Space Exploration and Astronomy
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) achieved a significant milestone with the successful de-docking of its SpaDeX mission's satellites on December 4, 2025. This achievement places India among an elite group of nations possessing in-space docking technology, crucial for future ambitious missions like the Bharatiya Antariksha Station, Chandrayaan-4, and Gaganyaan. The SpaDeX spacecraft, SDX-01 (Chaser) and SDX-02 (Target), were launched on December 30, 2024, and had previously achieved docking on January 16, 2025.
In another astronomical feat, Indian astronomers Rashi Jain and Yogesh Wadadekar of the National Centre for Radio Astrophysics, Pune, discovered "Alaknanda," a perfectly formed spiral galaxy dating back to when the Universe was just 1.5 billion years old. This finding, made possible by the James Webb Space Telescope, challenges existing models of cosmic evolution, which theorized that such mature spiral galaxies require billions of years to form.
The Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) celebrated a decade of successful operation of the UltraViolet Imaging Telescope (UVIT) aboard AstroSat, India's first dedicated space observatory. Since its activation on November 30, 2015, UVIT has captured cosmic light invisible from Earth, contributing to nearly 300 research papers and 19 doctoral theses. It remains India's sole ultraviolet space instrument and one of the few operational facilities globally capable of observing in the far-UV range, alongside the Hubble Space Telescope.
Concerns were raised regarding the higher collision risk for ISRO satellites compared to NASA's, largely due to India's approximately 140 satellites in orbit by December 2025, with many in congested Low-Earth Orbits (LEO). ISRO aims to counter this through the Netra radar expansion, the IS4OM real-time monitoring center, and a 2030 zero-debris commitment to enhance space situational awareness.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Digital Transformation
Artificial Intelligence dominated India's search habits in 2025, with Google Gemini leading the top trending searches, followed by various image-generation tools and chatbot alternatives, signaling a rapid shift towards everyday AI use.
Neuralix AI, a Karnataka-based startup, unveiled India's first fully indigenous defense AI platform at the Chanakya Defence Dialogue in New Delhi. Developed under the Ministry of Defence's Idex Adity 2.0 program, the platform is centered on an Indian large language model (LLM) designed specifically for defense workflows.
OpenAI's VP Srinivas Narayanan highlighted India's central role in the evolution and deployment of AI, recognizing the country's high excitement for AI and the emergence of AI startups in various sectors.
Sify Infinit Spaces, an Indian data center operator, is banking on the AI boom to drive demand for computing power. The company noted that India's data center capacity is projected to more than triple to 4.7 gigawatts by 2030, driven by rising cloud adoption and AI workloads.
In healthcare, the Himachal Pradesh government announced a ₹3,000 crore investment to modernize its healthcare sector, which includes increasing the availability of modern medical equipment, such as AI-assisted diagnostic tools for better and faster diagnosis.
Biotechnology and Healthcare Innovations
Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh stated that India is poised to lead the global biotechnology revolution by 2025, attributing this to the government's first-ever biotechnology policy, BIO-E3 (Biotechnology for Economy, Employment, and Environment). The biotechnology sector has seen substantial growth, from $10 billion in 2014 to over $130 billion in 2024, with a projection to reach $300 billion by 2030.
Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) secured a Rs 1.19 crore grant under the Ministry of Education's SPARC scheme for an Indo-Korean collaborative research project. This initiative focuses on developing an advanced technology platform integrating marine-derived antimicrobial peptides with photocatalytic nanomaterials to enhance water purification and disease management in aquaculture.
Fitterfly, a division of PB Health, secured an Indian patent for its AI-powered Personalised Glycemic Response (PGR) technology. This innovation is designed to transform diabetes management by predicting individual blood glucose responses to food and activity up to three hours in advance, using extensive continuous glucose monitoring data.
The Odisha government has drafted guidelines for sanctioning research and development (R&D) grants to promote cutting-edge research in emerging areas of biotechnology, aiming to encourage actionable R&D projects with societal and industrial relevance.
Sunflower Therapeutics completed a major installation of its Daisy Petal™ Perfusion Bioreactor Systems at the Serum Institute of India, the world's largest vaccine manufacturer. This marks the largest deployment of the Daisy Petal™ to date, showcasing the growing global adoption of perfusion fermentation in commercial vaccine manufacturing.
Defense Technology
India successfully conducted a high-speed rocket-sled test of an indigenous fighter aircraft escape system designed for future indigenous jets. Conducted by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) at Chandigarh, the trial demonstrated the ejection mechanism's safe and precise function under simulated in-flight emergency conditions at approximately 800 km/h.
During Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to India, discussions are expected to include potential deals for Russia's advanced S-500 Prometheus air defense system. The S-500 is notable for its ability to strike low-orbit satellites and neutralize space-launched threats, offering India a strategic edge in space defense.
Other Scientific Developments
A first-of-its-kind R&D Roadmap for Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) was launched by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) to help India achieve its Net-Zero Targets. This roadmap will guide coordinated action, foster collaboration, and enable investments to accelerate technology deployment.
India's Quantum Roadmap targets establishing 10 globally competitive startups by 2035, aiming to position India as a top-three power in quantum technology. The roadmap outlines a two-phase approach, focusing on building market momentum and then shifting towards global leadership.
Indian industry leaders have emphasized the critical need for collaboration to leverage the country's initiatives in semiconductors and Intellectual Property (IP), addressing challenges in achieving global competitiveness in the electronics revolution.
Skygazers in India are set to witness the "Cold Supermoon" on December 4-5, 2025, which will be the second-largest full moon of the year, appearing brighter and larger as the Moon reaches its closest point to Earth.