Category Science and Technology

E-Waste (Management) Rules (2022): Assessing India’s Extended Producer Responsibility Framework

Policy Update, Center for ICT for Development, Economy and Infrastructure, Entrepreneurship, ICT and Innovation, Science and Technology

India's approach to e-waste has shifted over time, from simply regulating disposal to making producers themselves responsible for what happens to their products after use. The E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016, notified by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), built this Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework, requiring producers to ensure collection and environmentally sound management of e-waste from their products. It covered 21 categories of Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE).

IMPRI Desk
August 31, 2026

PM-AJAY Digitalisation- can technology make welfare delivery more inclusive?

Policy Update, Center for ICT for Development, Entrepreneurship, ICT and Innovation, Science and Technology

The Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojana (PM-AJAY) was introduced in 2021–22 by merging three Centrally Sponsored Schemes: the Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana (PMAGY), Special Central Assistance to Scheduled Castes Sub Plan (SCA to SCSP), and Babu Jagjivan Ram Chhatrawas Yojana (BJRCY). The merger was intended to improve convergence and the utilisation of resources for the socio-economic development of Scheduled Caste communities.

IMPRI Desk
August 31, 2026

Chandrayaan-3 Vikram lander on the lunar surface

National Space Day 2026: Chandrayaan-3 and India’s Emerging Space Power

Policy Update, Economy and Infrastructure, Science and Technology

The annual observance of National Space Day on August 23rd serves as a commemoration of a significant national achievement: the successful soft landing of a spacecraft near the lunar south pole. This event represents a substantial advancement in the country's scientific and technological capabilities, particularly within the domain of space exploration. The mission, identified as Chandrayaan-3, was conceived as a successor to the earlier Chandrayaan-2 mission.

IMPRI Desk
August 23, 2026

IndiaAI Foundation Models and India's sovereign AI development

From Proposals to Products -Assessing the IndiaAI Foundation Models Pillar’s Sovereign LLM Progress (2024)

Policy Update, Science and Technology

The IndiaAI Mission is developing foundation models — large-scale AI systems trained on vast datasets that can be adapted to a wide range of downstream tasks. These include Large Language Models (LLMs) and other model types that are central to building AI capabilities tailored to India's languages, culture, and industries.

IMPRI Desk
August 20, 2026

Liberalised FDI Norms In India’s Space Sector (2024): A New Era Of Global Investments And Strategic Autonomy

Policy Update, Economy and Infrastructure, Science and Technology

Policy UpdateVibha Sethi Background and Evolution The structural paradigm of India’s space economy has historically been governed by a centralized, public-sector-driven architecture under the exclusive aegis of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). For decades, private participation was restricted to…

IMPRI Desk
August 16, 2026

Viksit Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik (UDAN) (2026): A Policy Initiative for Regional Air Connectivity

Policy Update, Center for Human Dignity and Development, Center for Work and Welfare, Economy and Infrastructure, Insights, Livelihoods, Employment and Well-being, Science and Technology

The Ministry of Civil Aviation launched the Viksit UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) on 4 July 2026 for FY 2026-27 to FY 2035-36, a modified form of UDAN, launched in October 2016 which has transformed regional connectivity by operationalising 669 routes and connecting 95 airports, heliports and water aerodromes, benefitting over 1.66 crore passengers (PIB, 2026). This upgraded UDAN scheme emphasises on India’s development and self-sustainable air connectivity across the country.

IMPRI Desk
August 12, 2026

Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2023

Policy Update, Center for Work and Welfare, Science and Technology

For over ten years, India maintained a law aimed at allowing mineral development of its seabed, yet for the same period, very little occurred. The Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act was enacted in 2002 and took effect in 2010, providing the government with a legal structure for mining in territorial waters, the continental shelf, and the Exclusive Economic Zone. However, when the Ministry of Mines was questioned about this in Parliament, their response was straightforward: no mining operation had ever started under the previous system. The Ministry was direct about the reason as well. It stated clearly that the distribution process allowed excessive discretion and failed to provide a fair, transparent method for assigning operating rights.

IMPRI Desk
August 11, 2026