India’s first telecom system with indigenous chips gets TEC certification
India has certified its first telecom system powered by fully indigenous semiconductor chips, marking a pivotal milestone for technological self-reliance, The Hindu reports. The TEC approval verifies compliance with stringent quality and performance standards, boosting the ‘Make in India’ initiative. IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw called this a big leap for the nation’s semiconductor ambitions and a signal that Indian-made chips now meet global benchmarks for telecom applications.
India plans leap to 7nm chip manufacturing within seven years
The Government of India has unveiled a five-to-seven-year strategy to acquire technology and establish domestic manufacturing of advanced 7nm semiconductor chips, Business Standard reports. This builds on Tata group's ongoing Rs. 91,000 crore wafer fab investment, which starts with producing 28nm chips. The roadmap marks a significant step towards technological self-reliance, with the Ministry of Electronics confirming a clear plan for deepening chip capability.
India sets bold targets for space station and lunar astronaut missions
At the International Conference on Space 2025, Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh announced India’s aim to build a Bharatiya Space Station by 2035 and land an Indian astronaut on the Moon by 2040, according to a press release from the ministry of science and tech. The government also highlighted upcoming missions to Mars, Venus, and asteroids, rapid startup growth, and international collaborations. The vision positions India as a global leader, driving innovation, jobs, and space-powered progress for all sectors.
Starlink accelerates partnerships for India satellite broadband rollout
Elon Musk’s Starlink is finalizing deals with data centre operators, fibre providers, internet exchanges, and major telecom firms including Airtel and Jio to build the terrestrial infrastructure for satellite connectivity in India, Economic Times reports. With trial bandwidth secured, 17 ground station sites picked, and initial capex of Rs. 500 crore, Starlink aims to anchor direct-to-cell broadband amid regulatory requirements for local routing. Competitors Kuiper and Globalstar are also entering the market.
Karnataka approves land for Quantum City in Bengaluru
The Karnataka government has allotted 6.17 acres at Hessarghatta, near Bengaluru, for a ‘Quantum City’ to advance quantum tech research, startups, and academic-industry collaboration, Times of India reports. Announced by Science and Technology Minister N S Boseraju, the initiative aims to help build a $20 billion quantum economy by 2035. The project integrates R&D, innovation hubs, and production clusters, solidifying Bengaluru’s role as a quantum innovation hub.
Penn physicist Charles Kane wins 2025 Lorentz Medal for topological insulators
Charles Kane of the University of Pennsylvania has received the 2025 Lorentz Medal, awarded by the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, for his pioneering research on topological insulators, Quantum Insider reports. His work includes the prediction of the quantum spin Hall effect and breakthroughs enabling new quantum materials. The prestigious honor highlights applications ranging from low-power electronics to quantum computing.
Hyundai’s Supernal pauses air taxi program after executive exits
Supernal, Hyundai’s electric air taxi startup, has paused work on its aircraft amid staff cuts and the departures of both CEO Jaiwon Shin and CTO David McBride, TechCrunch reports. The company recently completed its first flight tests and had targeted a 2028 commercial launch. Interim COO David Rottblatt now oversees operations while new leadership is sought, reflecting wider turbulence in the eVTOL sector following similar issues at other mobility startups.
China’s Unitree Robotics targets $7 billion IPO valuation
Unitree Robotics, a Chinese leader in humanoid and quadruped robotics, is planning an initial public offering with a target valuation of up to ¥50 billion ($7 billion), Reuters reports. Backed by investors like Alibaba, Tencent, and Geely, Unitree will file for listing on Shanghai’s STAR Market in Q4 2025. The IPO could be one of China’s biggest tech listings, highlighting investor interest in robotics and local policy support for tech unicorns.
Ronovo Surgical secures $67M Series D, announces J&J collaboration for Carina robot
Shanghai’s Ronovo Surgical has closed a $67 million Series D led by Johnson & Johnson’s JJDC, bringing its 2025 funding to over $100 million, according to The Robot Report. The deal includes a targeted collaboration with J&J MedTech to accelerate commercialization of its Carina modular surgical robot in China, which is now approved for general, gynecological, urological, and thoracic surgeries. Ronovo is expanding globally, with regulatory submissions in Europe and South America.
OpenAI unveils job-matching platform to compete with LinkedIn
OpenAI has revealed plans for its AI-powered Jobs Platform, launching in mid-2026, to connect employers and workers more efficiently and challenge LinkedIn’s dominance, TechCrunch reports. The service targets businesses, local governments, and tech talent, and will offer AI literacy certifications via its Academy, with a pilot set for late 2025. OpenAI aims to certify 10 million Americans by 2030 and is collaborating with Walmart for rollout.
Godfather of AI warns of catastrophic job losses from automation
AI pioneer Geoffrey Hinton cautions that artificial intelligence will fuel corporate profits but trigger massive unemployment, worsening inequality as workers are replaced by machines, NDTV reports, citing a Financial Times article that’s behind a paywall. Hinton stressed that a few would grow richer, while most will become poorer, calling the trend a result of capitalism rather than AI itself. Experts warn up to 99 percent of jobs may be automated by 2030, with social disruption likely.
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