Current Affairs - Technology

India’s first port-based Green Hydrogen Pilot Project was inaugurated at VOC Port in Tamil Nadu by Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal. The project is part of a broader initiative worth over ₹150 crore that also includes a Green Methanol bunkering facility, solar and wind energy projects, development of a multi-cargo berth, improved road infrastructure, and a maritime heritage museum. This milestone strengthens India’s commitment to clean energy and sustainable port operations, making VOC Port a pioneer in integrating renewable energy with maritime infrastructure. The inauguration also coincided with the 154th birth anniversary of freedom fighter VO Chidambaranar in Tuticorin.

IIT Jodhpur has taken a leading role in advancing artificial intelligence for India’s linguistic and cultural landscape. Through its Vision, Language and Learning Group (VL2G), led by Prof. Anand Mishra, the institute has developed open source APIs capable of recognizing and translating scene text in 13 Indian languages, improving multilingual navigation, accessibility, and real time translation. Beyond language, IIT Jodhpur collaborates with IGNCA and TIH-iHUB Drishti to restore and digitise ancient manuscripts, safeguarding India’s cultural heritage. Additionally, with Accenture Labs, it is building advanced video AI systems for skill assessment, workplace safety, and healthcare. This pioneering work strengthens India’s digital future and supports the India@2047 vision of inclusive innovation.

Vikram-3201 is India’s first fully indigenous 32-bit microprocessor, developed jointly by ISRO’s Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) and the Semiconductor Laboratory (SCL) in Mohali. Fabricated using a 180 nm CMOS process, it marks a leap in India’s semiconductor self-reliance under the Atmanirbhar Bharat mission. The processor succeeds the earlier 16-bit Vikram-1601, bringing enhanced processing power, floating-point computation, and resilience to extreme temperatures, vibration, and radiation. It also supports the Ada programming language, crucial for aerospace systems. Successfully tested onboard the PSLV-C60 mission, this milestone positions India as a rising power in chip design and space-grade semiconductor technology.

Adi Vaani is India’s first AI-powered translator designed specifically for tribal languages. Launched by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, this innovative platform aims to preserve and promote India’s diverse linguistic heritage while ensuring cultural equity and digital inclusion. India is home to 461 tribal languages, many of which are endangered, and Adi Vaani provides tools like text-to-text, speech-to-speech, text-to-speech, and OCR for manuscript preservation. Initially supporting Santali, Bhili, Mundari, and Gondi, the platform is scalable to cover more dialects. Developed by a consortium of premier institutes including IIT Delhi, Adi Vaani ensures tribal communities actively participate in the nation’s digital transformation.

Two Indian aquanauts undertook a dive into the Atlantic Ocean aboard France’s submersible Nautile as part of preparatory work for the Samudrayaan Project. Samudrayaan is India’s first human deep-sea mission under the Deep Ocean Mission, aiming to send three humans in Matsya-6000 to a depth of 6,000 meters by 2027. France is among the few nations with advanced manned deep-sea exploration capabilities, alongside the US, Russia, China, and Japan. By collaborating with France, India strengthens its technological expertise in oceanography and submersible design, particularly in preparation for developing Matsya-6000, a vital component of its strategic deep-sea exploration goals.