IIT Kanpur Unveils India's First Detonation Tube Research Facility
The Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IITK) unveiled a Detonation Tube Research Facility (DTRF) in the Combustion and Propulsion Laboratory of the institute. Funded by the Aeronautics Research and Development Board, DRDO, and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), this is the first facility of its kind in India and among only a few globally.
Developed by Prof. Ajay Vikram Singh and his research group from the Department of Aerospace Engineering, IIT Kanpur, the facility successfully demonstrated the propagation of a detonation wave in a laboratory setting for the first time in India, accomplishing this feat in a record time of two years. Research conducted at the DTRF will help prevent mining, industrial, and home accidents; predict the path of wildfires; increase the efficiency of high-speed detonation-based engines; strengthen safety protocols in oil, gas, and pharmaceutical industries; and even enhance our understanding of supernovas.
Detonations are one of the most powerful phenomena in nature, where an enormous amount of energy is released almost instantaneously, propagated at a speed faster than the speed of sound, with typical velocities reaching ~2000-3000 m/s, making it highly difficult to achieve and control, especially in laboratory settings.
Army Signs 8th Procurement Contract through iDEX
In line with the commitment towards the 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' initiative, the Army signed the eighth procurement contract through the Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) platform. The aim of iDEX is to create an ecosystem to foster innovations and encourage technological development in defence and aerospace by engaging research and development institutes, academia, and industries and providing them funding and other support to carry out R&D which has good potential for future adoption by Indian defence and aerospace organisation.
Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 12, 2018, during the Defence Expo India, iDEX under the Defence Innovation Organisation has emerged as a front-runner in establishing the right kind of contact with start-ups and innovators and has gained substantial traction in the defence start-up community.
Oct 01, 2024
India-Kazakhstan Joint Military Exercise Begins in Uttarakhand
A joint exercise between the militaries of India and Kazakhstan seeking to enhance military capability of both sides to undertake counter-terrorism operations in a sub-conventional scenario under the norms of the UN Charter got underway.
The 8th edition of 'Exercise KAZIND' commenced at Surya Foreign Training Node, Auli in Uttarakhand.
The exercise, which has been held annually since 2016, will conclude on October 13. Last edition of this exercise was held at Otar, Kazakhstan from October 30 to November 11.
The Indian armed forces, comprising 120 personnel, are being represented by a battalion of the Kumaon Regiment of the Indian Army, along with other arms and services, as well as personnel from the Indian Air Force.
The Kazakhstan contingent is being represented mainly by personnel from Land Forces and Air Borne Assault Troopers.
IPS Nalin Prabhat Takes Charge as DGP of J&K
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) appointed IPS Nalin Prabhat as the Director General of Police (DGP) of Jammu and Kashmir. He assumed charge from October 1.
Prabhat is a 1992-batch Indian Police Service officer and has served as the NSG DG since April 2024.
He has had a distinguished career marked by multiple accolades (including three Police Gallantry Medals and the Parakram Padak).
He has an extensive background in counter-insurgency operations and previously led the Greyhounds, a highly specialised anti-Naxal unit in Andhra Pradesh.