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Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
AI for Bharat: How Localised Data Centres Can Bridge the Digital Divide - The Economic Times Video
India's digital revolution is soaring, but are we leaving anyone behind? AI holds immense promise, but the digital divide is a real challenge. The key to unlocking AI's true potential for every citizen lies in building a robust, localized digital can data centers become the building blocks for an equitable, AI-powered future? Join Jai Asundi, Executive Director at the Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy, and Abhinav Aggarwal, Co-Founder and CEO of Fluid AI, as they explore how a network of localized data centers can bridge the gap, fuel innovation, and empower miss this insightful session at the ET Soonicorns Summit 2025. Tune in on August 12th, between 4:00 and 4:40 PM, to be part of the conversation.
The Hindu
02-08-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
India's climate challenge
As this year opened, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists moved the Doomsday clock at 89 seconds to midnight. This is the closest ever to human extinction. This year's report cited climate change as one of the defining reasons for the clock ticking fast towards the end of our time as we know it. The 2025 clock time signals that the world is on a course of unprecedented risk, and that continuing on the current path is a form of madness. Indian view Currently, India stands at the precipice of a climatic crisis, and its response — or the lack thereof — will shape the nation's future in more ways than we can yet imagine. India's history is replete with climate-related upheavals that have tested its resilience — socially, economically, and ecologically. As per a report by the UN office for Disaster Risk Reduction, India suffered an economic loss of a whopping $79.5 billion due to climate-related disasters in the past 20 years from 1998 to 2017. As per scientists, the Indian monsoon, once predictable, has been destabilised by global warming. Increasing temperature causes increased evaporation, which results in heavier and more erratic rainfall. The shifting monsoon trough has become a scourge especially for the northeastern states of Assam, Manipur, and Arunachal Pradesh, where, in recent weeks, more than 46 people died and almost half a million were affected. These climate disasters should not be seen as seasonal misfortunes, but as climate warnings. With no cohesive policy in place and minimal integration of climate considerations into its national security strategy, India is underprepared for a crisis that affects its economy, its people, and its very future. The threat ahead India's coastline, stretching over 7,500 km, is a hub of economic activity, cultural vibrancy and biodiversity. Yet, this vast peninsular stretch and its inhabitants now face a severe threat: rising sea levels, driven by climate change. Compounding the long-term threat of sea level rise are short-term climate phenomena such as El Nino and La Nina, which have a significant impact on weather patterns across South Asia. El Nino reduced monsoon rainfall, leading to droughts, while paradoxically, La Nina events may increase rainfall and the frequency of extreme weather events such as cyclones and floods, many of which wreak havoc along India's coastal belt. Together, these factors create a dangerous cocktail of rising seas and erratic climatic behaviour, threatening livelihoods, infrastructure, and long-term sustainability in the region. According to a report by the Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP), a Bengaluru-based think tank, there are multiple Indian States at the threat of getting submerged. Those such as Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Kerala are already prone to flooding, have an uncertain future lying ahead. The study further highlights that more than 10% of the land in Mumbai, Yanam, and Thoothukudi; 5%-10% in Panaji and Chennai; and 1%-5% in Kochi, Mangaluru, Visakhapatnam, Haldia, Udupi, Paradip, and Puri would be submerged due to rise in sea levels by 2040. Damage to livelihood The impact of severe weather goes beyond the metropolitan infrastructure and has a devastating impact on the rural and coastal communities. In a country where 47% of the population is dependent on agriculture, it poses a severe threat. Soil salinisation, caused by seawater intrusion, renders once-fertile land unfit for cultivation. This decline in agricultural output can fuel price inflation and deepen reliance on non-local food sources, thereby undermining national food security. The Indian coastal ecosystems are equally vulnerable — the mangrove forests, coral reefs, estuaries and wetlands which serve both as rich habitats for marine biodiversity and as natural buffers against cyclones and tidal surges. A survey warns that the Sunderbans, the world's largest contiguous mangrove forest could lose up to 80% of its area by 2100. The destruction of these habitats by warming waters and rising sea level could trigger species extinction and disrupt food chains, with consequences that ripple far beyond borders. National security concern With a ranking of sixth on the Climate Risk Index, India must acknowledge the danger of surging seas. Experts warn that India is most vulnerable to compounding impacts of sea level rise. The Indian Ocean is the fastest-warming ocean in terms of surface temperature, and cyclones are intensifying due to excess heat and moisture. Therefore, it is imperative that the government begin to treat environmental degradation concerns as an issue of national security, because nature itself can just be as dangerous, if not worse, than any armed adversary. Across the world, climate change is already being framed as a security threat. In the U.S., the Pentagon labels it a 'threat multiplier' — one that exacerbates tensions and compromises national defence readiness. The U.K., too, has integrated climate resilience into its foreign policy. While the Indian government has taken commendable steps — participating in the Paris Agreement and committing to a net-zero emissions target by 2070 — its internal budgeting tells a different story. As per the Union Budget 2025-26, the Ministry of Defence was allocated ₹6,81,210 crore, or 13.45% of the total Union Budget, highest among all the Ministries. While the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change received just ₹3,412.82 crore, a meagre 0.067%. It is high time India stopped operating as if in a cowboy economy, a reckless, fossil-fuel-hungry model that assumes infinite resources and minimal consequences. Incidents suh as the northeastern floods, the Wayanad landslides, and the slow but steady sea level rise are all climate alarms. They call for a shift towards the values of ecologism, sustainability, and resilience. As the World Economic Forum notes, ignorance in the face of environmental collapse is now a threat to over one billion people worldwide. In this era of de-territorialisation, no nation can insulate itself from the effects of climate related catastrophe. The environment has become the archetypal example of a global issue, affecting all nations alike. Therefore, the key takeaway from the incident climatic crisis is simple yet urgent: we must treat environmental risk as central to national and human security, and adhere to sustainable development. rohanststephens1@
Time of India
24-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
ET Soonicorns Summit 2025: Forging a digital India for a billion people with AI for Bharat
Academy Empower your mind, elevate your skills Sumanth Naropanth - CEO, Deep Armor and Gauntlet - CEO, Deep Armor and Gauntlet Jai Asundi - Executive Director, Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP) - Executive Director, Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP) Adarsh Natarajan - CEO, Aindra (AI-powered medtech) - CEO, Aindra (AI-powered medtech) Abhinav Aggarwal - Founder & CEO, Fluid AI - Founder & CEO, Fluid AI Ankit Bose - Head, Nasscom AI - Head, Nasscom AI Jyotsna Jayaram - Partner, Trilegal The strategic roadmap for building a sovereign AI infrastructure powered by localised data centers. How startups can effectively develop AI solutions that cater to India's vast linguistic and cultural diversity. The crucial interplay between government policy, private investment, and regulatory frameworks in scaling India's AI capabilities. Real-world case studies of 'AI for Bharat' in critical sectors like healthcare and finance. Actionable strategies for bridging the digital divide to ensure an inclusive AI-driven future for all Indians. As India solidifies its position as a global technology powerhouse, a crucial question is taking centre stage: How can the nation build artificial intelligence (AI) that serves its uniquely diverse population? The upcoming ET Soonicorns Summit 2025 will address this question head-on in a pivotal session titled, 'AI for Bharat: How Localised Data Centres Can Bridge the Digital Divide with Indian Solutions.'The conversation will move beyond generic AI discourse to address the foundational elements required to create AI solutions for India's diverse cultural and linguistic landscape. This includes a deep dive into the critical role of localised data centres—the engine of the AI revolution. The session will bring together some of the leading minds from the startup ecosystem, policy research, and legal sectors to explore India's path digital economy is expanding rapidly and is projected to contribute nearly a fifth of the nation's gross domestic product (GDP) by 2030 . Fuelling this growth is the swift adoption of AI, with India's Generative (Gen) AI market expected to surge from approximately USD 1.1 billion in 2025 to USD 6.4 billion by 2030 . To truly harness this potential for every citizen, developing 'AI for Bharat' is not just an opportunity but a necessity. This means creating AI solutions that understand and cater to India's multitude of languages and cultural nuances, a task that requires massive, localised datasets and the infrastructure to process is where the significance of local data centres becomes paramount. Spurred by the demands of AI and cloud service providers, India's data centre capacity is projected to surge by 77% to 1.8 GW by 2027 . The Indian government is actively fostering this growth with initiatives such as the IndiaAI mission, which aims to bolster the country's AI ecosystem. Yet, a formidable challenge remains: bridging the persistent digital divide. In 2024, rural India had 488 million internet users, significantly more than the urban user base. However, disparities in consistent access and digital literacy the charge in securing the very infrastructure that will power 'AI for Bharat' is Sumanth Naropanth, CEO of Deep Armor and Gauntlet. Gauntlet provides an AI-powered platform for comprehensive cloud and AI security monitoring. Naropanth's expertise is critical in a landscape where the security of data centres and AI models is non-negotiable for building trust and ensuring the integrity of India's digital future. His work addresses the foundational need for robust security as India scales its AI Asundi, the Executive Director of the Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP), brings a crucial policy and research perspective to the discussion. CSTEP is a leading think tank that enriches policymaking with innovative approaches, and Asundi has been instrumental in establishing 'AI for social impact' as a key area of work. His insights will be vital in understanding how policy can guide the development of AI and data centre infrastructure to ensure it leads to inclusive and sustainable development for all of the frontlines of applying AI to solve uniquely Indian challenges comes Adarsh Natarajan, the founder and CEO of Aindra Systems. Aindra is a pioneering medtech startup that leverages AI-powered computer vision for the early detection of cervical cancer, particularly in low-resource settings. Natarajan's journey with Aindra, which he founded after his MBA from IIM Bangalore, exemplifies the potential of deep tech to address critical societal needs. His experience will shed light on the practicalities and impact of building AI solutions for the Indian context.A visionary in the conversational AI space, Abhinav Aggarwal, the Co-founder and CEO of Fluid AI, will offer a glimpse into the future of human-AI interaction in India. Fluid AI provides a generative AI platform that automates customer support and employee assistance, showcasing the potential to enhance service delivery and efficiency. A self-taught coder who dropped out of a prestigious MBA programme to build his company, Aggarwal's story underscores the passion and innovation driving India's AI startup the voice of the Indian IT industry is Ankit Bose, Head of Nasscom AI. His perspective will be crucial in understanding broader industry trends and the collective action needed to realise the 'AI for Bharat' the essential legal and regulatory framework for this technological revolution is Jyotsna Jayaram, a Partner at the law firm Trilegal. As AI and data localisation become increasingly intertwined with policy, her expertise in advising domestic and international clients on data protection, privacy, and cybersecurity will be invaluable in navigating the complex legal this diverse expertise on stage, the session is poised to tackle the central questions holding the key to India's AI future. How does India balance the race for data centre supremacy with the non-negotiable needs for data security and privacy? As the government rolls out ambitious policies like the IndiaAI Mission, how can startups and think tanks ensure these initiatives translate into tangible impact on the ground, truly bridging the digital divide rather than widening it?The discussion will move from the theoretical to the practical. What does it take to build an AI model that works not just in a lab but in a low-resource rural clinic? How can generative AI be adapted to serve a multilingual population with varying levels of digital literacy? This panel will explore the friction and synergy between policy, technology, security, and law, providing a holistic view of the challenges and opportunities in building an AI ecosystem for a billion session will cut through the hype to provide a grounded, forward-looking perspective. Attendees can expect to gain a clear understanding of:This session will provide a nuanced look at the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in creating a truly digital Bharat.360 One is the presenting partner of the ET Soonicorns Summit 2025.(This article is generated and published by the ET Spotlight team. You can get in touch with them at etspotlight@ .)
The Hindu
22-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Study highlights need for nature-based solutions to prevent climate-related losses in the city
The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) should establish a permanent nature-based solutions advisory board, and ensure that urbanising zones integrate the solutions into long-term urban planning, reducing future risks related to industrial expansion and climate vulnerabilities, according to a recommendation of a study by the Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP), a Bengaluru-based think tank. The study titled 'Urban Greenprints-Nature-based Solutions (NbS) Feasibility Framework for Urban Coastal Regions' covered 23 wards of the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC), spanning an area of 64.35 for their NbS potential using land-use and land-cover mapping. Key zones for intervention included residential areas, public spaces, transportation corridors, and blue-green infrastructure. Rooftops in residential zones present major opportunities for green infrastructure, with a potential to increase NbS areas in the city by 76%. Chennai and Mangaluru were the cities selected as case studies because of their exposure to flooding, sea level rise, and extreme weather events. Permeable pavements in transport corridors could improve urban drainage, offering a 5% increase in NbS areas for both cities. Additionally, waterbodies in select wards can be fully leveraged for wetland restoration and establishing buffer zones. The study's findings pointed to the need for developing partnerships with real estate developers and industry stakeholders to fund large-scale NbS interventions, particularly in coastal industrial zones. Collaborations among government bodies such as the Park Department of the GCC, the Tamil Nadu Forest Department, and the Tamil Nadu Wetlands Authority and private entities such as Chennai Smart City Limited and Tamil Nadu Green Climate Company can help pool resources for larger-scale NbS projects. The study also stressed the need for coordination with neighbouring cities, such as Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu, to create a regional NbS network, which can help pool resources for larger ecosystem resilience projects and share best practices. Eco-tourism should be promoted around green spaces serving as public parks or restored wetlands such as Pallikaranai, where guided tours can attract visitors and generate income for maintenance. The study recommended pilot projects, such as green rooftops and permeable pavements, in densely populated wards to combat storm-water runoff and mitigate the urban heat island effect. Green corridors connecting parks and open spaces along Old Mahabalipuram Road and East Coast Road, where urban expansion is intense, will be beneficial, it added. The study said cost–benefit analysis for green rooftops and permeable pavements estimated that implementing these measures would cost ₹2,203 crore in Chennai and ₹172.97 crore in Mangaluru. In Chennai, the expected benefit from reduced flood damage and productivity losses is ₹505.31 crore every year. This means the investment would pay for itself in just over four years, the study said. Without any action, Chennai could face climate-related losses of up to ₹10,000 crore over the next 20 years, according to the study.
Hans India
19-05-2025
- General
- Hans India
Mangaluru can cut climate damage with ₹172 crore investment: CSTEP report
Mangaluru: A new report by the Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP) has outlined that with an investment of ₹172.97 crore, Mangaluru could avoid ₹11.62 crore in annual damages linked to climate-related risks, including flooding and coastal erosion. The report, titled Urban Greenprints: A Nature-based Solutions Feasibility Framework for Urban Coastal Regions, calls for the integration of nature-based solutions (NbS) into the urban planning of select wards in Mangaluru. CSTEP recommends embedding NbS within planning and budgeting processes instead of treating them as standalone initiatives. The study identifies Panambur, Port, Hoige Bazaar, and Bengre as suitable wards for interventions such as rooftop greening, permeable pavements, and water body restoration. The report also notes that initiatives like the Coastal Bioshield Project at Tannirbhavi and ongoing lake rejuvenation efforts have shown preliminary success but remain limited by top-down governance and lack of community participation. The document advocates for spatial mapping, inclusive governance, and master planning focused on vulnerable zones like Surathkal and Ullal. It proposes that Mangaluru's approach could serve as a model for other coastal cities facing climate stress.
