BITS-Pilani’s CRENS: Forging Academic Firepower For India’s Defence Imperative

The recent engagement at Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani underscores a pivotal moment in India’s defence innovation landscape, where academic prowess intersects with national security imperatives.As global defence systems recalibrate amid escalating geopolitical tensions, technology emerges as the paramount force multiplier, reshaping power dynamics on the world stage.At

March 13, 2026
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Academia and the “AI Brain Drain”

In 2025, Google, Amazon, Microsoft and Meta collectively spent US$380 billion on building artificial-intelligence tools. That number is expected to surge still higher this year, to $650 billion, to fund the building of physical infrastructure, such as data centers (see go.nature.com/3lzf79q). Moreover, these firms are spending lavishly on one particular segment: top technical talent.

Meta reportedly offered a single AI researcher, who had cofounded a start-up firm focused on training AI agents to use computers, a compensation package of $250 million over four years (see …

March 13, 2026
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Chinese Navy Shifting To All-Nuclear Submarine Fleet; Imperils Indian Ocean Equilibrium – India’s SSN Imperative Beckons

China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) is undergoing a transformative shift towards an all-nuclear submarine fleet, as revealed by the US Navy’s intelligence chief. This development signals a profound evolution in Beijing’s maritime posture across the Indo-Pacific, elevating its undersea capabilities from regional defence to global power projection.The intelligence assessment underscores

March 12, 2026
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Indian Army Chief Advocates Shifting To Proactive Deterrence And Tech-Driven Transformation Post-Operation Sindoor

India’s Army Chief, General Upendra Dwivedi, has articulated a significant doctrinal shift in the nation’s military strategy, moving from a reactive stance to one of proactive deterrence. Speaking at the 21st Higher Defence Management Course in Hyderabad’s College of Defence Management, he drew pivotal lessons from Operation Sindoor to underscore this evolution.The address, delivered on Tuesday,

March 11, 2026
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Canada Needs Nationalized, Public AI

Canada has a choice to make about its artificial intelligence future. The Carney administration is investing $2-billion over five years in its Sovereign AI Compute Strategy. Will any value generated by “sovereign AI” be captured in Canada, making a difference in the lives of Canadians, or is this just a passthrough to investment in American Big Tech?

Forcing the question is OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, which has been pushing an “OpenAI for Countries” initiative. It is not the only one eyeing its share of the $2-billion, but it appears to be the most aggressive. OpenAI’s top lobbyist in the region has met with Ottawa officials, including Artificial Intelligence Minister Evan Solomon…

March 11, 2026
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