Science and Technology (S&T) Digest (16-31 August 2024), Issue 44

Dr Saroj Bishoyi, Research Fellow, VIF

September 12 , 2024 Views: 167 Comments: 0

In this Issue

I. Defence and Security

DRDO Handed over the AHSP of ‘Nipun’ Munition to DGQA

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has handed over the Authority Holding Sealed Particulars (AHSP) of ‘Nipun’ munition to Directorate General of Quality Assurance (DGQA) at Armament Research & Development Establishment (ARDE), Pashan, Pune. NIPUN is a Soft Target Munition designed and developed by the ARDE in association with High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL), Pune. After the successful completion of General Staff Qualitative Requirements (GSQR)-based evaluation, NIPUN Munition has been inducted into the Indian Army. Two Indian private industries, namely Economic Explosives Ltd (EEL), Nagpur and Premier Explosives Ltd (PEL), Secunderabad have absorbed the technology from DRDO. Click here to read…

Second Arihant-Class Submarine ‘INS Arighaat’ Commissioned

The second Arihant-Class submarine ‘INS Arighaat’ was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 29 August 2024 at Visakhapatnam in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. In his address, the Minister exuded confidence that ‘Arighaat’ will further strengthen India’s nuclear triad, enhance nuclear deterrence, help in establishing strategic balance & peace in the region, and play a decisive role in the security of the country. The construction of INS Arighaat involved the use of advanced design and manufacturing technology, detailed research & development, utilisation of special materials, complex engineering and highly skilled workmanship. Click here to read…

Pollution Control Vessel of ICG, ‘Samudra Pratap’ Launched

The first indigenously built Pollution Control Vessel (Samudra Pratap) was launched in Goa on 29th August 2024. The Ship has been built by Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) for the Indian Coast Guard (ICG). The vessel will help to check the oil spillage in the country’s sea coast. On the occasion, Raksha Rajya Mantri Sanjay Seth said that the country has become Aatmanirbharta in ship building for defence needs and started building ships for other countries. GSL, a premier Indian Shipyard, signed a contract for constructing two Pollution Control Vessels for Indian Coast Guard at a cost of Rs 583 Crores. It is for the first time that these vessels are being designed and constructed indigenously. Click here to read…

IN and BEML Ltd. Join Forces to Drive Indigenisation of Marine Systems

In a major push towards indigenisation of critical Marine Engineering equipment of the Indian Navy. BEML Ltd., a ‘Schedule A’ company under the Ministry of Defence and one of India’s leading Defence and Heavy Engineering manufacturers has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Navy (IN) on 20 August 24. This initiative is a pivotal step in enhancing bilateral cooperation for indigenous design, development, manufacture, testing and product support of critical Marine Engineering equipment and systems. Click here to read…

Creating a Robust Production Base and an Ecosystem for Defence R&D

Self-reliance in every sector is the first condition for a strong economy and the nation is making giant strides towards realising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at an event in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala on 30 August 2024. He asserted that a raft of measures have been taken by the Government to create a robust production base and an ecosystem for defence R&D and innovation. Some of the steps taken by the Ministry of Defence, that the Defence Minister enumerated, include setting up of Defence Industrial Corridors in Uttar Pradesh & Tamil Nadu and issuance of five Positive Indigenisation Lists of more than 5,500 items. Click here to read…

II. STI in Space Sector

ISRO Launches Earth Observation Satellite EOS-08

On 16 August 2024, ISRO’s latest Earth Observation Satellite ‘EOS-08’ launched by the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV)-D3 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Shriharikota. The primary objectives of the EOS-08 mission include designing and developing a microsatellite, creating payload instruments compatible with the microsatellite bus, and incorporating new technologies required for future operational satellites. Built on the Microsat/IMS-1 bus, EOS-08 carries three payloads: Electro Optical Infrared Payload (EOIR), Global Navigation Satellite System-Reflectometry payload (GNSS-R), and SiC UV Dosimeter. Click here to read…

India Marks First-Ever National Space Day

In a momentous celebration marking the first-ever National Space Day, Union Minister, Dr. Jitendra Singh announced in Delhi on 23 August that an Indian will land on the surface of Moon, fifteen years from now, in the year 2040. Addressing the nation in the august presence of President of India Droupadi Murmu, Dr Jitendra Singh reflected on India’s remarkable achievements in Space exploration and its ambitious future goals in a majestic programme held at Bharat Mandapam. The Minister highlighted the historic landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the Moon's South Pole, a feat that astonished the world and established India as a leader in space exploration. Click here to read…

Digital Geo-Spatial Platform, Krishi-Decision Support System Launched

To commemorate the successful launch of Chandrayaan-3 Mission, and soft landing of the Vikram Lander and deployment of the Pragyaan Rover on the Moon on 23rd August 2023, the Government of India has declared 23rd Day of August of every year as the National Space Day (NSpD). To mark this special day in the history of the Indian Space Programme, the Department of Space organized nation-wide celebrations during August 2024 to engage and inspire the youth of the Nation towards space science and its applications with the theme “Touching lives while touching the Moon: India's Space Saga”. On the auspicious occasion, Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare organized a conference on the pivotal role of space technology in propelling India’s agricultural sector towards unprecedented growth and development. Click here to read…

Magnetic Field-Ionosphere Relation in Mars Can Help Future Missions

Researchers exploring the crustal magnetic field of Mars, found that crustal field effects are much stronger during day-time but almost non-existent during night-time and that daytime crustal field effects remain unaffected by seasons or Sun-Mars distance. Decoding Mars crustal magnetic field and its effects on the plasma environment near Mars is important to understand the magnetic shielding that has direct implications towards future robotic/human missions to space. Mars is a planet which does not possess a global magnetic field. However, Mars has scattered crustal magnetic fields in the southern hemisphere. Click here to read…

Budget 2024-25 Announcements Relating to the Space Sector

The announcements in the Budget 2024-25 relating to the Space sector have a futuristic vision. In an exclusive interview to the Editor of the ‘OPEN" magazine, Dr Jitendra Singh said that the Modi government had broken the shackles of the past to liberate the Space Sector. The Minister said that the 2023 new space policy was a watershed moment. For the first time, the private sector was allowed to participate in ISRO’s activities. Just before that, in 2020, an agency called In-SPACe was set up, which is an interface between government and private sectors. This was followed by the New Space India Limited to produce and assemble launch vehicles. Click here to read…

III. Nuclear Technology

Enhancing Legislation and Control Measures to Prevent the Proliferation

The Republic of Madagascar has long been engaged in the global disarmament and non-proliferation agenda with respect to conventional weapons and weapons of mass destruction. The country has undertaken deliberate efforts to translate its international commitments into legal, institutional and operational measures at the national level. Madagascar is also among a handful of African States to adopt a voluntary national implementation action plan on United Nations Security Council resolution 1540 (2004). Its first action plan for the phase 2019-2023 was further reviewed and renewed for another three years up to 2026. Click here to read…

IAEA Informed of Drone at Kursk Nuclear Power Plant

On 22 August 2024, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been informed by the Russian Federation today that the remains of a drone were found within the territory of the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant. The drone fragments were reported to have been located roughly 100 metres from the plant’s spent fuel nuclear storage facility. The IAEA was informed that the drone was suppressed in the early morning of 22 August. In this context, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi confirmed his intention to personally assess the situation at the site during his visit. Click here to read…

Water Leakage at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station

The IAEA was informed that on 9 August 2024, TEPCO found a water leakage at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station Unit 2, involving an estimated 25 tons of water from the spent fuel cooling system pump room and the heat exchanger room. The leaked water flowed into drain on the floor connected to the water collection pit (floor sump) located in a room of the first basement floor. The Agency was also informed that TEPCO has not found any leakage spread to other rooms at this stage. As precautionary measure, TEPCO stopped the spent fuel primary cooling pump in order to investigate the cause and evaluated the temperature level at the pool. Click here to read…

Youths Visiting Japan to Learn about Consequences of Nuclear Weapons

On 26 August 2024, selected participants of the Youth Leader Fund for a World without Nuclear Weapons begin their week-long study visit to Japan. There, they will meet with survivors of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and host their own youth-led conference. The Youth Leader Fund programme, funded by the Government of Japan and managed by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs, seeks to engage a diverse cross-section of future leaders from non-nuclear weapon States and States that possess nuclear weapons, develop their capacities, and integrate their voices into nuclear disarmament processes. Click here to read…

IV. Emerging Technologies and Applications

Electron Localization Phenomena Can Expand Scope of Semiconductors

Researchers have unveiled a rare type of electron localization phenomenon that can increase the options for material choices and can be used either to improve the existing performances of semiconductors or expand their applications in areas like lasers, optical modulators, and photoconductors. Anderson Localization of elementary quasiparticles like electrons, photons, and phonons in disordered and amorphous semiconductors, proposed by American theoretical physicist P W Anderson, is an intriguing phenomenon in solid-state physics. It occurs when doping and impurities lead to the absence of conduction in metals or semiconductors. Click here to read…

New Study on Quantum Nonlocality Expands Scope of Its Use

Scientists have demonstrated that a universal standard for measuring and quantifying non-local quantum correlations is not possible. Quantum nonlocality describes a strange connection between distant physical objects, one that doesn’t allow for faster-than-light communication. This new research broadens the potential applications of quantum non-local correlations, which are already used in secure communication, random number generation, and cryptographic key creation. From its inception, quantum nonlocality has garnered significant attention due to its universal appeal in natural science, continuing to influence recent advancements in device-independent technologies. Click here to read…

Young Scientists Complete End-To-End Testing of 6-Qubit Quantum Processor

Scientists from DRDO Young Scientists Laboratory for Quantum Technologies (DYSL-QT), Pune and Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai have completed end-to-end testing of a 6-qubit quantum processor based on superconducting circuit technology. The demonstration was carried out in front of the apex committee overseeing the DYSL-QT. This included submitting a quantum circuit from a cloud-based interface, the execution of the programme on the quantum hardware and updating the cloud interface with computed results. The project being executed at TIFR Mumbai’s Colaba campus is a three-way collaboration between DYSL-QT, TIFR and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). Click here to read…

Novel Nano Polymers Pave Way for Low-Cost, Efficient Sensors

Novel electrochemical and optical sensors developed with the help of a new group of nano polymer materials called Metal-organic frameworks (MOF) and 2-dimensional (2D) materials, can be used for rapid and convenient detection of several health, food quality, and environmental parameters. They can pave the way for low-cost point of care devices for quick detection and screening of diseases such as anaemia, cancer and so on. Recent decades have witnessed the advancements in several categories of nanomaterials for sensing applications. The MOFs and 2D materials possess several unique features that should project them as better alternatives as sensors, than other nanomaterials. optoelectronic properties. Click here to read…

Machine Learning Helps Predict Crustal Movements in Tibetan Plateau

Machine learning (ML) techniques used by scientists for modeling crustal deformations over the Tibetan Plateau have helped forecasting velocity vectors of such movements and enhancing the characterization of plate movements. Typically, a dense network of Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS) is employed to continuously monitor crustal deformation. Campaign-mode GPS surveys are often used to densify the existing CORS network. Establishing a station in the desired location can be very challenging due to logistical problems and regional geographical considerations. Moreover, this process is expensive, and studies on crustal movement are often hampered by data gaps caused by logistical restrictions. Click here to read…

V. International Cooperation

India Australia RISE Accelerator Programme calls for Start-ups & MSMEs

The Atal Innovation Mission - in partnership with CSIRO, Australia - is inviting applications from start-ups and MSMEs from India and Australia for the Climate Smart Agritech cohort of the India Australia Rapid Innovation and Start-up Expansion (RISE) Accelerator – a programme designed to support businesses aiming for international expansion between the two countries. This marks a significant milestone in fostering innovations that address India and Australia’s most pressing shared challenges in the agriculture sector. It will focus on start-ups and MSMEs with technologies and solutions that enhance agricultural productivity and resilience in the face of growing climate variability, resource scarcity and food insecurity. Click here to read…

India-Japan Defence Equipment and Technological Cooperation

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Minister of Defense, Japan Mr Kihara Minoru held a bilateral meeting, on the sidelines of India-Japan 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue, in New Delhi on 20 August 2024. During the meeting, the Defence Ministers reviewed the existing defence cooperation activities and discussed ways to enhance further cooperation. The Ministers committed to give fillip to further widen the scope in the field of Defence Equipment and Technological Cooperation along with enhanced cooperation in critical and emerging technology domains. They discussed further opportunities for industrial cooperation between India and Japan with a focus on Make-in-India and further enhancing the partnership in co-production and co-development. Click here to read…

India Hosts the 3rd Voice of Global South Summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaking at the Inaugural Leaders’ Session of the 3rd Voice of Global South Summit on 17 August 2024, said that “the contribution of Digital Public Infrastructure i.e. DPI to inclusive growth is no less than a revolution. The Global DPI Repository, created under our G20 presidency, was the first ever multilateral consensus on DPI. We are happy that agreements to share the "India Stack” have been done with 12 partners from the Global South.” PM Modi added that “We have created the Social Impact Fund to accelerate DPI in the Global South. India will make an initial contribution of $25 million to it. Click here to read…

India-US Security of Supply Arrangement (SOSA)

On 22 August 2024, the US Department of Defense (DoD) and the Indian Ministry of Defence entered into a bilateral, non-binding Security of Supply Arrangement (SOSA). Through this SOSA, the United States and India agree to provide reciprocal priority support for goods and services that promote national defense. The Arrangement will enable both countries to acquire the industrial resources they need from one another to resolve unanticipated supply chain disruptions to meet national security needs. In the Arrangement, the U.S. and India commit to support one another's priority delivery requests for procurement of critical national defense resources. Click here to read…

India-US Civil Nuclear Commerce and Space Cooperation

Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh chaired a pivotal bilateral meeting on US-India Civil Nuclear Commerce, highlighting the deepening cooperation between the two nations in critical areas of science, technology, and clean energy at Prithvi Bhavan. The Minister announced that an Indian astronaut from the Gaganyaan Mission is set to join the International Space Station, marking a significant milestone in Indo-US Space collaboration. He emphasized the importance of this partnership in securing global supply chains, especially in sectors like semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, and clean energy technologies, which are increasingly vital in today’s interconnected world. Click here to read…

VI. Regional and Global Trends

TSMC Received NT$62.5bn State Aid from Japan, China

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) said that it has received a total of NT$62.5 billion (US$1.95 billion) in subsidies from China and Japan since 2022. In the first half of this year, TSMC received NT$7.96 billion in subsidies from China and Japan after receiving about NT$47.55 billion last year and obtaining NT$7.05 billion in 2022, financial data compiled by the world’s largest contract chipmaker showed. The company, which makes about 90 percent of the world’s high-end semiconductors, said the subsidies were used to finance its investments in Kumamoto, Japan, and Nanjing, China. Click here to read…

Beijing Sets Up US $1.2 billion Semiconductor Fund

The Beijing municipal government has set up a new semiconductor investment fund, as China ramps up support for its chip industry amid intensified trade tensions with the US. The state-owned Zhongguancun Development Group established the Beijing Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund with a registered capital of 8.5 billion yuan (US$1.2 billion), according to information available on Chinese corporate database Qichacha. The new fund in Beijing joins a slew of initiatives from local Chinese governments aimed at bolstering the country’s chip sector. The most notable among them is the China Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund, a national effort known as the “Big Fund”. Click here to read…

Chinese Imports of Chip Gear Hit Record US$26 Billion

Chinese imports of equipment to make semiconductors hit a record for the first seven months of this year as the Asian nation’s companies continue to ramp up their purchases in case the US and its allies further block them from buying. Chinese firms imported almost $26 billion worth of chipmaking machinery, according to fresh trade data released by China’s General Administration of Customs. That surpassed the previous high mark in 2021 and comes as American, Japanese and Dutch officials work on increasing restrictions on Chinese companies. Chinese purchases from firms such as Tokyo Electron Ltd., ASML Holding NV and Applied Materials Inc. have soared in the past year. Click here to read…

Chinese Chip Tool Maker AMEC Sues US Defence Department

Chinese chip equipment maker Advanced Micro-Fabrication Equipment (AMEC) has filed a lawsuit against the US defence department (DOD) over suggestions it is tied to the Chinese military, demanding that it be removed from a blacklist that has damaged its business. Shanghai-based AMEC, a maker of etching systems used by semiconductor foundries, said the DOD’s move of designating it as a “Chinese Military Company (CMC)” at the start of the year was made without legal basis and had caused it “serious and irreparable” harm, according to a complaint filed to the US District Court for the District of Columbia. Click here to read…

South Korea to Advance EV Battery Certification Scheme

South Korea’s government and the ruling People Power Party (PPP) have agreed to move up an electric vehicle (EV) battery certification programme, the party said, as authorities seek to alleviate public safety concerns after a series of fires involving EVs. The government would start the battery certification scheme in October, earlier than scheduled, to help guarantee the safety of EV batteries, PPP spokesman Han Zee-a said. The government also agreed to require automakers operating in the country to identify batteries used in their EVs, he said. Click here to read…

Author

Dr Saroj Bishoyi, Research Fellow, VIF

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