Category Archives: Business & Economy

NATIONAL: DEFENCE & MANUFACTURING: New Delhi, Paris join hands to Manufacture Advanced Defence Tech

The decisions were arrived during bilateral talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron.

India and France on Sunday decided to strengthen defence cooperation through partnerships in the design, development, testing and manufacture of advanced defence technologies and platforms, and expanding production in India.

The decisions were arrived during bilateral talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron. 

“We discussed a series of topics and look forward to ensuring India-France relations scale new heights of progress,’’ said Modi, who had nine bilateral meetings on Sunday. The other bilateral meetings Modi had were with Canada, Germany, South Korea, Turkey, Comoros and South Korea. India and Saudi Arabia will have a bilateral meeting on Monday.

During his talks with Canadian PM Justin Trudeau, Modi raised concerns about the anti-India activities of extremist elements in Canada. The extremists are promoting secessionism and inciting violence against Indian diplomats, damaging diplomatic premises, and threatening the Indian community in Canada. Trudeau said Canada believes in freedom of expression and peaceful protests but doesn’t condone violence.

During his talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Prime Minister Modi spoke about enhancing trade, and continuous collaboration on clean energy. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hailed India’s G20 Presidency and complimented PM Modi on the Delhi Declaration.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: TRANPORT ALLIANCE / INDIA-MIDDLE EAST-EUROPE: Biden, Modi and EU to announce Rail and Shipping Project Linking India to Middle East and Europe

The project would include the United States, India, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the European Union and other countries in the G20, said Jon Finer, Biden’s principal deputy national security adviser.

President Joe Biden and his allies on Saturday were to outline plans for a rail and shipping corridor that would connect India with the Middle East and ultimately Europe — a possible game changer for global trade to be announced at the G20 summit.

The project would include the United States, India, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the European Union and other countries in the G20, said Jon Finer, Biden’s principal deputy national security adviser.

Biden, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen plan to announce the project as part of the Partnership for Global Infrastructure Investment. The rail and shipping corridor would enable greater trade among the countries, including energy products. It could also be one of the more ambitious counters to China’s massive infrastructure program, through which it has sought to connect more of the world to that country’s economy.

Finer laid out three big rationales for the project. He said first that the corridor would increase prosperity among the countries involved by increasing the flow of energy and digital communications. Second, the project would help address the lack of infrastructure needed for growth in lower- and middle-income nations. And third, Finer said it could help “turn the temperature down” on “turbulence and insecurity” coming out of the Middle East.

“We see this as having a high appeal to the countries involved, and also globally, because it is transparent, because it is a high standard, because it is not coercive,” Finer said.Von der Leyen was expected to describe the project as “nothing less than historic” and as an “India – Middle East – Europe economic corridor” that will make trade between India and Europe 40% faster, according to a draft of her prepared remarks.

The project will include a rail link as well as an electricity cable, a hydrogen pipeline and a high-speed data cable, according von der Leyen’s prepared text, which also describes the project as “a green and digital bridge across continents and civilizations.

”She is also expected to announce a “Trans-African Corridor” that will connect the Angolan port of Lobito with Kananga province in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the copper-mining regions of Zambia.Biden participated in the summit’s first session, which focused on the theme of “One Earth.”

The US president plans to draw on the theme to push for more investments to address climate change, such as his own domestic incentives to encourage the use of renewable energy, Finer said. Biden also wants to make the case that Russia’s war in Ukraine is hurting many other nations, which have had to cope with greater food and energy costs as well as higher interest rate costs on their debt.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has been a regular presence at international summits, including last year’s G20 in Indonesia, since Russia invaded his country more than 18 months ago, was not invited by Modi’s government to this year’s gathering.

Zelenskyy has the used the high-profile gatherings to argue for continued economic and military support for his country. India is one of the most prominent U.S. allies that has largely stayed on the sidelines of the war, and has even dramatically increased its purchases of Russian oil.Finer said White House officials pushed for Zelenskyy’s inclusion at the summit. “Ultimately, it is not our decision,” Finer said.

“But you can expect that the United States and our other partners who are working with Ukraine so closely … We’ll make that case quite forcefully in the context of these conversations. The summit’s second session is about “One Family.” Biden plans to use this portion to discuss his request to Congress for additional funding for the World Bank that could generate more than $25 billion in new lending for economic development, Finer said.

The White House more broadly is trying to strengthen the G20 as an international forum, while Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin decided not to attend. Still, China and Russia are represented at the summit and that could make it difficult for the G20 to produce a joint statement on the war in Ukraine .“Really it’s incumbent upon the Chinese government to explain why a leader would or would not participate,” Finer said.

source/content: indianexpress.com (headline edited)

GLOBAL: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS: India is ‘Right Country’ at ‘Right Time’ to hold G20 Presidency, says UK PM Rishi Sunak

“2023 is a huge year for India, from all the different G20 meetings taking place all over the country to the Cricket World Cup next month,” he said.

India’s diversity and its extraordinary successes means it is the “right country” at the “right time” to hold the G20 presidency, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Wednesday, as he hailed Narendra Modi’s leadership over the last year, noting that India’s presidency of the bloc came when the world is facing innumerable challenges.

In an exclusive interview to PTI just days ahead of the G20 summit in Delhi on September 9-10, Sunak, the first Indian-origin prime minister of Britain, said the relationship between the UK and India will define the future of the two countries, even more than it is defining the present.

“This country’s scale, diversity and its extraordinary successes means India is the right country at the right time to hold the G20 Presidency. I pay tribute to Prime Minister Modi’s leadership over the last year and it’s wonderful to see India showing such global leadership,” he said.

The prime minister’s responses to PTI’s questions were sent by email.

“We will also work closely with India through their Presidency of the G20 to address the biggest challenges the world is facing, from stabilising the global economy to dealing with climate change,” Sunak said.

The British premier, PM Modi, US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Japanese PM Fumio Kishida and other G20 leaders are set to deliberate extensively on pressing global issues including consequences of the Ukraine war at the G20 summit.

“2023 is a huge year for India, from all the different G20 meetings taking place all over the country to the Cricket World Cup next month — India is definitely home to the biggest global geopolitical events of the year!,” he said.

The 43-year-old leader of the Conservative Party also referred to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and asserted that if Russian President Vladimir Putin is allowed to invade a sovereign neighbour with impunity, then it will have “terrible consequences” for the entire world.

ALSO READ | Will only agree to India trade deal approach that works for UK, says PM Rishi Sunak

“As two major world democracies, our people define and drive us. That is why the UK is focused on supporting Ukraine to defend itself and defeat this illegal and unprovoked Russian invasion,” he said.

“As a free and democratic country, Ukraine has the right to determine its own future. If Putin is allowed to invade a sovereign neighbour with impunity it will have terrible consequences for the entire world.”

The British premier said nobody wants peace more than the Ukrainians, but it is Putin who has the power to end the war “tomorrow” by withdrawing his troops.

“Until he does, we will help the vulnerable in Ukraine and around the world deal with the terrible consequences of Putin’s war, including the spike in the global price of food and energy caused by his manipulation of markets and attacks on grain supplies,” he asserted.

Sunak’s comments came as India faces the uphill task of building a consensus on the text to refer to the Ukraine crisis in the G20 leaders’ declaration.

Both Russia and China had agreed to the two paragraphs on the Ukraine conflict in last year’s Bali declaration, but they backtracked from it this year creating difficulties for India.

“India has taken on the Presidency of the G20 at a time when the world is facing multiple challenges,” Sunak said.

“In the last twelve months we’ve seen sharp rise in inflation and economic instability, we’ve witnessed the outbreak of conflict in Sudan, military coups in Niger and Gabon, and the ongoing repression of human rights in Afghanistan and elsewhere,” he added.

Sunak said he is looking forward to meeting Prime Minister Modi and deliberate on how collaboration between India and the UK helps in dealing with various global challenges.

“When I meet Prime Minister Modi again this week it will be an opportunity to speak about some of the global challenges we face, and the huge role that the UK and India have to play in addressing them,” he said.

On the possible outcome of the G20 summit, Sunak said: “We will have to wait and see what the summit outcomes will be. The UK certainly is here to support India’s efforts in achieving a successful summit.”

In the interview, Sunak extensively delved into various aspects of India-UK ties including cultural and people-to-people links.

He said what makes the UK-India relationship “truly unique” is the “Living Bridge” between the countries which includes a 1.6 million-strong Indian diaspora in the UK, and which connects “our people across culture, education, food, sport and more.”

“The relationship between the UK and India will define the future of our two countries, even more than it is defining the present,” he said.

“Recognising the close links and aligned interests of our countries, two years ago we agreed to the ‘2030 Roadmap’ which was an historic commitment to bring our countries, economies and people closer together,” he added.

At the summit between Prime Minister Modi and then British PM Boris Johnson, the two sides had adopted a 10-year roadmap to expand ties in the key areas of trade and economy, defence and security, climate change and people-to-people connections among others.

The India-UK relationship was elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during the bilateral virtual summit in May 2021.

“We have already achieved so much under this roadmap, including the mutual recognition of higher education qualifications, new visa routes for young professionals, and billions in new investment deals including British firms like Tesco, Deliveroo and Revolut establishing or expanding their presence in India, creating thousands of new jobs,” Sunak said.

On defence and strategic ties, he said the UK Navy, Army and Air Force have all carried out exercises with their Indian counterparts, increasing “our ability to work together to tackle shared threats.”

In the areas of science and technology, Sunak said, both sides are making significant progress.

“As science and technology superpowers, shared UK-India expertise is pushing the boundaries of innovation for global good,” he said.

“Together, we delivered a Covid-19 vaccine; researched at Oxford University with UK Government financial support, developed by AstraZeneca, and manufactured at scale by India’s Serum Institute,” he said.

“From preventing pandemics to unravelling the human genome the UK and India are working together to tackle the challenges of tomorrow, today,” he added.

Sunak also mentioned the India-UK trade engagement and cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.

“India is already on track to be the third largest economy in the world within ten years. That is why India is such an important partner in this region and more generally,” he said.

“I absolutely see more for the UK and India to do together in the Indo-Pacific, building on the impressive cooperation that has already taken place across trade, defence and security under the 2030 Roadmap,” the British prime minister said.

Sunak also talked about Britain’s 2021 foreign policy strategy, which underlined the strategic importance of the Indo-Pacific to the UK and the world.

“That’s something we have confirmed this year when we published a refreshed version of the policy – our commitment to the Indo-Pacific isn’t going anywhere, just as this region isn’t going anywhere,” he said.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: HERITAGE : ‘Indian Heritage’ App with details of 143 Monuments launched by ASI, to be updated in phases

The agency also unveiled a revamped ‘adopt a heritage’ scheme seeking collaboration with corporate houses for sprucing up surroundings of monuments and development of amenities.

Information about scores of notified and unprotected heritage sites including geo-tagged locations, public amenities and images will now be available to mobile phone users as the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) on Monday launched an app called Indian Heritage. On the occasion, the agency also unveiled a revamped ‘adopt a heritage’ scheme seeking collaboration with corporate houses for sprucing up surroundings of monuments and development of amenities.

In the beginning, details of 143 ticketed monuments under the jurisdiction of the Survey are available on the app. According to the ASI official, the app will subsequently be updated in phases with additional inputs pertaining to remaining 3,554 notified historical buildings and over 4,000 monuments which are under the control of state governments and union territory (UT) administration.

“The app will have state-wise details of monuments along with photographs, list of public amenities available, geo-tagged location and feedback mechanism for citizens. The users may also tell us about any lacuna or shortcomings they find at any site through the app. The app will enable common man to send information and images of any monument which is not in the list of protected structures of ASI or state. After proper vetting, the details will be added to the database,” said an official.

The ‘adopt a heritage’ scheme was launched in 2017 by the tourism ministry in 2017. The revised version introduced by the Survey aims for better maintenance of centrally protected heritage properties, creation of basic amenities and world-class additions in a transparent and time-bound manner.

The latest version is equipped with guidelines –dos and don’ts and leaner arrangement for approval of proposals for adoption of protected sites.

Corporate stakeholders can express their interest to take over a site for development of an amenity or amenities including cultural activities like light and sound show and interpretation centre.   

“Heritage is increasingly playing an important role not only in the cultural sphere of this country but also creating an evolved image in the making of a new India. Keeping that in perspective, we believe that heritage can’t be maintained solely by the ASI…hence we launched this scheme for enhancing visitors’ experience at any site,” said KK Basa, director general of the Survey.

An e-permission portal–www.asipermissionportal.gov.in–for obtaining permission for photography, filming and developmental projects on monuments was introduced on the occasion.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: AGRICULTURE: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY: Prestigious M.S. Swaminathan Award for Scientist P V Satyanarayana for his Outstanding Contributions to Agriculture in 2021-22

P V Satyanarayana, principal scientist at the Agricultural Research Station, Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, Ragolu, has been awarded the prestigious M.S Swaminathan Award for his outstanding contributions to the field of agriculture during the period 2021-2022.

Satyanarayana’s pioneering work involves the development of high-yielding rice varieties that exhibit resilience against various pests and environmental challenges, including BPH, BLB, Blast, Submergence, and salinity. Additionally, he has made substantial contributions to fine-grain varieties and hybrid rice that have revolutionised agriculture across India.

P V Satyanarayana, currently serving as the Principal Scientist at the Agricultural Research Station, Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, Ragolu, boasts an impressive list of awards including the National Award as Team Leader for the Best Golden Jubilee AICIP Centre Award in 2015 and the Best Scientist Award by the Seedman Association in 2021.

This award was presented at an event at Indian Institute of Rice Research (IIRR), Hyderabad on Sunday. This biennial national award, jointly constituted by the Retired ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research) Employees Association (RICAREA) and Nuziveedu Seeds Limited (NSL), includes a cash prize of Rs. 2 Lakhs and a gold medal.

Himanshu Pathak, Director General, ICAR and Secretary, Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) was the chief guest at the event. Dr. R.S. Paroda, former DG, ICAR and others were present.

The award selection committee headed by Dr. A Padma Raju, Vice Chancellor of ANGRAU, recognised Dr. PV Satyanarayana for his invaluable contributions.

  1. Prabhakar Rao, Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Nuziveedu Seeds Limited, noted that this prestigious award has been conferred upon eight individuals to date, with four of them hailing from the Telugu-speaking states.

Referring to the ban on rice exports, he stated that if the government maintains sufficient stocks and promotes exports, it could prove advantageous for farmers. Prabhakar Rao said Nuziveedu Seeds are actively engaged in research related to high-density farming in cotton, which promises a 30-40 per cent increase in yield. With appropriate management practices, this could escalate to 50-60 per cent higher yields compared to conventional varieties.

The Retired Indian Council of Agricultural Research Employees’ Association (RICAREA) was established in 1997 with the primary mission to promote the cause of agriculture based on the ideals and objectives of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).

Nuziveedu Seeds Limited (NSL), operating for nearly 50 years, stands as one of India’s largest seed companies. NSL is engaged in crop improvement projects spanning over 30 crops, with breeding stations located across the country, covering a wide range of agro-climatic conditions.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

GLOBAL & NATIONAL / RECORDS : INDIA IN SPACE: Moon done for India, over to the Sun as ISRO’s Aditya-L1 lifts off successfully

The first space-based observatory to study the Sun, the spacecraft, after traveling about 1.5 million km from the Earth over 125 days, is expected to be placed in a Halo orbit around the Lagrangian point L1 which is considered closest to the Sun.

ISRO on Saturday launched the country’s ambitious Solar mission, Aditya L1 eyeing history again after its successful lunar expedition, Chandrayan 3 a few days ago.

As the 23.40-hour countdown concluded, the 44.4 meter tall Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) soared majestically at the prefixed time of 11.50 am from this spaceport, located on the Eastern coast about 135 km from Chennai.

It will be PSLV’s “longest flight” for about 63 minutes.

According to ISRO, Aditya-L1 is the first space-based observatory to study the Sun. The spacecraft, after traveling about 1.5 million km from the Earth over 125 days, is expected to be placed in a Halo orbit around the Lagrangian point L1 which is considered closest to the Sun.

Among others, it will send pictures of the sun for scientific experiments.

According to scientists, there are five Lagrangian points (or parking areas) between the Earth and the Sun where a small object tends to stay if put there. The Lagrange Points are named after Italian-French mathematician Joseph-Louis Lagrange for his prize-winning paper — “Essai sur le Probl me des Trois Corps, 1772.”

These points in space can be used by spacecraft to remain there with reduced fuel consumption.

At a Lagrange point, the gravitational pull of the two large bodies (the Sun and the Earth) equals the necessary centripetal force required for a small object to move with them.

After the lift-off at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre here, the scientists would be involved in placing the spacecraft at Low Earth Orbit initially, and later it will be more elliptical.

The spacecraft would be launched towards the Lagrange L1 point using on-board propulsion so that it exits the earth’s gravitational Sphere of Influence and cruises towards the L1. Later, it would be injected into a large Halo Orbit around L1 point near the Sun.

The total time from launch to reaching the L1 point would be about four months for the Aditya-L1 Mission, ISRO said.

Explaining the reasons to study the Sun, ISRO said it emits radiation in nearly all wavelengths along with various energetic particles and magnetic fields.

The atmosphere of the Earth as well as its magnetic field acts as a protective shield and blocks harmful wavelength radiations. In order to detect such radiation, solar studies are carried out from space.

The major objectives of the mission include understanding the Coronal Heating and Solar Wind Acceleration, the initiation of Coronal Mass Ejection (CME), near-earth space weather and the solar wind distribution.

The Aditya-L1 mission carries seven scientific payloads to carry out the study.

The Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC) will study the solar corona and dynamics of CME.

VELC, the primary payload will be sending 1,440 images per day to the ground station for analysis on reaching the intended orbit.

It is “the largest and technically most challenging” payload on Aditya-L1.

The Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope would do imaging of the Solar photosphere and Chromosphere in near Ultraviolet and measure the solar irradiance variations.

The Aditya Solar Wind Particle Experiment (ASPEX) and Plasma Analyser Package for Aditya (PAPA) payloads will study the solar wind and energetic ions as well as the energy distribution.

The Solar Low Energy X-ray Spectrometer and the High Energy L1 Orbiting X-ray Spectrometer (HEL1OS) will study the X-ray flares from the Sun over a wide X-ray energy range.

The Magnetometer payload is capable of measuring interplanetary magnetic fields at the L1 point.

The payloads of Aditya-L1 are indigenously developed with the close collaboration of various centers of ISRO.

source/content: telegraphindia.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL : IT, SOFTWARE & APPs: App to Turn Phones into Wireless Sets for UP Cops

To improve the channel of communication between police personnel in Lucknow, the Commissioner of Police has introduced a new mobile-based application which will enable the cops on field to communicate with one another and there will be no need to have age old wireless sets.

“The app titled ‘P.O.C’ (PUSH TO TALK OVER CELLULAR) will help all the police personnel to connect directly making mobile phones useful as wireless sets through an app. A line testing/live trial was done in the Reserve Police Lines on Monday at a seminar organised where the cops were explained about the working of the app,” said the Lucknow Police Commissionerate spokesman.

“Through the PUSH-TO-TALK feature, the discussions can be held one-to-one.

As a result of the GPS system in the app, the live location of all the users will be displayed. Police can upload any video of any incident which can also been seen by higher authorities,” said director general, telecom, Uttar Pradesh, Sanjay Tarde while explaining about the app.

“Interestingly, each police personnel will have a unique QR code through which this app will be installed in the mobile phone through which only they can download and use it and it will not be available to the general public,” he added.

The set-up will help communicate with cops in VVIP movement and the secure communication link between officers/persons on duty will have no possibility of leaking of information.

The DG also said the communication link had been successfully established in Meerut zone/Saharanpur region and Bareilly zone during Kanwar Yatra in Shravan.

Apart from this, the Kashi Vishwanath Temple Corridor in Varanasi and the yellow/red zone in Ayodhya will also test the above-mentioned communication links.

In this way, this communication system will be very useful and will be a revolutionary step in modern communication.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: Chandrayaan-3 Moon Landing: August 23 to be Celebrated as ‘National Space Day’, says PM Modi

Summary

-Terming the success of Chandrayaan-3 mission as an ‘extraordinary moment’ in the history of India’s space programme, he said the place where the Chandrayaan-2 lander crash-landed on the Moon’s surface in 2019 would be known as

-August 23, the day the Chandrayaan-3 lander touched down on the lunar surface, would be celebrated as

Prime Minister Narendra Modi flew down to Bengaluru on Saturday directly from the Greek capital of Athens to interact with ISRO scientists on the successful Chandrayaan-3 mission and announced the decision to name the place where lander ‘Vikram’ touched down on the lunar surface as “Shiva Shakti Point”.

Terming the success of Chandrayaan-3 mission as an ‘extraordinary moment’ in the history of India’s space programme, he said the place where the Chandrayaan-2 lander crash-landed on the Moon’s surface in 2019 would be known as “Tiranga Point”.

23 August, the day the Chandrayaan-3 lander touched down on the lunar surface, would be celebrated as “National Space Day”, said the Prime Minister, who turned emotional while addressing the team ISRO at ISRO Telemetry Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) here, as he lavishly praised them for their dedication and passion.

ISRO Chairman S Somanath briefed him about the Chandrayaan-3 mission. A large number of people, many of them holding aloft national flags, gathered outside the HAL Airport and Jalahalli Cross, which is close to ISTRAC, to greet the Prime Minister.

On Wednesday evening as the Lander Module of Chandrayaan-3 mission successfully touched down on the lunar surface, Modi joined the ISRO team at Mission Operations Complex (MOX) at ISTRAC virtually from Johannesburg, where he was attending the 15th BRICS summit.

Modi had also flown down to Bengaluru on the night of 6 September 2019 to watch the planned touchdown of Chandrayaan-2 mission’s ‘Vikram’ lander. But in the early hours of September seven, barely minutes before it was slated to land, ISRO lost contact with the craft, just 2.1 km above the lunar surface.

source/content: telegraphindia.com/edugraph (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL & NATIONAL: INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY: Infosys Signs Rafael Nadal as Ambassador for 03 years

Salil Parekh, CEO & MD, Infosys, said, “It is an honour to welcome Rafa – one of the world’s most respected champion athletes and humanitarians – as an ambassador for Infosys.

 Infosys on Thursday announced a three-year partnership with tennis star Rafael Nadal. 
His collaboration with Infosys will be in the development of an AI-powered match analysis tool.

“This tool will be available in real-time to Nadal’s coaching team to simultaneously track insights from his live matches, when he is back on tour, along with historical data from his earlier matches,” Infosys said.

Nadal said, “I love the way Infosys has brought its digital expertise across industries to the global tennis ecosystem. It has transformed the tennis experience for a billion global fans and truly empowered all players on the tour with analytics that they could have only dreamt of a few years ago.”

Salil Parekh, CEO & MD, Infosys, said, “It is an honour to welcome Rafa – one of the world’s most respected champion athletes and humanitarians – as an ambassador for Infosys. He is someone who personifies the spirit of always evolving, never giving up, utmost dedication and determination to give the very best in every situation.”

As the digital innovation partner for the ATP Tour, Roland-Garros, Australian Open, and The International Tennis Hall of Fame, Infosys has helped reimagine the tennis ecosystem for a billion fans globally leveraging AI, cloud, data analytics and digital experiences.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

GLOBAL RECORDS: CHANDRAYAAN-3 Breaks World Streaming Records as 8M Watch India’s Moon Mission

India’s Chandrayaan-3 breaks world streaming records with 8 million viewers, outpacing Spanish streamer Ibai, and prepares for significant scientific discoveries on the Moon.

India’s Chandrayaan-3 lunar mission has not only captured the global spotlight for its ambition but has also smashed live-streaming records in the process. As the country gets closer to achieving its historic soft landing on the moon, the mission’s live stream has surpassed a previous record held by Spanish streamer Ibai.

World Records and Global Eyeballs

Before the Chandrayaan-3 made its historic touch on the lunar surface, it was already setting remarkable records here on Earth. A whopping 5.6 million viewers converged on ISRO’s official YouTube channel at 5:53 PM IST, surpassing the previous live stream record of 3.4 million viewers set by Ibai. As space enthusiasts from all corners of the globe eagerly anticipated the Vikram Landing Module’s descent onto the Moon’s south pole at 6:04 PM on Wednesday, 23rd August, the digital realm buzzed with this unparalleled achievement. By the time Chandrayaan-3 successfully landed, a record-breaking 8M had tuned in, marking the highest peak viewership in YouTube’s live streaming history. This event not only showcased India’s space prowess but also its significant digital footprint.

What’s Next After the Landing?

Once the Vikram Module successfully lands on the lunar surface, it has a well-defined checklist. An initial systems check and diagnostics will be run to ensure the module’s operational efficiency. Subsequently, it will gear up the Pragyaan Rover for its journey onto the moon’s surface. This rover has a mission span of 14 days, during which it will scrutinize the lunar surface for water ice, helium-3, and various other vital elements.

Significance of the Chandrayaan-3 Mission

Developed at a cost of just over Rs 600 crore, the Chandrayaan-3 mission holds significant implications for both India and the international community. One of its primary objectives is to assess the feasibility of establishing a launch station on the Moon for future interplanetary missions.

The mission’s findings could be a linchpin for our clean energy aspirations. Helium-3 (He-3), a potential source of virtually limitless clean energy, is one of the components that Chandrayaan-3 aims to study. Its presence on the moon could drastically change the trajectory of our global clean energy initiatives, positioning the moon as an indispensable ally in our pursuit of sustainable energy solutions.

As the Chandrayaan-3 nears its moment of truth on the Moon, its profound impact on Earth, from breaking streaming records to promising a cleaner energy future, is unmistakably evident. It’s not just a monumental step for India, but potentially, a giant leap for mankind.

source/content: yourstory.com (headline edited)