India Tech Tracker - July 2023

The Hindu |  July 30, 2023

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) achieved another triumph as the PSLV-C56 rocket placed seven satellites, including Singapore's DS-SAR satellite, into orbit. The launch followed the successful start of the Chandrayaan-3 mission two weeks ago. With this achievement, ISRO has now launched a total of 431 satellites from thirty-four countries. ISRO Chairman S. Somnath praised the successful mission and highlighted ISRO's commitment to sustainable space practices. Further plans include upcoming missions and continued advancements in space exploration.

 

Press Information Bureau of India |  July 20, 2023

NITI Aayog has launched the India Climate Energy Dashboard (ICED) 3.0, which is a comprehensive platform providing near-real-time data and analytics to track progress in climate action. The user-friendly dashboard integrates data from over 500 parameters and offers over 2,000 infographics and interactive visualizations related to the energy sector and climate. The ICED 3.0 will help users gain insights into India's clean energy transition journey and identify key challenges in the sector.

 

Economic Times |  July 12, 2023

Indian IT services company Wipro has announced a significant investment of over $1 billion in its artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities over the next three years. The company also launched a new strategy called Wipro ai360, an artificial-intelligence-based innovation ecosystem that seeks to integrate AI into every platform and solution used internally and offered to clients. The innovation ecosystem will bring together experts in AI and data analytics from four global business lines. Additionally, Wipro plans to train all 250,000 employees on AI fundamentals and the responsible use of AI within the next twelve months with a comprehensive AI curriculum tailored to different roles.

 

Business Standard |  July 6, 2023

China released its first homegrown open-source desktop operating system, OpenKylin, aiming to reduce reliance on U.S. technology. The system, based on the existing open-source Linux operating system, has been built by a community of about 4,000 developers. It is already being utilized in China’s space program and industries such as finance and energy. Notably, the China Industrial Control Systems Cyber Emergency Response Team, which is under the purview of China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, is among its supporters.

 

Financial Times |  July 5, 2023

India is set to commence the construction of its first semiconductor assembly plant next month. As per Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Union Cabinet Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, India will start producing its first domestically manufactured microchips by the end of 2024. Micron Technology, a U.S. semiconductor company, will also begin the construction of its chip assembly and test facility in Gujarat in August, investing $2.75 billion in the project.

Bloomberg | July 29, 2023

U.S. President Joe Biden is set to sign an executive order by mid-August limiting critical U.S. technology investments in China, focusing on semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing. The order will not affect existing investments but will prohibit specific transactions, while other deals will require disclosure to the government. The restrictions will be rolled out next year after a rule-making process with stakeholder input. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan discussed the concept in July 2021, and lawmakers have shown interest in legislation, though a bill has not reached Biden's desk.

 

The White House | July 21, 2023

Seven leading AI companies in the United States have agreed to place voluntary safeguards on the technology’s development, pledging to manage the risks of the new tools even as they compete over the potential of artificial intelligence. Amazon, Anthropic, Google, Inflection, Meta, Microsoft, and OpenAI all agreed to a set of eight rules. These include internal and external testing of AI systems before their release, investing in cybersecurity and insider threat protection for unreleased models, and developing mechanisms such as a watermarking system for AI-generated content. The fact sheet notes that the companies’ commitment to these safeguards is meant to “underscore three principles that must be fundamental to the future of AI—safety, security, and trust.”

 

Mint |  July 20, 2023

India's telecom regulator, TRAI, recommends the establishment of an independent statutory authority, the Artificial Intelligence and Data Authority of India (AIDAI), to regulate responsible AI use across sectors. It has identified an urgent need for adopting a regulatory framework to ensure that specific AI use cases are regulated through a risk-based framework. It highlighted that use cases with a direct impact on humans should be regulated through legally binding obligations. The telecom regulatory body also added that the impact of AI is not limited only to the telecom sector and has ramifications for the healthcare, finance, transportation, education, and agriculture sectors as well.

 

CNN |  July 14, 2023

China has introduced new regulations for generative AI to oversee the technology used in services like ChatGPT. The rules, set to take effect on August 15, have been updated from a preliminary draft, indicating a more relaxed approach and an opportunity for economic growth. The regulations will apply to AI services available to the general public in China, exempting those developed for research institutions or overseas users. According to the document, the state encourages innovative use of generative AI while requiring security reviews and registration of algorithms for providers whose services can influence public opinion or mobilize the public. China also supports the development of secure and trustworthy AI infrastructure and seeks to participate in the formulation of international AI rules and standards.

 

Wall Street Journal |  July 3, 2023

China has imposed export restrictions on the minerals gallium and germanium, which are crucial to semiconductor, missile systems, and solar cell production. The move comes ahead of economic talks between the United States and China, where both countries are striving for technological dominance. The restrictions, effective from August 1, apply to more than three dozen related materials and metals. According to the announcement, exporters of gallium and germanium-related items must now obtain permission for export. This requires applying for special export licenses and providing documentation for dual-use items and technologies.

Press Information Bureau of India |  July 29, 2023

India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Centre for Nano Science and Engineering (CeNSE) at the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru (IISc), and Lam Research India at SemiconIndia 2023. The collaboration aims to bring together the academic excellence of IISc’s CeNSE and the global expertise of Lam Research, a renowned supplier of innovative wafer fabrication equipment. Lam Research's goal is to develop a 60,000-strong workforce in nanofabrication in India over the next ten years using Semiverse Solutions. The partnership will focus on creating a customized course offering for Indian universities dedicated to teaching semiconductor fabrication technology utilizing Lam Research's virtual fabrication software, SEMulator3D.

 

Business Standard |  July 19, 2023

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) convened its first meeting to discuss the potential threats posed by artificial intelligence to international peace and stability. During the meeting, the UN Secretary-General proposed the establishment of a new international body to regulate the use of AI. He emphasized the importance of globally agreed-upon rules for monitoring and regulating AI's risks and benefits. The UN is urged to develop a legally binding agreement by 2026, prohibiting the use of AI in autonomous weapons of war. British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, who chaired the meeting, stressed the urgency of shaping global governance for transformative technologies like AI, which transcend borders. The Chinese delegation called for flexibility in international laws and norms governing AI, allowing nations to establish their own national-level regulations.

 

The Hindu |  July 13, 2023

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, has approved the procurement of twenty-six Rafale-M fighters to operate off the aircraft carriers. Under the Buy (Indian) category, the DAC also granted the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for the procurement of three additional Scorpene-class diesel-electric submarines, which will be constructed by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited.

 

European Commission |  July 10, 2023

The European Commission adopted an adequacy decision for the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework, ensuring that the United States provides an adequate level of protection for personal data transferred from the EU to U.S. companies under the new framework. The decision allows for safe data flows without additional protection measures. The new framework includes binding safeguards to address concerns raised by the European Court of Justice, and U.S. companies can join by committing to comply with privacy obligations. EU individuals will have access to redress mechanisms in cases of mishandling of their data. Furthermore, the U.S. legal framework provides several safeguards regarding access to data transferred under the framework by U.S. public authorities. EU individuals will be able to access an independent and unbiased redress mechanism concerning the collection and usage of their data by U.S. intelligence agencies. The functioning of the framework will be subject to periodic reviews.

 

Press Information Bureau of India |  July 6, 2023

The MoU for setting up an IIT Madras campus in Zanzibar-Tanzania was signed between the Ministry of Education (MoE), India, IIT Madras, and the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training (MoEVT), Zanzibar-Tanzania. The agreement could mark a historic beginning toward the internationalization of higher education as well as forge stronger people-to-people ties with Africa by strengthening South-South cooperation.

Nothing to report at this time.