India Space Congress in June to discuss emerging trends, technology
Nearly 1,000 policymakers and experts from more than 30 nations will gather in Delhi in June for the three-day India Space Congress to deliberate on the new opportunities in the country's space sector.India's space sector regulator Pawan Kumar Goenka and industry leaders will deliberate on issues such as satellite communications, geospatial applications, deep-space exploration, emerging technologies, Earth observation and strategic trade corridors.advertisementThe fourth India Space Congress, organised by the Satcom Industry Association-India (SIA-India), will be held in the national capital from June 25-27 under the theme "Pioneering Innovations in Space Technology: India's Journey Towards Global Partnership".
"Country sessions will also bring delegations from Europe, Asia-Pacific, North America, and the Middle East, highlighting opportunities for bilateral cooperation in capacity-building, joint missions and industrial co-development," SIA-India said in a statement.With more than 35 focused thematic sessions, the India Space Congress will cover crucial domains such as satellite communications, geospatial applications, deep-space exploration, emerging technologies, Earth observation and strategic trade corridors.Discussions will spotlight advancements in artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data, quantum communication, hyperspectral imaging and space-based biomanufacturing, as well as evolving challenges in orbital debris mitigation, security and global regulatory alignment.Besides Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) chairman Goenka, other speakers include M Ravichandran, Union Ministry of Earth Sciences secretary; Abhay Karandikar, Department of Science and Technology secretary; National Institute of Advanced Studies director Shailesh Nayak; Kai-Uwe Schrogl, International Institute of Space Law president; and SIA-India president Subba Rao Pavuluri.Isro's former scientific secretary VS Hegde; and senior retired defence leaders Lt Gen VG Khandare, principal advisor in the defence ministry; and Lt Gen (Dr) PJS Pannu will also take part.Must Watch
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NDTV
30 minutes ago
- NDTV
Muscle Cells, Microalgae, Moong: NASA-ISRO-Shubhanshu Shukla's Science Lab In Orbit
NASA has revealed, as part of its collaboration with ISRO, Axiom Mission 4 delivers on a commitment highlighted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump. The space agencies are participating in five joint science investigations and two in-orbit science, technology, engineering, and mathematics demonstrations. NASA and ISRO have a long-standing relationship built on a shared vision to advance scientific knowledge and expand space collaboration. On his fortnight-long mission to the International Space Station next month, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, India's 'gaganyatri', will conduct seven India-specific experiments in space, the Indian Space Research Organisation said today. These include studying 'water bears' - microscopic organisms - to understand how living things adapt to microgravity. According to ISRO, the experience will nurture a microgravity research ecosystem back home, leading to the induction of advanced experiments that make up India's space programme. The ISRO website, however, only lists sketchy details on these experiments, while NASA has given out full dossiers. India does not, at this time, have any deep experience of research in microgravity. In fact, this will be the first time an Indian will be working in a highly advanced space laboratory, one in which many complex experiments have been undertaken over the last 25 years. Science and Technology Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said Mr Shukla will focus on 'space technology, space bio-manufacturing, and bio-astronautics' during his mission. NASA, ISRO 's Science Lab In Orbit NASA and ISRO are collaborating to launch scientific investigations aboard Axiom Mission 4, the fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station. These studies include examining muscle regeneration, growth of sprouts and edible microalgae, survival of tiny aquatic organisms, and human interaction with electronic displays in microgravity. The mission will launch on Tuesday, June 10, aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft on the company's Falcon 9 rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. During long-duration spaceflights, astronauts lose muscle mass, and their muscle cells' regenerative ability declines. Researchers suspect this may happen because microgravity interferes with metabolism in mitochondria, tiny structures within cells that produce energy. The Myogenesis investigation uses muscle stem cell cultures to examine the muscle repair process and test chemicals known to support mitochondrial function. Results could lead to interventions that maintain muscle health during long-duration space missions, help people on Earth with age-related muscle loss and muscle-wasting diseases, and assist athletes and people recovering from surgery. Human skeletal muscle cells grow in a biocell that is placed in the plate habitat as part of the Myogenesis – ISRO investigation. Image courtesy of Institute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine (India). Sprouting Seeds The Sprouts-ISRO investigation looks at the germination and growth in microgravity of seeds from green gram or moong bean and fenugreek, nutritious plants commonly eaten on the Indian subcontinent. Bioactive compounds in fenugreek seeds or methi also have therapeutic properties, and the leaves contain essential vitamins and minerals. Learning more about how space affects the genetics, nutritional content, and other characteristics over multiple generations of plants could inform the development of ways for future missions to reliably produce plants as a food source. Microalgae Growth Culture bags for Space Microalgae. Image courtesy of Redwire. Space microalgae studies how microgravity affects microalgae growth and genetics. Highly digestible microalgae species packed with nutrients could be a food source on future space missions. These organisms also grow quickly, produce energy and oxygen, and consume carbon dioxide, traits that could be employed in life support and fuel systems on spacecraft and in certain scenarios on Earth. Tiny But Tough Tardigrades are tiny aquatic organisms that can tolerate extreme conditions on Earth. Voyager Tardigrade tests the survival of a strain of tardigrades in the harsh conditions of space, including cosmic radiation and ultra-low temperatures, which kill most life forms. Researchers plan to revive dormant tardigrades, count the number of eggs laid and hatched during the mission, and compare the gene expression patterns of populations in space and on the ground. Results could help identify what makes these organisms able to survive extreme conditions and support the development of technology to protect astronauts on future missions and those in harsh environments on Earth. Improving Electronic Interactions Research shows that humans interact with touchscreen devices differently in space. Voyager displays examine how spaceflight affects interactions with electronic displays, such as pointing tasks, gaze fixation, and rapid eye movements, along with how these interactions affect the user's feelings of stress or well-being. Results could support improved design of control devices for spacecraft and habitats on future space missions, as well as for aviation and other uses on Earth.
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
India will protect farmers' interest in U.S. trade talks: Shivraj Singh Chouhan
India will prioritise protecting its farmers' interests while assessing potential gains and losses in the ongoing trade negotiations with the U.S. over agricultural market access, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said. "Our priority is to protect the interest of our farmers. India will not work closing its eyes. We will assess our gains and losses. Keeping that in mind, an agreement will be finalised," Mr. Chouhan told the PTI in an interview. He was responding to a query on how India would safeguard farmers amid pressure from the U.S. for greater market access for American agricultural and horticultural products. The negotiators are expected to agree on the framework for the broad contours of the first phase of the bilateral deal, expected to be signed by fall (September-October) 2025. "The discussions are ongoing between India and the U.S. One thing is clear, we will protect the interest of our farmers. When we talk about two nations, we need to see the overall trade," the Minister added. According to a NITI Aayog report on 'Promoting India-U.S. Agricultural Trade under the new U.S. Trade Regime', the value for U.S. agriculture and allied product exports to India was about $2.22 billion in the triennium ending 2024. In the same period, India exported $5.75 billion worth of agricultural products to the U.S. India's main agricultural exports to the U.S. include frozen shrimp, basmati rice, spices, processed cereals, and other value-added products. The U.S. wants to export more agricultural products, including corn, soybeans, and animal feed, but faces high Indian tariffs, especially in agriculture, where average tariffs can reach up to 39% to 50%. Mr. Chouhan's comments come as India and the U.S. continue negotiations on expanding agricultural trade, with Washington seeking reduced tariffs and improved market access for its farm products in the Indian market. India is cautious about fully opening its agriculture and dairy markets due to concerns over the potential backlash from rural communities, and the need to protect domestic producers from global price volatility.
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
EAM Jaishankar to visit France, Belgium to boost ties, push anti-terror stand
New Delhi: External affairs minister S Jaishankar is visiting France and Belgium this week for meetings with the leadership of the two countries and the European Union (EU) to bolster bilateral relations and emphasise India's zero tolerance policy for terrorism. Jaishankar will travel to the two countries during June 8-14 for talks with his French and Belgian counterparts and the first ministerial strategic dialogue with EU foreign and security policy chief Kaja Kallas,the external affairs ministry said on Sunday. He will travel to Paris and Marseille for discussions with French foreign minister Jean Noel Barrot. Besides engaging with the senior leadership of France and interacting with think tanks, Jaishankar will participate in the inaugural edition of the Mediterranean Raisina Dialogue in Marseille. The engagements will be an opportunity for Jaishankar to brief interlocutors on India's military strikes on terror infrastructure in territories controlled by Pakistan in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack and New Delhi's new approach for fighting terrorism. India and France have completed 25 years of their strategic partnership, and bilateral ties are 'rooted in deep trust and commitment', with the two countries cooperating closely across all strategic domains, the external affairs ministry said. Also Read: Jaishankar meets all-party squads led by Sanjay Jha, Kanimozhi While in Brussels, Jaishankar will hold the first ministerial strategic dialogue with the EU high representative and vice president, Kaja Kallas, and engage with the senior leadership of the European Commission and the European Parliament, and interact with think tanks. The India-EU strategic partnership got a big boost with the first visit to New Delhi of the EU college of commissioners in February, when the two sides set the year end as the deadline for finalising a free trade agreement. During the visit to Belgium, Jaishankar will hold bilateral consultations with Belgian foreign minister Maxime Prevot and meet the country's senior leadership of Belgium. India and Belgium share friendly relations and a robust economic partnership. The bilateral collaboration spans trade, investment, green energy, technology, pharmaceuticals and the diamond sector. Jaishankar's visit is expected to deepen India's relations with the EU, France and Belgium and give renewed momentum to ongoing cooperation in diverse areas, the ministry said.
