India Moves Towards a Comprehensive Trade Pact with the GCC

India has taken a decisive step towards concluding a comprehensive free trade agreement (FTA) with the Gulf Cooperation Council by signing the Terms of Reference (ToR) for negotiations. The move signals a renewed push to deepen economic engagement with one of India’s most vital trading regions at a time of global economic uncertainty and supply-chain realignments.

Isro Moves to Revive a Critical Earth Observation Mission

More than four years after a failed launch disrupted India’s geo-imaging plans, the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) is preparing to launch Gisat-1A, also designated EOS-05. The satellite is a replacement for EOS-03 (Gisat-1), which failed to reach orbit in 2021, and is expected to arrive soon at India’s spaceport for final launch preparations.

New Botanical Discovery in Telangana’s Eastern Ghats

Scientists from the Botanical Survey of India have identified a new species of flowering plant in Pakhal Wildlife Sanctuary, located in Telangana’s Mahbubabad district.

The species, named Dicliptera pakhalica, was formally described in the international botanical journal Brittonia on 29 January, highlighting the region’s rich yet still underexplored plant diversity.

Breakthrough in Early Cardiac Screening Technology

Researchers have developed a flexible, low-cost biosensor capable of rapidly detecting myoglobin, a key cardiac biomarker associated with the early stages of heart attack. The innovation is expected to enhance early diagnosis and timely intervention, particularly in resource-constrained healthcare settings where access to advanced cardiac testing remains limited.

Dubai Advances Towards Next-Generation Urban Transport

Dubai is poised to become the second city globally, after Las Vegas, to roll out a high-speed underground transport network known as the Dubai Loop. The project, announced during the World Government Summit, reflects Dubai’s strategy to modernise urban mobility, reduce surface congestion, and introduce cutting-edge transport technologies in high-density zones.