PESTLE & MORTAR

Amid escalating global tensions, this week’s geopolitical developments highlight a series of shifts in technology, trade, and national security. European governments are distancing themselves from U.S. cloud providers due to concerns over data sovereignty under the Trump administration, while India deepens its partnership with the U.S. through tariff cuts and Starlink’s market entry. In contrast, Russia is tightening control over its digital environment by blocking key foreign internet services, and Canada has called a snap election in response to Trump’s increasingly aggressive rhetoric. Meanwhile, Japan is preparing for interest rate hikes to combat inflation and offset U.S. trade volatility, and the UK faces renewed economic strain, triggering austerity measures. A major cyberespionage case involving Chinese hackers infiltrating an Asian telecom underscores growing cybersecurity threats, while a CSIS report reveals how authoritarian states are using influence operations to target private-sector firms in democracies, blurring the line between corporate and national security.