Author: News Desk

In a major push for indigenisation of naval aviation, HAL has confirmed that its new Utility Helicopter-Maritime (UH-M), designed for deck-based operations and maritime missions, will make its first flight this year. The UH-M builds on the design legacy of the earlier Dhruv-class helicopters but incorporates extensive modifications suited for sea operations: rotor-blade folding, a folding tail boom, and a ship-compatible airframe to enable efficient storage and deployment from warships. Intended to replace the aging fleet of legacy helicopters like the Chetak, this platform is expected to serve multiple roles, personnel transport, cargo logistics, casualty evacuation, maritime rescue, and search-and-rescue (SAR) missions under…

Indo-Russian ties are set for a boost this week as President Vladimir Putin visits India for a summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 4-5. The meeting is expected to strengthen their “privileged strategic partnership,” with possible cooperation on India’s Sudarshan Chakra, or “Indian iron dome.” The partnership proved its strength during Operation Sindoor, where Russian technology, from missiles and air defense systems to fighter jets and electronic warfare, played a critical role in India’s battlefield success. India is looking to acquire more S-400 surface-to-air missiles from Russia, which proved highly effective during the operation. Dr VK Saraswat, missile…

Australia is about to block anyone under 16 from having accounts on major social media platforms. The rule kicks in on December 10, and companies like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, and others will have to remove underage users or face big fines. The idea is to protect teenagers from harmful content, mental health issues, bullying, unrealistic body standards, and exposure to adult material. Platforms will be the ones policing this. They’ll need to check ages and shut down accounts that belong to younger teens. The government hasn’t set one required method, but companies are experimenting with things like selfie-based…

Indian Railways uses a colour-coding system to help passengers easily identify coach types, comfort levels and speed categories. Each colour — blue, red, green and brown — carries a specific meaning tied to the train’s design and service profile. What the Colours Mean Blue Coaches These are the most widely used coaches on mail, express and superfast trains. Typically built at Integral Coach Factory (ICF), they operate at moderate speeds and offer standard sleeper or seating facilities. They are the backbone of India’s daily long-distance travel network. Red Coaches Red indicates premium, high-speed LHB coaches, used in Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Duronto and other upgraded trains. These lightweight coaches provide better…

Late November 2025 marked a watershed moment for India’s private space sector as Narendra Modi unveiled Vikram-I, the country’s first privately developed orbital-class launch vehicle, from Hyderabad-based startup Skyroot Aerospace. Vikram-I stands 20 metres tall and 1.7 metres wide, built using lightweight all-carbon composite materials, enabling high efficiency and structural strength. The four-stage rocket combines robust solid-fuel propulsion in its first three stages with a hypergolic liquid-fuelled upper stage, ensuring both powerful lift-off and precise orbital insertion. Its design includes state-of-the-art innovations, 3D-printed engine components that reduce weight by roughly 50% and accelerate manufacturing, ultra-low-shock pneumatic separation systems, and advanced avionics for…

Elon Musk praised the contributions of talented Indians to the United States during his appearance on Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath’s “People by WTF” podcast. He noted that some of America’s stricter immigration policies stem from the misuse of the H-1B visa program and the previous administration’s overly permissive approach. Musk observed that, despite concerns among some Americans about foreign workers “taking jobs,” there is a persistent shortage of skilled talent. At his companies—Tesla, SpaceX, X, and XAI—the goal is to attract the most talented people globally. Regarding H-1B visas, Musk acknowledged misuse by some outsourcing firms but emphasized that the…

Oil India Limited has launched a major offshore drilling campaign in the Kerala-Konkan Basin, beginning with the spudding of its first well, Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Puri announced on Saturday. Minister Puri described the initiative as a landmark step in India’s energy journey, reflecting the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Kerala-Konkan Basin, classified as a Category-III frontier, holds significant potential. The planned well will reach a depth of 6,000 meters, located about 20 nautical miles offshore, making it one of the deepest offshore wells in Indian waters, Puri noted on X. Over 1,028 sq.…

Kochi Metro Rail Limited has named Johnson Lifts Private Limited as the lowest bidder for supplying elevators for Phase 2 of the Kochi Metro. KMRL had floated the tender with a completion window of 730 days. Technical bids were opened on September 29, 2025, confirming that two companies were in the race. Their technical evaluation wrapped up on November 27, and on the same day the financial bids were opened. Johnson Lifts emerged with the lowest quote and later received the Letter of Acceptance from Maha-Metro. Financial bids• Johnson Lifts Private Limited – ₹17.4 crore• Otis Elevator Company (India) Limited…

As part of his visit to engage with the expatriate community, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan arrived in Dubai for a two-day trip. He was received by UAE Cabinet Affairs Minister Mohammed Al Gargawi. During the visit, the Chief Minister held meetings with senior UAE ministers aimed at strengthening economic cooperation between Kerala and the UAE and exploring new areas of partnership. The discussions included Cabinet Affairs Minister Mohammed Al Gargawi, Minister of Economic Tourism Abdullah Bin Thawq Al Marri, Minister of Foreign Trade Thani Bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Director General of the Abu Dhabi Investment Office Badr Al Olama,…

Cochin Port, Kerala’s second major port after Vizhinjam, is gearing up for a development push valued at roughly Rs 10,000 crore, as reported by Malayala Manorama. The upgrades will span the whole stretch from Cochin Port to Cochin Shipyard. Around Rs 1,500 crore has been set aside for DP World’s Vallarpadam Transhipment Terminal to boost container handling. Even though Vizhinjam already has a naturally deep draft suited for big motherships, about Rs 800 crore is still expected to go into deepening Kochi’s channel so large vessels can berth at Vallarpadam. For this, the Cochin Port Authority has signed an agreement…