In a push towards self-reliance in aviation, India recently unveiled its indigenous Hansa-3 NG pilot trainer aircraft. Alongside this, plans for the 19-seater SARAS Mk-2 aircraft are under review, signaling a continued focus on domestic aerospace manufacturing and development.

A major initiative to bolster Artificial Intelligence (AI) literacy across the nation was launched by the International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM) in collaboration with Indismart Digital. The "AI-LEAP" (National AI Literacy Education Acceleration Programme) aims to make AI education accessible, ethical, and universal for school students throughout India. This program is accompanied by India's first comprehensive AI-LEAP Manifesto on AI in Education.

In the realm of space exploration, Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla highlighted that the next decade is poised to be transformative for India's space endeavors, anticipating numerous significant developments. Shukla, notably the first Indian astronaut to travel to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the Axiom-4 mission, underscored the nation's growing ambitions in space. Further solidifying India's position in space science, the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite, launched in July, has now entered its final science operations phase.

Significant progress has also been reported in health research, with Indian scientists discovering specific oral cancer-causing driver gene mutations in women patients from southern India. This breakthrough is expected to establish a new benchmark in cancer research and pave the way for more personalized medicine approaches in combating oral cancer.

Economically, Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan emphasized the critical role of research and innovation as "twin engines" for India's technological leadership. He advocated for a strong focus on "Swadeshi innovations" and urged increased private sector investment in research and development (R&D) to drive this growth.

Policy-wise, the government has been actively shaping the future of AI in India. The India AI Governance Guidelines, introduced under the IndiaAI Mission, aim to ensure the safe, inclusive, and responsible adoption of AI technologies. Additionally, the IndiaAI Mission has expanded its collaborative efforts by bringing on board eight new organizations to develop foundational large language models (LLMs), thereby strengthening indigenous AI capabilities. Looking ahead, the Parliament's winter session, commencing December 1, 2025, is expected to address crucial legislative changes, including amendments to the Atomic Energy Bill 2025, which seek to open the nuclear power-generation sector to private investment.