Current Affairs - Technology

Google’s Project Suncatcher is an ambitious initiative aimed at building AI data centres in orbit, powered by solar energy. The project plans to deploy satellites equipped with TPUs, solar panels, and high-speed optical communication systems to form a distributed computing network around Earth. By operating in space, these AI data centres would have uninterrupted access to solar power, eliminate the need for water-based cooling, and reduce carbon emissions. While promising a sustainable and scalable alternative to traditional data centres, Project Suncatcher still faces major engineering challenges related to communication, station-keeping, and radiation resistance in space.

IBM has partnered with the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) to establish a state-of-the-art Artificial Intelligence (AI) lab at AICTE headquarters. The initiative focuses on enhancing AI and data science skills among students and faculty through hands-on training, hackathons, and certified programs. It also includes a Master-Trainer Program to enable large-scale skill dissemination across India’s technical institutions. The collaboration aligns with India’s National Education Policy 2020 and National AI Strategy, as well as IBM’s global mission to promote inclusive technology education and build a future-ready digital workforce for the evolving tech ecosystem.

GSAT-7R, also known as CMS-03, is India’s heaviest and most advanced indigenous naval communication satellite, weighing approximately 4,400 kg. Launched by ISRO from Sriharikota, it is designed to significantly enhance the Indian Navy’s space-based communication capabilities and maritime domain awareness across the Indian Ocean Region. The satellite is equipped with multi-band transponders that provide secure, high-bandwidth voice, data, and video connectivity between naval command centres and assets at sea. GSAT-7R strengthens India’s strategic communication infrastructure, ensuring reliable and real-time naval operations in both peacetime and defence scenarios.

Google has partnered with Reliance Industries to enhance India’s AI infrastructure and make artificial intelligence more accessible across the nation. The collaboration focuses on developing local AI computing power, promoting innovation, and supporting the “AI for All” mission. Through this alliance, Jio users aged 18 to 25 will receive 18 months of free access to Google Gemini Pro, empowering young Indians to explore AI technologies. The partnership also includes efforts to build AI models for Indian languages and establish domestic data centers powered by green energy, thereby boosting India’s digital inclusion, sustainability, and technological self-reliance.

India launched the Fully Digital Marine Fisheries Census 2025, marking a major technological leap in fisheries data collection. This initiative replaces traditional paper-based surveys with advanced multilingual Android applications — VyAS-BHARAT, VyAS-SUTRA, and VyAS-NAV — developed by ICAR-CMFRI. The census aims to comprehensively cover 1.2 million fisher households across 5,000 marine villages in 13 coastal states and union territories. By integrating real-time geo-referenced data, drone-based craft enumeration, and dashboard monitoring, India is modernizing fisheries management, improving data accuracy, and enabling informed policymaking for the sustainable development of the marine sector.