Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati in collaboration with EduRade, a brand owned by RC HobbyTech Solutions Pvt. Ltd., and incubated at IIT Guwahati Research Park, we have launched India’s largest Remote Pilot Training Organisation (RPTO), spanning 18 acres and boasting the capability to fly 9 medium-class drones simultaneously. The primary objective of this RPTO is to promote the advancement of drone technology in India. Additionally, it aligns with the vision of the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, to establish India as a global drone hub by 2030, thereby contributing to the recently launched ‘Namo Drone Didi’ initiative.

Turkey’s fifth-generation fighter jet in development conducted its first ever flight on Wednesday, a milestone for the country to deploy domestically produced war planes.

The jet, known as Kaan and developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries with help from the UK’s BAE Systems, took off from an airstrip in capital Ankara for a flight that lasted just over 10 minutes, according to state broadcaster TRT.

The flight marks a landmark moment for Turkey, where authorities have made modernizing the country’s aging air force a top priority. That’s gained urgency since the country’s expulsion from the program to procure and support Lockheed Martin Corp.’s advanced F-35 fighter jets in 2019, following Ankara’s acquisition of Russian S-400 air defense missiles.

To enhance the capability of the Indian Air Force in keeping a watchful eye on the air activity in China and Pakistan and protect its vital assets, the Cabinet Committee on Security has cleared deals worth around Rs 13,000 crore to acquire new high-power radars and close-in weapon systems from Indian manufacturer Larsen and Toubro.

The new radars under a project worth around Rs 6,000 crore have been cleared by the CCS for the Indian Air Force, replacing and augmenting the existing chain of radars along both the borders with China and Pakistan, top government sources told ANI.

The Madhya Pradesh government has announced 'bag less school' day once a week for students in classes 1 to 12, starting from the upcoming academic session in 2024-25. This decision applies to all government and private schools operating in the state.

The state government, aiming to alleviate the burden on students, has issued a notice outlining the maximum permissible weight of school bags for different classes.

According to the notice, students in classes 1 and 2 should carry bags weighing between 1.6-2.2 kg, while those in classes 3 to 5 should limit their bags to 1.7-2.5 kg. For classes 6 and 7, the recommended weight is 2-3 kg, and for classes 8, 2.5-4 kg. Students in classes 9 and 10 are advised to carry bags weighing between 2.5-4.5 kg.

Additionally, the weight of school bags for students in classes 11 and 12 will be determined by the school management committee based on the students' respective streams.

Military powers who have deployed or were left behind in developing or acquiring expensive anti-missile or anti-drone systems are now engaged in a serious race to develop and deploy the next generation of laser weapon systems that can neutralise any missile or fighter aircraft or drone high in the sky or even within enemy airspace. From big powers like the United States or China to countries like Turkey, Iran or for even Pakistan, all are reported to have advanced or initiated work on the highly challenging laser weapon systems to make their skies unimpregnable. The laser laboratory of India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is also reported to have been working on such highly complex laser weapon systems for the last two decades, and is now reported to have achieved a fairly advanced stage of testing a real prototype of a laser weapon that can even destroy a ballistic missile.

Bangladesh is observing the historic Language Day named ‘Amar Ekushey’, paying tribute to the martyrs who laid their lives during the language movement in 1952 demanding Bangla as the official language for then East Pakistan.

Scores of students were killed on this day in 1952 when Pakistani forces fired upon them during the protest leading to widespread civil unrest.

President Mohammed Shahabuddin and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid homage by placing wreaths at the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka after midnight on Tuesday. The Amar Ekushey song ‘Amar Bhaiyer Rakte Rangano Ekushey February’ is played in the background.

India and Greece have agreed to escalate their bilateral trade by two-fold by the year 2030, as affirmed by Prime Minister Modi during Greece Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’s visit to India. The two sides have agreed to boost ties in the defence, pharmaceutical, space and shipping sectors as they seek to double their bilateral trade by 2030 from nearly US$2 billion in 2022-23.

The meeting between the two leaders underscored the strengthening of the strategic partnership between their nations, particularly in defense and security sectors, indicative of the deep mutual trust shared by India and Greece.

University of Canterbury academics have been awarded two of four inaugural IIT-Delhi India-New Zealand Centre Fellowships.

A joint initiative between IIT-Delhi and eight New Zealand universities, the IIT-Delhi India-New Zealand Centre aims to bolster academic and cultural exchange between India and New Zealand through joint research in climate change, disaster management, urban planning, and environmental monitoring, areas important to both countries.

"The partnership is designed to build engagement between New Zealand universities and create opportunities for mutually beneficial research ties between our country and IIT-Delhi," said University of Canterbury School of Mathematics and Statistics Head of Department, Professor Clemency Montelle.

Patients suffering from stiff elbow joints and limited mobility now have a ray of hope with the collaboration between the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi).

Recognizing the challenges faced by patients due to the high cost and inadequate quality of imported elbow replacement setups, this partnership aims to provide accessible, precise, and high-quality implants for elbow replacement surgeries.

The 21st round of India-China Corps Commander Level Meeting took place at the Chushul-Moldo border meeting point in the Leh district of Ladakh, India, on Monday (February 19).

The discussions focused on advancing from previous rounds, aiming for complete disengagement in the remaining areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh, seen as crucial for restoring peace in the India-China border regions.

Both sides agreed to sustain communication through relevant military and diplomatic channels and pledged to uphold peace and tranquility on the ground in the border areas during this interim period.