Many of you have remembered the movie – Sarfarosh. A line comes there regarding AK-47 that even if someone keeps it underground for years, it will fire smoothly once taken out. The AK-47 gun always made news whenever there was some sort of serious assault going on. Our Indian army, too, used this in their combat operations. But, this time, the Indian army will get an upgraded assault rifle – AK-203. India has decided to buy 70,000 of these rifles from Russia in a recent defence procurement deal. Let’s get more ideas on this new assault gun through this Exhibit blog.
About AK-203
The recent Indian army requirement will help to replace the existing Indian Small Arms System (INSAS) 5.56mm × 45mm assault rifle. If one properly observes this weapon, this gun has 30 rounds in a magazine. Without a magazine, the weight of this gun is somewhere around 3.8 kg, and the firing range of AK-203 is 800 m. The best part of this weapon system is that it is 100% accurate and highly reliable. Hence, such guns will help the Indian army to strengthen their deterrence, apart from Carbine and Tavor guns.
India-Russia Deal
The current deal is a part of the project to build almost six lacs AK-203 rifles in India. This joint venture production is among Ordnance Factory Board, Kalashnikov Concern, and Rosoboronexport. The proposed deal also talks about 100% localized sourcing of materials during production. Russia is one of the biggest defence partners when it comes to getting defence technology products from India. India has been developing BrahMos missiles in collaboration with Russia. The current import of these guns will happen within three months after the payment of this deal gets completed.
Roadblock in the Deal & its Resolution
This defence deal of indigenous production hit a roadblock when OFB quoted a higher price than importing them to India. What happened was that OFB stated that it would take extra hours to build such ammunition if the transfer of technology takes time or gets delayed. Earlier, it was a bit of a perplexing situation, but once OFB came out with the reason, the Defence Ministry set up the committee to work on its amicable resolution. After the solution came out, the Russian President’s visit in late 2020 was the final nail to this procurement process.
Final Remarks
AK-203 ammunition will prove to be a boon for sure for the Indian army. Considering the deal and observing it showcases how the Indian contingent has worked on ensuring that indigenous production will help them lower the procurement price. Exhibit has covered more articles on defence technology that you can check by clicking on this link.
Ever heard of Kamikazee or Blitzkrieg? If not, check out your history books and go through World Wars chapters. It is no less than a flock of weapons giving a surprise attack. But, considering the modern radar technology, making such surprise attacks on aerial space is impossible. So, what to do then? The answer is drone swarming. Drone swarming is a concept that aims to enable autonomous drones to work together as a group for a certain goal. This technology holds the reputation to change how we live and how we work in the near future. Let’s know more about drone swarms through this Exhibit blog.
What are drone swarms?
Many claims that it was they who introduced this drone swarming technology. But, it was Russians who witnessed it during the year 2018. Russians were able to crack down on this flock through their EW&SHORAD system. Drone swarms became a favourite when it comes to destroying oil facilities present in West Asian nations (being an Indian, we will use this term instead of Middle East, coined by Americans and other European countries) like at Aramco unit in Abqaiq and Khurais. And, when the world got hit by COVID-19, a region near Central Asia went through double turmoil conditions, with Azerbaijan and Armenia going to war. This war also witnessed the use of such acumen by Azerbaijan at that time.
Working of Drone Swarming
Drone swarms are the best example of how UAVs coordinate with each other and follow a pattern. It seems that there is a communication line existing between each of them whenever they are maneuvering in any area. During their movement, each of them exchanges information and accordingly follows the pattern. If you hit any of the drones, they will again interact and make a new formation to keep the entire system stable. Hence, these UAVs not only have functionalities of monitoring the rotor and its speed, but it also has to send signals through their network. If any entity gets shot down, the intelligence algorithm among them will bring changes. The following pattern has got its inspiration from a bunch of flies moving in a specific direction. The one controlling these drones, or even if not controlling them, will observe the alignment, separation, and cohesion among these UAVs.
Does India possess Drone Swarming technology?
When we are talking about Drone swarms in other countries, it also becomes important whether we also hold such elements in our campaign or not. And, yes, we do have. Feeling a sense of pride within you? I am sure you may somewhere feel relaxed that we have such modern techniques of warfare with us. A public sector undertaking, HAL, has recently showcased the Air-Launched Flexible Asset (ALFA -S) air-launched swarming drone system. ALFA-S was developed under the Combat Air Teaming System project. Seeing its potential, the US Air Force has also collaborated with India to work more on it.
Final Remarks
Drones are future weapons of warfare, and drone swarms are inevitable. Even a follower of realism will consider such induction of technology as a big achievement. And, having drones swarming will also provide a better edge in terms of displaying our smart power. To follow other defense-based tech articles on the Exhibit platform, click here.
The virtual currency measure was supposed to be introduced in parliament lately, but that did not happen. The government’s decision not to table the Cryptocurrency Bill in the Parliament’s Monsoon Session came as a disappointment to many who had hoped for speedy and efficient regulation of a booming asset class. But there may be more to it than meets the eye. Let us understand that why regulation may be delayed, how it can help, and what the crypto industry’s next steps are.
Since the administration is not in a hurry to pass legislation, and this bill will be debated with Shekharan and Ashwini Vaishnaw, who are both technologists and will provide a great deal of technical expertise to this law. It’s a wonderful thing that consideration is taking place. In India, outright prohibition never works. We’ve seen what happens when gambling and liquor are prohibited. It merely breeds more crooks and fuels the underground economy. It’s critical to have the correct conversations with the right people. Regulation is favorable rather than prohibition. The bill will be delivered. It may not happen during the monsoon session, but it will be a tough bill to outlaw cryptocurrency. If there had been any reconsideration, they would have sent it back to a parliamentary committee, which is probably not bound to happen soon.
India is not a country where regulations are created and then changed every few weeks. When new regulations are introduced in India, we must live with them for decades. Whatever is going on with the regulators right now is exactly what is hoped for, as they continue to take a wait-and-see approach. Creating regulations with loopholes will be disastrous in India.
Despite the Supreme Court’s order in March, the RBI remains in favor of the ban; the government is more liberal because it does not see a ban. They recognize that this will grow into a significant asset class with a large number of investors. As a result, it is preferable to regulate it rather than prohibit it. As a result, while a ban is unlikely, it will be strictly enforced.
Challenges of the bear market
The bull market has ended, and the long-term bear market has begun.
There may be highs and lows. We are seeing push-based marketing through commercials that are reaching first-timers who have never heard of crypto, as opposed to 2017 when crypto was at its pinnacle.
People who arrive from marketing efforts aren’t here for the long haul; they’ll either make or lose money before leaving.
These difficulties must be addressed first, and crypto still has a long way to go.
During a bear market, 70% of them are under the age of 30, they take risks, and they want to make rapid money. Young people get into crypto by following a celebrity tweet, and when they buy a small-cap stock at an all-time high, the corrections reach 60-70 percent, and they flee the market. Some people come into this market with a lot of knowledge and a well-thought-out investing strategy; these are the folks who tend to stay, so the weaker hands leave. The sector is thriving and will continue to do so. Education will play a significant role in the future. This industry is only ten years old, yet it already has close to 150 million users worldwide. The volatility, on the other hand, is diminishing with each passing year. As the market develops, more people will participate, resulting in an increase in market capitalization and a decrease in volatility.
The government does not desire a dynamic market, hence market volatility is a worry. Whenever a law is enacted, it will be significantly weighted in favor of regulating exchanges and crypto companies.
As the worldwide grip of Covid loosens, the citizens of Earth breathe a sigh of relief. However, the situation is yet to die down in India, where the cases are on an ever-rising curve. Even with all doctors running on full steam and state-of-the-art medical equipment, the sheer number of cases has become overwhelming.
Luckily, India has a bright silver lining behind this dark cloud. Global technology giants are coming together to do their bit for the recovery and stability of our motherland. Be it Google or Ethereum, these companies contribute massive amounts of money to help India get out of Covid’s web. Here are some of the feats that they have achieved so far.
Swiss computer accessory expert Logitech recently announced its contribution to India. In a press statement, the company confirmed that it was the largest one-time donation in its history, of two million dollars (roughly Rs 14 crores), supporting Oxygen for India. Oxygen for India is working with the Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics and Policy (CDDEP), United Airlines, Tech Mahindra, and others to provide oxygen cylinders and oxygen concentrators to help those in need.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai has also stepped in to help India in its crisis. In a tweet, he announced Rs 135 crore in funding for medical supplies, organisations supporting high-risk communities, and grants to help spread critical information. Yet another American tech giant is Microsoft, whose CEO Satya Nadella also announced in a tweet that the company would support the country by using its voice, resources, and technology to aid relief efforts and help purchase critical oxygen concentration devices.
Apple, too, has announced its support for India. Its CEO Tim Cook confirmed on Twitter that the American tech giant would be donating to support and relief efforts on the ground. Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg has also confirmed that the company is working with UNICEF to raise ten million dollars (roughly Rs 73 crores) towards India’s emergency response efforts. Samsung has pledged USD 5 million (INR 37 Crores) to contribute to India’s fight against the current surge of Covid-19, providing donations to central and state governments and boosting the healthcare sector with essential medical equipment for hospitals as part of its citizenship initiatives. Samsung will donate USD 3 million to the Centre and the states of Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
Samsung has pledged USD 5 million (INR 37 Crores) to contribute to India’s fight against the current surge of Covid-19, providing donations to central and state governments and boosting the healthcare sector with essential medical equipment for hospitals as part of its citizenship initiatives.
Yet another smartphone giant, Oppo, has also stepped in. It has pledged to donate 1000 oxygenators and 500 breathing machines worth Rs 4.3 crore to the Indian Red Cross Society and the Government of Uttar Pradesh to help in the fight against Covid. They are also donating 5000 units of OPPO Band Style worth INR 1.5 Crore to front-line warriors of the Delhi Police and Greater Noida Authority to help them monitor their health as they serve others.
Another industry giant that is helping India as much as it can is Amazon US. Joining the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Global Task Force, Amazon US is working with NITI Aayog and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW). As part of this, critical life-saving equipment, including 82 anaesthesia ventilators, 1238 BiPAP machines and 60 ventilators, have already reached India. Amazon US will distribute medical equipment to its on-the-ground community partners such as the American India Foundation, ACT Grants and Swasth, who will distribute it to verified hospitals and nonprofit organisations across the country to ensure it reaches the communities it needs most.
Twitter India reminded its users of many features such as Twitter Advanced Search, Twitter Near You and the Latest Tweet to direct people’s searches towards Covid related information in India. LinkedIn has partnered with GiveIndia to raise funds for critical medical supplies.
Among the leading global financial services, Mastercard announced ten million dollars to cover all vaccine-related costs for its India-based employees and immediate family members. It also confirmed that it would allocate funds for additional shipments of 1,000 oxygen generators as part of its CSR effort.
Pledging its support towards India’s fight against coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Canon India has provided essential food and sanitation items across the villages. Canon employees PAN India are enthusiastically coming together and contributing to the PM CARES Fund as well. As part of the support, Canon India is providing 3000 food packets in its adopted villages. In addition to this, to provide sanitation support to children of SOS Children’s Villages of Faridabad, Hyderabad, Canon India has distributed essential items such as sanitisers, liquid soap, cotton masks, etc. other home cleaning products.
Pledging its support towards India’s fight against coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Canon India has provided essential food and sanitation items across the villages.
Mi India has also pledged to donate over Rs 3 crore to procure thousands of oxygen concentrators. They also confirmed they have partnered with GiveIndia to raise Rs 1 crore to support frontline Covid fighters across the country. Amazon India has also collaborated with multiple organisations to import more than eight thousand oxygen concentrators and five hundred bi-level positive airway pressure (BiPAP) machines from Singapore.
OnePlus is also doing its bit to help the country. In a recent blog post, its CEO Pete Lau confirmed that the smartphone giant would donate 400 oxygenators to India to help meet the immediate need for oxygen in several parts. The company also promised to add up to Rs 1 crore to public donations towards the Covid battle.
India’s tech giant and one of the worldwide leaders, Infosys, installed Covid-19 care centres in Pune and Bengaluru for its employees and their families. It will also educate children, expand bed capacity in hospitals, and assist the government in spreading awareness. Tech Mahindra has also announced its Covid-19 vaccination drive for its associates and dependent family members. It confirmed that it would cover all the incurred expenses. Similarly, TCS also announced that it would provide the Covid-19 vaccine to all its employees and family members, starting from May 1, 2021.
IBM India called out to its employees to come together in this crisis. Its chairman and CEO, Arvind Krishna, wrote to his employees to support the cause. This resulted in the donation of funds for 2500 oxygen cylinders and is continuing to grow.
Paytm, a popular digital payment platform, successfully raised Rs 1 crore through public donations and added the same amount from its end, which doubled the donations to source oxygen concentrators. Now, the company aims to raise Rs 10 crore! CRED founder Kunal Shah tweeted about the company’s plans to raise funds for procuring one billion litres of oxygen. It also encourages CRED users to donate the CRED coins that are present in their accounts.
Zomato’s founder Deepinder Goyal confirmed that the company’s not-for-profit organisation, Zomato Feeding India, has kickstarted the “Help Save My India” project in collaboration with Delhivery. It aims to raise Rs 50 crore to source oxygen concentrators and related supplies to help hospitals and families in India.
Ethereum’s co-founder Vitalik Buterin also confirmed via Twitter his donation of Rs 4.5 crore. Naturally, he donated 100 ETH and 100 MKR, whose proof he shared on Twitter. The co-founder of Sun Microsystem, Vinod Khosla, also announced his wish to fund hospitals in India for importing oxygen and other supplies in India. Following that, he received many requests from non-profit organisations, non-government organisations, and private initiatives such as Manjinder Singh Sirsa (President of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee), the Cancer Aid Society, and Hemkunt Foundation to fund hospitals needing medical supplies to fight Covid, which he gladly received.
Apart from the significant organisations and global tech leaders, there are also many Indian companies working hard to save the country. Among such is Oxicare, which aims to help as many blue collared technicians as possible. The company hires technicians who can repair oxygen concentrators. The efforts were further emphasised on LinkedIn by Rajesh Bansal, who stated that they were on a mission to train 1000 technicians across India.
These companies have proven that despite being divided by the market, they are united by a single cause; the cause of saving lives!
Ex: Tell us about a change you’ve seen in the digital blogging space since you started your journey? How has this space evolved?
Lakshay:It’s been quite a long and treacherous journey and it definitely hasn’t been a bed of roses for me. Many things have changed in the sphere of digital blogging. Honestly, the biggest change that I’ve seen is that many young, talented individuals are coming forward and starting channels and profiles of their own. The digital blogging space is becoming more creator-friendly day after day and I hope that it will bring in a lot of new talent as we move forward.
Ex: What would be your calling in a parallel universe?
Lakshay:Well, to be honest, I don’t think I’d have done anything else apart from moto vlogging. I am extremely indebted to this as moto vlogging and the world of social media influencing has made me what I am today. So, I guess that the Lakshay in a parallel universe is probably vlogging on a Battlestar Galactica Gunship! 😀
Ex: A technology you wished you’d invented?
Lakshay:I honestly wish I could invent a motorcycle that would make gasoline out of thin air. I would never have to stop for gas that way!.
Ex: What does success mean to you?
Lakshay:For me, success means seeing my parents being proud of me and being happy with my work. It also means the happiness that I find in the thing that I do. I still maintain the principle that no matter how successful a person is, if they aren’t happy with the work they do, then there’s absolutely no point in all that success.
Ex: What is your dream car or motorbike?
Lakshay:Well, I’d love to own an RV someday and travel across continents. That would definitely be a dream come true.
Ex: As the current pandemic has seriously impacted the automotive industry, what does the future hold for automobile bloggers?
Lakshay:The current pandemic has hit us hard. As a matter of fact, every single industry is suffering huge economic losses in the lockdown. India, as a country is also suffering badly. So, I feel that for automobile bloggers the future is a little uncertain as of now, but like everything else this too shall pass and we will ride again and travel to the various corners of the country as soon as this pandemic blows over.
Ex: Tell us about a change you’ve seen in the digital blogging space since you started out your journey? How has this space evolved?
Mayank: It’s a profession now. I mean irrespective of the popular belief, being a full-time blogger or a content creator is an actual job description now. Kids look up to Tanmay Bhat and Felix. People aspire to become a full-time YouTuber or influencer and this wasn’t the case when I was starting out in 2012.
Ex: Can you give us an insight into social media platforms that only an Influencer can know?
Mayank: YouTube builds communities, Instagram is quite personal. Twitter is a great conversation starter. So, don’t let the numbers get to you.
Ex: What would be your calling in a parallel universe? (Alternate career options)
Mayank: A fighter pilot in the Indian AirForce.
Ex: If you were stranded on an island, what are the 3 gadgets you’d take along?
Mayank: My pocket-knife, the beloved Seiko SKX 007 and an electronic lighter to light it up!
Ex: A technology you wished you’d invented?
Mayank: Camera, Maybe
Ex: What does success mean to you?
Mayank: Living in the moment, being balanced and genuinely enjoying the process. Also, did I mention happiness? Happiness is a big principle for me now. Success is happiness.
Ex: What according to you will be the next big trend in the Lifestyle blogging industry?
Mayank: Self-improvement. Real, truthful self-improvement. It has always been a major element of a balanced Lifestyle and I think it will only get bigger and better in the future. Because lifestyle is a way in which a person lives. And living for me, has slowly and steadily transpired a lot into being one’s best self, being balanced and being happy. So I feel charting the path of self-improvement and seeking happiness along with balance will become an evident part of the industry.
Do you remember those clunky game consoles that were available in the markets and happened to be the dreams of every 90’s kid? People with such possessions and the ones who let you play with them turned out to be your favorite humans at those times. Remember Mario? If you’re a gamer, especially an ardent one, you’d know about the rising trends and the upgrades that tend to come along with them. If you wonder what the future of gaming is in India, this article is for you!
With almost 40% of India’s population actively using the internet, the gaming industry in India is yet to achieve another milestone alongside developing new versions of their game. Every day, versions upgrade and the hunger for a better interface just keeps growing. Whether you like it or not, the online gaming industry is growing along with the Jio Revolution, setting high standards for data utilization throughout the country.
According to a report released by Boutique Investment Bank, Maple Capital Advisors titled ‘Gaming — India Story’, the Indian Online Gaming Industry is expected to grow 41% annually, with market value set to value $3750 million by 2024. India is known as the largest market for app downloads worldwide. As per 2019, India is one of the top five mobile gaming markets in the world. Infact, the industry was estimated to be populated with 300 million gamers.
Easily available, affordable and a different way of connecting with friends during the lockdown, mobile gaming is not just a recreational activity anymore; it has turned into a profitable industry. Studies show that the number of mobile users constitute 85% of the total gaming industry, with PC/Laptop and tablet users standing at 11% & 4% respectively. According to reports by Newzoo, 32% of gamers in India are female.
PUBG Mobile is a sensation among mobile users, spreading globally like a wildfire. As of January 2020, India is known to have 116 million downloads which is 21% of the 555 million PUBG players worldwide. The operators holding tournaments for various games, especially PUBG, has increased by 7 times from 2016 to 2018. These operators hold various esports tournaments and avail it for the public through android devices, who can win cash on the platform. Emerging e-sports organizations in India such as competitive scrims & IGPL sports holding everyday mock-tournaments to War Mania, Villager esports & sportskeedaesports, providing gamers with sophisticated and competitive platforms. E-Sports is the new era, besides Social Media that the world is entering into today.
E-Sports were played as a demonstration sport at Asian Games 2018, where Tirth Mehta from Bhuj, Gujarat won a bronze medal & has been commonly called the first Indian e-sports for Hearthstone. That year, the total prize money was 5.63Cr; both tournaments & nationals combined. PUBG, singly constituted 18% of the total prize with CS:Go & Dota2 constituting 6%. In 2019, the prize money took a huge leap and increased to 180% with different cities (such as Delhi & Mumbai) holding international sports events & giving gamers a way to physically interact with each other rather than just muting one another digitally.
Alongside regular addiction to the game, the number of visits to online gaming websites or apps rose by 29% between February & March this year due to the pandemic; with also an increase in the engagement by 21%.
How many times have you yourself played ludo with your friends during the lockdown? Other games such as Teen patti, Rummy, Candy Crush Saga, Coin master and 8 ball pool which eventually turned out to be the most played games during the pandemic. It’s weird how our way of interacting with each other has changed. The chats have shifted from WhatsApp & Instagram to mere emojis & talking throughout the game.
Surprised? There is more to the industry. It has been estimated that approximately 40,000 employees will be working in the industry by 2022. It’s not just an evolution for your hobbies, but for the corporate world as well. Honestly speaking, with more gamers comes more challenges. However, PUBG was banned in many states across the country such as Gujarat declaring that the game was ‘too addictive and violent’—resulting in students’ arrest when they were caught playing.
To conclude, you can either ignore these trends & keep playing games for fun; or you can get better at them & start playing at national eventsーwho knows you win a prize incredible enough!
