Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave (ESTIC) 2025

Context: Recently Telecom Secretary Dr. Neeraj Mittal highlighted the initiatives for research in 6G technology during the Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave (ESTIC) 2025.

About ESTIC 2025

• ESTIC 2025 is a national platform to promote collaboration between scientists, industries, and policymakers in driving innovation-led economic growth organised at Bharat Mandapan, New Delhi.
• Focus Areas: It focused on advanced technologies, sustainable innovation, and fostering a knowledge-powered Bharat through research and technological convergence.
• Participation: The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) led a session on Advanced Materials and Manufacturing, emphasizing India’s R&D leadership.

Initiatives to Promote 6G Research and Experiments

• 100 5G Labs: Established across India to serve as testbeds for 6G prototype development, innovation, and academia–industry collaboration.
• Bharat 6G Alliance: Signed 10 international partnerships with global 6G organizations to enhance India’s global R&D footprint.
• Vision 2030: Targets 10% share in global 6G patents by 2030, aligning with India’s ambition to become a telecom technology leader.

5G vs 6G Technology 

• Speed and Connectivity: 5G offers speeds up to 10 Gbps with low latency for real-time communication, whereas 6G aims for speeds up to 1 Tbps enabling ultra-fast data transfer and immersive experiences like holographic communication.
• Technological Scope:  5G supports the Internet of Things (IoT) and smart cities, while 6G integrates AI, quantum communication, and advanced sensing to enable intelligent, autonomous networks and real-time global connectivity.

Syro-Malabar Church

Context: Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Major Archbishop Mar Raphael Thattil, head of the Syro-Malabar Church, and senior bishops in New Delhi, discussing minority welfare and inclusive governance.

About the Syro-Malabar Church

• Historical Origin: The Syro-Malabar Church traces its origin to St. Thomas the Apostle, who is believed to have evangelized India between 42 and 72 AD.
• Ancient Connections: Indian Christians maintained links with the Church of the East in the Persian Empire after the visit of Pantenus, a missionary from Alexandria, in 189 AD.
• Evolution: The Church attained metropolitan status in the 7th century, symbolizing ecclesiastical autonomy within the Eastern tradition.
  • It  is the right of religious institutions to govern their own internal affairs, including matters of faith, doctrine, and church government, without external interference from the state or civil courts
• Present Status: The Syro-Malabar Church is one of the three Eastern Catholic Churches in India, primarily centered in Kerala, with allegiance to the Pope in Rome.

Significance

• The meeting highlighted the Church’s role in education, social welfare, and interfaith harmony, reinforcing the government’s inclusive, dialogue-based approach toward minority communities.

‘Atomic Stencils’ for Designer Nanoparticles

Context: Scientists from the U.S. and South Korea have developed an innovative “atomic stencilling” method to precisely pattern nanoparticles with polymer patches, enabling advanced nanomaterial design.

About ‘Atomic Stencils’

• A stencil is a thin sheet with cut-out designs used to apply paint or ink onto a surface, forming patterns or letters.
  • It also refers to the design or image produced by applying pigment through such a template.
• Atomic Stencils mimics the artist’s stencil at the nanoscale, using iodide atoms as microscopic masks on gold nanoparticles.
• Process:
  • Iodide atoms selectively adhere to specific surfaces of nanoparticles, creating a stencil.
  • Long chained molecules (Polymers) are then added to unmasked regions, forming precise surface patches.
• Control & Variety: By adjusting iodide coverage, researchers created over 20 types of patchy nanoparticles with distinct geometric and chemical arrangements.
• Self-Assembly: These patchy nanoparticles spontaneously organised into ordered 3D superlattices, demonstrating controlled self-assembly.
• Applications: The technique opens pathways for designing metamaterials capable of manipulating light, sound, and chemical reactivity; useful in targeted drug delivery, catalysis, and smart materials.
• Scalability: The approach can be extended to other systems like gold nanorods, offering tunability in shape, size, and chemical composition.

About Nanoparticles

• Definition: Nanoparticles are materials with at least one dimension between 1–100 nm, thousands of times smaller than a human hair.
• Types: Common forms include nanospheres, nanorods, nanosheets, nanotubes, and nanowires, each with distinct structural properties.
• Applications: Widely used in electronics, medicine, energy, and environmental science for tasks like targeted drug delivery, sensing, and catalysis.
• Significance: The ability to control nanoparticle shape and surface chemistry is key to developing next-generation technologies with tailored physical and chemical behaviours.

Quantum-Safe Communication Network

Context: Recently, QNu Labs has successfully demonstrated India’s first large-scale Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) network, marking a major step in quantum-secure communication.

About the Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) Network

• QKD is a cutting-edge communication technology that enables the exchange of encryption keys using quantum particles, ensuring unbreakable data security.
• Development: The 500 km quantum-safe network was developed by QNu Labs Pvt. Ltd., Bengaluru, using existing optical fiber infrastructure.
• Collaboration: The demonstration was conducted in partnership with the Indian Army’s Southern Command, which provided a dedicated test-bed optical fiber network.
• Support: The project was funded through the I-Hub Quantum Technology Foundation under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NMICPS) at IISER Pune.
• Significance: This milestone advances India’s vision of leadership in quantum technologies and strengthens national cybersecurity resilience.

About QNu Labs Pvt. Ltd.

• QNu Labs is a Bengaluru-based quantum technology startup supported by the Department of Science and Technology under National Quantum Mission (NQM).
• Other Contributions: QNu Labs also developed the Quantum Random Number Generator System-in-Package (QSIP), providing quantum-certified randomness for cryptographic algorithms.
• Relevance: These innovations enhance India’s preparedness against emerging cyber threats and future quantum attacks, aligning with the vision of secure digital infrastructure under the NQM.

World Inequality Database

Context: A World Inequality Database report led by Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz reveals that India’s richest 1% now own 62% of the nation’s total wealth.

About the World Inequality Report

• The report was published by the World Inequality Database and commissioned by the South African Presidency of the G20.
• Objective: It aims to highlight global wealth concentration trends and their socio-political and environmental impacts.
• Concern: The report warns that inequality has reached “emergency levels,” threatening democracy, economic stability, and climate goals.

Key Findings of the Report

• Global Trends: The world’s top 1% now control 41% of total wealth, while the bottom 50% receive only 1% of income.
• Indian Context: In India, the top 1% increased their wealth share to 62% between 2000 and 2023, compared to 54% in China.
• Comparative Insight: The U.S. also saw a rise in wealth concentration, with the top 1% expanding their share by 5% since 1980.
• Broader Impact: Rising inequality correlates with democratic decline and limits access to food and healthcare for billions.

Recommendations to Address Inequality

• Global Cooperation: The report urges G20 nations to lead coordinated efforts to tackle income and wealth disparities.
• Institutional Mechanism: It proposes establishing an International Panel on Inequality (IPI) to monitor global inequality trends.
• Policy Guidance: The IPI should provide reliable data to help governments design targeted policies for inclusive and sustainable economic growth.

Luxembourg

Context: India and Luxembourg have agreed to enhance cooperation in space, science, and technology, focusing on supporting Indian space start-ups’ entry into European markets.

About Luxembourg

• Luxembourg is a small, landlocked country in northwestern Europe, known for its strategic location and strong economic and political stability.
• Borders: It is bordered by Belgium to the west and north, France to the south, and Germany to the east and northeast.
• Physical Features: The northern region, Oesling, forms part of the Ardennes Mountains with the Sûre River flowing eastward
  • The southern region, Bon Pays, hosts fertile valleys and the capital, Luxembourg City.
• Climate: Mild, temperate climate with moderate rainfall.

“Operation White Cauldron”

Context: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has dismantled a multi-state drug network by raiding a clandestine factory in Valsad, Gujarat, under “Operation White Cauldron.”

About “Operation White Cauldron”

“Operation White Cauldron” is a coordinated DRI action targeting illegal manufacturing of Alprazolam, a psychotropic substance regulated under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.About Alprazolam

• Alprazolam is a psychotropic drug belonging to the benzodiazepine class, commonly prescribed to treat anxiety and panic disorders.
• Misuse: It has also been misused for recreational purposes because of its disinhibition, euphoria, and anxiolytic effects.
• Preparation: It is chemically synthesized using compounds such as p-Nitrochlorobenzene, Phosphorous Pentasulfide, and Ethyl Acetate, often requiring controlled laboratory conditions.
• Health Impact: When misused or consumed without medical supervision, Alprazolam can cause severe drowsiness, dependence, respiratory depression, memory loss, and even overdose-related fatalities. 
  • Chronic abuse can lead to addiction and withdrawal symptoms such as seizures and agitation.

Khangchendzonga National Park

Context: The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has rated Khangchendzonga National Park as “good” in its latest global review of natural World Heritage Sites, making it the only Indian park to receive this positive rating.

Other sites like the Western Ghats and Sundarbans face serious conservation concerns.

Findings on Khangchendzonga National Park

• The park earned global recognition for effective conservation management, strong community participation, and minimal human disturbance due to its remote terrain.
• Cross-border cooperation with Nepal’s Kanchenjunga Conservation Area aids anti-poaching and biodiversity protection.
• The park’s disaster preparedness measures, including hazard mapping after the glacial lake outburst flood, demonstrate effective climate resilience and adaptive management.

About Khangchendzonga National Park

• Khangchendzonga National Park, also known as the Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve, lies in Sikkim and was declared India’s first “mixed” UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2016, covering 1,784 sq. km.
• Natural Features: The park extends from subtropical forests to the icy Mount Khangchendzonga (8,586 m), housing 280 glaciers, 70 glacial lakes, and species like snow leopard, red panda, and Himalayan tahr.
• Cultural and Community Significance: For Lepcha and Tibetan Buddhist communities, it is a sacred landscape with  Mayel Lyang and beyul  symbolizing coexistence between spiritual heritage and modern conservation practices.
• Biosphere Reserve Integration: Expanded in 2018, the Biosphere Reserve integrates core zones with buffer areas, enabling sustainable livelihoods through eco-friendly farming, reflecting harmonious conservation and community development.

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