India is turning up the heat on Pakistan this summer. Once the Shahpur Kandi dam on the Punjab-J&K border nears completion, the flow of surplus water from the Ravi to the neighbouring nation will be halted. We explain how this will add to Pakistan’s water woes and more in our weekly roundup
We are in the age of AI, and India is making its presence felt. The country hosted the India AI Impact Summit, one of the world’s biggest AI gatherings in recent years, and the first in the Global South. The who’s who of the world descended upon New Delhi: heads of state, tech honchos, policymakers, and innovators.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the AI summit on Thursday (February 19) and unveiled the ‘Manav’ vision for AI, which encompasses moral and ethical systems, accountable governance and national sovereignty. India has also been showcasing how it is involving this fast-evolving tech into everyday lives, from road safety to education and healthcare.
The gathering grabbed headlines for some controversial reasons: The furore triggered after Galgotias University, a Greater Noida institute, showcased Chinese robodogs as its own invention, and Bill Gates’ decision to cancel his speech.
The summit brought several world leaders to India, keeping PM Modi busy. French President Emmanuel Macron was among them; the two countries have elevated their ties to a special global strategic partnership. Defence was on top of the agenda, with India and France sealing the Hammer missile deal; New Delhi will also procure
114 Rafale fighter jets for the Indian Air Force.
Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva also attended the AI summit. He will hold a bilateral with PM Modi, with the focus on trade.
As India strengthens its ties with allies, it has been tightening the screws on Pakistan. As the Shahpur Kandi dam on the Jammu and Kashmir-Punjab will be completed on March 31, excess Ravi river water flowing into the neighbouring nation will be stopped. This means a harsher summer for Pakistan.
We talk about all this and more in our weekly roundup.
1. AI has been the buzzword this week. At the India AI Impact Summit, the Indian government and startups put their best foot forward, displaying innovations that improve lives. This story delves into how the technology is being integrated into sectors that impact the common man,
from education and health to road safety.
2. Until the AI summit, Galgotias University, a private varsity in Uttar Pradesh’s Greater Noida, was not known to many. However, today the institute has been spoken about in the press not only in India but also overseas. It claimed that a Chinese robodog was its own invention. At the centre of this controversy is
Neha Singh, a professor at Galgotias. Here is what we know about her.
3. Bill Gates was scheduled to deliver an address at the AI summit. However, the Microsoft co-founder decided to cancel his speech. This came as Gates has been under fire for his links to Jeffrey Epstein. How close were the two?
This story explains.
4. In a big step toward boosting technological partnership, India and the US signed the Pax Silica declaration. It is an America-led initiative aimed at securing AI and critical technology supply chains. The signing of the deal helps in strengthening ties in the new frontiers of technology, including AI and semiconductors. It will also attract significant investment from US companies to support India’s AI infrastructure. We explain
where India stands to gain.
5. French President Emmanuel Macron was among the high-profile visitors to attend the AI summit. But before he flew to New Delhi, he visited Mumbai, where he held a bilateral with PM Modi. The two leaders virtually unveiled the first private-sector helicopter assembly line with the inauguration of the
Tata-Airbus facility in Karnataka. They also discussed the production of
Hammer missiles in India. Our explainers tell you the significance of these developments.
6. With summer nearing, geopolitical heat is rising. India is planning to stop the surplus waters of the Ravi River from flowing into Pakistan. This is possible as the Shahpur Kandi dam on the Jammu and Kashmir–Punjab border is expected to be operational soon.
The move comes after the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, the water-sharing agreement between the two countries, after last year’s Pahalgam terror attack. Under this framework, India has exclusive rights over the Ravi and has now decided to fully utilise its water.
Will this leave Pakistan parched?
7. Pakistan has been jittery ever since Operation Sindoor, which exposed the terror camps it harbours. Recently, Sergio Gor, the US envoy to India, and Admiral Samuel J Paparo, the US Indo-Pacific commander, visited the Indian Army’s Western Command near the Pakistan border. This was the first such visit by a foreign delegation after the hostilities with the neighbouring nation last year.
We tell you all about it.
These are recommendations if you missed the big news impacting India this week. You can find more such
explainers here.
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