AVM Sharma was first commissioned into the IAF’s Education Branch in 1994. Since then, she has served across various postings and training establishments.

In a historic milestone for the Indian Air Force (IAF) and defence forces, Air Vice Marshal Shakti Sharma scripted history and became the first woman officer (non-medical) to attain the rank of Air Vice Marshal (or equivalent).

As per a press release from the ministry of defence, AVM Sharma will bring immense experience to the post, having served across Training Establishments, Field Stations, Command Headquarters, and Air Headquarters.

Who is Shakti Sharma?

AVM Sharma was first commissioned into the IAF’s Education Branch in 1994. Since then, she has served across various postings and training establishments. She was also the first woman Group Captain in the IAF outside the medical branch.

She has also worked to strengthen academic and institutional cooperation, owing to her key role in establishing IAF Chairs of Excellence at IIT Kanpur and Pune University.

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source/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)

The move comes amid growing reliance on digital and technology-based systems—from banking and payments to telecommunications, railways, power grids and computer networks—that depend on accurate and synchronised time stamps.

The Union government has notified the Legal Metrology (Indian Standard Time) Rules, 2026, mandating Indian Standard Time (IST) as the single reference for legal, administrative, commercial and other official purposes across the country.

The nodal Consumer Affairs Ministry notified the rules on August 27. Still, they will come into force 180 days after their publication in the Official Gazette, giving government departments, businesses, and institutions time to align their systems.

The move comes amid growing reliance on digital and technology-based systems—from banking and payments to telecommunications, railways, power grids and computer networks—that depend on accurate and synchronised time stamps.

The Union government has notified the Legal Metrology (Indian Standard Time) Rules, 2026, mandating Indian Standard Time (IST) as the single reference for legal, administrative, commercial and other official purposes across the country.

The nodal Consumer Affairs Ministry notified the rules on August 27. Still, they will come into force 180 days after their publication in the Official Gazette, giving government departments, businesses, and institutions time to align their systems.

The move comes amid growing reliance on digital and technology-based systems—from banking and payments to telecommunications, railways, power grids and computer networks—that depend on accurate and synchronised time stamps.

The Ministry said inconsistencies between different time sources currently in use could affect the coordination and recording of such activities, prompting the push for a uniform national time standard.

The common time reference is expected to support accurate time-stamping of banking and digital payment transactions, coordination among railways, airports and other transport systems, reliable functioning of telecommunication and internet networks, precise time-keeping in power systems, upkeep of government and legal records, and coordination of emergency and other time-critical services, the Ministry said in a statement.

The Ministry said the 180-day transition period would allow stakeholders to review existing systems, carry out necessary technical upgrades, and prepare for full implementation before the Rules take effect.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

This is the second such deep-sea diving vessel commissioned into the Indian Navy after INS Nistar last year.

The Indian Navy on Monday commissioned INS Nipun, a deep-sea diving vessel to support complex operations, marking a significant enhancement in underwater support capabilities that only a few navies have, officials said.

This is the second such deep-sea diving vessel commissioned into the Indian Navy after INS Nistar last year.

INS Nipun was commissioned in the presence of Navy chief Admiral Krishna Swaminathan in Mumbai.

Along with her sister ship INS Nistar, INS Nipun substantially enhances the Navy’s specialist diving, underwater intervention, salvage and submarine rescue support capability, officials said.

It brings together a range of capabilities possessed by only a handful of navies, which includes the ability to embark the Indian Navy’s deep submergence rescue vessel, Admiral Swaminathan said after the commissioning of INS Nipun.

The ship has the capacity to support diving operations up to 300 metres. It also has the capability of providing rapid submarine rescue. It can also be deployed for disaster relief and humanitarian operations, the Navy said.

Indigenously designed and constructed by Hindustan Shipyard Limited, Visakhapatnam, the vessel is 119.4 metres long with a capacity of 10,500 tonnes.

INS Nipun is a purpose-built platform designed primarily for deep-sea diving and underwater operations. The ship is capable of supporting saturation, air and heliox diving and is equipped with remotely operated underwater systems for inspection and intervention. Its specialised diving complex, dynamic positioning capability and associated life-support and medical facilities enable the conduct of sustained and complex operations at sea, the Navy said.

The ship is also capable of supporting submarine rescue operations, further strengthening the Indian Navy’s ability to respond to underwater contingencies.

Its crest and motto embody the spirit of its specialised role and the men who venture into the depths. The motto, ‘Far Beneath, Few Beyond’, reflects the resolve, skill and endurance required to operate in one of the most challenging domains of the maritime environment, the Navy said.

“Nipun adds specialised capability to support complex underwater operations and respond to emergencies in one of the most demanding and mysterious environments known to the world,” Admiral Swaminathan said.

Submarine rescue, in particular, is a discipline where preparedness admits little margin for delay.

“Nipun’s ability to embark and operate the Indian Navy’s deep submergence rescue vessel significantly enhances our capacity to respond to a distressed submarine quite significantly – whether our own, or that of a partner Navy.

This capability would also enable India to support submarine rescue and emerge as the ‘Preferred Submarine Rescue Partner’ in the region,” the Navy chief said.

In addition, INS Nipun’s specialised diving capabilities can support partner nations in underwater salvage and HADR (Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief) missions, adding another dimension to the Navy’s maritime cooperation efforts.

“Commissioning a platform is only one part of capability creation. The real measure of induction is how rapidly and effectively we can convert a new platform into operational capability,” Admiral Swaminathan said.

Nipun’s journey from design to commissioning reflects the seamless synergy between the Indian Navy, Hindustan Shipyard and our vibrant network of domestic industrial partners.

The successful completion of sea trials and proving of role-worthiness of all diving systems and ROVs (remotely operated vehicles) in a single sortie are a testament to the professionalism and technical confidence that have gone into the vessel’s construction, he added.

source/content: telegraphindia.com (headline edited)

A primary objective of this MoU is to develop the CISF’s Recruit Training Centre (RTC) in Behror into a comprehensive Centre of Excellence for Drone and Counter-Drone Systems.

 To further fortify the security of the nation’s critical infrastructure against emerging aerial threats, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and the Drone Federation of India (DFI) on Friday signed an MoU.

“Under this collaboration, DFI will facilitate structured engagements with Indian drone start-ups and technology companies to support capacity building, applied research, and operational preparedness,” said an official release.

A primary objective of this MoU is to develop the CISF’s Recruit Training Centre (RTC) in Behror into a comprehensive Centre of Excellence for Drone and Counter-Drone Systems, strictly adhering to the guidelines of the Ministry of Home Affairs. To drive this initiative, the CISF has developed a dedicated team of domain experts who are pioneering the adoption of drone technology within the force’s operational framework.

Key areas of collaboration outlined in the MoU  are the following:

• Scaling Counter-Drone Deployments: Supporting the development of SOPs, deployment frameworks, and pilot projects for structured counter-drone deployment at CISF-protected establishments.

 Forensics and analysis: Establishing best practices and indigenous forensic tools for the analysis, investigation, and post-incident assessment of rogue drone activity.

• Joint drills and red-Teaming: Organizing controlled red-teaming exercises and joint drills to test rogue drone intrusion detection, tracking, response, escalation, and post-incident readiness against evolving threats.

• Training and Capacity Building: Designing dynamic training modules, student hackathons, and challenge programs that cover operational practices, regulations, and threat scenarios.

Enhancing capabilities against modern aerial threats

As the nodal agency designated for handling aerial threats at vital installations, the CISF currently secures over 370 units across India, including highly sensitive sectors such as aviation, nuclear installations, space centers and oil refineries. “With the rapid proliferation of drone technology and its increasing complexity, timely detecting and neutralizing rogue drones has become an operational imperative. This capability enhancement draws from past operational experiences at sensitive border units and critical infrastructure, demanding a strong, timely deterrence and defense system,” the release added.

Currently, CISF has integrated drone technology into daily operations, with over 3,000 personnel formally trained in drone and anti-drone protocols. Furthermore, approximately 80 CISF units actively utilise drones for continuous monitoring, threat detection, and training purposes. CISF has also developed a team of Domain experts on the subject who are pioneering the adoption of Drone technology in CISF’s operational fold.

The agreement was inked by CD Naik, DIG (Principal) MPRTC Behror, on behalf of CISF, and Smit Shah, President of DFI. The signing took place in the presence of Praveer Ranjan, Director General, CISF, alongside senior officers including Sudhir Kumar, ADG North, and Vijay Prakash, ADG HQ. Key representatives from DFI, including Shirin Joshi (Director), Shivangi Prakash (Associate Director), and Sama Sehgal (Chief of Staff), also attended the ceremony.

Praveer Ranjan, Director General, CISF, said, “This MoU is particularly important for CISF as we are working towards developing RTC Behror as a Centre of Excellence in the field of Drones and Counter-Drone Systems. I am confident that this partnership between CISF and DFI will help us take forward the objectives laid down by the Ministry of Home Affairs and develop Behror as a leading Centre of Excellence for drone and counter-drone capabilities in the country. Their participation will provide CISF an opportunity to test its preparedness against realistic and evolving drone threats and help us identify gaps in our existing systems, procedures and response mechanisms.”

Smit Shah, President, Drone Federation of India, said, “The Indian drone industry is fully committed to supporting the CISF in safeguarding the nation’s critical infrastructure. Through this partnership, we aim to bridge operational requirements with indigenous technological innovations. By testing our startup capabilities in realistic scenarios, developing robust forensic tools, and creating specialised training platforms, we are taking significant strides toward a technologically resilient and ‘Aatmanirbhar’ security architecture.”

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

The International Centre for Theoretical Sciences on Monday (August 10, 2026) said that its professor Deepak Dhar has been awarded the prestigious 2026 Dirac Medal, recognising his contributions to statistical mechanics and complex systems.

Prof. Dhar, who is an Indian National Science Academy (INSA) distinguished professor at ICTS, shares the honour with three other stalwarts of statistical mechanics — Bernard Derrida, Marc Mezard and Haim Sompolinsky — the Institute said in a post on its website.

According to the ICTS, the award recognises the four scientists “for their pioneering contributions to equilibrium statistical mechanics and for extending its concepts and methods into non-equilibrium statistical mechanics, optimization problems, theoretical neuroscience, and, finally, artificial intelligence”.

The Dirac Medal is awarded annually by the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) in honour of physicist Paul Dirac.

ICTP Director Atish Dabholkar commented, “The work of the 2026 Dirac Medallists has contributed to establishing theoretical physics, and particularly statistical mechanics, as a powerful framework to tackle a very broad range of questions that go far beyond its traditional domain of interest to encompass biology, computer science and artificial intelligence.”

Describing Prof. Dhar’s contributions, the award said, “Deepak Dhar showed how simple interactions can lead to complex and sometimes unpredictable behaviour in large systems.

“Through his pioneering work on the sandpile model, for example, he described a familiar phenomenon: as grains are added to a sandpile, most result in no change or only small avalanches, while occasionally a single grain can cause a much larger collapse.

“The theory shows that the sandpile, like many other complex systems, spontaneously places itself in a critical regime where small effects can sometimes trigger large abrupt events and has been used to model systems as apparently different as earthquakes, traffic jams and fluctuations in financial markets,” it said.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

While several countries, including the US and China, have pledged support, India stands out for the speed of its aid delivery to Nepal.

At around 8:35pm on Wednesday, an Air Force C-130J aircraft took off from India carrying 10 tonnes of humanitarian and disaster relief assistance to Nepal, less than 12 hours after the ecologically fragile Himalayan nation was hit by a deadly flash flood. The first consignment reached Kathmandu that night.

The prompt response reinforces India’s position as a “first responder”, as New Delhi moved quickly to physically deliver relief to its Himalayan neighbour even as several other countries and international organisations, including China and the United States, were still mobilising assistance.

India’s swift action also fits into a broader pattern of the country’s growing humanitarian and disaster-relief efforts—from Covid-19 vaccines supplied to countries in Africa and elsewhere to relief and rescue operations in earthquake-hit Turkiye and Syria in 2023, disaster-hit Myanmar in 2024, cyclone-hit Sri Lanka in 2025, and earthquake-hit Venezuela in 2026, among others.

On Wednesday evening, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah, conveyed his condolences, and said India was ready to provide all possible humanitarian assistance. He also said Indian teams were coordinating closely on rescue and relief efforts.

As the first aircraft was dispatched, foreign minister S Jaishankar said on X that India had sent 10 tonnes of humanitarian assistance, adding that “India stands with Nepal and its people”.

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)

‘To our knowledge, (this) is the oldest directly dated rock with a confirmed biosignature,’ say the authors.

Researchers say they have found “compelling evidence” from multiple sources that microbial life existed in what is now eastern India at least 3.5 billion years ago. Typically these involve finding fossils or traces of organic chemicals but in this case they rely on converging chemical clues, according to a paper that appeared in the peer-reviewed Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The source of their discovery is a single carbon-bearing rock in the Singhbhum Craton, which is an ancient, stable block of continental crust in eastern India, spanning parts of Jharkhand and Odisha. It has long interested geologists because it holds some of the oldest rocks in India, recording crust that formed more than 4 billion years ago.

“To our knowledge, (this) is the oldest directly dated rock with a confirmed biosignature,” say the authors, who include Trisrota Chaudhuri, of the Geological Survey of India, Kolkata, and Mark Harrison, of the Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles.

The rock — a “black-and-white” banded chert from Bhitardari — pairs a firm age with several independent chemical and structural signs that its carbon was made by living organisms. Chert is a hard, fine-grained rock made largely of silica that can preserve organic matter for billions of years, but cannot be dated directly. So the researchers extracted zircons — hardy crystals that act like natural clocks as they trap uranium that decays to lead at a known rate. Of eight zircons analysed, four indicated an age of 3,497 million years. Because those zircons appear to be volcanic ash that settled as the chert formed, the team took that to be the rock’s age, too.

They then argued the carbon was biological. Its balance of carbon isotopes matches carbon captured by living cells. They also found the material was degraded organic matter rather than later inorganic contamination.

Scientists bother with such questions because the earth formed about 4.54 billion years ago, so a 3.5-billion-year-old trace of life comes from only about a billion years after the planet’s birth and may open new hypotheses on evolution. If microbes were already established, life itself must have begun earlier still. That bears on whether life is a freak accident or something that emerges readily on habitable worlds.

Older claims exist, including graphite in 3.7-to-3.8-billion-year-old Greenland rocks, but several have been disputed. The authors caution that their own case rests on chemistry and geological context.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

The champions earned 125 ranking points along with a $9,900 prize, while the runners-up received 75 points and $5,760.

N. Sriram Balaji and Anirud Chandrasekar were crowned champions of the second edition of the Cancun Country Open after defeating the Mexican-Belarusian pairing of Miguel Angel Reyes-Varela and Ivan Liutarevich 6-3, 7-6(4) in the final.

Fine margins proved decisive in the defeat of Reyes-Varela and Liutarevich, who conceded just one break of serve throughout the match but were unable to convert their only break-point opportunity, as per the Cancun Country Open website.

The Cancun title is Chandrasekar’s 11th on the circuit and his second of the year. Earlier this season, he won the Busan ATP Challenger 125 alongside Japanese partner Takeru Yuzuki.

This is Balaji’s fifth Challenger title of the year, with his previous four victories coming alongside Neil Oberleitner. The triumph also marks his 15th career title on the Challenger circuit.

The Indian pair produced a solid performance, but Reyes-Varela and Liutarevich matched them closely for much of the opening set.

The decisive moment came in the eighth game, when Balaji and Chandrasekar secured the only break of serve to take control and eventually close out the set 6-3.

They won 68% of points behind their first serve and an impressive 81% behind their second.

The champions earned 125 ranking points along with a $9,900 prize, while the runners-up received 75 points and $5,760.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

Defence minister Rajnath Singh has approved the transfer of DRDO-developed technologies of all conventional missile systems to the Indian defence industry for production within the country.

The defence ministry, making the announcement, said the move is an “important milestone” in promoting greater participation of the domestic industries in the defence ecosystem.

“The provision will enable successful transition of missile system development to industrial production, reflecting the continued efforts of DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) to leverage the capabilities of the Indian industry for the development and manufacture of advanced defence systems,” the ministry said.

It said the objective is to enhance domestic manufacturing capabilities, strengthen the defence industrial base and create opportunities for the participation of Indian MSMEs and other technology partners in the supply chain.

Defence minister Rajnath Singh has approved the transfer of DRDO-developed technologies of all conventional missile systems to the Indian defence industry for production within the country.

The defence ministry, making the announcement, said the move is an “important milestone” in promoting greater participation of the domestic industries in the defence ecosystem.

“The provision will enable successful transition of missile system development to industrial production, reflecting the continued efforts of DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) to leverage the capabilities of the Indian industry for the development and manufacture of advanced defence systems,” the ministry said.

It said the objective is to enhance domestic manufacturing capabilities, strengthen the defence industrial base and create opportunities for the participation of Indian MSMEs and other technology partners in the supply chain.

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph Online staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.

source/content: telegraphindia.com (headline edited)