💾 First Made-in-India chip

Good morning. Selena Gomez is dropping a new album with her fiancé Benny Blanco on 21/3. Loving this new era of Selena 💘 

- Ruchirr Sharma & Shatakshi Sharmaa  

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• 💾 First Made-in-India chip

• 🙏 Tragic Stampede at New Delhi Railway Station

• 🗞️ Bite-sized summaries

  • ⚔️ J&K encounter

  • 🇷🇺 Zelensky warns Russia will 'wage war' on NATO

• 🧑‍🍳 What else is cookin’?

• 🍿 Entertainment, Entertainment, Entertainment

MARKETS

🇮🇳 India

• Indian stock market declined. This drop contributed to a five-day market loss. Factors included global trade tensions, FPI selling, weak earnings, and valuation concerns. While Nifty Pharma showed gains, Nifty IT struggled.

🇮🇳 International

• US stock markets showed mixed performance. The mixed results were attributed to conflicting economic data, ongoing geopolitical tensions, and varying corporate earnings reports, leaving investors cautious but generally optimistic about the market's overall trajectory.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

💾 First Made-in-India chip

India is set to take a giant leap in semiconductor manufacturing with its first made-in-India chip rolling out in September or October 2025.

Here’s what’s happening:

• Global giants have long dominated the semiconductor industry, but India is gearing up to make its mark.

• In collaboration with Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (PSMC), Tata Electronics is spearheading the country’s first semiconductor fabrication plant in Dholera, Gujarat.

• This initiative is part of a broader push to establish India as a key player in the global semiconductor supply chain.

Recognizing the critical role of research and development, the Indian government has allocated ₹334 crore to the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru. The funds will support R&D in gallium nitride (GaN) technology—a promising alternative to silicon in high-power and high-frequency applications, particularly in the telecom and power sectors. IISc has already made strides in this space, developing India’s first e-mode GaN power transistor, showcasing performance comparable to global standards.

The government is not stopping at just chip fabrication. A production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for semiconductor components is in the pipeline to boost domestic manufacturing further. Additionally, under the IndiaAI Mission, a new portal for Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) will be launched soon, reflecting India’s ambitions in AI and high-performance computing.

India has attracted ₹13,162 crore in electronics manufacturing investments, with many more expected. Currently, 234 universities have access to the latest semiconductor design tools, preparing the next generation of engineers to drive this revolution. The government is also working on modernizing the Semiconductor Lab in Mohali under the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) 1.0, with ISM 2.0 set to follow after cabinet approval.

Overall: With these strategic moves, India is poised to become a significant player in the global semiconductor industry. The upcoming chip launch in 2025 will not only reduce dependency on imports but also position India as a hub for cutting-edge semiconductor technology. The countdown has begun—India’s semiconductor future is just around the corner.

Read more: Economic Times

—

🙏 Tragic Stampede at New Delhi Railway Station

A devastating stampede at New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday left at least 18 people dead, including 14 women, and several others injured.

Authorities reported that the stampede was triggered when some passengers slipped and fell on others while descending from a footbridge connecting train platforms. Confusion arose after an announcement regarding a change in train platforms, further intensifying the situation. Witnesses described the crowd as uncontrollable, with people desperately trying to navigate the overcrowded station.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his distress over the tragedy, offering condolences to the victims' families and wishing the injured a swift recovery. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced an immediate investigation into the incident to determine the exact cause and prevent future occurrences. Authorities have also deployed additional personnel to manage railway station crowds more effectively.

This unfortunate incident is not an isolated one. Just last month, a similar stampede at the Maha Kumbh festival led to the deaths of at least 30 people. The recurring nature of such tragedies highlights the urgent need for better crowd control measures, improved infrastructure, and more effective communication at major transit hubs.

Overall: With millions of passengers travelling daily through India's railway network, safety remains a pressing concern. Authorities must take swift action to enhance station management, implement better crowd control strategies, and ensure that such devastating incidents do not happen again. The nation mourns the lives lost in this tragedy, while also urging for systemic changes to prevent future disasters.

Read more: AP News

GENERAL OVERVIEW

🗞️ Bite-sized summaries

⚔️ J&K encounter - Pakistani troops fired at an Indian Army post along the Line of Control in Poonch, Jammu and Kashmir, around 11 AM on February 16, 2025. The Indian Army retaliated, and no casualties were reported. Despite occasional stray firing incidents, the ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan remains intact. The Indian Army reaffirmed that the situation is stable and is being closely monitored. Minor incidents along the LoC are dealt with through established mechanisms, ensuring high alertness and operational dominance. The Army dismissed recent ceasefire violation reports, emphasizing that the truce is being upheld per the bilateral understanding.

🇷🇺 Zelensky warns Russia will 'wage war' on NATO - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Russia might wage war against a weakened NATO if the U.S. reduces support. Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, he urged Trump to push Putin into ceasefire talks but cautioned that Putin cannot be trusted. Zelensky believes an emboldened Russia could seek territorial expansion. He also called for a European army, arguing that Europe can no longer rely on the U.S. Meanwhile, Washington reassured Kyiv of continued support, though mixed signals emerged about Ukraine's NATO membership and territorial recovery. Zelensky believes Trump has leverage over Putin but warns against trusting him.

HEADLINES

🧑‍🍳 What else is cookin’?

What’s happening in India (and around the world 🌍️)

• Comedy (is not) Central: Is India still not ready for ‘edgy’ comedy?

• Japanese firms eye India as part of 'China Plus One' strategy.

• Standard Chartered gets RBI nod to appoint PD Singh as India CEO.

• Apple teased a big product announcement.

• Honda-Nissan multi-billion dollar merger collapses.

CULTURE

🍿 Entertainment, Entertainment, Entertainment

• BAFTA film awards: ‘Conclave’ (best film), ‘The Brutalist’ (best director and actor) win four each.

• Chhaava review: noteworthy performance from Vicky Kaushal, but the film doesn't roar.