Category Archives: Business & Economy

‘At an elevation of 15000 ft. above sea level’- Cabinet approves two major ropeway projects in Uttarakhand under Parvatmala Pariyojana

The total cost of both projects is over Rs. 6,811 crore and these will be developed on Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) mode, one of the variants of the Public-Private Partnership, or PPP, model.

The union cabinet Wednesday approved two major ropeway projects- Govindghat to Hemkund Sahib Ji (12.4 km) and Sonprayag to Kedarnath (12.9 km)- in Uttarakhand, which will be developed under National Ropeways Development Programme – Parvatmala Pariyojana.

The total cost of both projects is over Rs. 6,811 crore and these will be developed on Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) mode, one of the variants of the Public-Private Partnership, or PPP, model.

Currently, the journey to Hemkund Sahib, which is a site of famous gurudwara, is undertaken through 21-km uphill trek from Govindghat and is covered on foot or by ponies or palanquins. Similarly, the journey to Kedarnath temple is a 16-km uphill trek from Gaurikund and is currently covered on foot or by ponies, palanquins and helicopter.

According to the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH), Govindghat to Hemkund Sahib Ji ropeway project will have Monocable Detachable Gondola from Govindghat to Ghangaria (10.55 km) and further integrated with the advanced Tricable Detachable Gondola (3S) technology from Ghangaria to Hemkund Sahib Ji (1.85 km). It will have a design capacity of 1,100 passengers per hour per direction (PPHPD) with maximum carrying capacity of 11,000 passengers per day.

Whereas, Sonprayag to Kedarnath ropeway will have Tri-cable Detachable Gondola (3S) technology with a design capacity of 1,800 passengers per hour per direction carrying 18,000 passengers per day.

Tri-cable Detachable Gondola is a ropeway system where the Gondola or passenger compartment is supported by three cables and the gondola can be detached from the haul rope at the stations for loading an unload of passengers. Tri-cable Detachable Gondola have higher capacity, longer span between towers and higher cost compared to monocable systems, which runs on a single cable.

Ropeways do not need large construction works on the ground surface as such incur lower land acquisition costs. It has higher cost of construction per km than roadways. However, ropeways may be more economical than roadways.

In an statement, the ministry said that the project will foster the economic growth of the region as both religious sites- Hemkund Sahib ji and Kedarnath- attract lakhs of pilgrims every year.

Hemkund Sahib Ji is situated at an elevation of 15,000 ft in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, where the Gurudwara open for about 5 months in a year between May and September and is visited by about 1.5 to 2 lakh pilgrims annually. Similarly, Kedarnath is situated at an elevation of 3,583 m (11968 ft) in the Rudraprayag district, where the temple is open for about seven months and is visited by around 20 lakh pilgrims annually.

Both the projects will significantly increase the total length of Parvatmala Pariyojna. Launched in Union Budget 2022-23, MoRTH’s ambitious ropeway scheme aims to develop more than 250 projects with ropeway length of over 1,200 kilometers under PPP model with around 60 percent contribution support by Government of India. The Programme is being implemented by National Highway Logistics Management Limited (NHLML), a special purpose vehicle of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI).

According to the ministry’s annual report 2024-25, a total of Rs. 300 crore was allocated for the ropeway projects during current financial year and out of this Rs. 200 crore was spent till December 31, 2024.

The ropeway projects of 60 km length was planned for award during FY25. Out of this, Ropeway at Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) of 3.85 km is under construction. Apart from this, three ropeway projects of 4.93 km length are awarded for Bijli Mahadev (Himachal Pradesh), Dhosi Hill (Haryana), and Mahakaleshwar Temple (Madhya Pradesh).

The bids for seven projects of 53.28 km length have been invited, including both Kedarnath and Hemkund Sahib project which received cabinet approval. Apart from this, detailed Feasibility Study is in progress for additional 12 projects of 39 km length. In addition, Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed with 13 States/UTs.

source/content: indianexpress.com (headline edited)

CSIR collab with Australian agency to purify mineral ores critical to aerospace and solar technology

They are to be investigating the recovery of titanium dioxide and vanadium-bearing titanium minerals of Indian origin.

The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) through the Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology (CSIR-IMMT) has signed a research agreement with Australia’s national science agency, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), to work with critical minerals.

They will investigate the recovery of titanium dioxide and vanadium-bearing titanium minerals of Indian origin. These minerals are critical to aerospace and solar technology.

Director, CSIR-IMMT Dr Ramanuj Narayan said: “The project aims to develop CSIRO’s innovative titanium and vanadium processing technology for extracting titanium and vanadium from ilmenite and vanadiferous magnetite ores which are abundant in India and Australia.”

He said, “India focuses on space technology, solar and electric vehicle motors. To excel in these fields, one needs to explore the critical minerals essential in these sectors. Titanium and vanadium are classified as critical minerals in both India and Australia. Titanium is widely used in metal alloys, while vanadium is also a key component in redox flow batteries, which are rechargeable and well-suited for large-scale energy storage.”

Dr Narayan said: “We stress on the beneficiation (the process of treating ore or similar material from the earth to improve its quality and make it suitable for further processing, typically by removing unwanted materials and concentrating valuable minerals process). Odisha has rich deposits of low-grade iron ore and coal. We still depend on Australia for coal. Through value addition, we can turn them into high-grade iron and coal.”

The project will advance the processing of Indian origin ores, potentially unlocking India’s vast titanium deposits — the third-largest in the world — while complementing CSIRO’s ongoing research on Australia deposits.

source/content: telegraphindia.com (headline edited)

Inventors from Hyderabad-based LVPEI get Australian patent for potential therapy to treat damaged corneas

Two inventors from L.V. Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI) in Hyderabad have been granted an Australian patent for a cell therapy that can be used to repair damaged corneas from a variety of corneal diseases. However, the therapy needs more validation before it is used on patients.

The two inventors who were granted the patent are Sayan Basu and Vivek Singh. Dr. Basu is a corneal surgeon and a clinician-scientist at LVPEI. He is the Prof. D Balasubramanian Chair of Eye Research at the Brien Holden Eye Research Centre (BHERC); and the Director of the Centre for Ocular Regeneration (CORE) at LVPEI. Dr. Vivek Singh is a scientist at the Sudhakar and Sreekanth Ravi Stem Cell Biology Laboratory and Centre for Ocular Regeneration (CORE), LVPEI.

Clinical trials underway

“The patent is granted for the advanced cell compositions comprising limbal epithelial and stromal cells for treating and preventing corneal diseases, along with their production methods and therapeutic applications. The therapy was previously granted a patent by the Patent Office, Government of India , for a period of 20 years in accordance with the provisions of the Patents Act, 1970. Government of India approved clinical trials are also under way. It will need more validation before it is available for patient use,” as per a press release issued on Thursday (March 13, 2025).

What is a cornea?

Cornea is a dome-shaped, transparent outer layer of an eye which protects it from debris and more. It filters ultraviolet light.

How do corneas get scarred?

Corneal scarring happens when the cornea is damaged and turns opaque due to infection or accidents. Corneal blindness is a major cause of blindness and vision impairment, especially in low- and middle-income countries.

Current and potential treatments:

Most forms of corneal blindness currently require corneal transplants, which are complex and require lifelong management. This patented composition has the potential to offer a viable alternative to transplants that uses either the person’s own, or donor corneal stem cells to repopulate the corneal surface with healthy, clear cells, as per the press release. 

Dr. Sayan Basu said, “If the clinical trials are successful, this cell-based therapy could revolutionise the treatment of various corneal pathologies.”

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

The Invincibles: Unbeaten India roll past New Zealand to bring home Champions Trophy

At times, Rohit Sharma can appear too relaxed, even eccentrically so. “Tension mat lo, ho jaayega (Don’t be tense, we’ll do it),” has been his favourite message to teammates ahead of every crucial game.

Over two years, two ICC trophies — the T20 World Cup in 2024, on Sunday night, the Champions title. And don’t forget barging into the World Cup finals in November 2023. Something about Indian white ball cricket brimmeth over; it’s likely joy off multiple cups.

At times, Rohit Sharma can appear too relaxed, even eccentrically so. “Tension mat lo, ho jaayega (Don’t be tense, we’ll do it),” has been his favourite message to teammates ahead of every crucial game.

As the cricketing world kept speculating on his form and future in the lead-up to the Champions Trophy, Rohit had shown little sign of being flustered. He shut out the “outside noise” and kept his focus on the team’s performance.

When Gautam Gambhir was quizzed about Rohit’s inconsistent form ahead of Sunday’s final, the head coach strongly backed his captain. “You evaluate from the stats, we evaluate from the impact,” he shot back.

Gambhir stood vindicated at the Dubai International Stadium as Rohit showed India the way forward with his fearless batting on the day it mattered most.

As fireworks lit up the skyline after the four-wicket victory, Rohit had a I-told-you-so look.

The ghost of Motera from 16 months ago seemed banished. Rohit’s men can now bask in the glory of the T20 World Cup and Champions Trophy victories, shedding the disappointment of losing the ODI World Cup final to Australia.

Adding to the symbolism, the victory came just a day before the 40th anniversary of India’s 1985 World Championship of Cricket triumph.

The 252-run chase was always going to be tricky, especially if wickets kept falling. Rohit set up a 105-run opening stand with Shubman Gill before three wickets within a space of 17 runs unsettled the momentum.

Shreyas Iyer and Axar Patel brought some sanity with a 61-run stand before the flamboyant Hardik Pandya and cool-headed K.L. Rahul brought India to the doorstep.

Ravindra Jadeja, who hit the winning runs, reflected: “That is how it is with me.… Sometimes a hero, sometimes a zero.”

But Rohit’s contribution eclipsed all. A six off the second ball from Kyle Jamieson signalled that he was in the mood. Two boundaries and a six from Rohit’s first 11 balls, and India were off to a superb start.

Rohit, who had raced to 50 off 41 balls, lost momentum after Gill and Virat Kohli left in quick succession. From 76 off 77, he went scoreless for six balls before falling in an attempt to come down the track and lift Rachin Ravindra over the top.

The spadework, though, had been done by India’s spin quartet, especially wrist-spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy.

A 50-over contest is often decided in the middle overs. Unlike Shreyas and Axar, who absorbed the pressure by quickly rotating the strike, the New Zealand batters huffed and puffed to break the shackles.

The wider spectrum of India’s varied spin attack, compared with their opponents’ steady but one-dimensional finger spin, made the difference. This was best exemplified by Kuldeep.

The day the left-arm wrist-spinner is done with cricket and decides to reflect on his most memorable dismissals, two will stand out. His castling of Babar Azam in the 2019 World Cup and his astutely-plotted dismissal of Rachin in Dubai on Sunday.

Denied much success earlier in the tournament, Kuldeep seemed to have saved his best for the last. New Zealand were threatening to put it beyond India with 69 runs in the first Powerplay (1-10) overs with Rachin and Kane Williamson in cruise control.

But Kuldeep’s wrong’un delivered the most telling blow. The googly landed slightly back of a length on the middle stump and Ravindra was cramped for room once he realised the ball had hurried off the wicket. If flicked his back leg before changing direction and hitting the top of off stump.

Kuldeep wasn’t done and removed Williamson the next over. The ball dipped and stopped on Williamson, who defended it in front of his body. It lobbed off the outer half of the blade for Kuldeep to accept the return catch to his right.

New Zealand were suddenly caught in a spin. Varun had begun the slide by removing opener Will Young but Kuldeep’s double blow had spelt disaster.

Sensing that the dry and low surface was aiding the slow bowlers, Rohit switched to four-pronged spin. The runs dried up.

Kuldeep’s accuracy was stunning as he targeted the stumps from every angle. He was the main reason that New Zealand managed a single boundary in 81 balls after Powerplay 1.

New Zealand had been wary of Varun, who had taken five wickets against them in the group league encounter. But Kuldeep proved the surprise element while Axar and Jadeja did their bit by bowling miserly spells.

The spinners sowed doubt in the batters’ minds with their drift and subtle variations in pace. But poor catching in the outfield denied India wickets, with worst-offender Gill putting down two chances.

Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips went the conservative way as the boundaries dried up. Just when Phillips was threatening to take the game to the opposition, he was undone by a Varun googly.

It was only towards the end, when the pacers came on, did the New Zealanders begin to take a few risks, with Michael Bracewell (53 off 40) using the long handle to good effect.

The statistics show how tough it was against the Indian spinners — 104 runs were scored in just 12 overs against pace while the spinners conceded 144 in 38 overs. (Leg byes accounted for the remaining 3 runs.)

source/content: telegraphindia.com (headline edited)


DRDO successfully conducts high-altitude trials of indigenous integrated life support system for LCA Tejas Aircraft

The Defence Bio-Engineering & Electro Medical Laboratory (DEBEL), a Bengaluru-based lab under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), successfully conducted high-altitude trials of the Indigenous On-Board Oxygen Generating System (OBOGS)-based Integrated Life Support System (ILSS) for the LCA Tejas aircraft on Tuesday.

Congratulating DRDO, IAF, Public Sector Undertakings, and industry partners on this significant achievement, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh highlighted that the development of the Indigenous ILSS reaffirms India’s commitment to cutting-edge defence technologies and aligns with the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat 2047.’

The OBOGS-based ILSS is a state-of-the-art system designed to generate and regulate breathable oxygen for pilots during flight. This system eliminates the need for traditional liquid oxygen cylinder-based systems, providing greater efficiency and safety. The ILSS underwent rigorous testing on the LCA-Prototype Vehicle-3 aircraft, developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA).

The system was tested under extreme conditions, including altitudes of up to 50,000 feet above mean sea level and high-G maneuvers, to ensure its performance met stringent aeromedical standards. The tests evaluated critical parameters such as oxygen concentration, demand breathing, and the availability of 100% oxygen during various flight phases, including aerobatic maneuvers, take-offs, cruises, G turns, and approach and landing.

The system’s performance during these tests was deemed successful, meeting all specified parameters for full functional testing of components such as the Anti-G Valve and Breathing Oxygen System (BOS) during key flight stages. With clearance from the Centre for Military Airworthiness & Certification (CEMILAC), the ILSS has proven its reliability and efficiency.

The ILSS integrates 10 Line Replaceable Units, including the Low-Pressure Breathing Regulator, BOS, Emergency Oxygen System, Oxygen Sensor, and Anti-G valve, among others. These components work together to ensure real-time oxygen generation, significantly enhancing pilot endurance and operational effectiveness during flight.

Manufactured by L&T as a Development cum Production Partner, the system represents a remarkable collaboration between DRDO and Indian defence industries. Notably, the ILSS has 90% indigenous content, reflecting India’s growing self-reliance in aerospace technology. With suitable modifications, the system can be adapted for use in other aircraft, such as the MiG-29K.

source/content: ddnews.gov.in (headline edited)

CIMA Awards 2025 recognises the finest in Indian art

The latest edition of the triennial ceremony was held at Taj Bengal on February 1.

A little over three decades ago, 43, Ashutosh Chowdhury Avenue became the hub of Kolkata’s arts scene, with the establishment of the Centre of International Modern Art (CIMA). Since 1993, CIMA has become a cornerstone for bridging the gap between the world’s best creative minds and Kolkata.

February 1 saw the organisation celebrating the pinnacle of Indian art at Taj Bengal, with the CIMA Awards 2025, in association with The Telegraph Online. My Kolkata was in the audience.

CIMA director and managing trustee of the Art & Heritage Foundation, Rakhi Sarkar, gave the introductory speech for the triennial ceremony. “The CIMA Awards are the apple of our eye, acquainting us with the creative strength of young India. The awardees have been selected while maintaining the highest standards of originality and excellence, given how uniqueness and experimentation blend seamlessly at CIMA.”

The awards received more than 210 submissions by 200 artists from 22 Indian states. A jury selection jury comprised veterans, like Indrapramit Roy, Kunal Basu, Alka Pande and Shreyasi Chatterjee shortlisted the best paintings, sculptures, graphics, installations and new media. These shortlisted artworks are being exhibited at the Academy of Fine Arts (January 31 – February 18) and CIMA Art Gallery (January 31 – February 28).

“We especially looked for artworks that made us think. Art that doesn’t offend or ask questions, can’t be called art,” said Roy.

Pande added, “The CIMA Awards are a fantastic springboard for these artists to get visibility.” Basu further remarked, “We have such a diverse country, with many different Indias living within India. We can confidently say that all the works exhibited by CIMA reflect all of India.”

February 1 saw 12 big winners, along with two special awardees. While Pankaj Shah and Minakumari Raste were presented with the Sarbani Kar Lifetime Achievement Award for pioneering craft in Kutch, Birla Academy of Art & Culture was felicitated as a distinguished art institution of India. “While we weren’t comfortable with recognition, Rakhiji felt that our work could inspire others in the craft sector. We want to bring forward India’s traditional arts and crafts to the global stage, and provide due credit to the artisans who work behind the scenes to make this happen,” smiled Shah. “This award wouldn’t have been possible without my parents, who started this initiative as a private collection in their home, and then grew it into an academy,” beamed Mohta.

Supriyo Manna emerged as the winner of the CIMA Award 2025, for his moving piece titled, ‘The Harvest of Trust’. Chandan Bez Baruah was declared the first runner-up, while Sougata Das and Kalpana Vishwas jointly won the second runners-up award.

The evening’s vote of thanks was delivered by CIMA’s chief administrator, Pratiti Basu Sarkar. “The participation of these artists is what determines the quality of The CIMA Awards. The jury ensured impartiality and showed great commitment to art. All that CIMA is, comes from our great team,” she said.

source/content: telegraphindia.com (headline edited)

India leads in Global South’s response to AI and automation: Report

The GLMC’s report “Navigating Tomorrow: Mastering skills in a dynamic global labour market” emphasises India’s key role in the Global South’s response to AI and automation.

As ministers, academics and experts gather in the Saudi Arabian capital to discuss the challenges facing the global labour market, a report has positioned India as the leader in the Global South’s response to disruptions such artificial intelligence (AI) and automation.

The Global Labour Market Conference (GLMC), a flagship event of the Saudi government, has attracted participants from some 150 countries, including International Labour Organization (ILO) director-general Gilbert Houngbo and representatives of leading Indian players such as Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) to discuss practical strategies for the sustainability of labour markets.

The GLMC’s report “Navigating Tomorrow: Mastering skills in a dynamic global labour market” emphasises India’s key role in the Global South’s response to AI and automation and says the country’s workers have been frontrunners in skill development and technological adaptation.

The report, which focuses on technological advancements, demographic shifts and climate change as factors reshaping employment trends across 14 countries, including India, states more than 70% of Indian professionals actively seek opportunities to upskill, making the country a global leader in technological adaptation.

While global trust in governments to support upskilling remains low at 20%, Indian respondents (31%) and Saudi Arabia respondents (35%) showed significantly higher confidence in their governments. The figures for the US (15%) and the UK (12%) were lower.

The urgency to reskill because of technological advancements is a concern among Indian professionals, with 55% fearing their skills could become partially or fully obsolete within five years. This places India in line with similar concerns expressed by 61% in Brazil and 60% in China, compared to lower levels in developed markets such as the UK (44%) and Australia (43%).

Several sessions at the GLMC have focused on disruptions caused in the global and regional labour markets by AI and the need for new strategies and training programmes to deal with these challenges. In his opening address at the conference on Wednesday, Saudi Arabia’s human resources minister Ahmed bin Sulaiman Al-Rajhi emphasised the need for “bold steps” to respond to emerging challenges.

“The world is witnessing rapid technological advancement, fundamental demographic changes and emerging issues such as climate adaptation. These developments require us to take proactive and bold steps to prepare humanity for the future,” Al-Rajhi said.

Al-Rajhi announced a key initiative – the launch of the Riyadh- based Global Labour Market Academy in partnership with the World Bank – to provide policymakers worldwide, especially in middle and low-income countries, with tools to implement effective labour market reforms.

“Our vision remains clear and our goals steadfast to work together to build a flexible and inclusive labour market that can adapt to future challenges and changes efficiently and effectively,” he said.

West Asian countries are key for the Indian labour force as they host nine million expatriates. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) each are home to almost three million Indians, including blue collar workers engaged in construction and a growing number of professionals in fields such as IT, engineering, medicine, architecture and services.

The GLMC’s report also noted that climate change has spurred upskilling or reskilling in India, with 32% of respondents identifying it as a factor influencing their reskilling decisions in the next five years.

However, barriers to upskilling or reskilling remain consistent globally, with Indian respondents citing lack of time (40%) and financial constraints (38%) as primary challenges. This was in line with patterns in Brazil, where 43% reported lack of time and 39% financial constraints, and South Africa, where 45% and 42% respectively cited these barriers.

The report said India’s proactive stance on upskilling (55%) for the next five years contrasted with trends in more developed markets such as the US (51%), UK (44%), and Australia (49%), where fewer workers reported an urgency to reskill due to technological change. Also, 26% of Indian respondents expressed anxiety about job automation, showing a more optimistic outlook compared to 36% in China, which led as the “most technologically anxious market”.

(The author Rezaul H Laskar , is in Riyadh at the invitation of the Saudi Arabian government.)

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)

Indian Navy completes hydrographic survey of 25,000 sq. nautical miles of Mauritius

The fair sheet of the hydrographic survey were formally handed over to Mauritius President Dharambeer Gokhool by High Commissioner of India to Mauritius Anurag Srivastava at a formal ceremony on Thursday.

The Indian Navy’s INS Sarvekshak completed the final phase of the hydrographic survey of Mauritius covering an extensive area of over 25,000 square nautical miles. The fair sheet of the hydrographic survey, along with newly prepared nautical charts and survey equipment were formally handed over to Mauritius President Dharambeer Gokhool by High Commissioner of India to Mauritius Anurag Srivastava at a formal ceremony on Thursday (January 23, 2025).

“The creation of a new nautical chart will enable Mauritius to develop its maritime infrastructure, resource management and coastal development planning. This milestone event reflects the enduring partnership between India and Mauritius in fostering maritime development and regional cooperation,” the Indian Navy said in a statement.

In addition, Captain Tribhuvan Singh, Commanding Officer of INS Sarvekshak called on Shakeel Ahmed Yousuf Abdul Razack Mohamed, Minister of Housing and Lands, Mauritius and discussed the details of survey operations undertaken.

Indian Navy hydrographic vessels regularly assist various countries in hydrographic surveys of their exclusive economic zones (EEZs). “In line with Government of India’s SAGAR initiative, the survey ships of the Indian Navy have conducted various joint survey operations with friendly foreign nations covering an area of 89,000 sq. km. in the last five years and have produced 96 charts,” the Navy said on June 21 last year when World Hydrography Day is observed.

The Navy has also assisted them by capacity building and knowledge sharing. These efforts are undertaken by indigenously built survey ships mapping the vast Indian Ocean Region.

On the bilateral front, India and Mauritius have extensive defence cooperation spanning various domains. Mauritius has an International Liaison Officer at the Indian Navy’s Information Fusion Centre for Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) located in Gurugram. Mauritius also hosts radar centres that are part of India’s joint coastal radar surveillance system. Mauritius Police Force operates two Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH)-MkIII and one Dornier Do-228 aircraft built by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

India has significantly scaled up its capacity building assistance to littoral states in the Indian Ocean as part of efforts to augment their national capacities. There has also been a particular focus on increasing defence exports in the last few years.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

India-U.S. joint Sonobuoy production line expected to be ready by 2027

India and the U.S. had last week announced the ‘first-of-its-kind partnership on co-production’ of U.S. sonobuoys for Undersea Domain Awareness for the Indian Navy.

The final assembly of sonobuoys from the U.S., meant for detecting submarines underwater, will be done in India and an operational production line is expected to be ready in 2027, according to the U.S. company Ultra Maritime (UM). The systems will be co-produced in India in partnership with defence public sector undertaking Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL).

In a significant development, India and the U.S. last week announced the “first-of-its-kind partnership on co-production” of U.S. sonobuoys for Undersea Domain Awareness for the Indian Navy, a high-end technology that allows tracking of submarines in the deep seas and oceans. The announcement was made in the fact sheet issued at the end of U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan’s visit to India last week.

“Workshare will be in line with the principles of Make in India. Final assembly will be done in India. Our goal is to have an operational production line in 2027,” Ultra Maritime said in response to questions from The Hindu sent on email. “These will be U.S.-specification sonobuoys equivalent to those used on the P-8 aircraft.”

Chairman of BDL, Commodore A. Madhavarao (retd.), had stated that they are looking to set up joint production with Ultra Maritime in Vishakhapatnam.

The U.S.-based company, a world-leader in the design and production of undersea warfare capabilities, has already stated that in line with the U.S.-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (ICET) launched in May 2022, they will also pursue new sonobuoy technologies with BDL teams to optimise their acoustic performance in the unique environment of the Indian Ocean, enabling wide area search through bespoke multi-static active solutions. To a question, the company clarified that this was in addition to the initial production already envisaged.

On the future outlook, Ultra Maritime said it was working with BDL to identify opportunities for Indian suppliers to enter its global supply chain.

An Ultra Maritime statement issued last week had stated that the UM sonobuoys co-produced in India are interchangeable and interoperable between the U.S. Navy, Indian Navy and allied P-8, MH-60R and the MQ-9B Sea Guardian aircraft.

The development is of particular significance as India has over the years acquired a series of military platforms from the U.S. that are also operated by other countries in the region, especially Australia and Japan, which too are part of the Quad grouping and also hold the Malabar naval exercise. These sonobuoys are dropped from aircraft and helicopters. India is also pursuing another technology – sensors embedded on the ocean bed – and recently some progress has been made as a few Indian start-ups showcased the technology that is now undergoing trials.

As China undertakes massive expansion of its navy and also its presence in the Indian Ocean, undersea domain awareness has become critical and Indian Navy has been collaborating with countries on the region, especially the Quad group.

Indian Navy operates the P-8I long-range maritime patrol aircraft, is inducting the MH-60R multi-role helicopters and has two MQ-9A armed High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems on lease. It signed a $3.5 billion contract in October 2024 for 31 MQ-9B–15 Sea Guardians for the Indian Navy and 16 Sky Guardians, eight each for the Army and Air Force, with deliveries to begin from January 2029.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

Oscars 2025: Payal Kapadia’s seat at the big table

A lack of budget certainly didn’t stop the filmmaker. Her big win at Cannes, along with rave reviews, special screenings and strong distributors with festival know-how have given her an edge.

In the spring of 2022, S.S. Rajamouli’s historical action drama RRR was a huge hit in India and in the global Indian diaspora market when two American distributors floated the idea of releasing it once again — to reach an audience not usually drawn to Indian films.

With great word of mouth and reviews, the film pulled more American audiences. It was quite unlike anything Americans had seen. RRR ended up winning a few critics’ association awards and a Golden Globe for the song ‘Nattu Nattu’. One day before the final Oscars voting began, the distributors, Variance Films and Potentate Films, organised a sold-out screening in the 1,647-seat Ace Hotel Theatre in Los Angeles. A couple of weeks later, ‘Nattu Nattu’ won an Oscar for Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures.

Indian films rarely make such an impact in the U.S. during the awards seasons. I have been observing this for over four decades, first as a journalism student, then an entertainment writer and the festival director of the oldest Indian film festival in North America. Unless it is a work of the magnitude of Richard Attenborough’s Gandhi — a British-Indian co-production that won eight Oscars in 1983, beating Steven Spielberg’s most loved film E.T., the Extra-Terrestrial. Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire also won eight Oscars, but unlike Gandhi it was a British production with no Indian producer attached to it.

Grand Prix sets the ball rolling

Marketing, promotion, and celebrity endorsements are often a big part of the awards campaign. In the fall of 2001, British filmmaker Roland Joffé (The Killing Fields) called a few of his friends in Hollywood — all members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Joffé had seen Ashutosh Gowarikar’s Lagaan, which was India’s entry for the Best Foreign Language Film. He had liked the film — about a farmer during the British Raj who challenges its officers to a game of cricket to get tax exemption — and wanted to make sure his friends would attend the Academy’s screening.

But in all these years I had not seen an Indian film reach American shores with a stamp of having won an award at a major film festival — not until May 2024, when Payal Kapadia’s second feature All We Imagine as Light won the Grand Prix at the 77th Cannes Film Festival. It was the first Indian film in 30 years to play in the main competition section of the festival.

Suddenly, it seemed everyone was talking about All We Imagine as Light, a Malayalam language drama on three working women and the transformative power of friendship and sisterhood. IndieWire gave it an A rating; they are usually very conservative in their reviews. And senior critic Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian gave the film a five-star rating, comparing it to Satyajit Ray’s Mahanagar and Aranyer Din Ratri.

his followed screenings at the top three fall season festivals in North America: Telluride, Toronto and New York. There were more awards, including from several American critics’ associations. And even though India did not submit All We Imagine as Light for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film, the buzz about it remained strong.

According to filmmaker and film preservationist Shivendra Singh Dungarpur the reason for the success of All We Imagine as Light is the new film language that Kapadia has developed. “She blends fiction with documentary style of filmmaking giving her narrative an almost hypnotic quality,” he says. “You can’t tell where the fiction begins and when it is pure documentary.” Mumbai-based Kapadia worked as an assistant with Dungarpur before she joined the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII). Her journey since has been one of resilience — overcoming wrongful charges of rioting at FTII (where her scholarship was suspended), to persisting with her vision even when her films never found a local audience. Until now.

Under a Golden spotlight

One of the advantages All We Imagine as Light could have had is its European producers. “I don’t know [if there’s a specific] benefit in having a producer from a different part of the world… but if you are keen to premiere at a film festival in Europe, then European producers know the process,” says Kapadia. “Now, many Indian producers are learning about it, along with the American festival system. Look at Reema Das. She is her own producer and has always premiered her movies at top-level festivals. Her films are very local and yet the themes resonate across the world.”

Late last year, several critics and major publications — from The New York Times to Sight and Sound magazine ranked All We Imagine as Light as the number one film of the year. In its recent Instagram post, Sight and Sound described the film as “a delicate, dreamlike tale of loneliness and fellowship” and added that the film recalled works of Ray and Wong Kar-wai. One day after Christmas, Variety named Kapadia as one of the international breakouts of the year.

So, no one seemed surprised when All We Imagine as Light received two Golden Globes nominations, including one in the Best Director category. Variety wrote this reflected “Kapadia’s growing influence in world cinema”. This was the first such nomination for an Indian filmmaker for a film made in India. In 1999, Shekhar Kapur received a Best Director nomination for Elizabeth, but that was a British production.

All We Imagine as Light also received a Golden Globes nomination for Best Motion Picture – Non-English Language. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences only accepts one international film submitted by each individual country, but the Hollywood Foreign Press Association — the body that awards the Golden Globes — accepts submissions by producers of foreign language films. And so the filmcould compete.

For a while now, commentators have said that the Golden Globes have lost their significance. But one cannot deny that Academy members and studios seriously follow the Globes — the nominations and the awards. (And since any film that runs for a week in any of the U.S.’s six metropolitan areas is eligible to be nominated for the Oscars, All We Imagine as Light is a contender.)

Kapadia attended the Globes dressed in a black silk outfit designed by Payal Khandwala and she wore earrings gifted to her by her mother, the painter Nalini Malani. She was accompanied by her two French producers, Thomas Hakim and Julien Graff, and cinematographer Ranabir Das. “It was such a huge honour to be nominated,” Kapadia shares the day after the Golden Globes ceremony. “The nominations really put our film back in people’s attention. And of course, talking to stars you have admired is always a thrill. I met Jodie Foster as well as director Walter Salles who had both seen our movie, and they liked it!”

Kapadia’s chance of winning a Globe was never definite, given the competitive field she was in, but her name has already registered in the minds of many Academy members. Meanwhile, last week, the film was longlisted in three categories for the British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA), including best director.

Celebrity support for Indian films 

The torch of All We Imagine as Light has been kept burning by the film’s two distributors, Janus Films and Sideshow. The former had two other foreign language films nominated for the Golden Globes: Vermiglio (Italy), a drama set during World War II, and Flow (Lithuania), a fantasy adventure about a solitary cat’s survival. Flow won the Globe for the Best Motion Picture, Animated.

“We are lucky to work with Janus and Sideshow who really take care of the films they distribute,” Kapadia says. “They understand this system well and make sure that the campaign effort is streamlined and specific. We don’t have a major studio funding backing this effort so it’s sheer hard work from everyone involved.” A stark contrast to money-backed films such as RRR or even a Gandhi, which had the support of a big studio for its Oscar campaign.

But in a crowded field with Hollywood and foreign language films competing for the short attention span of Academy members, celebrity support for films can be really helpful. Late last year before the Oscar shortlists were announced, Mexican filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón hosted a screening of Kiran Rao’s Laapataa Ladies in London. British film director of Indian origin Gurinder Chadha, who is a member of the Academy along with Cuarón, also attended the screening.

In mid-November, Indian-American filmmaker Mira Nair moderated a post-screening Q&A of All We Imagine as Light with Kapadia at NeueHouse, a small theatre in Manhattan with just 86 seats. The screening was organised by Janus Films and Sideshow to generate interest before the limited release of the film on November 15 in New York City. But it was also intended to start the buzz among Academy members based in the city. The NeueHouse screening was attended by a few Indian-American Academy members, including publicist Gitesh Pandya and producer Shrihari Sathe. Nair is also an influential member of the Academy.

The same evening, Netflix hosted a screening of Laapataa Ladies in New York City. At the time, the film was in consideration for the Best International Feature Film award. Kiran Rao and Aamir Khan were present as was Nair, who did a Q&A with the director and producer. Nair then rushed to moderate the NeueHouse Q&A of All We Imagine as Light. She had seen Kapadia’s film earlier.

Is another nomination likely?

These special screenings by well-known filmmakers are held throughout the awards seasons. In December, Kapadia was interviewed by director Shuchi Talati (Girls Will Be Girls) after the film’s screening at Film Forum, a prime art-house theatre in New York City. Again, the Q&A was meant to create a buzz about All We Imagine as Light as the Academy members were getting set to watch the films in consideration. The film is now in its eighth week of theatrical run at Film Forum.

And earlier at the end of October, Kapadia was in Japan for the Tokyo International Film Festival when she had an in-depth conversation with the Japanese master Hirokazu Kore-eda. (Kore-eda received a Palm d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 2018 for Shoplifters. The next year Shoplifters received an Academy Award nomination for the Best Foreign Language Film.)

During the conversation, Kore-eda asked Kapadia her thoughts on All We Imagine as Light not being sent to the Academy Awards. Her response was measured and diplomatic. “I think with this film, it got a lot already. I’m very satisfied with how the journey of the film has gone. And it’s been really more than I expected. So everything that comes its way, it’s like a bonus for me.”

All We Imagine as Light has had a huge success in finding distribution deals in 85 countries. And according to Zico Maitra, one of the film’s producers, it has already opened in 43 countries, including just recently in the U.K., Germany and Spain. After a limited release in India, the film is also streaming on Disney+Hotstar. Kapadia wanted her film to be seen by people across the country. Hence, the screenings took place in major cities, but also those that could be described as Tier-II cities: Guwahati, Chandigarh and Kanpur. The OTT release is a part of the extra bonus Kapadia mentioned.

Voting for the Academy Awards is on from January 8 to 12, and the nominations will be announced on January 19. While no one can predict whether All We Imagine as Light will receive any nominations, this much is clear: Kapadia and her film already have a seat at the main dinner table. She will be there even after the award season has ended.

The writer is a film festival programmer and author.

content/source: thehindu.com (headline edited)