Year: 2025

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has commissioned Amulya, a next-generation Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV) built by Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL), marking a boost to India’s coastal security and maritime surveillance capabilities.   Designed for high-speed operations, Amulya is equipped for a range of tasks including exclusive economic zone patrols, anti-smuggling missions, search-and-rescue operations, and maritime law enforcement. The vessel features advanced navigation systems, improved fuel efficiency, and enhanced endurance to support extended deployments at sea.   The induction of Amulya is part of the ICG’s ongoing fleet expansion to strengthen…

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Railways have achieved another milestone in freight transportation by operating the Niryat Cargo Express, an export-focused, assured transit service, as a double-stack container train from Ichhapuri Container Terminal in Gurugram to Mundra Port. Earlier 20 trips of assured transit service have been operated from Garhi, Gurugram. Such a time tabled train is being operated for the first time from Ichhapuri, Gurugram.   This assured, time-bound weekly service will help exporters by providing faster, reliable, and predictable movement of goods to Mundra Port, reducing delays and logistics costs.   Delhi Division,…

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A new research study from Raman Research Institute (RRI), an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) has revealed that contributions from matter in the intergalactic medium may be affecting measurements of the diffuse envelope surrounding a galaxy. The study has far-reaching implications, given that the envelope holds power to make or break galaxies and measuring the mass is crucial for tracing how galaxies form.   A galaxy evokes images of dust and stars sparkling within beautiful spirals. But beyond the galaxy’s outskirts lurks a diffuse, ghostly…

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Indian Railways continues to focus on enhancing operational efficiency and ensuring timely services for passengers. From 8-14 December, the overall punctuality of trains across the country stood at 80%, reflecting the sustained efforts of railway divisions to maintain schedules. Out of all divisions, 37 divisions achieved punctuality above 80%, while 22 divisions recorded punctuality above 90%, and 10 divisions surpassed the 95% mark.   Among the top-performing divisions, Ratlam (Western Railway) recorded a remarkable 98.5% punctuality, followed by Tiruchchirappalli (Southern Railway) at 97.5% and Madurai (Southern Railway) at 96.7%.  …

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Freshwater sponges which host diverse microbial communities vital for ecosystem health, have been found to have the potential to act both as bioindicators and absorbents of toxic metals like arsenic, lead, and cadmium and can be a promising solution for bioremediation. As pollution continues to threaten aquatic ecosystems worldwide, nature’s own water purifiers are emerging as powerful allies in the fight for cleaner environments. Freshwater sponges, among the earliest multicellular eukaryotes, filter large volumes of water and are vital for ecosystem health.   In a recent study published in Microbiology…

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Researchers have uncovered a surprising player in autophagy or the “self-eating” process that removes damaged parts, fights infections, and keeps long-lived cells like neurons in good working order. Identification of key players in the early steps of autophagosome biogenesis, a key stage in the autophagy pathway, can lay the foundations for modulating the pathway for finding interventions that can restore the pathway in diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and cancer. Just as our homes need regular cleaning, our cells also clear out damaged and unwanted materials through a process called…

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INAS 335 ‘The Ospreys’, the second Indian Naval Air Squadron to operate MH 60R helicopters, was commissioned at INS Hansa, Goa, in a ceremony presided over by Adm Dinesh K Tripathi, the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) on 17 Dec 25. This landmark event follows the commissioning of the first MH 60R Naval Air Squadron in Kochi, Kerala, in March 2024.VAdm Krishna Swaminathan, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command, was also present on the occasion.   The Commissioning Warrant for the unit was read out by Capt Dhirender Bisht,…

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A new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed for industrial performance validation of sodium-ion pouch cells made from Sodium Vanadium Phosphate (NVP) cathode powder material. The validation of the technology can help commercialisation of sodium- ion batteries, which can be safer and lower in cost than lithium-ion batteries that are widely used today for portable electronics, electric vehicles (EVs), and renewable energy storage systems.   The International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials (ARCI), an autonomous R&D centre under the Department of Science and Technology (DST),…

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