Current Affairs - Technology

India has developed Nafithromycin, its first homegrown antibiotic, aimed at treating resistant respiratory infections, especially in vulnerable patients. This achievement, alongside successful indigenous gene therapy trials for hemophilia, underscores India’s growing capabilities in biotechnology, pharmaceutical innovation, and clinical research. These breakthroughs were enabled by collaborations between the Department of Biotechnology and private firms like Wockhardt, reflecting a strong public-private partnership. Additionally, India’s progress in genome sequencing and precision medicine positions the country as a rising leader in healthcare innovation, reducing dependence on foreign technologies and advancing its goal of biotech self-reliance under the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.

Chandrayaan-2, launched by ISRO in 2019, made the first direct observation of how Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) from the Sun impact the Moon’s exosphere. The CHACE-2 instrument on board recorded a significant increase in the density of neutral atoms and molecules, confirming that solar outbursts can dramatically alter the lunar atmosphere. This finding enhances understanding of lunar space weather, especially because the Moon lacks a global magnetic field and atmosphere, making its exosphere highly sensitive to solar activity. Chandrayaan-2’s observations contribute valuable data for future lunar missions and planetary science research.

Google developed the AI model Cell2Sentence-Scale 27B (C2S-Scale), a 27-billion-parameter foundation model designed to interpret the language of individual cells. This breakthrough enables researchers to generate AI-driven hypotheses for biomedical research, accelerating the discovery of potential cancer treatments. The model’s predictions were experimentally validated, making it one of the first instances where AI directly contributed to scientific discovery rather than solely analyzing data. This innovation demonstrates the growing role of advanced AI models in transforming healthcare research and providing new approaches for understanding complex cellular mechanisms.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to inaugurate the dhaRti BioNest Incubation Centre at IIT Dharwad, a significant initiative to promote biotechnology innovation and entrepreneurship. The centre has already supported 15 startups, each receiving ₹50 lakh under the Elevate Karnataka scheme. The project received funding support of ₹5.2 crore from the MPLADS fund allocated by Nirmala Sitharaman and ₹5 crore from BIRAC. This collaboration aims to strengthen India’s startup ecosystem, particularly in the biotech sector, and enhance research-driven innovation through academic-industry partnerships at IIT Dharwad.

GalaxEye, an Indian space-tech startup, is preparing to launch Mission Drishti in the first quarter of 2026, marking the debut of the world’s first multi-sensor Earth Observation (EO) satellite. The 160 kg satellite will be India’s largest privately developed satellite and will feature the country’s highest-resolution imaging sensor. This breakthrough mission represents a major step forward for India’s private space sector, combining advanced imaging technologies to deliver unprecedented Earth observation capabilities that can support applications in climate monitoring, disaster management, and national security.