Science & Technology Current Affairs

In the first episode of The Scope’s special series on Gaganyaan, we explore why India’s first human spaceflight mission is about much more than sending astronauts into orbit. Discover what Gaganyaan is, why human-rating a rocket is essential, how ISRO has prepared through years of testing, and why this mission could make India only the fourth nation capable of launching humans into space on its own.

The government said that the need for a common time reference has increased with the growing use of digital and technology-based systems

PM Modi held delegation-level talks with President Mirziyoyev on expanding cooperation in key areas of trade, investment, critical minerals, defence and security, digital public infrastructure including UPI, among others

The deal marks a significant step in defence cooperation between the two countries; the Javelin system is currently operated by the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps and several international customers

The yearslong effort to rein in the use of autonomous weapons systems has struggled to produce limits

India’s agricultural progress depends on indigenous technology, innovation and home-grown solutions capable of competing in global markets, says Radhakrishnan

For many decades, there were few rocket launches and few new satellites in orbit every year, so there were also few re-entries, and most of them simply burned up in the atmosphere with little consequence. But today, low-earth orbits several thousand satellites, with private companies planning for many, many more

On Great Nicobar Island, local Nicobarese communities are already opposing the Union government’s ₹91,000-crore mega-infrastructure project that involves building an airport, a transshipment port, and a tourism-led township

Why does Gaganyaan need a thermal protection system? How does its ablative heat shield work?

How does facial recognition work? How is FRS being used in India? Why is FRS concerning in the present form?

‘To our knowledge, (this) is the oldest directly dated rock with a confirmed biosignature,’ say the authors

The way forward is to liberalise the channels through which money and capital flow into academia and reduce dependence on the government

NASA has invited ISRO to participate in its latest lunar programme, which seeks to build a human outpost near the Moon’s south pole, where sunlight is available for longer periods and permanently shadowed craters contain significant deposits of water ice

Consumers will not face any charges for UPI payments. Most merchant transactions will also remain free of cost. Any future charges will apply to limited merchant transactions above a threshold. This move aims to ensure UPI's long-term sustainability and technological advancement. The government stated UPI will remain free for citizens.

The Pradhan Mantri Surya Sarovar Yojana targets 5,000 MW of installations on water bodies by 2030-31

The scheme aspires to increase domestic production of CBG ten-fold and mobilise large-scale private investment.

Critical mineral security will define India’s industrial and strategic trajectory

The Taxation and Other Laws Amendment Bill, 2026 proposes extending electronics tax incentives until 2041, easing rules for foreign investors and fund managers, while raising surcharge on certain SPVs under the new tax regime.

The Samudra Manthan scheme aims at boosting India’s deepwater hydrocarbon exploration and energy security with an ₹84,084 crore investment

Making Artificial Intelligence affordable and ubiquitous should become India’s next transformative public infrastructure revolution