Arms, ammunition and explosives were also recovered from the deceased terrorists….reports Asian Lite News
Pak security forces killed four terrorists, including a suicide bomber, in an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in the North Waziristan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Geo News reported on Tuesday.
It reported that security forces and terrorists engaged in a gunfight during the operation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s tribal district and four terrorists were neutralised.
Arms, ammunition and explosives were also recovered from the deceased terrorists.
The military’s media wing added that the killed terrorists remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities against the security forces and were planning to conduct a high-profile terrorist attack, which was averted due to a proactive response by security forces.
A sanitization operation is being carried out to eliminate any other terrorists found in the area.
“Security forces of Pakistan are determined to wipe out the menace of terrorism from the country,” the statement read.
Pakistan, in 2023, saw a disturbing surge in suicide attacks by terrorists, reaching the highest level since 2014, according to Geo News.
Earlier last month, as many as 25 Pakistan soldiers were killed in two separate incidents on a single day, including a terrorist attack in Dera Ismail Khan, which killed 23 soldiers and a military operation in the Kolachi and Darazinda areas of the KP that in which two army personnel were killed, Dawn reported.
The data gathered by PICSS stated that security forces remained the primary targets of these terrorist attacks, with civilians constituting the second-largest victim category.
At least 48 per cent of deaths (157) and 58 per cent of injuries (340) were inflicted upon security personnel, the data stated.
The number of civilian casualties was closer to these statistics with 130 deaths and 242 injured. Comparing the data to the preceding year, 2022, the report reveals a distressing 93 per cent increase in the number of suicide attacks, a shocking 226 per cent rise in resultant deaths, and a troubling 101pc surge in the number of injured individuals, according to Dawn. (ANI)
The Canadian government processed almost 146,000 new study permit applications for Indian nationals from July to October 2022…writes Meenakshi Iyer
The Indian demand for Canadian education declined significantly with the number of study permit applications processed going down by more than 40 per cent since July 2023, according to a newly-released data.
The Canadian government processed almost 146,000 new study permit applications for Indian nationals from July to October 2022.
But across the same period in 2023, it processed fewer than 87,000, representing a year-over-year decrease of 41 per cent, data released by ApplyBoard, an online platform for international student recruitment, said.
This means that almost 60,000 fewer student visas were processed for Indian students from July to October 2023 than over the same period in 2022.
From January to June 2023, the Canadian government processed 25 per cent more study permit applications from Indian students than it did over the same period in 2022. The sharp drop comes even as the Canadian government announced last month that it will more than double the cost-of-living financial requirement for incoming international students beginning January 1, 2024.
So going forth, a single applicant will need to show they have 20,635 Canadian dollars ($15,181) in addition to their first year of tuition and travel costs.
Negative sentiment on social media
While it remains to be seen how the announcement will impact international students in terms of numbers, the reason for the drop in later part of 2023 was attributed to a growing number of Indian students taking on to social media to speak about the hardships they faced in Canada, specifically calling out the high cost of living and lack of opportunity promised.
The ApplyBoard found that between April and August of 2023, the number of articles written about housing in Canada increased fivefold versus the same period last year. Additionally, the percentage of content flagged as negative rose from 12 to 30 per cent, with Indian students’ financial hardships and unemployment challenges a consistent theme.
In September last year, students from Punjab actively took to ‘X’ to speak about skyrocketing house rents in the country, which was forcing many of them to stay in cramped basement setups, compromising their safety.
With the rising cost of living, many said they were finding it hard to meet their daily needs and were forced to seek monetary help from parents back home.
A social media user studying in the country spoke about how he was sharing a basement setup with six other students.
According to the government data, there is a shortfall of at least 3,45,000 housing units across Canada.
“If the conditions in Canada persist, a long-term depression of Indian student demand is possible,” the ApplyBoard report said.
The impact of India-Canada row
The data further said it is unlikely that the India-Canada relations, which nosedived following Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s claims in September 2023, will depress the volume of study permit applications processed from India. According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship of Canada (IRCC), 80 per cent of study permit applications from Indian students processed between August and November were processed within three weeks.
“This suggests that despite the disruption in Canadian visa services due to the dispute, IRCC is prioritising study permit processing,” the data highlighted.
Indians take the lion’s share of foreign students in Canada Of about 8,00,000 international students currently studying in Canada, 3,20,000 are from India, and students from Punjab roughly make up about 70 per cent of them. According to an IRCC release, international education accounts for more than 22 billion Canadian dollars ($16 billion) in economic activity annually.
This is greater than Canada’s exports of auto parts, lumber or aircraft, and supports more than 200,000 jobs in Canada, the release said.
The ApplyBoard insights suggested that if the Canadian government continues to take decisive policy actions that put students first, the country can return to 10 to 20 per cent year-over-year growth in demand from Indian students.
Demands for potable water have started pouring in from places otherwise believed to be sufficiently provided through water supply schemes by the Jal Shakti department….reports Asian Lite News
Intense dry cold wave continued in Kashmir on Wednesday as most water bodies froze in part recording alarmingly low discharge.
Kashmir is reeling under intense dry cold wave as Dal, Nigeen, Wullar and all other lakes, streams and rivers froze in parts while the water level in these dropped alarmingly low due to very scant snowfall and that too only in the mountains so far this season.
Demands for potable water have started pouring in from places otherwise believed to be sufficiently provided through water supply schemes by the Jal Shakti department.
Weather office has forecast cloudy weather from January 4 to January 6, adding that this is unlikely to result in rain/snowfall in the plains.
Srinagar city had minus 4.8 degrees Celsius on Wednesday as the minimum temperature while Gulmarg and Pahalgam had minus 3.8 and minus 6.6 respectively.
In Ladakh region, Leh town had minus 15.2, Kargil minus 12.4 and Drass minus 14 as the minimum temperature.
Jammu city had 7, Katra 4.4, Batote 2.6, Bhaderwah 0.3 and Banihal minus 1.6.
Meanwhile, with a drop in the maximum temperature, the Reasi district in Jammu and Kashmir experienced extreme cold conditions on New Year’s Day. The visibility in the area was near zero due to thick fog on Monday evening.
The fog in the area was caused by a change in the wind pattern from dry, cold north-westerly to moisture-laden easterly due to a weak western disturbance.
Meanwhile, the Kashmir Valley witnessed a bone-chilling first day of the year as the minimum temperature dropped several degrees below freezing point in many areas on Monday.
The minimum temperature in the summer capital of Srinagar dropped to minus 5.2 degrees Celsius in the morning, a weather official said.
As Kashmir grapples with the extreme cold, its impact on daily life and infrastructure is palpable.
The freezing temperatures have made daily activities a challenge for residents.
“The temperature in Jammu and Kashmir was minus 5.4 at night. Wherever we pour water, it freezes. People are coming in large numbers to enjoy the weather. Yesterday, there was a big celebration in front of Lal Chowk. We pray that if there is snowfall, then the cold will subside a little because our children and elders have fallen ill,” a local in Srinagar said while speaking to ANI.
Dal Lake and other water bodies, which attract tourists and locals for rides, have frozen. (IANS/ANI)
The exercise is scheduled to be conducted in Mahajan, Rajasthan from January 2 to 15…reports Asian Lite News
The armed forces personnel of the UAE are holding a joint military exercise with India named ‘Desert Cyclone’, a Defence Ministry official informed on Tuesday.
According to the Ministry of Defence (MoD), the UAE Land Forces contingent comprising 45 personnel arrived in India to participate in the first edition of the India-UAE joint military exercise ‘Desert Cyclone’.
The exercise is scheduled to be conducted in Mahajan, Rajasthan from January 2 to 15, the official added.
The MoD said that the UAE contingent is being represented by troops from the Zayed First Brigade and the Indian Army contingent comprising 45 personnel is being represented mainly by a Battalion from the Mechanised Infantry Regiment.
The aim of the exercise is to enhance interoperability in sub-conventional operations including Fighting in Built-Up Area (FIBUA) in desert and semi-desert terrain under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter on Peacekeeping Operations.
The MoD said that the exercise will enhance cooperation and interoperability between the two friendly nations during peacekeeping operations. Drills planned to be rehearsed during the exercise include establishment of a joint surveillance centre, cordon and search operation, domination of built-up area and heliborne operations.
The exercise will also foster collaborative partnership and help in sharing best practices between the two sides, the official added.
The MoD said that the exercise signifies further strengthening of bonds of friendship and trust between India and the UAE. It also aims to achieve shared security objectives and foster bilateral relations between two friendly nations.
“The training programme will cover almost 90 per cent of those needed to be trained within nine months to one year,”…reports Asian Lite News
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is all set to notify the three new criminal justice acts replacing colonial laws namely the IPC, the CrPC and the Evidence Act before January 26, official sources said.
The procedure to notify the three new laws– Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam– started soon after President Droupadi Murmu on December 25 gave her assent.
As per the sources, the MHA will start a training programme for police officers, investigators and those linked to forensic fields soon after the three laws are notified. The training aims to provide training to the policemen to ensure the implementation of these laws, and ensure fair, time-bound and evidence-based investigation and speedy trial.
For the training programme, the sources said, 3,000 officers from different fields will be appointed to train police officers, investigators and those in forensic departments, and this process will be called a “trainers-training” programme, the sources told the ANI on condition of anonymity.
“The training programme will cover almost 90 per cent of those needed to be trained within nine months to one year,” said the sources.
For the judiciary training, officials said, the MHA has already conducted consultations, and it will be done at Bhopal Academy.
Besides, the sources said, there would be a model set-up in Chandigarh to ensure a foolproof online mechanism as most of the records would be electronic or digital.
The Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been replaced with the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the CrPC with Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and the Indian Evidence Act has been replaced with the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam. The three laws were passed by the Parliament in the recently concluded Winter Session.
As per the new laws, generation and supply of records will be in electronic form like Zero FIR, E -FIR, Chargesheet, and victims will be provided information to the victim in digital form.
After the complete implementation of these laws, the victim will get justice within three years and the police officers will have to provide information through digital means within 90 days.
The focus will be on forensic evidence for which the sources said 900 FSL vans will be provided to all police districts to visit crime scenes and collect videography and forensic evidence mandatory in cases involving punishment of seven years or more than seven years.
Recording of evidence in an investigation, videography through electronic devices of the entire process of searching or seizing any property by the police, and statements of rape victims can be recorded through audio and video electronic means as per these Acts.
There is a major focus of Section 20 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita for the Directorate of Prosecution and it defines the eligibility, functions and powers of various authorities under it. The duties and responsibilities of different levels of prosecuting officers were laid down to ensure desired coordination.
The provision of supervision by the prosecutor has been introduced during the investigation phase.
The post of Directorate of Prosecution will be established on the district level and the criteria for appointment of Director of Prosecution and Assistant Director of Prosecution has been revised in Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023. (ANI)
The Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth brings together the Speakers and Presiding Officers of the national parliaments of the independent sovereign states of the Commonwealth…reports Asian Lite News
A delegation of the Indian Parliament led by Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh departed for Uganda on Wednesday to attend the 27th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC), set to be held in Kampala from January 4-6, Parliament Sources told ANI.
This conference is held every two years in which the Presiding Officers of more than 30 Commonwealth parliaments discuss issues of common concern and share experiences and best practices for tackling the challenges before their legislatures.
“Harivansh as the presiding officer from India will have the honour of addressing the Special Session on “Building Consensus in Parliamentary business”. Besides, he will participate in all the 5 discussions to present India’s views and suggestions” Parliament Sources told ANI
Sources further told ANI that Harivansh will take over from Uganda as the next 28th Conference will be held in India in 2026. Secretary-General Rajya Sabha PC Mody and other senior officials are accompanying the delegation.
The Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth brings together the Speakers and Presiding Officers of the national parliaments of the independent sovereign states of the Commonwealth.
It was created in 1969 as an initiative of the then Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada, Lucien Lamoureux. Since its inception, Canada has provided CSPOC with a secretariat to support its activities.
The Conference is an independent group and has no formal affiliation with the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, the Commonwealth Secretariat or the Commonwealth Heads of Government.
CSPOC operates on a two-year cycle, holding a conference of the full membership every two years, usually early in January, and a meeting of the Standing Committee at the same time in the intervening year.
The Conference aims to maintain, foster, and encourage impartiality and fairness on the part of Speakers and Presiding Officers of Parliaments; Promote knowledge and understanding of parliamentary democracy in its various forms; and Develop parliamentary institutions. (ANI)
The truckers demanded repeal of the new Motor Vehicle Act’s stringent provision of 10 years jail and Rs 7 lakhs fine in hit-and-run accident cases…reports Asian Lite News
Countrywide protests by transporters against the increase in quantum of punishment in hit-and-run cases under the new criminal code ended on Tuesday night after the Centre’s assurance that it will have a discussion with them before implementing the provisions.
Representatives of All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) met Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla on Tuesday. During the meeting Bhalla told them that provisions under the new law has not been notified yet. He also assured them that the ministry will have a discussion with AIMTC before implementing it.
After the assurance that provisions will be discussed before implementation, AIMTC appealed to the drivers to end the strike.
According to AIMTC Chairman Malkit Singh Bal, Section 106 (2) of the new law has a provision of up to 10 years’ imprisonment and fine in ‘hit-and-run’ cases. Transporters and truck drivers have been opposing this provision and they have demanded that it should not be implemented.
President Droupadi Murmu has given her assent to the Indian Justice Code, Indian Civil Defence Code and Indian Evidence Act and it can be notified before January 26. The Home Ministry says that with this change, a system will be established through which any victim can get justice within 3 years.
The truckers demanded repeal of the new Motor Vehicle Act’s stringent provision of 10 years jail and Rs 7 lakhs fine in hit-and-run accident cases.
As the agitation spread, State Transport buses in some parts of the state were affected with cancellations or rescheduling, though there are sufficient stocks of fuel at most depots, officials assured.
In parts of Nashik, Pune tourist taxis also joined the agitation to support the truckers and sought rollback of the MV Act rules, while local associations of school buses in major cities are likely to join the stir from Wednesday.
The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Nationalist Congress Party (SP) have slammed the Centre over the new rules and demanded that these should be repealed immediately.
The two-day spontaneous protests have hit supplies of petrol-diesel, milk, fruits and vegetables, foodgrains and other essentials to urban centres like Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Nagpur and other cities, with fears of shortages and consequently price hikes.
Taking serious note, the state government on Tuesday decided to give police escorts to fuel tankers from the PSU companies’ oil depots to the retail petrol pumps where two policemen shall be stationed to control the massive panicky crowds queuing up for refill.
The ‘channel alerts’ function aims to improve the channel managers’ overall experience…reports Asian Lite News
Meta-owned WhatsApp is all set to introduce new features for Android users that allow users to search messages by date, access hidden navigation labels, and receive channel alerts.
WhatsApp has introduced the new Channel Alerts feature with the WhatsApp Beta for Android 2.23.26.6 update and will be rolling it out to all users in the coming days, according to the Mashable website.
According to a report from WABetaInfo, WhatsApp is rolling out a feature to search messages by date, channel alerts, and hidden navigation labels, and they are available to some beta testers.
The new features are currently accessible to a select group of beta testers, with plans to gradually expand availability to additional users in the near future, as per the WABetaInfo report.
The ‘channel alerts’ function aims to improve the channel managers’ overall experience. Provided that administrators are provided with up-to-date information about channel suspensions, any problems can be resolved quickly.
Administrators can also use this feature to send a direct WhatsApp request for the restoration of their channels. According to the report, channel owners are advised to access the “channel alerts” option in the channel info screen to ensure compliance and identify any potential violations, as quoted by Mashable website.
The addition of channel alerts gives the platform an additional level of transparency.
Moreover, the communication platform is introducing two new capabilities following the installation of the most recent app update. These enhancements include an automatic hiding of navigation labels and the top app bar while scrolling down the screen, as well as the ability to search messages by date. The latter feature will provide users with an efficient and convenient method to navigate their chat history. This functionality will assist in retrieving specific messages from a particular date, ultimately saving users valuable time, as stated in the report.
An additional feature added to WhatsApp is the ability to transmit voice messages that can only be heard once before disappearing. Similar to the ‘View Once’ option for images and videos, this feature further protects the privacy of your messages and was added in 2021. (ANI)
In restive Balochistan protests now engulf capital Quetta(IN)
Balochistan’s relentless struggle is a saga of paradox between neglect and the pursuit of justice … writes Dr Sanchita Bhattacharya. Despite being the largest province of Pakistan, Balochistan finds itself entrenched in paradox as the most neglected one. Despite harboring substantial resources, 48% of its population grapples with poverty. Decades of state neglect and exploitation have fueled a brutal insurgency, driven by economic marginalization and historical discontent. Recent events, including the ruthless suppression of a peaceful Baloch march and extrajudicial killings, lay bare a government clinging to power through force. The international response remains tepid, with the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan condemning state violence. Balochistan stands at a critical juncture, its people yearning for justice, while the world witnesses a stark failure in protecting basic human rights. The narrative of Balochistan’s struggle unfolds amid systemic abuse, demanding urgent global attention and intervention
Balochistan is the largest province of Pakistan, comprising roughly 43 per cent of the total area of the country. Unfortunately, it is also the poorest and least populated. One of the world’s largest copper deposits has been found at Reko Diq in Balochistan. Regrettably, more than 48 per cent of the province’s population lives below the poverty line. The failure of the central government to address Balochistan’s economic slowdown and social disintegration has created a sense of deprivation in the minds of the common Baloch people over the decades.
The ongoing insurgency in the province is a direct outcome of decades of state neglect and exploitation. Relations between Baloch nationalists and the central government have been hostile since the creation of Pakistan in 1947, intermittently turning vicious. The roots of Baloch dissent trace back to the early 1970s when the Baloch Students Organisation-Awami (BSO-Awami) emerged from a split with the Baloch Students Organisation (BSO). With a Marxist-Leninist ideology, BSO-Awami vehemently opposed the repressive and feudal Sardari system, aligning itself with the Baloch People’s Liberation Front in resisting the control of the Pakistani establishment. The inaugural chairman of BSO-Awami, Taj Baloch paved the way for a legacy of resistance. His follower, Abdul Nabi Bangulzai, assumed the mantle as a guerrilla leader, emphasizing the organization’s commitment to challenging the status quo.
Pakistan’s dreaded ‘enforced disappearances’ expand from Balochistan to Punjab.(photo:IN)
In 2004, long-simmering tensions erupted into a renewed insurgency. One of the main Baloch grievances is the ongoing construction of the mega-port of Gwadar, which commenced in 2002. In 2004, a renewed ethnic insurgency broke out, and violence has escalated since the army’s killing of Baloch leader Nawab Akbar Bugti in 2006, coupled with the illegal custody and disappearance of many additional Baloch leaders by the Pakistani government. U.S. intelligence estimates that approximately 25,000 army and paramilitary forces are engaged in counter-insurgency operations in Balochistan, further exacerbating ethnic grievances. The current conflict in Balochistan is the bloodiest since the 1970s.
In the ongoing recent events, on December 21 at midnight, law enforcement agencies used ruthless force to disperse a peaceful Baloch march heading towards the Islamabad Press Club, protesting state crimes against the Baloch people. State-sponsored forces employed water cannons and tear gas, detained hundreds of protesters, and subjected them to brutality. Women were dragged, their clothes torn apart, children wounded, and elderly individuals physically abused. After 24 hours of disgrace and harassment, the protesters were finally released but were then transported back to Balochistan from where they came.
The killing of Balaach Mola Bakhsh and three others in Turbat, Balochistan in November prompted protestors to embark on a nearly 1600 km march to Islamabad. On November 24, 2023, four people were killed in an encounter by the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD). The identified victims were Shakoor Baloch, Saif Baloch, and Balach Mola Bakhsh, while one remains unknown. Balach’s lawyer, Advocate Jadain Dahshti, revealed that Balach had been abducted from his home on October 29, and an FIR against him was not filed until 22 days later on November 20. Dahshti denounced the encounter as fake, stating, ‘They filed a case under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), charging him with possessing 5kg of explosives. The next day, he was brought to court, where 10 more days of remand were granted. His bail plea was scheduled for November 24, but the night before, he was killed in this fake encounter.
The march, initiated on December 6 from Turbat and led by Baloch women following the earlier mentioned extrajudicial killing, revealed a noteworthy feature – its predominantly female composition. Young, aspiring women took the lead, seeking redressal of their grievances from the state. It is worth mentioning that author and journalist Mohammed Hanif declared his decision to return the Sitara-e-Imtiaz, the third-highest civilian award of Pakistan, to the state in protest against the violence inflicted on Baloch marchers. Responding to a video of a Baloch girl pleading with the authorities for the ‘right to live,’ Hanif criticized the exploitation of Baloch protesters, expressing shame at witnessing a new generation being deprived of basic dignity.
Nevertheless, the capital police blocked entrances to the city and major routes leading to the National Press Club. Subsequently, the police began detaining Baloch men and women as part of their actions against the protesters. Videos shared on social media depicted security forces using water cannons and tear gas on the protesters, forcibly dragging Baloch individuals into police vans, and employing batons against them. Additionally, the police dismantled protest camps and loudspeaker setups outside the National Press Club. These actions garnered enormous criticism, compelling the caretaker government to establish a negotiation team, including Information Minister Murtaza Solangi, Fawad Hasan Fawad, and Jamal Shah, to engage with the protesters’ families. However, this ‘effort’ to engage in dialogue was swiftly overshadowed by the heavy-handed tactics employed by the Islamabad Police, resulting in the detention of numerous protestors amid the use of water cannons and baton charges.
Aptly, in a statement condemning state violence against the protesters, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) Chairperson Asad Iqbal Butt stated that the commission was appalled by the state’s response, citing unwarranted force in the form of water cannons and batons being used on women, children, and the elderly. The statement reads, ‘Numerous women protesters have reportedly been arrested and separated from their male relatives and allies. At least one Baloch woman journalist covering the long march has also been arrested. This treatment of Baloch people exercising their constitutional right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression is inexcusable.
Appropriately, the call for protest has reached overseas as well. Announcing a noteworthy initiative, Salia Marri, the niece of Baloch national leader Baba Khair Bakhsh Marri and wife of abducted Baloch nationalist Mir Taj Muhammad Sarparah, has revealed plans for a five-day sit-in protest in London scheduled from January 3 to 7, 2024. The purpose of this demonstration is to intensify ongoing protests against reported cases of enforced disappearances and human rights violations in Balochistan. Additionally, amid this continuing protest regarding Baloch genocide and enforced disappearances, the Baloch Yakjahti Committee-Kech conveyed through a post on X that should the state fail to engage in negotiations in accordance with their demands, they are prepared to elevate the matter to the court of the Baloch people.
Balochistan is at a turning point in its history, with struggles from the past resonating into the present. Ongoing events, marked by demonstrations and committee discussions, offer a glimpse into the complex difficulties faced by the people of Balochistan. The path forward demands deft negotiation, navigating the delicate interplay of identity, autonomy, and the precarious equilibrium between authority and dissent. As the global audience watches and policymakers deliberate, Balochistan’s narrative unfolds. A saga in flux, each chapter reveals fresh dimensions of a nation entwined in its historical legacy and aspirations for the future. However, the journey is fraught with negativity, a stark reminder that the pursuit of peace is an arduous voyage, laden with uncertainties. Yet, within this complexity lies an opportunity for introspection, international cooperation, and empathetic policies to illuminate a path toward a more stable and harmonious future for Balochistan.
(Dr. Sanchita Bhattacharya is an eminent scholar of International Relations and Global Politics with a specialization in Pakistan. She contributes regularly on important issues)
The rocket carried XPoSat and 10 other experimental payloads on its fourth stage…reports Asian Lite News
India on Monday ushered in the New Year in a grand manner by orbiting its X-ray Polarimeter Satellite (XPoSat) ISRO and the space agency will also test its fuel cell, a precursor for powering the Indian space station whenever it is built.
At about 9.10 a.m. on the first day of the calendar year 2024, India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-C58 (PSLV-C58) standing 44.4-metre tall, with a lift off mass of 260 ton blasted off from the first launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, here.
The rocket carried XPoSat and 10 other experimental payloads on its fourth stage.
Slowly rising up towards the skies with a thick orange flame at its tail, the rocket gained speed with a sound resembling rolling thunder and went up leaving a thick plume while the people assembled at the viewing gallery clapped their hands with pride.
Interestingly, this is the first space mission for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on January 1.
At about 21 minutes into its flight, the rocket ejected XPoSat at an altitude of about 650 km.
Speaking after the launch ISRO Chairman S. Somanath said: “The orbit accomplished for XPoSat is excellent as the deviation is just three kilometres. The solar panels of the satellite have been deployed.”
After orbiting the XPoSat, the rocket’s fourth stage — PS4 stage — will be lowered to 350km, about 9.6 degree orbit, by restarting it twice. The Indian space agency will now use the fourth stage as an orbital platform with 10 experimental payloads loaded on it.
“We could have done the experiments at the 650km altitude. We decided to bring down the stage so that we don’t create more space debris,” Somanath said.
Continuing further he said, the remaining fuel on the fourth stage will be dumped in an unique manner.
The left-out propellant in the PS4 will be disposed of through the main engines as a precursor to enabling the safety of the PS4 stage in atmosphere reentry experiments planned in future, ISRO said.
The oxidiser will be let out first followed by fuel in a predetermined sequence of operations. The existing scheme of spent stage passivation by venting the tank pressure will also be active.
Post passivation of PS4, the control of the stage is transferred to the PSLV Orbital Experimental Module-3 (POEM-3) avionics, the ISRO said.
The POEM is configured as a 3-axis stabilised orbital platform for conducting experiments to space qualify systems with novel ideas.
The orbital platform’s electrical power requirements are catered by a Flexible Solar Panel in conjunction with 50Ah Li-Ion battery in battery tied configuration.
The orbital platform consists of avionic systems to take care of navigation, guidance, control and telecommands and Orbital Platform Attitude Control System to cater to control of the platform to test the payloads, the ISRO added.
The 10 payloads are from TakeMe2Space, LBS Institute Technology for Women, K.J. Somaiya Institute of Technology, Inspecity Space Labs Private Ltd, Dhruva Space Private Ltd, Bellatrix Aerospace Private Ltd (two payloads) and three payloads from the ISRO.
According to Somanath, ISRO will be testing its fuel cell which will be the precursor for powering the Indian space station whenever it is built.
The Indian space agency will also test its silicon based high energy cells.
The XPoSat is the first dedicated scientific satellite from the ISRO to carry out research in space-based polarisation measurements of X-ray emission from celestial sources. The satellite configuration is modified from the IMS-2 bus platform. The configuration of the mainframe systems is derived based on the heritage of IRS satellites. It carries two payloads, namely POLIX (Polarimeter Instrument in X-rays) and XSPECT (X-ray Spectroscopy and Timing).
The POLIX is realised by the Raman Research Institute and XSPECT is by the Space Astronomy Group of the U.R. Rao Satellite Centre (URSC).
The ISRO has five types of PSLV rockets — Standard, Core Alone, XL, DL, and QL. The major difference between them is the use of strap-on boosters which, in turn, largely depends on the weight of the satellites to be orbited.
The PSLV uses 6,4,2 solid rocket strap-on motors to augment the thrust provided by the first stage in PSLV-XL, QL & DL variants, respectively. However, strap-ons are not used in the core-alone version (PSLV-CA). The PSLV rocket that flew on New Year Day was the DL variant with two solid booster motors.
