🚀 1. ISRO Inaugurates ‘HOPE’ Analog Mission in Tso-Kar Valley, Ladakh
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has launched the Human Spaceflight Operations and Exploration (HOPE) analog mission in the high-altitude Tso-Kar Valley of Ladakh.
- This mission is India’s first analog astronaut training program, simulating the harsh and extreme conditions of planetary exploration, particularly Mars and Moon-like terrain.
- Why Ladakh? With its thin atmosphere, rough terrain, and extreme cold, Tso-Kar is an ideal site to simulate extraterrestrial environments.
- This initiative is part of the larger preparations under Gaganyaan and future interplanetary missions, enhancing India’s capability in crewed space exploration.
✈️ 2. Final C-295 Transport Aircraft Delivered to India from Spain
The 16th and final C-295 aircraft built by Airbus in Spain has been delivered to the Indian Air Force (IAF), marking the completion of the foreign production batch.
- Background: The ₹21,935 crore deal for 56 C-295MW aircraft was signed in 2021 to replace the aging Avro fleet.
- Of these, 40 aircraft will be manufactured in India by Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL) in Vadodara, Gujarat — a historic Make in India defence collaboration with Airbus.
- The delivery sets the stage for India to become a global hub for military aircraft manufacturing.
🤖 3. ICRISAT & ICAR Launch AI-Powered Climate Advisory System for Farmers
The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) in collaboration with ICAR has developed an AI-based climate advisory tool tailored for semi-arid regions.
- Objective: To help farmers deal with climate variability by offering real-time, localized weather forecasts, drought alerts, and crop recommendations.
- Why it matters: Semi-arid regions, home to over 60% of India’s rain-fed agriculture, are vulnerable to erratic rainfall and rising temperatures due to climate change.
- This initiative aligns with Digital Agriculture Mission 2021–25 and is a leap toward climate-resilient farming.
🛡️ 4. Operation Muskan-9: Telangana Police Rescue 7,600 Child Labourers
Under the nationwide anti-trafficking initiative ‘Operation Muskan-9’, the Telangana Police successfully rescued 7,600 children involved in child labour, begging, and trafficking.
- These children were found working in brick kilns, automobile workshops, roadside eateries, and factories.
- Operation Muskan, launched by the Ministry of Home Affairs, aims to trace, rescue, rehabilitate, and reunite missing and exploited children.
- Telangana’s drive stands out for its extensive intelligence gathering and inter-agency coordination, becoming a model for other states.
🌳 5. ‘Matri Van’ Initiative Launched in Gurugram to Restore Aravalli Ecosystem
The Haryana government has initiated the Matri Van (Mother Forest) project to create a 750-acre urban forest in the degraded areas of the Aravalli hills in Gurugram.
- This is part of the larger Aravalli Green Wall Project, aiming to rejuvenate India’s oldest mountain range and act as a buffer against desertification.
- Urban foresting will increase green cover, recharge groundwater, and help reduce pollution in the Delhi-NCR region.
- Public participation, especially by women and school children, is being encouraged — turning afforestation into a people’s movement.
