Vinod Bhat

New Delhi: Pursuant to the vision of Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a DRUG FREE INDIA (Nasha Mukt Bharat) and acting upon the directives of the Hon’ble Union Home Minister, the Narcotics Control Bureau has achieved a significant success by affecting the seizure of 77.60 kgs. of Hashish Oil and 2 kgs. of Charas.

In a coordinated multi state operation, officers of the Narcotics Control Bureau, Chennai Zonal Unit in coordination with Hyderabad Zonal Unit successfully dismantled an international narcotics trafficking network operating across Nepal, India and Sri Lanka. The operation resulted in the seizure of 77.60 kgs. of Hashish Oil and 2 kgs. of Charas, along with the recovery of two cars, one motorbike and a fishing boat used for transportation of the contraband. So far, five persons have been arrested so far.

Acting on credible intelligence regarding the movement of narcotic drugs across multiple states, officers of NCB Hyderabad Zonal Unit intercepted a Tata Safari Storme car on 03.03.2026 near Raikal Toll Plaza on the Bengaluru–Hyderabad Highway in Telangana. During the search of the vehicle, 2 kgs. of Charas was recovered concealed in specially fabricated cavities. Two persons, one a Delhi resident, and the other a Uttar Pradesh resident, were apprehended in connection with the transportation of the contraband.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the recovered Charas along with other consignment of about 78 kgs. of Hashish Oil was trafficked into India from Kathmandu, Nepal, through Sonauli Indo-Nepal Border. Consignment of about 78 kgs. of Hashish Oil was already delivered by the arrested persons at Thoothukudi for onward trafficking to Sri Lanka via sea route.

NCB Chennai flung into action on trafficking of Hashish Oil from Tamil nadu to Sri Lanka. Subsequently, the NCB team seized about 78 kgs. of Hashish Oil from the possession of three persons, including a Sri Lankan refugee, taking the total number of arrests in this network to five. Vehicles used for transporting the contraband were also seized. Investigation has revealed that the traffickers had planned to transport the narcotic consignment through the coastal waters off Thoothukudi and deliver it mid sea to a Sri Lankan receiver, using a fishing boat for the maritime transfer.

With the assistance of Indian Coast Guard, NCB intercepted and seized the fishing boat suspected to be used for the planned mid sea transfer near the International Maritime Boundary Line, thereby thwarting the cross border maritime trafficking attempt.

Further probe has identified involvement of a Sri Lankan national, based in Sri Lanka as the final receiver of the seized consignment, who had financed and coordinated the shipment of receovered contraband from Nepal to Sri Lanka.

Further investigation is underway to identify the remaining members of the syndicate, trace financial transactions, and dismantle the broader international network involved in this trafficking operation.

This seizure once again exemplifies the NCB’s steadfast commitment to dismantling inter-state and trans-national drug trafficking networks in furtherance of the vision of a DRUG FREE INDIA.

Since the beginning of this year, NCB Chennai has seized about 973.35 kg of Ganja, 87.64 kg of Hashish Oil, and 1.045 kg of Amphetamine, leading to the arrest of nine individuals. The total estimated value of these seized drugs is approximately Rs. 12.5 Crores. Further, in the legal proceedings related to earlier cases investigated by NCB Chennai, three cases have been successfully prosecuted this year, resulting in the conviction of a total of eight accused persons in all three cases.

Public are encouraged to report any information related to drug trafficking or substance abuse through the MANAS National Narcotics Helpline – 1933, which is available to provide assistance and support.

Near 100% Railway Electrification Reflects India’s Energy Independence, Ensures Uninterrupted Passenger and Freight Mobility During Global Crisis

Vinod Bhat

New Delhi:Indian Railways has undertaken electrification of its network in mission mode over the last decade, significantly reducing its dependence on imported diesel. As a result, 99.4% of the Broad Gauge (BG) railway network has now been electrified, marking one of the largest infrastructure transitions in the world.

With a growing share of the railway network now electrified, Indian Railways is able to rely more on domestically generated electricity, improving energy security, optimising energy expenditure and reducing exposure to volatility in global oil markets. This transformation has become particularly important in the current global context, where geopolitical tensions in West Asia may threaten crude oil supply chains.

Indian Railways saved 178 crore litres of diesel in 2024–25 compared to 2016–17, representing a 62% reduction in diesel usage. Today, the bulk of India’s train operations run on electric traction, powered through a diversified electricity mix that includes coal, hydro, solar, and other renewable sources.

During 2024–25, Indian Railways spent ₹32,378 crore on total energy consumption for traction, largely on electricity rather than diesel. The shift towards electric traction has therefore helped stabilise long-term energy costs while enhancing resilience against volatile global oil prices.

The near-complete electrification of the railway network is not just an infrastructure milestone, but also a strategic national preparedness measure – strengthening India’s energy independence and ensuring uninterrupted mobility for passengers and freight during global crises.

By reducing dependence on diesel and increasing the use of electric traction, Indian Railways is strengthening the reliability, sustainability, and energy efficiency of one of the world’s largest rail networks.

Vinod Bhat

New Delhi: The Office of Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India jointly with the Embassy of Switzerland in India and the Geneva Science and Diplomacy Anticipator (GESDA) hosted an “Anticipatory Leadership Lab” in New Delhi on 6 March 2026. Key institutional leaders from India and Switzerland including Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India Prof Ajay Sood, Switzerland’s State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Ambassador Alexandar Fasel, Scientific Secretary Dr Parvinder Maini, the Ambassador of Switzerland to India Maya Tissafi and the Director General of GESDA Prof. Marilyne Andersen, facilitated this event.

Built on GESDA’s Science Breakthrough Radar^® and the anticipatory science diplomacy framework, the Lab brought together 60 leaders from academia, government, diplomatic missions, deeptech startups, business entities and civil society organisations for a structured, multistakeholder dialogue to strengthen their collective capacity to anticipate and govern emerging scientific and technological breakthroughs. The deliberations were focused on research advances in Quantum Computing, AI, Synthetic Biology and Neurotechnology, that expected to transform society and the planet over the next 5, 10 and 25 years.

Addressing the gathering, Prof Sood remarked that, “As a technology matures and disruption occurs, a governance gap becomes visible. It is then the usual governance mechanism convenes, deliberate, and responds. This conventional reactive cycle served us adequately in eras when the pace of change was measured in decades. However, it is no longer adequate. The disruptive frontiers that will define the next quarter-century – quantum computing, artificial general intelligence, synthetic biology, neurotechnology are not distant abstractions. The governance choices we make in the next five to ten years will determine the effectiveness with which these technologies serve humanity”.

Ambassador Fasel commented that “For the Swiss government, anticipating and understanding scientific breakthroughs is no longer a luxury, but a diplomatic necessity. Science and technology have become a “core currency” in international affairs, influencing prosperity, sovereignty, and security on a global scale. Switzerland has therefore made anticipatory science diplomacy a priority in our foreign policy. Our collaboration with India reflects a shared vision between two global innovation leaders, combining cutting-edge excellence with India’s unparalleled ability to scale innovation for millions.”

Professor Marilyne Andersen, Director General of GESDA, remarked that “Anticipatory science diplomacy enables us to harness fast-moving scientific breakthroughs for the benefit of humanity before they deepen global fractures and inequalities. It grounds decision-making in rigorous science, allowing to keep the conversation open and preserved from competition, pressures or quick fixes. It opens an essential window of agency so as to carefully account for all implications and involve policymakers, diplomats, scientists, innovators and citizens across geographies, socio-economic realities and cultural contexts around the table.”

During this exercise, the participants engaged in a forward-looking brainstorming discussion to examine how emerging and frontier technologies could shape India and the global landscape across short-, medium-, and long-term horizons. The deliberations focused on identifying key opportunities and risks for public policy, diplomacy, and industry, while also suggesting potential pathways for sustained engagement and cooperation. The discussion was anchored in the principle that governance frameworks for disruptive technologies must be informed by ‘science anticipation’. By systematically identifying potential technological breakthroughs and their implications at an early stage, countries can create space for collaboration and collective risk assessment before competitive dynamics, geopolitical fragmentation, or crisis-driven responses begin to dominate the global technology landscape.

Vinod Bhat

New Delhi: The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB), in collaboration with the Department of Higher Education, will participate in a Post-Budget Webinar on “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas – Fulfilling Aspirations of People: Education, Skills and University Townships”, to deliberate on key initiatives announced in the Union Budget 2026–27. The webinar will bring together policymakers, industry leaders, academia, startups, and students to discuss implementation pathways for strengthening India’s education, skills, and creative economy ecosystem.

The inaugural session will be graced by the Hon’ble Prime Minister on 9th March at 11:30 AM, who will deliver a special address outlining the vision behind the budgetary initiative for the AVGC–creator economy, where, creativity, culture and technology converge to drive growth, jobs and soft power.

Ministry of I&B Breakout Session on AVGC Content Creator Labs from 12:20 PM to 01:50 PM

As part of the webinar, the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting will host Breakout Session at on “AVGC Content Creator Labs in Schools and Colleges.” The session will focus on the implementation of the Union Budget announcement to establish AVGC Content Creator Labs (CCLs) across 15000 schools and 500 higher educational institutions, aimed at nurturing creative talent, strengthening India’s Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) ecosystem, and building a robust pipeline of skilled creators for the country’s rapidly expanding Orange Economy.

The breakout session on “AVGC Content Creator Labs in Schools & Colleges”, scheduled from 12:20 PM to 01:50 PM, will be moderated by Shri Chaitanya Chinchlikar – VP & CTO, Whistling Woods International. There will be a keynote address by Shri Sanjay Jaju, Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting outlining the importance of this initiative.

The session will then feature a panel discussion with experts from government and industry, including Shri Dheeraj Sahu, Additional Secretary (Department of School Education and Literacy), Dr. Ashish Kulkarni (Chairman, FICCI AVGC Forum), Shri Rajan Navani (Founder & Group CEO, JetSynthesys), and Ms Sonam Bhagat (CEO, Vygr), along with a student representative from IICT. The discussion will be further enriched through interventions by leading industry figures such as Shri Munjal Shroff (Graphiti Multimedia), Shri Biren Ghose (Technicolor Group), Shri Manvendra Shukul (Lakshya Digital), Ms Mala Sharma, (Adobe India), Ms Preeti Vyas (Amar Chitra Katha) and 2 of young volunteers of MyBharat.