Tech

X said it will remove illegal content, suspend offending accounts and cooperate with authorities, including for AI tool Grok misuse, after India’s IT ministry ordered takedowns of obscene material, sought action reports, and warned of legal action for non-compliance nationwide

The road transport ministry has proposed a Battery Pack Aadhaar Number (BPAN) system to assign a unique 21-character identification code to electric vehicle batteries. The initiative prioritises EV batteries, which account for nearly 90 per cent of India’s lithium-ion demand.

Elon Musk said Neuralink could potentially restore full body functionality by bridging damaged spinal cords through brain-computer interfaces. The company has already implanted devices in 12 patients and is also developing Blindsight, a vision-restoring brain chip.

The Indian government has issued a stern notice to Elon Musk’s social media platform X, directing it to immediately remove all vulgar and unlawful content, particularly that generated by its AI app Grok.

Veteran lyricist Javed Akhtar said a viral video claiming he “turned to God” is AI-generated and fake. He warned of legal action, saying such content harms reputation, and may approach cyber police against those responsible and sharing it

The Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police have issued a public advisory detailing why bank accounts are frozen in cybercrime cases and how citizens can avoid legal trouble. The police warned against ‘money mule’ scams and urged prompt reporting of suspicious requests.

The update, which is currently appearing on select language versions of Google’s official support page, confirms that data saved in the account—including photos, messages, and emails—will remain completely unaffected when a user switches to a new Gmail ID.

The Indian Air Force’s Software Development Institute signed an MoU with IIT Madras to jointly develop an indigenous digital communication system for airborne applications, boosting secure defence communications and advancing the Atmanirbhar Bharat goal of self-reliance in defence technology

Andhra Pradesh has unveiled a quantum computing policy centred on Amaravati’s Quantum Valley, offering funding and infrastructure support to startups, as Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu pushes to position the state as a global hub by 2030.

"We plan to develop, install and commission a third launch pad in four years. Activities are going on for that," he told PTI in a recent interaction

A New York Times report highlights how American technology giants are investing heavily in India’s Artificial Intelligence and data centre infrastructure. Despite trade tensions between Washington and New Delhi, projects are advancing, with Hyderabad and coastal cities emerging as prime hubs.

Kerala police have registered a case against a Congress leader for allegedly sharing an AI-generated image linking Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan with a Sabarimala gold loss case accused, terming the image fabricated and misleading

The latest mission of BlueBird Block-2 significantly boosts India’s space ambitions and makes it possible to capture a larger chunk of the commercial space sector

ISRO’s LVM3-M6 “Bahubali” rocket created history on Christmas Eve by successfully launching the 6,100 kg BlueBird Block-2 communication satellite, the heaviest ever from Indian soil. The mission, part of a commercial deal with US-based AST SpaceMobile, aims to provide direct-to-mobile 4G and 5G connectivity worldwide.

Scientists of the Zoological Survey of India discovered a new soil-dwelling micro-arthropod species, *Neelus sikkimensis*, in Sikkim. The finding marks the first Indian record of the genus Neelus, highlighting the Eastern Himalayas as a key biodiversity hotspot

DRDO has successfully completed user evaluation trials of the next-generation Akash missile system, paving the way for its induction into the armed forces. The Akash-NG demonstrated precision against diverse aerial threats, including high-speed, low-altitude and long-range high-altitude targets.

ISRO is set to launch the LVM3-M6 rocket carrying the 6,100 kg Bluebird Block-2, the heaviest payload in LVM3 history, from Sriharikota. The satellite will provide global direct-to-mobile 4G/5G connectivity as part of AST SpaceMobile’s network

Around 62 per cent of Indians use GenAI at work regularly, with employers and employees widely crediting AI for improving productivity, decision-making and work quality. India leads global AI adoption and tops the ‘AI Advantage’ score, an EY survey said.

Japan’s H3 rocket failed to deploy the Michibiki 5 navigation satellite into its planned orbit, marking the second failure for the new flagship rocket. JAXA is investigating, with implications for Japan’s independent geolocation and commercial space ambitions

NATO intelligence warns Russia may be developing an anti-satellite “zone-effect” weapon targeting Starlink satellites with orbiting pellets. Experts say it could cause uncontrollable space debris, endanger other satellites, and serve more as a psychological deterrent than a deployable system

INSPACe plans to establish 'Antariksh Prayogshala' space labs at seven Indian academic institutions, providing hands-on training in space technology, fostering industry-academia collaboration, and preparing skilled talent to support India’s growing space economy projected to reach $44 billion by 2033

Hyderabad police have warned users about ‘GhostPairing’, a new WhatsApp scam that exploits the app’s device-linking feature to hijack accounts through fake links. The scam relies on social engineering rather than hacking WhatsApp’s security systems.

Using 11 years of spectroscopic data from Kodaikanal Solar Observatory, Indian researchers mapped Sun’s magnetic activity across latitudes, revealing hemispheric asymmetries and sunspot correlations. The findings refine solar dynamo models, aid space-weather forecasting, and may support climate research

ISRO’s LVM3 M6 mission, scheduled for December 24 from Sriharikota, will launch AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird Block-2 satellite under a commercial agreement. The next-generation spacecraft aims to deliver direct-to-smartphone 4G and 5G broadband globally