather than a branding exercise. Government-backed efforts such as BharatGen have also been positioned as multilingual, multimodal systems designed around the country’s linguistic diversity and socio-cultural context. Together, those moves show that the argument for AI sovereignty in India is no longer limited to who owns the model or where the servers sit. It is increasingly about whether AI built for India can understand how people speak, work and make decisions across vastly different regions and sectors.

Subramaniyan’s intervention adds another layer to that discussion. He has suggested that sovereignty on its own can become too narrow if it is treated only as a matter of defence, infrastructure or control. In his framing, heritage matters because AI systems that ignore local language, history and context risk becoming technically impressive but socially shallow. That point has growing resonance as global concern rises over English-heavy training data, cultural blind spots and the danger that smaller languages may become underrepresented in the next generation of digital tools.

For India, the heritage argument carries practical as well as symbolic importance. A country with hundreds of languages, wide variations in literacy and deep differences in economic activity cannot rely on AI products optimised only for Western datasets or metropolitan users. Voice interfaces, translation layers, domain-specific copilots and public-service tools all perform better when they are trained on the speech patterns, terminology and workflows of the people expected to use them. This is why multilingual model development has moved from a niche research issue to a core policy concern.

At the same time, the enterprise case is becoming clearer. Many companies have discovered that generic large language models can help with drafting, summarising and coding, but struggle when deployed in regulated or mission-critical environments without access to internal knowledge. The more valuable opportunity lies in turning proprietary documents, engineering manuals, transaction records, legal archives and operational know-how into structured intelligence that can support decisions. That is the commercial logic behind domain-specific AI, and it helps explain why firms such as Articul8 are pitching secure, enterprise-grade systems built around private data rather than public internet corpora alone.

This shift also reflects a broader global pattern. Corporate surveys and advisory research have shown that many organisations remain stuck between pilot projects and real productivity gains, largely because governance, data quality and workflow integration have lagged behind excitement over model capabilities. In practice, companies tend to get stronger returns when AI is tied to specific functions and high-value use cases rather than treated as a general-purpose novelty. For banks, manufacturers, energy groups and healthcare providers, that often means models that can work inside tightly controlled environments and understand sector language with precision.

India’s opportunity may lie in combining these two strands. One is sovereign capability: domestic compute, public datasets, local model development and policy oversight. The other is heritage depth: linguistic coverage, cultural nuance and knowledge systems that reflect the country’s own realities. The third, emerging alongside them, is institutional depth inside enterprises, where AI can turn decades of accumulated expertise into a working asset instead of leaving it trapped in silos.

There are, however, risks in the current moment. A strong sovereign AI narrative can drift into protectionism or technological duplication if it becomes a race to mimic every frontier model at any cost. Heritage-focused rhetoric can also become vague if it is not matched by usable datasets, benchmark standards and transparent governance. Enterprises face a different danger: spending heavily on AI assistants that are poorly connected to business processes, weak on accuracy and difficult to audit.