Science and Technology (S&T) Digest (1-15 March 2024), Issue 33

Dr Saroj Bishoyi, Research Fellow, VIF

March 19 , 2024 Views: 209 Comments: 0

In this Issue

I. Defence and Security

INAS 334 'Seahawks', Indian Navy's first MH 60R Squadron, Commissioned

INAS 334 'Seahawks', the Indian Navy's first MH 60R Squadron was commissioned at INS Garuda, Southern Naval Command, Kochi on 6 March 2024. This landmark event marked the formal induction of these versatile and capable helicopters in the first MH 60R Naval Air Squadron commanded by Captain M Abhisheik Ram. While addressing the gathering, Adm R Hari Kumar, the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) described the MH 60R helicopter as one of the potent multi-role helicopters in the world which will significantly enhance the country's maritime capabilities and secure national interests. Click here to read...

DRDO Conducted First Flight Test of Agni-5 Missile with MIRV Technology

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) conducted first successful flight test of indigenously developed Agni-5 missile with Multiple Independently Targetable Re-Entry Vehicle (MIRV) technology. The flight test named Mission Divyastra was carried out from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island in Odisha. Various Telemetry and radar stations tracked and monitored multiple re-entry vehicles. The Mission accomplished the designed parameters. Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the efforts of the DRDO scientists who participated in the conduct of the complex Mission. Click here to read...

'Agray' and 'Akshay' Fifth and Sixth Ship of ASW SWC Project Launched

'Agray' and 'Akshay', the 5th and 6th ships of 08 x ASW Shallow Water Craft (SWC) Project being built by M/S GRSE for Indian Navy, were launched at M/S GRSE, Kolkata on 13 March 2024. The ships have been rechristened as Agray and Akshay, named after erstwhile Abhay Class Corvettes Agray and Akshay of Indian Navy. The contract for building eight ASW SWC ships was signed between MOD and Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata on 29 April 2019. Arnala class of ships will replace the in-service Abhay class ASW Corvettes of Indian Navy and are designed to undertake anti-submarine operations in coastal waters, Low Intensity Maritime Operations (LIMO) and Mine Laying Operations. Click here to read...

25T Bollard Pull (BP) Tug, Baljeet Launched

25T Bollard Pull (BP) Tug, Baljeet was launched on 10 Mar 24 at M/s Shoft Shipyard Pvt Ltd, Bharuch, Gujarat. Contract for construction and delivery of three 25T BP Tug was concluded with M/s Shoft Shipyard Pvt Ltd (M/s SSPL), an MSME, in consonance with “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” initiative of the Government of India. These Tugs are being built under the classification rules of Indian Register of Shipping (IRS). The availability of Tugs will provide impetus to Operational commitments of IN by facilitating assistance to Naval ships and submarines during berthing and un-berthing, turning and manoeuvring in confined waters. Click here to read...

MoD Signs Contract with AVNL for 693 Armament Upgrades

On 13 March 13 2024, the Ministry of Defence, signed a contract with Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited (AVNL) for the procurement of 693 Armament Upgrades of Infantry Combat Vehicle BMP2 to BMP2M. This upgrade includes Night Enablement, Gunner Main Sight, Commander Panoramic Sight and Fire Control System (FCS) with Automatic Target Tracker under Buy {Indian-Indigenously Designed Developed and Manufactured} Category. The AVNL has developed an indigenised solution for providing existing BMP 2/2K with Night Fighting Capabilities and FCS based on the integration of DRDO and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Chennai-developed sight and FCS. Click here to read...

MoD Signs Contracts with HAL for Acquisition of 34 ALH Dhruv Mk III

The MoD has signed two contracts for a combined value of Rs 8073.17 crore with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Bengaluru on 13 March 2024 for acquisition of 34 Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) Dhruv Mk III along with Operational Role Equipment for Indian Army (25 ALHs) and Indian Coast Guard (09 ALHs) under Buy (Indian-IDDM - Indigenously Designed, Developed & Manufactured) category marking a significant move towards indigenisation in defence manufacturing. The ALH Dhruv Mk III UT (Utility), the Indian Army version, is designed for Search & Rescue, Troop Transportation, Internal Cargo, Recce/ Casualty Evacuation etc. Click here to read...

II. STI in Space Sector

Government Reviews FDI Policy on Space Sector

The government has reviewed the extant Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Policy in the space sector and allowed upto 74% FDI under automatic route in satellites-manufacturing and operation, satellite data products and ground and user segments. This includes end-to-end manufacturing and supply of satellite and payload, establishing the satellite systems including control of in-orbit operations of the satellite and payloads. In February 2024, the Cabinet approved the amended FDI norms to enhance ease of doing business and attract investments, and divided the satellite sub-sector into three different activities with defined limits for foreign investment in each such sector. Click here to read...

India Targets a Five-Fold Increase in the Global Space Economy

Addressing the gathering after launching the Technical Centre of IN-SPACe in Ahmedabad on 5 March 2024, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said that India targets a five-fold increase in its share of the global space economy. The Minister said, “India’s Space economy today stands at a modest $8 billion, but our own projection is that by 2040 it will multiply manifold. But more interesting is that according to some international observers, for example the recent ADL (Arthur D Little) Report mentions that we could have the potential of $100 Billion by 2040”. He said, the government has announced the Indian Space Policy 2023, which enables end-to-end participation of Non-Governmental Entities (NGEs) in all domain of Space activities. Click here to read...

NASA, US Navy Prepare Astronauts for Moon Mission

The USS San Diego is a warship designed to deliver troops and equipment into combat zones, something the crew routinely trains for from their base in San Diego, California, on the coast of the Pacific Ocean. But it is conducting search and rescue training operations supporting NASA’s Artemis crewed missions to the moon. said During recent exercises in the Pacific Ocean, Lieutenant Jackson Cotney, a U.S. Navy helicopter pilot attached to the USS San Diego, and hundreds of sailors worked with NASA’s four-person Artemis II crew to prepare for a critical part of the complex operation — the safe return and recovery of the Orion capsule and crew once it completes reentry through Earth’s atmosphere. Click here to read...

Japan Private Rocket Explodes Just After Launch

Tokyo-based startup Space One had been aiming to become the first Japanese private firm to successfully place a satellite into orbit. Its 18-meter solid-fuel Kairos rocket blasted off from the startup's own launch pad in Wakayama prefecture in western Japan, carrying a small government test satellite. But seconds after the launch, the rocket erupted into a ball of flame, with black smoke filling the launch pad area. Burning debris was seen falling onto the surrounding mountain slopes as sprinklers began spraying water. The failure marks a blow to Japan's efforts to enter the potentially lucrative satellite-launch market. Click here to read...

III. Nuclear Technology

Enhancing Computer Security of SMRs and Microreactors

The IAEA is launching a research project to advance computer security for small modular reactors (SMRs), further expanding its support for protecting the next generation of nuclear reactors against cyber-attacks. As interest in SMRs increases, this new Coordinated Research Project (CRP) will explore operational concepts such as autonomous, remote operations and fleet management, as well as digital technologies such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence and machine learning. Click here to read...

SMR Regulators’ Forum Five New Reports Published

The Small Modular Reactor Regulators’ Forum has published five new reports, where experienced regulators identify and address key challenges in this emerging field. “The Forum’s reports continue to inform regulators worldwide on important challenges associated with SMRs and help them to adequately prepare for addressing those,” said Anna Hajduk Bradford, Director of the IAEA Division of Nuclear Installation Safety. Four of the reports developed by the Small Modular Reactor Regulators’ Forum (SMR RF) working groups cover key areas, such as the importance of integrating security, safeguards and safety considerations at the early design stages. Click here to read...

Keeping the World’s Ageing Research Reactors Running

More than 220 research reactors are in operation, and they provide essential services such as the production of medical radioisotopes and enable scientific research in agriculture and industry. However, these facilities are ageing — the majority of the world’s fleet of research reactors has been operating for more than 50 years. Operators and regulators, with the help of the IAEA, are focused on refurbishing and modernizing these reactors so that they can continue to deliver goods and services while operating safely and securely. Click here to read...

Regulating Innovative Reactor Designs

The current regulations that govern the nuclear industry are tailored to the types of reactors that have been in use since the first commercial nuclear power plants began operation in the 1960s. Those regulations have evolved based on the experience gained over the past six decades. As new advanced nuclear reactors, including small modular reactors (SMRs), are developed, regulatory authorities are working to ensure that their processes, regulations and guidance also innovate in order for first-of-a-kind technologies to be deployed safely and securely. Click here to read...

IV. Emerging Technologies and Applications

Prime Minister Modi Inaugurates Three New Semiconductor Plants

On 13 March 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for three semiconductor plants worth over Rs 1.25 lakh crore. The proposed investments, which received cabinet approval on 29 February 2024, include the Tata-PSMC chip foundry at Rs 91,000 crore, the Tata OSAT facility at Rs 27,000 crore, and the CG Power-Renesas at Rs 7,600 crore. Union Minister o Rajeev Chandrasekhar said that “Made in India chips manufactured in India will help create a strong and significant presence for India in global value chains — it will make India a semicon hub for the world.” Click here to read...

IndiaAI Mission Approved for Strengthening the AI Innovation Ecosystem

In furtherance to the vision of Making AI in India and Making AI Work for India, the government has approved the comprehensive national-level IndiaAI mission with a budget outlay of Rs.10,371.92 crore. The IndiaAI mission will establish a comprehensive ecosystem catalyzing AI innovation through strategic programs and partnerships across the public and private sectors. By democratizing computing access, improving data quality, developing indigenous AI capabilities, attracting top AI talent, enabling industry collaboration, providing startup risk capital, ensuring socially impactful AI projects and bolstering ethical AI, it will drive responsible, inclusive growth of India's AI ecosystem. Click here to read...

ChipIN Gets Fillip with Support from Semiconductor Industry Leaders

ChipIN Centre is one of the biggest of existing facilities, offering plethora of design flows, aims to bring the chip design infrastructure at door-steps of semiconductor design community in the country. It is a centralized design facility, not only hosting the most advanced tools for entire chip design cycle (i.e. Front-end design, Back-end design, PCB design & analysis, etc. for Digital, Analog, RF & Mixed Signal designs), going up to 5nm or advanced node but also provide aggregate services for fabrication of design at foundries and packaging. ChipIN Centre aims to provide access of state-of-the-art EDA Tools to 85,000 students to design semiconductor chips. Click here to read...

Integration of Fiber Based QKD System with Free Space QKD System

Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) and Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) Achieve Significant Milestone: In a first in the country, both the organisations demonstrate integration of CDOT’s indigenous Fiber based Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) system with Free Space QKD system from PRL leading to establishment of an end to end quantum communication link involving both Fiber and Free space as transport medium. Few years back, C-DOT and PRL had signed a MoU with an objective to cooperate in the development of Quantum Communication Technologies. Click here to read...

Fostering Grassroots Entrepreneurship and Self- reliance

In a move towards bolstering local economies and fostering grassroots entrepreneurship, NITI Aayog launched the 'Vocal for Local' initiative under its Aspirational Blocks Programme on 13 March 2024. This initiative aims to encourage a spirit of self-reliance among the populace of Aspirational Blocks, propelling them towards sustainable growth and prosperity. The logo for ‘Aakanksha’ was also unveiled under the ‘Vocal for Local’ initiative. As a part of this initiative, indigenous local products from 500 Aspirational Blocks have been mapped and consolidated under Aakanksha. Click here to read...

V. International Cooperation

India-Italy Defence Industrial Cooperation

Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane and Italian Secretary General of Defence & National Armament Director Lt Gen Luciano Portolano co-chaired the 10th India-Italy Joint Defence Committee (JDC) meeting in New Delhi on 13 March 2024. The two sides discussed a wide range of defence industrial and military cooperation issues. They also exchanged views on the Indo-Pacific and the security situations. The focus of the meeting was to enhance defence industrial cooperation. India and Italy had signed an agreement on defence cooperation in October 2023 during the visit of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to Italy. Click here to read...

India-Spain Defence Industrial Cooperation

Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane and Spanish Secretary of State for Defence Ms Maria-Amparo Valcarce Garcia held talks in New Delhi on 8 March 2024. A number of bilateral defence cooperation issues were discussed, with focus on industrial collaboration. Both sides reviewed the ongoing projects, and discussed future joint plans in maritime and air domains. They appreciated the increased interaction at business-to-business level between the defence industries of both countries. The Defence Secretary highlighted the increased opportunities in India in the defence production sector. Click here to read...

India-Romania Digital Technologies Cooperation

To mark the 75th anniversary of the bilateral relations and the 10th anniversary of the Extensive Partnership, India and Romania issued a Joint Declaration where the two sides affirmed to create a robust ecosystem that fosters innovation, economic growth, and technical expertise in the digital technology sector for the benefit of both nations. They will pursue an enhanced bilateral cooperation through exchange of best practices, policies and regulation in the digital technology sector, especially emerging technologies, including cyber security, connectivity between start-ups and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), research and innovation, fight against disinformation and new and emerging threats. Click here to read...

STI Cooperation between IBSA Countries

The Foreign Ministers of the IBSA (India, Brazil and South Africa) countries in the Joint Declaration stressed the importance of science, technology, and innovation to fulfil the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, and committed to foster research, development and innovation in order to tackle those societal challenges. They emphasized the goal of improving people's lives and bridging the digital divides, in line with the consensus reached during the World Summits of the Information Society (WSIS), by achieving a human-centered, inclusive, and ethical approach to the responsible development, deployment and use of emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI). Click here to read...

India-Greece S&T Cooperation

Prime Minister of Greece, Mr. Kyriakos Mitsotakis was on a state visit to India from 21-22 February 2024. During his visit, the two sides issued a joint statement, where they underlined that India and Greece would work to enhance cooperation in space science, nano-technology, bio-technology and clean technologies / renewable energy. They highlighted the enormous potential of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) for promoting economic and social goals and cooperation with a focus on e-governance and e-public service delivery, including e-learning, telemedicine, re-skilling and up-skilling of young talent in areas of new and emerging technologies. Click here to read...

VI. Regional and Global Trends

Pentagon Scraps Plan To Spend US$2.5 Billion on Intel Chip Grant

The Pentagon pulled out of a plan to spend as much as $2.5 billion on a chip grant to Intel Corp., people familiar with the situation said, putting the onus on another federal agency — the Commerce Department — to make up for the shortfall. The move threatens to limit the total amount that Intel has been expecting to get in federal funding, setting up a contentious situation, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the deliberations are private. Beyond the defense money, Intel has been seeking incentives worth more than $10 billion from the Chips and Science Act. Click here to read...

US House Passes Bill Forcing ByteDance to Give Up TikTok

The U.S. House of Representatives approved legislation Wednesday that would force the popular TikTok video app to either separate from its Chinese-owned parent company ByteDance or sell the U.S. version of the software. The bipartisan Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act “gives TikTok six months to eliminate foreign adversary control — which would include ByteDance divesting its current ownership — to remain available in the United States”. The bill could face a much harder road to passage in the Democratic-controlled Senate, where Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has said it will face consideration in the appropriate committees. Click here to read...

Intel Still Sells To Huawei Millions of Dollars’ Worth of Advanced Chips

Intel has survived an effort to halt hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of chip sales to Huawei Technologies, giving one of the world’s largest chip makers more time to sell to the heavily sanctioned Chinese telecoms company. Intel still retains a Trump-era licence to sell advanced laptop CPUs to Huawei despite pressure on President Joe Biden to revoke the permission. AMD applied for a licence to sell similar chips in 2021 after Biden took office but never received a response to its application. Click here to read...

Chinese-Origin Researchers Stand Out in Apple’s 2024 AI Programme

The 2024 Apple Scholars in AIML PhD fellowship – focused on machine learning, a branch of AI concerned with developing algorithms and statistical models for computer systems – shows that 11 of the 21 admitted to the programme were of Chinese origin, based on their names and academic background that include bachelor’s level studies on the mainland, according to a list published by Apple on its website. The South China Morning Post report that the rising number of Chinese researchers admitted into that programme and other AI-related opportunities in America reflects the mainland’s continuing struggle with brain drain, compared with a brain gain for the US. Click here to read...

Huawei and its Partner SMIC Used Tech from Two US Gear Suppliers

Huawei Technologies and its partner Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC) used gear from California-based Applied Materials and Lam Research to manufacture an advanced 7-nanometre chip for Huawei in 2023. The previously unreported information suggests that China still cannot entirely replace certain foreign components and equipment required for cutting-edge products like semiconductors. China has made technological self-sufficiency a national priority and Huawei’s efforts to advance domestic chip design and manufacturing have received the backing of Beijing. Click here to read...