Science and Technology (S&T) Digest 1-15 November 2023, Issue 25

Dr Saroj Bishoyi, Research Fellow, VIF

December 14 , 2023 Views: 1106 Comments: 0

In this Issue

I. Defence and Security

Three-day ‘India Manufacturing Show’ Held in Bengaluru

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the three-day ‘India Manufacturing Show’ in Bengaluru, Karnataka on 2 November 2023. The central theme of the Show is ‘Make in India, Make for the World’. Addressing the industry captains and young entrepreneurs present at the inaugural function, the Defence Minister described the small-scale industries as the backbone of India’s economy that contribute immensely to the development of the nation. Click here to read...

Self-reliant Approach to Meet the Challenges in the Maritime Domain

The Southern Naval Command, Kochi, hosted a two day seminar, themed 'Aatma Nirbhar Air Arm of the Indian Navy 2023', from 13-14 November2023. In his keynote address on 13 November, Admiral R Hari Kumar, Chief of the Naval Staff, emphasised the need for a self-reliant approach to meet the challenges in the maritime domain. He stated that the government's initiative of Aatma Nirbhar Bharat underlines its potential application to the Indian Naval Aviation sector. The current strides taken towards the localisation of various spares and critical components towards aircraft manufacturing within the country has gathered pace and the potential of the Indian industry has been encouraging. Click here to read...

IAF Contingent Participates in the Biennial Dubai Airshow

An Indian Air Force (IAF) contingent has landed at the Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai for participation in the biennial Dubai Airshow, scheduled from 13 to 17 November 2023. The IAF contingent comprises two indigenous platforms - the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas and the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv. While the Tejas will be part of both, the static and aerial displays during the Airshow; the Sarang Helicopter Display Team will be displaying their formation aerobatics skills. The IAF contingent is being staged by its C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft. Click here to read...

Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue 2023 (IPRD-2023)

The “Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue 2023” (IPRD-2023), the three-day annual apex-level regional strategic dialogue of the Indian Navy, commenced in New Delhi on 15 November. Vice President Jagdeep Dhankharin his Keynote Address acknowledged the seas were emerging as the new frontier for global contestation due to their vast economic potential. In her address, Finance Minister, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman stated that the IPRD had gained considerable traction establishing itself as the maritime version of the Raisina Dialogue. While Chief of the Defence Staff, General Anil Chauhan delivered the invitational address during the professional session themed “Maritime Connectivity Initiatives Across the Indo-Pacific”. Click here to read...

II. STI in Space Sector

Aditya-L1 Captures High-Energy X-ray Glimpse of Solar Flares

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)’s maiden solar mission Aditya-L1 has captured high energy X-ray glimpse of solar flares for the first time after its launch from Sriharikota on 2 September 2023. The spacecraft captured the solar flares while on its way to Lagrange Point L1, where it is likely to reach around January-February.During its first observation period from approximately 29 October, the High Energy L1 Orbiting X-ray Spectrometer (HEL1OS) on board the spacecraft recorded the impulsive phase of solar flares, ISRO said in a statement.The recorded data is consistent with the X-ray light curves provided by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s geostationary operational environmental satellite. Click here to read...

Wearable Devices May Prevent Astronauts Getting ‘Lost’ in Space

The sky is no longer the limit – but taking flight is dangerous. In leaving the Earth’s surface, we lose many of the cues we need to orient ourselves, and that spatial disorientation can be deadly. Astronauts normally need intensive training to protect against it. Scientists have now developed wearable devices called vibrotactors that, combined with specialized training, improve people’s ability to fight spatial disorientation and could help astronauts correct themselves when their perceptions can no longer be relied upon. Click here to read...

ISRO and NASA Scientists Working to Make Most out of NISAR Data

Director, Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Laurie Leshin said that scientists from both space agencies ISRO and NASA are working closely on the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission to help make sure that they make the most out of the data that will be coming down from the spacecraft. Set to launch in early 2024, NISAR – short for NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar – is being jointly developed by NASA and theISRO, to track the movements of Earth’s land and ice surfaces in extremely fine detail. Click here to read...

India-US Space Cooperation

India and the US held the fifth bilateral 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue in New Delhi on 10 November. In the joint statement, the four Ministers Shri Rajnath Singh, Dr. S. Jaishankar, Mr Antony J. Blinken and Mr. Lloyd J. Austin III applauded the recent developments in further strengthening space collaborations by establishing a fifth sub-working group, under the India-U.S. Civil Space Joint Working Group, to focus on ‘Space Commerce’ and hailed a partnership-building event early next year. They also welcomed adding ‘Planetary Defence’ as a topic under the India-U.S. Civil Space Joint Working Group led by NASA and ISRO, and India joining the multilateral Space Mission Planning Advisory Group (SMPAG) and International Asteroid Warning Network (IAWN) by the end of the year. Click here to read...

III. Nuclear Technology

Decarbonizing Industries with the Help of MRs or SMRs

Many oil and gas, drilling, and extraction operations take place in remote locations, and in many cases, it is not possible for these processes to be fuelled by electricity from the grid. It is here that micro-reactors (MRs) or small modular reactors (SMRs) could provide a low carbon alternative. While SMRs and MRs have potential for deployment in remote locations, SMRs may also have important uses in industries such as manufacturing plastics or other forms of industrial processing using heat. Click here to read...

IAEA Confirms ALPS Treated Water Has Tritium Level Far Below

IAEA experts have confirmed that the tritium concentration in the third batch of diluted ALPS treated water, which Japan’s Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) started discharging on 2 November 2023, is far below the country’s operational limit. On 30 October,IAEA experts took samples, after it was prepared for discharge. Using Agency equipment, the IAEA’s independent on-site analysis confirmed that the tritium concentration in the diluted water that is being discharged is far below the operational limit of 1,500 becquerels per litre. Click here to read...

Researchers Develop an Efficient Process to Make Fuel from Carbon Dioxide

Researchers at MIT and Harvard University have developed an efficient process that can convert carbon dioxide into formate, a liquid or solid material that can be used like hydrogen or methanol to power a fuel cell and generate electricity. Potassium or sodium formate, already produced at industrial scales and commonly used as a de-icer for roads and sidewalks, is nontoxic, nonflammable, easy to store and transport, and can remain stable in ordinary steel tanks to be used months, or even years, after its production. Click here to read...

IAEA and ICAO Sign Agreement onTransport of Radioactive Materials

The IAEA and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) have signed an agreement to enhance their cooperation around the transport of radioactive materials by air, notably to improve the efficiency and speed of these shipments that are vital for cancer care and other medical uses around the world. The agreement builds on the cooperation between both UN bodies on matters of common interest that began in 1960. Click here to read...

IV. Emerging Technologies and Applications

New Technology for Converting CO2 to CO Holds Potential

A new energy-efficient carbon dioxide capture technology that converts carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide under electro catalytic conditions under ambient temperatures in the presence of water has been developed with potential for application in the steel sector.In efforts to support India’s goal for net-zero emissions by 2070, the DST-supported National Centre of Excellence in Carbon Capture and Utilisation (NCoE-CCU) at IIT Bombay is actively working towards developing novel, scalable and affordable pathways on capturing CO2 from various emission sources, and converting it into usable chemicals or permanent storage, representing a crucial pathway for greenhouse gas mitigation. Click here to read...

India’s Stand on AI Use at ‘AI Safety Summit 2023’

During 2nd day of “AI Safety Summit 2023” held at Bletchley Park, Buckinghamshire in United Kingdom, Union Minister of State for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship and Electronics & IT, Rajeev Chandrasekhar said that “India, in its capacity as the chair of the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI), has taken a leadership stand on AI. We have maintained that AI should be guided by principles of safety & trust for users, and accountability for platforms”. The Minister also extended invitations to all nations for the upcoming GPAI and India AI summits scheduled for December 2023. Click here to read...

MoU Signed for Collaboration in Trustworthy and Responsible AI Systems

Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC), technical arm of Department of Telecommunications (DOT), Ministry of Communications, Government of India, and the Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology, Delhi (IIITD), have united to drive innovation in the realm of Trustworthy and Responsible AI Systems. Underlining their commitment to pioneering advancements in Responsible AI, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on 3 November 2023. This collaboration specifically concentrates on addressing biases in AI systems and promoting fairness assessments while nurturing public trust in these technologies, aligning with the Government of India’s objectives. Click here to read...

Launch of the LEAP AHEAD Initiative for Startups

In the bid to support and accelerate the success of tech startups across India, MeitY has launched the LEAP AHEAD initiative, a joint collaboration of Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) and The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) Delhi-NCR, at the LEAP AHEAD summit on 6 November 2023. This initiative is expected to be a game-changer for tech Startups that are in the scaling stage, growth stage, product diversification or planning expansion into new geographical locations. They can benefit through funding support of up to ₹ 1 Crore. Click here to read...

A Nationwide Public Outreach Campaign to Create Awareness in STI

Union Minister for S&T and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh has called upon scientific organisations and research institutions across the country to chalk out a roadmap for a nationwide public outreach campaign to create awareness in science, technology, innovation (STI) enabling provisions introduced by the Modi government for Start Ups and potential entrepreneurs. After the Chandrayaan-3 landing on the Moon, the Minister said that there is a massive public interest generated in India’s Space exploration projects and the momentum needs to be sustained. Click here to read...

V. International Cooperation

India and Australia Collaboration in Science & Technology

India and Australia are deeply engaged in every area of collaboration in Science & Technology. Lauding Australia for providing Earth Station tracking facility for Gaganyaan, India’s first human space mission scheduled for launch in 2025, Dr Jitendra Singh said that there is scope for wider collaboration in sectors including Space Research and Biotechnology. He offered Industry tie-ups in Start Ups including Agritech, Aroma Mission and Lavender cultivation, when a high-level Australian delegation led by its High Commissioner to India, Philip Green called on him in New Delhi on 1 November. Click here to read...

India and Sri Lanka Re-Launch Negotiations of the ETCA

India and Sri Lanka held the 12th round of negotiations on the Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement (ETCA) in Colombo, Sri Lanka from 30th October 2023 to 1st November 2023. During this round, both the sides took stock of the progress made till the 11th round and engaged in discussions on various chapters including Trade in Goods, Technical Barriers to Trade, Economic & Technology Cooperation, Dispute Settlement and among others. Both sides identified the areas of convergence and areas where they need to find creative solutions. Click here to read...

India-US Defence Technology Cooperation

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a bilateral meeting with US Secretary of Defence Mr Lloyd Austin in New Delhi on 10 November 2023. The two Ministers comprehensively discussed a wide range of defence and strategic issues. There was particular focus on enhancing defence industrial cooperation and getting the defence industries from both sides together to cooperatively co-develop and co-produce defence systems. The Ministers explored ways and means to advance their defence technology cooperation with joint research in critical areas. Click here to read...

Inaugural INDUS-X Investors Meet Held in Delhi

Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) under the Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence and US Department of Defence, organised the maiden INDUS-X Investors Meet on 8 November 2023 at New Delhi as a pre-cursor to the 2+2 Indo-US Ministerial Dialogue. The INDUS-X Educational Series (Gurukul) was also launched during the event. The first-ever INDUS-X Investors Event evinced the interest of the investors in the start-ups and MSMEs operating in the defence sector and the emerging opportunities under the INDUS-X initiative. Click here to read...

Indo-US MeitY-NSF Workshop for Research Collaboration

The First Workshop on MeitY-National Science Foundation (NSF), USA, a Joint Call for R&D Proposals under the MeitY-NSF Research Collaboration, held on 2 November 2023. It is an opportunity for US and Indian researchers to brainstorm and make research collaborations during the Workshop.The proposal Handshake between MeitY and NSF demonstrates the resolve of both nations to further bolster their shared vision of strategic technology partnership, leveraging the strength and ingenuity of their respective research quotient. Proposing teams of US and India investigators are strongly encouraged to develop appropriate partnership with test-bed providers, local communities and industry partners to ensure that resources and expertise are available for the success of the projects. Click here to read...

VI. Regional and Global Trends

Chinese Chip Maker YMTC Sues Micron for Patent Infringement

On 9 November 2023, China’s leading flash memory maker Yangtze Memory Technologies Co (YMTC) has filed a lawsuit against US memory chip maker Micron Technology for patent infringement, accusing the American tech giant of “freeriding” to protect its market share. The civil lawsuit alleges that Micron and its subsidiary Micron Consumer Products Group together infringed on eight of YMTC’s patents.The products named in the suit include YMTC’s 96-, 128-, 176- and 232-layer NAND flash memory chips. Click here to read...

Bipartisan US AI Bill to Define Terms Related To Generative AI

Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) introduced Artificial Intelligence Research, Innovation, and Accountability Act of 2023 that would direct federal agencies to create standards aimed at providing transparency and accountability for AI tools. The bipartisan AI bill will define terms related to generative AI, including what is considered “critical-impact,” as well as create standards for AI systems to follow. It would set in place a system to require “critical-impact” AI organizations to self-certify as meeting compliance standards. Click here to read...

Biden Administration Unveils Steps to Curb AI Risks

On 1 November 2023, US Vice President Kamala Harris unveiled several steps the Biden administration is taking to curb the risks posed by AI, building on the sweeping executive order President Biden issued earlier. The administration will launch a new AI Safety Institute within the Department of Commerce focused on creating standards to test the safety of AI models and will release draft policy guidance for the U.S. government’s use of the technology. The announcement comes amid a larger push by the administration to establish the U.S. as a global leader in the rapidly advancing frontier of technology. Click here to read...

Chinese SMIC Increased Its Capital Expenditure

China’s leading foundry Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC) has increased its capital expenditure by raising its annual budget to US$7.5 billion for 2023, 18 per cent higher than the company’s US$6.35 billion in spending last year. This is s a reflection that SMIC is accelerating equipment purchasing and installation after the US updated its already-stringent tech export controls last month, again lowering the threshold for the types of chip-making tools that cannot be sold to Chinese firms. Click here to read...

China Invests $5.4 Billion in Semiconductor Startup

Semiconductor startup Changxin Xinqiao Memory Technologies Inc. has raised 39 billion yuan ($5.4 billion) from government-backed investors, a sign Beijing is doubling down on its efforts to achieve technological self-sufficiency and counter US sanctions. It’s one of the biggest investments China’s flagship semiconductor fund has made since Beijing probed its former heads for corruption about a year ago. Click here to read...