CURRENT AFFAIRS

Emerging research in marine and space biotechnology is drawing global attention for its potential to harness life forms from extreme environments such as deep oceans and outer space to generate new biological knowledge, advanced materials, and sustainable manufacturing processes.

A recent Reuters report claimed that the Indian government was considering requiring smartphone manufacturers to share their source code with third-party testing agencies and to inform authorities before major software updates.

In recent years, the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has witnessed remarkable progress with the development of Large Language Models (LLMs) such as GPT-5, Claude, Gemini, and others. These models are capable of understanding, analyzing, and generating human-like language.

Recently, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), in collaboration with the Indian Army, conducted successful trials of the indigenously developed Man Portable Anti-tank Guided Missile Weapon System (MPATGM), marking a major step forward in India’s anti-tank warfare capability.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) suffered a setback at the start of the year when the PSLV-C62 mission, carrying 16 satellites, failed to achieve its intended orbit. This marks the second consecutive failure of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV)—ISRO’s most reliable launch vehicle for over three decades—following the PSLV-C61 failure in May 2025.

The Union Government is considering legally enforcing the Indian Telecom Security Assurance Requirements (ITSAR) for smartphones, introducing 83 mandatory security standards covering source code disclosure, software controls, logging requirements, and user-permission restrictions.

Amid heightened global geopolitical tensions and growing fears of escalation between major powers, the Boeing E-4B Nightwatch, popularly known as the United States military’s “Doomsday Plane,” made a rare and unexpected appearance over Los Angeles, triggering public anxiety and widespread speculation.

M-STrIPES (Monitoring System for Tigers: Intensive Protection and Ecological Status) is an IT-based advanced monitoring system used in India for the protection, surveillance, and scientific management of tigers and other wildlife.

Recently, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) achieved a major milestone under India’s hypersonic missile programme. DRDO successfully conducted a ground test of a full-scale, actively cooled, long-duration scramjet engine.

Forest staff involved in the upcoming tiger and wildlife census at the Anamalai Tiger Reserve will be using the Monitoring System for Tigers: Intensive Protection and Ecological Status (M-STrIPES) mobile application.