Tourism & Border Trade: Bhutan expanded its 24-hour SDF waiver in Phuentsholing, letting regional tourists from September visit Milarepa Lhakhang and the Pachu Community Ecotourism Site via approved packages with licensed guides—aimed at keeping short-stay visitors in town and supporting local businesses. Local Governance & Public Finance: The Ministry of Finance will start a performance-linked assessment for dzongkhags and thromdes, tying 30% of annual capital block grants to delivery, financial management and compliance from FY 2026–27. Water Security: A National Water Resources Inventory report says 18 Paro and Thimphu sources have dried up and 227 more are drying, with climate change, forest degradation and development activities cited as key pressures. Industry & Jobs Delivery: MoICE hit 192 of 193 KPIs in FY 2025–26 (99.5%), including targets for new industries and employment programmes, but one miss was intellectual property service revenue. Retail Leakage: A Cross-Border Retail Competitiveness study finds Phuentsholing residents increasingly shop in Jaigaon—driven mainly by lower prices—turning cross-border buying into a cost-of-living issue. Agriculture & Exports: Bhutan’s export basket is widening with new overseas buyers for mangoes, cherries, frozen French fries and other processed foods, while export prices rose faster than import prices but trade position still weakened. Matsutake Value Chain: Demand for Bhutanese matsutake is rising (especially Japan), yet exporters in Genye say limited supply is holding back orders; the Genye Matsutake Festival is also drawing more visitors beyond the usual circuit. Digital Trade Formalisation: The Department of Trade says Bhutan’s informal online economy is hard to track—only 86 active e-commerce licences are registered, but licensing doesn’t capture sellers operating through social media.