If India can make rocket sensors, it can also make car sensors: ISRO chief Somanath
Bengaluru, Nov 20: ISRO Chairman S Somanath on Wednesday highlighted the need to manufacture car sensors domestically instead of relying on imports.
Speaking at a session on space technology and defence during the Bengaluru Tech Summit, which also saw the launch of the Draft Karnataka Space Tech Policy, Somanath emphasised the importance of cost-effective production.
He pointed out that while India invests significantly in producing rocket sensors, the high production cost of car sensors makes domestic manufacturing less viable.
“For car sensors, viability is achievable only if production costs are low and manufacturing is scaled up,” he said.
Somanath called for greater industry collaboration to address this challenge and noted that policy interventions like those unveiled at the summit could provide a solution.
He praised the 2020 space sector reforms and the Space Policy of 2023 for creating an ecosystem conducive to private sector growth.
“There is a lot of interest in the sector. I hear from many aspiring to build the next SpaceX in India,” he added.
Highlighting progress, Somanath mentioned that five companies are currently building satellites, with many enhancing their capacity to develop subsystems for rockets and satellites. However, he identified a lack of major players and insufficient investment in upstream space capabilities as key challenges.
“To address this, we are focusing on developing downstream capabilities, which can generate demand and eventually attract upstream investments. I believe this model will work well for the nation,” he explained.
Somanath also stressed the role of technology transfer in enabling private sector participation, saying, “Many technologies developed within ISRO are now accessible to industries for further development into products, services, or software.”
The session featured other notable speakers, including B K Das, Director General of the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO), and Anne Neuberger, Deputy National Security Advisor of the United States.
Priyank Kharge, Karnataka’s Minister for IT, Biotechnology, Science and Technology, and Ekroop Caur, Secretary to the Government, Department of Electronics, IT, and Biotechnology, also participated.
Kharge stated that the draft policy envisions Karnataka capturing 50 per cent of the national space market and establishing itself as a global hub for space technologies.
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Congress leader Harish Rawat files FIR against BJP over 'misinformation' campaign against him
Dehradun (PTI) Senior Congress leader and former Uttarakhand chief minister Harish Rawat on Tuesday filed a police complaint here against the alleged misinformation campaign being carried out against him by BJP on social media.
Rawat, who reached the Nehru Colony police station with his supporters, handed over a written complaint along with a pen drive and other evidence to the police.
Based on this, an FIR was registered under relevant sections of the Information Technology (Amendment) Act, 2008 and relevant sections of law.
After filing the FIR, Rawat alleged that the police took four hours to register his complaint. He added that if it takes so long for a former CM to file an FIR, one can easily imagine the plight of a common man.
"Finally, after four hours, the police registered the FIR with trembling hands. Their hands were trembling because we have accused the BJP president and his associates, with factual evidence, of misusing AI to tarnish our and our party's image and trying to disrupt social harmony by targeting a particular community," Rawat said.
He expressed hope that after the registration of the FIR, the police would bring the culprits to justice.
Rawat also said, "Just imagine, if the police take so much time to register an FIR of a former CM, what will be the condition of a common man in this state?"
Later, he also handed over a copy of the FIR to the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Dehradun and the SSP of the Special Task Force. Rawat also said that he would meet the District Magistrate of Dehradun and the State Election Officer with his complaint on Wednesday.
Recently, an AI-generated reel was uploaded on the official social media page of the BJP, which portrayed Rawat as a supporter of appeasement.
In the reel, a Congress leader is heard saying, "I take refuge in Muslims, I take refuge in dargahs (shrines), I take refuge in love jihad." The subsequent images show the construction of a dargah and some people smiling and talking about turning Devbhoomi (the land of gods) into a land of dargahs.
At the end of the reel, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is seen walking with police forces and bulldozers.
Rawat also claimed that another AI-generated video was uploaded from a 'fake' BJP platform, depicting him as a 'traitorous Pakistani agent' engaged in espionage. However, the BJP has denied any connection to this video.
