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October 01, 2025 India Achieves Milestones in Defense, Deep-Sea Exploration, and Renewable Energy

In a significant 24-hour period, India has marked crucial advancements across its science and technology landscape. These include the successful rail-based launch of the Agni Prime missile, a strategic move enhancing the nation's defense capabilities. Concurrently, India has secured a second deep-sea mineral exploration contract in the Indian Ocean, positioning itself as a global leader in polymetallic sulphide exploration. Further boosting its sustainable energy goals, IIT Roorkee announced a breakthrough in solar cell technology with record efficiency. The nation also highlighted robust growth in its pharmaceutical exports and a thriving biotech startup ecosystem, alongside the inauguration of an advanced meteorological system.

India has reported several key developments in the realm of science and technology over the past 24 hours, underscoring its growing prowess and strategic ambitions. These advancements span defense, deep-sea exploration, renewable energy, and biotechnology.

Agni Prime Missile Successfully Launched from Rail-Based Platform

In a major strategic and technological milestone, India successfully conducted the rail-based launch of the Agni Prime missile. This test, carried out on September 30, 2025, significantly enhances the mobility and operational readiness of India's missile systems. The Agni Prime, also known as Agni-P, is the sixth missile in the Agni series developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). It boasts a range of up to 2,000 km and utilizes a two-stage solid propellant system. The canisterized missile ensures quick launch and safe handling. This successful rail launch adds a new dimension to India's missile capabilities, following earlier validations of road mobility, and places India among a select group of nations like the USA, China, and Russia with rail-based ballistic missile capabilities. This advancement directly improves India's nuclear deterrence posture and strengthens its second-strike capability.

India Secures Second Deep-Sea Mineral Exploration Contract

India has made history by becoming the first country globally to hold two deep-sea mineral exploration contracts from the International Seabed Authority (ISA). On September 30, 2025, India secured a second contract for polymetallic sulphide (PMS) exploration in the Carlsberg Ridge of the Indian Ocean, adding to its existing 2016 contract in the Central and Southwest Indian Ridges. This new contract, approved last week, allocates a 10,000 sq km area for exploration. The National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), Goa, is slated to commence exploration in 2026, employing geophysical and hydrographic surveys. Polymetallic Sulphides are rich seabed deposits containing crucial metals like copper, zinc, lead, gold, and silver, vital for various industries. This achievement represents a significant scientific breakthrough and a strategic advantage for India's mineral security and deep-ocean research capabilities.

IIT Roorkee Achieves Breakthrough in High-Efficiency Solar Cells

In a significant boost to India's renewable energy ambitions, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee has announced a major scientific breakthrough in solar cell technology. A research team led by Prof. Soumitra Satapathi has successfully developed silicon-perovskite tandem solar cells with a record 30% power conversion efficiency (PCE). This marks a substantial improvement over the approximately 24% efficiency of conventional silicon-based modules that have dominated the global photovoltaic market for over four decades. This development is crucial for India's goal of achieving 500 GW of renewable energy by 2030 and supports the nation's "Solar Atmanirbharta" initiative.

Growth in Pharma Exports and Biotech Ecosystem

Union Minister for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh highlighted India's robust growth in the pharmaceutical sector. On September 30, 2025, he projected that India's pharma exports, currently valued at nearly 27 billion dollars, are expected to exceed 30 billion dollars this year. The Minister emphasized India's role as the "Pharmacy of the World," supplying vaccines to over 200 countries. Furthermore, he noted the rapid expansion of India's biotech ecosystem, which has grown from approximately 50 startups in 2014 to more than 11,000 today, reflecting the sector's potential to drive economic and healthcare goals.

SODAR System Inaugurated at IMD

On the occasion of CSIR's Foundation Day, a new SODAR (Sound Detection and Ranging) system facility was inaugurated at the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on September 30, 2025. Designed and developed by CSIR–Advanced Materials and Processes Research Institute (AMPRI), Bhopal, this system aims to enhance meteorological forecasting, validation, and research initiatives by facilitating the sharing of SODAR system data across various locations.

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