Science and Technology (S&T) Digest (16-30 September 2024), Issue 46

Dr Saroj Bishoyi, Research Fellow, VIF

October 17 , 2024 Views: 276 Comments: 0

In this Issue

I. Defence and Security

DRDO Transfers High-Altitude Sustenance Technologies

The Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences (DIPAS), a leading laboratory under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) handed over critical high-altitude sustenance technologies to the Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL) during an orientation workshop on 21 September 2024, at PGCIL’s regional headquarters in Jammu. The Pang-Kaithal HVDC Project, located at an altitude of 15,760 feet, is a significant step towards energy security in the region of Ladakh and the wider integration of solar power into India’s national grid. The technologies transferred by DIPAS will support PGCIL in the high-altitude sustenance of its workforce during the project. Click here to read...

DRDO & IIT Delhi Develop ABHED Light Weight Bullet Proof Jackets

DRDO, along with researchers of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi has developed Light Weight Bullet Proof Jackets named ABHED (Advanced Ballistics for High Energy Defeat). The jackets have been developed at the DRDO Industry Academia Centre of Excellence (DIA-CoE) at IIT, Delhi. These jackets have been created from polymers and indigenous boron carbide ceramic material. The design configuration is based on characterisation of various materials at high strain rate followed by appropriate modelling and simulation in collaboration with DRDO. The armour plates for the jackets have passed all necessary R&D trials as per the protocols. Click here to read...

Contract Signing of Army iDEX Project for QKD Technology

Continuing with the commitment towards the Atmanirbhar initiative, Indian Army has signed the eighth procurement contract through Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) on 30 September 2024. The contract for procurement of ‘Generation of Quantum Secure Key (Quantum Key Distribution)’ with M/s QuNu Labs was signed, in the presence of Lt Gen NC Raja Subramani, Vice Chief of The Army Staff at South Block, New Delhi. QuNu Labs had proposed a 200 km single hop Quantum Key Distribution in Open Challenge 2.0 under iDEX. It will replace the algorithm-based encryption systems thus enabling greater security as also optimising manpower commitment. Click here to read...

Delivery of Missile Cum Ammunition Barge, LSAM 13 (Yard 81)

The delivery of ‘Missile Cum Ammunition Barge, LSAM 13 (Yard 81)’, the fifth Barge of 08 x Missile Cum Ammunition Barge project, built by MSME Shipyard, M/s SECON Engineering Projects Pvt Ltd, Visakhapatnam for Indian Navy, was undertaken on 25 September 2024 at Naval Dockyards, Mumbai for INS Tunir. The contract for building 08 x Missile Cum Ammunition Barge was signed between MoD and M/s SECON Engineering Projects Pvt Ltd, Visakhapatnam on 19 February 2021. Induction of these Barges would provide impetus to operational commitments of IN by facilitating Transportation, Embarkation and Disembarkation of articles/ ammunition to IN platforms both alongside jetties and at outer harbours. Click here to read...

Enhancing Quick Decision-Making in Technology Driven Battlespace

Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan highlighted the need for Future Strategic Leaders to enhance quick decision making in today’s technology driven battlespace, where timelines are shrinking rapidly. Delivering the closing address at the pioneering Tri Services Future Warfare Course that concluded on 27 September 2024, the CDS underscored that Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, advancements in Stealth Technology & Hypersonics and also Robotics will dictate the character of Future Wars. Click here to read...

II. STI in Space Sector

DST Launches Women in Space Leadership Programme

A Women in Space Leadership Programme (WiSLP) was launched by Department of Science and Technology (DST) in collaboration with the British Council as part of the UK-India Education and Research Initiative (UKIERI) on 24 September 2024. The initiative focuses on supporting institutions in strengthening gender-inclusive practices to foster women’s leadership in space sciences by developing a strategic leadership framework. Coventry University is the delivery partner in this initiative. Click here to read...

India’s Space Station for Scientific Research to Be Established

The Indian government has approved the building of first unit of the Bharatiya Anatriksh Station by extending the scope of Gaganyaan programme. Approval by the cabinet is given for development of first module of Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS-1) and undertake missions to demonstrate and validate various technologies for building and operating BAS. Now the human spaceflight programme of technology development and demonstration is through eight missions to be completed by December 2028 by launching first unit of BAS-1. Click here to read...

MoU Signed for Space Situational Awareness (SSA)

Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES), Nainital, an autonomous Institute under the Department of Science & Technology (DST) Government of India, has signed a MoU with the Navaratna Defence PSU Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) to collaborate on space technologies, particularly focusing on SSA. This is a significant step in advancing India’s space situational awareness and technological capabilities, in line with India’s ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ and ‘Make-in-India’ initiatives. SSA is required for predicting, warning and avoiding any potential collisions between objects in space. Click here to read...

India Expanding Horizons in Space Sector

India is charting a bold course in space exploration, with an array of visionary missions and projects approved by the Union Cabinet. These initiatives, led by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), signal the nation's commitment to becoming a leader in space technology and research. From the upcoming Chandrayaan-4 mission and Venus Orbiter Mission to the ambitious Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS) project, the Government of India is significantly expanding its space program during the Amrit Kaal. These projects aim to enhance India's technological capabilities, foster industry collaboration, and strengthen the country's position in global space exploration. Click here to read...

SpaceX Crew-9 Arrives at ISS to Bring Back NASA Astronauts

After months of uncertainty, NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, travelling in the SpaceX Dragon capsule, successfully docked with the International Space Station (ISS) to bring back Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who had been stuck there since June 2024. As they stepped aboard, they were greeted by the Expedition 72 crew, NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore. SpaceX launched the rescue mission recently that will bring them home next year. Click here to read...

III. Nuclear Technology

Russian President Putin Issues "Nuclear Warning" to the West

Russian President Vladimir Putin has given a "nuclear warning" to the West and said that it could resolve to use nuclear weapons if the country gets hit by conventional missiles from Ukraine. During his meeting of Russia's Security Council, Putin stated that Moscow would consider any attack supported by a nuclear power as a joint attack on it. "It is proposed that aggression against Russia by any non-nuclear state, but with the participation or support of a nuclear state, be considered as their joint attack on the Russian Federation," Putin said. He added, “The conditions for Russia's transition to use of nuclear weapons are also clearly fixed". Click here to read...

North Korea Releases Photos of Banned Uranium Enrichment Site

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was shown inspecting a uranium enrichment facility in a report by state media, which also released images of centrifuges that produce fuel for its nuclear bombs, South Korean media Yonhap said. Yonhap in its report, published photos by Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) of Kim visiting the Nuclear Weapons Institute and the production base of weapons grade nuclear materials. Kim Jong-un has called for increasing the number of centrifuges for uranium enrichment in order to increase its nuclear weapons for self-defence, the North Koran official media said. Click here to read...

S Korea Warns of "Resolute and Overwhelming" Response to N Korea

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has warned of a "resolute and overwhelming" retaliation from the South Korea-US alliance if North Korea attempts to use nuclear weapons. Addressing the 76th Armed Forces Day ceremony, Yoon said that North Korea will face the end of its regime if Pyongyang attempts nuclear warfare, as per the Yonhap news outlet. The remarks came after North Korea last month published photographs of its uranium enrichment facility as well as images of centrifuges that produce fuel for its nuclear bombs. North Korea also launched multiple short-range ballistic missiles recently. Click here to read...

China to "Gradually Resume" Importing Seafood from Japan

China has said that it will "gradually resume" importing seafood from Japan following negotiations between the two nations that guarantee the safety of water released from the closed Fukushima nuclear facility. China and Japan asserted that they had reached a consensus in August over the wastewater release. In a statement, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said "China will begin to adjust the relevant measures based on scientific evidence and gradually resume imports of Japanese aquatic products that meet the regulation requirements and standards". Click here to read...

China's Newest Nuclear-Powered Submarine Sank

China's newest nuclear powered submarine sank pierside in the spring, and the Chinese navy tried to conceal details regarding the loss, CNN reported, citing two US defence officials. The official said that the attack submarine was the first of its new Zhou-class line of vessels, under construction at a shipyard near Wuhan. The Zhou-class submarines have a distinctive X-shaped stern, made to improve manoeuvrability underwater. A satellite image from 10 March captured by Maxar Technologies, shows the Zhou-class sub, with its signature x-shape tail, docked at the port. Furthermore, Maxar imagery reviewed in June shows that the sub did not return to the pier, according to CNN. Click here to read...

IV. Emerging Technologies and Applications

DFS Drives Expansion of Digital Payments

The Department of Financial Services (DFS), Ministry of Finance, plays a critical role in driving the promotion of digital payments in the country. Efforts to accelerate the adoption of fast payment system like the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has revolutionised the way financial transactions are conducted, enabling real-time, secure, and seamless payments for millions. This initiative aligns with the Government’s vision of a cashless and inclusive economy, empowering every citizen in their financial decision. In comparison with previous fiscal years, the digital payments landscape has demonstrated remarkable expansion in Financial Year (FY) 2023-24. Click here to read...

Quantum Interferences in Atomic Medium can Store Light

Experimentalists have obtained a suitable optical response in an atomic medium that can be used to store light for a significant amount of time, facilitating designing applications for several quantum protocols for high precision quantum sensors, and more. For several years now, scientists have been working with alkali atoms like Rubidium and Cesium, but there have been little efforts to deploy Potassium, for the sheer difficulty in working with this element. The quantum coherence inside this atomic medium was created using the control light, which is also a laser. These probe and control lights were derived from extremely stabilized laser sources to perform the experiments using Potassium atoms. Click here to read...

‘Bio-RIDE’ Scheme to Support Cutting Edge R&D in Biotechnology

The government has approved continuation of the two umbrella schemes of Department of Biotechnology (DBT), merged as one scheme-‘Biotechnology Research Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development (Bio- RIDE)’ with a new component namely Biomanufacturing and Biofoundry. The scheme has three broad components: a) Biotechnology Research and Development (R&D); b) Industrial & Entrepreneurship Development (I&ED); and, c) Biomanufacturing and Biofoundry. The proposed outlay for the implementation of the unified scheme ‘Bio-RIDE’ is Rs.9197 crore during the 15th finance Commission period from 2021-22 to 2025-26. Bio-RIDE scheme is designed to foster innovation, promote bio-entrepreneurship, and strengthen India’s position as a global leader in biomanufacturing and biotechnology. Click here to read...

India AI Fellowship for B.Tech, M.Tech and PhD Scholars

IndiaAI- Independent Business Division (IBD) is inviting nominations of B.Tech & M.Tech students for IndiaAI fellowship. Subsequently, IndiaAI is also inviting Top 50 National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) ranked research institutes to share their approval to participate in IndiaAI Fellowship for new PhD intakes researching in Artificial Intelligence. Nominations for IndiaAI Fellowship are invited by IndiaAI from all B.Tech & M.Tech who are undertaking projects in AI. IndiaAI is offering fellowships to full time PhD scholars researching in the areas of Artificial Intelligence in the top 50 NIRF ranked Research Institutes. Click here to read...

ANAB-Accredited AI Security Certification (CSPAI) Programme

The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India and SISA, a global leader in forensics driven Cyber Security jointly launched the Certified Security Professional for Artificial Intelligence (CSPAI) program which is first of its kind ANAB-accredited AI security certification. The Public-Private Partnership (PPP) initiative between CERT-In and SISA marked a significant milestone in AI security certification in India. The CSPAI programme equips security professionals with the skills needed to effectively integrate AI into business applications while adhering to sustainable practices. Click here to read...

V. International Cooperation

Tokyo Electron to Train Chip Engineers in India

Tokyo Electron Ltd is seeking to build a team of chip engineers in India to take advantage of the push by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government for more semiconductor manufacturing in the world’s most populous country. Japan’s biggest chip equipment maker plans to hire and train local engineers in or around 2026, with their first task to provide technical services to Tata Electronics Pvt, Tokyo Electron chief executive officer Toshiki Kawai said. Robotics would play a growing role and local staff would be provided with in-person and remote support from Japan, he added, declining to specify how many people the company would need to hire. Click here to read...

China’s Lenovo Builds AI Servers in India as Supply Chain Shift

Lenovo Group started building Artificial Intelligence (AI) servers in in Pondicherry, southeastern India, moving beyond products such as laptops and smartphones. The Chinese company will also build out its facilities in the Bengaluru region, including a research lab with a focus on AI. Those decisions form part of a broader shift as Lenovo positions itself for an anticipated boom in AI-empowered personal computers and devices. Lenovo’s plans also mark another win for India as Prime Minister Narendra Modi tries to attract more technology investment into the country. Click here to read...

India-US Charting a Technology Partnership for the Future

In the Joint Fact Sheet issued on 21 September 2024, President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Narendra Modi affirmed that the U.S.-India Comprehensive Global and Strategic Partnership, the defining partnership of the 21st century, is decisively delivering on an ambitious agenda that serves the global good. They hailed a watershed arrangement to establish a new semiconductor fabrication plant focused on advanced sensing, communication, and power electronics for national security, next generation telecommunications, and green energy applications. The fab, which will be established with the objective of manufacturing infrared, gallium nitride and silicon carbide semiconductors, will be enabled by support from the India Semiconductor Mission as well as a strategic technology partnership between Bharat Semi, 3rdiTech, and the U.S. Space Force. Click here to read...

STI Cooperation between IBSA Countries

Foreign Ministers of India, Brazil and South Africa (IBSA) held a meeting on the sidelines of the 79th Session of the United National General Assembly on 26 September in New York. In the Joint Statement, the Ministers stressed the critical role of science, technology, and innovation (STI) in driving sustainable development and addressing global challenges. They emphasized the necessity of enhancing research, development, and innovation to meet the targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Recognizing the importance of broad access to scientific and technological knowledge, the Ministers committed to strengthening cooperation in STI, ensuring that advancements benefit all segments of society. Click here to read...

Quad Cooperation in Critical and Emerging Technologies

On 21 September 2024, President Joe Biden hosted Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia, Prime Minister Kishida Fumio of Japan, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India in Wilmington, Delaware, for the fourth Quad Leaders’ Summit. The Fact Sheet which was after summit, noted that the Quad is working in lockstep to stay at the forefront of technology innovation, and remains committed to harnessing emerging technologies for the benefit of people across the Indo-Pacific, and deploying these technologies to facilitate economic prosperity, openness, and connectivity. It highlighted Quad cooperation in the areas of Artificial Intelligence, Semiconductor Supply Chains, Biotechnology, Open Radio Access Network (RAN) and 5G. Click here to read...

Policy Deliberations for Strengthening South-South STI Cooperation

CSIR in partnership with APCTT-UN ESCAP (Asian and Pacific Centre for Transfer of Technology), and WAITRO (World Association of Industrial & Technological Research) organized a Conclave on Policy Deliberations for Strengthening South-South Cooperation on 11th September. Conclave deliberated on how South countries through cooperative partnership can create Responsible governance for science and innovation for achieving Sustainable Development Goals, especially Goal 5 (Gender equality and empower all women and girls) and 17 (Partnerships for Sustainable Development Goals). The potential partnerships among South countries and possibilities that can be created were highlighted to determine how challenges can be addressed more effectively. Click here to read...

VI. Regional and Global Trends

Space X Plans To Invest US$1.5 Billion in Vietnam

Elon Musk’s Space Exploration Technologies Corp (SpaceX) is planning to invest US$1.5 billion in Vietnam, the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) said, as the country looks to boost its attractiveness as an investment destination for the world’s biggest companies. On a visit to New York this week, Vietnamese President To Lam met SpaceX senior vice president for global business and government affairs Tim Hughes, who said he “highly values” Vietnam’s potential for the company’s “satellite internet plan,” the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) said. The government was “weighing the investment proposal,” VNA reported Lam as saying. Click here to read...

US Finalizes $123 Million Chips Award for Polar Semiconductor

The US Department of Commerce said that it had finalized a US $123 million grant for Polar Semiconductor LLC to expand its plant in Minnesota, which would allow the company to nearly double its US production capacity of power and sensor chips. The award, part of a US$52.7 billion semiconductor manufacturing and research subsidy program, is the first in the program to be finalized by the Commerce Department. The department would distribute funds based on Polar’s completion of project milestones. The state of Minnesota is contributing $75 million to the $525 million expansion at Polar. Click here to read...

On US Visit, Dutch Politician Talks Importance of ASML, China Trade

On a visit to Washington, the Netherlands' economy minister Dirk Beljaarts underlined the importance of China as a trading partner and repeated that Dutch semiconductor equipment maker ASML must be allowed to "do business as freely as possible." Dirk Beljaarts underlined that his meeting with U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves was to promote bilateral trade, not to negotiate over export restrictions, which do not fall under his purview. Beljaarts' visit comes ahead of an expected expansion of U.S. rules restricting semiconductor exports to certain computer chip plants in China. Click here to read...

China Touts Home-Grown Chip Lithography Machines

The lithography machines, which print highly complex circuit patterns onto silicon wafers, “have achieved significant technological breakthroughs, own intellectual property rights but have yet to perform on the market”, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), which did not name the companies behind the two machines. One of the deep ultraviolet (DUV) lithography machines operates at a wavelength of 193 nanometres (nm), with a resolution below 65nm and an overlay accuracy below 8nm, according to a new list of “major technological equipment” published by the MIIT earlier this week. Click here to read...

TSMC Obtains Approval for US $7.5bn Investment

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) has obtained the government’s approval to inject an additional US$7.5 billion into its US subsidiary, the Department of Investment Review said in a statement. The department approved TSMC’s application of investing in TSMC Arizona Corp, which is engaged in the manufacturing, sales, testing and design of IC and other semiconductor devices, it said. The latest capital injection follows a US $5 billion investment for TSMC Arizona approved in June. The chipmaker has broken ground on two advanced fabs in Arizona with aggregated investments approved by the department totaling US $24 billion thus far. Click here to read...