The Buildathon, India’s largest synchronised innovation hackathon, is aimed at encouraging students to ideate, design, and build prototypes of products.

Over 1 crore school students of Classes 6 to 12 attended a two-hour long live tinkering innovation session as part of the Viksit Bharat Buildathon (VBB) 2025 inaugurated by Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan in New Delhi, officials said on Monday.

Students from over 3 lakh schools across the country worked in teams of 3 to 5 to ideate, design innovative solutions and build their prototypes around four themes — vocal for local, ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ (self-reliant India), ‘swadeshi’ (indigenous), and ‘samriddh Bharat’ (prosperous India) in India’s largest synchronised innovation hackathon for school students, the education ministry said in a statement.

According to the ministry, the highest participation came from Uttar Pradesh, with students from 78,206 schools joining the live event, followed by 41,198 schools in Maharashtra and 20,017 schools in Gujarat.

VBB 2025 is a joint initiative of the department of school education and literacy (DoSEL) under the education ministry and NITI Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), aimed at encouraging students to ideate, design, and build prototypes of the products in alignment with the vision of Viksit Bharat (developed India) at 2047.

During his address to the inaugural session, Pradhan said, “I am confident that the innovative ideas germinated from here will pave the way for creating new global models and finding solutions to pressing domestic and global challenges. A Viksit and Samriddh Bharat will be built on the shoulders of our talented school students.”

During the inaugural session, Pradhan also interacted with the students of PM SHRI Government High School, Khorda, Bhubaneswar, Odisha. He also visited Delhi Public School, Mathura Road, and PM SHRI Kendriya Vidyalaya No. 2 in Delhi Cantt., to interact with students and teachers and observed a range of innovative student projects. He also sat in the Class 1 classroom among the students and “learnt” the art of numbers.

Sanjay Kumar, secretary, department of school education and literacy, ministry of education in his address said that this one-of-a-kind movement would enhance the learning capabilities and will strengthen the innovative approach of students.

Schools can submit their entries on the VBB portal till October 31, which will then be evaluated by a panel of experts from November 1 to December 31, followed by the announcement and felicitation of top teams in January 2026. The Union education ministry has announced a ₹1 crore prize pool to reward the most creative and impactful entries, including 1,000 district-level, 100 state-level, and 10 national-level winners.

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headlines edited)

In New Delhi, Minister Anand will meet with Mr. Jaishankar and Mr. Goyal, as “both countries move toward establishing a framework for strategic cooperation.

Canada’s Foreign Minister Anita Anand arrived in the national capital on Sunday (October 12, 2025), a day before talks with her Indian counterpart S. Jaishankar.

The discussions are expected to focus on setting up a framework for bilateral “strategic” cooperation in areas of trade, energy and security.

It is Ms. Anand’s first visit to India after assuming charge as the foreign minister in May. She is also scheduled to meet Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal to discuss ways to boost two-way trade ties.

“This visit will help build on the positive momentum in India-Canada relations by revitalising our bilateral mechanisms, deepening economic cooperation, and further strengthening the enduring people-to-people ties that anchor our partnership,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on X.

New Delhi is Ms. Anand’s first stop of her three-nation tour that will also take her to China and Singapore.

In New Delhi, Minister Anand will meet with Mr. Jaishankar and Mr. Goyal, as “both countries move toward establishing a framework for strategic cooperation on issues such as trade diversification, energy transformation and security”, a Canadian readout said on Saturday.

“Minister Anand will also travel to Mumbai, India, where she will meet with Canadian and Indian firms working to support investment, job creation and economic opportunity in Canada and India,” it said.

The Canadian foreign minister’s visit comes more than three weeks after Canada’s National Security Advisor Nathalie Drouin visited India and held extensive talks with his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval.

Days after the Doval-Drouin meeting, Canada designated the Lawrence Bishnoi gang as a terrorist entity for “violently targeting” certain communities and creating a “climate of fear and intimidation”.

The renewed vibrancy in the ties between the two countries followed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s talks with his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney on the margins of the G7 Summit at Canada’s Kananaskis in June.

The India-Canada relations hit a rock bottom following the then Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations in 2023 of a potential Indian link to the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

India had dismissed Mr. Trudeau’s accusation as “absurd”.

In October last year, India recalled its high commissioner and five other diplomats after Ottawa attempted to link them to the Nijjar case.

India also expelled an equal number of Canadian diplomats.

However, Liberal Party leader Carney’s victory in the parliamentary election in April helped in beginning the process to reset relations.

Both sides have already posted their high commissioners in each other’s capitals.

The two countries also agreed to revive several mechanisms to advance relations in a range of areas.

In Singapore, Minister Anand will meet with her counterpart Vivian Balakrishnan, to further strengthen Canada’s cooperation with “one of its most important partners” in Southeast Asia, the Canadian readout said.

In China, she will meet Foreign Affairs Minister Wang Yi to continue bilateral engagement as both the countries mark 55 years of establishing diplomatic ties, it said.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

The minister highlighted how decentralised solar energy is transforming lives across the country — bringing light to rural homes, powering local health centres, and providing new tools for farmers.

India has become the world’s third-largest solar energy producer with a total installed capacity of 125 GW, Minister for New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi said on Wednesday. Speaking at the curtain-raiser event for the Eighth Session of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Assembly, scheduled to be held from October 27-30 at Bharat Mandapam, Joshi also mentioned that the country’s solar progress reflects how national ambition can lead to real change at the grassroots level.

“Today with approximately 125 GW of solar capacity, India is the world’s third largest solar producer. This progress shows how national ambition can translate to meaningful change at the local level. It is because our success story is more than just numbers; it is about the people,” said the minister.

He further highlighted how decentralised solar energy is transforming lives across the country — bringing light to rural homes, powering local health centres, and providing new tools for farmers.

“With PM Surya Ghar – Muft Bijli Yojana, more than 20 lakh households are benefiting from solar power,” said Joshi.

He also spoke about the impact of the PM-KUSUM scheme, which aims to expand solar access to India’s heartland. Under the PM-KUSUM scheme, the country is taking this transformation to the last mile, he said.

“The three components of the scheme target the installation of 10 gigawatts of small solar plants; support 1.4 million off-grid solar pumps; and solarise 3.5 million grid-connected agricultural pumps. Together, these efforts are ensuring that clean energy reaches the last mile. It is this combination of scale and inclusiveness that defines India’s energy transition,” said the minister.

The International Solar Alliance, launched in 2015 by India and France at COP21 in Paris, now includes 124 Member and Signatory Countries. The upcoming ministerial session is a key platform for setting the global solar agenda ahead of COP30 in Brazil. The assembly will focus on expanding solar deployment, unlocking climate finance, shaping technology and policy roadmaps, and building skills to ensure a just and inclusive energy transition.

“As our Prime Minister Narendra Modi envisioned, it has grown into a giant tree from a sapling, offering shelter and hope to all under one sun,” the minister said.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

The initiative is part of India’s commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF).

India has launched the National Red List Assessment initiative, marking a significant step towards a science-based, equitable, and people-centred approach to the conservation of flora and fauna by 2030, as announced in Dubai.

The initiative is part of India’s commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF).

In a statement, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), which is leading the National Red List Assessment in collaboration with the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) and the Botanical Survey of India (BSI), emphasised that this document will be a national effort of unprecedented scope.

Under this initiative, India will establish a Nationally Coordinated Red-listing System, a tool designed for accurate assessment, conservation planning, and informed policy development regarding the conservation of approximately 11,000 species of flora and fauna, including 7,000 species of flora and 4,000 species of fauna.

The development of this system will occur in close collaboration with IUCN-India and the Centre for Species Survival, India.

Some Asian nations, such as Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and China, have conducted similar multi-taxa assessments.

However, the MoEFCC stated that India’s National Red List Assessment aims to stand out as one of the most comprehensive and collaborative national efforts.

“It will bring together the country’s leading taxonomists, conservation biologists, and subject matter experts under a unified, nationally coordinated framework to achieve this important task,” said Kirtivardhan Singh, Minister of State at the MoEFCC.

During the launch of India’s National Red List Roadmap at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi, Singh noted that this vision document represents India’s extraordinary efforts in biodiversity documentation, threat assessment, and conservation.

India is recognised as one of the world’s 17 megadiverse countries and is home to four of the 36 global biodiversity hotspots — the Himalayas, the Western Ghats, Indo-Burma, and Sundaland, which includes India’s Nicobar Islands. The country harbours nearly 8% of global flora and 7.5% of global fauna, with approximately 28% of plant species and over 30% of animal species being endemic.

“India has long upheld robust legal frameworks for the protection of biodiversity, with the Wild Life (Protection) Act of 1972 being the primary legislation, recently amended in 2022 to extend protection to species listed under CITES appendices,” Singh emphasised.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

Saksham boasts of features such as real-time threat detection and AI-enabled predictive analysis, integration of sensors and weapons for synchronised response, and 3D battlefield visualisation, says the Army.

In a major leap towards operational readiness against emerging aerial threats, the Indian Army has initiated procurement of the indigenously developed ‘Saksham’ Counter-Unmanned Aerial System (CUAS) Grid System.

The system is designed to detect, track, identify, and neutralise hostile drones and unmanned aerial systems in real time, ensuring comprehensive airspace security across the newly defined Tactical Battlefield Space (TBS), which now includes the Air Littoral (airspace up to 3,000 metres, or 10,000 feet, above ground level).

According to the Army, the requirement for a robust CUAS framework emerged prominently during Operation Sindoor, which underscored the vulnerabilities of existing airspace control measures against hostile drone activity. In response, the Army expanded its operational concept from the Tactical Battle Area (TBA) to the broader TBS, acknowledging that future conflicts will unfold simultaneously across land and low-altitude air domains.

This paradigm shift enables ground formations to maintain control over the Air Littoral, ensuring unrestricted movement for friendly aerial assets, while countering potential hostile incursions.

Developed in collaboration with the Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Ghaziabad, Saksham, or Situational Awareness for Kinetic Soft and Hard Kill Assets Management, is a modular, high-end Command and Control (C2) system operating on the secure Army Data Network (ADN). It creates a real-time, integrated Recognised UAS Picture (RUASP) for commanders, merging sensor data, counter-drone systems, and AI-driven analytics, the Army added.

The system will have features like real-time threat detection and AI-enabled predictive analysis, integration of CUAS sensors and weapons for synchronised response, automated decision support and 3D battlefield visualisation, seamless interoperability with other operational systems, and inputs from the Akashteer System to map all friendly, neutral, and hostile airspace users.

Saksham reflects the government’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat in defence technology and is completely indigenous. Approved under the Fast Track Procurement (FTP) route, it will be rolled out to all field formations within a year.

Once operational, Saksham will form the backbone of the Army’s CUAS grid, enhancing decision-making speed, enabling swift engagement, and securing control over the Air Littoral. The initiative marks a decisive stride toward a digitally enabled, networked battlefield, aligned with the Army’s Decade of Transformation (2023–2032).

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

With the FCSS launch, GIFT City joins top global hubs like Hong Kong and Tokyo in enabling local, real-time settlement of foreign currency trades, boosting liquidity and compliance.

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday announced the launch of a Foreign Currency Settlement System (FCSS) at GIFT City to facilitate “real-time” settlement of financial transactions in foreign currency by entities in the international financial services centre (IFSC).

“Transactions in foreign currency by entities in IFSC are currently settled through the correspondent banking arrangements, which are routed through different participants and multiple nostro banks. Such transactions are not settled on a real-time basis and are usually settled with a lag of up to 36 to 48 hours. That’s the present story,” the finance minister said at the Global Fintech Fest in Mumbai on Tuesday.

“But the foreign currency settlement system, which gets launched today, seeks to solve this problem by facilitating seamless and efficient settlement of foreign currency transactions within IFSC on a real-time basis. Not 36 hours, not 48 hours, but just as it happens, enhancing liquidity management and operational resilience, while ensuring compliance with regulatory oversight under the PSS (Payments and Settlement System) Act,” she said.

With the operationalisation of the foreign currency settlement system, GIFT City joins the likes of financial centres that include Hong Kong, Tokyo, Manila, among others, which have the infrastructure to settle foreign currency transactions locally, she said.

The International Financial Services Centres Authority, in a circular on October 7, said that it has authorised CCIL IFSC Limited, a subsidiary of Clearing Corporation of India, to operate the FCSS. The subsidiary has entered into an agreement with Standard Chartered to act as the settlement bank.

GIFT City has been expanding at a rapid pace, supported by regulatory easing. As of March 31, 2025, the IFSC had a total registration of 865 entities covering the banking sector, capital markets, fund management, bullion, insurance sector and aircraft leasing. During the January-March quarter of FY25, the cumulative banking transactions at GIFT City were $147.69 billion, while average monthly turnover at exchanges there was $92.15 billion.

She further urged fintech companies to balance innovation with prudence as they mature, emphasising trust, safety, and inclusion. She highlighted responsible regulation as key to sustainable growth, urged collaboration with regulators, and called for fintech solutions for MSMEs, women, and green finance.

Sitharaman also pitched for using technology for public good, while expressing her concern at “weaponising” the advancements at the global level.

Citing the darker side of AI, she said, “The same tools that power innovation can be weaponised for deception and for fraud. I’m not personalising it, but I can say I have seen several deep fake videos of myself being circulated online, manipulated to mislead citizens and distort facts.”

“The new generation of fraud is no longer about breaching firewalls. It’s about hacking trust. Criminals are using AI to mimic voices, clone identities, and create lifelike videos that can manipulate people,” she observed.

source/content: telegraphindia.com (headline edited)

In last 10 years, India has initiated energy transitions in power (particularly coal) and industry (such as steel) through these 650-plus implemented policies.

After a decade of efforts under the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, India has implemented over 650 policies since 2015 and successfully achieved its 2030 target for non-fossil fuel electricity generation. However, to meet further climate goals without compromising economic growth, India will require approximately $4.5 trillion in investments by 2040.

A new report from the Deep Decarbonization Pathways (DDP) Initiative at the Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations (IDDRI) indicates that India has met its electricity production targets as outlined in the Paris Agreement and is on track to achieve other objectives, such as reducing emissions intensity relative to GDP (from 2005 levels) and creating additional carbon sinks.

In last 10 years, India has initiated energy transitions in power (particularly coal) and industry (such as steel) through these 650-plus implemented policies. The report, prepared by experts from 21 countries—including India—highlights the need for around $4.5 trillion in investments by 2040 to develop infrastructure, enhance economic growth, and improve community well-being.

The report reveals shortcomings that hindered momentum. While countries have accelerated low-carbon technologies, gaps remain in coordination, social inclusion, and connection between long-term goals and current policies. The report states, “Long-term strategies are often disconnected from concrete policy decisions, and inter-ministerial coordination remains challenging.”

Henri Waisman, Director of the DDP Initiative, says, “The progress made in the last 10 years is significant. However, the lesson is clear: to achieve goals of the Paris Agreement, the next decade must focus on scaling up efforts, addressing social and industrial challenges, and ensuring that ambition is consistently translated into effective action.”

India initiated energy transitions through policies

In last 10 years, India has initiated energy transitions in power (particularly coal) and industry (such as steel) through these 650-plus implemented policies. The report, prepared by experts from 21 countries—including India—highlights the need for around $4.5 trillion in investments by 2040 to develop infrastructure, enhance economic growth, and improve community well-being.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

The Indian Navy said the commissioning of INS Androth adds a significant punch to its anti-submarine warfare capabilities, particularly in countering threats posed by adversaries in the littorals.

 ⁠In a boost to its anti-submarine capabilities in the country’s coastal areas, the Indian Navy on Monday commissioned its second state-of-the-art Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC), Androth, at the naval dockyard in Visakhapatnam.

The commissioning ceremony was presided over by Vice Admiral Rajesh Pendharkar, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command.

The Indian Navy said the commissioning of INS Androth adds a significant punch to its ASW capabilities, particularly in countering threats posed by adversaries in the littorals. “The ship’s induction underscores the Navy’s continued emphasis on indigenisation, innovation, and capability enhancement, while reaffirming the vital contribution of GRSE in strengthening India’s maritime security architecture,” the Navy said.

At 77m in length and displacing about 1500 tonnes, INS Androth is specially designed to undertake anti-submarine operations in coastal and shallow waters.

The vessel, a state-of-the-art submarine hunter, is fitted with advanced weapons, sensors, and communication systems, enabling it to detect, track and neutralise sub-surface threats with precision. It can sustain prolonged operations in shallow waters and is equipped with technologically advanced machinery and control systems, the Navy said.

Powered by three waterjet propulsion systems driven by marine diesel engines, INS Androth is extremely agile and manoeuvrable. Its capabilities extend to maritime surveillance, search and rescue, coastal defence missions, and low intensity maritime operations (LIMO) making it a versatile platform for littoral operations.

As highlighted by The New Indian Express earlier, the Indian Navy’s focus on anti-submarine warfare is conspicuous with its planned induction of 16 ASW-SWCs, six P-8I Poseidon and more UAVs and drones for this purpose.

Built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd., Kolkata, with over 80% indigenous components, Androth is a testament to the Centre’s vision of Aatmanirbharta (self-reliance) and a shining symbol of India’s growing maritime self-reliance. Constructed under the guidance of the Directorate of Ship Production and the oversight of the Warship Overseeing Team in Kolkata, Androth was handed over to the Indian Navy on September 13.

The name ‘Androth’ holds strategic and symbolic significance, derived from Androth Island in the Lakshadweep archipelago, underscoring India’s commitment to safeguarding its vast maritime territories.

In its previous avatar, INS Androth (P69) served the nation with distinction for over 27 years before being decommissioned. The commissioning of the new Androth honours the legacy and spirit of her predecessor.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

This new approach empowers public sector laboratories to scale up testing without incurring heavy investment in new machinery, enabling broader, more affordable access.

In a boost to India’s fight against tuberculosis, apex health research body ICMR has validated new indigenously developed tools that could bolster the country’s diagnostic capacity and offer a cheaper detection option.

Eliminating tuberculosis (TB) depends crucially on the ability to detect early, accurately, and universally, to initiate patients on treatment and curb community transmission.

Among the recently validated tools is Quantiplus MTB FAST detection kit, developed by Huwel Lifesciences in Telangana, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said in a note.

Quantiplus is the first open system RT-PCR assay validated for the detection of lung TB as it can run on any existing PCR machine and is not limited to proprietary platforms.

“This means, laboratories across India, even those without specialised ‘closed’ equipment, can now expand rapid molecular TB testing using standard PCR machines,” a source explained.

Furthermore, Quantiplus can test as many as 96 samples simultaneously. Detecting TB in adults via sputum samples, this innovation not only enhances capacity but stands to make a dramatic difference in costs and estimates suggest it could reduce the price of TB testing by as much as one-fifth, the source said.

This new approach empowers public sector laboratories to scale up testing without incurring heavy investment in new machinery, enabling broader, more affordable access.

The second homegrown innovation validated by the ICMR is UniAMP MTB Nucleic Acid Test Card, also manufactured by Huwel Lifesciences, the ICMR note stated.

This marks a milestone in patient-friendly diagnostics as now patients can be tested using non-invasive tongue swabs instead of sputum samples which are difficult to produce, especially for children and the elderly, an official source said.

Traditionally, TB diagnosis has required invasive or difficult procedures to obtain quality sputum samples but tongue swabs provide a more comfortable, non-invasive alternative, and offer the possibility of doorstep TB diagnosis, supporting large-scale community screening efforts and widening the reach of life-saving TB care.

“Through ICMR’s rigorous and streamlined validation process, we are ensuring that innovative TB diagnostics are validated quickly. This effort reflects India’s resolve to strengthen indigenous research and innovation, close gaps in early detection and treatment, and ultimately help the country to move closer to eliminating tuberculosis as a public health challenge,” Dr Nivedita Gupta, Head, Communicable Diseases Division, ICMR, said.

These new tools follow upgrades in existing tools, Truenat and PathoDetect, that help decentralise high-precision Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests (NAAT).

This expansion can reduce delays in TB diagnosis and ensure effective treatment of both drug-sensitive TB patients and those resistant to anti-TB drugs, she added.

The validation of these innovations – encompassing lab systems, decentralised testing, and non-sputum-based point-of-care diagnostics – reflects the government’s commitment towards nurturing a thriving domestic scientific ecosystem.

Should these technologies be deployed at scale, they hold the promise of being gamechangers – making TB testing faster, cheaper, and much more accessible to those who need it most.

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)