In a landmark moment for India’s armed forces, the first batch of women cadets trained at the National Defence Academy (NDA) has been commissioned as officers in the Army, Navy and Air Force, marking a new era of gender inclusivity in military leadership. The pioneering batch of 17 women cadets, who joined the NDA in August 2022 as part of the 148th Course, successfully completed their training and were commissioned into the three services after graduating from their respective pre-commissioning academies.   Of the 17 officers, nine were commissioned into…

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully demonstrated multiple crucial technologies bolstering the nation’s defence capabilities against different types of enemy threats. Three consecutive flight-tests were conducted on June 10 & 11, 2026 to demonstrate multi-layered defence against long range ballistic missiles and anti-ship capability at medium range.   Multi-layered Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) capability was successfully demonstrated. The interceptors successfully engaged their respective targets. The systems are designed and developed with latest technologies to address the emerging missile threats.    RDO officials emphasized that continuous innovation and close…

Astronomers are investigating the nature of a newly discovered supernova that could provide valuable insights for refining the cosmic distance scale—the framework used to measure distances across the universe. Understanding the characteristics of the stellar explosion may help scientists improve the accuracy of the “cosmic distance ladder,” a series of methods used to determine distances to celestial objects and gauge the expansion of the universe.   Supernovae, particularly Type Ia supernovae, serve as important “standard candles” because their intrinsic brightness allows astronomers to estimate how far away they are. By…

India has taken a significant step in its artificial intelligence journey with the launch of Varya, an indigenous AI-powered video story generation model developed by startup Avataar AI under the IndiaAI Mission ecosystem. The model aims to deliver high-quality AI-generated videos at a fraction of the cost of existing global solutions, while being better aligned with Indian cultural and linguistic contexts.    Speaking at the launch, Electronics and IT Secretary S. Krishnan said that Varya demonstrates India’s growing capability to develop advanced foundational AI models domestically and reflects the country’s…