Tag Archives: India

GLOBAL: NATIONAL: AEROSPACE / MANY FIRSTS : World’s First Rocket with Single Piece 3D Printed Engine launched from Sriharikota

The feat has been achieved entirely through indigenous design and development.

The world’s first rocket with a single piece 3D printed engine was launched from Sriharikota on Thursday by Agnikul Cosmos, the IITMadras-incubated start-up.

The launch was witnessed by various luminaries including Dr S Somanath, Chairman, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Dr Pawan Goenka, Chairman of IN-SPACe, Rajeev Jyoti, Director (Technical), IN-SPACe, and A Raj Rajan, Director SHAR.

The ISRO chairman said that the success involving many firsts, including the 3D printed semi-cryogenic engine, flight control systems etc. demonstrate the prowess of indigenous design and innovation. “It motivates ISRO to support the Space startups and non-governmental entities for innovation and Atmanirbharata to create a vibrant space ecosystem in the country,” he said.

The feat has been achieved entirely through indigenous design and development after the launch was postponed many a times. ‘Agnibaan – SOrTeD’ Sub-Orbital Technology Demonstrator also has the unique distinction of having been launched from India’s first private launch pad called ‘Dhanush’ established by Agnikul. It is also India’s first semi-cryogenic engine-powered rocket launch.

“The key purpose of this mission, which is also Agnikul’s first flight, is to serve as a test flight, to demonstrate the in-house and home grown technologies, gather crucial flight data and ensure optimal functioning of systems for Agnikul’s orbital launch vehicle, the ‘Agnibaan’,” a statement issued by the company said.

The Agnibaan SOrTeD is powered by a semi-cryogenic engine that uses commercially available aviation turbine fuel or essentially kerosene and medical grade liquid oxygen, according to the company. Agnikul follows up on the first launch made by an Indian space company which was Skyroot Aerospace Private Limited which in 2022 flew a solid fuelled sounding rocket from Sriharikota.

Speaking about the next steps, Prof Satyanarayanan R Chakravarthy, founding advisor, Agnikul Cosmos and also the Head of National Centre for Combustion Research and Development (NCCRD), IIT Madras, said, “We are proud to present India’s first Semi-cryo rocket engine, which is also the world’s most integrated single shot 3D printed piece. It signals the ability to rapidly assemble rockets that is unparalleled.”

The Agnikul team consists of over 200 engineers and is associated with NCCRD at IIT Madras. Additionally, the team is guided by 45 former scientists from ISRO who bring invaluable expertise to the endeavour of democratising access to space, a statement said.

The flagship launch vehicle, ‘Agnibaan’, is designed to be compatible with the mobile launchpad called ‘Dhanush,’ allowing for launch flexibility regardless of location. Agnibaan can be configured to accommodate payloads ranging from 30 kg to 300 kg, ensuring versatility across a wide range of mission requirements, the statement added. The startup is aiming to fly an orbital mission towards the end 2024-2025.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: MIDDLE EAST/ QATAR: India Book of Records recognises Mikhail Vincent Paul, of Birla Public School Doha, a prodigy

In a jaw-dropping feat, Mikhail Vincent Paul, a budding paleontologist and a grade three student at Birla Public School, has roared into the spotlight by identifying a staggering 202 dinosaurs in a mere 2 minutes and 48 seconds.

This remarkable achievement has secured Mikhail a coveted spot in the Asia Book of Records and the India Book of Records affirming his position as a dino-legend in the making.

At the tender age of 7 years and 11 months, this young explorer’s passion for prehistoric creatures has propelled him into the limelight, capturing the hearts of dinosaur enthusiasts globally.

The astonishing accomplishment unfolded during a special event organised by the Asia Book of Records on February 4, 2024, where he showcased an encyclopedic knowledge of dinosaurs that left spectators in awe.

The family, teachers, and peers alike are celebrating this extraordinary achievement, with many marvelling at Mikhail’s ability to swiftly rattle off the names of dinosaurs with unmatched precision.

The event not only showcased the child’s exceptional memory and passion for paleontology but also served as an inspiration for other young minds to explore their interests fervently.

The young prodigy has earlier entered into the Asia Book of Records and India Book of Records, at the age of 6 years and 7 months, for being able to memorise 411 logos of various brands of automobiles and identifying them in under 9 minutes with accuracy.

The staff and students of BPS Doha are proud of Mikhail and congratulated him and his family for the great achievement accomplished.

source/content: thepeninsulaqatar.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: NATIONAL: India received over $111 billion in remittances in 2022, FIRST country to ever reach that figure: UN

According to the report’s data, India was the top country receiving remittances in 2010 (USD 53.48 billion), 2015 (USS 68.91 billion), and 2020 (USD 83.15 billion), with the remittances crossing the USD 100 billion mark to reach USD 111.22 billion in 2022.

India received over USD 111 billion in remittances in 2022, the largest in the world, becoming the first country to reach and even surpass the USD 100 billion mark, the United Nations migration agency has said.

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM), in its World Migration Report 2024 launched Tuesday, said that in 2022, India, Mexico, China, the Philippines and France were the top five remittance recipient countries.

“India was well above the rest, receiving more than USD 111 billion, the first country to reach and even surpass the USD 100 billion mark. Mexico was the second-largest remittance recipient in 2022, a position it also held in 2021 after overtaking China, which historically had been the second-biggest recipient after India,” the report said.

According to the report’s data, India was the top country receiving remittances in 2010 (USD 53.48 billion), 2015 (USS 68.91 billion), and 2020 (USD 83.15 billion), with the remittances crossing the USD 100 billion mark to reach USD 111.22 billion in 2022.

It noted that with a very large number of migrant workers from the subregion, Southern Asia receives some of the largest inflows of remittances globally.

Three countries in Southern Asia – India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, rank among the top ten recipients of international remittances in the world, underscoring the significance of labour migration from the subregion.

“With India estimated to have received more than USD 111 billion in 2022, it is by far the largest recipient of international remittances in the world and the first country to ever reach that figure,” the report said.

Pakistan and Bangladesh were the sixth and eighth largest international remittance recipients in 2022, receiving nearly USD 30 billion and USD 21.5 billion respectively.
The report however noted that while remittances remain a lifeline for many people in the subregion, migrant workers from these countries continue to face a myriad of risks, including financial exploitation, excessive financial debt due to migration costs, xenophobia and workplace abuses.
The Gulf States remain significant destinations for migrant workers from around the world, and the 2022 football World Cup further underscored the importance of migrant labour to the subregion as well as rights violations.

Migrants continue to comprise high proportions of the total populations in many Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) States.

In the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Qatar, migrants made up 88 per cent, nearly 73 and 77 per cent of the national populations, respectively.

Most migrants – many of whom come from countries such as India, Egypt, Bangladesh, Ethiopia and Kenya – work in sectors such as construction, hospitality, security, domestic work and retail.

The report added that nearly 18 million or 1.3 per cent of the total population, India is also the origin of the largest number of international migrants in the world, with large diasporas living in countries such as the United Arab Emirates, the United States and Saudi Arabia.

India came in 13th as the destination country for immigrants, with 4.48 million.

India – United Arab Emirates, India – US, India – Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh – India were among the top 10 international country-to-country migration corridors, the report said.

Mexico is now the second largest recipient of international remittances in the world after India. China had long held the second spot but it was surpassed by Mexico in 2021, with the Central American country estimated to have received more than USD 61 billion in 2022, while China received about USD 51 billion.

“The contraction of remittance flows to China has been attributed to multiple factors, including demographic shifts that have resulted in the shrinking of the working age population and the country’s zero-COVID policy, which prevented people from travelling abroad for work,” the report said.

The report further said that countries in Asia are the origins of the largest number of internationally mobile students in the world.
In 2021, more than one million internationally mobile students were from China, by far the highest number globally and more than double the number of students from India, which ranks second (around 508,000).

The US is the largest destination country for international mobile students in the world (more than 833,000), followed by the UK (nearly 601,000), Australia (around 378,000), Germany (over 376,000) and Canada (nearly 318,000).

China is also an important destination for international students, especially those from the Republic of Korea, Thailand, Pakistan and India.

The report said that there are more female than male international migrants in destination countries in Europe and Northern America, such as the US, Canada, France, Spain and Italy, but also in India.

India has a slightly higher share of female immigrants than males. Countries with a significantly high proportion of male emigrants include India, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

Irregular migration to the US remains an ongoing challenge and major policy issue, with increasing numbers of arrivals from atypical origin countries. There were 2.4 million encounters at the United States–Mexico border in 2022, the highest on record. “Encounters” constitute both apprehensions and expulsions, and these statistics also include many migrants who tried to enter the US several times without authorisation.

For years, most irregular migrants were overwhelmingly from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras but in 2022 and for the first time, there were more encounters with migrants from Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua.

“There were also a large number of arrivals from Haiti, Brazil and from countries outside the region such as India and Ukraine,” it said.
“The shift in origin country geography has also been attributed to Title 42, which suspends the right to claim asylum under United States and international law on the basis of preventing the spread of COVID-19,” it said.

The report noted that the impact of the pandemic has been severe on both internal and international Indian emigrant workers, particularly low-skilled emigrants on short-term contracts, migrants working within the informal economy and undocumented workers.

Loss of jobs along with wage theft and lack of social security during the pandemic has plunged many Indian migrants into deep debt and insecurity.

“The pandemic has had an overwhelming effect on internal labour migration patterns and has reshaped work in both rural and urban areas. There has been a decline of almost 10 per cent in blue-collar workforce mobility towards cities, which has drastically cut the labour supply for major industries. The official estimate of reverse internal migration is 51.6 per cent for men and 11 per cent for women,” the report said citing experts and official data.

Since 2000, IOM has been producing its flagship world migration reports every two years.

source/content: indianexpress.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: INDIA WINS: The Indian Express wins Design Award for Parliament Infographic at 6th International Newspaper Design Competiion

The new Parliament building houses a larger Lok Sabha hall with a capacity of up to 888 seats, and a larger Rajya Sabha hall with a capacity of upto 384 seats.

The Indian Express has won the 6th International Newspaper Design Competition’s Best of Show honour under the Best of Infographics category.

The winning infographic, titled ‘The Parliament of India’, was an in-depth look at the country’s old Parliament building, weaving in important dates, numbers, photographs, and detailed sketches. It was published ahead of the opening of the new Parliament building, inaugurated on May 28, 2023.

The infographic was designed by Bivash Barua, illustrated by Suvajit Dey, and included text by Chakshu Roy, Damini Nath, and Divya A.

“This is a clean and elegant execution, easy to read and follow, and the colour palette does not take the attention away from the topic,” the judges said.

Other winners of the 6th International Newspaper Design Competition included German newspaper Die Zeit under the Best of Page One, The Hindu under the Best of Sports Page category, and Hindustan Times under the Best of Double Spread.

Here is the infographic:

You can download the poster here

source/content: indianexpress.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: INDIAN NAVY : WOMEN POWER IN SAILING: Indian Navy’s female duo completes historic transoceanic sortie ahead of solo circumnavigation

Two women officers are in the fray for the Navy’s ambitious voyage yet — the Sagar Parikrama IV, a circumnavigation mission.

Lieutenant commanders Dilna K and Roopa Alagirisamy, the two women officers handpicked as potential candidates for the upcoming Sagar Parikrama IV, the Navy’s most ambitious voyage yet, have successfully completed their ‘final examination’ on the seas.

The so-called test entailed undertaking a transoceanic sortie aboard INSV Tarini from Goa to Port Louis in Mauritius, and back. This nearly 5,000 nautical mile journey in double-handed mode was the first-of-its-kind by Indian women, thus marking a significant milestone for the Navy.

The women duo recorded ‘full marks’ when Tarini was flagged in by the who’s who of INS Mandovi at the boat pool in Goa on Sunday. It concluded a two-month expedition that began on February 28 and also involved a series of events to strengthen bilateral ties during the stopover in Mauritius.

“The expedition was particularly challenging as each leg of the journey was a continuous voyage of about 2,700 nautical miles without breaks. Besides demanding to settle into a rhythm at sea, the journey also threw various weather conditions,” says Cdr Abhilash Tomy (retd), the officers’ mentor and only Indian to circumnavigate the world twice.

Each leg of the journey took nearly three weeks and saw the two women officers battle heavy winds and rough seas. “The two officers are used to being on the water by now. They have been training for nearly three years, undertaking regular sorties,” a Navy source tells TNIE. 

Indeed, both Lt Cdr Dilna and Lt Cdr Roopa have over 25,000 nautical miles to their names. According to Cdr Abhilash, the two are “quite well prepared.”

In November 2023, the two officers had sailed from Goa to Port Blair and back — nearly the same distance as from Goa to Mauritius. “Though that voyage too was in double-handed mode, they were still sailing on Indian waters. This time, they crossed into the ocean,” the source elaborates.

Even crossing oceans isn’t new. This time last year, they embarked on an expedition to Rio De Janeiro and back on the same vessel with a six-member crew. However, the upcoming Sagar Parikrama mission will be unlike the voyages they’ve been on. It will see a woman officer sail around the world, solo and unassisted.

“Of the two officers, only one will make this journey. This transoceanic voyage was their final test. We will now evaluate and decide who will undertake the circumnavigation mission,” the source says. According to him, both of them have a good chance of qualifying.

Though India has eight circumnavigators, only two have done it solo — Captain Dilip Donde (retd) and Cdr Abhilash. Their voyages, in 2010 and 2013, respectively, were the first two iterations of the Sagar Parikrama series. Interestingly, the two are also the first Indian male pair to undertake a transoceanic sortie (in 2009).

The third Sagar Parikrama mission in 2017 saw Lt Cdr Joshi Vartika lead a six-member crew across the world’s oceans. To see an Indian woman sail around the world solo and unassisted was the longtime dream of the late VAdm M P Awati, considered the father of Indian circumnavigation missions.

Now, only months remain for this dream to be fulfilled. Sagar Parikrama IV is set to commence in September.

Lt Cdr Dilna K

  • Hails from Kozhikode, Kerala
  • Joined the Navy as a logistics officer in 2014
  • Is a renowned shooter; have won several medals in national competitions
  • Big enthusiast of cricket; have represented the Kerala state team
  • Won YAI’s Admiral Ramdas Trophy last year

Lt Cdr Roopa A

  • Hails from Puducherry
  • Joined the Navy into the naval armament inspection cadre in 2017
  • Is an aeronautical engineering graduate; had a stint with National Aerospace Laboratories
  • Her father, Alagirisamy G P, is a former Indian Air Force pilot
  • Won YAI’s Admiral Ramdas Trophy last year yearAdmiral Ramdas Trophy,

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL : NATIONAL: Pin Code Mh-1718: Story Of A Post Office In Antarctica With Indian Address

India’s two research bases on Antarctica, Maitri and Bharati, are part of the Goa postal division.

Pin Code Mh-1718: India set up its first post office in Antarctica’s Dakshi Gangotri in the year 1984. Within a year more than 10,000 letters and mail had been posted and ‘cancelled’ at the post office. however, in 1988-89, Dakshin Gangotri submerged in ice and was subsequently decommissioned. Another branch was set up at Maitri research station in Antarctica on January 26, 1990.

Since then philatelists, collectors and hobbyists send letters and postcards in blank envelopes to the Maitri post office for ‘cancellation’ and this practice continued for over 35 years. Notably, stamp impression, “Maitri North Goa,” from the Antarctic research base, has become a renowned “collector’s item.”

Nearly 40 years later, the Department of Posts is opening the second branch of the post office and giving the letters a new pin code MH-1718. Officials noted that the code currently allocated is “experimental,” as is customary when a new branch commences operations.

Now India has two bases in Antarctica, Maitri and Bharati, and fall under the jurisdiction of the Goa postal division.

“In practice, the letters meant for the post office in Antarctica are sent to the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), the nodal agency for India’s polar expeditions, in Goa. When a scientific expedition to the continent leaves from the NCPOR, a researcher is usually tasked with carrying the consignment of letters. At the research base, the letters are ‘cancelled’, brought back, and returned via post,” said an official from the Department of Posts.

The authorities have clarified that the term ‘cancellation’ pertains to the mark placed on a stamp or postal stationery to render it useless for reuse. Usually, letters marked as ‘cancelled’ denote the location and date of the originating post office. These markings hold high value for enthusiasts, giving critical insights about the worth of the stamps.

M Sudhakar, an ex-scientist at NCPOR, further shed light on the unique role that the post office plays, especially recognising Antarctic’s governance under the Antarctic Treaty. This treaty neutralizes any territorial claims by nations, bans military operations and nuclear tests, and strongly advocates for the continent’s use exclusively for scientific discovery.

“Typically, an Indian post office can only be in the jurisdiction of Indian land. Antarctica gives a unique opportunity to have an Indian post office in a land which is foreign and does not belong to us. So, it serves a strategic purpose in terms of asserting presence on the continent,” he said.

On the occasion, Chief Postmaster General, Maharashtra circle, K K Sharma requested scientists in Antarctica to continue to post letters to their loved ones.

“There is always a lot of excitement about these post offices (in remote locations). Nowadays with WhatsApp and Twitter, all this (technology) has taken over. But, nothing can beat the written word. Particularly, when you are sitting so far from your family. I would request that you please make use of this fantastic opportunity, and write letters to your loved ones… You can create memories and they will stay with you in physical form. All these e-formats get erased fast, but you can look at a letter years later and it will take you back to those memories,” said Sharma.

In India, it’s typically philately enthusiasts and stamp collectors who mostly send mail to Antarctic post office branches.

R P Patil, Director, Postal Services, Goa region, said, “Collectors of postage stamps see it as a rare opportunity to collect the ‘impression’ of a stamp from a remote post-office location. There is always a high demand from philatelists for cancellation of letters.”

source/content: india.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: INDIAs FIRST : GREEN ENERGY: Adani Green Energy (AGEL) becomes India’s First to surpass 10,000 MW renewable energy; Gautam Adani says proud to be India’s first ‘das hazari’

AGEL’s 10,934 MW operational portfolio will power more than 5.8 million homes and avoid about 21 million tonnes of CO2 emissions annually, the company said.

Adani Green Energy Limited (AGEL) on Wednesday announced that it has surpassed 10,000 megawatts (MW) of operational portfolio, delivering reliable, affordable, and clean power to the national grid. AGEL’s operational portfolio consists of 7,393 MW solar, 1,401 MW wind and 2,140 MW wind-solar hybrid capacity. “The milestone is a testament to AGEL and its development partners firmly moving towards the goal of 45,000 GW renewable energy by 2030,” the company said in a regulatory filing. 

AGEL’s 10,934 MW operational portfolio will power more than 5.8 million homes and avoid about 21 million tonnes of CO2 emissions annually, it said. 

“We are proud to be India’s first das hazari in the renewables space,” said Gautam Adani , Chairman of the Adani Group . “In less than a decade, Adani Green Engergy has not just envisioned a greener future but has actualised it, growing from a mere idea to explore clean energy to achieving a phenomenal 10,000 MW in installed capacity. This achievement is a demonstration of the rapidity and scale at which the Adani Group aims to facilitate India’s transition to clean, reliable and affordable energy. In our drive towards 45,000 MW by 2030, we are building the world’s largest renewable energy plant in Khavda — a 30,000 MW project unparalleled on the global stage. AGEL is not just setting benchmarks for the world but redefining them.”

Sumant Sinha-promoted ReNew has also crossed 10,000 MW of operational renewable energy capacity as of March 31 this year, according to sources in the company.

Tata Power Renewable Energy’s (TPREL) operational capacity is 4,471 MW, which includes 3,444 MW solar and 1,027 MW wind capacity. The total renewables capacity of TPREL has reached 9,018 MW (PPA capacity is 7,632 MW), including 4,547 MW projects under various stages of implementation, the company said recently.

AGEL’s operating portfolio is certified ‘single-use plastic free’, ‘zero waste-to-landfill’ and ‘water positive for plants with more than 200 MW capacity’.

In terms of its contribution to India’s renewable energy goals, AGEL is working on greenfield expansion in the sector, represents about 11 per cent of the country’s installed utility-scale solar and wind capacity, contributes to over 15 per cent of India’s utility-scale solar installations, and has created over 3,200 direct green jobs.

(With Inputs from Raghavendra Kamath, Financial Express)

source/content: financialexpress.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL / NATIONAL: SPACE & TECHNOLOGY: Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL) announces successful deployment of sub-metre resolution optical satellite TSAT-1A from Kennedy Space Centre, Florida

TSAT-1A was launched from Kennedy Space centre aboard the Bandwagon-1 mission by SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket.

Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) announced the successful deployment in space of its sub-metre resolution optical satellite, TSAT-1A, by SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. The satellite was placed in space as part of the Bandwagon-1 mission and was launched from Kennedy Space centre, Florida, U.S., at 11:16 p.m. UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) on April 7.

“This achievement follows the collaboration signed between TASL and Satellogic in November 2023, leveraging Satellogic’s expertise to develop and integrate an advanced earth observation satellite in India and TASL’s capability to undertake complex system integration,” it said in a statement. “TSAT-1A will deliver high-resolution optical satellite images with increased collection capacity, dynamic range, and low-latency delivery through its multispectral and hyperspectral capabilities.”

The statement said that TSAT-1A was assembled in TASL’s Assembly, Integration and Testing plant at its Vemagal facility in Karnataka. “This milestone shows TASL’s commitment to the space sector. This is a first step. Our partnership with Satellogic has enabled us to deliver an assembled-and-tested-in-India, best-in-class, sub-metre optical satellite which was launched by SpaceX,” Sukaran Singh, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, TASL said in the statement.

Emiliano Kargieman, CEO of Satellogic said this illustrates the flexibility of Satellogic’s space systems programme, offering governments and enterprises the ability to tailor a proven satellite model for their specific needs, and reach orbit within a favourable timeframe.

On the Bandwagon-1 mission, SpaceX said that it was its first dedicated rideshare mission launched into a mid-inclination orbit. “While our Transporter rideshare missions launch to a sun-synchronous orbit, launching to a mid-inclination orbit fills in the gaps for our customers that wish to expand their coverage or complete unique objectives,” it said on social media platform ‘X’. “Mid-inclination orbit offers a higher revisit rate, meaning the time between flyovers of the same point is faster than what is seen with other orbits.”

In addition to TSAT-1A, the Bandwagon-1 mission also had 11 other spacecraft. These include Korea’s 425Sat, HawkEye 360’s Clusters 8 & 9, Tyvak International’s CENTAURI-6, iQPS’s QPS-SAR-7 TSUKUYOMI-II and Capella Space’s Capella-14, according to SpaceX.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL / KARANTAKA: BUSINESS & ECONOMY : Ramesh Kunhikannan, Founder of Kaynes Technololgy Makes It To Forbes List Of Billionaires 2024

He is the Founder of Mysuru’s Kaynes Technology that supplied power systems for the Chandrayaan-3’s lander and rover.

India reached a huge milestone last year, as the country became the first nation to land a spacecraft near the unexplored south pole of the moon.

Ramesh Kunhikannan, whose company contributed largely to the historic space mission, was named on the Forbes Billionaires List 2024 for the first time this year, thanks to the historic space mission. He is presently placed among the richest people across the globe along with Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Mukesh Ambani with a whopping 1.2 billion US Dollars (approx. Rs. 10,011 crore) net worth.

Ramesh Kunhikannan is the Founder and Managing Director of Kaynes Technology India, headquartered in Mysuru.

The company is famous for manufacturing electronic products. The 60-year-old billionaire graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the National Institute of Engineering (NIE), Mysuru.

He started his company in 1988 as a contract electronics manufacturer. His spouse and current company Chairperson, Savitha Ramesh, joined the company in 1996. The company presently hold a market capitalisation of Rs. 17,156 crore with its stocks priced at around Rs. 2,700, according  to Value Search.

The 36-year-old company mainly supplies electronic systems and design services to automobile industries, aerospace, medical and defence. Kaynes’ services are mainly used for electronic controls in EVs, railway signals, etc.

The shares of the company have given a return of about 234 percent since its debut. The company assembles printed circuit boards and has eight factories in India.

Kaynes supplies 350 clients across the globe in the auto, aerospace and medical industries.

It is also one of the multiple companies which largely contributed to the achievement of Chandrayan 3. The company provided power systems for the Chandrayaan-3’s lander and rover. Following the successful completion of the mission, Kaynes Technology India’s shares skyrocketed from Rs. 1,719 in August 2022 to Rs. 2683.85 as of today.

Presently, Kunhikannan holds 64 percent of the company which is around 1.1 billion US Dollars (approximately Rs. 8.3 thousand crores) to his net worth.

source/content: starofmysore.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: DEFENCE / NAVY: Kochi becomes US Navy’s latest docking station

Cochin Shipyard has signed a Master Shipyard Repair Agreement with the US Navy as part of an agreement reached during last year’s G20 summit for India to support the US Navy’s forward deployment.

US Naval ships will now dock at, and undergo repairs, at Cochin Shipyard according to a new agreement, part of a broader naval cooperation framework agreed between India and the US during last year’s G20 summit.

Officials of Cochin Shipyard, a Government of India undertaking, signed a Master Shipyard Repair Agreement (MSRA) with the United States Navy effective from April 05, 2024 as part of a larger plan for India to support the US’ forward naval deployment in Asia.

The move, along with similar agreements signed by L&T for Kattupalli Port near Chennai and Mazgaon Docs in Mumbai, will help the U.S. Navy to establish maintenance hubs for its assets in the Indo-Pacific region.

The agreement with L&T and Mazgaon Dock Shipbuilders was signed last year. These shipyards are renowned for constructing some of the Indian Navy’s most advanced and largest warships.

The U.S. Navy’s decision to partner with Indian shipyards for maintenance and repair of its vessels is driven by the limited availability of suitable facilities within the Indo-Pacific region. Currently, the shipyards capable of servicing U.S. vessels are in East Asia and South East Asia, within range of Chinese forces, posing a potential security risk.

While facilities in Hawaii and the Continental United States are available, they are not easily accessible for forward-deployed assets.

The move comes in the wake of deepening security and defense ties between the two nations, particularly in the face of shared concerns regarding China’s activities in the region. India has taken a more proactive role in regional security, engaging in multilateral initiatives such as the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue alongside the U.S., Japan, and Australia.

The U.S. Navy operates a vast fleet of approximately 290 ships and submarines, as well as over 3,700 aircraft, deployed across the globe.

It has significant presence in the Indian Ocean, with the U.S. 5th Fleet headquartered in Bahrain. The fleet is responsible for US’ naval forces in the Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Arabian Sea, and parts of the Indian Ocean.

In addition to the agreements with Indian shipyards, the U.S. has also been exploring the possibility of using private Japanese shipyards for maintenance and repairs.

The first instance of a U.S. vessel being maintained and repaired in an Indian shipyard occurred in 2022, when USNS Charles Drew (T-AKE-10) docked at L&T’s Kattupalli shipyard in Chennai.

This event marked a new dimension in the growing Indo-U.S. strategic partnership, according to the Indian Ministry of Defence. Since then, two more U.S. vessels, USNS Matthew Perry (T-AKE-9) and USNS Salvor (T-ARS 52), have undergone maintenance and repairs at the same shipyard.

The two countries have also been holding several joint exercises and engagements. They have also signed defense agreements such as the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA), Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA), and Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) for sharing of logistics support, secure communications, and geospatial intelligence.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)