Digital Government: Timor-Leste officially launched verify.gov.tl, a national portal to verify government documents using a QR-code system, built with Cambodia’s technical support under a 2025 cooperation deal—aimed at improving public service delivery and transparency. ASEAN & Investment: President José Ramos-Horta said full ASEAN membership is already bringing faster infrastructure and investment, from hotels and conference halls to road expansion and urban renewal, with legal alignment work targeted to be finished before Timor-Leste takes the ASEAN chair in 2029. Regional Security Diplomacy: At the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Ramos-Horta pushed back on “hardware-first” thinking, arguing prevention and trust-building matter as much as defense spending. Regional Defense Deals: India’s defense chief said a BrahMos missile agreement with Vietnam is signed (not yet publicly announced) and a similar deal with Indonesia is in final stages—showing how regional security procurement is accelerating.