Axiom-4, piloted by Shubhanshu Shukla, delayed; launch June 11

As Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla gets ready to become the first Indian to go to space in over 40 years, an 18-member team from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), led by chairman V Narayanan, has reached NASA's Kennedy Space Center in.

As protests hit Upper Siang project, NHPC to fast-track selection of site

Three years after the Ministry of Jal Shakti ordered a pre-feasibility report, a decision on the final site for the proposed 11.2 gigawatt (GW) Siang Upper Multipurpose Project is learnt to be "held up due to local issues". State-owned hydropower developer NHPC Ltd is working with stakeholders to "expedite" progress, said sources.

3 new infra projects to bring Katra, Dehradun closer to Delhi

The centre has approved three major infrastructure projects worth Rs 14,850 crore that will improve travel to the National Capital Region and cut down the time taken for Delhiites to reach destinations like Katra and Dehradun.

The upcoming projects will decongest major stretches in Southeast, Southwest and East Delhi, like the Barapullah flyover, Ring Road, and Outer Ring Road (ORR) - besides other internal roads - and connect areas like Dwarka, ORR, Sarai Kale Khan, Kalindi Kunj and other key arterial stretches to Noida, Ghaziabad, Faridabad and Gurgaon.

'Animals now well-adapted': Paper counters Project Cheetah criticism

Amid continuing criticism of various aspects of Project Cheetah, wildlife officials and field scientists from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) have authored a paper seeking to counter what they termed "persistent criticism" and "sensationalised media narratives" against the project, and defended its progress.

CALIBRATING AFRESH

The government periodically revises the base year for key economic indicators such as the consumer price index (CPI), the index of industrial production (IIP) and gross domestic product (GDP). These revisions are meant to reflect the changing profile of consumption and production in the country and incorporate newer data sources. For instance, in 2015, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation released the new series of national accounts, revising the base year from 2004-05 to 2011-12. Also in 2015, the base year for CPI was revised to 2012 from 2010. And in May 2017, the base year for the IIP was revised from 2004-05 to 2011-12. Continuing with this practice, the next year is likely to witness the release of new data series for several indicators.

A new T20 for the win 

The terror attack in Pahalgam and the subsequent Indian military response, Operation Sindoor, have once again brought into sharp focus a reality that many in the Global South live with daily: Terrorism is not just an isolated security threat, it is an ongoing war by other means. While India showcased military precision and diplomatic discipline during the crisis, the global response to its actions also exposed gaps in the current international system's ability to credibly and swiftly respond to terror. From these developments emerges a compelling case for a new platform, an India-led initiative: The T20 -Twenty Against Terrorism.

Poised to take off 

At a GDP of $4.2 trillion, India is on the threshold of becoming the fourth-largest economy, surpassing Japan, and is expected to overtake Germany to be the third-largest in the next few years. This is underpinned by a significant transformation across various dimensions under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the past 11 years. Average growth since 2014 has been 6.4 per cent, accelerating to 7.4 per cent in the latest quarter. This demonstrates resilience and sustained momentum in the Indian economy. Inflation management improved markedly - it has come down from 9.4 per cent in 2013-14 to 4.6 per cent today, providing much-needed stability for households and businesses alike.

The illiberal liberal arts

If we must turn to Al for answers to any and every question, can we not get Al to help us ask the right question? That was the first thought that crossed my mind as I read Sanjeev Bikhchandani's now-public letter to the Ashoka University community.

Chasing glory, building Bharat 

As we embark on our journey to become Viksit Bharat by 2047, one of the most powerful forces shaping this vision is the rise of Indian sports. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Indian sports is scaling new heights on the global stage.

The communication front 

The interview given by Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on May 31 to a foreign news agency about Operation Sindoor has generated considerable interest and comment, both in India and abroad. It has also raised a few concerns - all for valid reasons. In response to a question about claims being made by Pakistan about India losing combat aircraft in the early stages of Op Sindoor, the CDS stated, "What is important is not the jet being down, but why they were being downed."

Judiciary helps sustain India's democratic character: Justice Kant

India's judiciary "plays a unifying role in sustaining the diverse and democratic character of the nation, anchoring its people-at home and abroad-in shared constitutional values," Supreme Court judge Justice Surya Kant said on Sunday.

'REALISING THE RETURN': HOW AN INDIAN BECAME PART OF AXIOM-4

In June 2023, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's state visit to Washington, India and the US announced a decision to finalise a strategic framework for human spaceflight cooperation. It was also revealed that Indian and American space agencies, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), would mount a joint effort to enable an Indian astronaut to travel to the International Space Station (ISS) by 2024.

Why Axiom-4 matters

The travel of Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla to the International Space Station (ISS) on the Axiom-4 mission on Wednesday marks the beginning of a new era in Indian space. In the last few years, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has carried out a number of important missions that have placed India in a very small group of countries with cutting-edge space capabilities. The Moon-landing that ISRO achieved with the Chandrayaan-3 was the highlight of these efforts.

With Shukla's flight, we are moving into the next gear. This might still not be our own human spaceflight mission, which is supposed to happen very soon, but it is not as though we are just hitching a ride on someone else's mission. The Axiom-4 mission is closely integrated with our own space plans, and will provide some critical inputs to the Gaganyaan mission and other missions to follow.

Why scientists study tardigrades, tiny eight-legged ‘water bears’, in space

Among the scientific experiments astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla will undertake during his two week stay at the International Space Station (ISS) is one that will examine the revival, survival, and reproduction of tardigrades in space.

What is the Voyager Tardigrades experiment? And why do scientists study these microscopic, eight-legged organisms?

Before China curbs, India's permanent magnet imports nearly doubled in FY25

India's Imports of permanent magnets-many containing rare earth elements (REEs) - nearly doubled to 53,700 tonnes in 2024-25 (FY25) from around 28,700 tonnes the year before, according to official trade data. The surge in imports, with 93 per cent coming from China, preceded Beijing's April 4 export restrictions on rare earth magnets, which have since disrupted production lines globally. In India, with just 2-3 weeks of REE magnet supply remaining, industry executives are expected to travel to China in a bid to ease the shortage, sources told The Indian Express.

Consumers' loss, farmer optimism: In US, trade war sees key groups at odds

April was one of the most important months in the world's economic history, with the Trump administration's reciprocal tariffs coming into force on April 2 before being put on pause for 90 days a week later. The threat of the reciprocal tariffs, however, has seemingly had the opposite effect as American companies stocked up ahead of the tariffs' rollout.

'India set to add 75 GW renewables in FY26, FY27; investments to surge 52%'

India is set to add 75 gigawatt (GW) of renewable energy in 2025-26 (FY26) and FY27, up 53 per cent from 49 GW added in FY24 and FY25, Crisil Ratings said. Investments in renewables are also expected to surge by 52 per cent from Rs 2.5 lakh crore to Rs 3.8 lakh crore in FY26 and FY27, largely on account of increasing share of hybrid projects that are more capital intensive, the ratings agency said.

Inter-departmental huddle on textile trade amid EU, US FTA talks

The commerce and Industry Ministry is set to hold an inter-departmental meeting on Tuesday to formulate textile export strategy amid the ongoing free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations with the European Union and the United States, The Indian Express has learned.

Sebi offers settlement scheme for brokers facing action in algo trading

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has offered a settlement scheme for brokers who were undergoing regulatory action for being associated with algo trading platforms.