Author: Sharad Natani
In a bold move to shake up India’s ride-hailing landscape, the Maharashtra government is all set to launch its own app-based transportation platform for taxis, auto-rickshaws, and bike taxis—directly challenging the dominance of private aggregators like Ola, Uber, and Rapido. Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik confirmed the initiative, stating the app is part of a broader mission to boost employment, curb exploitation, and bring affordable, transparent commuting options to the public. “This initiative will make lakhs of youth in Maharashtra self-reliant,” Sarnaik said. “We want to offer a government-backed, low-cost, and fair alternative to the private monopoly.” What the New App…
In a landmark move aimed at redefining bilateral defence cooperation, India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) convened the 13th Joint Defence Cooperation Committee (JDCC) meeting in New Delhi on July 30. For the first time, the meeting was held at the Secretary level, signaling a strategic elevation of their defence engagement. The session was co-chaired by India’s Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and UAE’s Under Secretary of Defense, Lt Gen Ibrahim Nasser M. Al Alawi. Their discussions laid out a future-ready roadmap for collaboration across military training, joint manufacturing, maritime security, and frontier technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI). Strategic…
In a bold move poised to reshape global arms trade dynamics, Russia has offered India a game-changing defence pact: the joint production and potential re-export of the S-500 Prometey, one of the world’s most advanced air defence systems. The proposed government-to-government agreement goes far beyond previous military collaborations. It includes full technology transfer, indigenous manufacturing, and—crucially—a re-export clause that allows India to supply the system to third countries, bypassing growing Western sanctions that have constrained Russia’s direct exports. What Makes the S-500 a Big Deal? Developed by Russia’s Almaz-Antey, the S-500 Prometey is designed to counter stealth jets, hypersonic missiles,…
In the heart of India, where the sun scorches fields and farmers often face the brunt of climate change, Anand Jain, an MTech graduate from IIT Roorkee, is rewriting the rulebook on sustainable agriculture. On his 16-acre farm in Sagar, Anand has built India’s largest agrivoltaic solar plant, a pioneering fusion of organic farming and solar energy generation. His innovative model not only grows high-value crops like strawberries, lettuce, and broccoli, but also produces 25,000 units of electricity every day — all without sacrificing a single inch of fertile land. “I am a farmer, and I couldn’t give up on…
In a major leap towards making affordable healthcare accessible to every Indian, the Modi Government’s flagship scheme, Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP), has successfully established 16,912 Jan Aushadhi Kendras (JAKs) across the country as of June 30, 2025. The ambitious target? A whopping 25,000 Kendras by March 2027. These Jan Aushadhi Kendras provide high-quality generic medicines at affordable prices, ensuring substantial savings for citizens and a significant reduction in out-of-pocket healthcare expenditure. A Basket of Affordable Care Under the scheme, 2,110 medicines and 315 surgicals, medical consumables, and devices are available—covering critical therapeutic areas including cardiovascular, anti-diabetic, anti-cancer, gastrointestinal,…
In a groundbreaking leap toward green architecture, Indian scientists at the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS), Bengaluru, have developed a new generation of cost-effective electrochromic smart windows—windows that don’t just let light in, but also block heat, save energy, and store electricity. These smart windows change color at the flick of a switch and can significantly reduce air-conditioning bills by blocking heat and regulating indoor temperatures. Unlike traditional smart windows that use expensive materials like tungsten oxide (WO₃) and lithium-based electrolytes, the new design uses titanium oxide (TiO₂) and aluminum-ion-based electrolytes—drastically cutting production costs. What makes this…