Mission Drishti

Context: India’s private space sector achieved a major milestone with the launch of Mission Drishti, the world’s first OptoSAR satellite, by GalaxEye aboard Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base.

About Mission Drishti

• Mission Drishti is a 190 kg Earth observation satellite developed by Bengaluru-based GalaxEye, making it the largest privately built Earth observation satellite in India.
• It was launched by SpaceX.
• The satellite is the world’s first OptoSAR platform, integrating Electro-Optical (EO) and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) sensors into a single operational system.
• This enables all-weather, day-and-night imaging, overcoming limitations of traditional satellites that rely on either optical or radar data alone.
• Mission Drishti is a dual-use satellite with applications across defence, agriculture, disaster management, maritime monitoring, and infrastructure planning.
• Its ability to provide high-frequency, reliable Earth observation data has already attracted significant global interest from both government and commercial stakeholders.
• The mission represents the culmination of over five years of R&D and reflects growing capabilities within India’s private space ecosystem, supported by institutions like the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center (IN-SPACe).

Padma Doree

Context: The North Eastern Handicrafts and Handlooms Development Corporation, under the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, launched ‘Padma Doree’, a cross-regional textile initiative integrating Northeast India’s Eri silk with Madhya Pradesh’s Chanderi weaving tradition.

About Padma Doree

• ‘Padma Doree’ is a unique cross-cultural textile initiative that brings together the Eri (Ahimsa) silk traditions of Northeast Indiawith the renowned Chanderi weaving heritage of Madhya Pradesh, creating a fusion of sustainability, craftsmanship, and innovation.
• Padma Doree blends ethically produced Eri silk (Ahimsa silk), known for its non-violent extraction process, with the fine texture, motifs, and elegance of Chanderi textiles, resulting in a sustainable luxury product rooted in indigenous traditions.
• The launch featured a fashion showcase and a three-day interactive exhibition, where artisans from both regions are actively participating through live demonstrations.
• This enables visitors to experience the entire journey from fibre to fabric, while also engaging with the cultural narratives behind the textiles.
• The initiative aims to create an integrated, artisan-centric, and sustainable textile ecosystem by merging diverse craft traditions.

SACHET Emergency Alert System

Context: India has launched an indigenous Cell Broadcast–based emergency alert system under SACHET to enable instant, geo-targeted disaster warnings for citizens.

About SACHET (Integrated Alert System)

• SACHET (meaning “alert”) is an Integrated Alert System designed to deliver disaster and emergency warnings to citizens in real time.
• Developed by the Centre for Development of Telematics under the Department of Telecommunications in collaboration with the National Disaster Management Authority.
• Key Features:
  • Instant dissemination during emergencies (natural or man-made).
  • Multi-language alerts for inclusive outreach.
  • Works even without internet connectivity.
  • Designed for mass scalability and reliability.
• Technological Basis:
  • Built on the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) recommended by the International Telecommunication Union.
  • Uses geo-targeted communication to send alerts specific to affected regions.
• Working Mechanism:
  • Functions through mobile network towers (no internet required).
  • One-way communication system delivering alerts directly to users in affected areas.
  • Alerts can be localized or nationwide.
• Cell Broadcast (CB) Integration:
  • Newly introduced to complement SMS-based alerts.
  • Sends messages simultaneously to all devices in a defined geographic area.
  • Ensures near real-time delivery, crucial during high-impact events like earthquakes, tsunamis, lightning, gas leaks, and chemical hazards.

India’s first state-led Centre of Excellence for Space Technology

Context: Karnataka has launched India’s first state-led Centre of Excellence for Space Technology in Bengaluru to bridge the gap between space research and commercialisation.

About the Centre of Excellence for Space Technology

• The Centre of Excellence for Space Technology (CoE SpaceTech Foundation) has been established by the Government of Karnataka through Karnataka Innovation and Technology Society in collaboration with SatCom Industry Association of India.
• It aims to translate space innovation into scalable, market-ready solutions by focusing on applied research, industry collaboration, and ecosystem development.
• The initiative emphasises:
  • Advanced research and innovation in space technologies
  • Industry-aligned training and talent development
  • Startup incubation and ecosystem building
  • Cross-sector applications in agriculture, climate, disaster management, connectivity, life sciences, and national security
• The Centre seeks to bridge the gap between R&D capability and commercial deployment, enabling Indian companies to scale in the global space economy.
• It will function as a collaborative platform integrating government, academia, startups, and industry stakeholders.
• The government has highlighted the need for a Common Infrastructure Facility (CIF) to support evolving technological requirements and shared capabilities.
• The initiative also aligns with the theme “Space Tech for Societal Impact”, including plans for satellite development for end-user and societal needs.
• It is expected to generate high-quality jobs, boost innovation, and position Karnataka as a leading hub in India’s space economy.

Sikkim Becomes India’s First Paperless Judiciary

Context: Chief Justice of India Surya Kant declared Sikkim as India’s first paperless judiciary, underscoring the role of technology in improving access to justice.

More on the News

• A paperless judiciary involves complete digitisation of court processes such as e-filing, digital records, virtual hearings, and online case tracking.
• The move aims to overcome geographical barriers like difficult terrain and distance, especially relevant for hilly regions like Sikkim.
• The e-Courts Project and platforms like the National Judicial Data Grid have enabled greater transparency, real-time access to case data, and reduced dependency on physical courts.
• The CJI emphasised that judicial education must evolve to include an understanding of Artificial Intelligence and its ethical implications, including detection of bias.
• Strengthening digital infrastructure, standardising systems across courts, and expanding e-Seva Kendras are necessary to ensure inclusive and efficient justice delivery.

Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) in Odisha

Context: Odisha has become the first Indian state to implement Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) under an MoU with the National Centre for Coastal Research, as part of the India–Norway initiative on sustainable ocean management.

About Marine Spatial Planning (MSP)

• Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) is a scientific and policy-based tool for sustainable and integrated management of ocean and coastal resources, aimed at promoting the blue economy while ensuring ecological conservation and climate resilience.
• MSP involves mapping and analysing marine ecosystems, including parameters such as water quality (salinity, temperature), seabed vegetation (benthic mapping), and biodiversity.
• It helps identify suitable zones for various activities like fisheries, aquaculture, tourism, ports, industries, and renewable ocean energy.
• The approach balances economic development with environmental protection by allocating marine spaces efficiently to reduce conflicts among sectors.
• MSP supports evidence-based policymaking, enabling governments to plan sustainable utilisation of marine resources.
• In India, MSP is being implemented under the India–Norway Integrated Ocean Initiative (2019), with earlier phases in Puducherry and Lakshadweep, and Odisha leading the second phase.

Coastal Atmospheric Research Testbed (C-ART)

Context: The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology has established a Coastal Atmospheric Research Testbed (C-ART) at Andhra University under Mission Mausam to enhance weather monitoring and forecasting along India’s east coast.

About the Coastal Atmospheric Research Testbed (C-ART)

• Developed by IITM (under the Ministry of Earth Sciences) in collaboration with Andhra University, which has provided land for the open-field observatory to support long-term research.
• Situated in Visakhapatnam, a cyclone-prone coastal region influenced by monsoon systems and Bay of Bengal weather dynamics, making it ideal for atmospheric studies.
• Part of Mission Mausam aimed at strengthening observational networks, improving spatial-temporal data, and enhancing numerical weather prediction systems.
• Key Features & Instruments:
  • Open-field observatory for continuous atmospheric monitoring
  • Disdrometers (including 2D video disdrometer) for raindrop size and microphysics
  • Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) for temperature, humidity, wind, and rainfall
  • Eddy covariance tower for studying heat, moisture, and gas exchanges
  • Meteorological balloon observations
  • Planned additions: Wind lidar, Doppler weather radars, phase-array radars, and advanced atmospheric sensors
• Data & Scientific Role:
  • Generates high-resolution data on rainfall variability, cloud microphysics, and land-sea interactions
  • Data is assimilated into national weather models to improve forecast accuracy
  • Supports process-level diagnostics of monsoon convection and model parameterisation
• Research & National Importance:
  • Serves as a national user facility for atmospheric and climate research
  • Helps understand spatial variation in cyclone intensity and coastal weather patterns
  • Enhances early warning systems for cyclones and extreme weather events
  • Strengthens disaster preparedness and climate assessment