Latest news with #CDRI
Time of India
5 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
Science in action at CSIR labs for school students
Lucknow: Hundreds of students from schools across Lucknow spent an entire day with scientists at the city-based laboratories of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) during the "One Day as a Scientist" event on Wednesday. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now From learning about drug discovery to engaging in interactive games and toxicity tests, students experienced what it is like to be a scientist. They were taught by scientists at CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI), Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), and Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (IITR). At CDRI, students attended a motivational lecture on "Why We Study Science" to help them understand the relevance of science in their daily lives and how it influences everything— from the technology they use to the environment they live in. Highlighting the impact of scientific thinking on progress and innovation, the lecture encouraged students to view science not just as a subject in school, but as a powerful tool for shaping a better future. "We got hands-on experience of scientific experimentation. It was great to interact with scientists and see them conducting research on rats," said a class VI student Aishwarya Singh. "This was the first time my classmate and I got exposure to such research infrastructure, experienced cutting-edge scientific facilities, and learned about inspiring connections with real-world science," the student added. Similar activities, like making art from dehydrated flowers and visiting the herbarium and labs, were held at NBRI. At IITR, students learned about environmental toxicity studies on aquatic and terrestrial organisms, as well as analytical and clinical chemistry testing.
Indian Express
11-07-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Knowledge Nugget: Why Global Biofuels Alliance and CDRI Matter for UPSC Prep
Take a look at the essential concepts, terms, quotes, or phenomena every day and brush up on your knowledge. Here's your knowledge nugget for today on India's led alliance and initiatives. (Relevance: India-led initiatives are important from the exam perspective. In the UPSC Prelims of 2016, a question was asked on the International Solar Alliance (do check it in the post-read question). Also, these India-led global initiatives showcase India's stature on the international platform, which can be used in your Mains answer writing across the General Studies papers.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in Namibia on Wednesday (9th July), the last stop of the 5-nation tour (Ghana, Trinidad and Tobago, Argentina, and Brazil) that started on July 2. This was the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the resource-rich southern African nation in almost three decades. PM Modi and Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah meeting ended with the announcements on launching the Digital Payment System in Namibia later this year, setting up an Entrepreneurship Development Center in Namibia, and the entry of Namibia to the global initiatives led by India, the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), and the Global Bio Fuel Alliance. In today's knowledge nugget, let's learn about these two India-led initiatives – CDRI and Global Bio Fuel Alliance. 1. On the sidelines of the G20 summit hosted by India in 2023, the Global Bio Fuel Alliance was launched. The alliance is aimed at facilitating international cooperation and intensifying the use of sustainable biofuels, along with facilitating global biofuels trade and technical support for national biofuel programmes. 2. The GBA, the effort for which was spearheaded by India, the United States, and Brazil, was launched with nine initiating members–India, the US, Brazil, Argentina, Bangladesh, Italy, Mauritius, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates–while Canada and Singapore are observer countries. According to the official site of the Global Bio Fuel Alliance, as of July 2025, there are 29 countries and 14 international organisations that are members of this alliance. 3. Biofuels refer to renewable fuels derived from biomass, from plants or agricultural, animal, domestic, and industrial biowaste. Biofuels are significantly cleaner than conventional fossil fuels. The two most common types of biofuels in use today are ethanol and biodiesel, both of which represent the first generation of biofuel technology. 4. A whitepaper was published by the Global Biofuels Alliance (GBA) in February 2025 on the global non-grain-based (NGB) biofuels market, which is creating an attractive opportunity for the Indian NGB biofuels sector. 'NGB biofuels are defined based on feedstock, and refer to biofuels produced from lignocellulosic feedstocks (e.g., agricultural and forestry residues), industrial wastes and residue streams, and other feedstocks which do not compete with food crops for land use,' mentions the paper. 5. According to the International Energy Agency's Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario (NZE), sustainable biofuels play an important role in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the transportation sector, along with electric vehicles, more efficient engines, changes in transport modes and other clean fuels such as hydrogen. 6. The CDRI is an international organisation launched by PM Modi at the U.N. Climate Action Summit in September 2019. It is a partnership of national governments, UN agencies and programmes, multilateral development banks and financing mechanisms, the private sector, and knowledge institutions that aims to promote the resilience of new and existing infrastructure systems to climate and disaster risks in support of sustainable development. 7. In simple words, CDRI is an attempt to bring countries together to share and learn from the experiences of one another to protect their key infrastructure — highways, railways, power stations, communication lines, water channels, even housing — against disasters. It promotes the resilience of infrastructure systems to climate and disaster risks, thereby ensuring sustainable development. 8. Headquartered in New Delhi, India, the mission is to drive US$10 trillion of new and existing infrastructure investments and services to be resilient to natural hazards and climate change, and overall well-being for more than 3 billion people worldwide by 2050. 9. The ten major initiatives as outlined by the CDRI focus on: Small Island Developing States; enhancing data and early warning systems; urban resilience; finance and governance, critical and social infrastructure; mountain regions; Africa; major events; research; and capacity building. 10. The Infrastructure for Resilient Island States (IRIS) was launched by PM Modi under CDRI during the COP26 held in 2021. Climate change and extreme weather events such as sea level rise, coastal flooding and erosion, tsunamis, and storm surges have made the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) highly prone to disasters. IRIS aims to equip SIDS with the knowledge, tools, and partnerships needed to achieve disaster and climate-resilient infrastructure. These are some of the important India-led initiatives that have been at the forefront. 1. International Solar Alliance (ISA): It was established following the Paris Declaration at the UN Climate Change Conference on November 30, 2015. It was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and then French President Francois Hollande. It aimed at uniting efforts to combat climate change by implementing solar energy solutions. Its mission is to unlock $1 trillion in solar investments by 2030 while reducing technology and financing costs. As of July 2025, 106 countries are members of the ISA. 2. International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA): Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the IBCA in April 2023 during the 50th year celebrations of Project Tiger. It is an India-led initiative to focus on global conservation of seven big cats —the tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, puma, jaguar, and cheetah. On June 16, the first Assembly of the IBCA was held in New Delhi. It aims 'to facilitate collaboration and synergy among stakeholders, consolidating successful conservation practices and expertise and replicating them in range countries.' 3. Green Credits Initiative: It was launched by PM Modi on the sidelines of COP 28 as an initiative within the government's Lifestyle for Environment or LIFE movement. It focuses on generating Green Credits through the plantation on degraded wasteland. It encourages taking voluntary environment-positive actions that result in the issuance of green credits. It is independent of the carbon credit under the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme 2023. Consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2016) 1. The International Solar Alliance was launched at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in 2015. 2. The Alliance includes all the member countries of the United Nations. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 (Source: Modi, President Ndaitwah hold talks: Namibia to roll out UPI, World Biofuel Day – All you need to know for UPSC Prelims and Mains, Why is Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) important for UPSC exam?, UPSC Special- How India's biofuel potential complements its leadership in sustainable aviation fuel) Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X. 🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for June 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at Khushboo Kumari is a Deputy Copy Editor with The Indian Express. She has done her graduation and post-graduation in History from the University of Delhi. At The Indian Express, she writes for the UPSC section. She holds experience in UPSC-related content development. You can contact her via email: ... Read More
Time of India
10-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
India-Namibia relations deepen: From Project Cheetah to defence, trade and beyond
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's historic state visit to Namibia, the first by an Indian PM in 27 years elevated bilateral ties with key agreements on digital payments (UPI), defense, health, critical minerals, and climate collaboration. Namibia joined India-led global platforms like the Global Biofuel Alliance and CDRI, as both nations pledged deeper cooperation for the Global South and reaffirmed shared democratic and environmental values. Show more Show less
Hans India
10-07-2025
- Business
- Hans India
India signs 4 pacts with Namibia on energy, health
Windhoek: India and Namibia on Wednesday signed four agreements to bolster bilateral cooperation in several areas, including energy and healthcare, following talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah. Modi, who arrived here from Brazil on the final leg of his five-nation tour, held delegation-level talks with Nandi-Ndaitwah at the State House here. After the talks, the two sides inked four agreements in a range of sectors, including health and medicine, biofuels and disaster resilient. Modi said India-Namibia relations will shine like a diamond while drawing a glittering parallel between the two nations' strengths in the diamond industry. Modi highlighted that India and Namibia have stood by each other since the time of their freedom struggle. "Namibia is one of the world's largest diamond producers and India has the largest diamond polishing industry, that too in my home state, Gujarat." 'I am confident that in the coming times our partnership will also shine like these diamonds,' Modi said. This is the first visit of Prime Minister Modi to Namibia and the third-ever by an Indian Prime Minister to the country. Modi, who is here at the invitation of President Nandi-Ndaitwah, has described Namibia as a 'valued and trusted partner' in Africa. Earlier, Prime Minister Modi received a ceremonial welcome and a guard of honour at State House. He also received a 21-gun salute. There was also an announcement on the launching of digital payments system in Namibia later this year as an outcome of the signing of the UPI technology licensing agreement between NPCI (National Payments Corporation of India) and Bank of Namibia in April last year. Namibia has also joined the India-backed CDRI (Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure) and the Global Biofuels Alliance. CDRI is dedicated to enhancing the resilience of infrastructure systems to climate and disaster risks. It includes national governments, international organizations, and the private sector. During the delegation-level talks, the two leaders reviewed the full range of India-Namibia relations. 'Cooperation in areas such as digital technology, defence, security, agriculture, healthcare, education and critical minerals figured prominently in our discussions,' Modi said in a post on social media after the meeting. Prime Minister Modi remembered Nujoma as a visionary leader who devoted his life to the struggle for Namibia's independence. 'As the first President of free Namibia, Nujoma made inspiring contribution to the country's nation-making. His legacy continues to inspire people across the world,' the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.
India Today
10-07-2025
- Business
- India Today
PM Modi leaves for home after concluding visit to Namibia
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday left for home after wrapping up his visit to Namibia, during which he addressed a Joint Session of the Namibian was the final stop of his five-nation visit."A highly productive & successful 5-nation tour to Ghana, Trinidad & Tobago, Argentina, Brazil, and Namibia concludes," the Ministry of External Affairs said in a post on X.A highly productive & successful 5-nation tour to @narendramodi has emplaned for New Delhi. Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) July 9, 2025advertisement PM Modi has emplaned for New Delhi, it in the day, Prime Minister Modi held talks with Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah that focused on imparting a new momentum to the bilateral the talks between the two leaders, India and Namibia inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on setting up an Entrepreneurship Development Centre in Namibia and another pact on cooperation in the field of health and has also joined the India-backed CDRI (Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure) and the Global Biofuels addressing a Joint Session of the Parliament of the Republic of Namibia, PM Modi said Africa must not be just a source of raw material but "lead in value creation and sustainable growth".Underlining that India values Africa's role in world affairs, he said the two sides must act together to create a future defined not by power and dominance, but by partnership and the visit, Modi was also conferred with Namibia's highest civilian award, the 'Order of the Most Ancient Welwitschia Mirabilis', by President after the Welwitschia Mirabilis, a unique and ancient desert plant endemic to Namibia, the order symbolises resilience, longevity and the enduring spirit of the Namibian was Modi's first visit to Namibia and the third-ever prime ministerial visit from India to the country.- EndsTune InMust Watch
