Month: August 2023

The central government has set urgent limitations on the import of laptops, tablets, and PCs. According to the notification, the item would be permitted with a valid licence for restricted imports.

The Big Idea

• To boost indigenous production and minimise reliance on Chinese imports, India has imposed limits on the import of personal computers, laptops, and other IT devices from China. This measure is part of the government’s aim to grow the electronics sector and increase India’s self-sufficiency in IT hardware production.

What is stated in the import restriction notification?

• Restricted Categories: According to the notification, the import of personal computers, laptops, palmtops, automatic data processing machines, microcomputers and processors, and big or mainframe computers with the HSN code 8471 is prohibited.
• Import with a Valid Licence: Imports of laptops, tablets, all-in-one personal computers, ultra-small form factor computers, and servers under HSN 8741 will be permitted only with a valid licence.
• Exemption for Research and Development: The government has given exemption from import licences for imports of up to 20 goods per consignment for the purposes of research and development, testing, benchmarking, evaluation, repair and re-export, and product development. These imports, however, can only be used for the listed objectives and cannot be sold.
• Exemption for Repair and Return: According to the Foreign Trade Policy, the licence for limited imports is not required for the repair and return of products repaired abroad.

China’s Import Dominance in IT Hardware

Imports of Electronic Goods Have Increased:

• In recent years, India has seen a major growth in imports of electronic goods and laptops/computers.
• The import of electronic items increased to $6.96 billion during the April-June quarter, accounting for 4-7 percent of total imports.

Dominance in the Personal Computers Category:

• Among the seven banned import categories, China dominates the personal computer market, which includes laptops and palmtops.
• Personal computer imports from China totaled $558.36 million in April-May, accounting for around 70-80 percent of India’s overall imports in this category.

Surge in Chinese imports:

• While imports from China fell in the previous fiscal year, it is critical to address the substantial increase in imports in the two preceding years (2021-22 and 2020-21).
• Imports of personal computers and laptop computers from China increased by 51.5 percent year on year in 2021-22, totaling $5.34 billion.
• Similarly, imports totaled $3.52 billion in 2020-21, representing a strong year-on-year growth of 44.7 percent.

The reasons behind the limits

• Increasing Domestic Production: India intends to improve its domestic manufacturing capabilities in the electronics sector. By limiting imports, the government hopes to encourage enterprises to manufacture these goods in India.
• Reducing Dependence on China: In recent years, India has experienced a major growth in its imports of Chinese electronic items and laptops/computers. India plans to lessen its reliance on Chinese imports and diversify its sources of electronic items by imposing limitations.
• Supporting the PLI plan: The decision is considered as a direct boost to the Center’s PLI plan for IT hardware. The limits are intended to encourage businesses to join in the scheme and invest in local manufacturing.
• Addressing Trade Imbalances: India has a trade deficit with China in the electronics sector. India hopes to remedy this imbalance and potentially improve its trading position by reducing imports.
• Domestic Electronics Industry Strengthening: The limitation is part of India’s larger goal to grow and strengthen its electronics manufacturing sector. India hopes to create jobs and improve its industrial capabilities by supporting indigenous production.

Conclusion

India’s plan to limit IT gear imports from China attempts to lessen reliance on a single country for imports. This restriction, with the correct incentives and measures in place, might pave the path for a large and competitive local IT hardware business in India.

Source: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/how-to/why-govt-banned-imports-of-laptops-computers-how-will-it-help-india-here-are-all-the-answers/articleshow/102417277.cms#:~:text=India%20has%20announced%20limitations%20on,commodities%20from%20China%20and%20Korea.

• A big object discovered on the coasts of Western Australia a few weeks ago was determined to be the debris of an ISRO rocket used for the IRNSS constellation.
• Concerns have been raised concerning space debris and its potential impact on Earth and its inhabitants as a result of the catastrophe.

Frequency and Risks of Space Junk

• Common Occurrences: It is not commonplace for space debris to fall back to Earth. The majority of cases involve relatively small pieces that survive atmospheric friction and are usually unnoticed.
• However, there have been a few high-profile falls, including a 25-tonne Chinese rocket component that fell into the Indian Ocean in May 2021 and the disintegration of the Skylab space station in 1979, with some fragments landing in Western Australia.

How did the ISRO debris end up in Australia?

• Probable Re-entry and Ocean Drift: The debris most likely remained unburned while re-entering the atmosphere and finally fell into the ocean. Ocean currents could have brought it to Australia’s coasts.
• Move for disposal: The Australian Space Agency is collaborating with ISRO to decide the next steps, which will include taking into account commitments under United Nations space treaties.

Potential Hazards and their Impact on Life and Property:

• The danger posed by falling space trash to life and property cannot be overstated. Even objects that fall into oceans can endanger marine life and add to pollution.
• There have been no reported examples of falling space debris inflicting considerable damage on Earth. Debris falling over land has typically occurred in desolate places.

International Regulations and Liability

• Convention on International Liability for Damage Caused by Space Objects: International regulations, such as this Convention, govern issues related to space debris falling back to Earth.
• Absolute Liability: The launching country is “absolutely liable” to compensate for any damage caused by its space object on Earth or during an aviation flight.
• Compensation Provision: In the current instance, if the PSLV debris caused any harm in Australia, India might have been held accountable, regardless of whether it fell into the water first.
• Past Compensation: The Convention has only resulted in one payment of compensation, when Canada claimed damages from the Soviet Union in 1978 for a satellite containing a radioactive chemical that fell into its unoccupied northern territory. As reparation, the Soviet Union paid $3 million in Canadian currency.

Efforts of ISRO to Reduce Space Debris

• ISRO successfully completed a dedicated commercial mission, deploying seven Singaporean satellites into their designated orbits on board a PSLV rocket.
• Orbit-lowering ISRO conducted a one-of-a-kind experiment during this flight, lowering the fourth stage of the rocket into a 300 km high orbit after putting client satellites at an altitude of 536 km to reduce space debris concerns.
• Debris Removal Duration: The duration of the stage in space has been greatly decreased thanks to the orbit-lowering experiment to “two months.”
• Experiment Goals: The experiment intends to address space debris mitigation issues while also preserving desirable orbits for future satellite deployments.

Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-sci-tech/isro-rocket-debris-on-australian-shore-rules-governing-space-junk-8870243/

The Computer Emergency Response Team of India (CERT-In) has issued a warning about the Akira ransomware, a very severe cyber threat that has caused havoc on corporate networks around the world.

What exactly is the Akira Ransomware?

• Akira ransomware encrypts sensitive data on infected devices and appends the “akira” extension to filenames, rendering the files inaccessible to users.
• Shadow Volume Deletion: The ransomware deletes Windows Shadow Volume copies, limiting victim organisations’ data recovery options.
• Ransom Demands: Ransomware operators demand a twofold ransom for decryption and recovery, threatening to disclose sensitive material on their dark web blog if payment is not made.

Infection and Mechanism of Action

• Akira ransomware spreads largely via spear-phishing emails with malicious attachments, drive-by downloads, and specially engineered web URLs. It also infiltrates systems through unsecured Remote Desktop connections.
• To protect system stability, the ransomware avoids encrypting certain system directories.
• The victim is given a unique negotiation password to connect with the ransomware gang via the threat actor’s Tor site.
• Important targets
• Akira ransomware targets business networks in a variety of industries, including education, finance, real estate, manufacturing, and consulting.
• Exfiltration of sensitive corporate data: In addition to encryption, threat actors steal sensitive corporate data and use it as leverage in extortion attempts.

Akira Ransomware Protection Measures

• Backups on a regular basis: Maintain current offline backups to secure data recovery in the event of an attack.
• Updates to the system: Update operating systems and networks on a regular basis, and use virtual patching for legacy systems.
• To combat email spoofing and spam, implement Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance (DMARC), Domain Keys Identified Mail (DKIM), and Sender Policy Framework (SPF).
• Strong Authentication: To secure user accounts, enforce strong password policies and multi-factor authentication (MFA).
• Data Encryption: To safeguard sensitive information, use data-at-rest and data-in-transit encryption.
• Attachment Blocking: To avoid harmful downloads, block suspicious attachment file types such as.exe,.pif, or.url.
• Security Audits: Conduct frequent security audits to identify vulnerabilities, especially for key networks and database servers.

Source: https://www.deccanherald.com/business/technology/beware-of-akira-ransomware-cert-in-warns-windows-linux-pc-users-1240293.html

• The global transition to net-zero emissions is vital to mitigating climate change, and electric vehicles (EVs) play a critical part in this effort.
• Given the limitations of power supply, grid capacity, and fast-charging infrastructure in economically developing countries, hybrid EVs offer a substantial chance to jumpstart the shift.

Understanding Vehicle Net-Zero

• The notion of “net-zero for vehicles” refers to reaching carbon neutrality or net-zero carbon emissions in the transportation sector.
• This goal entails lowering cars’ overall carbon footprint in order to balance the emissions they emit with equivalent carbon removal or offsetting efforts.

Electric Vehicle Types

• Any vehicle with an electric drivetrain that is powered by a portable electrical energy source is considered an electric vehicle (EV).
• To generate power, a hybrid EV combines an internal combustion engine (ICE) with an electrical generator. It has a tiny battery (1-5kWh) that serves as an energy buffer, however it cannot be charged from the grid.
• Full EV: Also known as a battery EV or plug-in EV, it does not have an ICE and so emits no exhaust emissions. It has a bigger battery (20-120 kWh) that is charged entirely by the grid.
• Plug-in Hybrid EV: A hybrid EV with a larger battery (5-15 kWh) that can be charged from the grid and operates in full electric mode as long as the battery has energy.
• Fuel-Cell EV: A fuel cell and a small battery buffer are used to provide electricity for the drivetrain.

Emissions and Fuel Economy of Hybrid and Fully Electric EVs

• Hybrid electric vehicles: Hybrid EVs have 1.5-2x higher fuel economy than standard ICE vehicles in city driving and 1-1.5x higher on the highway thanks to the combination of an ICE, generator, and battery.
• Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles: Combine the benefits of hybrid and full EVs, covering 80-90% of short commutes in fully electric mode while consuming 3-4x less gasoline than conventional vehicles.
• Emissions During the Life Cycle: A complete index that takes into account emissions from well to wheel, vehicle and battery production, maintenance, and end-of-life recycling. Even with India’s fossil-fuel-dominated energy mix, full EVs result in 19-34% lower emissions for cars and 38-49% lower emissions for SUVs compared to conventional vehicles.

Transitioning to Electric Mobility’s Difficulties

• Fast-Charging Infrastructure: To ease range anxiety and encourage full EV adoption, a successful transition requires fast-charging infrastructure along highways.
• Grid connections and Reliability: Many places lack stable grid connections, providing issues for slow and fast charging capacities.
• Vehicle expenses: In economically developing countries, mass-market EV pricing are substantially lower, limiting widespread adoption due to high battery costs.

EVs with Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid Powertrains: Decarbonizing the Interim

• Hybrid EVs offer a way to reduce emissions until full EVs become realistic solutions in the long run.
• Plug-in hybrids, with their all-electric range, have numerous advantages, including lower fuel costs, pollutants, and oil imports.
• In hybrid EVs, regenerative braking and engine start-stop technologies improve fuel economy.
• Regardless of vehicle range, the purchase price of hybrid cars is only marginally higher than that of conventional vehicles.

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/the-promise-of-hybrid-evs-in-cutting-short-term-carbon-emissions/article67142001.ece

• The preliminary findings of a randomised phase-3/4 study done in India to assess the safety and efficacy of BPaL Regimen, an all-oral, short-course therapy, are encouraging.
• Individuals with pre-XDR TB or treatment-intolerant/non-responsive MDR pulmonary TB are given BPaL.

What exactly is BPaL?

• Bedaquiline, Pretomanid, and Linezolid (BPaL) are the sole medications used in the trial.
• The treatment is only 26 weeks long, as opposed to the traditional 18-month treatment using eight to nine tablets every day.

Trial Results

• It provided a much lower amount of pills per day, leading in enhanced treatment adherence and outcomes.
• Approximately 70% of trial participants finished the 26-week treatment, with a cure rate of more than 85%.
• In comparison, even with perfect adherence, the cure rate for traditional DR-TB treatment is 60-65%.

Superiority in Treatment

• Cases of Advanced Tuberculosis: Despite the fact that the study participants had advanced TB affecting both lungs, the cure rate was greater than 85%, confirming the superiority of the BPaL short-course therapy.
• The Value of Early Diagnosis: For individuals with pre-XDR TB, early diagnosis and treatment with the three-drug regimen can result in even better outcomes.

Problems with the treatment

• Three to four study participants reported severe side effects, but these were either treated or happened too late in the disease’s course to be helpful.
• Mild side effects of linezolid included a decrease in haemoglobin and platelet counts, as well as neuropathy (tingling and numbness in the legs).

The Tuberculosis Epidemic in India

• Total TB Cases: In 2021, around 21.3 lakh (2.13 million) TB cases were reported in India.
• Incidence Rate: In 2021, the incidence rate of tuberculosis in India was 210 cases per lakh population.
• Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis: The number of drug-resistant tuberculosis patients in India has decreased from around 1.49 lakh in 2015 to 1.19 lakh in 2021.
• Initiatives of the Government: To battle tuberculosis, India has set the goal of eliminating the illness by 2025, and numerous programmes, such as active case detection, screening, and increased access to diagnostic tests and treatment, have been adopted.

Shttps://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/tb-over-85-cure-rate-seen-in-modified-bpal-regimen-trial/article67132762.ece#:~:text=%E2%80%9CMost%20of%20the%20patients%20who,course%20therapy%2C%E2%80%9D%20she%20says.

• As part of the second phase of the Design-Linked Incentive (DLI) Scheme for the semiconductor industry, the Indian government is exploring a proposal to select an equity share in domestic chip design firms.
• The scheme’s goal is to create a stable ecosystem and encourage the creation of “fabless companies” in India—those that design chips but outsource production.
• However, due to the capital-intensive nature of the semiconductor industry and the lengthy gestation periods for setting up design and production units, this approach necessitates a long-term strategy.

What is DLI Scheme?

• The DLI scheme is a programme that provides financial and infrastructural assistance to enterprises that want to set up semiconductor manufacturing operations in India.
• Eligible participants who establish fabrication facilities in the country might get up to 50% of the total cost.
• Furthermore, participants constructing compound semiconductor, silicon photonics, and sensor production plants might receive 30% fiscal support under this scheme.
• Companies engaging in semiconductor design for integrated circuits, chipsets, system-on-chips, systems, and IP cores will earn 4% to 6% net sales incentives over a five-year period.
• The initiative is anticipated to help at least 20 such businesses flourish, with a total revenue of more than Rs 1500 crore in the following five years.

Chip Dynamics at the Present

• Long Gestation Period: Establishing design and fabrication units in the semiconductor business necessitates a lengthy gestation period before the first product is released. Returns on investment do not occur immediately.
• Capital-intensive: The semiconductor sector necessitates significant investment in order to set up fabrication units, scale up manufacturing capacities, and conduct research.
• The cyclic nature of the industry, as well as the shifting functional needs of chipsets, make research and development difficult.
• Supply chain interruptions, such as those experienced during COVID-related lockdowns, might erode investor trust in the sector.

Domestic Chip Industry Scenario Talent Pool:

• India has a highly qualified talent pool of semiconductor design engineers, accounting for over 20% of the worldwide workforce and working for multinational corporations such as Intel, Micron, and Qualcomm, among others.
• Despite a thriving talent pool, India holds a smaller percentage of the intellectual property (IP) connected to semiconductor designs, which is largely kept by multinational firms.
• DLI Scheme for Chip Design: The DLI scheme, which was implemented in December 2021, seeks to indigenize ideas and assist the growth of chip design companies through financial incentives.
• Changing Landscape: The plan has resulted in the development of over 30 semiconductor design businesses in India, with some already getting government funding.

India’s market is expanding

• The semiconductor business is rapidly expanding and is expected to reach $1 trillion in the next decade. India can rapidly rise to $64 billion by 2026, up from $27 billion presently.
• Mobiles, wearables, information technology, and industrial components are the key segments in the Indian semiconductor business, accounting for over 80% of revenues in 2021.
• The mobile and wearables market is now $13.8 billion and is predicted to grow to $31.5 billion by 2026.

Considerations and Obstacles

• Efficiency and effectiveness: According to some analysts, the government’s ambition to establish a venture capital business for chip design firms is useless and inefficient. Foreign purchasers may be preferred by companies for greater valuations and global ecosystem linkages.
• Foreign purchasers may be preferred by companies for greater valuations and global ecosystem linkages.
• Support for Venture Capital: A shortage of venture capitalists in the private sector focused on semiconductors is a barrier to the expansion of design firms.
• The Impact of an Equity Stake: Offering an equity stake helps match the interests of design firms with the success of the project, ensuring shared risk and benefit. It may also aid in more effectively selling chip-designing services and attracting a bigger client base in the market.
• Intellectual Property and Value-Added Activities: The government must assess who can keep the IP and how investments can spur additional innovation and job creation. It is critical to move up the value chain and enable the ecosystem.

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/explained-mapping-indias-chip-design-ecosystem/article67136594.ece#:~:text=About%202%2C000%20integrated%20circuits%20and,Micron%20and%20Qualcomm%20among%20others.