Over the last two weeks, hundreds of personnel from the Indian Army, Navy, Air Force, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and state authorities in India's Kerala worked day and night, to offer succour to the people of landslide-hit Wayanad. However, amid all these heroic efforts, the commitment and courage of the Indian Army's Junior Commissioned Officer Jinosh Jayan stands out. Despite losing four members of his own family, Jinosh made his way to his devastated hometown to join the massive Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) efforts that were being mounted. His on-ground efforts are underway even at the time of the writing of this report.

<div bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:8,&quot;y&quot;:151,&quot;w&quot;:723,&quot;h&quot;:221,&quot;abs_x&quot;:41,&quot;abs_y&quot;:1988}" class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:121,&quot;y&quot;:162,&quot;w&quot;:495,&quot;h&quot;:200,&quot;abs_x&quot;:154,&quot;abs_y&quot;:1999}" class="twitter-tweet">
Despite losing 4members of his own family, <a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:494,&quot;y&quot;:200,&quot;w&quot;:59,&quot;h&quot;:14,&quot;abs_x&quot;:527,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2037}" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/wayanad?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#wayanad</a> Chooralmala-native &amp; Army man JCO Jinosh Jayan played an active role in the rescue&amp; relief ops 
 
His thorough knowledge of the terrain, number of homes, map-making skills proved crucial. He's still on-site, at work. <a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:273,&quot;y&quot;:292,&quot;w&quot;:72,&quot;h&quot;:14,&quot;abs_x&quot;:306,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2129}" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndianArmy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndianArmy</a> <a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:350,&quot;y&quot;:292,&quot;w&quot;:149,&quot;h&quot;:14,&quot;abs_x&quot;:383,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2129}" href="https://t.co/llIyADqkDz">pic.twitter.com/llIyADqkDz</a>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:431,&quot;y&quot;:321,&quot;w&quot;:94,&quot;h&quot;:14,&quot;abs_x&quot;:464,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2158}" href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1823370114701447642?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 13, 2024</a></blockquote>
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In the aftermath of the landslide, JCO Jinosh learned of the loss of his uncle, cousin brother, cousin brother's wife and their 21-year-old daughter. He also learnt that his parents had managed to move to a safer location. Jinosh's family was&nbsp;living in Chooralmala, among the villages that bore the maximum brunt of the landslides.

Despite the personal losses, Jinosh requested an emergency leave from his Army Unit 321 Medium Regiment and headed to aid the rescue teams, armed with his thorough knowledge of the terrain, the exact number of homes, and possible rescue spots in the landslide-hit villages.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:88,&quot;y&quot;:539,&quot;w&quot;:567,&quot;h&quot;:16,&quot;abs_x&quot;:121,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2376}" href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/video-wayanad-residents-give-emotional-farewell-to-rescuer-indian-army-748506">Video: Wayanad residents give emotional farewell to rescuers from Indian Army</a>

"I was posted in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, when I got to know of the wee hours landslide that struck my hometown in Wayanad. Aurangabad is more than 1000km&nbsp;away from Wayanad. On speaking to my parents and understanding the severity of the situation, I sought permission to avail Emergency leave and left for my hometown," JCO Jinosh told WION.

According to defence officials, JCO Jinosh made the best use of his expertise as a surveyor and created hand-drawn maps that aided the ground teams. Since August 1, Jinosh has been contributing immensely to the operations at the site of the disaster, despite all the personal losses and sorrow that he had to endure.&nbsp;

Jinosh said that his parents managed to miraculously survive the disaster, as they were able to move to safer, higher ground. However, his paternal family members were not so lucky. Of the four family members that they tragically lost, the mortal remains of only three members have been recovered.&nbsp;

While a significant portion of the forces deployed to Wayanad have been withdrawn, Jinosh continues to serve at the landslide site even at the time of the writing of this report. Jinosh is leading small teams of Kerala Forest Department Personnel and Special Operations Group (SOG) personnel in search operations in the remote and far-flung areas around the disaster site. He says that their teams continue to recover mortal remains, despite it being two weeks since the disaster unfolded. As of August 13, Tuesday, the mortal remains of 437 persons have been recovered.&nbsp;

Jinosh's efforts and tireless service have been recognised and commended by Kerala police officials - Ajith Kumar, IPS, Additional Director General of Police, and Inspector General Sethu Raman.

Over the last two weeks, hundreds of personnel from the Indian Army, Navy, Air Force, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and state authorities in India's Kerala worked day and night, to offer succour to the people of landslide-hit Wayanad.

Over the last two weeks, hundreds of personnel from the Indian Army, Navy, Air Force, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and state authorities in India's Kerala worked day and night, to offer succour to the people of landslide-hit Wayanad. However, amid all these heroic efforts, the commitment and courage of the Indian Army's Junior Commissioned Officer Jinosh Jayan stands out. Despite losing four members of his own family, Jinosh made his way to his devastated hometown to join the massive Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) efforts that were being mounted. His on-ground efforts are underway even at the time of the writing of this report. Despite losing 4members of his own family, #wayanad Chooralmala-native & Army man JCO Jinosh Jayan played an active role in the rescue& relief ops His thorough knowledge of the terrain, number of homes, map-making skills proved crucial. He's still on-site, at work. #IndianArmy pic.twitter.com/llIyADqkDz — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) August 13, 2024 × In the aftermath of the landslide, JCO Jinosh learned of the loss of his uncle, cousin brother, cousin brother's wife and their 21-year-old daughter. He also learnt that his parents had managed to move to a safer location. Jinosh's family was living in Chooralmala, among the villages that bore the maximum brunt of the landslides. Despite the personal losses, Jinosh requested an emergency leave from his Army Unit 321 Medium Regiment and headed to aid the rescue teams, armed with his thorough knowledge of the terrain, the exact number of homes, and possible rescue spots in the landslide-hit villages. Also read | Video: Wayanad residents give emotional farewell to rescuers from Indian Army "I was posted in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, when I got to know of the wee hours landslide that struck my hometown in Wayanad. Aurangabad is more than 1000km away from Wayanad. On speaking to my parents and understanding the severity of the situation, I sought permission to avail Emergency leave and left for my hometown," JCO Jinosh told WION. According to defence officials, JCO Jinosh made the best use of his expertise as a surveyor and created hand-drawn maps that aided the ground teams. Since August 1, Jinosh has been contributing immensely to the operations at the site of the disaster, despite all the personal losses and sorrow that he had to endure. Jinosh said that his parents managed to miraculously survive the disaster, as they were able to move to safer, higher ground. However, his paternal family members were not so lucky. Of the four family members that they tragically lost, the mortal remains of only three members have been recovered. While a significant portion of the forces deployed to Wayanad have been withdrawn, Jinosh continues to serve at the landslide site even at the time of the writing of this report. Jinosh is leading small teams of Kerala Forest Department Personnel and Special Operations Group (SOG) personnel in search operations in the remote and far-flung areas around the disaster site. He says that their teams continue to recover mortal remains, despite it being two weeks since the disaster unfolded. As of August 13, Tuesday, the mortal remains of 437 persons have been recovered. Jinosh's efforts and tireless service have been recognised and commended by Kerala police officials - Ajith Kumar, IPS, Additional Director General of Police, and Inspector General Sethu Raman.

Despite losing family, Indian army man Jinosh served in Wayanad landslide ops

The Russian nuclear power agency Rosatom has commenced the production of nuclear fuel that will power India's Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP) Units 3 and 4, which are under construction in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu.&nbsp;

"TVEL Fuel Company of Rosatom has started implementation of nuclear fuel supply contract. This contract embraces the entire lifetime of the power units from the starting loading of the reactor cores," Rosatom said.

Typically, modern-day nuclear power plants have a lifetime of 40-60 years. Kudankulam comprises a total of six VVER-1000 type power units, each of which is capable of generating 1000 megawatts of power.

For nearly 10&nbsp;years, Units 1 and 2 of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant have been operational. Thus far, during the operational period of Units 1 and 2 of KKNPP, Russian and Indian specialists have accomplished a large amount of work to improve their efficiency by introducing advanced nuclear fuel and extended fuel cycles.&nbsp;

Since 2022, Kudankulam NPP has been supplied with nuclear fuel of improved design 'TVS-2M'. The new fuel ensures more reliable and cost-efficient operation of reactors due to its rigid skeleton, new-generation anti-debris filter and higher uranium mass.

The introduction of TVS-2M also enabled the increase of the continuous operation period of the reactor from 12 months to 18 months.

The newer fuel meant that the reactor could operate for six months longer than usual. Typically, after 12 months of operation, the reactor has to be shut down and its irradiated fuel has to be unloaded and the fresh fuel has to be loaded.

Now this process needs to be done only once in 18 months, thanks to the new type of fuel that is in use. Longer periods of continuous operation boosts the economic efficiency of the nuclear reactor, as it can produce more power during the year and faces less number of shutdowns overall.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/s-jaishankar-begins-3-day-maldives-visit-today-amid-tense-relations-748629">Indian FM S. Jaishankar to begin 3-day Maldives visit amid tense relations</a>

“The facilities of the second stage of the Kudankulam NPP will be the first VVER-1000 reactors in history to be launched in an extended 18-month fuel cycle.

"This is a result of our successful cooperation in recent years, as the efficient solutions which have been previously implemented at similar reactors in Russia and China were also introduced at the Kudankulam operational power units.

Throughout the entire NPP life cycle, Rosatom not only supplies nuclear fuel, but also provides engineering services, improving the efficiency of power units through new solutions for fuel and fuel cycle,” Natalia Nikipelova, president of TVEL Fuel Company, said.

KKNPP in Tamil Nadu involves the construction of six&nbsp;power units of VVER-1000 reactors with an installed capacity of 6000 MW. The first stage, consisting of power units No.&nbsp;1 and No. 2, was commissioned in 2013 and 2017, respectively.

Power units No. 3, 4 and No. 5, 6 are the second and third stages of the Kudankulam NPP. Currently, power units 3, 4, 5, and 6 are under construction.

TVEL Fuel Company of Rosatom (the fuel division of the state corporation Rosatom)&nbsp;includes enterprises for the manufacture of nuclear fuel, conversion and enrichment of uranium, production of gas centrifuges, as well as research and design organisations.

Being the only exclusive supplier of nuclear fuel for Russian nuclear power plants, TVEL provides fuel to a total of more than 70 power reactors in 15 countries, and research reactors in nine countries across&nbsp;the world.

Notably, every sixth power reactor in the world is powered by TVEL fuel. Rosatom’s fuel division is also the world’s largest producer of enriched uranium.

The Russian nuclear power agency Rosatom has commenced the production of nuclear fuel that will power India's Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP) Units 3 and 4, which are under construction in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

The Russian nuclear power agency Rosatom has commenced the production of nuclear fuel that will power India's Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP) Units 3 and 4, which are under construction in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. "TVEL Fuel Company of Rosatom has started implementation of nuclear fuel supply contract. This contract embraces the entire lifetime of the power units from the starting loading of the reactor cores," Rosatom said. Typically, modern-day nuclear power plants have a lifetime of 40-60 years. Kudankulam comprises a total of six VVER-1000 type power units, each of which is capable of generating 1000 megawatts of power. For nearly 10 years, Units 1 and 2 of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant have been operational. Thus far, during the operational period of Units 1 and 2 of KKNPP, Russian and Indian specialists have accomplished a large amount of work to improve their efficiency by introducing advanced nuclear fuel and extended fuel cycles. Since 2022, Kudankulam NPP has been supplied with nuclear fuel of improved design 'TVS-2M'. The new fuel ensures more reliable and cost-efficient operation of reactors due to its rigid skeleton, new-generation anti-debris filter and higher uranium mass. The introduction of TVS-2M also enabled the increase of the continuous operation period of the reactor from 12 months to 18 months. The newer fuel meant that the reactor could operate for six months longer than usual. Typically, after 12 months of operation, the reactor has to be shut down and its irradiated fuel has to be unloaded and the fresh fuel has to be loaded. Now this process needs to be done only once in 18 months, thanks to the new type of fuel that is in use. Longer periods of continuous operation boosts the economic efficiency of the nuclear reactor, as it can produce more power during the year and faces less number of shutdowns overall. Also read: Indian FM S. Jaishankar to begin 3-day Maldives visit amid tense relations “The facilities of the second stage of the Kudankulam NPP will be the first VVER-1000 reactors in history to be launched in an extended 18-month fuel cycle. "This is a result of our successful cooperation in recent years, as the efficient solutions which have been previously implemented at similar reactors in Russia and China were also introduced at the Kudankulam operational power units. Throughout the entire NPP life cycle, Rosatom not only supplies nuclear fuel, but also provides engineering services, improving the efficiency of power units through new solutions for fuel and fuel cycle,” Natalia Nikipelova, president of TVEL Fuel Company, said. KKNPP in Tamil Nadu involves the construction of six power units of VVER-1000 reactors with an installed capacity of 6000 MW. The first stage, consisting of power units No. 1 and No. 2, was commissioned in 2013 and 2017, respectively. Power units No. 3, 4 and No. 5, 6 are the second and third stages of the Kudankulam NPP. Currently, power units 3, 4, 5, and 6 are under construction. TVEL Fuel Company of Rosatom (the fuel division of the state corporation Rosatom) includes enterprises for the manufacture of nuclear fuel, conversion and enrichment of uranium, production of gas centrifuges, as well as research and design organisations. Being the only exclusive supplier of nuclear fuel for Russian nuclear power plants, TVEL provides fuel to a total of more than 70 power reactors in 15 countries, and research reactors in nine countries across the world. Notably, every sixth power reactor in the world is powered by TVEL fuel. Rosatom’s fuel division is also the world’s largest producer of enriched uranium.

Russia commences fuel production for Kudankulam Units 3 and 4

A few people in landslide-hit Wayanad in&nbsp;Kerala, have a&nbsp;feathered friend to thank - pet parrot 'Kingini'. During the wee hours of Tuesday, July 30, just before thousands of tons of massive boulders, debris, and soil came crashing down on the hillside villages, Kingini's frantic cries, screeches and wing-flapping from within its cage changed the fate and saved lives.&nbsp;

According to Vinod, Kingini's pet parent, the violent and unusual behaviour of the caged parrot had alerted him right in the nick of time. As a miraculous after-effect, Vinod then rang up his friends and neighbours. Luckily for them, they all sensed something suspicious and fled to safety.&nbsp;

There is considerable anecdotal and scientific evidence indicating that animals and birds can sense some disasters early. The exact mechanisms are not always well understood, but various theories and observations explain how animals might detect impending natural disasters.

"Before the landslide occurred, my parrot was extremely agitated and behaving wildly. In the violent wing-flapping, the bird had also lost some of its feathers in the cage itself. I was wondering whether the parrot was urging me to free it from the cage. So, I rang up a neighbour Jiji and checked. Sensing something dangerous, they fled to safety," Vinod recalls from a facility in Wayanad where he has been staying with hundreds of other evacuees.&nbsp;

Vinod did not stop at alerting one friend, he also rang up another friend. Prashant, a bank employee, was fast asleep, until he received the phone call. Fortunately for Prashant, he too fled in time and escaped the horrors that multiple hillside villages (Chooralmala, Mundakkayi, Punchirimattom) in Wayanad underwent that night.&nbsp;

Satellite imagery captured by ISRO's Radar-imaging satellite (RI-Sat) captured the extent of devastation in the region. At a speed of nearly 28,000kmph, as the spacecraft made a pass over this region on 31st July (a day after the landslide), it offered unprecedented insights into the disaster.&nbsp;

<div bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:8,&quot;y&quot;:469,&quot;w&quot;:723,&quot;h&quot;:236,&quot;abs_x&quot;:41,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2306}" class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:116,&quot;y&quot;:479,&quot;w&quot;:505,&quot;h&quot;:215,&quot;abs_x&quot;:149,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2316}" class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:121,&quot;y&quot;:479,&quot;w&quot;:495,&quot;h&quot;:215,&quot;abs_x&quot;:154,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2316}" class="twitter-tweet">
Imaging from <a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:271,&quot;y&quot;:518,&quot;w&quot;:28,&quot;h&quot;:14,&quot;abs_x&quot;:304,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2355}" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/isro?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#isro</a> RI-Sat(a Synthetic Aprrture Radar satellite), as captured barely 24hrs after the deadly <a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:447,&quot;y&quot;:533,&quot;w&quot;:117,&quot;h&quot;:14,&quot;abs_x&quot;:480,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2370}" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WayanadLandslide?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WayanadLandslide</a> <a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:332,&quot;y&quot;:549,&quot;w&quot;:109,&quot;h&quot;:14,&quot;abs_x&quot;:365,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2386}" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WayanadDisaster?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WayanadDisaster</a> 
 
Usual optical satellite click pics (like cameras),but can't see amid clouds, full darkness 
SAR <a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:280,&quot;y&quot;:610,&quot;w&quot;:31,&quot;h&quot;:14,&quot;abs_x&quot;:313,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2447}" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/tech?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#tech</a> is meant for all-weather, day/night <a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:304,&quot;y&quot;:625,&quot;w&quot;:165,&quot;h&quot;:14,&quot;abs_x&quot;:337,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2462}" href="https://t.co/4jDhoE5EWX">pic.twitter.com/4jDhoE5EWX</a>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:435,&quot;y&quot;:654,&quot;w&quot;:87,&quot;h&quot;:14,&quot;abs_x&quot;:468,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2491}" href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1820881774467252523?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 6, 2024</a></blockquote>
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ISRO's data mentions that the region was already landslide-prone and had witnessed landslides in bygone years. It also highlights that the landslide originated from a peak that was at an altitude of 1.550 km&nbsp;above sea level. It from such a height that the entire trail of destruction began. From the peak where it originated, the trail of debris flowed down for an 8 km-long stretch, wiping out everything in the way - homes, places of worship, schools, shops, roads, vehicles, etc. ISRO pegs the extent of the landslide at&nbsp;86,000 square metres.

ISRO's RI-Sat is significantly different from &nbsp;conventional satellites that capture optical imagery (photographs). Conventional imaging satellites are comparable to cameras - their imaging capabilities are hindered by clouds, changes in weather, day/night cycles, etc. However, RI-Sat uses Radar signals to map the earth below. It fires radar beams towards the earth and collects the reflection (backscatter) of those beams. As the satellite travels along its designated path, it combines all the reflections that it receives over time. By combining and processing these reflections, these satellites offer high-resolution imagery. This technology is known as Synthetic Aperture Radar.

Depending on the wavelength used, Synthetic aperture radar signals can penetrate through vegetation, snow, and even some types of soil, providing information about underlying structures.&nbsp;

A few people in landslide-hit Wayanad in Kerala, have a feathered friend to thank - pet parrot 'Kingini'. During the wee hours of Tuesday, July 30, just before thousands of tons of massive boulders, debris, and soil came crashing down on the hillside villages, Kingini's frantic cries, screeches and wing-flapping from within its cage changed the fate and saved lives.

A few people in landslide-hit Wayanad in Kerala, have a feathered friend to thank - pet parrot 'Kingini'. During the wee hours of Tuesday, July 30, just before thousands of tons of massive boulders, debris, and soil came crashing down on the hillside villages, Kingini's frantic cries, screeches and wing-flapping from within its cage changed the fate and saved lives. According to Vinod, Kingini's pet parent, the violent and unusual behaviour of the caged parrot had alerted him right in the nick of time. As a miraculous after-effect, Vinod then rang up his friends and neighbours. Luckily for them, they all sensed something suspicious and fled to safety. There is considerable anecdotal and scientific evidence indicating that animals and birds can sense some disasters early. The exact mechanisms are not always well understood, but various theories and observations explain how animals might detect impending natural disasters. "Before the landslide occurred, my parrot was extremely agitated and behaving wildly. In the violent wing-flapping, the bird had also lost some of its feathers in the cage itself. I was wondering whether the parrot was urging me to free it from the cage. So, I rang up a neighbour Jiji and checked. Sensing something dangerous, they fled to safety," Vinod recalls from a facility in Wayanad where he has been staying with hundreds of other evacuees. Vinod did not stop at alerting one friend, he also rang up another friend. Prashant, a bank employee, was fast asleep, until he received the phone call. Fortunately for Prashant, he too fled in time and escaped the horrors that multiple hillside villages (Chooralmala, Mundakkayi, Punchirimattom) in Wayanad underwent that night. Satellite imagery captured by ISRO's Radar-imaging satellite (RI-Sat) captured the extent of devastation in the region. At a speed of nearly 28,000kmph, as the spacecraft made a pass over this region on 31st July (a day after the landslide), it offered unprecedented insights into the disaster. Imaging from #isro RI-Sat(a Synthetic Aprrture Radar satellite), as captured barely 24hrs after the deadly #WayanadLandslide #WayanadDisaster Usual optical satellite click pics (like cameras),but can't see amid clouds, full darkness SAR #tech is meant for all-weather, day/night pic.twitter.com/4jDhoE5EWX — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) August 6, 2024 × ISRO's data mentions that the region was already landslide-prone and had witnessed landslides in bygone years. It also highlights that the landslide originated from a peak that was at an altitude of 1.550 km above sea level. It from such a height that the entire trail of destruction began. From the peak where it originated, the trail of debris flowed down for an 8 km-long stretch, wiping out everything in the way - homes, places of worship, schools, shops, roads, vehicles, etc. ISRO pegs the extent of the landslide at 86,000 square metres. ISRO's RI-Sat is significantly different from conventional satellites that capture optical imagery (photographs). Conventional imaging satellites are comparable to cameras - their imaging capabilities are hindered by clouds, changes in weather, day/night cycles, etc. However, RI-Sat uses Radar signals to map the earth below. It fires radar beams towards the earth and collects the reflection (backscatter) of those beams. As the satellite travels along its designated path, it combines all the reflections that it receives over time. By combining and processing these reflections, these satellites offer high-resolution imagery. This technology is known as Synthetic Aperture Radar. Depending on the wavelength used, Synthetic aperture radar signals can penetrate through vegetation, snow, and even some types of soil, providing information about underlying structures.

Here's how a pet parrot saved many from the Wayanad landslide

For the ninth day, rescue and relief operations are underway in the landslide-hit hillside villages of Wayanad, Kerala. While the obvious focus of the multi-agency rescue operation has remained on rescuing victims and recovering the mortal remains of those who haven't made it, there is a lesser-known effort that's underway - caring for the animals that have been affected by this immeasurable tragedy.&nbsp;

After daybreak on Tuesday (July 30), as the rescue operations by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Kerala state authorities commenced, a team of volunteers focused on animal rescue started work in the affected villages.&nbsp;

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<blockquote bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:121,&quot;y&quot;:291,&quot;w&quot;:495,&quot;h&quot;:169,&quot;abs_x&quot;:154,&quot;abs_y&quot;:1977}" class="twitter-tweet">
In the aftermath of the deadly July30th <a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:424,&quot;y&quot;:330,&quot;w&quot;:117,&quot;h&quot;:14,&quot;abs_x&quot;:457,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2016}" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WayanadLandslide?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WayanadLandslide</a>, rescue &amp;relief ops in <a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:282,&quot;y&quot;:345,&quot;w&quot;:61,&quot;h&quot;:14,&quot;abs_x&quot;:315,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2031}" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Wayanad?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Wayanad</a> <a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:348,&quot;y&quot;:345,&quot;w&quot;:42,&quot;h&quot;:14,&quot;abs_x&quot;:381,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2031}" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kerala?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kerala</a> have been going on for 9days 
Here's a lesser-known aspect- Since day 1, a team of volunteers, vets, personnel from <a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:314,&quot;y&quot;:376,&quot;w&quot;:72,&quot;h&quot;:14,&quot;abs_x&quot;:347,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2062}" href="https://twitter.com/HSIGlobal?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HSIGlobal</a> have cared for 90 cattle, 22dogs, 7 cats, 50+ fowl <a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:355,&quot;y&quot;:391,&quot;w&quot;:162,&quot;h&quot;:14,&quot;abs_x&quot;:388,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2077}" href="https://t.co/YVBYBYde6l">pic.twitter.com/YVBYBYde6l</a>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:435,&quot;y&quot;:419,&quot;w&quot;:87,&quot;h&quot;:14,&quot;abs_x&quot;:468,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2105}" href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1821137714642874497?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2024</a></blockquote>
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"Whenever a disaster strikes, the authorities arrange shelters where the survivors and dislocated people can be accommodated temporarily. However, there are no such designated shelters for animals. Our task is to rescue the animals, move them to a safe location, and offer them medical relief and food. So far, we have been able to provide aid to 90 cattle, 22 dogs, seven cats, and more than 50 fowl," Praveen from Humane Society International (HSI) told WION.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/heres-how-a-pet-parrot-save-many-from-the-wayanad-landslide-747863">Here's how a pet parrot saved many from the Wayanad landslide</a>

In the aftermath of a disaster, animals are under serious distress, owing to multiple factors around them. It could be the massive activity around them, the huge mobilisation of people and the noisy environment of the rescue and relief efforts, the loss of the caretaker&nbsp;family, the loss of a home, etc. Under such circumstances, there are several cases where animals who don't feed on their own or accept food and may have sustained injuries.&nbsp;

Praveen's 10-member team comprises volunteers from Wayanad, personnel from HSI, and two vets. The teams first feed the animals and then offer them basic first aid, if necessary. In the case of animals that need further care, they are moved to an animal husbandry facility.&nbsp;

In cases&nbsp;where it is extremely critical, they make the decision to relocate the animal from the disaster site. In some cases, they try to find a new home for the pets and give them up for adoption.

Animal care is a delicate process, and it doesn't end with the initial aid provided. We need to soon start focussing on post-disaster care, Praveen added. He said that cattle would have to be dewormed, as they tend to get sick after grazing amid the debris and slush in the aftermath of the landslide. Further, the animals that have been eating very little owing to the stress factors would have to be provided special care. 
&nbsp;

For the ninth day, rescue and relief operations are underway in the landslide-hit hillside villages of Wayanad, Kerala. While the obvious focus of the multi-agency rescue operation has remained on rescuing victims and recovering the mortal remains of those who haven't made it, there is a lesser-known effort that's underway - caring for the animals that have been affected by this immeasurable tragedy.

For the ninth day, rescue and relief operations are underway in the landslide-hit hillside villages of Wayanad, Kerala. While the obvious focus of the multi-agency rescue operation has remained on rescuing victims and recovering the mortal remains of those who haven't made it, there is a lesser-known effort that's underway - caring for the animals that have been affected by this immeasurable tragedy. After daybreak on Tuesday (July 30), as the rescue operations by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Kerala state authorities commenced, a team of volunteers focused on animal rescue started work in the affected villages. In the aftermath of the deadly July30th #WayanadLandslide, rescue &relief ops in #Wayanad #kerala have been going on for 9days Here's a lesser-known aspect- Since day 1, a team of volunteers, vets, personnel from @HSIGlobal have cared for 90 cattle, 22dogs, 7 cats, 50+ fowl pic.twitter.com/YVBYBYde6l — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) August 7, 2024 × "Whenever a disaster strikes, the authorities arrange shelters where the survivors and dislocated people can be accommodated temporarily. However, there are no such designated shelters for animals. Our task is to rescue the animals, move them to a safe location, and offer them medical relief and food. So far, we have been able to provide aid to 90 cattle, 22 dogs, seven cats, and more than 50 fowl," Praveen from Humane Society International (HSI) told WION. Also read | Here's how a pet parrot saved many from the Wayanad landslide In the aftermath of a disaster, animals are under serious distress, owing to multiple factors around them. It could be the massive activity around them, the huge mobilisation of people and the noisy environment of the rescue and relief efforts, the loss of the caretaker family, the loss of a home, etc. Under such circumstances, there are several cases where animals who don't feed on their own or accept food and may have sustained injuries. Praveen's 10-member team comprises volunteers from Wayanad, personnel from HSI, and two vets. The teams first feed the animals and then offer them basic first aid, if necessary. In the case of animals that need further care, they are moved to an animal husbandry facility. In cases where it is extremely critical, they make the decision to relocate the animal from the disaster site. In some cases, they try to find a new home for the pets and give them up for adoption. Animal care is a delicate process, and it doesn't end with the initial aid provided. We need to soon start focussing on post-disaster care, Praveen added. He said that cattle would have to be dewormed, as they tend to get sick after grazing amid the debris and slush in the aftermath of the landslide. Further, the animals that have been eating very little owing to the stress factors would have to be provided special care.

Over 100 animals being cared for in Wayanad after devastating landslides

All modern-day spacecraft can fly autonomously, with minimal manual intervention. However, each spacecraft has the option for full manual control by the crew. Full manual control is a life-safer in contingency scenarios. Irrespective of how proven and reliable a spacecraft is, its crew members must be thoroughly proficient in manually steering the craft in space, docking with a space station, unlocking, de-orbiting for return to Earth, and much more.&nbsp;

As part of his M.Tech research, Indian astronaut candidate Group Captain Ajit Krishnan compared and evaluated the Russian approach and the American approach of manually steering the spacecraft and the spacecraft design followed by the two pioneering nations.&nbsp;

Originally fighter pilots of the Indian Air Force, Group Captain Krishnan and his three fellow astronaut candidates have completed their training at Russia's Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre, in 2021. Since then, they have been training at various facilities of ISRO and the Indian Air Force.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/indian-astronauts-group-captain-shukla-nair-chosen-to-train-at-nasa-746660">Indian astronauts Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, Prashant Nair chosen to train at NASA</a>&nbsp;

The astronaut candidates have also been helping ISRO with designing and developing some components and interfaces of the Indian homegrown Gaganyaan spacecraft. In August, two of the four candidates will travel to the US to undergo advanced training at NASA's Johnson Space Center, in Houston, Texas.&nbsp;

"All operational spacecraft (astronaut capsules) such as SpaceX Crew Dragon, Russia's Soyuz, Boeing Starliner and even the future NASA Artemis Orion feature full manual controls that help the crew control the craft. However, each craft has a different type of interface and controls."

"As part of his research at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, Ajit Krishnan compared the controls, interfaces, and crew orientation(angle of view from the craft to the outside) of the American and Russian systems," Pradipta Biswas,&nbsp;Associate Professor, IISc, and Ajit Krishnan's research guide, explained to WION.&nbsp;

Interestingly, the comparisons were done in virtual reality mode, using a commercially available VR headset and a special glove that restricts hand movement, thereby giving a feel of wearing a spaceflight suit. As part of the research, Ajit and a dozen of his fellow test pilots from the Indian Air Force's Aircraft Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE), tried manually steering the American and Russian spacecraft on a simulator that the IISc team had specifically developed for this purpose.&nbsp;

"The Russian Soyuz Spacecraft uses a control stick for steering, like the one in fighter planes, whereas the SpaceX crew Dragon uses a touchscreen panel," Prof Biswas explained. He added that the American craft offered a front view like in aircraft cockpits, while the Russian craft offered a bottom view where the astronauts would have to look below to see the earth.

Twelve ASTE test pilots and 12 civilians with minimal training operated the simulator and tried to manually steer both the American and Russian spacecraft in virtual reality mode. Their mission was to steer the orbiting spacecraft back to Earth. The group came up with very interesting findings.

According to Prof Biswas, the entire group found the Russian craft and its bottom-view, control stick much more user-friendly and intuitive. While virtually operating the Russian system, there was no significant time difference between the manner in which fighter pilots steered the craft and the manner in which amateur civilians did so.&nbsp;

It was also learnt that the American style of steering and operating by using a touchscreen control was more fuel efficient and economical, as opposed to the Russian control stick method. "We constantly keep moving a control stick and every movement of the control stick will spend some amount of fuel. Whereas, in the case of a touchscreen, we have to press the touch panel only when necessary and then the steering is done accordingly. Therefore, the touchscreen method uses up less fuel," Prof Biswas added.&nbsp;

The M.Tech research done by Group Captain Ajjt Krishnan is not connected to and will not have any bearing on India's Gaganyaan programme. However, the results of their study would be helpful for future projects involving spacecraft design, design of spacecraft controls and related systems.&nbsp;

The customized software that we have developed, the VR headset with eye tracker, and EEG tracker, can be used in the process of making decisions on how to design the various facets of an astronaut-carrying spacecraft and even passenger aircraft, Prof Biswas concluded.&nbsp;

All modern-day spacecraft can fly autonomously, with minimal manual intervention. However, each spacecraft has the option for full manual control by the crew. Full manual control is a life-safer in contingency scenarios.

All modern-day spacecraft can fly autonomously, with minimal manual intervention. However, each spacecraft has the option for full manual control by the crew. Full manual control is a life-safer in contingency scenarios. Irrespective of how proven and reliable a spacecraft is, its crew members must be thoroughly proficient in manually steering the craft in space, docking with a space station, unlocking, de-orbiting for return to Earth, and much more. As part of his M.Tech research, Indian astronaut candidate Group Captain Ajit Krishnan compared and evaluated the Russian approach and the American approach of manually steering the spacecraft and the spacecraft design followed by the two pioneering nations. Originally fighter pilots of the Indian Air Force, Group Captain Krishnan and his three fellow astronaut candidates have completed their training at Russia's Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre, in 2021. Since then, they have been training at various facilities of ISRO and the Indian Air Force. Also read | Indian astronauts Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, Prashant Nair chosen to train at NASA The astronaut candidates have also been helping ISRO with designing and developing some components and interfaces of the Indian homegrown Gaganyaan spacecraft. In August, two of the four candidates will travel to the US to undergo advanced training at NASA's Johnson Space Center, in Houston, Texas. "All operational spacecraft (astronaut capsules) such as SpaceX Crew Dragon, Russia's Soyuz, Boeing Starliner and even the future NASA Artemis Orion feature full manual controls that help the crew control the craft. However, each craft has a different type of interface and controls." "As part of his research at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, Ajit Krishnan compared the controls, interfaces, and crew orientation(angle of view from the craft to the outside) of the American and Russian systems," Pradipta Biswas, Associate Professor, IISc, and Ajit Krishnan's research guide, explained to WION. Interestingly, the comparisons were done in virtual reality mode, using a commercially available VR headset and a special glove that restricts hand movement, thereby giving a feel of wearing a spaceflight suit. As part of the research, Ajit and a dozen of his fellow test pilots from the Indian Air Force's Aircraft Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE), tried manually steering the American and Russian spacecraft on a simulator that the IISc team had specifically developed for this purpose. "The Russian Soyuz Spacecraft uses a control stick for steering, like the one in fighter planes, whereas the SpaceX crew Dragon uses a touchscreen panel," Prof Biswas explained. He added that the American craft offered a front view like in aircraft cockpits, while the Russian craft offered a bottom view where the astronauts would have to look below to see the earth. Twelve ASTE test pilots and 12 civilians with minimal training operated the simulator and tried to manually steer both the American and Russian spacecraft in virtual reality mode. Their mission was to steer the orbiting spacecraft back to Earth. The group came up with very interesting findings. According to Prof Biswas, the entire group found the Russian craft and its bottom-view, control stick much more user-friendly and intuitive. While virtually operating the Russian system, there was no significant time difference between the manner in which fighter pilots steered the craft and the manner in which amateur civilians did so. It was also learnt that the American style of steering and operating by using a touchscreen control was more fuel efficient and economical, as opposed to the Russian control stick method. "We constantly keep moving a control stick and every movement of the control stick will spend some amount of fuel. Whereas, in the case of a touchscreen, we have to press the touch panel only when necessary and then the steering is done accordingly. Therefore, the touchscreen method uses up less fuel," Prof Biswas added. The M.Tech research done by Group Captain Ajjt Krishnan is not connected to and will not have any bearing on India's Gaganyaan programme. However, the results of their study would be helpful for future projects involving spacecraft design, design of spacecraft controls and related systems. The customized software that we have developed, the VR headset with eye tracker, and EEG tracker, can be used in the process of making decisions on how to design the various facets of an astronaut-carrying spacecraft and even passenger aircraft, Prof Biswas concluded.

US or Russian spacecraft: Which is user-friendly? Indian astronaut's research study gives details

India's astronaut designates and Indian Air Force Test pilots, Group Captains Shubhanshu Shukla and Prashant Balakrishnan Nair will commence their training at NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas, this week. Indian space agency ISRO announced on Friday (Aug 2) that India's Human Spaceflight Centre (HSFC) has entered into a spaceflight agreement (SFA) with Axiom Space Inc, an American firm that has been identified by NASA. Axiom is a private firm that facilitates a ride to space for paying customers. In this case, Axiom will facilitate the spaceflight of an Indian astronaut, aboard the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Falcon 9 is the only contemporary American rocket with a proven track record of multiple astronaut-ferrying missions.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/isro?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#isro</a> confirms what we at <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WIONews</a> had reported on July 13th... <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Indian?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Indian</a> astronauts &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndianAirForce?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndianAirForce</a> test pilots Grp Capt Shubhanshu Shukla &amp; PB Nair to train at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NASA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NASA</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA_Johnson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NASA_Johnson</a> from this month... One of these 2 will fly to <a href="https://twitter.com/Space_Station?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Space_Station</a> <a href="https://t.co/dcbyJsrL3S">pic.twitter.com/dcbyJsrL3S</a>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1819363517369073858?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 2, 2024</a></blockquote>
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On July 13,&nbsp;2024, WION had&nbsp;exclusively reported on this development and mentioned that one among the two will fly to the International Space Station in a United States-led mission, later this year.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/exclusive-indian-astronauts-us-training-from-august-spaceflight-by-year-end-740415">Exclusive: Indian astronauts' US training from August; spaceflight by year-end</a>

According to ISRO, India's Primary Gaganyatri (space traveller) for this mission will be Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and the backup candidate will be Group Captain Prashant Balakrishnan Nair. One among them will be later approved to fly to the International Space Station (ISS), an orbiting lab that circles 425 kilometres&nbsp;above&nbsp;Earth. The Multilateral Crew Operations Panel (MCOP) is responsible for choosing the Indian candidate who will fly to the ISS.&nbsp;

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— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1819364066231808422?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 2, 2024</a></blockquote>
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During his stay in space, as part of the Axiom-4 mission, the chosen Indian astronaut will be undertaking scientific research and technology demonstration experiments aboard the ISS.&nbsp;

<h2>What is Gaganyaan? What is India preparing its astronaut candidates for?</h2>

India has revealed the names of four astronaut candidates who are to fly on the country's homegrown 'Gaganyaan' programme that aims to fly an astronaut-carrying capsule to Earth's orbit (400 km above the planet's surface) and bring them back safely for an oceanic splashdown landing. Gaganyaan was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018, as India's maiden mission to fly humans (trained astronauts) to space.&nbsp;

Gaganyaan would be carried out by the Indian Space Agency ISRO, with test pilots of the Indian Air Force, serving as the crew members. The four candidates have already completed their training at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in&nbsp;Moscow, and are presently undergoing training at ISRO and Indian Air Force facilities, while also assisting ISRO teams in designing and developing some systems required for Gaganyaan.&nbsp;

Gaganyaan is the first step in a series of sustained human spaceflight missions that India wants to carry out in a phased manner. By the end of this decade, India hopes to put an uncrewed space station in Earth orbit. By 2035, it would be used as a crewed Indian outpost that's circling the earth. India also plans to land its astronauts on the moon by 2040, a feat that only America has accomplished in 1969, and China hopes to do so by the end of this decade.&nbsp;

<h2>Soviets flew the first&nbsp;Indian to space in 1984; the US to fly 2nd Indian to space in 2024</h2>

In 1984, 40 years ago,&nbsp;Indian Air Force Pilot Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma flew to space as part of the Soviet Interkosmos programme. He is the only Indian to have flown to space. He did so on the Soviet Soyuz T-11 mission to the Salyut-7 space station, a lab that circles above the Earth.&nbsp;

Gaganyaan is India's own attempt at launching astronauts to space on a largely homegrown mission, with support from the US, Russia, and France, among others. Of these, Russia (erstwhile Soviet Union) and the US have been the pioneers of human spaceflight, since the Cold War era.&nbsp;

In 2023, during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's State visit to the US, President Joe Biden had announced that 'NASA would provide advanced training to Indian astronauts at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, with a goal of mounting a joint effort to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2024.&nbsp;

Given that India's only experience of human spaceflight comes from Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma who went to space 40&nbsp;years ago, the 2024 mission to the ISS is expected to offer significant insights and experiences related to contemporary spaceflight and relevant technologies. This would offer crucial lessons to ISRO and its chosen candidate, as it prepares for the homegrown Gaganyaan mission.

At present, India is in the process of gradually testing various systems and technologies required to execute an uncrewed Gaganyaan mission, slated for later this year or in early 2025. After a couple of flawless uncrewed missions, India will embark on the astronaut-carrying mission, perhaps, by 2026.&nbsp;

India's astronaut designates and Indian Air Force Test pilots, Group Captains Shubhanshu Shukla and Prashant Balakrishnan Nair will commence their training at NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas, this week.

India's astronaut designates and Indian Air Force Test pilots, Group Captains Shubhanshu Shukla and Prashant Balakrishnan Nair will commence their training at NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas, this week. Indian space agency ISRO announced on Friday (Aug 2) that India's Human Spaceflight Centre (HSFC) has entered into a spaceflight agreement (SFA) with Axiom Space Inc, an American firm that has been identified by NASA. Axiom is a private firm that facilitates a ride to space for paying customers. In this case, Axiom will facilitate the spaceflight of an Indian astronaut, aboard the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Falcon 9 is the only contemporary American rocket with a proven track record of multiple astronaut-ferrying missions. #isro confirms what we at @WIONews had reported on July 13th... #Indian astronauts & #IndianAirForce test pilots Grp Capt Shubhanshu Shukla & PB Nair to train at #NASA @NASA_Johnson from this month... One of these 2 will fly to @Space_Station pic.twitter.com/dcbyJsrL3S — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) August 2, 2024 × On July 13, 2024, WION had exclusively reported on this development and mentioned that one among the two will fly to the International Space Station in a United States-led mission, later this year. Also read: Exclusive: Indian astronauts' US training from August; spaceflight by year-end According to ISRO, India's Primary Gaganyatri (space traveller) for this mission will be Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and the backup candidate will be Group Captain Prashant Balakrishnan Nair. One among them will be later approved to fly to the International Space Station (ISS), an orbiting lab that circles 425 kilometres above Earth. The Multilateral Crew Operations Panel (MCOP) is responsible for choosing the Indian candidate who will fly to the ISS. pic.twitter.com/9TDvha19gS — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) August 2, 2024 × During his stay in space, as part of the Axiom-4 mission, the chosen Indian astronaut will be undertaking scientific research and technology demonstration experiments aboard the ISS. What is Gaganyaan? What is India preparing its astronaut candidates for? India has revealed the names of four astronaut candidates who are to fly on the country's homegrown 'Gaganyaan' programme that aims to fly an astronaut-carrying capsule to Earth's orbit (400 km above the planet's surface) and bring them back safely for an oceanic splashdown landing. Gaganyaan was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018, as India's maiden mission to fly humans (trained astronauts) to space. Gaganyaan would be carried out by the Indian Space Agency ISRO, with test pilots of the Indian Air Force, serving as the crew members. The four candidates have already completed their training at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Moscow, and are presently undergoing training at ISRO and Indian Air Force facilities, while also assisting ISRO teams in designing and developing some systems required for Gaganyaan. Gaganyaan is the first step in a series of sustained human spaceflight missions that India wants to carry out in a phased manner. By the end of this decade, India hopes to put an uncrewed space station in Earth orbit. By 2035, it would be used as a crewed Indian outpost that's circling the earth. India also plans to land its astronauts on the moon by 2040, a feat that only America has accomplished in 1969, and China hopes to do so by the end of this decade. Soviets flew the first Indian to space in 1984; the US to fly 2nd Indian to space in 2024 In 1984, 40 years ago, Indian Air Force Pilot Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma flew to space as part of the Soviet Interkosmos programme. He is the only Indian to have flown to space. He did so on the Soviet Soyuz T-11 mission to the Salyut-7 space station, a lab that circles above the Earth. Gaganyaan is India's own attempt at launching astronauts to space on a largely homegrown mission, with support from the US, Russia, and France, among others. Of these, Russia (erstwhile Soviet Union) and the US have been the pioneers of human spaceflight, since the Cold War era. In 2023, during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's State visit to the US, President Joe Biden had announced that 'NASA would provide advanced training to Indian astronauts at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, with a goal of mounting a joint effort to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2024. Given that India's only experience of human spaceflight comes from Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma who went to space 40 years ago, the 2024 mission to the ISS is expected to offer significant insights and experiences related to contemporary spaceflight and relevant technologies. This would offer crucial lessons to ISRO and its chosen candidate, as it prepares for the homegrown Gaganyaan mission. At present, India is in the process of gradually testing various systems and technologies required to execute an uncrewed Gaganyaan mission, slated for later this year or in early 2025. After a couple of flawless uncrewed missions, India will embark on the astronaut-carrying mission, perhaps, by 2026.

Indian astronauts Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, Prashant Nair chosen to train at NASA 

The southern Indian metropolis of Chennai will be hosting what is being dubbed India's first night street race. The car racing event will take place from August 30th&nbsp;to September 1st, along a 3.5-kilometre stretch, part of which lies along the city's scenic Marina Beach Road and adjoining arterial roads. The Chennai night race is being supported by the Tamil Nadu government.

According to the event hosts, the race will be on the lines of night races being held in Singapore and Saudi Arabia.&nbsp;

Narain Karthikeyan, India's first racer to compete in Formula One, said that street racing in urban settings requires a great amount of skill and risk-taking. He said that this is a highly unpredictable format, as the racers won't have any experience on such tracks that are created in a metropolitan city. He recalled how street racing played a major role in popularising motorsports in the US, and expressed hope that the same would happen in India.&nbsp;

Queried about the safety measures in place for the racing event on city roads, the organisers from Racing Promotions Pvt. Limited said that it would be conducted as per the norms of Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), which has established consistent governance and safety standards in the realm of motorsport.

They said that the event would be conducted only following the safety audit by the FIA officials. They added that the safety measures would be put in place at a higher standard, owing to the night races that are to be conducted.&nbsp;

In the hope of promoting motorsports in Chennai city and the state, the Tamil Nadu government has laid racing-standard tracks along the 3.5-kilometer stretch in the city, to ensure the smooth conduct of the event. The state government has spent more than ₹30 crore on facilitating the racing event and making related arrangements.&nbsp;

According to the event organisers, the top speeds of the race cars being used would be in the F4 standard, which is 240kmph. When queried about the resultant noise pollution and high decibel levels, the organisers claimed that the sound levels would be comparable to a routine day's traffic. Those conducting the event did not offer specific responses to the sound decibel levels in the vicinity of the racetrack.&nbsp;

This initiative to conduct a night race in a metropolitan city by spending public money has been met with considerable criticism. The Madras High Court had strictly instructed the organisers to keep the noise levels well within the safe limits and ensure utmost safety. It must be noted that there are government hospitals and a government medical college in the vicinity of the race track, and there are concerns about the high noise pollution levels that the event would cause.

The use of crores of public funds for promoting an elite private event was also taken up by the Supreme Court, said the IAS officials (Tamil Nadu government secretaries) connected with facilitating this event.

The racing event is being held under the banner of "The Indian Racing Festival (IRF)". It offers two championships: the FIA Formula 4 Indian Championship (F4IC) and the Indian Racing League (IRL).

F4IC is an FIA-certified open-wheel, single-seater racing event for young drivers and the first step for a driver from karting to single-seater racing.

The IRL, approved by FMSCI (Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India), is India’s only four-wheel racing league and the world’s first gender-neutral racing championship series.

&nbsp;

The southern Indian metropolis of Chennai will be hosting what is being dubbed India's first night street race. The car racing event will take place from August 30th to September 1st, along a 3.

The southern Indian metropolis of Chennai will be hosting what is being dubbed India's first night street race. The car racing event will take place from August 30th to September 1st, along a 3.5-kilometre stretch, part of which lies along the city's scenic Marina Beach Road and adjoining arterial roads. The Chennai night race is being supported by the Tamil Nadu government. According to the event hosts, the race will be on the lines of night races being held in Singapore and Saudi Arabia. Narain Karthikeyan, India's first racer to compete in Formula One, said that street racing in urban settings requires a great amount of skill and risk-taking. He said that this is a highly unpredictable format, as the racers won't have any experience on such tracks that are created in a metropolitan city. He recalled how street racing played a major role in popularising motorsports in the US, and expressed hope that the same would happen in India. Queried about the safety measures in place for the racing event on city roads, the organisers from Racing Promotions Pvt. Limited said that it would be conducted as per the norms of Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), which has established consistent governance and safety standards in the realm of motorsport. They said that the event would be conducted only following the safety audit by the FIA officials. They added that the safety measures would be put in place at a higher standard, owing to the night races that are to be conducted. In the hope of promoting motorsports in Chennai city and the state, the Tamil Nadu government has laid racing-standard tracks along the 3.5-kilometer stretch in the city, to ensure the smooth conduct of the event. The state government has spent more than ₹30 crore on facilitating the racing event and making related arrangements. According to the event organisers, the top speeds of the race cars being used would be in the F4 standard, which is 240kmph. When queried about the resultant noise pollution and high decibel levels, the organisers claimed that the sound levels would be comparable to a routine day's traffic. Those conducting the event did not offer specific responses to the sound decibel levels in the vicinity of the racetrack. This initiative to conduct a night race in a metropolitan city by spending public money has been met with considerable criticism. The Madras High Court had strictly instructed the organisers to keep the noise levels well within the safe limits and ensure utmost safety. It must be noted that there are government hospitals and a government medical college in the vicinity of the race track, and there are concerns about the high noise pollution levels that the event would cause. The use of crores of public funds for promoting an elite private event was also taken up by the Supreme Court, said the IAS officials (Tamil Nadu government secretaries) connected with facilitating this event. The racing event is being held under the banner of "The Indian Racing Festival (IRF)". It offers two championships: the FIA Formula 4 Indian Championship (F4IC) and the Indian Racing League (IRL). F4IC is an FIA-certified open-wheel, single-seater racing event for young drivers and the first step for a driver from karting to single-seater racing. The IRL, approved by FMSCI (Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India), is India’s only four-wheel racing league and the world’s first gender-neutral racing championship series.

This Indian city will host country's first street circuit race at night

The Indian space sector regulator and facilitator, the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) has given the authorisation to an Indian firm to build a facility that can be used to track and communicate with satellites.

The Indian space sector regulator and facilitator, the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) has given the authorisation to an Indian firm to build a facility that can be used to track and communicate with satellites. Commonly known as a satellite ground station or an earth station, such facilities perform what is known as Telemetry, Tracking, and Command (TT&C). This involves tracking satellites, issuing commands to satellites, monitoring their health, and downloading data from satellites. This approval for a private satellite ground station is in line with the Indian government's decision to permit private firms to perform all kinds of space activities. Indian companies have already launched experimental rockets and are gearing up for space launches. Meanwhile, multiple Indian-built satellites have been launched from India and abroad. Likewise, the Indian government has now approved the setting up of a ground station by the firm AzistaBST. Dr P K Jain, Director- Program Management and Authorization Directorate (PMAD), IN-SPACe, said, "This authorisation is yet another step by the Government to encourage and enable Indian satellite operators who will now have alternative Indian ground station service providers for their satellite operations and data reception in the UHF band." Watch | US charges North Korean man with cyberattacks on NASA × While the government-run Indian space agency ISRO operates its own tracking facilities, the private one is aimed at domestic and international customers. Many firms that operate satellites do not invest in their own ground stations, which are quite expensive to set up. Instead, they depend on those who operate ground stations and offer their service for a price. The space industry calls it Ground Station as a Service (GSaaS). The private ground station has been approved to operate in the Ultra High Frequency(UHF) band of 300 MHz to 3 GHz. This band is primarily used for satellite communications, including data relay for remote sensing, telemetry, and control of satellites. They support various applications such as weather forecasting, environmental monitoring, and communications for scientific research and military operations. An Indian Earth-imaging satellite constellation In an unprecedented move, the Indian government and private sector are to unite for building a constellation of earth-imaging satellites with multiple sensors. Operating a constellation comprising dozens or hundreds of satellites can help in getting a comprehensive global coverage, and the capability of imaging the same location at regular intervals. Such constellations serve various commercial, scientific and strategic purposes. This includes disaster management, agricultural monitoring, studying environmental changes and surveillance of sensitive areas. As the first step towards building such a constellation, the IN-SPACe released an Expression of Interest (EOI). It invites private Indian firms to build and manage a constellation under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. This long-term project involves the design, development, launch, and maintenance of a constellation of satellites equipped with advanced imaging technologies. These satellites would be placed in Low Earth orbit (a region that is 300-2000 km above the Earth's surface). As they are very close to the Earth, satellites placed in LEO can capture very high-resolution pictures and short videos and can transmit them in near-real-time. Also read: NASA shows how carbon dioxide gets churned in sky in stunning video Dr Pawan Goenka, Chairman, IN-SPACe said, "This is an initiative by IN-SPACe & ISRO towards creating a self-reliant, robust, and sustainable Earth Observation System catering to the growing demand for Earth Observation data." The satellites in the proposed constellation are meant to carry a combination of sensors such as panchromatic, multispectral, hyperspectral, and microwave. Once built and tested, these satellites would be placed in orbit by Indian rockets. It must be noted that building and maintaining a satellite constellation is a constant process. In this case, the private firm would have to monitor the health of all satellites in the constellation, download the data generated by the satellites, process the data and offer it for a multitude of applications. The private entity will also have the option of developing their own ground-based facilities to communicate with the satellites, upload commands and download data. Alternatively, they could use the ground-based facilities of Ground Stations as a Service (GSaaS) providers such as AzisatBST. Therefore, this entire project is capable of generating a significant amount of economic activity within India.

Indian government approves satellite tracking facility in Hyderabad

The Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP) in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, has delivered 100 billion (kilowatt-hour) units of power to the country's&nbsp;electricity grid.

Units 1 and 2 of the Russian-designed nuclear power generation facility are each of a 1,000 MegaWatt capacity and have been operational for close to a decade.

Four more reactors of the Russian VVER-1000 type are in different stages of construction at the site in Tamil Nadu's Tirunelveli district.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/india-and-china-to-discuss-withdrawal-of-thousands-of-troops-stationed-along-lac-744377">India and China to discuss withdrawal of thousands of troops stationed along LAC</a>

According to Russia's Nuclear power agency Rosatom, units 1 and 2 are operating in routine mode and demonstrating efficiency above the rated values. The operating NPP makes it possible to save emissions of about 16 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent annually, and in 10 years it has improved the quality of life, providing electricity to about 50 million Indian families, Rosatom said.&nbsp;

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100billion units of electricity⚡️ 
That's how much the Unit 1&amp;2 of the Indo-Russian Kudankulam Nuclear Power plant have delivered to the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Indian?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Indian</a> power grid..Almost 50million families in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kerala?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Kerala</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TamilNadu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TamilNadu</a> benefit from this 
 
4 more reactors, each of 1000MW are being built 🇮🇳🇷🇺 <a href="https://t.co/1ZDQfie2hx">pic.twitter.com/1ZDQfie2hx</a>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1816775623811154381?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 26, 2024</a></blockquote>
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"Throughout the stages of design and up to operation, all works are conducted in close and comprehensive cooperation between the Indian customer and the Russian contractor. Each party contributed its own expertise to the project, which culminated in a technologically complex and efficient industrial project meeting the most stringent requirements of both quality and process safety,” noted Alexey Zhukov, ASE JSC First Vice President for Construction.

Kudankulam NPP is the southernmost nuclear power plant on the Indian subcontinent, and it already supplies electricity to the states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Several advanced technological solutions have been developed specifically for this nuclear power plant, such as a system of hydraulic structures that ensure an uninterrupted supply of cooling sea water and prevent possible environmental impacts.

The Kudankulam NPP Project was implemented as part of the intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in the area of NPP construction in India which&nbsp;concluded in the year 1998.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/this-700-year-old-burial-of-ahom-dynasty-in-assam-is-now-unesco-world-heritage-site-heres-all-about-moidams-744351">This 700-year-old burial&nbsp;of Ahom dynasty in Assam is now UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here's all about Moidams</a>

Power Unit 1 was connected to the Indian national grid in 2013. On December 31, 2014, the power unit was put into commercial operation, and on August 10, 2016, it was officially put into operation. Currently, it is the most powerful unit in India that meets the up-to-date safety requirements.

On August 29, 2016, Power Unit 2 was connected to the Indian national electric grid, and at the end of March 2017, it was put into warranty operation.

The export of civilian-use nuclear technology is a key component of Russia's economic policy. India is the largest customer of Russia's nuclear power agency Rosatom. Despite external restrictions, the Russian economy is augmenting its export potential to supply goods, services and raw materials all over the world.

The Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP) in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, has delivered 100 billion (kilowatt-hour) units of power to the country's electricity grid.

The Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP) in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, has delivered 100 billion (kilowatt-hour) units of power to the country's electricity grid. Units 1 and 2 of the Russian-designed nuclear power generation facility are each of a 1,000 MegaWatt capacity and have been operational for close to a decade. Four more reactors of the Russian VVER-1000 type are in different stages of construction at the site in Tamil Nadu's Tirunelveli district. Also read: India and China to discuss withdrawal of thousands of troops stationed along LAC According to Russia's Nuclear power agency Rosatom, units 1 and 2 are operating in routine mode and demonstrating efficiency above the rated values. The operating NPP makes it possible to save emissions of about 16 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent annually, and in 10 years it has improved the quality of life, providing electricity to about 50 million Indian families, Rosatom said. 100billion units of electricity⚡️ That's how much the Unit 1&2 of the Indo-Russian Kudankulam Nuclear Power plant have delivered to the #Indian power grid..Almost 50million families in #Kerala & #TamilNadu benefit from this 4 more reactors, each of 1000MW are being built 🇮🇳🇷🇺 pic.twitter.com/1ZDQfie2hx — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) July 26, 2024 × "Throughout the stages of design and up to operation, all works are conducted in close and comprehensive cooperation between the Indian customer and the Russian contractor. Each party contributed its own expertise to the project, which culminated in a technologically complex and efficient industrial project meeting the most stringent requirements of both quality and process safety,” noted Alexey Zhukov, ASE JSC First Vice President for Construction. Kudankulam NPP is the southernmost nuclear power plant on the Indian subcontinent, and it already supplies electricity to the states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Several advanced technological solutions have been developed specifically for this nuclear power plant, such as a system of hydraulic structures that ensure an uninterrupted supply of cooling sea water and prevent possible environmental impacts. The Kudankulam NPP Project was implemented as part of the intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in the area of NPP construction in India which concluded in the year 1998. Also read: This 700-year-old burial of Ahom dynasty in Assam is now UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here's all about Moidams Power Unit 1 was connected to the Indian national grid in 2013. On December 31, 2014, the power unit was put into commercial operation, and on August 10, 2016, it was officially put into operation. Currently, it is the most powerful unit in India that meets the up-to-date safety requirements. On August 29, 2016, Power Unit 2 was connected to the Indian national electric grid, and at the end of March 2017, it was put into warranty operation. The export of civilian-use nuclear technology is a key component of Russia's economic policy. India is the largest customer of Russia's nuclear power agency Rosatom. Despite external restrictions, the Russian economy is augmenting its export potential to supply goods, services and raw materials all over the world.

Indo-Russian Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant delivers 100 billion units of power 

As India's third largest trading partner, the United Arab Emirates (UAE)&nbsp;is exploring various non-oil sectors in which both nations can further trade ties. Specifically, the domains of advanced manufacturing, logistics, supply chain, renewable energy, food processing, drones, and space technology, are being looked at.

A delegation led by UAE's Economy Minister Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri is on a visit to the Indian city of&nbsp;Chennai and met the Chief Minister of&nbsp;Tamil Nadu,&nbsp;MK Stalin on Thursday (Jul&nbsp;25).

The ministers discussed avenues for investment and creating job opportunities. The meeting was also attended by M A Yusuf Ali, an influential Indian-origin entrepreneur who is based in the UAE.

Yusuf Ali is the Chairman and Managing Director of the Lulu group, which is said to employ the largest number of Indian diaspora.

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A Ministerial delegation from <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UAE?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UAE</a> is in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Chennai?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Chennai</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TamilNadu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TamilNadu</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/India?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#India</a> to explore further avenues of economic cooperation between both nations. 
Already, UAE is indias 3rd largest trade partner. 
Today, 74% of UAE GDP is from non-oil sectors, MSMEs play a key role <a href="https://twitter.com/UAEmediaoffice?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UAEmediaoffice</a> <a href="https://t.co/WGcWnaELv3">pic.twitter.com/WGcWnaELv3</a>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1816395827818160578?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 25, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Speaking at the 'Investopia&nbsp;Global' event, organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII),&nbsp;Al Marri said that the UAE has made a name for itself, offering many services in industries&nbsp;such as logistics, finance, and technology.

The people-to-people ties between the UAE and India are another important aspect of our relationship, he said.

"The non-oil sector accounts for 74% of UAE's GDP. It's the first time that the UAE has reached this figure of 74% of GDP coming from non-oil sectors," Al Marri added.

He also mentioned that the India-UAE trade had grown by 15 per cent&nbsp;since the signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between the two nations, in the year 2022.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uae-india-cepa-council-launched-to-strengthen-economic-bonds-679015">UAE-India CEPA Council launched to strengthen economic bonds</a>

Prior to CEPA, the trade between the two countries was at $50 billion&nbsp;and following the pact, it has grown to nearly $70 billion, he stated.

Emphasising the importance of Small and Midsize Enterprises (SME), Alia Abdulla Al Mazrouei, UAE's Minister of State for Entrepreneurship said that the SMEs in UAE today represent 94 per cent&nbsp;of total companies,&nbsp;contribute 40 per cent to&nbsp;the country's&nbsp;GDP and account for 42 per cent&nbsp;of employment.

Also watch |&nbsp;UAE Ambassador to India speaks on the completion of 2 years of CEPA between UAE-India

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"We are keen to enhance the contribution of the SMEs sector to the trade and economic exchanges with India. Our goal is to transform over 20 UAE startups into unicorns by the year 2031. We strive to raise the number of SMEs in the UAE to 1,000,000 in line with the 2031 vision, which has set the national goal to double the GDP to reach AED 3 trillion by then,"&nbsp;she said.&nbsp;

Referring to the increasing trend of Venture capital investments in the UAE, she said, "In 2021, the UAE set a new record in venture capital investments, attracting AED 4.3 billion in funding for startups – a whopping 93 per cent&nbsp;Y-o-Y growth. More recently, in the first half of this year, the UAE attracted USD 225 million in VC funding."

She urged both the UAE and Indian SME&nbsp;ecosystem stakeholders&nbsp;to take advantage of this opportunity&nbsp;to explore productive partnerships and the available opportunities in both markets.

Tamil Nadu's Industries Minister TRB Rajaa expressed confidence that the state's electronics exports, already the highest in the country, will touch the $12 billion&nbsp;mark in the ongoing financial year.

In the previous financial year, the state achieved $9.6 billion&nbsp;worth of electronics exports, which is more than the combined electronics exports of Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh.

In 2023-24, Tamil Nadu alone accounted for 30 per cent of India's electronic exports. Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat, and Maharashtra are also key contributors in boosting India's fast-growing exports of electronic goods.&nbsp;

Smartphones form the bulk of India's electronic exports, and the leading markets that receive them are the United States and the UAE.

According to Indian government data, since the financial year 2020-21, the US has remained the primary destination for India’s electronics exports. Its share in India’s electronics exports has surged in recent years. From just around 15-20 per cent between the FY 2017-18 and FY&nbsp;2021-22, the US' share surged to 24-34 per cent in the last two financial years.

Generally, India’s exports are dominated by engineering goods, followed by petroleum products, gems and jewellery, and electronics goods.

As India's third largest trading partner, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is exploring various non-oil sectors in which both nations can further trade ties. Specifically, the domains of advanced manufacturing, logistics, supply chain, renewable energy, food processing, drones, and space technology, are being looked at.

As India's third largest trading partner, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is exploring various non-oil sectors in which both nations can further trade ties. Specifically, the domains of advanced manufacturing, logistics, supply chain, renewable energy, food processing, drones, and space technology, are being looked at. A delegation led by UAE's Economy Minister Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri is on a visit to the Indian city of Chennai and met the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, MK Stalin on Thursday (Jul 25). The ministers discussed avenues for investment and creating job opportunities. The meeting was also attended by M A Yusuf Ali, an influential Indian-origin entrepreneur who is based in the UAE. Yusuf Ali is the Chairman and Managing Director of the Lulu group, which is said to employ the largest number of Indian diaspora. A Ministerial delegation from #UAE is in #Chennai #TamilNadu #India to explore further avenues of economic cooperation between both nations. Already, UAE is indias 3rd largest trade partner. Today, 74% of UAE GDP is from non-oil sectors, MSMEs play a key role @UAEmediaoffice pic.twitter.com/WGcWnaELv3 — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) July 25, 2024 × Speaking at the 'Investopia Global' event, organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Al Marri said that the UAE has made a name for itself, offering many services in industries such as logistics, finance, and technology. The people-to-people ties between the UAE and India are another important aspect of our relationship, he said. "The non-oil sector accounts for 74% of UAE's GDP. It's the first time that the UAE has reached this figure of 74% of GDP coming from non-oil sectors," Al Marri added. He also mentioned that the India-UAE trade had grown by 15 per cent since the signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between the two nations, in the year 2022. Also read | UAE-India CEPA Council launched to strengthen economic bonds Prior to CEPA, the trade between the two countries was at $50 billion and following the pact, it has grown to nearly $70 billion, he stated. Emphasising the importance of Small and Midsize Enterprises (SME), Alia Abdulla Al Mazrouei, UAE's Minister of State for Entrepreneurship said that the SMEs in UAE today represent 94 per cent of total companies, contribute 40 per cent to the country's GDP and account for 42 per cent of employment. Also watch | UAE Ambassador to India speaks on the completion of 2 years of CEPA between UAE-India × "We are keen to enhance the contribution of the SMEs sector to the trade and economic exchanges with India. Our goal is to transform over 20 UAE startups into unicorns by the year 2031. We strive to raise the number of SMEs in the UAE to 1,000,000 in line with the 2031 vision, which has set the national goal to double the GDP to reach AED 3 trillion by then," she said. Referring to the increasing trend of Venture capital investments in the UAE, she said, "In 2021, the UAE set a new record in venture capital investments, attracting AED 4.3 billion in funding for startups – a whopping 93 per cent Y-o-Y growth. More recently, in the first half of this year, the UAE attracted USD 225 million in VC funding." She urged both the UAE and Indian SME ecosystem stakeholders to take advantage of this opportunity to explore productive partnerships and the available opportunities in both markets. Tamil Nadu's Industries Minister TRB Rajaa expressed confidence that the state's electronics exports, already the highest in the country, will touch the $12 billion mark in the ongoing financial year. In the previous financial year, the state achieved $9.6 billion worth of electronics exports, which is more than the combined electronics exports of Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh. In 2023-24, Tamil Nadu alone accounted for 30 per cent of India's electronic exports. Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat, and Maharashtra are also key contributors in boosting India's fast-growing exports of electronic goods. Smartphones form the bulk of India's electronic exports, and the leading markets that receive them are the United States and the UAE. According to Indian government data, since the financial year 2020-21, the US has remained the primary destination for India’s electronics exports. Its share in India’s electronics exports has surged in recent years. From just around 15-20 per cent between the FY 2017-18 and FY 2021-22, the US' share surged to 24-34 per cent in the last two financial years. Generally, India’s exports are dominated by engineering goods, followed by petroleum products, gems and jewellery, and electronics goods.

UAE's non-oil sector is 74 per cent of GDP; small industries crucial: UAE economy minister in India

A delegation led by the Indian government's space sector regulator and facilitator, the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe), is taking part in the Australian Space Forum in Adelaide.

The ongoing visit is aimed at showcasing the capabilities of India's rapidly emerging private space sector and strengthening international collaboration. India's cutting-edge space projects, products, and services are being showcased, sparking business-to-business meetings and discussions with Australian counterparts.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-budget-a-120mn-vc-fund-to-propel-indias-nascent-space-startups-743603">Indian budget 2024: A $120mn VC fund to propel India's nascent space startups</a>&nbsp;

The delegation, led by Dr Vinod Kumar, Director Promotion, IN-SPACe, and Shashank Saxena, Deputy Director IN-SPACe, included participants from Indian space startups such as Agnikul Cosmos, TakeMe2Space, Dhruva Space, Bellatrix Aerospace, XDLINX Space, mistEO OrbitAid Aerospace and Skyroot Aerospace.

At the event, in the presence of IN-SPACe&nbsp;officials and Enrico Palermo, Chief of the Australian Space Agency, firms from both nations signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs).

"The Australian Space Forum provided an invaluable platform for Indian space startups to showcase their capabilities and explore potential collaborations with Australian partners. These MoUs represent a significant step towards strengthening ties between our two nations in the space sector," said&nbsp;Dr Kumar.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The first MoU was&nbsp;between HEX20, an Australian Satellite Platform company and OrbitAid, an Indian company specialising in developing satellite life extension solutions. OrbitAID and HEX20 will collaborate to develop a solution that is similar to a mobile fuel truck that can travel to the needy vehicle and offer fuel.

Performing this operation in space is extremely sophisticated, as it involves docking one satellite with another and transferring fuel.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Also watch |&nbsp;India sun mission Aditya-L1 begins collecting data from distance of 50,000 kms | World DNA

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The second MoU was signed between HEX20 and TakeMe2Space, an Indian Startup building AI-first compute and storage satellite infrastructure.

TakeMe2Space and Hex20 will collaborate at the intersection of education, space, and AI. As part of the agreement, HEX20 will use TakeMe2Space AI modules and subsystems in their 'Flatsat'.

Meanwhile, TakeMe2Space will give access to its OrbitLab platform for researchers and students to test and run their models on an actual satellite in real time.

A delegation led by the Indian government's space sector regulator and facilitator, the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe), is taking part in the Australian Space Forum in Adelaide.

A delegation led by the Indian government's space sector regulator and facilitator, the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe), is taking part in the Australian Space Forum in Adelaide. The ongoing visit is aimed at showcasing the capabilities of India's rapidly emerging private space sector and strengthening international collaboration. India's cutting-edge space projects, products, and services are being showcased, sparking business-to-business meetings and discussions with Australian counterparts. Also read | Indian budget 2024: A $120mn VC fund to propel India's nascent space startups The delegation, led by Dr Vinod Kumar, Director Promotion, IN-SPACe, and Shashank Saxena, Deputy Director IN-SPACe, included participants from Indian space startups such as Agnikul Cosmos, TakeMe2Space, Dhruva Space, Bellatrix Aerospace, XDLINX Space, mistEO OrbitAid Aerospace and Skyroot Aerospace. At the event, in the presence of IN-SPACe officials and Enrico Palermo, Chief of the Australian Space Agency, firms from both nations signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs). "The Australian Space Forum provided an invaluable platform for Indian space startups to showcase their capabilities and explore potential collaborations with Australian partners. These MoUs represent a significant step towards strengthening ties between our two nations in the space sector," said Dr Kumar. The first MoU was between HEX20, an Australian Satellite Platform company and OrbitAid, an Indian company specialising in developing satellite life extension solutions. OrbitAID and HEX20 will collaborate to develop a solution that is similar to a mobile fuel truck that can travel to the needy vehicle and offer fuel. Performing this operation in space is extremely sophisticated, as it involves docking one satellite with another and transferring fuel. Also watch | India sun mission Aditya-L1 begins collecting data from distance of 50,000 kms | World DNA × The second MoU was signed between HEX20 and TakeMe2Space, an Indian Startup building AI-first compute and storage satellite infrastructure. TakeMe2Space and Hex20 will collaborate at the intersection of education, space, and AI. As part of the agreement, HEX20 will use TakeMe2Space AI modules and subsystems in their 'Flatsat'. Meanwhile, TakeMe2Space will give access to its OrbitLab platform for researchers and students to test and run their models on an actual satellite in real time.

India's space sector prowess exhibited at Australian Space Forum

Since 2020, India has seen significant growth in the number of space sector startups. It is a direct result of the Indian Government introducing reforms that permitted private firms to carry out all space activities, including the building and launching of privately-developed rockets and satellites, providing space-based services etc.

Today, India has nearly 200 space sector startups, all of whom are operating in a capital-intensive, high-risk, low-return domain, which is dominated by India's Government-run Indian Space Research Organization(ISRO). In order to support such nascent firms, the Indian Union Budget has allocated Rs.1000cr(approx $120mn) as a Venture Capital Fund for space startups. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman announced that the Indian government will set up a Rs.1,000 crore venture capital fund to finance the space economy.

Welcoming the announcement, Lt. Gen. AK Bhatt (Retd.), Director General, of the industry body Indian Space Association (ISpA) said, "The proposal for establishment of 12 industrial parks across India we hope will include the space sector, as this will provide a substantial boost to the space and satellite manufacturing industry, which has long called for the creation of space parks. These measures are pivotal for the growth and development of India's space ecosystem."

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwiApOW-6r2HAxU7aPUHHXBRFZUQxfQBKAB6BAgHEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/exclusive-isro-to-test-air-breathing-hypersonic-tech-on-monday-742906" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/india-news/exclusive-isro-to-test-air-breathing-hypersonic-tech-on-monday-742906&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiApOW-6r2HAxU7aPUHHXBRFZUQxfQBKAB6BAgHEAE">Exclusive: ISRO to test air-breathing hypersonic tech on July 22</a>

The Indian Government's decision to infuse Venture capital into the space sector is based on a vision to bring about five-fold growth in the Indian Space sector. In recent years, the Indian space economy has been pegged at $ 9 billion, and this is barely two per cent of the $ 450 billion global space economy. With more startups and commercial activity by larger conglomerates, ISRO's commercial arm, the Indian Government sees significant potential in the sector. Having a diverse set of offerings from the government and private sector can enable Indian entities to tap into foreign markets.&nbsp;

The SatCom Industry Association of India opined that the government needed to offer tax incentives, provide regulatory clarity and offer contracts to startups. "By enabling space sector manufacturing through Production Linked Incentives (PLI), addressing pending defence offset obligations, and streamlining procurement processes, we can ensure sustained demand and funding for our burgeoning space economy", said Anil Prakash, DG, SIA-India.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwiApOW-6r2HAxU7aPUHHXBRFZUQxfQBKAB6BAgREAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/india-to-help-mauritius-launch-a-satellite-extends-support-on-chagos-741583" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/world/india-to-help-mauritius-launch-a-satellite-extends-support-on-chagos-741583&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiApOW-6r2HAxU7aPUHHXBRFZUQxfQBKAB6BAgREAE">India to help Mauritius launch a satellite; extends support on Chagos</a>

To further liberalize the space sector, in February 2024, the Indian Government permitted Foreign Direct Investment(FDI) in this strategic domain. This is a bold move that would help infuse foreign capital into Indian space ventures. "We also anticipate the continued streamlining of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), a critical policy lever for the private Space sector, poised to significantly enhance capital accessibility and drive ecosystem growth forward," said Chaitanya Dora, CFO &amp; Co-Founder of Dhruva Space.

Since 2020, India has seen significant growth in the number of space sector startups. It is a direct result of the Indian Government introducing reforms that permitted private firms to carry out all space activities, including the building and launching of privately-developed rockets and satellites, providing space-based services etc.

Since 2020, India has seen significant growth in the number of space sector startups. It is a direct result of the Indian Government introducing reforms that permitted private firms to carry out all space activities, including the building and launching of privately-developed rockets and satellites, providing space-based services etc. Today, India has nearly 200 space sector startups, all of whom are operating in a capital-intensive, high-risk, low-return domain, which is dominated by India's Government-run Indian Space Research Organization(ISRO). In order to support such nascent firms, the Indian Union Budget has allocated Rs.1000cr(approx $120mn) as a Venture Capital Fund for space startups. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman announced that the Indian government will set up a Rs.1,000 crore venture capital fund to finance the space economy. Welcoming the announcement, Lt. Gen. AK Bhatt (Retd.), Director General, of the industry body Indian Space Association (ISpA) said, "The proposal for establishment of 12 industrial parks across India we hope will include the space sector, as this will provide a substantial boost to the space and satellite manufacturing industry, which has long called for the creation of space parks. These measures are pivotal for the growth and development of India's space ecosystem." Also read: Exclusive: ISRO to test air-breathing hypersonic tech on July 22 The Indian Government's decision to infuse Venture capital into the space sector is based on a vision to bring about five-fold growth in the Indian Space sector. In recent years, the Indian space economy has been pegged at $ 9 billion, and this is barely two per cent of the $ 450 billion global space economy. With more startups and commercial activity by larger conglomerates, ISRO's commercial arm, the Indian Government sees significant potential in the sector. Having a diverse set of offerings from the government and private sector can enable Indian entities to tap into foreign markets. The SatCom Industry Association of India opined that the government needed to offer tax incentives, provide regulatory clarity and offer contracts to startups. "By enabling space sector manufacturing through Production Linked Incentives (PLI), addressing pending defence offset obligations, and streamlining procurement processes, we can ensure sustained demand and funding for our burgeoning space economy", said Anil Prakash, DG, SIA-India. Also read: India to help Mauritius launch a satellite; extends support on Chagos To further liberalize the space sector, in February 2024, the Indian Government permitted Foreign Direct Investment(FDI) in this strategic domain. This is a bold move that would help infuse foreign capital into Indian space ventures. "We also anticipate the continued streamlining of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), a critical policy lever for the private Space sector, poised to significantly enhance capital accessibility and drive ecosystem growth forward," said Chaitanya Dora, CFO & Co-Founder of Dhruva Space.

Indian budget 2024: A $120mn VC fund to propel India's nascent space startups 

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