Science and Technology (S&T) Digest (1-15 April 2024), Issue 35

Dr Saroj Bishoyi, Research Fellow, VIF

May 1 , 2024 Views: 197 Comments: 0

In this Issue

I. Defence and Security

New Generation Ballistic Missile Agni-Prime Flight-Tested

Strategic Forces Command (SFC), along with Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), conducted the successful flight-test of New Generation Ballistic Missile Agni-Prime from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha at around 1900 hrs on 3 April 2024. The test met all the trial objectives validating its reliable performance, as confirmed from the data captured by a number of range sensors deployed at different locations, including two downrange ships placed at the terminal point. Click here to read...

Indigenous Man Portable Anti-tank Guided Missile Weapon System

Man Portable Anti-tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) Weapon System, indigenously designed and developed by Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO), has been field evaluated in different flight configurations several times with the objective of proving the technology with high superiority. The system consisted of the MPATGM, Launcher, Target Acquisition System, and the Fire Control Unit. Adequate number of missile firing trials have been successfully conducted towards achieving compliance of complete operational envelop as stipulated in the General Staff Qualitative Requirements (Infantry, Indian Army). Click here to read...

Defence Exports Touched a Record Rs 21,083 crore in the FY 2023-24

Defence exports have touched a record Rs 21,083 crore (approx. US$ 2.63 Billion) in the Financial Year (FY) 2023-24, a growth of 32.5% over the last fiscal when the figure was Rs 15,920 crore. The recent figures indicate that the defence exports have grown by 31 times in the last 10 years as compared to FY 2013-14. The defence Industry, including the private sector and Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs), have made tremendous efforts in achieving the highest-ever defence exports. The private sector and the DPSUs have contributed about 60% and 40% respectively. Click here to read...

Need Collaboration to Advance Exoskeleton Technology

In a significant move towards advancing military and civilian capabilities, DRDO Chairman Dr. Samir V. Kamat called for a collaborative effort among the research and development community, the armed forces, industry, and academia. This call to action was made during the first international workshop on Emerging Technologies and Challenges for Exoskeleton, held in Bengaluru from April 16 to 17. The workshop aims to address the challenges in developing exoskeleton technologies and to establish a clear roadmap for its future. Click here to read...

Need for Military Leaders to Adapt to Changing Character of War

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan has highlighted the need for Military Leaders to adapt to the changing character of war and underscored the importance of inter services synergy. He was addressing Future Leaders of the Indian Armed Forces at Defence Services Staff College, Wellington on 5 April 2024. In his address, the CDS dwelled on the transformative reforms undertaken in the Indian military in the backdrop of emerging security challenges. Click here to read...

II. STI in Space Sector

Chandrayaan-4 First Step towards Putting Astronaut on Moon

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief S Somnath said that the next instalment of the Chandrayaan programme is under development, which will take forward the country's moon exploration. He stated that Chandrayaan-4 is the first step towards achieving the goal of India landing an astronaut on the moon in 2040. Somnath further said that ISRO is working on plenty of other projects ranging from rocket and satellite projects to technology development projects. Click here to read...

Drone Startup Garuda Aerospace Forays into Space-Tech domain

Drone manufacturer Garuda Aerospace has announced a significant collaboration with the ISRO, as it marks its debut in the space-tech domain. This partnership signifies a milestone moment, with ISRO set to procure Garuda Aerospace's cutting-edge quadcopter drones, heralding a new era of innovation in the space sector. Renowned for its state-of-the-art drone technology, Garuda Aerospace's quadcopter drones boast integration with machine learning and artificial intelligence, promising to revolutionise efficiency across various ISRO operations. Click here to read...

ISRO's Chandrayaan-3 Team Receives John L "Jack" Swigert Jr Award

ISRO's Chandrayaan-3 mission team received the 2024 John L "Jack" Swigert, Jr, Award for Space Exploration, a top award from the US-based Space Foundation. This annual award honours a space agency, company, or consortium of organizations in the realm of space exploration and discovery. The award was presented at the Space Foundation's yearly opening ceremony of the Space Symposium in Colorado on 8 April 2024. Consul General of India in Houston, DC Manjunath received the award on behalf of ISRO's Chandrayaan team. Click here to read...

The 40 Years of the First Flight of an Indian Cosmonaut

The photo exhibition on "The 40 years of the first flight of an Indian cosmonaut" was inaugurated at the Russian House in Chennai. As part of the celebration of space exploration and international collaboration, the Russian House in Chennai, in partnership with the Russian news agency TASS, inaugurated a photo exhibition, "The 40 Years of the first flight of an Indian cosmonaut." On 3 April 1984, Rakesh Sharma became the first Indian to go into space as a member of a joint Soviet-Indian crew on the Soyuz T-11 spacecraft. He spent a week working at the Salyut-7 Orbital Station. Click here to read...

III. Nuclear Technology

AUKUS Partnership on Acquisition of Nuclear-Powered Submarines

On 8 April 2024, the AUKUS Defence Ministers issued a joint statement on the progress made and plans under the AUKUS partnership on the acquisition of conventionally-armed nuclear-powered submarines and their work on other advanced capabilities. The Agency took note of the information provided to it by the AUKUS parties ahead of this announcement consistent with their stated commitment to keep the Agency informed of developments in this area. The Agency took particular note of the information related to maintenance activities to be conducted on US nuclear-powered submarines (SSNs) in Australia starting in the second half of 2024. Click here to read...

MIT Engineers Demonstrate a New Way to Detect Radiation

The radiation detectors used today for applications like inspecting cargo ships for smuggled nuclear materials are expensive and cannot operate in harsh environments, among other disadvantages. Now, in work funded largely by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security with early support from the U.S. Department of Energy, MIT engineers have demonstrated a fundamentally new way to detect radiation that could allow much cheaper detectors and a plethora of new applications. They are working with Radiation Monitoring Devices, a company in Watertown, Massachusetts. Click here to read...

MIT Researchers Develop a Better Radiation Detector

Researchers at MIT and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) have come up with a computational basis for designing very simple, streamlined versions of sensor setups that can pinpoint the direction of a distributed source of radiation. They also demonstrated that by moving that sensor around to get multiple readings, they can pinpoint the physical location of the source. The inspiration for their clever innovation came from a surprising source: the popular computer game “Tetris.” Click here to read...

IAEA Completes a Nuclear Security Mission at the KKNPS in Japan

An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team of experts completed a nuclear security mission at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power station (KKNPS) in Japan. The nine-day mission, conducted from 25 March to 2 April 2024, aimed to assess the enhancement of the physical protection measures at the KKNPS, Japan’s largest nuclear facility with seven reactors, and to provide further advice as necessary to the facility's operator. A physical protection system comprises people, procedures and equipment to provide defence in depth to address threats and to protect against both unauthorized removal of nuclear material and sabotage of nuclear material or facilities. Click here to read...

Promoting better Awareness and Understanding of Disarmament Issues

Observed on 5 March, the International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness (IDDNPA) seeks to promote better awareness and understanding of disarmament issues, especially among young people. Through resolution A/RES/77/51, adopted in December 2022, the United Nations General Assembly invited all Member States, the organizations of the United Nations system, civil society, academia, the media, and individuals to commemorate this annual International Day, including through all means of educational and public awareness-raising activities. To celebrate this year’s IDDNPA, the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) launched various awareness-raising campaigns, in line with the selected theme for 2024, of “reducing the human cost of weapons”. Click here to read...

IV. Emerging Technologies and Applications

India Aspires to Lead in Quantum Science and Technology

India celebrates World Quantum Day 2024 on 14 April 2024, with aspirations to become a global leader in various fields of Quantum Science and Technology. Quantum Mechanics, the study of atoms and sub-atomic particles, has now advanced to such an extent that it has now moved to the engineering domain and is leading to novel and varied applications. Researchers worldwide have utilized its principles to develop technologies such as LEDs, lasers, and ultra-precise atomic clocks used in the Global Positioning System. Considerable attention is now being paid to controlling and manipulating quantum systems for Quantum Computing, Quantum Communications, and Quantum Sensing applications. Click here to read...

Setting up Recycling Facility for Li-ion Batteries and E-Waste

The Technology Development Board (TDB) has entered into an agreement with M/s Remine India Private Limited, for “Setting up a commercial plant for recycling of Li Battery and E-Waste using Indigenous Technology” at Eldeco, SIIDCUL Industrial Area in Sitarganj (District Udham Singh Nagar), Uttarakhand in New Delhi on 27th March 2024. Through the agreement, TDB has pledged a financial assistance of ₹ 7.5 crores out of the total project cost of ₹ 15 crores, marking a significant stride towards sustainable development and environmental stewardship. Click here to read...

Launch of “Experimental License Module for 100 5G Labs" at IIT Madras

In a move to smoothen the processes for 100 5G Labs across academic institutions in India, Secretary (Telecom), Dr Neeraj Mittal, virtually launched one of the "Experimental License module for 100 5G Labs" during a 5G workshop at IIT Madras. This initiative aims to simplify the experimental license requirements for these institutions, facilitating smoother operations and fostering innovation in the 5G domain. These labs will be using 5G frequency bands for carrying out various experiments and testing use cases. Click here to read...

MoU Signed for Technical & Knowledge Cooperation for Critical Minerals

Khanij Bidesh India Limited (KABIL) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research - Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology (CSIR-IMMT) for Technical & Knowledge cooperation for Critical Minerals. Under the MoU, KABIL will leverage the technical expertise and services of CSIR-IMMT to undertake various projects, including the design and analysis of metallurgical test work-plans, development and review of process flowsheets, and the selection of process technologies for mineral processing, beneficiation, and metal extraction. Click here to read...

India Aims To attract At Least US$100 billion a Year in Gross FDI

India aims to attract at least US$100 billion a year in gross foreign direct investment (FDI), as it courts investors looking to diversify away from China. “Our target is that we will average at least US$100 billion over the next five years. The trend is very positive and upward,” Indian Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh said in an interview. The figure for the current fiscal year would be “closer to” the US$100 billion target, Singh said. Click here to read...

V. International Cooperation

India-EU Start-Up Collaboration on Recycling of E-Vehicles Batteries

On 9 April 2024, The European Union (EU) and India launched an Expression of Interest (EoI) for startups working in Battery Recycling Technologies for Electric Vehicles (EVs) for a matchmaking event. The matchmaking aims to enhance the cooperation between European and Indian Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and startups in the clean and green technologies sector. The intended exchange of knowledge and expertise will be instrumental in advancing the circularity of rare materials and transitioning towards carbon neutrality in both India and the EU. Click here to read...

India-Russia Space Cooperation

Russian Deputy Chief of Mission Roman Babushkin hailed India's remarkable achievements in space exploration and underscored Russia's unwavering support for its space endeavours. On the 40th Anniversary of the spaceflight of the first Indian cosmonaut, Rakesh Sharma, aboard the Soviet spacecraft Soyuz T-11 in 1984, Babushkin emphasized the enduring partnership between Russia and India in the space sector. Babushkin's remarks also highlight the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission and the collaborative efforts in the Gaganyan project. He lauded India's independent space research programme, which not only benefits the nation but also extends assistance to other countries in satellite launches. Click here to read...

India-US Defence Tech Cooperation

Lauding the partnership with India, the United States Secretary of Defence, Lloyd Austin, has said that the deal between the two nations to produce jet weapons in collaboration is revolutionary. Underscoring that India and the US are also co-producing an armoured vehicle, Defence Secretary Austin said that such joint ventures will provide great capabilities. The landmark jet engine deal was revealed in June 2023, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's historic official state visit to the US. To produce fighter jet engines for the Indian Air Force, General Electric and Hindustan Aeronautics signed a memorandum of understanding. Click here to read...

South Korea Launches Its Second Military Spy Satellite

South Korea has successfully launched its second indigenous spy satellite on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, US, on 8 April 2024, Yonhap News Agency reported citing their defence ministry. It is the second military satellite launched under South Korea's plan to acquire five spy satellites by 2025 to monitor North Korea in a better way, Yonhap News Agency reported. The satellite was equipped with Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) sensors that capture data using microwaves and can collect data regardless of weather conditions. Click here to read...

VI. Regional and Global Trends

Next Generation of Energy-Efficient Computers

Globally, computation is booming at an unprecedented rate, fueled by the boons of artificial intelligence (AI). With this, the staggering energy demand of the world’s computing infrastructure has become a major concern, and the development of computing devices that are far more energy-efficient is a leading challenge for the scientific community. MIT scientists have tackled key obstacles to bringing 2D magnetic materials into practical use, setting the stage for the next generation of energy-efficient computers. Click here to read...

MIT Researchers Discover “Neutronic Molecules”

Researchers at MIT have found that neutrons can actually be made to cling to particles called quantum dots, which are made up of tens of thousands of atomic nuclei, held there just by the strong force. The new finding may lead to useful new tools for probing the basic properties of materials at the quantum level, including those arising from the strong force, as well as exploring new kinds of quantum information processing devices. The work is reported this week in the journal ACS Nano, in a paper by MIT graduate students Hao Tang and Guoqing Wang and MIT professors Ju Li and Paola Cappellaro of the Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering. Click here to read...

China Progressing on New Techniques to Cut Reliance on ASML

Beijing-based Naura Technology Group started research on lithography systems last month, as China’s home-grown semiconductor tool makers try workarounds to produce advanced chips without the latest equipment from Dutch giant ASML. The efforts, which involve multiple players in China’s semiconductor supply chain, have made preliminary research progress, with a patent application by Huawei Technologies revealing a technique known as self-aligned quadruple patterning, or SAQP, which can etch lines on silicon wafers multiple times to increase transistor density and chip performance. Click here to read...

SK Hynix Plans to Spend $3.87 billion on First US Chip Plant

SK Hynix Inc. plans to spend $3.87 billion building an advanced packaging plant and research center for AI products in Indiana, US, marking a win for the Biden administration as it seeks to increase semiconductor output on American soil. The world’s No. 2 memory chipmaker said that it will build its first US facility in the city of West Lafayette, with plans to begin mass production in the second half of 2028. The plant will center on a production line for next-generation high-bandwidth memory chips, critical components of the graphic processors that train AI systems. Click here to read...

Big Investments Offer Japan a Chance to Reclaim Its Tech

Massive overseas and domestic investments offer Japan a chance to reclaim its tech crown, but to become a convincing alternative to China the country must embrace rapid innovation. US tech giants are pumping billions of dollars into artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity and chip production in Japan, which dominated the hardware industry in the 1980s. Google launched a regional cyber defense hub in the country last month, and Amazon Web Services Inc is spending US$14 billion to expand Japanese cloud infrastructure. In the latest move, Microsoft Corp, a partner of ChatGPT-maker OpenAI, this week pledged US$2.9 billion to boost the nation’s AI prowess. Click here to read...