Category Archives: Science & Technology

NATIONAL: SEMI-CONDUCTORS: Cabinet approves 03 Semiconductor proposals in Gujarat, Assam

One of the facilities is a fabrication unit — as opposed to a packaging or assembly unit — and will make 50,000 ‘wafer starts’ a day.

The Union Cabinet on February 29 approved three semiconductor proposals amounting to ₹1,25,600 crore in value in Dholera and Sanand in Gujarat, and in Morigaon in Assam. The Dholera and Morigaon facilities will be built by Tata Electronics Pvt. Ltd. and Tata Semiconductor Assembly and Test Pvt. Ltd. The former will be a full-fledged fabrication unit producing 50,000 ‘wafer starts,’ the initial form of silicon chips, per month.

Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation of Taiwan will be the technology partner for the fab unit, while the assembly and testing unit in Morigaon’s technology partners have been kept confidential at their request, Minister of Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw told reporters.

The Dholera units will be used to make “high performance compute chips with 28 nanometre technology,” and also to make chips for power management, which Mr. Vaishnaw said accounted for a large part of semiconductor demand. Both facilities’ output will cater to domestic demand as well as export their produced chips, Mr. Vaishnaw said.

Construction will start within 100 days, he added, hoping that the work is done well before the standard 5 year timeline for such facilities. The chip assembly facility by Micron, announced last year, is on track to have its first chip produced by December 2024, Mr. Vaishnaw said. The facilities announced on Thursday will create 20,000 direct jobs and 60,000 indirect jobs, the IT Ministry estimated in a note.

The facility in Sanand will also be a packaging unit, set up by CG Power with technology from the Renesas Electronics Corporation of Japan and Stars Microelectronics of Thailand.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited0

NATIONAL: DEFENCE & AVIATION: Mid-air Refuellers, Maritime Planes in India’s ₹84,560 cr Defence push

The DAC accorded its acceptance of necessity (AoN) to the capital acquisition projects, paving the way for inducting a range of capabilities.

Lending further momentum to the ongoing self-reliance drive in the defence manufacturing sector, India on Friday approved several key proposals worth Rs.84,560 crore to strengthen the military’s operational readiness, including the purchase of more mid-air refuellers, medium-range maritime reconnaissance and multi-mission aircraft, heavy weight-torpedoes and new generation anti-tank mines.

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), headed by Union defence minister Rajnath Singh, accorded its acceptance of necessity (AoN) to the capital acquisition projects, paving the way for inducting a range of capabilities that will help the three services and the coast guard address challenges in their vast domains.

“In the true spirit of ‘Aatmanirbharta’, the approvals accorded today lay special emphasis on the procurement of various equipment from Indian vendors,” the defence ministry said in a statement.

The clearance for the purchase of six mid-air refuellers to extend the reach of the Indian Air Force’s fighter jets is by far the most notable development considering it comes against the backdrop of previous failed attempts to buy new tankers, officials aware of the matter said, asking not to be named.

The refuellers were cleared under the ‘Buy (Global)’ acquisition category which refers to the outright purchase of equipment from foreign or Indian vendors.

IAF operates a fleet of six Russian-origin Ilyushin-78 tankers that are plagued by maintenance problems and the force urgently needs at least six more refuellers.

The go-ahead for 15 new C-295 aircraft in a maritime configuration for the navy and coast guard is equally critical, the officials said.

IAF received the delivery of its first C-295 transport aircraft from Airbus Defence and Space in September 2023. The aircraft was the first of the 56 such planes ordered by IAF under a Rs.21,935 crore project to modernise its transport fleet. The European plane maker will deliver 16 planes in flyaway condition, while the rest will be assembled in India at a Tata facility in Gujarat’s Vadodara.

DAC has accorded AoN, under the Buy (Indian-IDDM) category, for new generation anti-tank mines “with seismic sensor and provision of remote deactivation with additional safety features,” the statement said. IDDM stands for indigenously designed, developed and manufactured.

Under India’s defence procurement rules, the council’s AoN is the first step towards buying military hardware. The Indian-IDDM category is the most important category of acquisition for indigenisation under the defence procurement policy.

“To enhance the operational efficiency and domination in the tactical battle area for engaging targets that are beyond visual line of sight by the mechanised forces, AoN under Buy (Indian-IDDM) category has also been accorded for procurement of canister launched anti-armour loiter munition system,” the statement said.

The military hardware cleared by the council includes air defence tactical control radars to detect slow, small and low-flying targets as well as surveillance, detection and tracking of other targets; active towed array sonar with capabilities to operate at low frequencies and various depths for long range detection of enemy submarines; and heavy-weight torpedoes for enhancing the capabilities of Kalvari class submarines.

India has sharpened its focus on the defence manufacturing sector during the last five to six years and has taken several measures to achieve self-reliance. These include banning the import of a range of weapons, systems and parts, creating a separate budget for buying locally made military hardware, increasing foreign direct investment from 49% to 74% and improving ease of doing business.

Setting aside a budget for India-made weapons and systems is one of the key measures to boost self-reliance. Around Rs.1 lakh crore was earmarked for domestic procurement in the defence budget for 2023-24, compared to Rs.84,598 crore, Rs.70,221 crore and Rs.51,000 crore in the three previous years.

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL / NATIONAL: MANUFACTURING & AVIATION : MAKE IN INDIA : Airbus contracts Dynamatic to make doors for A220 aircraft

Will double sourcing from India from a value of $750 mn to $1.5 bn.

French aerospace manufacturer Airbus on Thursday announced the awarding of a contract for the manufacturing and assembly of its A220 aircraft doors to Bengaluru-based Dynamatic Technologies in what it called “one of the largest aerospace export contracts to India.”

Dynamatic will manufacture and assemble the cargo, passenger and service doors along with the over-wing emergency exit doors for the A220 family aircraft, which total to eight doors per aircraft.

The order signifies implementation of “complex assembling and integration of aerospace manufacturing, which will create downstream opportunities in the Indian aviation supply chain,” Airbus CEO Remi Maillard, President and Managing Director, Airbus India and South Asia said at a press event.

Thursday’s contract is also among the orders that will enable Airbus to double its sourcing from India, which is valued at about $750 million every year. This is expected to rise to $1.5 billion over the next few years.

To a question on when Airbus plans a final assembly line for commercial aircraft given large orders from IndiGo and Air India, Mr. Maillard said Airbus provided more jobs and more value for India today than any Final Assembly Line (FAL) will achieve.

According to Dynamatic’s Udayant Malhoutra only 15% of value generated from manufacturing an aircraft comes from a FAL.

Airbus recently announced a FAL for H125 helicopter for the private sector and in 2022 announced a FAL for C-295 transport aircraft for the Indian Air Force.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL / NATIONAL: EV : Yamaha Motor leads $40 million funding in e-scooter startup River

The company entered the domestic EV market with its first e-scooter, Indie, in October last year, and in January it opened its first River store in Bengaluru.

Electric scooter startup River on Tuesday announced it has raised USD 40 million (Rs 335 crore) in Series B funding led by Japan’s Yamaha Motor Co, Ltd. The funds will be utilised for scaling up the distribution and service network, among others.

“The investment is a significant boost for our plan to build a billion dollar global utility-lifestyle brand by 2030. We have built a great base in R&D and manufacturing over the last two years and now, it’s time to grow,” said Aravind Mani, Co-founder and CEO of River.

The company entered the domestic EV market with its first e-scooter, Indie, in October last year, and in January it opened its first River store in Bengaluru.

The Series B funding round also saw participation from existing investors Al-Futtaim Automotive, Lowercarbon Capital, Toyota Ventures and Maniv Mobility, River said.

With the latest capital infusion, the total funding secured by the company since its inception in March 2021 stands at USD 68-million (Rs 565 crores), according to River.

With this funding, the company plans to scale the distribution and service network across the country and invest further in R&D for future lineup of products.

“The collaboration with Yamaha will help us leverage the design and technology capability that we have built at River.”, said Vipin George, Co-founder and Chief Product Officer, River.

The company said its maiden e-scooter, Indie, has been fully designed and developed at its R&D facility in Bengaluru and manufactured at its Hoskote manufacturing facility on the outskirts of Bengaluru. 

source/content: indianexpress.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: HEALTH & MEDICINE: RESEARCH: British Indian Doctor Tony Dhillon to undertake ‘ground-breaking’ Cancer Vaccine trial

Dr Tony Dhillon, a Consultant Medical Oncologist at the Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust, proposed the idea for the trial and has worked with Professor Tim Price in Australia for the last four years to develop the vaccine.

A British Indian doctor is the chief investigator of a “ground-breaking” trial of a vaccine to treat early bowel cancer for patients worldwide, following a UK-Australia collaboration between scientists and doctors.

Dr Tony Dhillon, a Consultant Medical Oncologist at the Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust, proposed the idea for the trial and has worked with Professor Tim Price in Australia for the last four years to develop the vaccine.

The trial, announced recently, will be run by the Cancer Research UK Southampton Clinical Trials Unit at the University of Southampton in collaboration with Royal Surrey and Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Adelaide, Australia.

“This is the first treatment vaccine in any gastrointestinal cancer and we have high hopes that it will be very successful. We think that for a lot of patients, the cancer will have gone completely after this treatment,” said Dr Dhillon.

“This is ground-breaking. I feel as if we are on the edge of something really big here. The vaccine makes the immune system go after the cancer. It will be life-changing because it means that potentially, patients may not need to have surgery – they may just have the vaccine,” he said.

There will be 10 sites for patients to be enrolled – six in Australia and four in the UK, with 44 patients to be enrolled in the study over an 18-month period.

The vaccine will be used to treat patients before surgery, in the hope that it will cause the body to attack the cancer. It would mean any surgery would be less invasive. It is also hoped that the strength of the vaccine could support the immune system to respond if there is a relapse and the cancer returns later on.

“We are hugely proud to have been involved in the launch of this ground-breaking new vaccine. As the fourth-largest cancer centre in the UK, helping to fight cancer is a huge part of what we do and this will really provide an opportunity for bowel cancer patients and give them real hope of beating the disease,” said Louise Stead, Royal Surrey Foundation Trust Chief Executive.

Patients will have an endoscopy, and then a tissue sample will be tested to see if they are eligible for the trial. If they are, they will have three doses of the vaccine before having surgery to remove the cancer.

The trial will be available for just 44 patients around the world. After the trial finishes, the vaccine will either be licensed for use or if it’s successful, a bigger study will be carried out.

Bowel cancer, also known as colorectal cancer, is the third most common cancer, with a worldwide annual incidence of over 1.2 million cases and a mortality rate of approximately 50 per cent. 

source/content: tribuneindia.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: DEFENCE : MADE IN INDIA / COLLABORATION WITH FRANCE : Welcome progress in Maintenance-Repair-Overhaul (MRO) for LEAP, Rafale Engines, Scorpene Subs to be Made in India, IMRH Engine Partnership

The joint statement was released after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with visiting French President and Republic Day chief guest Emmanuel Macron Thursday and Friday.

India and France on Friday welcomed the progress in establishing the MRO (Maintenance-Repair-Overhaul) facility for LEAP engines in India by French defence major Safran and plans to add MRO for Rafale engines, a joint statement released by the two countries stated.

Both the countries also welcomed a comprehensive helicopter partnership with a Joint Venture for Indian Multi Role Helicopter (IMRH) engine between Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Safran, and the Scorpene submarines constructed in India, including indigenisation, it added.

The joint statement was released after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with visiting French President and Republic Day chief guest Emmanuel Macron Thursday and Friday.

As per the statement, they also welcomed the discussions between India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the French Directorate General of Armament (DGA), and intend to conclude an Arrangement MoU in an early timeframe.

Both countries had adopted a roadmap on Defence Industrial Cooperation which was further elaborated in the joint statement.

It said President Macron and Prime Minister Modi reiterated their commitment to further deepening the integration between the two countries’ respective defence industrial sectors and to work together to identify opportunities for co-design, co-development, co-production with the objective of not only fulfilling the defence needs of the Indian armed forces, but also of providing a viable and reliable source of defence supplies to other friendly countries.

It said that they noted that defence industrial collaboration, especially from the design stage, not only creates quality jobs for the youth and advances Prime Minister’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat, but also supports a broader progress in scientific, technological, digital and material sciences fields to realise the vision of Viksit Bharat for 2047.

“Towards this end, the two leaders welcomed the adoption of an ambitious Defence Industrial Roadmap,” it said.

As per the statement, defense and security partnership has been the cornerstone of India-France partnership in the Indo Pacific region, which include a comprehensive range of bilateral, multinational, regional and institutional initiatives, especially in the Indian Ocean Region.

“They also agreed to intensify their cooperation in the Southwest Indian Ocean, “building on the joint surveillance missions carried out from the French island territory of La Reunion in 2020 and 2022,” it stated, adding that they also welcomed the extension of those interactions in India’s maritime neighbourhood.

“These interactions may contribute positively to the securitization of strategic sea lanes of communication,” it said.

“In addition, the two leaders welcomed the progress in bilateral dialogue and identification of specific opportunities for using India as a base for the manufacture and export of defense equipment for friendly countries in the region,” it added.

India and France have been talking over collaborating on manufacturing an engine for India’s planned fifth generation aircraft—the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft. The plans for the joint development of the engine were announced during PM Modi’s visit to France last year. At that time, both countries also said they will support industrial cooperation for motorization of heavy-lift helicopters under the IMRH programme with the French Safran Helicopter Engine, adding that a a Shareholders’ Agreement between HAL and Safran Helicopter Engine has been concluded for engine development.

India and the US will be jointly manufacturing the F-414 engine which will power its indigenous Light Combat Aircraft Mk 2 and the initial version of the AMCA.

source/content: indianexpress.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: AVIATION & DEFENCE: HELICOPTERS: Airbus, Tata team up to set up India’s First Private Helicopter Assembly line

The Final Assembly Line will produce Airbus’ best-selling H125 helicopter for India and neighbouring countries.


In the backdrop of French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to India, Airbus Helicopters has announced that it is partnering with the Tata Group to establish a Final Assembly Line (FAL) for civil helicopters in the country, making it India’s first helicopter assembly facility in the private sector. Under this partnership, the FAL will produce Airbus’ best-selling H125 single-engine civil helicopter for India and export to some of the neighbouring countries, the company said.

Under this partnership, Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL), a subsidiary of Tata Group, will set up the facility along with Airbus Helicopters. Airbus and Tata are already setting up a FAL in Vadodara for the C-295 military transport aircraft as part of a contract to supply 56 aircraft to the Indian Air Force.

The announcement was made during the two-day visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to India as Chief Guest at the Republic Day celebrations on January 26.

“The FAL in India will undertake the integration of the major component assemblies, avionics and mission systems, installation of electrical harnesses, hydraulic circuits, flight controls, dynamic components, fuel system and the engine,” Airbus said in a statement. “It will also do testing, qualification, and delivery of the H125 to customers in India and the region.”

The FAL will take 24 months to set up and deliveries of the first ‘Made in India’ H125s are expected to commence in 2026, it stated. “The location of the FAL will be jointly decided by Airbus and the Tata Group.”

The H125 is the world’s best-selling single-engine helicopter that outclasses other helicopters in its category, according to Airbus and is a member of Airbus’ Ecureuil family, which has accumulated more than 38 million flight hours worldwide. It can operate in high-and-hot and extreme environments and can be easily reconfigured for various missions, including aerial work, firefighting, law enforcement, rescue, air ambulance, passenger transport, and many others, Airbus said. “The H125 is the only helicopter to have landed on Mount Everest, demonstrating its agility in operating in high altitude, extreme environments.”

Airbus currently does $750 million worth of sourcing from India every year to its global supply chain and this expected to go up to $1.5 billion per year by 2026, company officials said.

India’s fast growing aerospace sector has a large requirement for both military and civil helicopters.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

IIT-Guwahati’s PhD scholar clinches best product design at Vishwakarma Awards 2023 for groundbreaking water quality monitoring system

Satyam, a PhD Scholar in the department of biosciences and bioengineering at the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IIT-Guwahati), recently achieved a significant feat by securing the “Best Product Design” award in the Water and Sanitation category at the prestigious Vishwakarma Awards 2023.

The competition, organized by the IIT-Delhi in collaboration with Maker Bhavan Foundation and the WIN Foundation, aimed to recognize and support innovative minds in technology from science and engineering colleges across India. The theme for 2023 focused on water and sanitation, clean technology and smart mobility. Satyam’s winning device, R-SAM-PRO, is an IoT-enabled water quality monitoring system that outshines existing devices in terms of cost-effectiveness and integration with the Internet of Things (IoT).

Prof. Sanjukta Patra, from the department of biosciences and bioengineering at IIT-Guwahati, congratulated Satyam, acknowledging his dedication and innovation in developing the IoT-enabled water monitoring system. She praised the project for its technological advancement, reflecting a profound understanding of the challenges faced in water resource management, particularly in developing nations. The system’s affordability, accessibility, and real-time data transmission capabilities were highlighted as not only showcasing technical prowess but also a commitment to societal betterment.

The R-SAM-PRO device distinguishes itself by comprehensively addressing critical water and sanitation needs through technological innovation, integrating IoT, multiple sensors, and AI readiness for advanced water quality monitoring. Its real-time data provision is deemed crucial for environmental conservation and resource management. The device’s affordability and user-friendly design make it highly accessible, with the potential for widespread adoption, especially in resource-limited settings, significantly enhancing water quality monitoring practices.

Satyam shared his inspiration behind the innovation, emphasizing the critical issue of water pollution in developing countries. He expressed the aim of empowering communities and authorities for effective water resource management through the provision of a cost-effective, multi-parametric, IoT-enabled solution.

Key features of the award-winning IoT-enabled real-time water monitoring system include integrated GPS for precise location tracking, diverse sensors for comprehensive water quality analysis, an ESP32 Microprocessor for efficient processing and communication, a hybrid power system for adaptability, AI integration for enhanced data analysis, and advanced data retrieval for user-friendly interactions.

Looking ahead, the innovators plan to enhance the device over the next 1 to 7 months by integrating more sensors, ensuring market readiness with necessary certifications and approvals. They aspire to expand their impact, reaching a broader audience, and contributing significantly to sustainable water resource management on a global scale.

source/content: timesofindia.indiatimes.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY: RESEARCH: National Institute of Technology-Warangal (NIT-W) Faculty Members Develop Innovative Wastewater Treatment System for Textile Industry Effluents

The brains behind this sustainable innovation — Prof Shirish Sonawane, Dr Murali Mohan Seepana, Dr Ajey Kumar Patel and Malkapuram Surya Teja — started working on the project in 2019.

While the textile industry helps many across the state earn their livelihoods, the chemical effluents from the units affect the lives of people living in the vicinity. To address this, a team of faculty members at the National Institute of Technology, Warangal (NIT-W), has developed an environment-friendly hybrid wastewater treatment system for textile industry effluents.

The brains behind this sustainable innovation — Prof Shirish Sonawane, Dr Murali Mohan Seepana, Dr Ajey Kumar Patel and Malkapuram Surya Teja — started working on the project in 2019.

According to Prof Sonawane, conventional methods involve the extensive use of chemicals. However, in order to reduce pollution levels to permissible limits of discharge, the team put forward a combination of coagulation, hydrodynamic cavitation (HC)-based oxidation system and a ceramic membrane (CM)-based filtration process. In the course of the coagulation process, the turbidity of the effluents is removed. Meanwhile, HC, a process involving the generation and collapse of microbubbles in a liquid, is employed afterwards to initiate the breakdown/mineralisation of complex organic compounds.

In place of polymeric membranes, the novel methodology uses ceramic membranes. “After two years, polymeric membranes need to be discarded. It becomes solid waste,” he adds.

As per the innovators, the integrated system achieved an 80% reduction in organic pollutants. The use of ceramic membranes makes the methodology more sustainable, he mentions. The surface-modified CM further improves filtration efficiency, ensuring the removal of even finer particles and impurities.

The team has filed three patents — two for the processes and one for design — for the cost-effective technology.

Elaborating on the hurdles they faced, Surya Teja says the textile pollutants are very stubborn in nature. “To degrade the pollutants, we have to remove the turbidity in the initial phase. That was the challenging task,” he says.

The second hurdle in front of the team was the soluble nature of dyes. “Even after the advanced oxidation process, there will be remnants of dyes in the water,” he adds.

Speaking to TNIE, NIT-W director Prof Bidyadhar Subudhi underlines the need for HEIs to come up with sustainable innovations. “A lot of the research coming from IITs and NITs are primarily on sustainable generation of energy. The expected outcome from different institutes towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals is a big challenge,” he adds.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: REPUBLIC DAY : Tri-services Women Contingent, C-295 Transport Aircraft to make Debut at Republic Day parade

A total of 51 aircraft comprising 29 fighters and eight transport aircraft of IAF, 13 helicopters and one heritage aircraft will participate in this year’s Republic Day flypast.

A 144 personnel tri-service women contingent would be participating in Republic Day Parade this time for the first time with 48 personnel from each service. Also the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) latest induction, the C-295 medium transport aircraft will make debut over kartavya path during the Republic Day flypast this year.

“A total of 48 Agniveervayu Women would be part of this contingent. Flight Lieutenant Shrishti Verma would be marching as supernumerary Officer of the (tri-service) contingent,” said Wg Cdr Manish Sharma briefing the media on IAF’s participation in the Republic Day parade this year.

A total of 51 aircraft comprising 29 fighters and eight transport aircraft of IAF, 13 helicopters and one heritage aircraft will participate in this year’s Republic Day flypast. This includes four helicopters of the Army and one P-8i maritime patrol aircraft of the Navy which will fly in two separate formations.

A C-295 aircraft flanked by two C-130 aircraft in echelon, will fly as the Arjan formation during Republic Day fly past, said IAF Spokesperson Wg Cdr Ashish Moghe.

The IAF induced the first C-295 in September last year, which will replace the legacy HS-748 Avro transport aircraft in service.

The IAF marching contingent of 144 personnel will be led by Squadron Leader Rashmi Thakur with Squadron Leader Sumita Yadav, Squadron Leader Pratiti Alhuwalia and Flight Lieutenant Kirti Rohil as supernumerary Officers. They will be marching to the tune ‘Sound Barrier’ played by 72 lAF musicians and three drum majors. The band will be led by Sergeant CA Daniel.

For the Beating Retreat ceremony on January 29 at Vijay Chowk, the IAF Band comprising of 121 musicians would be participating in the event. The band will be led by Warrant Officer Ashok Kumar. 

In line with theme of the 75th Republic Day Parade-2024 “Samridh Bharat Sashakt Bharat”, the theme of the IAF tableau is “Bharatiya Vayu Sena: Saksham, Sashakt, Atmanirbhar”, said Wg Cdr Sharma. Flight Lieutenant Ananya Sharma and Flying Officer Asma Sheikh, both Su- 30 pilots, would be present on the tableau, he added.

On the tableau, Wg Cdr Sharma said the IAF has been at the forefront of rendering humanitarian aid, both within and across borders. In Operation Kaveri launched on April 24, 2023 to evacuate Indian nationals from strife-torn Sudan, the IAF’s C-130J aircraft were used extensively towards rescuing 3,862 Indians from the country, he noted. “The rear element of the tableau depicts one specific sortie of this mission during which an IAF C-130 extricated Indian nationals from Wadi Sayyidna in Sudan under extremely adverse conditions at night.”

The middle section of the tableau depicts Tejas and SU-30 fighters flying over the Indian Ocean Region which depicts the ever-expanding reach of the lAF- over land, as well as over the sea, he added.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)