Science and Technology (S&T) Digest, 16-31 January 2023, Issue 6

Dr Saroj Bishoyi, Research Fellow, VIF

February 10 , 2023 Views: 2049 Comments: 0

In this Issue

I. DEFENCE AND SECURITY

Indian Navy Commissioned the Fifth Kalvari Class Submarine Vagir

The Indian Navy’s fifth stealth Scorpene class Submarine INS Vagir was commissioned into the Indian Navy today, 23 January 2023 at the Naval Dockyard Mumbai in the presence of Adm R Hari Kumar, Chief of the Naval Staff, the Chief Guest for the ceremony. Six Scorpene Class submarines are being built in India by the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) Mumbai, under collaboration with M/s Naval Group, France. INS Vagir would form part of the Western Naval Command’s Submarine fleet and would be another potent part of the Command’s arsenal. The submarine has advanced stealth features and long range guided torpedoes as well as anti-ship missiles.
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Indian Army Displayed ‘Made In India’ Weapons

Ahead of Republic Day 2023, the Indian Army displayed ‘Made In India’ weapons including Akash air defence missiles and BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles atthe India Gate.The weapons displayed included K-9 Vajra howitzers, MBT Arjun, Nag anti-tank guided missiles, BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, Akash air defence missiles and the Quick Reaction Fighting Vehicles.

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India to Launch the Long-Delayed Super Sukhoi Programme

As per media reports, India is about to launch the long-delayed Super Sukhoi programme. Four billion USD has already been requested by the Indian Ministry of Defence. 150 fighters out of 260 operationally ready Su-30MKI will go through complete modernization. The Super Sukhoi programme was supposed to start nearly two years ago. In 2022, Russian troops invaded Ukraine and this delayed the plans of the Indian Air Command. However, the time has come for a change, and seeing the threat from China, India is ready to invest in the backbone of its Air Force. The modernization will mainly affect the replacement of electronics, sensors, and weapons. Realistically, if the programme is completed on time, India will have a better Su-30 than the original manufacturer – the USSR/Russia.

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II. STI IN SPACE SECTOR

NID and ISRO Sign MoU for Human Spaceflight Programme

The National Institute of Design (NID) officials and Human Spaceflight Centre (HSFC) of ISRO signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at NID Ahmedabad on 20 January 2023 for the ‘Design of System and Products for Indian Human Spaceflight Programme’. NID director Praveen Nahar, and HSFC director, Dr R Umamaheshwaran, signed the MoU in the presence of officials from both institutions. As per media reports, the collaboration would cover fields ranging from spacesuits to user consoles. “So far, only a few countries like Russia and the US have advanced in space design as a discipline.”
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ISRO’s Rocket SSLV Set for Launch

ISRO’s latest rocket, Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV), is all set for launch with the space agency aiming for carrying three payloads. While the main payload will be an Earth observation satellite - the EOS-7 - the mission is also expected to launch Janus-1 from US firm Antaris and a third payload from a domestic player. The Earth observation satellite SSLV is scheduled to carry will be in the small satellite class with its mass not exceeding 200kg, while the other two satellites sharing the ride will be smaller.
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India’s Rocket LVM3 to be launched in early March 2023

India’s heaviest rocket LVM3 (also known as GSLV Mk3) is likely to take to the skies in early March 2023, as part of its second commercial launch. This launch is part of a commercial deal between UK-based satellite broadband firm One Web and ISRO’s commercial arm New Space India Limited (NSIL). The deal is worth approximately USD 122.65 million (INR 1,000 crore), and involves the launch of 72 satellites in two batches of 36 each, on board the LVM3 rocket. While the first LVM3/One Web launch was successfully completed on 23rd October 2022, the second launch is slated for March 2023.
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The Kerala Space Park Project

The Kerala Space Park project opens up immense opportunities for the State to establish a thriving space industry, Finance Minister K. N. Balagopal said, while inaugurating a seminar ‘Sustainability in Space Science and Technology - Challenges and Possibilities,’ organised by the ISRO Staff Association as part of its golden jubilee celebrations. Space science is highly relevant at a time when debates centre on climate change and global warming and the need to protect the planet, he said.
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III. EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES AND APPLICATIONS

India Unveils World’s First Intranasal COVID19 Vaccine

On 26 January 2023, the Minister of Health & Family Welfare Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya unveiled the iNNCOVACC COVID19 vaccine in the presence of Minister of Science and Technology, DrJitendra Singh. iNNCOVACC is the world’s first intranasal COVID19 vaccine to receive approval for the primary 2-dose schedule, and as a heterologous booster dose. It is developed by Bharat Biotech International Limited (BBIL) in collaboration with Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance (BIRAC), a PSU under the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science and Technology.
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India Developed Four Indigenous Vaccines in Two Years

India has developed four indigenous Vaccines in last two years. The four vaccines are- ZyCoV-D- World’s 1st and India’s indigenously developed DNA Vaccine, CORBEVAXTM-India’s first protein subunit vaccine, GEMCOVAC™-19 - World’s 1st and India’s indigenously developed mRNA vaccine and iNCOVACC-World’s 1st and India’s indigenously developed intranasal COVID-19 Vaccine. The DBT in Ministry of S&T has through “Mission COVID Suraksha”, delivered four vaccines, augmented the manufacturing of Covaxin, and created necessary infrastructure for smooth development of future vaccines, so that the country is pandemic ready.
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Creating a Deeptech Health Care R&D and Supply Chain Ecosystem

SAMEER, India’s premier R&D Institute of Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) signed a MoU with Siemens Healthineers in Bengaluru on 27 January that will contribute towards the development of new, improved and innovative technologies for advancing healthcare and diagnostic access in India. Digital India Programme which was launched in 2015 paved way for India to move from being a consumer of technology to a producer of technology, devices, and products. “The MoU today is a significant step in this direction.”
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Quantum Computing in India

The Quantum Computing will be at the core of India’s growth and expansion in India’s Techade. The MeitY Chandrasekhar said that “It is PM Shri Narendra Modi’s vision to create a India centric Quantum tech ecosystem with partners and players around the world. We are working together to build an ecosystem of innovation, along with startups, R&D laboratories, higher education institutions.” The Minister said that “We need to really work together to build a complete quantum ecosystem of innovation, startups, research labs, higher academic institutions, domestic companies, foreign companies, foreign academics for creating an India centric Quantum Ecosystem that works very well with other partners and players around the world”.
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Technology for Air Quality Monitoring System Launched

The Secretary, MeitY, Alkesh Kumar Sharma has launched the Technology for Air Quality Monitoring System (AI-AQMS v1.0) developed under MeitY supported projects, on 17 January 2023. The Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Kolkata in collaboration with TeXMIN, ISM, Dhanbad under the ‘National programme on Electronics and ICT applications in Agriculture and Environment (AgriEnIcs)’ has developed a outdoor air quality monitoring station to monitor environmental pollutants which includes parameters like PM 1.0, PM 2.5, PM 10.0, SO2, NO2, CO, O2, ambient temperature, relative humidity etc., for continuous air quality analysis of the environment.
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Technology for Biosensing System Launched

The Secretary, MeitY, Alkesh Kumar Sharma has launched the Technology for Biosensing system for the detection of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals in aquatic ecosystems (MEAN) developed under MeitY supported projects, on 17 January 2023. The C-DAC, Kolkata in collaboration with ICAR-CIFRI, Baraackpore under the ‘National programme on Electronics and ICT applications in Agriculture and Environment (AgriEnIcs)’ has developed a biosensing system for detection of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDC) in aquatic ecosystems, for qualitative and quantitate analysis of EDC content in water bodies.
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Framework for Catalyzing India’s Techade

The Indian Government will put in place a less prescriptive and more principle-based comprehensive legal framework for catalyzing India’s Techade and to build a trillion-dollar economy, the Meity Rajeev Chandrasekhar said in Bengaluru on 19 January 2023. The Minister said that “The Government is working on a comprehensive legal framework that will include legislations like the proposed Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, the National Data Governance Framework, the amended IT rules etc. and the upcoming Digital India Act -- which will be less prescriptive and more principle-based-to enable and support a vibrant startup and innovation ecosystem”.
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TRAI Issued the Consultation Paper on Digital Technologies and Services

On 30 January 2023, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) issued the Consultation Paper on “Regulating Converged Digital Technologies and Services –Enabling Convergence of Carriage of Broadcasting and Telecommunication services”. Over the period of time, various technological developments in digital markets have resulted in the convergence of devices, services, and networks. The convergence of digital and physical products through the use of Machine to Machine (M2M), Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other technologies is paving the way for Fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0).
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Government Invites Comments on Amendment Proposed to ‘IT Rules’

In pursuance of the Government’s commitment to ensure an Open, Safe and Trusted and Accountable Internet for citizens (Digital Nagriks), the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has invited comments from stakeholders and general public on amendment proposed to rule 3(1)(b)(v) of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 (“IT Rules”) with respect to obligations of social media and other intermediaries regarding sharing of information which is patently false and untrue or misleading in nature.
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India International Science Festival, IISF-2022 Inaugurated in Bhopal

The Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Singh Chauhan and Minister for Science & Technology, DrJitendra Singh jointly inaugurated India International Science Festival, IISF-2022 in Bhopal on 21 January with the theme, “Marching towards AmritKaal with Science Technology and Innovation”. In his address Chief Minister Chouhan said that 2600 Start-ups came up in Madhya Pradesh alone in one year and it is not only confined to city of Indore but even tier-2 and tier-3 cities are dotted with successful start-ups. He called upon the students and entrepreneurs from Madhya Pradesh to develop a zeal for innovations. For more information: Click here to read...

Use of Technology and Elections Integrity

Chief Election Commissioner of India Rajiv Kumar along with Election Commissioner’s Anup Chandra Pandey and Arun Goel inaugurated a two day international conference on the theme ‘Use of Technology & Elections Integrity’. The conference which is second in a series of three conferences to be organized by Election Commission of India is hosted at New Delhi under Cohort on Election Integrity led by ECI. Sixteen countries including Heads/Dy Heads of nine EMBs or Election Authorities are participating.
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Training Students in the Areas of Emerging Technologies

Atal Innovation Mission - NITI Aayog, Central Board of Secondary Education -Ministry of Education, and Intel India have collaborated to bring a change in the education sector by embedding future skills such as AI and Tinkering in the formal curriculum. The larger aim is to align the NEP 2020’s guidance to increase the pace of tech integration for youth, the need to bridge the future skills gap in the country, and optimize the current infrastructure (ATLs, etc.) towards making India AI-ready. Together, they launched the AIoT Integration in School Curriculum in September 2022 and initiated a pilot.
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Empowering Young Scientists of India

The Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the GoI, IIT (BHU), Varanasi and INYAS jointly organised the “National Brainstorming Session on Empowering Young Scientists of India” on 24th and 25th January 2023 to assimilate ideas for enhancing the avenues of empowering young scientists of India in the current research ecosystem. The two-day brainstorming session was held with the aim of collating inputs on a new policy document to nurture and empower the next generation of young scientists and researchers (≤45 years) that would translate into excellence in scientific and technological leadership for furthering the research and development in the country.
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IV. INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

India-Egypt Defence and S&T Cooperation

President of Egypt Abdel Fattah El-Sisi visited India from 24-27 January 2023 at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and he was the Chief Guest at India’s Republic Day on 26 January. During the visit, India and Egypt “agreed to further enhance and deepen defence cooperation in all fields, especially by exchanging technology between defence industries, widening the footprint of military exercises, and exchanging best practices. They emphasized the need for co-production in the defence sector and to discuss specific proposals in the framework of the JDC.” They also noted “their longstanding science and technology cooperation with satisfaction”. They agreed that the two countries “could work together in areas of emerging technologies through sharing best practices and undertaking joint research in areas of mutual interest such as nano-technology, bio-technology and renewable energy”.
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India-US held the Inaugural iCET Dialogue

India and the US held the inaugural Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) dialogue in Washington DC on 31 January 2023 which was co-led by the two National Security Advisors, NSA AjitDoval and NSA Jake Sullivan. They were joined by senior government officials, leading industry representatives and academia. As per the White House fact sheet, the two sides have identified six areas of planned cooperation which would include Strengthening innovation ecosystems; Defence innovation and technology cooperation; Resilient semiconductor supply chains; Space; STEM talent; and, Next generation telecommunications.
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India-US Space Cooperation

The officials from India and the US participated in the eighth meeting of the US-India Civil Space Joint Working Group (CSJWG) in Washington DC from 30-31 January 2023. As per the State Department press release, “the CSJWG discussions covered collaboration in earth and space science as well as human space exploration, global navigation satellite systems, spaceflight safety and space situational awareness, and policies for commercial space”. The two sides also “considered implementation of guidelines and best practices developed by the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Use of Outer Space (COPUOS) to ensure the long-term sustainability of outer space activities.”
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India-France Defence Tech Cooperation

In a major boost to ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’, Fuel Cell-based Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) system of DRDO’s Naval Materials Research Laboratory (NMRL) will soon be fitted onboard INS Kalvari. An agreement was signed between senior officials of NMRL and Naval Group France in Mumbai on 23 January2023 to extend cooperation to enter into the detailed design phase for integration of indigenous AIP in the Kalvari class submarines. As part of the agreement, Naval Group France will certify the AIP design for integration in the submarines. The AIP has a force multiplier effect on lethality of a diesel electric submarine as it enhances the submerged endurance by several folds.
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G20-Startup20 Engagement Group Set To Meet in Hyderabad

The G-20 Startup20 Engagement Group will hold its inception meeting in Hyderabad, featuring delegates from G20 nations and nine special invitees from observer countries, representatives from multilateral organizations as well as the Indian startup ecosystem. The group formed under G20 after India assumed presidency will convene from 28-29 January anticipating a productive development of policy recommendations on entrepreneurship and innovation priorities of and across G20 countries for the years ahead. The meeting will create a global narrative for supporting startups and fostering synergies between startups, corporates, investors, innovation agencies, and other key ecosystem stakeholders.
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First G-20 International Financial Architecture Working Group Inaugurated

The two-day meeting of the first International Financial Architecture Working Group of G-20, under the chairmanship of India, was inaugurated in Chandigarh on 30 January 2023. On this occasion, Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar said that India is developing rapidly with science and innovation, both of them are deeply connected with the future of India. We have leveraged technology to create the digital public infrastructure. We have been a significant contributor to financial inclusion in global healthcare and the move to sustainable energy while people-centric development is the basis of our national strategy. This is the same philosophy that the theme of our G-20 Presidency, - ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’, also underlines.
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V. REGIONAL AND GLOBAL TRENDS

NASA Tests New Propulsion System for Deep Space Missions

Propulsion development engineers at NASA have developed and tested the agency’s first full-scale rotating detonation rocket engine, or RDRE. It is an advanced rocket engine design that could revolutionise how future rocket propulsion systems are built, according to the space agency. The RDRE is different from conventional rocket engine designs and generates thrust using a “supersonic combustion phenomenon” known as detonation. The design allows the engine to generate more power while using less fuel than propulsion systems that are currently being used. According to NASA, it has the potential to power both human landers and interplanetary vehicles going to deep space destinations like the Moon and Mars.
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China Launches Classified Remote Sensing and Tech Test Satellites

China launched three new satellites in January 2023, providing no details of the work they will do in orbit. A Long March 2D rocket lifted off from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert at 2:00 a.m. EST (0700 GMT, or 3:00 p.m. local time) on 13 January 2023, sending three classified satellites into orbit. The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), which produced both the rocket and satellites, announcedthe successful launch of the Yaogan 37 and Shiyan 22A and 22B satellites within an hour of liftoff. No details about the three satellites were provided.
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China to Launch 60 Space Missions and Over 200 Spacecraft in 2023

After conducting over 50 launches in 2022, China has bigger and bolder plans for 2023. The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) has said that Beijing is planning to launch 60 space missions and over 200 spacecraft this year. In a blue paper, unveiled recently, China has revealed that the country’s space science and technology activities will see a significant boost in 2023 including big-ticket missions like Tianzhou-6 cargo craft, the Shenzhou-16, and the Shenzhou-17 flight missions to further solidify its Tiangong space station activities. Apart from launching these missions, the corporation will also ensure that the construction of a new-generation commercial remote-sensing satellite system.
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China’s Potential Claim to Resource-Rich Regions of the Moon

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson has warned that China could claim resource-rich regions of the moon as its own as the country intends to gain economic benefits through space exploration, the Indo-Pacific Center for Strategic Communications (IPCSC) reported. According to the IPCSC report, China’s efforts to use its space programme to transform itself into a military, economic, and technological power will soon reshape the world order. China in 2020, announced its plans to establish an economic zone with an output value of USD 10 trillion. China in 2022 built a space station orbiting the Earth and performed several missions around the moon to extract samples. Beijing also plans to build an autonomous lunar research station near the moon’s South Pole, which is expected to begin in 2025.
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US Sanctions Chinese Firm for Sending Satellite Imagery to Russia’s Wagner Group

On 26 January 2023, the United States Treasury Department and the State Department imposed sanctions on a Chinese company for sending satellite imagery orders from locations in Ukraine to Russia’s Wagner Group, according to the statement released by the US Department of the Treasury. US Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen said that “As sanctions and export controls on Russia from our international coalition continue to bite, the Kremlin is desperately searching for arms and support, including through the brutal Wagner Group, to continue its unjust war against Ukraine.”
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In this Issue

I. Defence and Security

II. STI in Space Sector

III. Emerging Technologies and Applications

IV. International Cooperation

V. Regional and Global Trends

I. DEFENCE AND SECURITY

II. STI IN SPACE SECTOR

III. EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES AND APPLICATIONS

IV. INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

V. REGIONAL AND GLOBAL TRENDS