<p>For the year 2024-25, the Indian government has proposed an allocation of around $1.63 billion (Rs 13,042 crore) for the Department of Space (DoS), as revealed in the interim budget. The DoS is an umbrella body, which covers the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the space sector regulator IN-SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre), other related centres, associated academic and research institutions, etc.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As per the data shared in the Demand for Grants document, this proposed budget allocation of Rs 13,042 crore&nbsp;for 2024-25 is a step up from the revised estimate of $1.33 billion (Rs 11,070 crore) for 2023-24. While this is an increase of 17.8 per cent, it would take considerable time to know how much of this proposed sum&nbsp;would be allocated eventually.</p>

<p>However, when comparing the proposed budget allocation for 2023-24 (Rs 12,543 crore&nbsp;or approx $1.56 billion)and the proposed allocation for 2024-25 (Rs 13,042 crore&nbsp;or approx $1.63 billion), the hike is barely Rs 500 crore&nbsp;or approximately $62 million, which translates to four per cent&nbsp;hike.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">India's <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/space?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#space</a> ambitions:<br />
<br />
Astronaut mission by 2026<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Indian?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Indian</a> Space Station by 2035<br />
Crewed moon landing by 2040<br />
<br />
Proposed for Funding 2024-25:<br />
₹13,042cr<br />
Revised Estimate for 2023-24:<br />
₹11,070cr<br />
<br />
Hike is 17.8% <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/science?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#science</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/tech?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#tech</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/research?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#research</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/isro?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#isro</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BudgetSession?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BudgetSession</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/InterimBudget?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#InterimBudget</a> <a href="https://t.co/6nzMSvWiZ2">pic.twitter.com/6nzMSvWiZ2</a></p>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1753019350079197342?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>It is noteworthy that the government-run Indian space agency ISRO has been assigned significantly challenging technological tasks by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In October 2023, Prime Minister Modi set a roadmap for ISRO's future endeavours and even stated specific deadlines for these projects.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Setting up a ‘Bharatiya Antariksha Station’ (Indian Space Station) by 2035 and sending the first Indian to the Moon by 2040, are among the targets. Therefore, it raises questions about whether such a modest proposed hike in funding would be adequate to meet the challenges that have been put forth.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-interim-budget-key-takeaways-from-nirmala-sitharamans-budget-speech-685817">India Budget 2024: ‘Garib, Mahilayen, Yuva, Annadata,’ key takeaways from Sitharaman’s speech</a></strong></p>

<p>The Department of Space had also been asked to develop a roadmap for Lunar exploration, which would encompass a series of Chandrayaan missions, the development of a Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV), construction of a new launch pad, setting up human-centric laboratories and associated technologies. In addition to this, Prime Minister Modi has also called upon Indian scientists to work towards interplanetary missions such as a Venus orbiter and a Mars lander.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Since 2018, ISRO has been working on executing its maiden human spaceflight mission, under a programme known as 'Gaganyaan'. This is an entirely indigenous effort to ferry Indian astronauts (specially trained Indian Air Force test pilots) to space and bring them back safely. ISRO aims to perform an uncrewed Gaganyaan mission in 2024, another uncrewed mission in 2025 and perform the astronaut mission by early 2026.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/india-interim-budget-2024-this-is-what-is-in-store-for-jobs-in-tourism-infra-and-deep-tech-685930">India Interim Budget 2024: This is what is in store for jobs in tourism, infra, and deep tech</a></strong></p>

<p>Along with routine launch activities and satellite building for India’s own needs, ISRO would also have to carry out research and development on new technologies and components that would enable them to achieve their future goals. On a war footing, ISRO has to also work on increasing the payload carrying capacity of its existing rocket LVM3, while developing new rockets, and reusable rockets for future requirements.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Over the years, ISRO has been gradually outsourcing routine activities such as building rockets and satellites to private firms or public-private entities, thereby ensuring that ISRO’s resources can be better utilised for the core research and development activities that are aimed at scaling up and meeting future requirements.</p>


For the year 2024-25, the Indian government has proposed an allocation of around $1.63 billion (Rs 13,042 crore) for the Department of Space (DoS), as revealed in the interim budget.

For the year 2024-25, the Indian government has proposed an allocation of around $1.63 billion (Rs 13,042 crore) for the Department of Space (DoS), as revealed in the interim budget. The DoS is an umbrella body, which covers the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the space sector regulator IN-SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre), other related centres, associated academic and research institutions, etc. As per the data shared in the Demand for Grants document, this proposed budget allocation of Rs 13,042 crore for 2024-25 is a step up from the revised estimate of $1.33 billion (Rs 11,070 crore) for 2023-24. While this is an increase of 17.8 per cent, it would take considerable time to know how much of this proposed sum would be allocated eventually. However, when comparing the proposed budget allocation for 2023-24 (Rs 12,543 crore or approx $1.56 billion)and the proposed allocation for 2024-25 (Rs 13,042 crore or approx $1.63 billion), the hike is barely Rs 500 crore or approximately $62 million, which translates to four per cent hike. India's #space ambitions: Astronaut mission by 2026#Indian Space Station by 2035 Crewed moon landing by 2040 Proposed for Funding 2024-25: ₹13,042cr Revised Estimate for 2023-24: ₹11,070cr Hike is 17.8% #science #tech #research #isro #BudgetSession #InterimBudget pic.twitter.com/6nzMSvWiZ2 — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) February 1, 2024 × It is noteworthy that the government-run Indian space agency ISRO has been assigned significantly challenging technological tasks by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In October 2023, Prime Minister Modi set a roadmap for ISRO's future endeavours and even stated specific deadlines for these projects. Setting up a ‘Bharatiya Antariksha Station’ (Indian Space Station) by 2035 and sending the first Indian to the Moon by 2040, are among the targets. Therefore, it raises questions about whether such a modest proposed hike in funding would be adequate to meet the challenges that have been put forth. ALSO READ | India Budget 2024: ‘Garib, Mahilayen, Yuva, Annadata,’ key takeaways from Sitharaman’s speech The Department of Space had also been asked to develop a roadmap for Lunar exploration, which would encompass a series of Chandrayaan missions, the development of a Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV), construction of a new launch pad, setting up human-centric laboratories and associated technologies. In addition to this, Prime Minister Modi has also called upon Indian scientists to work towards interplanetary missions such as a Venus orbiter and a Mars lander. Since 2018, ISRO has been working on executing its maiden human spaceflight mission, under a programme known as 'Gaganyaan'. This is an entirely indigenous effort to ferry Indian astronauts (specially trained Indian Air Force test pilots) to space and bring them back safely. ISRO aims to perform an uncrewed Gaganyaan mission in 2024, another uncrewed mission in 2025 and perform the astronaut mission by early 2026. ALSO READ | India Interim Budget 2024: This is what is in store for jobs in tourism, infra, and deep tech Along with routine launch activities and satellite building for India’s own needs, ISRO would also have to carry out research and development on new technologies and components that would enable them to achieve their future goals. On a war footing, ISRO has to also work on increasing the payload carrying capacity of its existing rocket LVM3, while developing new rockets, and reusable rockets for future requirements. Over the years, ISRO has been gradually outsourcing routine activities such as building rockets and satellites to private firms or public-private entities, thereby ensuring that ISRO’s resources can be better utilised for the core research and development activities that are aimed at scaling up and meeting future requirements.

Budget 2024: India’s Department of Space proposed to receive approx $1.63 billion

<p>In the highly competitive world of commercial rocketry, those who lift big, earn big. At a time when private firms and governments are developing their own satellite constellations and heavy communication satellites, there is a rapidly growing need for launch vehicles that can ferry these satellites to space.</p>

<p>It is under such market conditions that commercial launch service providers NewSpace India Limited (NSIL is the commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organization) and the French firm Arianespace have entered into a long-term strategic partnership.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While eleven nations have demonstrated the capability to place their satellites into orbit, it must be remembered that very few of them (either government agencies or private entities) have the wherewithal to perform such launches in a dependable and consistent manner.</p>

<p>Operating a commercial ferry to space is a high-risk and low-return business, which is why there are very few operators in this segment.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Arianespace has been ferrying its customers' satellites to space since the early 1980s and the commercial arm of ISRO has been doing so since 1999. That makes both these entities credible and reliable launch service providers, with the legacy of having launched hundreds of customer satellites. Not many government agencies or private entities have such a track record.</p>

<h2><strong>Business potential - Communication satellites and LEO constellations</strong></h2>

<p>Communication satellites facilitate television broadcasting, satellite radio, satellite phones, and much more. Typically, communication satellites are bulky, owing to the large amounts of fuel that they carry, the number of transponders on board, and the long operational life of the craft, which is anywhere between five to fifteen years.</p>

<p>Satellites that are under this category can weigh anywhere between four tonnes to fifteen tonnes and there are very few rockets in the world that can put these satellites into orbit.&nbsp;</p>

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<p>Startlink, EutelSat OneWeb, Project Kuiper, are among the popular entities, in addition to governments that are establishing constellations of hundreds (if not thousands) of satellites in low earth orbit (anywhere between 500-200 km&nbsp;above the earth).</p>

<p>Such constellations are meant to beam down high-speed (4G-like) internet to remote places on the earth, where conventional internet and communications services are unavailable or scarce.</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/fired-up-nasas-lucy-spacecraft-fires-main-engines-in-space-for-the-first-time-since-its-launch-685504">Fired-up! NASA's Lucy spacecraft fires main engines in space for the first time since its launch</a></p>

<p>With each launch, these entities look to loft a few dozen satellites into orbit and this requirement can be fulfilled by only very few rocket variants. Putting together a constellation requires regular and dependable launches in a time-bound manner.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Owing to evolving geopolitical scenarios, the use of Russian rockets by foreign customers has dwindled, following the Ukraine-Russia conflict. While China has capable rockets, their fleet is used predominantly to launch their own national or commercial missions and there is very limited exposure to international customers. This is why the list of medium-lift and heavy-lift rockets is very limited for prospective customers.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Indian LVM3 rocket and the upcoming Arianespace Ariane 6 rocket are capable of undertaking these kinds of missions. India's LVM3 has placed communication satellites in orbit and also demonstrated how it can ferry 36 satellites in a single launch, to build a satellite constellation.</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/do-moons-exist-outside-our-solar-systems-researchers-argue-on-discovery-of-exomoons-685419">Do moons exist outside our solar systems? Researchers argue on discovery of exomoons</a></p>

<p>The Ariane 5 rocket (retired in 2023) has undertaken hundreds of missions of such kind and proven its mettle, which is why Arianespace hopes to continue the same with its successor, the Ariane 6 rocket.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In terms of communication satellites, the Indian LVM3 can loft crafts weighing four tons, whereas the bigger variant of Ariane 6 can lift 11.5 tonnes.</p>

<p>When it comes to launching multiple satellites into low earth orbit, the LVM3 can launch payloads weighing a total of eight tonnes, and the bigger variant of the Ariane 6 can launch payloads weighing more than 20 tonnes.</p>

<p>The only rocket in the International market that operates in a comparable class is the SpaceX Falcon9 reusable rocket, which can lift more than 22 tonnes to low Earth orbit and communication satellites weighing more than eight tonnes. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Recently, NSIL announced that its 4.7 tonnes GSAT-20 satellite, a high-capacity communication satellite would be launched on the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. &nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>How will NSIL and Arianespace work together to 'Lift big and earn big'?</strong></h2>

<p>While NSIL and Arianespace have the kind of rockets that are being sought by customers, they face a challenge in terms of the number of launches per year.</p>

<p>Given that both LVM3 and Ariane 6 are expendable rockets (unlike the reusable Falcon 9), each rocket has to be entirely built from scratch and launched. Therefore, there are obvious limitations on the manufacturing capacity and the infrastructure to perform more than a handful of launches per year.</p>

<p>In comparison, SpaceX Falcon 9 has done more than 290 launches in its 13 years of operations, with more than 91 Falcon 9 launches in 2023 alone.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to D. Radhakrishnan, Chairman and Managing Director of NSIL, &nbsp;the long-term partnership between the two companies is to meet the Global commercial satellite launch service market needs. Together, both LVM3 and Ariane 6 would support customer needs, he says.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Elaborating on this, he said that the Indian LVM3 could ferry satellites for Arianespace if the French firm had a launch requirement from a customer and did not have a rocket available at that time.</p>

<p>Vice versa, the Ariane 6 vehicle would be used to launch the satellite for NSIL, when an Indian rocket is not available to meet NSIL's customer demands, he told WION.</p>

<p>As per this agreement, the respective entities would be launching their rockets from home soil - LVM3 from ISRO's spaceport in Sriharikota, India, and Ariane 6 from Kourou, French Guiana.</p>

<p>He believes that such an arrangement which combines the strengths of both established commercial launchers would help reach out to new markets and customers.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In order to achieve the capability of stepping up in times of need, he said that India is working with its homegrown industry to increase the production capacity of its LVM3 rocket. For context, the LVM3 rocket has been operational for almost a decade now and has flown seven missions (all successful).</p>

<p>While India has managed to improve the production capacity of the LVM3 and launched three of these rockets between October 2022 and July 2023, this is still inadequate when it comes to commercial operations.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Radhakrishnan told WION that the Indian establishment is working towards gradually ramping up to four or five LVM3 launches per year and eventually six to seven launches, considering the commercial demand that they expect.</p>

<p>With the Ariane 5 rocket retired in mid-2023, Arianespace is now working towards getting the Ariane 6 ready for its maiden flight, which is expected mid-2024.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>


In the highly competitive world of commercial rocketry, those who lift big, earn big. At a time when private firms and governments are developing their own satellite constellations and heavy communication satellites, there is a rapidly growing need for launch vehicles that can ferry these satellites to space.

In the highly competitive world of commercial rocketry, those who lift big, earn big. At a time when private firms and governments are developing their own satellite constellations and heavy communication satellites, there is a rapidly growing need for launch vehicles that can ferry these satellites to space. It is under such market conditions that commercial launch service providers NewSpace India Limited (NSIL is the commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organization) and the French firm Arianespace have entered into a long-term strategic partnership. While eleven nations have demonstrated the capability to place their satellites into orbit, it must be remembered that very few of them (either government agencies or private entities) have the wherewithal to perform such launches in a dependable and consistent manner. Operating a commercial ferry to space is a high-risk and low-return business, which is why there are very few operators in this segment. Arianespace has been ferrying its customers' satellites to space since the early 1980s and the commercial arm of ISRO has been doing so since 1999. That makes both these entities credible and reliable launch service providers, with the legacy of having launched hundreds of customer satellites. Not many government agencies or private entities have such a track record. Business potential - Communication satellites and LEO constellations Communication satellites facilitate television broadcasting, satellite radio, satellite phones, and much more. Typically, communication satellites are bulky, owing to the large amounts of fuel that they carry, the number of transponders on board, and the long operational life of the craft, which is anywhere between five to fifteen years. Satellites that are under this category can weigh anywhere between four tonnes to fifteen tonnes and there are very few rockets in the world that can put these satellites into orbit. × Startlink, EutelSat OneWeb, Project Kuiper, are among the popular entities, in addition to governments that are establishing constellations of hundreds (if not thousands) of satellites in low earth orbit (anywhere between 500-200 km above the earth). Such constellations are meant to beam down high-speed (4G-like) internet to remote places on the earth, where conventional internet and communications services are unavailable or scarce. Also Read | Fired-up! NASA's Lucy spacecraft fires main engines in space for the first time since its launch With each launch, these entities look to loft a few dozen satellites into orbit and this requirement can be fulfilled by only very few rocket variants. Putting together a constellation requires regular and dependable launches in a time-bound manner. Owing to evolving geopolitical scenarios, the use of Russian rockets by foreign customers has dwindled, following the Ukraine-Russia conflict. While China has capable rockets, their fleet is used predominantly to launch their own national or commercial missions and there is very limited exposure to international customers. This is why the list of medium-lift and heavy-lift rockets is very limited for prospective customers. The Indian LVM3 rocket and the upcoming Arianespace Ariane 6 rocket are capable of undertaking these kinds of missions. India's LVM3 has placed communication satellites in orbit and also demonstrated how it can ferry 36 satellites in a single launch, to build a satellite constellation. Also Read | Do moons exist outside our solar systems? Researchers argue on discovery of exomoons The Ariane 5 rocket (retired in 2023) has undertaken hundreds of missions of such kind and proven its mettle, which is why Arianespace hopes to continue the same with its successor, the Ariane 6 rocket. In terms of communication satellites, the Indian LVM3 can loft crafts weighing four tons, whereas the bigger variant of Ariane 6 can lift 11.5 tonnes. When it comes to launching multiple satellites into low earth orbit, the LVM3 can launch payloads weighing a total of eight tonnes, and the bigger variant of the Ariane 6 can launch payloads weighing more than 20 tonnes. The only rocket in the International market that operates in a comparable class is the SpaceX Falcon9 reusable rocket, which can lift more than 22 tonnes to low Earth orbit and communication satellites weighing more than eight tonnes. Recently, NSIL announced that its 4.7 tonnes GSAT-20 satellite, a high-capacity communication satellite would be launched on the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. How will NSIL and Arianespace work together to 'Lift big and earn big'? While NSIL and Arianespace have the kind of rockets that are being sought by customers, they face a challenge in terms of the number of launches per year. Given that both LVM3 and Ariane 6 are expendable rockets (unlike the reusable Falcon 9), each rocket has to be entirely built from scratch and launched. Therefore, there are obvious limitations on the manufacturing capacity and the infrastructure to perform more than a handful of launches per year. In comparison, SpaceX Falcon 9 has done more than 290 launches in its 13 years of operations, with more than 91 Falcon 9 launches in 2023 alone. According to D. Radhakrishnan, Chairman and Managing Director of NSIL, the long-term partnership between the two companies is to meet the Global commercial satellite launch service market needs. Together, both LVM3 and Ariane 6 would support customer needs, he says. Elaborating on this, he said that the Indian LVM3 could ferry satellites for Arianespace if the French firm had a launch requirement from a customer and did not have a rocket available at that time. Vice versa, the Ariane 6 vehicle would be used to launch the satellite for NSIL, when an Indian rocket is not available to meet NSIL's customer demands, he told WION. As per this agreement, the respective entities would be launching their rockets from home soil - LVM3 from ISRO's spaceport in Sriharikota, India, and Ariane 6 from Kourou, French Guiana. He believes that such an arrangement which combines the strengths of both established commercial launchers would help reach out to new markets and customers. In order to achieve the capability of stepping up in times of need, he said that India is working with its homegrown industry to increase the production capacity of its LVM3 rocket. For context, the LVM3 rocket has been operational for almost a decade now and has flown seven missions (all successful). While India has managed to improve the production capacity of the LVM3 and launched three of these rockets between October 2022 and July 2023, this is still inadequate when it comes to commercial operations. Radhakrishnan told WION that the Indian establishment is working towards gradually ramping up to four or five LVM3 launches per year and eventually six to seven launches, considering the commercial demand that they expect. With the Ariane 5 rocket retired in mid-2023, Arianespace is now working towards getting the Ariane 6 ready for its maiden flight, which is expected mid-2024.

Explained | Why India and France are betting big on heavy-lift commercial rocketry

<p>In what is said to be among the highest individual contributions by an alumnus to Indian academia, US-based tech entrepreneur Sunil Wadhwani donated Rs.110 crore or $13.75 million to his alma mater, IIT-Madras. A student of the 1984 batch, the entrepreneur donated the sum of money to establish a Wadhwani School of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, at the campus where he had studied. The MoU for establishing the Centre was exchanged between Wadhawani, IIT-Madras Director Prof. V. Kamakoti and other officials from the institute.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Tech entrepreneur Sunil Wadhwani (right)donates ₹110cr($13.75mn) to his Alma Mater <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IITMadras?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IITMadras</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Chennai?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Chennai</a> ,for establishing Wadhwani School of Data <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Science?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Science</a> &amp; AI<br />
<br />
Course in <a href="https://t.co/j14Zunu1Ho">https://t.co/j14Zunu1Ho</a> AI &amp; Data analytics at <a href="https://twitter.com/iitmadras?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@iitmadras</a> from July 2024<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/india?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#india</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/tech?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#tech</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AI</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/academia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#academia</a>… <a href="https://t.co/FQz1Gt8tvM">pic.twitter.com/FQz1Gt8tvM</a></p>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1752227008309039581?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>Elaborating on his choice of donating towards the field of AI, he said, that Artificial Intelligence has been around for more than five decades, but it is during the last 10 years that rapid progress has taken place, owing to the increase in computing power and the immense data that is available due to social media.</p>

<p>"Today, AI is growing at a much faster pace and the power of AI is doubling every 6 months and in about ten years, it could surpass human intelligence," he opined.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to him, there are tremendous benefits and challenges posed by AI and India must be a leader in research, teaching, skills training and development of AI apps.</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/have-a-look-at-pm-modis-personal-diary-featuring-mahatma-gandhis-quotes-685185">Have a look at PM Modi’s personal diary featuring Mahatma Gandhi’s quotes</a></p>

<p><span style="font-size: 15px;">"I see a strong need for a dedicated Data Science and AI school focusing on foundational and applied research in these areas. With the advancements in science and technology, India holds immense potential and can be a world leader in AI and allied sciences," he said.&nbsp;</span></p>

<p>Queried about how these funds would be used, Prof. Mahesh Panchagnula, Dean, Alumni and Corporate Relations, IIT-M, told WION that a portion of the fund would be used immediately for setting up facilities and for attracting the best talent - faculty, researchers etc. He added that the 30,000 square feet facility was being prepared for hosting the facility and that a large part of the fund would continue to support the department for a long time.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/who-is-satnam-singh-sandhu-founder-chancellor-of-chandigarh-university-nominated-as-rajya-sabha-mp-685125">Who is Satnam Singh Sandhu? Founder, chancellor of Chandigarh University nominated as Rajya Sabha MP</a></p>

<p>Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT-Madras, said that the institute is working towards launching a B.Tech course in AI and Data Analytics by July 2024 and gradually expanding the intake from the initial 30 students.</p>

<p>Under its School of Data Science and AI, IIT Madras has three centres - Robert Bosch Centre for Data Science and AI, Centre for Responsible AI and the upcoming Wadhwani School.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/indian-navy-rescues-two-hijacked-vessels-in-less-than-36-hours-685151">Indian Navy rescues two hijacked vessels in less than 36 hours</a></strong></p>

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<p>Outlining the vision for the Wadhwani school, Prof. B. Ravindran, its Founding Head, said that Data Science and AI are inherrently interdisciplinary fields. The Wadhwani school will enable close collaboration between domain experts and AI researchers to develop solutions that integrate AI with existing approaches. Healthcare, Agriculture, Smart cities and transportation, Financial Analytics, Manufacturing, Defence, Education etc. are among the domains in which the facility would carry out Applied Research.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>


In what is said to be among the highest individual contributions by an alumnus to Indian academia, US-based tech entrepreneur Sunil Wadhwani donated Rs.110 crore or $13.

In what is said to be among the highest individual contributions by an alumnus to Indian academia, US-based tech entrepreneur Sunil Wadhwani donated Rs.110 crore or $13.75 million to his alma mater, IIT-Madras. A student of the 1984 batch, the entrepreneur donated the sum of money to establish a Wadhwani School of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, at the campus where he had studied. The MoU for establishing the Centre was exchanged between Wadhawani, IIT-Madras Director Prof. V. Kamakoti and other officials from the institute. Tech entrepreneur Sunil Wadhwani (right)donates ₹110cr($13.75mn) to his Alma Mater #IITMadras #Chennai ,for establishing Wadhwani School of Data #Science & AI Course in https://t.co/j14Zunu1Ho AI & Data analytics at @iitmadras from July 2024#india #tech #AI #academia… pic.twitter.com/FQz1Gt8tvM — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) January 30, 2024 × Elaborating on his choice of donating towards the field of AI, he said, that Artificial Intelligence has been around for more than five decades, but it is during the last 10 years that rapid progress has taken place, owing to the increase in computing power and the immense data that is available due to social media. "Today, AI is growing at a much faster pace and the power of AI is doubling every 6 months and in about ten years, it could surpass human intelligence," he opined. According to him, there are tremendous benefits and challenges posed by AI and India must be a leader in research, teaching, skills training and development of AI apps. Also Read | Have a look at PM Modi’s personal diary featuring Mahatma Gandhi’s quotes "I see a strong need for a dedicated Data Science and AI school focusing on foundational and applied research in these areas. With the advancements in science and technology, India holds immense potential and can be a world leader in AI and allied sciences," he said. Queried about how these funds would be used, Prof. Mahesh Panchagnula, Dean, Alumni and Corporate Relations, IIT-M, told WION that a portion of the fund would be used immediately for setting up facilities and for attracting the best talent - faculty, researchers etc. He added that the 30,000 square feet facility was being prepared for hosting the facility and that a large part of the fund would continue to support the department for a long time. Also Read | Who is Satnam Singh Sandhu? Founder, chancellor of Chandigarh University nominated as Rajya Sabha MP Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT-Madras, said that the institute is working towards launching a B.Tech course in AI and Data Analytics by July 2024 and gradually expanding the intake from the initial 30 students. Under its School of Data Science and AI, IIT Madras has three centres - Robert Bosch Centre for Data Science and AI, Centre for Responsible AI and the upcoming Wadhwani School. Watch | Indian Navy rescues two hijacked vessels in less than 36 hours × Outlining the vision for the Wadhwani school, Prof. B. Ravindran, its Founding Head, said that Data Science and AI are inherrently interdisciplinary fields. The Wadhwani school will enable close collaboration between domain experts and AI researchers to develop solutions that integrate AI with existing approaches. Healthcare, Agriculture, Smart cities and transportation, Financial Analytics, Manufacturing, Defence, Education etc. are among the domains in which the facility would carry out Applied Research.

US-based tech entrepreneur donates $13.75 million to alma mater IIT-Madras

<p>In a move aimed at establishing a facility to make the toughened glass that's used in smartphone displays and electronic gadgets, American firm Corning International Corporation and Indian firm Optiemus Infracom have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Tamil Nadu government.</p>

<p>The firms intend to set up a joint entity known as Big Tech (Bharat Innovation Glass Technologies Private Limited), near the state's capital city of Chennai.</p>

<p>American firm Corning is popularly known as the maker of Gorilla Glass, a brand of toughened glass that is used by leading smartphone makers to make displays durable and scratch-resistant.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to the Tamil Nadu government, the MoU has been inked for a proposed investment of $125 million or Rs 1003 crores, and this facility has the potential to create 840 jobs.</p>

<p>The investment was inked on Tuesday, between the Tamil Nadu Government's Investment promotion arm 'Guidance' and the Indo-American joint venture firm 'BIG TECH'.</p>

<p>Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, Industries Minister Dr TRB Rajaa, top officials from the Government, and the leadership of the investing entity took part in the MoU exchange ceremony at the State Secretariat.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Tamil Nadu Chief Minister <a href="https://twitter.com/mkstalin?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mkstalin</a> being gifted a portrait of his, that appears to be shielded by Gorilla Glass, the kind of toughened glass that protects phone screen<br />
<br />
🇺🇸Corning &amp; 🇮🇳Optiemus to invest near <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> in a joint venture firm Big Tech <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/india?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#india</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/tech?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#tech</a> <a href="https://t.co/YDh6Lehs9h">https://t.co/YDh6Lehs9h</a> <a href="https://t.co/CTJFRzw0hm">pic.twitter.com/CTJFRzw0hm</a></p>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1749666741494645028?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>One among the Fortune 500 firms, US-headquartered Corning International makes the Gorilla Glass brand of toughened glass that finds use in smartphones, tablet computers, and other electronic gadgets.</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/revision-needed-elon-musk-throws-weight-behind-indias-bid-for-permanent-seat-at-unsc-682721">‘Revision needed,’ Elon Musk throws weight behind India’s bid for permanent seat at UNSC</a></p>

<p>Gorilla glass is said to be used in more than 8 billion smartphones. Indian firm Optiemus Infracom operates facilities that assemble smartphones and manufacture&nbsp;tempered glass units.</p>

<p>They are involved in multi-domain experience including management, distribution and marketing of mobile, and telecom products in the Indian subcontinent.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Once operational, the BIG TECH facility near Chennai, would produce front-cover glass for smartphones and supply them to glass panel makers and smartphone assembly firms.</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/india-surpasses-hong-kong-securing-the-fourth-spot-in-global-stock-markets-682688">India surpasses Hong Kong, securing the fourth spot in global stock markets</a></p>

<p>According to the Tamil Nadu Government, the products that would roll out of this facility would be the first of its kind in India&nbsp;to be made using Precision glass processing technology.</p>

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<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/hm-pulls-down-ad-after-complaints-of-sexualisation-young-girls-682733">H&amp;M pulls down ad after complaints of sexualisation young girls</a></strong></p>

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<p>Notably, Tamil Nadu had inked investment MoUs worth more than Rs 6.6 lakh crore or $83bn USD, in the Global Investors Meet that was concluded earlier this month.&nbsp;</p>
</section>

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In a move aimed at establishing a facility to make the toughened glass that's used in smartphone displays and electronic gadgets, American firm Corning International Corporation and Indian firm Optiemus Infracom have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Tamil Nadu government.

In a move aimed at establishing a facility to make the toughened glass that's used in smartphone displays and electronic gadgets, American firm Corning International Corporation and Indian firm Optiemus Infracom have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Tamil Nadu government. The firms intend to set up a joint entity known as Big Tech (Bharat Innovation Glass Technologies Private Limited), near the state's capital city of Chennai. American firm Corning is popularly known as the maker of Gorilla Glass, a brand of toughened glass that is used by leading smartphone makers to make displays durable and scratch-resistant. According to the Tamil Nadu government, the MoU has been inked for a proposed investment of $125 million or Rs 1003 crores, and this facility has the potential to create 840 jobs. The investment was inked on Tuesday, between the Tamil Nadu Government's Investment promotion arm 'Guidance' and the Indo-American joint venture firm 'BIG TECH'. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, Industries Minister Dr TRB Rajaa, top officials from the Government, and the leadership of the investing entity took part in the MoU exchange ceremony at the State Secretariat. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister @mkstalin being gifted a portrait of his, that appears to be shielded by Gorilla Glass, the kind of toughened glass that protects phone screen 🇺🇸Corning & 🇮🇳Optiemus to invest near #chennai #TamilNadu in a joint venture firm Big Tech #india #tech https://t.co/YDh6Lehs9h pic.twitter.com/CTJFRzw0hm — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) January 23, 2024 × One among the Fortune 500 firms, US-headquartered Corning International makes the Gorilla Glass brand of toughened glass that finds use in smartphones, tablet computers, and other electronic gadgets. Also Read | ‘Revision needed,’ Elon Musk throws weight behind India’s bid for permanent seat at UNSC Gorilla glass is said to be used in more than 8 billion smartphones. Indian firm Optiemus Infracom operates facilities that assemble smartphones and manufacture tempered glass units. They are involved in multi-domain experience including management, distribution and marketing of mobile, and telecom products in the Indian subcontinent. Once operational, the BIG TECH facility near Chennai, would produce front-cover glass for smartphones and supply them to glass panel makers and smartphone assembly firms. Also Read | India surpasses Hong Kong, securing the fourth spot in global stock markets According to the Tamil Nadu Government, the products that would roll out of this facility would be the first of its kind in India to be made using Precision glass processing technology. Watch | H&M pulls down ad after complaints of sexualisation young girls × Notably, Tamil Nadu had inked investment MoUs worth more than Rs 6.6 lakh crore or $83bn USD, in the Global Investors Meet that was concluded earlier this month.

India: Corning, the maker of Gorilla glass, ties up with domestic firm to invest $125mn

<p>The Brazilian Navy inducted 'Humaita', the second Scorpene submarine that was built domestically, based on technology transfer from the French firm Naval Group. This is part of Brazil's ProSub programme that aims to enhance their Navy's submarine force with four new conventional (diesel-electric) Scorpene submarines and the development of an indigenous Nuclear-powered submarine.</p>

<p>In recent years, the French-origin Scorpene submarines have had many takers with the Indian Navy inducting six of them, and two each being added to the fleets of Malaysia and Chile.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Scorpene is a modern, high-performant, and stealthy submarine, that is designed for ocean-going and for shallow waters operations. It can undertake a wide range of missions such as Anti-Surface &amp; Anti-Submarine Warfare, special operations, and intelligence gathering. Stealthy and fast, these submarines have a level of automation that requires a limited number of crew, which reduces their operating costs significantly.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-and-iran-reach-agreement-on-further-development-of-chabahar-port-680269">Also read |&nbsp;India and Iran reach agreement on further development of Chabahar port</a></p>

<p>The Humaita successfully completed its sea trials and has now been delivered and entered into service within the Brazilian Navy. The submarine was&nbsp;commissioned by the Brazilian Navy at the Itaguaí Naval base, in the presence of José Mucio Monteiro, Brazilian minister of defence and Emmanuel Chiva, French General Delegate for Armaments.&nbsp;The first submarine of the ProSub program, the Riachuelo, was commissioned by the Brazilian Navy in September 2022. The remaining two submarines of the series, Tonelero and Angostura will respectively be launched in 2024 and 2025.</p>

<p>As part of the Brazilian ProSub programme, Scorpene submarines are manufactured and assembled in the shipyard built in Itaguaí by Itaguaí Construções Navais (ICN). Naval Group, France, contributed to this programme by transferring technology, supplying the submarine design, the equipment that makes up the submarines and technical assistance. Teams from the ICN shipyard have also been trained in submarine construction techniques in France&nbsp;as part of a vast training programme for Brazilian welders, formers, pipe fitters and electricians. This training, along with technical assistance, enables ICN to master the entire production process, the Naval Group said.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;Ram Mandir| Ayodhya: Transformation of a temple town</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/ram-mandir-ayodhya-transformation-of-a-temple-town-680310/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>The final configuration of the Brazilian Scorpenes is adapted to meet the specific needs of the user.&nbsp;The Brazilian Scorpenes will be slightly longer than the conventional model to carry a larger crew, and more food and fuel. These modifications will enable it to patrol longer and cover greater distances. Brazil is also the Naval Group's first international client to be equipped with the new-generation F21 heavy-weight torpedo.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to the technical specifications shared by the Naval Group, France, Scorpene submarines have a surfaced displacement of 1600-2000 tonnes, an overall length of 66-82 metres, submerged speed greater than 20 knots (37 kmph), diving depth greater than 350 metres, six weapon-firing tubes and more than 240 days of operational availability at sea per year.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


The Brazilian Navy inducted 'Humaita', the second Scorpene submarine that was built domestically, based on technology transfer from the French firm Naval Group. This is part of Brazil's ProSub programme that aims to enhance their Navy's submarine force with four new conventional (diesel-electric) Scorpene submarines and the development of an indigenous Nuclear-powered submarine.

The Brazilian Navy inducted 'Humaita', the second Scorpene submarine that was built domestically, based on technology transfer from the French firm Naval Group. This is part of Brazil's ProSub programme that aims to enhance their Navy's submarine force with four new conventional (diesel-electric) Scorpene submarines and the development of an indigenous Nuclear-powered submarine. In recent years, the French-origin Scorpene submarines have had many takers with the Indian Navy inducting six of them, and two each being added to the fleets of Malaysia and Chile. Scorpene is a modern, high-performant, and stealthy submarine, that is designed for ocean-going and for shallow waters operations. It can undertake a wide range of missions such as Anti-Surface & Anti-Submarine Warfare, special operations, and intelligence gathering. Stealthy and fast, these submarines have a level of automation that requires a limited number of crew, which reduces their operating costs significantly. Also read | India and Iran reach agreement on further development of Chabahar port The Humaita successfully completed its sea trials and has now been delivered and entered into service within the Brazilian Navy. The submarine was commissioned by the Brazilian Navy at the Itaguaí Naval base, in the presence of José Mucio Monteiro, Brazilian minister of defence and Emmanuel Chiva, French General Delegate for Armaments. The first submarine of the ProSub program, the Riachuelo, was commissioned by the Brazilian Navy in September 2022. The remaining two submarines of the series, Tonelero and Angostura will respectively be launched in 2024 and 2025. As part of the Brazilian ProSub programme, Scorpene submarines are manufactured and assembled in the shipyard built in Itaguaí by Itaguaí Construções Navais (ICN). Naval Group, France, contributed to this programme by transferring technology, supplying the submarine design, the equipment that makes up the submarines and technical assistance. Teams from the ICN shipyard have also been trained in submarine construction techniques in France as part of a vast training programme for Brazilian welders, formers, pipe fitters and electricians. This training, along with technical assistance, enables ICN to master the entire production process, the Naval Group said. Also watch | Ram Mandir| Ayodhya: Transformation of a temple town The final configuration of the Brazilian Scorpenes is adapted to meet the specific needs of the user. The Brazilian Scorpenes will be slightly longer than the conventional model to carry a larger crew, and more food and fuel. These modifications will enable it to patrol longer and cover greater distances. Brazil is also the Naval Group's first international client to be equipped with the new-generation F21 heavy-weight torpedo. According to the technical specifications shared by the Naval Group, France, Scorpene submarines have a surfaced displacement of 1600-2000 tonnes, an overall length of 66-82 metres, submerged speed greater than 20 knots (37 kmph), diving depth greater than 350 metres, six weapon-firing tubes and more than 240 days of operational availability at sea per year.

After India, Brazil inducts French-origin Scorpene Submarines

<p>American Aerospace firm Boeing announced the inauguration of its maiden Distribution Centre in India, which is aimed at supporting its commercial aviation customers. Spread across 36,000 square-feet, in Khurja, Uttar Pradesh, this warehouse is meant to support the spare parts requirements of the firm's Indian customers, thereby supporting the Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) of passenger planes. This new site underscores our continued commitment to expanding our presence in the country and delivering an efficient, cost-effective, and local solution, the firm said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Next-Generation Boeing 737, 737 MAX, 747, 757, 777 and 787 Dreamliner are some of the American firm's aircraft operating as part of Indian passenger carrier fleets. In addition to this, the Indian Ministry of Defence operates four 737-200s and three 737 Boeing Business Jets. Two specially modified Air India 777-300ER are used as Head of State aircraft.</p>

<p>“The Boeing India Distribution Centre illustrates Boeing’s commitment to supporting the growth of this market, aligned with the Government's 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' (self-reliant India) vision. This centre will support the emergent needs of spare parts for Boeing aircraft in India, reducing lead times, improving availability, and supporting the MRO industry here,” said Salil Gupte, president, Boeing India.</p>

<p>Thus far, Boeing has been operating seven such distribution centres globally and the Indian facility is the eighth in this list. “The India Distribution Centre represents another significant step forward in Boeing's strategy to provide parts and services when and where customers need them,” said William Ampofo, vice president, Parts &amp; Distribution Services and Supply Chain, Boeing Global Services.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to Boeing, the announcement for this investment in the distribution centre was made in February 2023, during the Aero India event, organised by the Indian Government. The firm added that the first parts from this centre were shipped to customers in December 2023.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Positioned strategically along India’s Eastern Freight Corridor, with proximity to both Delhi and the upcoming Jewar airport, the distribution centre reaffirms Boeing’s commitment to supporting growth and self-reliance objectives in India. The warehouse, which prioritises innovation, safety, and sustainability, is operated in collaboration with third-party logistics provider DB Schenker, Boeing said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The new distribution centre marks Boeing's most recent development in India, following a series of substantial investments and agreements aimed at bolstering the growth of the civil aviation industry in the country. These initiatives encompass a partnership with GMR Aero Technic to establish a Boeing Converted Freighter line in Hyderabad and the establishment of a Global Support Centre in Gurgaon. Additionally, Boeing has committed a $100 million investment in infrastructure and pilot training programmes to support India's growing demand for pilots in the coming two decades, the firm said.&nbsp;</p>


American Aerospace firm Boeing announced the inauguration of its maiden Distribution Centre in India, which is aimed at supporting its commercial aviation customers.

American Aerospace firm Boeing announced the inauguration of its maiden Distribution Centre in India, which is aimed at supporting its commercial aviation customers. Spread across 36,000 square-feet, in Khurja, Uttar Pradesh, this warehouse is meant to support the spare parts requirements of the firm's Indian customers, thereby supporting the Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) of passenger planes. This new site underscores our continued commitment to expanding our presence in the country and delivering an efficient, cost-effective, and local solution, the firm said. The Next-Generation Boeing 737, 737 MAX, 747, 757, 777 and 787 Dreamliner are some of the American firm's aircraft operating as part of Indian passenger carrier fleets. In addition to this, the Indian Ministry of Defence operates four 737-200s and three 737 Boeing Business Jets. Two specially modified Air India 777-300ER are used as Head of State aircraft. “The Boeing India Distribution Centre illustrates Boeing’s commitment to supporting the growth of this market, aligned with the Government's 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' (self-reliant India) vision. This centre will support the emergent needs of spare parts for Boeing aircraft in India, reducing lead times, improving availability, and supporting the MRO industry here,” said Salil Gupte, president, Boeing India. Thus far, Boeing has been operating seven such distribution centres globally and the Indian facility is the eighth in this list. “The India Distribution Centre represents another significant step forward in Boeing's strategy to provide parts and services when and where customers need them,” said William Ampofo, vice president, Parts & Distribution Services and Supply Chain, Boeing Global Services. According to Boeing, the announcement for this investment in the distribution centre was made in February 2023, during the Aero India event, organised by the Indian Government. The firm added that the first parts from this centre were shipped to customers in December 2023. Positioned strategically along India’s Eastern Freight Corridor, with proximity to both Delhi and the upcoming Jewar airport, the distribution centre reaffirms Boeing’s commitment to supporting growth and self-reliance objectives in India. The warehouse, which prioritises innovation, safety, and sustainability, is operated in collaboration with third-party logistics provider DB Schenker, Boeing said. The new distribution centre marks Boeing's most recent development in India, following a series of substantial investments and agreements aimed at bolstering the growth of the civil aviation industry in the country. These initiatives encompass a partnership with GMR Aero Technic to establish a Boeing Converted Freighter line in Hyderabad and the establishment of a Global Support Centre in Gurgaon. Additionally, Boeing has committed a $100 million investment in infrastructure and pilot training programmes to support India's growing demand for pilots in the coming two decades, the firm said.

India: Boeing opens first Distribution Centre to supply plane parts, its eighth globally

<p>Amid the dark depths of the Bay of Bengal, during routine testing and calibration of an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle(AUV), a significant clue emerged out of the blue and brought closure to an 8-year-old military aviation mystery, that had claimed the lives of 29 Indian Armed Forces personnel. Based on underwater data collected and analysed by India's National Institute of Ocean Technology(NIOT), Chennai, the Indian Air Force has been able to trace and identify the debris of their Russian-origin An-32 aircraft that had "disappeared" on&nbsp;July 22, 2016, during a routine mission over the Bay of Bengal, off India's east coast.</p>

<p>Recalling how it all unfolded, Dr. G.A. Ramadass, Director, NIOT told WION that the breakthrough finding happened during a deep ocean exploration mission.</p>

<p>"From Kongsberg Maritime, Norway, we procured a sophisticated AUV, Ocean Mineral Explorer 6000, which is capable of functioning fully autonomously, diving to depths of 6kms(6000m) and operating for 48 hours non-stop. We just have to program the vehicle and then it is on its own, until the time it re-surfaces. After it is retrieved, we download the data and study it", he said.</p>

<p>As a coincidence, the vehicle was deployed around the approximate last-known location of the missing aircraft and was recording observations at depths of 3.5 km.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to him, the NIOT team was not searching for this aircraft that had gone missing eight years ago(for which the massive search had already been abandoned in the same year). However, when they studied the SONAR(Sound Navigation and Ranging) data from the AUV, they noticed strong reflections (indicating the presence of some foreign object on the seafloor).&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Natural objects on the ocean floor have sediments on them and they give very dull SONAR reflections or don't reflect much. However, man-made objects reflect SONAR pings and these reflections give us a clear idea of the presence of foreign objects. The aircraft was not in an intact condition, it was scattered debris. Despite that, we were able to derive adequate data and share it with the Air Force, via the Ministry of Earth Sciences,"&nbsp;Dr S. Ramesh, the Chief Scientist for this operation told WION.</p>

<p>He added that the pre-programmed underwater operation had to be meticulously planned, as they did not have real-time control of the vehicle.&nbsp;</p>

<p>So, the vehicle had to be pre-fed instructions to perform SONAR observations from 30m above the seafloor and imaging observations at 5m above the seafloor, he added. However, the&nbsp;vehicle can only perform in-situ studies and cannot collect or return samples.</p>

<p>On Friday, January 12, 2024, the Indian Defence Ministry announced that the "search images were scrutinised and found to be conforming with an An-32 aircraft". They also reasoned that there was no other recorded history of a missing aircraft report in the same region, and therefore this debris possibly belonged to the crashed IAF An-32 (tail number K-2743). According to the Defence Ministry, the debris was spotted 140nautical miles(approx 310kms) from the Chennai coast.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the morning hours of July 22,&nbsp;2016, the ill-fated Indian Air Force An-32 plane carrying 29 personnel had taken off from Air Force Station Tambaram, Chennai, on a routine mission to Port Blair, over the Bay of Bengal. As it was flying its 1300kms (approx) journey over the Bay of Bengal, the plane is said to have "disappeared" from radar. Its last-known position was 280 km east of its origin Chennai.</p>

<p>After this incident, the Indian armed forces launched a massive, multi-pronged search and rescue effort, involving ships, submarines and aircraft. With the efforts not yielding results, the search operation had been called off in September of that year, nearly seven weeks after the disappearance.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Even during the 2016 operation, NIOT had deployed our ships and Remotely Operable Vehicles(ROVs). Back then, we had been carrying out the search from the sea surface using the best assets we had at that time. However, operating SONAR from the surface level does not offer usable results(quality data) at depths of 3000m and more, where we now know that the aircraft is located" Dr&nbsp;Ramadass explained.</p>


Amid the dark depths of the Bay of Bengal, during routine testing and calibration of an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle(AUV), a significant clue emerged out of the blue and brought closure to an 8-year-old military aviation mystery, that had claimed the lives of 29 Indian Armed Forces personnel.

Amid the dark depths of the Bay of Bengal, during routine testing and calibration of an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle(AUV), a significant clue emerged out of the blue and brought closure to an 8-year-old military aviation mystery, that had claimed the lives of 29 Indian Armed Forces personnel. Based on underwater data collected and analysed by India's National Institute of Ocean Technology(NIOT), Chennai, the Indian Air Force has been able to trace and identify the debris of their Russian-origin An-32 aircraft that had "disappeared" on July 22, 2016, during a routine mission over the Bay of Bengal, off India's east coast. Recalling how it all unfolded, Dr. G.A. Ramadass, Director, NIOT told WION that the breakthrough finding happened during a deep ocean exploration mission. "From Kongsberg Maritime, Norway, we procured a sophisticated AUV, Ocean Mineral Explorer 6000, which is capable of functioning fully autonomously, diving to depths of 6kms(6000m) and operating for 48 hours non-stop. We just have to program the vehicle and then it is on its own, until the time it re-surfaces. After it is retrieved, we download the data and study it", he said. As a coincidence, the vehicle was deployed around the approximate last-known location of the missing aircraft and was recording observations at depths of 3.5 km. According to him, the NIOT team was not searching for this aircraft that had gone missing eight years ago(for which the massive search had already been abandoned in the same year). However, when they studied the SONAR(Sound Navigation and Ranging) data from the AUV, they noticed strong reflections (indicating the presence of some foreign object on the seafloor). "Natural objects on the ocean floor have sediments on them and they give very dull SONAR reflections or don't reflect much. However, man-made objects reflect SONAR pings and these reflections give us a clear idea of the presence of foreign objects. The aircraft was not in an intact condition, it was scattered debris. Despite that, we were able to derive adequate data and share it with the Air Force, via the Ministry of Earth Sciences," Dr S. Ramesh, the Chief Scientist for this operation told WION. He added that the pre-programmed underwater operation had to be meticulously planned, as they did not have real-time control of the vehicle. So, the vehicle had to be pre-fed instructions to perform SONAR observations from 30m above the seafloor and imaging observations at 5m above the seafloor, he added. However, the vehicle can only perform in-situ studies and cannot collect or return samples. On Friday, January 12, 2024, the Indian Defence Ministry announced that the "search images were scrutinised and found to be conforming with an An-32 aircraft". They also reasoned that there was no other recorded history of a missing aircraft report in the same region, and therefore this debris possibly belonged to the crashed IAF An-32 (tail number K-2743). According to the Defence Ministry, the debris was spotted 140nautical miles(approx 310kms) from the Chennai coast. In the morning hours of July 22, 2016, the ill-fated Indian Air Force An-32 plane carrying 29 personnel had taken off from Air Force Station Tambaram, Chennai, on a routine mission to Port Blair, over the Bay of Bengal. As it was flying its 1300kms (approx) journey over the Bay of Bengal, the plane is said to have "disappeared" from radar. Its last-known position was 280 km east of its origin Chennai. After this incident, the Indian armed forces launched a massive, multi-pronged search and rescue effort, involving ships, submarines and aircraft. With the efforts not yielding results, the search operation had been called off in September of that year, nearly seven weeks after the disappearance. "Even during the 2016 operation, NIOT had deployed our ships and Remotely Operable Vehicles(ROVs). Back then, we had been carrying out the search from the sea surface using the best assets we had at that time. However, operating SONAR from the surface level does not offer usable results(quality data) at depths of 3000m and more, where we now know that the aircraft is located" Dr Ramadass explained.

Exclusive: How an Indian Air Force An-32 plane was found in the depths of Bay of Bengal

<p>On Sunday (Jan 7), the inaugural day of the Tamil Nadu Global Investors Meet 2024, the state government announced that it had inked Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) worth more than Rs 60,000 crores or $7.5 billion. These investment commitments that are expected to benefit various districts of the southern Indian state have the potential to create 50,000 jobs, spanning across sectors. Some of the notable investors are Tata Electronics, Vin Fast (Vietnamese EV firm), Hyundai, JSW Energy, TVS Group, First Solar, and Godrej, among others.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On a rainy Sunday in Chennai, delivering the inaugural address of the State Government's flagship event, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin remarked that it would rain investments in the state. India's Minister for Industry and Commerce, Piyush Goyal, top officials from the Tamil Nadu Government, foreign delegates and business leaders were present at the event's inaugural ceremony.</p>

<p>"India will grow, when the states grow," Piyush Goyal said, elaborating that every part of India (all 28 states and 8 Union Territories) contributes to the success of the nation and towards the goal of a 'Viksit Bharat' (developed India). He also stated that India is the world's fastest-growing large economy and the country's foreign reserves are at a&nbsp;significant high, at $623 billion.</p>

<p>The nine official partner nations for the event are Singapore, Korea, England, Japan, France, Australia, Germany, Denmark, and America. The Tamil Nadu government said that there are representations from nearly 50 nations taking part.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Participated in the Tamil Nadu Global Investors Meet 2024 inaugurated by our Honourable Chief Minister <a href="https://twitter.com/mkstalin?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mkstalin</a> and Union Minister Thiru <a href="https://twitter.com/PiyushGoyal?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PiyushGoyal</a>.<br />
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TN GIM 2024 is an ideal launchpad for achieving Tamil Nadu's $1 trillion economy goal. With an industry-friendly ecosystem and… <a href="https://t.co/FWcKup6UnM">pic.twitter.com/FWcKup6UnM</a></p>
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<p>Home to four International airports and seaports, Tamil Nadu is India's second-largest state economy and contributes around nine per cent of national GDP. Among the states, it is the third largest exporter in the country, with more than $40 billion worth of exports in 2022-23.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Over the last few decades, Tamil Nadu has established itself as India's automobile hub (for both two and four-wheelers), a leading producer of wind energy, and has recently made significant progress in attracting investments in the Electric Vehicles segment and exporting electronic goods. Among the notable features of inclusive development in the state, is the fact that more than 43% of Indian women in manufacturing jobs are based in Tamil Nadu.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On Monday, at the valedictory ceremony of the Global Investors Meet 2024, a complete picture would emerge of the quantum of investment and the total potential of job creation.</p>

<p>Speaking to WION, TRB Rajaa, Tamil Nadu's Minister for Industries, said that he was delighted about the job opportunities that these investments would bring to the youth of the state and how the investments were spread across parts of the state. He mentioned that their Government is focused on a growth model that promotes diversity, sustainability and inclusivity. He added that there would be more MoUs exchanged with Indian and foreign firms on the second and final day of the event. However, when queried about the estimate of total investments that the state could receive, he refused to reveal numbers and replied that it would be huge.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Investors Meet also witnessed the launch of a comprehensive action plan that will enable the state to achieve the Chief Minister's target of a $ 1 trillion economy by the year 2030. Experts and leaders from a plethora of domains, such as defence and aerospace, semiconductors, sustainable mobility, skilling, renewable energy, electronics, Micro Small and Medium Industries, etc shared their thoughts and ideas during panel discussions and special sessions.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In addition to sector-specific sessions, various nations including the US, Denmark, Germany, South Korea, Australia, and Singapore showcased diverse opportunities for partnership and collaboration with Tamil Nadu.&nbsp;</p>


On Sunday (Jan 7), the inaugural day of the Tamil Nadu Global Investors Meet 2024, the state government announced that it had inked Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) worth more than Rs 60,000 crores or $7.

On Sunday (Jan 7), the inaugural day of the Tamil Nadu Global Investors Meet 2024, the state government announced that it had inked Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) worth more than Rs 60,000 crores or $7.5 billion. These investment commitments that are expected to benefit various districts of the southern Indian state have the potential to create 50,000 jobs, spanning across sectors. Some of the notable investors are Tata Electronics, Vin Fast (Vietnamese EV firm), Hyundai, JSW Energy, TVS Group, First Solar, and Godrej, among others. On a rainy Sunday in Chennai, delivering the inaugural address of the State Government's flagship event, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin remarked that it would rain investments in the state. India's Minister for Industry and Commerce, Piyush Goyal, top officials from the Tamil Nadu Government, foreign delegates and business leaders were present at the event's inaugural ceremony. "India will grow, when the states grow," Piyush Goyal said, elaborating that every part of India (all 28 states and 8 Union Territories) contributes to the success of the nation and towards the goal of a 'Viksit Bharat' (developed India). He also stated that India is the world's fastest-growing large economy and the country's foreign reserves are at a significant high, at $623 billion. The nine official partner nations for the event are Singapore, Korea, England, Japan, France, Australia, Germany, Denmark, and America. The Tamil Nadu government said that there are representations from nearly 50 nations taking part. Participated in the Tamil Nadu Global Investors Meet 2024 inaugurated by our Honourable Chief Minister @mkstalin and Union Minister Thiru @PiyushGoyal. TN GIM 2024 is an ideal launchpad for achieving Tamil Nadu's $1 trillion economy goal. With an industry-friendly ecosystem and… pic.twitter.com/FWcKup6UnM — Udhay (@Udhaystalin) January 7, 2024 × Home to four International airports and seaports, Tamil Nadu is India's second-largest state economy and contributes around nine per cent of national GDP. Among the states, it is the third largest exporter in the country, with more than $40 billion worth of exports in 2022-23. Over the last few decades, Tamil Nadu has established itself as India's automobile hub (for both two and four-wheelers), a leading producer of wind energy, and has recently made significant progress in attracting investments in the Electric Vehicles segment and exporting electronic goods. Among the notable features of inclusive development in the state, is the fact that more than 43% of Indian women in manufacturing jobs are based in Tamil Nadu. On Monday, at the valedictory ceremony of the Global Investors Meet 2024, a complete picture would emerge of the quantum of investment and the total potential of job creation. Speaking to WION, TRB Rajaa, Tamil Nadu's Minister for Industries, said that he was delighted about the job opportunities that these investments would bring to the youth of the state and how the investments were spread across parts of the state. He mentioned that their Government is focused on a growth model that promotes diversity, sustainability and inclusivity. He added that there would be more MoUs exchanged with Indian and foreign firms on the second and final day of the event. However, when queried about the estimate of total investments that the state could receive, he refused to reveal numbers and replied that it would be huge. The Investors Meet also witnessed the launch of a comprehensive action plan that will enable the state to achieve the Chief Minister's target of a $ 1 trillion economy by the year 2030. Experts and leaders from a plethora of domains, such as defence and aerospace, semiconductors, sustainable mobility, skilling, renewable energy, electronics, Micro Small and Medium Industries, etc shared their thoughts and ideas during panel discussions and special sessions. In addition to sector-specific sessions, various nations including the US, Denmark, Germany, South Korea, Australia, and Singapore showcased diverse opportunities for partnership and collaboration with Tamil Nadu.

India: Tamil Nadu bags $7.5 billion investment commitments with potential for 50,000 jobs

<p>On the second and final day of the Tamil Nadu Global Investors Meet, the Government in the southern Indian state announced that it has received investment commitments (exchanged Memoranda of Understanding) worth USD 83 bn or Rs.6 lakh 64 thousand crores, with a potential of creating nearly 2.7 million jobs. Making the announcement, Chief Minister MK Stalin said that these investments would play a major role in driving the state towards its target of attaining a USD 1 trillion economy by the year 2030. He added that Tamil Nadu would continue to remain a major contributor to the Indian economy. At present, the Tamil Nadu economy is the second largest among the Indian states.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As per the Memoranda of Understanding(MoUs exchanged), the big-ticket investments are led by Indian conglomerates, with Tata Power Renewable Energy announcing investments worth Rs.70,800cr ($8.85bn) and Adani group announcing investments worth Rs. 42,768cr ($5.34bn). At the third place is Singaporean firm Sembcorp, which signed MoUs worth 36,238cr (4.52bn). Another significant MoU is with the Vietnamese EV company Vin Fast, which has committed to invest Rs.16,000cr ($2bn). Some of the other notable names are Tata Electronics, Hyundai, JSW Energy, TVS Group, First Solar, and Godrej, among others.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The flagship event of the Tamil Nadu Government was inaugurated on Sunday, 7th January, by Chief Minister MK Stalin, in the presence of India's Minister for Industry and Commerce, Piyush Goyal, top officials from the Tamil Nadu Government, foreign delegates and business leaders.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"India will grow, when the states grow" Piyush Goyal had said, elaborating that every part of India(all 28 states and 8 Union Territories) contributes to the success of the nation and towards the goal of a 'Viksit Bharat'(developed India). He also stated that India is the world's fastest-growing large economy and the country's foreign reserves are at s significant high, at $623bn.</p>

<p>The nine official partner nations for the event are Singapore, Korea, England, Japan, France, Australia, Germany, Denmark, and America. The Tamil Nadu government said that there are representations from nearly 50 nations taking part.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Home to four International airports and seaports, Tamil Nadu is India's second-largest state economy and contributes around nine per cent of national GDP. Among the states, it is the third largest exporter in the country, with more than $40bn worth of exports in 2022-23.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Over the last few decades, Tamil Nadu has established itself as India's automobile hub(for both two and four-wheelers), a leading producer of wind energy, and has recently made significant progress in attracting investments in the Electric Vehicles segment and exporting electronic goods. Among the notable features of inclusive development in the state, is the fact that more than 43% of Indian women in manufacturing jobs are based in Tamil Nadu.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Investors Meet also witnessed the launch of a comprehensive action plan that will enable the state to achieve the Chief Minister's target of a $ 1 trillion economy by the year 2030. Experts and leaders from a plethora of domains, such as defence&amp; aerospace, semiconductors, sustainable mobility, skilling, renewable energy, electronics, and Micro Small and Medium Industries, shared their thoughts during panel discussions. &nbsp;</p>

<p>In addition to sector-specific sessions, various nations including the US, Denmark, Germany, South Korea, Australia, and Singapore showcased diverse opportunities for partnership and collaboration with Tamil Nadu.</p>


On the second and final day of the Tamil Nadu Global Investors Meet, the Government in the southern Indian state announced that it has received investment commitments (exchanged Memoranda of Understanding) worth USD 83 bn or Rs.

On the second and final day of the Tamil Nadu Global Investors Meet, the Government in the southern Indian state announced that it has received investment commitments (exchanged Memoranda of Understanding) worth USD 83 bn or Rs.6 lakh 64 thousand crores, with a potential of creating nearly 2.7 million jobs. Making the announcement, Chief Minister MK Stalin said that these investments would play a major role in driving the state towards its target of attaining a USD 1 trillion economy by the year 2030. He added that Tamil Nadu would continue to remain a major contributor to the Indian economy. At present, the Tamil Nadu economy is the second largest among the Indian states. As per the Memoranda of Understanding(MoUs exchanged), the big-ticket investments are led by Indian conglomerates, with Tata Power Renewable Energy announcing investments worth Rs.70,800cr ($8.85bn) and Adani group announcing investments worth Rs. 42,768cr ($5.34bn). At the third place is Singaporean firm Sembcorp, which signed MoUs worth 36,238cr (4.52bn). Another significant MoU is with the Vietnamese EV company Vin Fast, which has committed to invest Rs.16,000cr ($2bn). Some of the other notable names are Tata Electronics, Hyundai, JSW Energy, TVS Group, First Solar, and Godrej, among others. The flagship event of the Tamil Nadu Government was inaugurated on Sunday, 7th January, by Chief Minister MK Stalin, in the presence of India's Minister for Industry and Commerce, Piyush Goyal, top officials from the Tamil Nadu Government, foreign delegates and business leaders. "India will grow, when the states grow" Piyush Goyal had said, elaborating that every part of India(all 28 states and 8 Union Territories) contributes to the success of the nation and towards the goal of a 'Viksit Bharat'(developed India). He also stated that India is the world's fastest-growing large economy and the country's foreign reserves are at s significant high, at $623bn. The nine official partner nations for the event are Singapore, Korea, England, Japan, France, Australia, Germany, Denmark, and America. The Tamil Nadu government said that there are representations from nearly 50 nations taking part. Home to four International airports and seaports, Tamil Nadu is India's second-largest state economy and contributes around nine per cent of national GDP. Among the states, it is the third largest exporter in the country, with more than $40bn worth of exports in 2022-23. Over the last few decades, Tamil Nadu has established itself as India's automobile hub(for both two and four-wheelers), a leading producer of wind energy, and has recently made significant progress in attracting investments in the Electric Vehicles segment and exporting electronic goods. Among the notable features of inclusive development in the state, is the fact that more than 43% of Indian women in manufacturing jobs are based in Tamil Nadu. The Investors Meet also witnessed the launch of a comprehensive action plan that will enable the state to achieve the Chief Minister's target of a $ 1 trillion economy by the year 2030. Experts and leaders from a plethora of domains, such as defence& aerospace, semiconductors, sustainable mobility, skilling, renewable energy, electronics, and Micro Small and Medium Industries, shared their thoughts during panel discussions. In addition to sector-specific sessions, various nations including the US, Denmark, Germany, South Korea, Australia, and Singapore showcased diverse opportunities for partnership and collaboration with Tamil Nadu.

India: Inked Investment deals worth $83bn, potential for 2.7mn jobs, says TN govt

<p>Over the last 25 years, the government-run Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), via its commercial arm, has launched more than 430 satellites for foreign customers and earned millions in foreign exchange. ISRO's PSLV and LVM3 are capable and reliable launch vehicles that have delivered success after success by orbiting satellites of foreign governments, academic institutions, startups and private firms. Then why has the Indian Government now signed a contract with American firm SpaceX to launch its own satellite? Why couldn't it be done in-house? Read on to know more.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On Wednesday (January 3), the government-run NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), which is ISRO's commercial arm, had announced that its newest communication satellite GSAT-20 would be flying on American firm's SpaceX's Falcon9 rocket. This is the first time that the Indian Government's satellite would be flying on Elon Musk's rocket. However, smaller satellites made by Indian private firms and startups have been launched by the Falcon 9.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Built by the Indian Space agency ISRO, the 4.7 ton GSAT-20 craft is a high-capacity communication satellite that is meant to offer broadband services, including In-flight and Maritime Connectivity (IFMC) services. Nestled in an orbit that's almost 36,000 kms above the earth, GSAT-20's services would cover the entire Indian mainland and also the Andaman &amp; Nicobar, Lakshadweep archipelagos.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch: Gravitas | Space wars: China's counter to Musk's Starlink</strong></p>

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<p>According to NSIL, GSAT-20 (renamed as GSAT-N2) is a high-throughput satellite that operates in the Ka-band of the spectrum. It added that bulk of the 48 Gbps capacity on-board the satellite had been secured by Indian service providers. However, the names of these firms have not been revealed.</p>

<p>The NSIL has announced signing of a launch contract with SpaceX. The satellite is expected to be launched in the second quarter of 2024. The satellite is fully owned, operated and funded by NSIL. Presently, NSIL owns and operates 11 communication satellites that are in orbit.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Launcher and payload capacities</strong></h2>

<p>Think of rockets as cargo-carrying vehicles. Each one has its own specifications and capabilities. In the ascending order of how much payload can be delivered to Low-Earth Orbit (approx 500 km above the earth), ISRO's rockets can be classified thus: SSLV (500kg), PSLV (1750kg), GSLV (6000kg), LVM3 (8000kg).&nbsp;</p>

<p>There are various orbits at higher altitudes than the Low-Earth Orbit (LEO). For placing a craft in higher orbits or transfer orbits, the rocket would have to be more powerful, use efficient propulsion systems and deliver more velocity to the satellite.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Typically, communication satellites are launched into space at an orbit that is 170km x 36,000 km (also known as Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit or GTO). India's GSLV and LVM3 rockets are designed and reliably proven to deliver payloads into such a highly elliptical (egg-shaped) orbit.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/isro-to-tie-up-with-elon-musks-spacex-to-launch-satellite-676290">ISRO to tie up with Elon Musk’s SpaceX to launch satellite</a></strong></p>

<p>While the GSLV can deliver around 2250 kg to GTO, the LVM3 can deliver 4000kg to GTO. However, GSAT-20, the latest communication satellite being built by ISRO weighs 4,700kg. Hence, it is beyond the payload capacity of India's operational rockets. This operational limitation and inability to lift such payloads to the desired GTO orbit, is why the Indian government has chosen a foreign rocket for carrying out the same task.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/isro-starts-2024-with-a-roaring-success-of-pslv-c58xposat-675451">Indian space agency ISRO starts 2024 with successful launch of PSLV C58/XPoSat</a></strong></p>

<h2><strong>India's most preferred foreign launcher&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>For several decades, India has been relying on the European Arianespace rockets to orbit the communication satellites that weigh much more than 4000 kg. Since the 1980s, the Arianespace rockets have launched multiple Indian communication satellites, on a commercial basis. Launched in 2023, GSAT-24 was the 25th Indian satellite to be placed in orbit by an Arianespace rocket. However, with the retirement of the Ariane 5 rocket and the delay in the development and launch of its successor vehicle Ariane 6, the only other entity offering such services is Elon Musk's SpaceX.</p>

<h2><strong>SpaceX Falcon 9</strong></h2>

<p>Falcon 9 is a reusable, two-stage rocket designed and manufactured by SpaceX for reliable and safe transport of people and payloads into Earth orbit and beyond. Falcon 9 is the world’s first orbital class reusable rocket and has carried out more than 280 launches to date. The rocket is capable of lifting 22800 kg payloads to Low-Earth Orbit. The reusable nature of the rocket ensures that a significant portion of launch cost is reduced, when compared to expendable rockets (where the used stages of the rocket are ditched at sea or fall over vast uninhabited tracts of land).</p>

<h2><strong>India's heavy-lift rockets</strong></h2>

<p>For several years, ISRO has been working on a semi-cryogenic engine, one fuelled by special kerosene (termed as 'ISROsene') and super-cooled liquid oxygen. &nbsp;Once ready, this 2000kN engine and its stage (associated components, fuel tanks etc.) will be replacing the current L110 (core stage) of India's largest rocket - Launch Vehicle Mark 3(LVM3). This is meant to significantly add to the lifting power of the enhanced LVM3 rocket and ensure that it can carry 5000kg or heavier payloads into GTO. ISRO surpassed quite a few milestones in testing this engine.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, in July 2023, owing to an unforeseen technical issue, the Indian Space Agency ISRO terminated the test firing of this engine midway. This is a minor setback in ISRO's journey towards testing and operationalising its maiden semi-cryogenic rocket engine which has been under development for several years. According to ISRO, the maiden test firing was meant to last 4.5 seconds and was aimed at testing the subsystems of the newly-developed semi-cryogenic engine. However, due to an unforeseen variation in test parameters at the two seconds mark, ISRO terminated the test as a precautionary measure.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In any case, it would take a couple of years before ISRO can completely test and operationalise its semi-cryogenic engine and integrate it with the LVM3 launcher. Meanwhile, ISRO is also working on developing advanced rockets that would cater to ISRO's needs of heavy-lift capability, landing astronauts on the moon and similar ambitious interplanetary goals etc. Termed as the Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV), this is a rocket that is meant to be partially reusable and its engines would be powered by Methane and liquid oxygen.</p>


Over the last 25 years, the government-run Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), via its commercial arm, has launched more than 430 satellites for foreign customers and earned millions in foreign exchange.

Over the last 25 years, the government-run Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), via its commercial arm, has launched more than 430 satellites for foreign customers and earned millions in foreign exchange. ISRO's PSLV and LVM3 are capable and reliable launch vehicles that have delivered success after success by orbiting satellites of foreign governments, academic institutions, startups and private firms. Then why has the Indian Government now signed a contract with American firm SpaceX to launch its own satellite? Why couldn't it be done in-house? Read on to know more. On Wednesday (January 3), the government-run NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), which is ISRO's commercial arm, had announced that its newest communication satellite GSAT-20 would be flying on American firm's SpaceX's Falcon9 rocket. This is the first time that the Indian Government's satellite would be flying on Elon Musk's rocket. However, smaller satellites made by Indian private firms and startups have been launched by the Falcon 9. Built by the Indian Space agency ISRO, the 4.7 ton GSAT-20 craft is a high-capacity communication satellite that is meant to offer broadband services, including In-flight and Maritime Connectivity (IFMC) services. Nestled in an orbit that's almost 36,000 kms above the earth, GSAT-20's services would cover the entire Indian mainland and also the Andaman & Nicobar, Lakshadweep archipelagos. Watch: Gravitas | Space wars: China's counter to Musk's Starlink × According to NSIL, GSAT-20 (renamed as GSAT-N2) is a high-throughput satellite that operates in the Ka-band of the spectrum. It added that bulk of the 48 Gbps capacity on-board the satellite had been secured by Indian service providers. However, the names of these firms have not been revealed. The NSIL has announced signing of a launch contract with SpaceX. The satellite is expected to be launched in the second quarter of 2024. The satellite is fully owned, operated and funded by NSIL. Presently, NSIL owns and operates 11 communication satellites that are in orbit. Launcher and payload capacities Think of rockets as cargo-carrying vehicles. Each one has its own specifications and capabilities. In the ascending order of how much payload can be delivered to Low-Earth Orbit (approx 500 km above the earth), ISRO's rockets can be classified thus: SSLV (500kg), PSLV (1750kg), GSLV (6000kg), LVM3 (8000kg). There are various orbits at higher altitudes than the Low-Earth Orbit (LEO). For placing a craft in higher orbits or transfer orbits, the rocket would have to be more powerful, use efficient propulsion systems and deliver more velocity to the satellite. Typically, communication satellites are launched into space at an orbit that is 170km x 36,000 km (also known as Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit or GTO). India's GSLV and LVM3 rockets are designed and reliably proven to deliver payloads into such a highly elliptical (egg-shaped) orbit. Also Read | ISRO to tie up with Elon Musk’s SpaceX to launch satellite While the GSLV can deliver around 2250 kg to GTO, the LVM3 can deliver 4000kg to GTO. However, GSAT-20, the latest communication satellite being built by ISRO weighs 4,700kg. Hence, it is beyond the payload capacity of India's operational rockets. This operational limitation and inability to lift such payloads to the desired GTO orbit, is why the Indian government has chosen a foreign rocket for carrying out the same task. Also Read | Indian space agency ISRO starts 2024 with successful launch of PSLV C58/XPoSat India's most preferred foreign launcher For several decades, India has been relying on the European Arianespace rockets to orbit the communication satellites that weigh much more than 4000 kg. Since the 1980s, the Arianespace rockets have launched multiple Indian communication satellites, on a commercial basis. Launched in 2023, GSAT-24 was the 25th Indian satellite to be placed in orbit by an Arianespace rocket. However, with the retirement of the Ariane 5 rocket and the delay in the development and launch of its successor vehicle Ariane 6, the only other entity offering such services is Elon Musk's SpaceX. SpaceX Falcon 9 Falcon 9 is a reusable, two-stage rocket designed and manufactured by SpaceX for reliable and safe transport of people and payloads into Earth orbit and beyond. Falcon 9 is the world’s first orbital class reusable rocket and has carried out more than 280 launches to date. The rocket is capable of lifting 22800 kg payloads to Low-Earth Orbit. The reusable nature of the rocket ensures that a significant portion of launch cost is reduced, when compared to expendable rockets (where the used stages of the rocket are ditched at sea or fall over vast uninhabited tracts of land). India's heavy-lift rockets For several years, ISRO has been working on a semi-cryogenic engine, one fuelled by special kerosene (termed as 'ISROsene') and super-cooled liquid oxygen. Once ready, this 2000kN engine and its stage (associated components, fuel tanks etc.) will be replacing the current L110 (core stage) of India's largest rocket - Launch Vehicle Mark 3(LVM3). This is meant to significantly add to the lifting power of the enhanced LVM3 rocket and ensure that it can carry 5000kg or heavier payloads into GTO. ISRO surpassed quite a few milestones in testing this engine. However, in July 2023, owing to an unforeseen technical issue, the Indian Space Agency ISRO terminated the test firing of this engine midway. This is a minor setback in ISRO's journey towards testing and operationalising its maiden semi-cryogenic rocket engine which has been under development for several years. According to ISRO, the maiden test firing was meant to last 4.5 seconds and was aimed at testing the subsystems of the newly-developed semi-cryogenic engine. However, due to an unforeseen variation in test parameters at the two seconds mark, ISRO terminated the test as a precautionary measure. In any case, it would take a couple of years before ISRO can completely test and operationalise its semi-cryogenic engine and integrate it with the LVM3 launcher. Meanwhile, ISRO is also working on developing advanced rockets that would cater to ISRO's needs of heavy-lift capability, landing astronauts on the moon and similar ambitious interplanetary goals etc. Termed as the Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV), this is a rocket that is meant to be partially reusable and its engines would be powered by Methane and liquid oxygen.

Explained: Why is India paying Elon Musk's SpaceX to launch GSAT-20?

<p>Forty years after Indian Air Force Pilot and Astronaut Rakesh Sharma flew to space and stayed there for a week (as part of the Soviet Interkosmos programme), Indian astronauts are to commence training for a trip to the International Space Station (ISS), as part of a US-led mission. Expected to happen in 2024, the Indian trip to the International Space Station (ISS) is meant to offer a practical learning experience and serve as a precursor to India's own effort to send&nbsp;astronauts to space and return&nbsp;them safely - an ambitious mission known as 'Gaganyaan'. So far, astronauts from more than 20 nations have visited and stayed at the ISS, a space-based lab that has been orbiting the Earth (at an altitude of 400 km) for more than 25 years.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">India: ISRO plans 2 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Gaganyaan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Gaganyaan</a> unmanned flights in 2024<br />
<br />
It's a highly challenging mission, we need to gain experience, and our astronauts are going through training for it: S. Somanath, <a href="https://twitter.com/isro?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@isro</a> chief, speaks to <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sdhrthmp</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aditi_dv?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@aditi_dv</a> brings you this report<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WIONExclusive?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WIONExclusive</a> <a href="https://t.co/x56OgkefGU">pic.twitter.com/x56OgkefGU</a></p>
— WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews/status/1742413351987421615?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>Starting the New Year with a successful launch mission PSLV-C58/XPoSat, Dr S&nbsp;Somanath, the chief of the Indian space agency said, 2024 would be the year of Gaganyaan preparedness. "Our target is to carry out the astronaut mission by 2025-end, for that we have to cross many milestones. Some of the milestones are three unmanned flights (full rehearsals) of the Human spaceflight mission but without the astronauts. In 2024, we have scheduled two unmanned missions and everything should go well," he told WION.</p>

<p>In the unmanned flights, ISRO would be flying a humanoid robot 'Vyommitra', designed and developed by the ISRO Inertial Systems Unit (IISU). The AI-equipped humanoid robot, onboard computers, and a host of sensors would offer ISRO situational awareness about the conditions within the astronaut-carrying capsule that's going to space and returning.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/rewind-2023-india-has-204-space-startups-sector-received-123mn-investments-675353">Rewind 2023: India has 204 space startups, sector received $123mn investments</a></p>

<p>In October 2023, ISRO had flight tested the Crew Escape System (a mission designated TV-D1), a means of ejecting the crew capsule from the rocket, in case of a mid-flight failure, thereby ensuring a slow and safe parachute-assisted landing in the ocean. ISRO hopes to perform three more such tests, under varying conditions. Two of these are expected in 2024 and one in 2025.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In addition to these, ISRO would have to conduct helicopter-drop tests of the crew-carrying capsule, to validate the parachute systems and also conduct a Pad-abort test, which ejects the crew-carrying capsule from the rocket, in case of a mishap while the rocket is at the launchpad. Overall, 2024 would be a year where ISRO would have to carry out routine launch missions of its operational rockets (SSLV, PSLV, GSLV and LVM3), while also developing and engineering key technologies related to the Gaganyaan mission.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">“Collaboration on Human Spaceflight, including sending an <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Indian?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Indian</a> astronaut to the International <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/space?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#space</a> station in 2024” says <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> as he lists out areas of bilateral cooperation between <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/india?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#india</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/USA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#USA</a><br />
<br />
Travel to <a href="https://twitter.com/Space_Station?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Space_Station</a> &amp; working there will prep astronauts for Gaganyaan <a href="https://t.co/mJfcX4sKdP">pic.twitter.com/mJfcX4sKdP</a></p>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1672074359031361537?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>In recent years, Indian astronaut candidates (specifically chosen Indian Air Force pilots) have completed their initial training at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre, in Russia. They were at the famed Russian 'Star City', about 30 kilometres north of Moscow, where several generations of Russian and American astronauts have trained for their respective missions. After their return to India, the astronaut candidates have also undergone several theoretical and practical sessions at ISRO centres in India and the Indian Air Force's Institute of Aerospace Medicine. As a part of the Gaganyaan team, they are also assisting ISRO with the design and development of the crew-carrying capsule. At India's Human Spaceflight Centre in Bengaluru, they have also been undergoing simulator training and physical training</p>

<p>Queried about the commencement of the US phase of training for the Indian astronauts, Dr&nbsp;Somanath told WION that it will happen soon. He told WION that it is on India's wish list to have an astronaut flying to the International Space Station (ISS), as India's only reference point for Human Spaceflight is that of Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma (Retd), who flew in 1984. That maiden spaceflight by an Indian was on a Soviet-era crew capsule and since then the technologies have changed drastically.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The US Human spaceflight scenario is completely changed and the launches are being carried out by the private firms and it is not being done by the US Government, as was the case earlier. As per the India-US (ISRO-NASA) arrangement, NASA will sponsor a seat in the private launch that will happen to the ISS, our astronaut will undergo training at their facility and will then be sent to the International Space Station," he had told WION.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;India plans two Gaganyaan unmanned flights in 2024 | ISRO Chief S Somanath speaks to WION</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/india-plans-two-gaganyaan-unmanned-flights-in-2024-isro-chief-s-somanath-speaks-to-wion-676051/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>He added that there are many crew modules and different approaches being taken by various American firms to reach the Space Station. He referred to the SpaceX Crew Dragon Capsule, the Boeing Starliner capsule and the variant offered by Blue Origin.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Indian astronaut candidates would be offered advanced training at NASA's Johnson Space Center, which is also known in the US as the Hub of Human Spaceflight. Established in 1961, this facility in Houston, Texas, started off as the Manned Spacecraft Centre, the home and Mission Control Center for the US Human Spaceflight programme. In 1973, the facility was renamed in honour of the late President and Texas Native Lyndon B Johnson. In more than six decades of operation, the facility has made notable advances in science, technology, engineering and medicine, thereby enabling crewed space exploration.</p>

<p>Significant initiatives towards Indo-US Space Cooperation were announced during the Joint Statement delivered by Prime Minister Modi and President Biden, in June 2022. It included the announcement by NASA to 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 in 2024.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">First-look of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/indian?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#indian</a> astronaut candidates revealed in latest <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndianAirForce?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndianAirForce</a> video 🇮🇳🚀👨‍🚀<br />
<br />
Could be the IAF pilot-astronauts working out&amp; preparing for their new role..why else would they share a back-facing-camera shot ?? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/isro?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#isro</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/india?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#india</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/space?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#space</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Gaganyaan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Gaganyaan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Science?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Science</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/tech?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#tech</a> <a href="https://t.co/0WbsyHElXI">pic.twitter.com/0WbsyHElXI</a></p>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1709200253130543198?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>So far, the identities of the four Indian astronaut candidates have not been revealed. The only glimpse offered in this regard is from an Indian Air Force video released as part of the 91st IAF Day celebrations.&nbsp;</p>


Forty years after Indian Air Force Pilot and Astronaut Rakesh Sharma flew to space and stayed there for a week (as part of the Soviet Interkosmos programme), Indian astronauts are to commence training for a trip to the International Space Station (ISS), as part of a US-led mission.

Forty years after Indian Air Force Pilot and Astronaut Rakesh Sharma flew to space and stayed there for a week (as part of the Soviet Interkosmos programme), Indian astronauts are to commence training for a trip to the International Space Station (ISS), as part of a US-led mission. Expected to happen in 2024, the Indian trip to the International Space Station (ISS) is meant to offer a practical learning experience and serve as a precursor to India's own effort to send astronauts to space and return them safely - an ambitious mission known as 'Gaganyaan'. So far, astronauts from more than 20 nations have visited and stayed at the ISS, a space-based lab that has been orbiting the Earth (at an altitude of 400 km) for more than 25 years. India: ISRO plans 2 #Gaganyaan unmanned flights in 2024 It's a highly challenging mission, we need to gain experience, and our astronauts are going through training for it: S. Somanath, @isro chief, speaks to @sdhrthmp @aditi_dv brings you this report#WIONExclusive pic.twitter.com/x56OgkefGU — WION (@WIONews) January 3, 2024 × Starting the New Year with a successful launch mission PSLV-C58/XPoSat, Dr S Somanath, the chief of the Indian space agency said, 2024 would be the year of Gaganyaan preparedness. "Our target is to carry out the astronaut mission by 2025-end, for that we have to cross many milestones. Some of the milestones are three unmanned flights (full rehearsals) of the Human spaceflight mission but without the astronauts. In 2024, we have scheduled two unmanned missions and everything should go well," he told WION. In the unmanned flights, ISRO would be flying a humanoid robot 'Vyommitra', designed and developed by the ISRO Inertial Systems Unit (IISU). The AI-equipped humanoid robot, onboard computers, and a host of sensors would offer ISRO situational awareness about the conditions within the astronaut-carrying capsule that's going to space and returning. Also read: Rewind 2023: India has 204 space startups, sector received $123mn investments In October 2023, ISRO had flight tested the Crew Escape System (a mission designated TV-D1), a means of ejecting the crew capsule from the rocket, in case of a mid-flight failure, thereby ensuring a slow and safe parachute-assisted landing in the ocean. ISRO hopes to perform three more such tests, under varying conditions. Two of these are expected in 2024 and one in 2025. In addition to these, ISRO would have to conduct helicopter-drop tests of the crew-carrying capsule, to validate the parachute systems and also conduct a Pad-abort test, which ejects the crew-carrying capsule from the rocket, in case of a mishap while the rocket is at the launchpad. Overall, 2024 would be a year where ISRO would have to carry out routine launch missions of its operational rockets (SSLV, PSLV, GSLV and LVM3), while also developing and engineering key technologies related to the Gaganyaan mission. “Collaboration on Human Spaceflight, including sending an #Indian astronaut to the International #space station in 2024” says @POTUS as he lists out areas of bilateral cooperation between #india & #USA Travel to @Space_Station & working there will prep astronauts for Gaganyaan pic.twitter.com/mJfcX4sKdP — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) June 23, 2023 × In recent years, Indian astronaut candidates (specifically chosen Indian Air Force pilots) have completed their initial training at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre, in Russia. They were at the famed Russian 'Star City', about 30 kilometres north of Moscow, where several generations of Russian and American astronauts have trained for their respective missions. After their return to India, the astronaut candidates have also undergone several theoretical and practical sessions at ISRO centres in India and the Indian Air Force's Institute of Aerospace Medicine. As a part of the Gaganyaan team, they are also assisting ISRO with the design and development of the crew-carrying capsule. At India's Human Spaceflight Centre in Bengaluru, they have also been undergoing simulator training and physical training Queried about the commencement of the US phase of training for the Indian astronauts, Dr Somanath told WION that it will happen soon. He told WION that it is on India's wish list to have an astronaut flying to the International Space Station (ISS), as India's only reference point for Human Spaceflight is that of Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma (Retd), who flew in 1984. That maiden spaceflight by an Indian was on a Soviet-era crew capsule and since then the technologies have changed drastically. "The US Human spaceflight scenario is completely changed and the launches are being carried out by the private firms and it is not being done by the US Government, as was the case earlier. As per the India-US (ISRO-NASA) arrangement, NASA will sponsor a seat in the private launch that will happen to the ISS, our astronaut will undergo training at their facility and will then be sent to the International Space Station," he had told WION. Watch: India plans two Gaganyaan unmanned flights in 2024 | ISRO Chief S Somanath speaks to WION He added that there are many crew modules and different approaches being taken by various American firms to reach the Space Station. He referred to the SpaceX Crew Dragon Capsule, the Boeing Starliner capsule and the variant offered by Blue Origin. Indian astronaut candidates would be offered advanced training at NASA's Johnson Space Center, which is also known in the US as the Hub of Human Spaceflight. Established in 1961, this facility in Houston, Texas, started off as the Manned Spacecraft Centre, the home and Mission Control Center for the US Human Spaceflight programme. In 1973, the facility was renamed in honour of the late President and Texas Native Lyndon B Johnson. In more than six decades of operation, the facility has made notable advances in science, technology, engineering and medicine, thereby enabling crewed space exploration. Significant initiatives towards Indo-US Space Cooperation were announced during the Joint Statement delivered by Prime Minister Modi and President Biden, in June 2022. It included the announcement by NASA to 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 in 2024. First-look of #indian astronaut candidates revealed in latest #IndianAirForce video 🇮🇳🚀👨‍🚀 Could be the IAF pilot-astronauts working out& preparing for their new role..why else would they share a back-facing-camera shot ?? #isro #india #space #Gaganyaan #Science #tech pic.twitter.com/0WbsyHElXI — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) October 3, 2023 × So far, the identities of the four Indian astronaut candidates have not been revealed. The only glimpse offered in this regard is from an Indian Air Force video released as part of the 91st IAF Day celebrations.

Exclusive: Indian astronauts to soon train at NASA's Johnson Space Center

<p>In an unprecedented move, Ideas2IT, an India-headquartered tech firm has announced that 33% of the $100 million company's ownership would be transferred to its employees. Of the 33% stake in the company, 5% would be given to 40 select employees who have been with the firm since its inception (in 2009) and the rest would be distributed to the remaining 700 personnel. In addition to this, the firm is also giving away 50 cars to 50 employees, who have served with them for more than five years.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Having started off in 2009, we've grown to a $100 million firm and we wanted to share the fruits of this with our employees.&nbsp;This is part of our wealth-sharing initiative. We have a total of 750 employees spread across India, US and Mexico. Employees spend some 30-40 per cent of their waking hours for the company. We believe in Lofty goals and Happy journey. This idea is poised to transform the employees working experience and forge a strong collaborative corporate culture, emotional attachment with the company" Murali Vivekanandan, Founder, Ideas2IT told WION.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Statement from Ideas2IT, announcing the unprecedented initiative of giving away 33% of their $100mn firm's ownership to employees..<br />
<br />
Officials tell me- We don't hunt for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IIT?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IIT</a>, instead we hire <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/software?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#software</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/tech?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#tech</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Engineering?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Engineering</a> grads from Tier-2&amp; 3 cities, modest backgrounds <a href="https://t.co/oiOglE7NJr">https://t.co/oiOglE7NJr</a> <a href="https://t.co/NbsTdQuZQ8">pic.twitter.com/NbsTdQuZQ8</a></p>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1742190864095674507?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>According to the company, this 'Employee Ownership Programme' would make the employees valued stakeholders, thereby aligning their interests directly with the company's long-term success. "We are now valued at $100 million and we have a strategy to triple this in a span of four years" said Murali Vivekanandan, who calls himself a Bay Area techie, who has worked at Sun, Oracle, and Google, among others, before starting the custom software engineering firm Ideas2IT. Now based in the US, he shuttles between Chennai, India and Mexico.</p>

<p>Within the price range of Rs. 8-15 lakhs, we've allowed employees to pick vehicles of their choice from the Maruti Suzuki lineup and these vehicles would be completely registered in the employee's name, there's no strings attached whatsoever and there's no expenditure for the employees, say company officials.&nbsp;According to the firm, they've given away only 50 cars this time, as they had already&nbsp;given away 100 cars to employees who had then completed five years, as of 2022.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Ideas2IT, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/tech?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#tech</a> firm valued at $100mn, announces transfer of 1/3rd of company ownership to its most-trusted employees<br />
<br />
They've just given away 50cars(₹8-15lakh range) to those that have served 5+yrs..In 2022, 100 staff got cars(regd in own name)<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/chennai?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#chennai</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/india?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#india</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/business?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#business</a>… <a href="https://t.co/yYXA7Isddm">pic.twitter.com/yYXA7Isddm</a></p>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1742174388764708912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>"When we initially gave away as many cars, people doubted whether we could sustain this. However, now we've gone much beyond cars and given away 33 per cent of the firm's ownership to our staff," says Gayathri Vivekanandan, CEO, Ideas2IT.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Queried about how the company manages to carry out such initiatives, amid uncertain market conditions and fluctuations, Murali tells WION that their firm has many Fortune 500 clients who span across sectors, therefore, ensuring a steady growth. In recent years, we've been growing at 30 per cent and some sectors that we cater to have remained consistent or steady-growing.</p>

<p>He adds that his firm does not go after IITians or the best graduates from top-tier engineering colleges. Instead, they recruit those from modest backgrounds and lesser-known colleges. "90 per cent of our employees are from tier-2 or tier 3 Indian cities. We mainly look for freshers and those who are sharp and quick-to-grasp. We don't deeply analyze their programming ability or knowledge, we just want those who learn on the job and deliver,"&nbsp;he says.</p>

<p>However, getting into this firm is not easy, as their recruitment process is very stringent. Officials say that they screen more than 10,000 students and end up picking barely 50 of them.&nbsp;</p>


In an unprecedented move, Ideas2IT, an India-headquartered tech firm has announced that 33% of the $100 million company's ownership would be transferred to its employees.

In an unprecedented move, Ideas2IT, an India-headquartered tech firm has announced that 33% of the $100 million company's ownership would be transferred to its employees. Of the 33% stake in the company, 5% would be given to 40 select employees who have been with the firm since its inception (in 2009) and the rest would be distributed to the remaining 700 personnel. In addition to this, the firm is also giving away 50 cars to 50 employees, who have served with them for more than five years. "Having started off in 2009, we've grown to a $100 million firm and we wanted to share the fruits of this with our employees. This is part of our wealth-sharing initiative. We have a total of 750 employees spread across India, US and Mexico. Employees spend some 30-40 per cent of their waking hours for the company. We believe in Lofty goals and Happy journey. This idea is poised to transform the employees working experience and forge a strong collaborative corporate culture, emotional attachment with the company" Murali Vivekanandan, Founder, Ideas2IT told WION. Statement from Ideas2IT, announcing the unprecedented initiative of giving away 33% of their $100mn firm's ownership to employees.. Officials tell me- We don't hunt for #IIT, instead we hire #software #tech #Engineering grads from Tier-2& 3 cities, modest backgrounds https://t.co/oiOglE7NJr pic.twitter.com/NbsTdQuZQ8 — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) January 2, 2024 × According to the company, this 'Employee Ownership Programme' would make the employees valued stakeholders, thereby aligning their interests directly with the company's long-term success. "We are now valued at $100 million and we have a strategy to triple this in a span of four years" said Murali Vivekanandan, who calls himself a Bay Area techie, who has worked at Sun, Oracle, and Google, among others, before starting the custom software engineering firm Ideas2IT. Now based in the US, he shuttles between Chennai, India and Mexico. Within the price range of Rs. 8-15 lakhs, we've allowed employees to pick vehicles of their choice from the Maruti Suzuki lineup and these vehicles would be completely registered in the employee's name, there's no strings attached whatsoever and there's no expenditure for the employees, say company officials. According to the firm, they've given away only 50 cars this time, as they had already given away 100 cars to employees who had then completed five years, as of 2022. Ideas2IT, #tech firm valued at $100mn, announces transfer of 1/3rd of company ownership to its most-trusted employees They've just given away 50cars(₹8-15lakh range) to those that have served 5+yrs..In 2022, 100 staff got cars(regd in own name)#chennai #india #business… pic.twitter.com/yYXA7Isddm — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) January 2, 2024 × "When we initially gave away as many cars, people doubted whether we could sustain this. However, now we've gone much beyond cars and given away 33 per cent of the firm's ownership to our staff," says Gayathri Vivekanandan, CEO, Ideas2IT. Queried about how the company manages to carry out such initiatives, amid uncertain market conditions and fluctuations, Murali tells WION that their firm has many Fortune 500 clients who span across sectors, therefore, ensuring a steady growth. In recent years, we've been growing at 30 per cent and some sectors that we cater to have remained consistent or steady-growing. He adds that his firm does not go after IITians or the best graduates from top-tier engineering colleges. Instead, they recruit those from modest backgrounds and lesser-known colleges. "90 per cent of our employees are from tier-2 or tier 3 Indian cities. We mainly look for freshers and those who are sharp and quick-to-grasp. We don't deeply analyze their programming ability or knowledge, we just want those who learn on the job and deliver," he says. However, getting into this firm is not easy, as their recruitment process is very stringent. Officials say that they screen more than 10,000 students and end up picking barely 50 of them.

India: Tech firm valued at $100 million gives away 33 per cent ownership to staff

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