South Bloc Reports

☝️Major Shocker!!

🤔How did Reliance get these documents in the first place? ✍️In 2018, Reliance Infrastructure won a major sub contract to build support infrastructure, piping and common systems for Units 3 and 4 of the Kudankulam plant. Because of this contract, Reliance had highly detailed engineering files on their networks. The security breakdown didn't happen directly at the nuclear facility, but rather through a "partial breach" on a server hosted by Yotta Data Services a third-party Indian data center provider used by Reliance. Yotta detected suspicious behavior on the server back on May 29, but the damage was already done. 🤔Is the Nuclear Reactor Core compromised? No. The blueprints do not contain the designs for the nuclear reactors' core critical control systems. Those systems are highly classified, separate and handled by Russia's state owned atomic company, Rosatom - which is the primary developer of the plant. 👨‍💻Status Right Now: CERT-In and the Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) are actively investigating the depth of the compromise and are in talks with Reliance to assess the damage. Follow: @SouthBlocReports 2/2

🇮🇳☢️ Files related to Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant in Tamil Nadu has surfaced in "Dark Web", Reuters Reports. ✍️Here's the Breakdown: The hacker group World Leaks uploaded the 858,000 files stolen from Anil Ambani’s Reliance Group. Hidden inside this massive dump are roughly 19,000 files directly tied to Kudankulam. ✍️According to the files reviewed by Reuters from 2016 to mid-2025 the leaked information includes: -Blueprints of ventilation and cooling systems. -Floor layouts of a common control room. -Joint equipment inspection reports and photos. -Detailed vendor proposals, supplier lists and insurance policies. 📍The leaked data primarily targets Unit 3 and Unit 4 of the Kudankulam plant, which are currently under construction and set to become operational by 2027. Follow: @SouthBlocReports. 1/2

🇮🇳🇲🇲 Wion News - India's NSA Ajit Doval meets Myanmar counterpart U Tin Aung San in Delhi ahead of 5th Meeting of BIMSTEC National Security Chiefs What's on the Agenda? - Scrapping of the Free Movement Regime (FMR) - Border Crisis & Rebel Advancements - Transnational Cyber and Drug Crime Hubs Follow: @SouthBlocReports

🇮🇳📍5th BIMSTEC National Security Advisers' (NSA) Meeting in New Delhi tomorrow. Note: As the current chair of BIMSTEC, Bangladesh made a policy decision not to boycott the summit. Instead, they are sending the Prime Minister's Defence Adviser, Brig. Gen. (Retd.) Dr. A.K.M. Shamsul Islam. Follow: @SouthBlocReports

The new rule states: “The import of goods produced or manufactured, wholly or in part, through the use of forced labour is prohibited.” By changing the law, India has effectively taken away the USTR's primary justification for the 12.5% tariff. Follow: @SouthBlocReports 2/2

🇮🇳⛔ India bans import of goods produced using forced labour amid US section 301 investigation, & plans of 12.5% tariffs on India 📍Follow the timeline ✍️ In March 2026, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) launched an investigation covering 60 global economies including India, Canada, the EU and Japan. The US argument: If a country does not explicitly ban the import of goods made with forced labor, it allows its domestic companies to benefit from cheap, unethically sourced foreign materials. ✍️Following the investigation, on June 2, 2026 the US levied 12.5% Additional Tariffs on 54 countries, including India, that had no explicit forced labor import ban. - Realizing the USTR is close to releasing its final decision on the 12.5% tariff, India's Ministry of Commerce stepped in to dilate the threat. On July 13, 2026, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) officially amended India's Foreign Trade Policy (FTP). Follow: @SouthBlocReports 1/2

🇮🇳👨‍💻 To protect citizens in high risk waters, Indian government is launching a live, ship-by-ship tracking platform to account for every Indian crew member in the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Gulf of Oman, regardless of the country's flag the vessel flies Follow: @SouthBlocReports

Omsk Oil Refinery in southwestern Siberia, which was struck on July 6, 2026 was the longest target - Ukrainian drones flew for more than 12 hours, charting a massive 2,400 to 2,700-kilometer route. Follow: @SouthBlocReports

🇵🇰👨‍🎓 Pakistan's public spending on education has collapsed to a record low of approximately 0.8% of GDP, falling short of the 4% to 6% UN set benchmark. Around 25.1 million and 26.2 million school age children aged 5–16 are completely out of school, representing 35% to 38% of the entire national youth demographic. ✍️13.4 million girls are locked out of classrooms nationwide and the proportional exclusion rate peaking at a69% to 75% for girls in Balochistan. 📍90% to 94% of remaining education budgets are swallowed entirely by administrative costs and teacher salaries. Follow: @SouthBlocReports.

📌SBR EXCLUSIVE

🇨🇳🇲🇲⛔🇧🇩 CMBEC Rakhine Trap: How China Bypassed Myanmar State to Co-opt the Arakan Army and Left Bangladesh Trapped in a Border Crisis ✍️​The China-Myanmar-Bangladesh Economic Corridor (CMBEC) is evolving, the State Administration Council junta in Naypyidaw recently agreed to accelerate the $1.3 billion Kyaukphyu Deep-Sea Port project and other China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC) initatives but the junta does not control the ground these projects sit on. ​The Arakan Army (AA) has captured almost the entirety of Rakhine State, including border posts and areas surrounding the Chinese energy pipelines. The resulting thesis is clear, that China has bypassed the official state of Myanmar to cut security and financial deals with a non state rebel army, leaving Bangladesh entirely isolated to navigate a volatile-armed and contested border. 🇨🇳How China Reaches Out to the Arakan Army The Arakan Army (AA) levies "taxes" on foreign infrastructure projects within its territory, specifically targeting the China-Myanmar Oil and Gas Pipelines. To prevent sabotage or blockades of its energy corridor to Yunnan, China pays these transit taxes directly to the AA. China’s Ministry of State Security operates informal liaison offices along the Yunnan, Myanmar border. Through these channels, they coordinate directly with the United League of Arakan (ULA), the political wing of the AA, providing de facto legitimacy in exchange for the physical safety of the Kyaukphyu SEZ. China has deployed armed Chinese private security companies directly inside the Kyaukphyu port facility. These PSCs operate with the approval of both the Junta and the AA, acting as a buffer to prevent kinetic clashes on the project. 🇲🇲 Mainland Junta's Distress ​The Myanmar military junta views China’s dual track diplomacy with absolute distress and humiliation. The junta officially labels the AA as an insurgent group, yet they are forced to watch their geopolitical patron (China) hold bilateral talks and sign joint statements promoting the CMEC.The junta also has been forced to rely on Chinese mediated ceasefires not to win the war, but to prevent the AA from seizing the remaining naval and military bases in Kyaukphyu and Sittwe. 🇧🇩 Bangladesh-Arakan Army Standoff The AA now controls the Maungdaw and Buthidaung border trade zones opposite Bangladesh. They enforce "border customs fees" and transit taxes on Bangladeshi traders. If Bangladeshi merchants refuse to pay these taxes, the AA completely stops the flow of essential goods and fisheries. To tackle the AA's growth and expansion, the Myanmar junta has collaborated with armed Rohingya factions like the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army and the Rohingya Solidarity Organization . These groups carry out ambushes against AA border posts. When defeated, these proxy militant groups often retreat across the border into Bangladesh's refugee camps. The AA routinely carries out "clearance operations" near the border, resulting in artillery and drone spillover into Bangladeshi territory, sparking border friction with the Border Guard Bangladesh. Bangladesh wants to repatriate over 1.2 million Rohingya refugees back to Rakhine State. However, the AA has declared that they will not recognize any repatriation deals signed between Bangladesh and the junta. ✍️​China's approach to the CMBEC is absolute realpolitik. By directly co-opting with the Arakan Army, China has successfully insulated its pathway to the Indian Ocean but this "sovereignty bypass" comes at the direct expense of Bangladesh. Follow: @SouthBlocReports

🇺🇸🇮🇳 The FBI has added Indian-origin fugitive Nitish Kaushal to its Most Wanted list following "Operation Hard Ball". Kaushal is an alleged violent operative for the Punjab rooted Jaggu Bhagwanpuria Organized Crime Group, which has built a network of running rackets out of California, Canada and Europe, facing federal RICO conspiracy charges. Follow: @SouthBlocReports

🇮🇳✍️🇲🇻 First Round of the India–Maldives Free Trade Agreement (FTA) Negotiations Concludes Successfully ✍️ The first round of official negotiations spanned from June 29 to July 7, 2026.Conducted entirely in a virtual mode. 🇮🇳 Indian Delegation lead by Chief Negotiator Mr. Ujjwal Kumar Ghosh, Joint Secretary, Department of Commerce. 🇲🇻 Maldivian Delegation lead by Chief Negotiator Mr. Yusuf Riza. India’s is currently standing as the second largest trading partner of the Maldives. -FY 2025–26 Bilateral Trade Volume: USD 771.76 million -FY 2024–25 Bilateral Trade Volume: USD 679.70 million -Year-on-Year (YoY) Trade Growth: 13.54% ✍️ Both states are leveraging the FTA negotiations to expedite a parallel Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT). Follow: @SouthBlocReports

🇷🇺🤝🇮🇷 Russian Tupolev Tu-214PU in Iran ? The aircraft, operating under call sign RSD420, departed Moscow Vnukovo Airport at 03:29 UTC on July 13, 2026. It landed at Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport at 08:05 UTC. The aircraft remained on the tarmac in Tehran for approximately 12 hours. It departed Tehran at 19:39 UTC and flew directly to Beijing Capital International Airport. The Tu-214PU is not a cargo aircraft built to transport heavy weapons or missile systems. It is a specialized passenger transport and airborne command post. The Tu-214PU belongs to the Rossiya Special Flight Squadron The 12 hour stopover suggests face to face emergency consultations with Iranian leadership. It is highly possible Russia was sharing critical intelligence or coordination protocols before the anticipated U.S. strikes launched.​ Russia flew this flight with its transponders turned on, meaning they wanted Western intelligence and flight trackers to see it and understand the message. Follow: @SouthBlocReports

🇮🇷🇺🇸🇨🇳 After the U.S. cruise missile strike on the night of July 9, 2026, which targeted the Aq-Tappeh Khan railway bridge in northern Iran's Golestan Province, Iranian engineers pulled off a massive repair marvel ✍️ Head of Iran's Railway Company announced that engineers managed to fully restore the first damaged railway line and resume train services in less than 13 hours after the U.S. attack. Work to fix the secondary adjacent line was completed shortly after. ✍️ The Aq-Tappeh Khan bridge is the vital lifeline for China's Belt and Road Initiative the Xi'an-to-Tehran overland corridor. Follow: @SouthBlocReports

🇺🇸🇮🇷 Just weeks ago, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the world that Iran or any other country could absolutely not charge tolls in the Strait of Hormuz. Rubio pointed to international law, stating that the strait is an international waterway and charging transit fees is flatly illegal. Vice President JD Vance also publicly stated that "international waterways should be free of tolls". 🗣️Trump after a week - We'll impose a 20% toll/fee on cargo passing through. It's clear that Trump has blindsided his own State Department Follow: @SouthBlocReports