ORF GeoTech

Dependence on foreign Space Situational Awareness catalogues (#SSA), especially those of the #US and #Russia, creates political and technical risks, from data cut-offs to low precision. #India must develop sovereign SSA capabilities: Pranav R Satyanath or-f.org/37284

The most underestimated #cyber risk today is “steal now, decrypt later.” Adversaries are already harvesting sensitive data from government communications, IP, and #health records, waiting for quantum capabilities to unlock it. Tomorrow’s breach is being prepared today: @SoumyaAwasthi17 or-f.org/37307

The relationship between #digitalisation and #environmental outcomes is neither linear nor static; emissions may rise first before falling as cleaner technologies diffuse: Manish Vaidya or-f.org/37327

“Move beyond intent to outcome-based measures”, inclusion needs metrics, not just mission statements. An #AI Readiness Index can track #women’s access, adoption and on-the-job use: Kumkum Mohata or-f.org/37363

#India’s Type-209 experience with #German submarines shows how production disruption, weak transfer of technology, and cost aversion eroded skilled manpower—leaving the #IndianNavy unable to build diesel-electric #SSK submarines despite nuclear successes:@KartikBommakan1 or-f.org/37361

#China’s AI rise is state-driven: massive funding, compute access, strict governance, and global export of full-stack #AI systems to shape standards, especially in the #GlobalSouth: Debajyoti Chakravarty or-f.org/37401

Textiles, sports goods and legacy industrial clusters underline that #India’s industrial policy is also about employment. By backing job-rich sectors with clusters, parks and export support, #Budget2026 keeps inclusion and scale central to manufacturing growth: Kumkum Mohata or-f.org/37400

From early technology transfers that powered #ISRO’s launch capabilities to joint satellites and shared launch facilities with #CNES, India–France space ties helped break Cold War launch monopolies and build lasting space autonomy: @GuiguiBilkul or-f.org/37398

Early warnings and diagnostics show how #HealthAI improves detection at scale, but studies reveal bias, weak oversight and poorer outcomes for marginalised groups, raising governance risks: @Nimisha0955 or-f.org/37394

Starlink #India’s non-binding agreements with Gujarat and Maharashtra aim to expand last-mile connectivity for #DigitalEducation, but reliance on foreign low-Earth-orbit (#LEO) satellites raises national #security concerns: @girichaitanya19 or-f.org/37463

India hosts the #AIImpactSummit2026 amid intensifying strategic competition, exploring the balance between #BigAI for #power-enhancing #technological sovereignty and #SmallAI for purpose-driven, population-scale #innovation. @rahulbatra1984 or-f.org/37474

The prevailing geopolitical scenario provides the necessary impetus for establishing an Asian equivalent of #CERN, which would combine fundamental scientific research while harnessing #Asia’s prowess in #TechnologyTranslation and #Manufacturing: @PrateekTri1990 or-f.org/37434

It is necessary to integrate #low-chemical or #chemical-free #processing pathways into the frameworks to establish truly #sustainable #marine #biorefineries aligned with India’s #NationalBiofuelPolicy and #BlueEconomy strategies. @PoornimaVb or-f.org/37468

Although the #RELOS indicates an enduring #defence cooperation between #India and #Russia, its #strategic significance should not be overstated. @AlexisZakharov or-f.org/37466

.@SamirSaran and Archishman Ray Goswami discuss the changing character of the modern intelligence landscape, examining the changing character of HUMINT and the power of ‘geotechnography’ in reshaping internal security and human experience. or-f.org/36995

Data reveals sharp polarisation: clerical workers in the #UAE face a 53.8 percent automatability risk (substitution), while manual roles remain insulated. The middle ground? Professionals facing “Redefinition,” not replacement: Ahmed Dawoud & Ahmed Wael Ahmed Habashy or-f.org/37044

Guarding the mouth of the #MalaccaStrait, the #AndamanNicobarIslands offer #India a rare vantage point over global #trade routes. History, geography, and security converge here, making the islands central to #India’s Act East pivot: Lt Gen D S Rana or-f.org/37126

The #US #AI Action Plan sets ambition, but AI leadership now depends on resilience, not dominance alone. In a world of rival AI ecosystems, #America must pair innovation with partnerships, trusted infrastructure, and long-term foresight: Siddharth Yadav & Elizabeth Heyes or-f.org/37198

The debut edition of ORF Global Quarterly, “Navigating Megatrends for 2026”, edited by @SharonStirling & Eszter Karacsony, highlights major geopolitical patterns to explain how global #power is being reshaped. or-f.org/37268

#Technology is now central to #statecraft. The #BudapestDossier explores how #innovation, #digital systems, and smart #governance can strengthen #economic resilience and strategic #autonomy. Edited by @samirsaran @gjpappin or-f.org/37420