Chinese Military Holds Largest Military Exercises With Cambodia After India-Pakistan Conflict
China and Cambodia have kicked off their largest-ever joint military drills—Golden Dragon—featuring land, sea, and air operations, just days after India-Pakistan tensions spiked. The two-week exercise showcases advanced tech like robot dogs and drones. Analysts see it as Beijing flexing its regional muscle, especially after Chinese support to Pakistan against India. Watch
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Business Standard
28 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Sharp detection, no noise: China tests breakthrough radar technology
During the tests, the silent Cessna, using the new radar tech, identified ground targets with over 20 decibels greater clarity than traditional techniques New Delhi In a breakthrough that could reshape the future of military operations, Chinese scientists have developed a radar system that can detect moving targets without making a sound — even in the noisiest environments. The technology, developed by a team led by radar scientist Li Zhongyu, uses passive bistatic airborne radar and advanced signal processing to detect targets while remaining undetectable itself, reported South China Morning Post. The test Scientists in China tested a new type of radar technology using two small planes (Cessna-208 Caravans) flying in formation, separated by altitude. The one above sent out radar signals, and the other, flying silently below, gathered echoes without emitting any signals. They aimed to detect three vehicles moving far ahead over uneven terrain covered with dense vegetation and structures. For traditional radar systems, detection in such conditions is difficult because radar signals bounce all over the place in these environments. This creates clutter on radar screens, making it difficult to distinguish actual targets. Problems faced by traditional radar When two radar units operate separately, the reflected signals from targets don't stay aligned—they get spread out over different distances, known as range migration. This scattering causes the target's signal to blur, making it harder to detect clearly. Additionally, the Doppler effect, which helps identify moving objects, gets distorted as these frequency shifts spread over a wide range. This creates a lot of background noise that drowns out the actual signals from targets. Moreover, the unnecessary echoes change unpredictably depending on the distance, making it very difficult for conventional radar systems to filter them out effectively. How the new radar solves them The new approach uses three steps for clear detection: Motion correction: The researchers used techniques called Keystone transform and high-order compensation to gather the dispersed target signals into precise range spots. This focused energy made the targets easier to identify, aided by a process known as motion correction. Spectrum compression: This step refines blurred Doppler signals to sharpen the radar's ability to identify motion, improving target resolution. Space-time decoupling: Their breakthrough technology, called the 'space-time decoupling two-channel clutter cancellation method,' uses a special matrix (a math formula) to separate the clutter's non-linear knots. By aligning spatial frequencies to zero while preserving relative speed profiles, it allows perfect cancellation of environmental clutter between dual-channel echoes. During the tests, the silent Cessna identified ground targets with over 20 decibels greater clarity than traditional techniques, reported SCMP. The first tests for this novel tech were conducted five years ago. Military and strategic implications If and when implemented, the new radar technology could help military planes spot targets — vehicles, ships, missiles — at long range without being detected, even through clouds or darkness. Li's innovation also eliminates the exposure risks of low-probability-of-intercept (LPI) radars. LPI radars minimise the chance of being detected by operating at lower power levels or changing frequencies, but they still carry a risk of discovery. 'According to our knowledge, this is a world first,' Li claimed about the innovation.
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First Post
2 hours ago
- First Post
Trump's campus crackdown an opportunity for India to create its own Ivy League but it has a rival
With Trump's stricter US immigration policies, experts see India as a potential global education hub. Top universities are improving but face challenges like low funding and limited academic freedom read more As US President Donald Trump intensifies his tough stance on international students, experts say India has a unique opportunity to position itself as a global education hub—though it faces stiff competition from China. According to The Economist, India is home to nearly half of the world's college-age population. Its top universities are improving and gaining recognition, even as the country struggles with low public spending on education and limited academic freedom. Trump's immigration and education policies have made the US a less welcoming destination for foreign students. This shift has opened the door for countries like India to attract global talent—students and researchers who may now be reconsidering their academic futures in the United States. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD India's top colleges have a lot working in their favour. In fact, admission rates at the country's most prestigious institutions can dip as low as 0.2%, compared to Ivy League acceptance rates of 3–9%. English language proficiency, a deeply ingrained culture of academic ambition, and a vast youth population give India a competitive edge. Half of the world's university-age population resides in India. Parents instill a strong sense of ambition in their children, and India has an advantage due to its broad English language competence. However, India is currently not listed in the top 100 worldwide league rankings. China, on the other hand, now holds the top spot in numerous polls despite only making it into the worldwide top 100 in the 2010s. China is already actively working to recruit global talent as part of a years-long strategy. To entice Chinese scholars back from the West, China has lavished money on one-time incentives and large research grants during the last decade. When the Trump administration said it would work to 'aggressively revoke' the visas of Chinese students in 'critical fields', Chinese institutions have moved quickly to capitalise. Universities in Hong Kong and Xi'an have announced that they will simplify admissions for Harvard transfer students. An ad from a body affiliated with the Chinese Academy of Sciences welcomed 'talents who have been dismissed by the U.S. NIH,' or National Institutes of Health. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD India, by contrast, has the demographic advantage and a growing higher education sector. If it can address key issues in its education system, it has the potential to build its own Ivy League and compete globally in higher education. Money has a significant role in the issue. India has allocated 4.1% to 4.6% of its GDP on education over the last decade. China's spending as a percentage of GDP may be comparable, but its GDP per person is five times that of India. China's intellectual charm offensive is outmatched by India's shortage of rupees. In recent years, more scientists have returned to China, driven in part by government recruiting schemes that promise millions of dollars in financing, as well as housing subsidies and other benefits. China's spending on R&D is currently second only to the United States. Chinese schools such as Tsinghua and Zhejiang University are now consistently ranked among the top in the world for science and technology. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Another concern is intellectual freedom. Indian academics teach from a government-mandated syllabus and are overseen by the University Grants Commission. When planning a conference with overseas colleagues, researchers must obtain authorisation from central ministries, as well as government permission to travel abroad for work. Hiring at public colleges is subject to the whims of the ruling party, as the government monitors top-level selections. India's best shot at building a globally competitive higher education system may lie in the rise of private universities. Two decades ago, fewer than 20 private universities existed; today, there are more than 400, accounting for around a quarter of total enrolment. Many of these are backed by major industrial houses, boast world-class campuses, and are increasingly attracting international faculty. Experts believe these private institutions are poised to outperform their public counterparts, largely due to their greater autonomy. Freed from extensive affirmative action mandates and political interference in faculty appointments, private universities can hire top talent more freely and respond faster to global academic trends. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD If the Indian government can find a way to support private universities without overstepping, India may finally be able to create its own Ivy League, and emerge as a serious player in global higher education.
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Business Standard
3 hours ago
- Business Standard
Indian ambassador, Chinese official discuss ties, Kailash Mansarovar Yatra
Top diplomats from India and China met recently to review bilateral relations and work towards implementing the understanding reached by their leaders last year, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Friday. The meeting, held on Thursday, was between Indian Ambassador to China Pradeep Kumar Rawat and China's Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong, according to a report by the Press Trust of India. It marked the first diplomatic engagement between the two countries since Operation Sindoor. According to a statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry, 'Both sides expressed their willingness to work together to earnestly implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries.' Plans for cultural and strategic cooperation The two sides also discussed ways to enhance cultural exchanges and mutually beneficial cooperation. The statement said both nations would 'properly manage differences, and promote the development of China-India relations along a healthy and stable track.' In addition, the diplomats 'exchanged views on the issues of common concern,' the Chinese statement added. Sun, who is currently in charge of South Asia affairs at the Chinese Foreign Ministry, previously served as China's Ambassador to India. Thursday's meeting also comes as preparations are being made to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra in Tibet for Indian pilgrims. If resumed, this would be the first such step following a prolonged military standoff in eastern Ladakh that had stalled bilateral ties for over four years. Earlier on April 26, India's Ministry of External Affairs had announced that the Yatra would be held from June to August via two routes — the Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand and Nathu La in Sikkim. The pilgrimage was first suspended in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and later due to the border tensions. It is worth mentioning that after the complete disengagement of troops at Demchok and Depsang, based on an agreement reached in October last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Russia's Kazan. There, they agreed to revive multiple bilateral dialogue mechanisms. Since then, several meetings have taken place to help restore normal diplomatic relations. Rawat and Sun had earlier met on April 9 to discuss ties and cooperation in different sectors. Impossible to ignore China: Shashi Tharoor The recent meeting came against the backdrop of Operation Sindoor, launched by India after the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives. After the Pahalgam attack, India carried out precision strikes targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on May 7. Four days of military action followed from both sides, ending after military officials from both nations held talks on May 10 and agreed to cease further operations. On Thursday (June 5), Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said it was 'absolutely impossible' to ignore China during India's confrontation with Pakistan. 'China is an absolutely impossible factor to ignore in what has been our confrontation with Pakistan,' Tharoor said. He noted that before tensions escalated with Pakistan, India was making 'good progress' in its ties with China. Speaking from the US, where he is heading an all-party delegation for Operation Sindoor outreach, Tharoor added, 'I'm not going to mince my words, but we are aware that China has immense stakes in Pakistan.' The timing of the Rawat-Sun meeting also aligns with rising concerns in India over China's export restrictions on rare earth metals. China currently produces 61 per cent of the world's mined rare earths and controls 92 per cent of the global output, according to the International Energy Agency.
