On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a phone call from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who informed him of the escalating tensions in the Middle East following Israel’s recent military offensive against Iranian facilities. Modi posted on X that he conveyed India’s deep concern over the situation and stressed the need to swiftly restore peace and stability in the region.

The conversation follows a wave of global concern triggered by Israel’s coordinated attacks on Iran’s military and nuclear infrastructure, which reportedly resulted in the deaths of several top Iranian scientists and defense officials.

Israel justified the operation as a necessary response to mounting threats from Tehran. Netanyahu’s office stated that he had spoken with multiple world leaders, including those of India, Germany, and France, and had plans to consult with US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. According to Israeli sources, these leaders expressed their understanding of Israel’s right to self-defense amid threats of annihilation from Iran.

New Delhi issued a formal statement echoing Modi’s message, expressing deep concern over the unfolding events and urging both nations to exercise restraint and avoid further escalation.

International outlets reported that Israel’s offensive targeted various Iranian locations, including facilities involved in nuclear enrichment and missile production. Israeli Defense Forces spokesperson BG Effie Defrin described the strikes as “preemptive and precise,” aimed at dismantling Iran’s nuclear ambitions, warning that Tehran was now alarmingly close to acquiring a nuclear weapon.

In a televised national address, Netanyahu defended the action, stating that Iran had already amassed enough enriched uranium to produce multiple nuclear bombs and had launched hundreds of ballistic missiles at Israel in the previous year alone. He emphasized that such a threat could not be tolerated and drew historical parallels to the build-up before World War II, declaring that Israel would never permit a hostile regime to gain nuclear capabilities.

As tensions mount in the region, India’s call for de-escalation stands in line with its broader foreign policy of maintaining strategic neutrality while advocating for regional peace and global security.

In a significant move to promote inclusive and indigenous AI innovation, Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh inaugurated BharatGen — India’s first domestically developed multimodal large language model — during the BharatGen Summit held in New Delhi on Monday. This government-supported AI initiative aims to bridge the digital divide by extending technology deep into the heart of rural India.

Developed under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NMICPS) and led by the TIH Foundation for IoT and IoE at IIT Bombay, BharatGen integrates text, speech, and image data to create powerful, multilingual solutions tailored to India’s diverse population. The model currently supports 22 Indian languages.

“This marks a significant move toward a sovereign Generative AI ecosystem. We envision BharatGen as a foundation for building domain-specific, India-centric AI solutions,” said Professor Ganesh Ramakrishnan from IIT Bombay, who is heading the project.

Backed by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), BharatGen is the result of a collaborative effort between academic institutions and innovative minds. Its emphasis on ethical design, linguistic inclusion, and Indian cultural values reflects the country’s broader vision for responsible AI development.

Dr. Singh outlined the model’s transformative potential across various fields including healthcare, governance, education, and agriculture. He specifically emphasized its use in telemedicine, where AI can facilitate patient-doctor conversations in native languages, enabling superspecialty services to reach underserved rural areas. “When doctors speak in a patient’s language, it builds trust and psychologically uplifts them—akin to a placebo effect,” he said.

Aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “India’s Techade” vision, the project also underscores the idea of innovation for inclusion. Professor Ramakrishnan stressed that BharatGen is not just a product but a foundational resource for startups, developers, and system integrators to build scalable, local AI applications.

During the summit, Dr. Singh also highlighted government efforts to strengthen R&D through the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (NRF) and appreciated schemes like PM MUDRA Yojana, PM SVANidhi, and PM Vishwakarma Yojana for empowering small entrepreneurs and artisans.

The event also celebrated the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 for promoting interdisciplinary learning, enabling students to blend tech and humanities for greater innovation. Examples of agritech innovation, like lavender cultivation in Jammu and Kashmir, were spotlighted to showcase grassroots progress beyond metropolitan areas.

The launch of BharatGen signifies a pivotal milestone in India’s journey toward advancing artificial intelligence. With a focus on cultural relevance, linguistic inclusion, and ethical design, BharatGen is poised to serve as a transformative force, strengthening digital equity and citizen empowerment.

 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday visited Ahmedabad Civil Hospital to personally meet Vishwashkumar Ramesh, the only person to survive the devastating Air India crash that occurred a day earlier. The accident claimed the lives of 241 passengers aboard the Boeing 787 Dreamliner flight headed to London.

Ramesh, a British citizen of Indian origin, had been seated in row 11 by a left-side emerg

ency exit when the aircraft went down shortly after departing from Ahmedabad International Airport. According to airline officials,the ill-fated flight carried 169 Indian nationals, 53 from the UK, seven from Portugal, and one Canadian citizen.

Before his hospital visit, the Prime Minister assessed the wreckage at the crash site near Meghaninagar, where the plane slammed into a medical college campus. He also chaired a high-level review session with airport and rescue officials. Sharing images from his site visit on social media, Modi expressed his sorrow, calling the scene heartbreaking and extending condolences to the victims’ families.

He posted: “The magnitude of loss in Ahmedabad’s air tragedy is beyond words. My prayers are with the grieving families. Om Shanti.”

The PM was accompanied by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, MoS Murlidhar Mohol, and State Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi.

The aircraft, flown by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal with First Officer Clive Kundar, crashed just minutes after takeoff. Air Traffic Control reported a Mayday distress signal before all communications were lost. Thick plumes of smoke were seen rising from the crash site, with officials confirming the plane was carrying about 125,000 liters of fuel at the time.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah also visited the site and disclosed that the intensity of the fire made survival nearly impossible. DNA testing is underway to confirm victim identities, with nearly 1,000 samples collected so far.

In line with international aviation protocols, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has launched a formal inquiry. The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is preparing to send investigators to assist.

Meanwhile, Air India, owned by the Tata Group, has set up emergency hotlines and announced a compensation of $120,000 for each victim’s family.

xPrime Minister Narendra Modi met with the sole surviving passenger of the tragic Air India Flight 171 crash just a day after the Boeing 787-8 jetliner disintegrated mid-air and crashed into a residential area in Ahmedabad. The accident claimed 241 lives onboard and caused additional casualties on the ground.

The aircraft plunged into a hostel within a medical college complex minutes after departing from the airport. Authorities are still searching for the critical black boxes — the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder — which are essential for understanding what caused the disaster.

Aviation safety expert James Healy-Pratt emphasized the importance of retrieving these devices. “Only the black boxes will tell us what truly happened. We need to stop speculating until investigators can access the flight data,” he said. He noted that the plane’s captain alone had clocked over 7,000 flying hours, with both pilots collectively exceeding 10,000 hours of experience.

Built for long-haul safety, the Boeing 787-8 was carrying 242 people, including 169 Indian nationals, 53 from the UK, seven Portuguese citizens, and one Canadian. Yet, within just 51 seconds of takeoff, something went catastrophically wrong.

A series of unanswered questions now confront both Indian aviation authorities and Boeing:

1. What mechanical failure could bring down a modern 787 so quickly?
2. Did the aircraft suffer configuration errors — involving flaps, landing gear, or thrust systems?
3. Should India’s aviation regulator ground or audit the 787 fleet?
4. Do deeper issues exist with Boeing’s manufacturing and safety protocols?

Healy-Pratt cautioned against premature conclusions. He suggested potential causes could range from simultaneous thrust loss in both engines (an event rarer than one in a billion) to weight and balance miscalculations or overlooked mechanical flaws. He also defended routine safety checks done before takeoff, saying they would have verified fuel load and airworthiness.

The aircraft had taken off at 1:38 PM, carrying over 26,000 gallons of fuel for its journey to London. The crash left debris strewn across homes and buildings, complicating rescue and recovery operations.

Boeing President and CEO Kelly Ortberg expressed his condolences and confirmed that the company has pledged full cooperation. A specialized Boeing team is set to support India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), in accordance with global aviation protocols.

Flight 171’s crash is now one of the deadliest aviation disasters in India in recent decades and has reignited global scrutiny on Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner series.

The much-anticipated Axiom-4 mission, featuring Indian Air Force pilot Shubhanshu Shukla, has encountered yet another delay. SpaceX, the aerospace company managing the mission, identified a leak involving liquid oxygen (LOX) during post-static fire inspections of the Falcon 9 rocket. As a precautionary measure, the launch has been postponed to allow time for repairs and revalidation testing.

Originally scheduled to lift off on June 11, 2025, the mission aims to transport Shukla and three other astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard the Dragon spacecraft. However, the plan has faced multiple delays, with this latest setback stemming from technical concerns identified in the booster segment of the rocket.

SpaceX issued an update via social media, explaining: “Standing down from tomorrow’s Falcon 9 launch of Ax-4 to the Space Station to allow additional time for SpaceX teams to repair the LOx leak identified during post static fire booster inspections.” They added that a new launch date will be determined after repairs and based on availability of the launch range.

ISRO also confirmed the development, stating that a brief seven-second hot test conducted on the Falcon 9’s booster stage revealed the LOX leakage. The issue emerged during propulsion bay inspection, prompting a joint review by ISRO, Axiom Space, and SpaceX teams. It was mutually agreed that the leak must be corrected and follow-up testing completed before proceeding with the launch.

The Axiom-4 mission holds historical significance as it marks the first time an Indian astronaut, under the private Gaganyatri initiative, will participate in an international space mission coordinated by Axiom Space and SpaceX. Shubhanshu Shukla’s journey to the ISS has garnered wide attention both in India and abroad.

Meanwhile, weather conditions at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida are also being closely monitored. The launch had already been pushed back by a day due to unfavorable atmospheric conditions along the rocket’s planned trajectory. William Gerstenmaier, SpaceX’s Vice President, noted during a press briefing that engineers had previously resolved other technical snags in the Falcon 9, which were not detected during its post-flight refurbishment.

With repairs underway and weather updates pending, a new schedule for Axiom-4 is expected soon, as anticipation builds for India’s first Gaganyatri to venture into space.

To celebrate Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 11 years in office, the NaMo App has launched the Jan Man Survey, a national public engagement initiative that quickly gained widespread traction. In just over a day, the digital survey collected responses from more than 0.5 million Indian citizens.

Launched via a post on the social media platform X, Prime Minister Modi urged citizens to share their feedback on India’s progress and the government’s performance over the past decade. The survey aims to enhance civic participation by offering a direct platform for people to express views on governance, national security, youth empowerment, and cultural identity.

Accessible directly through two banners on the homepage of the NaMo App, the survey offers an easy way for users to participate in this nationwide initiative. As the second banner on the homepage, it emphasizes the Modi government’s policy efforts and achievements over the last 11 years.

The response has been remarkable, with Uttar Pradesh leading with over 0.14 million participants, followed by Maharashtra with 0.066 million, Tamil Nadu with 0.063 million, Gujarat with 0.044 million, and Haryana with 0.030 million. Additionally, data from the survey indicates that 77% of respondents completed the full questionnaire—underscoring strong national interest in civic dialogue.

On Monday, Modi posted on X encouraging citizens to take the survey and reflect on India’s growth story. “Your views matter the most! Take part in this survey on the NaMo App and let us know how you view India’s growth journey over the last 11 years. #11YearsOfSeva,” the Prime Minister wrote.

The survey coincides with the Modi-led NDA government completing 11 years in power. Modi first assumed office on May 26, 2014, and began his third consecutive term on June 9, 2024. To mark the occasion, the central government also released an in-depth e-book documenting the administration’s achievements across sectors including economy, infrastructure, health, and digital transformation.

BJP President JP Nadda further emphasized the government’s accomplishments, pointing to improved governance, decisive actions, and a cultural shift in Indian politics under Modi’s leadership.

The Jan Man Survey is more than a celebratory gesture—it represents a national effort to involve the public in shaping India’s future through transparent, inclusive, and tech-enabled engagement.

A 17-year-old from a remote village in Bihar has taken the global tech community by surprise with an extraordinary cybersecurity achievement. Ram Jee Raj, a self-taught ethical hacker from Pahepur, near Samastipur, has been inducted into NASA’s Cyber Security Hall of Fame after identifying a critical vulnerability on NASA’s official website.

Without any formal training in technology, Raj taught himself coding, ethical hacking, and game development through online resources. What started as a childhood fascination with video games soon grew into a deep interest in systems, security, and software. His determination and curiosity led him to independently explore the complex world of ethical hacking.

Raj recently discovered a significant flaw in NASA’s website architecture and reported it directly to the agency, providing detailed technical documentation and a proposed solution. Just five days later, NASA responded, confirming the vulnerability and thanking him for his responsible disclosure. The agency not only fixed the issue but also honored Raj by adding his name to its Cyber Security Hall of Fame.

What makes Raj’s achievement even more remarkable is his humble background. He is the son of Rinkesh Kumar, a resident of Pahepur, and has had limited access to advanced educational infrastructure. Despite these limitations, his self-motivated learning and perseverance have helped him gain international recognition.

Beyond cybersecurity, Raj is also working on a tech startup aimed at improving Indian agriculture using artificial intelligence. His goal is to create innovative solutions for farmers and help uplift rural communities across the country.

“I consider myself a white-hat hacker,” Raj said in a recent interview, using the term that describes ethical hackers who help organizations secure their systems. His success story is resonating widely, especially with young people in rural India, proving that talent and innovation know no boundaries.

Ram Jee Raj’s journey from a village in Bihar to NASA’s Hall of Fame is more than just a personal triumph—it’s a powerful testament to what can be achieved with passion, purpose, and access to digital learning tools.