Indian Army deploys on-site 3D concrete printing in Sikkim and nearby forward areas, marking a new step in defence infrastructure modernisation.
The capability is developed in collaboration with IIT Hyderabad under Project PRABAL (Portable Robotic Printer for Printing Bunkers and Accessories).
The system enables rapid, precise construction of military infrastructure, including bunkers and other essential structures.
Deployment is aimed at enhancing mission readiness along the northern borders, where terrain and climate make conventional construction difficult.
The technology improves speed, efficiency, and adaptability of field engineering in challenging operational environments.
Represents a strategic enhancement in India’s border defence preparedness, leveraging indigenous innovation and robotics.
Gender Specific Risk of Rising Heat
Key Findings
Women in high heat vulnerability districts face severe and gender-specific health risks, according to a new M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) study covering seven Indian States.
70% of women in high-HVI (Heat Vulnerability Index) districts reported symptoms such as fatigue, dizziness, dehydration, and gastrointestinal discomfort during peak summer months.
Women who were poor, rural, from lower castes, or in informal work suffered significantly amplified health impacts.
Reproductive and menstrual health issues—including UTIs, irregular bleeding, and cycle disruptions—were widespread, yet treatment-seeking was very low.
Age-wise Impact
The most affected age group was 20–45 years.
Comparison across districts:
High HVI: 70% reported symptoms
Medium HVI: 28%
Low HVI: 24%
Economic Impact
97% of respondents reported wage losses exceeding ₹1,500 during April–June due to heat stress.
Women in informal labor particularly faced reduced productivity, missed work days, and financial instability.
Mental Health & Psychosocial Effects
Heat stress aggravated mental strain due to overcrowded homes, power outages, and unpaid domestic labor.
Reported effects:
41%: increased irritability/short temper
33%: heightened anxiety or stress
32%: sleep disruptions or insomnia
Violence correlations were striking:
38% experienced violence at least once
72% reported increased violence during peak heat (April–June), linking heat, financial stress, and household tensions.
Research Approach
Conducted by the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) using:
Heat maps from IMD
NFHS secondary data
A vulnerability index–based district selection
Primary surveys with 3,300 women across Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Bihar, Odisha, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu
Focus group discussions for qualitative insights
Need for Gendered Climate Research
Chairperson Soumya Swaminathan highlighted the lack of gender-specific heat stress research and its absence in climate and health policies.
The study stresses the need for better preparedness strategies tailored to women’s experiences.
Future Research Plans
Upcoming cross-sectional and longitudinal studies planned in four sites (Tamil Nadu and Karnataka) next year.
Emphasis on generating robust data to help governments prepare for extreme climate events.
Experiment on Photon movement
Background
In the 1920s, Albert Einstein proposed a variant of the double-slit experiment where a movable slit would recoil when struck by a photon.
The idea: measuring the slit’s recoil would reveal which path the photon took, while also checking for interference patterns.
Einstein believed this could expose an internal contradiction in quantum mechanics.
Niels Bohr argued that such an experiment would fail because the required precision would violate quantum uncertainty.
For decades, the scenario was untestable technologically.
New Experimental Realisation
Researchers at the University of Science and Technology of China have now implemented Einstein’s thought experiment by replacing the movable slit with a single trapped atom.
The study was published in Physical Review Letters on December 2.
Experimental Setup
A focused laser beam traps a single atom; the atom is cooled near its quantum ground state, minimizing random motion.
The photon scatters from the atom, creating two possible momentum “paths” for the photon, which later recombine to form an interference pattern.
The photon also imparts a small recoil to the atom—upwards or downwards—depending on the photon’s path.
Key Findings
High momentum uncertainty (quantum fuzziness) of the atom ⇒ recoil states overlap ⇒ impossible to know the photon’s path ⇒ sharp interference observed.
Low momentum uncertainty ⇒ recoil states are distinct ⇒ path information becomes available ⇒ interference fades.
This trade-off between path information and interference matches the predictions of quantum theory.
Significance
The results vindicate Bohr’s argument and confirm that Einstein’s proposed conflict does not arise.
The experiment provides a new platform for studying the quantum-to-classical transition, especially in systems where light and matter interact strongly.
Potential applications include future quantum technologies, such as quantum measurement, sensing, and information processing.
Dealing with Nuclear Waste
Background
Nuclear activities generate around 200,000 m³ of radioactive waste annually, of which 10,000 m³ is highly radioactive and requires deep geological storage.
Geological Disposal Facilities (GDFs) involve hundreds of metres underground caverns filled with waste containers, cement backfill, and suitable host rock like clay.
Cement in GDFs:
Holds waste in place
Supports tunnels
Slows radioactive material migration if groundwater enters
CEBAMA cement is a candidate for European GDFs due to:
Favorable structural performance
Chemical compatibility
Lower pH, reducing steel corrosion
Long-term evolution of CEBAMA cement over centuries is still uncertain.
Microbial Influence
Microbes in cement:
Can corrode concrete (problematic in sewers)
Can induce microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP), sealing cracks in ordinary concrete
Previous MICP studies mostly:
In aerobic conditions
With standard cement
GDF conditions are:
Anoxic
Alkaline
Ion-rich
Expected to host alkaliphilic, anaerobic microbes in water/nutrient niches
Study Setup (University of Manchester)
Small tablets of CEBAMA cement were placed in bottles with:
Sediments from high-pH soil at Harpur Hill (microbe source)
Oxygen removed; incubated in dark at 20°C
Bottles divided into three carbon regimes:
High-carbon: lactate ions + nitrogen headspace
Low-carbon: yeast extract + hydrogen headspace
No-carbon: nitrogen headspace, no added organic carbon
Nitrate ions added to all bottles as electron acceptor
Monitored: chemical changes, microbial gene sequencing, MICP activity
Key Findings
MICP does not occur automatically in low-pH cement; requires:
Organic carbon availability
Suitable electron acceptor (e.g., nitrate)
High-carbon conditions:
Microbes produce carbonates that seal cracks and pores over months
Low-carbon or no-carbon conditions:
Cement leaches calcium (and some magnesium)
MICP rate remains low
Natural occurrence:
Degradation of organic nuclear waste releases local pockets of dissolved organic carbon, potentially supporting microbial MICP
Implications
Self-healing potential:
Microbial carbonate precipitation can strengthen cement barriers in GDFs
Trade-offs:
Pore and crack sealing can trap gases like hydrogen and methane, possibly affecting mechanical stability along alternative paths
Over centuries, cement will naturally degrade:
Generates alkaline plume
Creates cracks beyond microbial or abiotic healing capacity
Provides escape routes for gases
Future Directions
To understand long-term safety, targeted gas-flow experiments and reactive-transport modeling are required.
Observations at centimetre- and month-scales must be extrapolated to repository-scale behaviour over centuries for safety case assessments.
Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City)
GIFT City Overview
Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) is India’s international financial services hub.
Regulated by the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA), a unified regulator under the Ministry of Finance.
IFSCA serves as a single-window regulatory framework for all financial services companies in GIFT City.
Global Alignment & Regulatory Benefits
Regulations in GIFT City are aligned with global standards, reducing the need for Indian companies to use offshore low-tax jurisdictions like the Cayman Islands.
Tax incentives:
Corporate tax holiday for 10 out of 15 years of operation
No GST on services received or provided by GIFT IFSC units
Business Advantages
Companies in GIFT City are treated as non-resident units, allowing business to be conducted in international currencies rather than Indian rupees.
This enables Indian companies to conduct operations domestically that previously required offshore locations, such as:
Ship leasing: GIFT City has 34 registered ship lessors, including major global players such as Great Eastern Shipping, MOL, Transworld Group, Propel Shipping, PanBulk, and Ripley Group.
External commercial borrowing (ECB): Out of $61 billion borrowed externally by Indian firms, $19 billion is now routed through GIFT City.
Key Takeaways
GIFT City is increasingly reducing India’s reliance on offshore financial centers.
Provides a regulated, tax-efficient, and globally-aligned platform for international financial operations in India.
Positions India as a competitive hub for leasing, borrowing, and other international financial services.
Admiral’s Cup 2025 – Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala
Event Overview
Indian Naval Academy (INA), Ezhimala will host the 14th edition of the Admiral’s Cup from 08–13 December 2025.
Recognised as one of the world’s leading naval sailing championships.
Participation
35 international countries will participate—significantly higher than previous editions.
Represents strong global interest and expanding maritime engagement.
Purpose & Legacy
Admiral’s Cup, instituted in 2010, aims to promote camaraderie, maritime cooperation, and mutual understanding among officer trainees of friendly foreign navies.
Now regarded as a prestigious global event attracting top naval sailing talent.
Competition Format
Conducted in Match Racing format using ILCA–6 class sailboats.
Emphasises tactical skill, physical endurance, and precise seamanship.
Global Representation
Teams from Asia, Europe, Africa, Oceania, and the Americas will participate.
Serves as a platform for diverse maritime cultures and future naval leaders.
Venue & Conditions
INA’s modern training ecosystem, advanced sailing complex, and favourable coastal waters of Ezhimala make it ideal for a high-calibre event.
Participants also experience the Academy’s infrastructure, traditions, ethos, and cultural exchange activities.
Event Schedule
Opening Ceremony: 09 Dec 2025
Four days of racing in challenging sea and wind conditions.
Closing Ceremony: 13 Dec 2025, including awards for top teams and outstanding sailors.
Broader Significance
Reinforces India’s commitment to global naval cooperation, professional development, and shared values of teamwork, discipline, and sportsmanship.
Strengthens professional bonds among future leaders of navies worldwide.
Raipur–Visakhapatnam Economic Corridor
Project Overview
Developed by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH).
Greenfield, 6-lane corridor linking Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Andhra Pradesh.
Total length: 465 km, reducing current NH-26 distance from 597 km, saving 132 km.
Expected travel time reduction: from 12 hours to 5 hours.
Estimated cost: ₹16,482 crore.
Target completion: December 2026, to be open for public in FY 2026-27.
Economic & Trade Impact
Provides direct connectivity to Visakhapatnam Port and Chennai-Kolkata National Highway.
Boosts industrial output and logistics efficiency in Chhattisgarh and Odisha.
Facilitates faster exports, smoother supply chains, and trade growth.
Increases tourism, job creation, and real estate development.
Benefits to Local Communities
Enhances connectivity for tribal and remote districts: Dhamtari, Keshkal, Kanker (Chhattisgarh); Borigumma, Nabarangpur, Koraput (Odisha); Ramabhadrapuram, Araku (Andhra Pradesh).
Improves access to markets, essential services, and economic opportunities.
Farmers report land value appreciation and better compensation for acquired land.
Benefits transport operators through fuel savings, reduced travel time, and less vehicle wear & tear.
Technical & Safety Features
Access-controlled highway designed for 100 km/hr speeds.
Expected to ease congestion on the old 2-lane NH-26.
Promotes road safety, predictability, and cost-efficiency for passengers and freight.
Constructed through 15 packages across three states, ensuring phased development and completion.
Strategic Significance
Part of the PM Gati Shakti vision for faster logistics and integrated infrastructure.
Represents MoRTH’s commitment to transforming lives through infrastructure.
Connects remote regions to the mainstream economy, supporting inclusive growth.
UNESCO ICH 20th Session
Event Overview
20th Session of UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage: 8–13 December 2025, New Delhi.
Venue: Red Fort (Lal Qila), UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Chair: H.E. Vishal V. Sharma, India’s permanent delegate to UNESCO.
Marks 20th anniversary of India’s ratification of the 2003 Convention on Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage.
First time India is hosting the ICH Committee session.
Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH)
Defined by UNESCO as practices, knowledge, expressions, objects, and spaces forming part of community identity.
Passed down through generations, evolving over time to strengthen cultural identity and diversity.
Includes: oral traditions, performing arts, rituals, social practices, knowledge systems, and craftsmanship.
2003 Convention on Safeguarding ICH
Adopted on 17 October 2003, Paris.
Purpose: safeguard intangible heritage threatened by globalization, social change, and resource limitations.
Emphasizes community involvement in safeguarding and transmission.
Links tangible and intangible heritage, encourages global cooperation, and focuses on youth awareness.
Mechanisms established: international cooperation, support, recognition, and UNESCO ICH lists.
Purposes of the Convention
Safeguard intangible cultural heritage.
Ensure respect for communities, groups, and individuals.
Raise awareness at local, national, and international levels.
Provide global cooperation and assistance.
India’s Role & Hosting Agencies
Hosted by Ministry of Culture (MoC) and Sangeet Natak Akademi (SNA).
Venue: 17th-century Red Fort, combining India’s tangible and intangible heritage.
Key Agendas for the 20th Session
Present India’s national ICH safeguarding model (institutional support, community participation, documentation, inventory).
Promote international cooperation through joint initiatives, nominations, and technical exchanges.
Increase global visibility for India’s intangible heritage, local crafts, regional festivals.
Encourage domestic efforts: documentation, inventorying, youth engagement, community involvement.
Facilitate cultural diplomacy: showcase India’s soft power, heritage, and diversity.
Strengthen link between heritage conservation and sustainable development, supporting livelihoods, identity, cohesion, and tourism.
