IIT Delhi Develops India’s First Indigenous Micro-GPU

What’s the News?

• Researchers at IIT Delhi’s Department of Electrical Engineering have developed India’s first working and demonstrable indigenously designed micro-Graphics Processing Unit (micro-GPU).
• The project was led by M.Tech students Nammi Akash and M. Ravi Teja, under the guidance of Prof. Jayadeva and Prof. Kaushik Saha.
• The processor demonstrates programmable graphics rendering and is aimed primarily at low-cost embedded graphics and display-processing systems.
• The development can strengthen indigenous semiconductor-design capability and reduce dependence on imported graphics-processing technology.

What is the Micro-GPU?

• A GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) is a specialised processor capable of performing many computations in parallel. Besides graphics rendering, GPUs are extensively used in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML).
• IIT Delhi’s micro-GPU uses a custom floating-point GPU engine.
• Its hardware has been implemented entirely in Register Transfer Language (RTL).
• The design has been mapped onto a Spartan-7 Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA).
• It is a scalable programmable graphics-processor Intellectual Property (IP) block, which can eventually be implemented either on programmable hardware or as a dedicated silicon chip.

Potential Applications

The micro-GPU has been designed mainly for affordable embedded visualisation systems, including:

• Industrial control displays and low-cost Human-Machine Interfaces (HMIs).
• E-rickshaw dashboard navigation systems.
• Inland-water navigation terminals for small fishing boats.
• Educational e-book readers.
• Other low-cost graphics and display-processing devices.

Future Roadmap

• IIT Delhi researchers plan to develop an 8–16 core vector-style graphics processor architecture.
• The proposed system will be accompanied by an optimised compiler and graphics software toolchain.
• The team plans a proof-of-concept implementation using a 65-nanometre ASIC process node.
• Researchers consider mature nodes such as 65 nm potentially cost-effective for indigenous embedded graphics chips.
• Funding is proposed to be sought for ASIC development, system integration and eventual commercialisation.

Technologies

• FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array):
  • An integrated circuit whose digital logic can be reconfigured after manufacturing.
  • Commonly used to prototype processor architectures before producing dedicated silicon.
• ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit):
  • A chip manufactured for a specific application.
  • Unlike an FPGA, its hardware configuration is generally fixed after fabrication.
• RTL (Register Transfer Language/Level):
  • A hardware-design representation describing how digital signals and data move between registers and logical components.
• 65 nm Process Node:
  • A mature semiconductor fabrication technology.
  • Mature nodes can offer lower development and fabrication costs for applications that do not require cutting-edge transistor densities.

Related Indian Semiconductor Initiative

• India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) functions as the nodal initiative for developing India’s semiconductor and display ecosystem.
• The Semicon India Programme was approved with an outlay of ₹76,000 crore.
• Its components include support for semiconductor fabs, display fabs, compound semiconductors and packaging facilities, along with semiconductor design.
• The Design Linked Incentive (DLI) Scheme supports semiconductor designs covering Integrated Circuits (ICs), chipsets, System-on-Chips (SoCs), systems and IP cores.
• Indigenous processor IP such as the IIT Delhi micro-GPU is significant because semiconductor capability involves not only fabrication but also chip architecture, IP design, verification, software tools and system integration.

Sources

• NDTV
• The Economic Times

India Participates in East Asia Summit Economic Ministers’ Meeting

What’s the News?

• India participated in the 14th East Asia Summit Economic Ministers’ Meeting (EAS-EMM) and the 23rd ASEAN-India Economic Ministers Consultation in Manila, Philippines.
• The Indian delegation was led by Nitin Kumar Yadav, Additional Secretary, Department of Commerce.
• Representatives from all 11 ASEAN member states participated along with EAS partners — India, Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Russia and the United States.
• Major discussions covered the regional economic outlook, energy security, industrial clusters and the ongoing review of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA).

East Asia Summit Economic Ministers’ Meeting

• The meeting provides a platform to discuss regional and global economic developments, trade and investment.
• The ASEAN Secretariat presented the regional and global economic outlook for 2027, including expected implications for trade and investment flows.
• The Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) presented a study on the next phase of EAS economic growth.
• It advocated an integrated approach linking:
  • Energy security and infrastructure.
  • Industrial clusters.
  • Digital and industrial demand.
  • Trade and investment policies.

ASEAN-India Economic Ministers Consultation

• Discussions primarily focused on strengthening India-ASEAN trade relations and reviewing AITIGA.
• India emphasised that the revised agreement should be:
  • More balanced and mutually beneficial.
  • Easier for businesses to use.
  • More effective in facilitating trade.
  • Capable of addressing existing trade asymmetries.
• India-ASEAN bilateral trade reached USD 128.38 billion in 2025–26.
• ASEAN accounted for 10.55% of India's total global trade during the period.

ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA)

• AITIGA governs merchandise trade between India and ASEAN.
• It was signed in 2009 and entered into force in 2010.
• It provides for tariff liberalisation and improved market access for goods traded between the two sides.
• The ongoing review seeks to modernise the agreement and address concerns regarding its utilisation and trade imbalance.

Additional Info

• East Asia Summit (EAS):
  • A leaders-led Indo-Pacific forum, established in 2005.
  • India is a founding participant.
  • It deals with strategic, political and economic issues affecting the wider region.
• ASEAN:
  • Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
  • Founded in 1967 through the Bangkok Declaration.
  • Timor-Leste became its 11th member after its formal admission in 2025.
  • Members: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam.
• India-ASEAN Relations:
  • India became a Sectoral Dialogue Partner in 1992 and a full Dialogue Partner in 1995.
  • ASEAN-India relations were elevated to the Summit level in 2002 and to a Strategic Partnership in 2012.
  • The relationship was upgraded to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2022.
• ERIA:
  • Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia.
  • A regional research organisation supporting economic integration and policy research in East Asia.

Sources

• India Shipping News

India Rises to 31st in WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026

What’s the News?

• India ranked 31st among 110 economies in the World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Development Index (TTDI) 2026, improving by nine positions from its recalculated 2024 ranking.
• Japan topped the index, followed by the United States, Spain, Australia and France.
• India’s improvement was supported by stronger tourism infrastructure, cultural resources and non-leisure/business travel resources.
• India also benefits from strong price competitiveness, natural assets and cultural heritage, although gaps remain in tourism services, workforce capabilities and environmental sustainability.

Travel & Tourism Development Index

• Published by the World Economic Forum (WEF).
• Developed as a benchmarking tool to assess the factors and policies enabling sustainable and resilient development of the travel and tourism sector.
• It does not directly measure tourist arrivals, tourism receipts or revenues.
• The 2026 edition covers 110 economies.
• It consists of:
  • 5 dimensions
  • 17 pillars
  • 102 indicators
• Indicator values are normalised on a 1–7 scale, where a higher score indicates better enabling conditions.

Five Dimensions

1. Enabling Environment
   • Business Environment
   • Safety and Security
   • Health and Hygiene
   • Human Resources and Labour Market
   • ICT Readiness
2. Travel & Tourism Policy and Enabling Conditions
   • Prioritisation of Travel & Tourism
   • Openness to Travel & Tourism
   • Price Competitiveness
3. Infrastructure and Services
   • Air Transport Infrastructure
   • Ground and Port Infrastructure
   • Tourist Services and Infrastructure
4. Travel & Tourism Resources
   • Natural Resources
   • Cultural Resources
   • Non-Leisure Resources
5. Travel & Tourism Sustainability
   • Environmental Sustainability
   • Travel & Tourism Socioeconomic Impact
   • Travel & Tourism Demand Sustainability.

India’s Strengths and Challenges

• Strengths
  • Competitive travel costs.
  • Rich natural and cultural resources.
  • Improving air and tourism infrastructure.
  • Growing business and non-leisure travel ecosystem.
  • India is among the top 10 economies in the number of UNESCO World Heritage cultural sites.
• Areas requiring improvement
  • Tourist services and supporting infrastructure.
  • Workforce skills and human-resource capacity.
  • Business-enabling conditions.
  • Environmental sustainability.

Global Findings

• Top 5: Japan, United States, Spain, Australia and France.
• 101 of 110 economies (92%) improved their TTDI scores compared with 2024.
• Asia-Pacific recorded the strongest regional improvement, with its average score increasing by 3.6%.
• The 10 major emerging tourism economies, including India, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Brazil, collectively account for over 28% of global direct travel and tourism GDP; their share is projected to reach 35% by 2035.

Additional Info

• The 2026 methodology incorporates data revisions and adjustments. The WEF therefore recalculated the 2019, 2021 and 2024 figures to ensure comparability with 2026.
• Consequently, comparisons with rankings published in earlier editions should use the recalculated historical figures provided in the 2026 report, rather than the originally published rankings.

Sources

• The Economic Times
• World Economic Forum

Make in India Completes 12 Years: Sectoral Gains but Structural Challenges Persist

What’s the News?

• Make in India has completed 12 years since its launch in 2014 with substantial expansion in sectors such as electronics, mobile phones, steel, defence, pharmaceuticals and renewable-energy equipment.
• Make in India 2.0 now covers 27 sectors — 15 manufacturing and 12 services sectors.
• Recent manufacturing indicators have strengthened, but broader metrics show a mixed picture: manufacturing’s share in national output and India’s share in global merchandise exports have not increased proportionately to the growth seen in some individual industries.

Make in India

• Launched: 2014.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• Objectives:
  • Make India a global hub for manufacturing, design and innovation.
  • Facilitate domestic and foreign investment.
  • Promote innovation and technological capability.
  • Develop modern industrial infrastructure.
  • Improve the business and regulatory environment.
• The programme has subsequently been complemented by initiatives such as Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes, PM GatiShakti, National Single Window System (NSWS) and India Industrial Land Bank.

Manufacturing Performance

• Manufacturing GVA at constant prices recorded a 10.88% CAGR during 2022-23 to 2025-26 under the revised national accounts series.
• Manufacturing output under the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) grew 7% during April-July 2026 year-on-year.
• However, manufacturing's share in GVA increased only from about 14.6% in 2022-23 to 15.6% in 2025-26.
• India’s share in global merchandise exports remained around 1.7%, broadly similar to its level in 2013.

Major Sectoral Achievements

• Electronics
  • Production increased from about ₹1.9 lakh crore in 2014-15 to ₹13.11 lakh crore in 2025-26.
  • Mobile-phone production increased from around ₹18,900 crore to ₹6.3 lakh crore.
  • India is the world’s second-largest mobile-phone manufacturer by volume.
• Steel
  • Crude-steel production increased from 81.7 million tonnes to 170 million tonnes between 2014-15 and 2025-26.
• Defence
  • Indigenous defence production increased from ₹46,429 crore to ₹1.78 lakh crore over the same period.
• Solar Manufacturing
  • Solar-module manufacturing capacity increased from 2.3 GW in 2014 to 192 GW by June 2026.
  • Solar-cell capacity increased from 1.2 GW to around 30 GW.
• Pharmaceuticals
  • India ranks 3rd globally by pharmaceutical production volume and 11th by value.
  • Industry turnover reached about ₹5.09 lakh crore in 2025-26.

Production Linked Incentive Scheme

• PLI schemes cover 14 sectors, including electronics, pharmaceuticals, automobiles, solar PV modules, speciality steel and textiles.
• Latest official figures show:
  • Investment: about ₹2.6 lakh crore.
  • Production and sales: about ₹23.8 lakh crore.
  • Exports: over ₹15.5 lakh crore.
  • Employment: about 14.6 lakh jobs.
• Investment has nevertheless been concentrated in a limited number of sectors, particularly electronics, automobiles, pharmaceuticals, solar modules and speciality steel.

Investment and Business Facilitation

• Cumulative FDI inflows during 2014-15 to 2025-26 reached about USD 843 billion, around 169% higher than during the preceding 12-year period.
• National Single Window System (NSWS) provides a unified digital platform for identifying and obtaining business approvals.
• India Industrial Land Bank (IILB) is a GIS-enabled database of industrial land; it mapped 4,220 industrial parks covering about 6.98 lakh hectares by May 2026.
• PM GatiShakti National Master Plan integrates geospatial and infrastructure data to improve multimodal infrastructure planning.

New Manufacturing Initiatives

• Semicon 2.0
  • Allocation: ₹1,27,500 crore.
  • Covers semiconductor design, fabrication, advanced packaging, materials, equipment, R&D and talent.
• Bharat Audyogik Vikas Yojana (BHAVYA)
  • Allocation: ₹33,660 crore.
  • Aims to develop 100 investment-ready industrial parks.
• Mobile Phone Manufacturing Scheme
  • Allocation: ₹62,500 crore.
  • Focuses on higher production, domestic value addition and supply-chain resilience.
• Rare-Earth Permanent Magnet Scheme
  • Allocation: ₹7,280 crore.
  • Targets 6,000 metric tonnes per annum of integrated sintered NdFeB magnet manufacturing capacity.

Challenges

• Sector-specific production gains have not yet produced a comparable rise in manufacturing’s overall share of the economy.
• Private investment and manufacturing FDI performance have remained uneven.
• India’s global merchandise-export share has remained broadly stable.
• Domestic component ecosystems and value addition remain important issues, particularly where manufacturing is concentrated in final assembly.
• Manufacturing employment growth has also been weaker than the scale initially envisaged for the programme.

Additional Info

• GVA (Gross Value Added):
  • Measures the value of goods and services produced after subtracting intermediate consumption.
  • GDP = GVA + product taxes − product subsidies.
• PLI Scheme:
  • Provides incentives linked to incremental production or sales, rather than merely providing subsidies for establishing a manufacturing unit.
  • Intended to improve scale, domestic value addition, exports and integration into global value chains.
• Make in India 2.0:
  • Covers 27 priority sectors.
  • Implementation is distributed across concerned Union ministries/departments and State governments.

Sources

• NDTV
• The Hindu

MoD Signs ₹811 Crore Contract for 160 SAT-SAAW Glide Bombs for IAF

What’s the News?

• The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has signed a ₹810.79 crore contract with Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) for procurement of 160 Satellite Smart Anti-Airfield Weapons (SAT-SAAW) and associated equipment for the Indian Air Force (IAF).
• The procurement is under the Buy (Indian–Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured/IDDM) category.
• The weapon has been indigenously designed and developed by DRDO and will contain about 60% indigenous content.
• Deliveries are scheduled across FY 2027-28 and FY 2028-29.

What is SAT-SAAW?

• SAT-SAAW (Satellite Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon) is an air-to-ground precision-guided glide bomb intended primarily for attacking airfield infrastructure from a stand-off distance.
• It can be launched from aircraft such as:
  • Su-30MKI
  • Jaguar
  • Hawk
• Potential targets include runways, taxi tracks, bunkers, radars and other ground installations.
• Its stand-off capability enables the launch aircraft to release the weapon without having to fly directly over the target area.

Specifications

• Weight: about 125 kg
• Length: about 1.85 metres
• Range: approximately 90–100 km, depending on release conditions.
• Accuracy:
  • Less than 7 metres with inertial/satellite navigation.
  • The broader SAAW family can achieve less than 3 metres accuracy in a seeker-equipped configuration.
• As a glide weapon, it uses aerodynamic lift after release rather than functioning as a conventional powered cruise missile.

Indigenous Content

The contracted system will have 60% indigenous content, with localisation of important subsystems including:

• Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) – provides motion and navigation information.
• Long Impact Delay Fuse – allows detonation after penetration of the target structure.
• Twin Store Carrier – enables carriage of multiple weapons on an aircraft station.

Development of SAAW

• SAAW was developed by DRDO's Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad, in coordination with other DRDO laboratories and with support from the IAF.
• An early successful flight test was conducted in 2016.
• Subsequent trials demonstrated launches from aircraft such as the Jaguar and Hawk.
• DRDO also successfully tested both satellite-navigation and electro-optical seeker configurations.
• The electro-optical version incorporated an indigenous Imaging Infra-Red (IIR) seeker for enhanced precision.

Additional Info

• Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL):
  • A Defence Public Sector Undertaking under the Ministry of Defence.
  • Manufactures missile and guided-weapon systems.
  • Listed by the Department of Defence Production as the manufacturer of SAAW.
• Research Centre Imarat (RCI):
  • A major DRDO laboratory located in Hyderabad.
  • Works on avionics, navigation, control and related technologies for missile and guided-weapon systems.
• Buy (Indian-IDDM):
  • Refers to Indian–Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured equipment.
  • It gives emphasis to domestically designed and manufactured defence systems and higher indigenous content.
• Stand-off Weapon:
  • A weapon capable of being released from a significant distance from its target, allowing the launch platform to remain farther from the target's immediate defensive zone.

Sources

• The Hindu
• The New Indian Express
• CNBC-TV18

India Set to Launch Its First Blue Bond

What’s the News?

• Sagarmala Finance Corporation Limited (SMFCL), India’s first maritime-focused lender, is set to raise funds through the country’s maiden blue bond.
• Under the latest provisional terms, SMFCL aims to raise ₹600 crore, comprising a ₹100 crore base issue and a ₹500 crore greenshoe option, through 10-year bonds.
• The proceeds will finance maritime-sector lending, greenfield port projects, coastal road networks and related infrastructure.
• SBI Capital Markets is the arranger, while the issue has received an AA+ rating from ICRA and CARE.
• Earlier reports referred to an issue of up to ₹1,000 crore; the ₹600-crore figure reflects the latest provisional term sheet for the forthcoming issuance.

What are Blue Bonds?

• Blue bonds are debt instruments whose proceeds are earmarked for projects supporting the sustainable use and conservation of oceans, seas and water resources.
• Like conventional bonds, they involve:
  • Payment of interest to investors.
  • Repayment of principal at maturity.
• Unlike ordinary bonds, the funds must be directed towards specified water- and marine-related activities.

Eligible Activities

Blue finance can support:

• Sustainable shipping and port infrastructure.
• Clean water and wastewater management.
• Water recycling.
• Sustainable fisheries.
• Marine and coastal ecosystem conservation.
• Ocean-based renewable energy.
• Ocean mapping and research.
• Cleaner coastal and maritime infrastructure.

Sagarmala Finance Corporation Limited

• SMFCL is a Miniratna Category-I Central Public Sector Enterprise under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
• It was formerly known as Sagarmala Development Company Limited (SDCL).
• It became India's first NBFC dedicated exclusively to the maritime sector after receiving RBI registration in 2025.
• Its mandate includes financing:
  • Ports and port connectivity.
  • Shipping and shipbuilding.
  • Inland waterways.
  • Coastal infrastructure.
  • Maritime MSMEs and related activities.

Why a Blue Bond?

• Maritime infrastructure projects generally require large amounts of long-term capital.
• Blue bonds can attract institutional investors such as insurance companies, provident/pension funds and sustainability-focused investors.
• Longer-tenure bonds can also help reduce asset-liability mismatch, where a lender finances long-duration infrastructure projects using comparatively short-duration borrowings.
• They provide an additional capital-market financing channel beyond bank loans, government budgetary support and conventional bonds.

Blue Bonds in India’s Regulatory Framework

• SEBI expanded its sustainable-finance framework to recognise blue bonds for water-management and marine-sector activities.
• Blue bonds are treated as a specialised category within the broader green debt securities framework.
• Issuers of such securities are subject to requirements relating to:
  • Identification of eligible projects.
  • Use and tracking of proceeds.
  • Sustainability objectives.
  • Periodic disclosures and impact reporting.

Blue Bond vs Green Bond

Additional Info

• Greenshoe Option:
  • Allows an issuer to retain subscriptions above the original/base issue size up to a predetermined limit.
  • In the proposed SMFCL issue, the latest terms indicate a ₹500 crore greenshoe option.
• Bluewashing:
  • Refers to presenting an investment or project as environmentally beneficial to oceans or water resources without adequate evidence or measurable impact.
  • Clear use-of-proceeds rules and impact reporting help reduce this risk.
• World’s First Sovereign Blue Bond:
  • Seychelles issued the world's first sovereign blue bond in 2018.
  • It raised USD 15 million to support sustainable marine and fisheries projects.
• Blue Economy:
  • Refers broadly to the sustainable use of ocean and coastal resources for economic development and livelihoods while maintaining marine ecosystem health.
  • Blue bonds provide a mechanism for linking the blue economy with capital markets.

Sources

• The Hindu BusinessLine
• ETBFSI

World Lung Day 2026: “A Lifetime of Lung Health”

What’s the News?

• World Lung Day is observed annually on 25 September to raise awareness about lung health and the prevention and treatment of respiratory diseases.
• The 2026 theme is “A Lifetime of Lung Health.”
• The campaign stresses protection of respiratory health across the entire life course — from early lung development and childhood growth to adulthood and healthy ageing.
• It is coordinated by the Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS).

Theme 2026: A Lifetime of Lung Health

The theme follows a life-course approach, recognising that lung health is influenced by exposures and interventions throughout life.

Its four major focus areas are:

• Supporting healthy lung development – particularly before birth and during early childhood.
• Supporting healthy lung growth – enabling children and adolescents to reach their optimal respiratory capacity.
• Maintaining healthy lungs – through prevention, early diagnosis and healthier environments.
• Supporting healthy lungs throughout life – including healthy respiratory ageing.

Threats to Lung Health

Important determinants of respiratory health include:

• Tobacco and nicotine exposure, including second-hand smoke.
• Outdoor and household air pollution.
• Respiratory infections.
• Occupational exposure to dust, fumes and hazardous substances.
• Poor access to diagnosis, medicines and healthcare.
• Environmental and climatic conditions.

Major respiratory diseases include asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), tuberculosis, pneumonia and lung cancer.

World Lung Day

• The idea emerged through the Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS).
• The first World Lung Day was observed on 25 September 2017.
• It was conceived following discussions at the 2016 FIRS Assembly Meeting in Kyoto, Japan, amid concern over the growing global burden of respiratory diseases.
• The observance promotes:
  • Prevention of respiratory disease.
  • Early diagnosis and treatment.
  • Clean air.
  • Tobacco control.
  • Vaccination.
  • Physical activity.
  • Equitable access to respiratory medicines and healthcare.

Forum of International Respiratory Societies

• FIRS is an international coalition of major professional respiratory societies.
• It brings together nine leading respiratory organisations, representing around 100,000 respiratory health professionals worldwide.
• Members include organisations such as:
  • American Thoracic Society (ATS).
  • European Respiratory Society (ERS).
  • Asian Pacific Society of Respirology (APSR).
  • American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST).
  • International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease.
  • Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA).
  • Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD).

India Context

• National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP):
  • Implements India's public-health response to tuberculosis through prevention, screening, diagnosis and treatment.
• National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP):
  • Focuses on tobacco-control awareness, enforcement and implementation of measures under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003.
• National Clean Air Programme (NCAP):
  • Implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to improve air quality in cities with persistent air-pollution problems.
  • Air pollution is an important environmental risk factor for chronic respiratory disease.
• Healthy Lungs for Life:
  • A global lung-health awareness campaign associated with FIRS and the European Lung Foundation.
  • Promotes clean air, physical activity, smoking cessation, vaccination, healthy nutrition and climate action.

Sources

• News18
• ETV Bharat