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News18
4 days ago
- Politics
- News18
Even Israel's Famed Air Defence System Is Not Enough To Stop Hypersonic Missiles
Last Updated: According to defence expert Ravi Gupta, the only strategy against hypersonic missiles is to launch multiple supersonic interceptors, hoping one successfully hits the target As Israel and Iran traded strikes for the fifth consecutive day, their fiercest face-off yet, the conflict has spotlighted the vital role—and limits—of air defence systems like the Iron Dome amid rising missile threats. Israel's Iron Dome has played a key role in intercepting a barrage of rockets and missiles fired by Hamas, Hezbollah, and even Iran, shielding civilian areas from major damage. However, with the growing use of more sophisticated threats—such as hypersonic and ballistic missiles—the Iron Dome, along with other systems like Arrow, is facing increasing pressure, raising fresh concerns about the limits of current defence capabilities in the face of evolving missile technology. In October 2024, Iran launched around 200 ballistic and hypersonic missiles, raising concerns about the efficacy of current defence systems against such advanced weaponry. Ravi Gupta, a former spokesperson and scientist at DRDO, explained that while ballistic missiles can be detected and intercepted due to their prolonged presence in the air after launch, tracking and neutralising hypersonic missiles is much more complex. These missiles travel at speeds starting from 5 Mach, making them extremely difficult to intercept with current technology. Why Hypersonic Missiles Are Difficult To Intercept Iran's hypersonic missiles have inflicted substantial damage in various parts of Israel, underscoring the lethality of these weapons. Hypersonic missiles, which can travel up to 10 Mach, are challenging to detect and engage. The speed of a hypersonic missile, which can reach around 6173 kilometres per hour, makes interception nearly impossible with existing systems. The aerial distance between Israel and Iran is approximately 2,000 kilometers. Some missiles can travel at speeds up to Mach 10—ten times the speed of sound—posing a significant challenge to air defence systems. Gupta noted that intercepting a hypersonic missile would require either a hypersonic air defence system or a faster interceptor missile capable of speeds between 10 and 25 Mach, neither of which are currently available. At present, no country possesses an interceptor capable of reliably countering such high-speed threats. A single supersonic interceptor missile is insufficient to engage targets moving at hypersonic speeds. The only strategy against hypersonic missiles involves deploying multiple supersonic interceptors, hoping that at least one might hit the target. Why Ballistic Missiles Can Be Intercepted According to Gupta, ballistic missiles may vary in range, but all operate on the same basic principle. Once launched, they travel into the exoatmosphere—essentially into space—and then descend along a parabolic trajectory, dictated by the laws of physics, to strike their target. As they re-enter the Earth's atmosphere, their speed can reach up to Mach 25, placing them firmly in the high hypersonic category. Since ballistic missiles travel through the air for a significant duration, radar systems can detect their launch early. This allows for the calculation of their likely impact point, enabling the launch of anti-ballistic missiles to intercept them mid-flight. According to Gupta, when a ballistic missile begins its descent, it drops like a stone under the influence of gravity, with none of its rocket motors active for manoeuvring. This makes it impossible to spoof or divert. However, it can still be intercepted using a well-timed anti-ballistic missile. Does Israel Have A Solution for Ballistic Missiles? Israel has only one solution for ballistic missiles—and it lies in the strength of its layered air defence system, which is highly effective against short-range rockets, drones, and missiles. The country also deploys anti-ballistic interceptors like David's Sling, Arrow-2, and Arrow-3 to counter short and medium-range ballistic and cruise missiles. Additionally, the US supplied Israel with the THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) system in 2024. These systems are currently being used to intercept ballistic missiles launched by Iran, capable of targeting them both within the atmosphere and in the exoatmosphere. However, when it comes to hypersonic missiles, no nation has found a concrete solution yet.
Business Standard
12-06-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Aamukh Capital Launches with First Investment in GoodGudi, Backing Bold Indian Founders at Inception
PNN Gurugram (Haryana) [India], June 12: Aamukh Capital, a pioneering venture platform built to be the "first believer" and "first cheque" in a founder's journey, today announced its official launch. With a unique dual-engine investment strategy and a strong conviction-first philosophy, Aamukh Capital aims to empower visionary Indian founders to build solutions that are "Built in Bharat, for the World." "We are thrilled to officially launch Aamukh Capital and begin our mission of igniting India's next generation of breakout founders," said Anurag Sharma, Founder and Managing Partner of Aamukh Capital. "We don't just write capital; we build systems for belief, investing from our own balance sheet in every deal we recommend. Our conviction-first approach means we are deeply committed to the founders we partner with, providing not just financial backing but also unwavering support from day one." This philosophy underpins its distinctive approach to fostering innovation and accelerating growth: * The Discovery Program: This initiative provides non-dilutive micro-capital to student and idea-stage founders, nurturing innovation at its earliest inception and fostering a new generation of entrepreneurs. * The Signal Series: Designed to back high-momentum, post-Product-Market Fit (PMF) startups, this program deploys cheques ranging from ₹1 Cr to ₹10 Cr at strategic inflection points, accelerating their scale and market penetration. "We've launched Aamukh Capital because we feel there's a significant gap in the market for mid-sized deals, and that's precisely where our dual model comes into play," said Ravi Gupta, Chief Advisor of Aamukh Capital. "Our unique approach allows us to engage with founders from the very earliest stages and then scale our commitment as they demonstrate traction, bridging the gap between micro-capital and larger institutional rounds." Aamukh Capital is proud to announce its very first investment in GoodGudi, a groundbreaking company pioneering a fast lifestyle retail format. GoodGudi offers a unique shopping experience for lifestyle and aspirational products across all age groups, poised to redefine the retail landscape in India and beyond. Anurag Sharma, Founder and Managing Partner of Aamukh Capital, says, "GoodGudi perfectly embodies the 'Built in Bharat, for the World' ethos we champion at Aamukh Capital. Their rapid traction and clear understanding of the modern Indian consumer's desire for affordable, design-led lifestyle products are incredibly impressive. This is exactly the kind of conviction-driven opportunity at an inflection point that our Signal Series is designed to support." GoodGudi's leadership also shared their enthusiasm for the partnership: "Partnering with Aamukh Capital is a significant milestone for GoodGudi. Their belief in our vision from such an early stage and their conviction-first philosophy is exactly what we needed to propel our growth. We are eager to leverage their support as we build GoodGudi into a leading lifestyle retail destination," said Sagar Yarnalkar, Co-Founder of GoodGudi. Aamukh Capital is committed to empowering founders who are building impactful solutions from India, for a global audience. The firm invites visionary entrepreneurs to connect and join them on this exciting journey of discovery and impact. About Aamukh Capital: Aamukh Capital is a conviction-first venture platform dedicated to being the first believer, the first cheque, and the earliest conviction partner in a founder's journey. Through its Discovery Program and Signal Series, Aamukh Capital provides capital and strategic support to student, idea-stage, and post-PMF startups in India, with a mission to empower founders to build solutions that are "Built in Bharat, for the World." About GoodGudi: GoodGudi is pioneering a fast lifestyle retail format, offering a unique and aspirational shopping experience across diverse lifestyle products for all age groups. Founded in 2023 by Anurag Gupta, Sagar Yarnalkar, and Chandan Kumar, GoodGudi aims to establish over 40 retail outlets within the next 24 months. The brand specializes in offering high-quality utility-focused products across various categories, including home utilities, travel accessories, gifts, fashion accessories, personal care items, kitchenware, stationery, children's products, and toys.
Mint
02-06-2025
- Business
- Mint
Sugar industry seeks ethanol price revision as blending share drops to 28 pc
New Delhi, The sugar industry has demanded a revision of ethanol procurement prices and extension of blending targets beyond 20 per cent, as the sector's contribution to the national ethanol programme has declined sharply from 73 per cent to just 28 per cent. The industry has also demanded accelerated promotion and manufacturing of Flex-Fuel Vehicles to boost ethanol demand and ensure market preparedness for higher blending, National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories said in a statement. The demand was made by the industry delegation, led by Ravi Gupta, Chairman of IFGE's Sugar Bioenergy Group, and expert Member on the Board of NFCSF, in a meeting held at the PMO recently, it said. In 2022-23 season , NFCSF said the sugar industry reached a significant milestone by diverting 43 lakh tonnes of sugar towards ethanol production, enabling the supply of 369 crore litres of ethanol, which accounted for 73 per cent of total ethanol blended with fuel across the country. However, in 2023-24, ethanol supply from sugar-based feedstocks declined to 270 crore litres, contributing only 38 per cent to the national blending programme. "This is projected to fall further to 250 crore litres in 2024-25, making up just 28 per cent of the total blending target of 900 crore litres," it said in a statement. The main reason for this drop is that ethanol procurement prices have not been increased in line with the rise in the Fair and Remunerative Price of sugarcane, making ethanol production less profitable for sugar mills. Although there is potential to divert up to 40 lakh tonnes of sugar into ethanol this year, only 32 lakh tonnes are expected to be diverted. "This shortfall is due to the gap between ethanol prices and better returns from selling sugar directly in the domestic market," NFCSF said. As a result, India's ethanol production capacity of 952 crore litres per year including 130 crore litres from multi-feed distilleries is being under-utilised. The Ethanol Blending Programme has emerged as a vital solution to the longstanding issue of surplus sugar stocks under the National Policy on Biofuels – 2018, which set an ambitious target to divert 60 to 70 lakh tonnes of excess sugar annually towards ethanol production. Since the policy's inception, India's ethanol production capacity has expanded significantly from 518 crore litres in 2018 to 1,800 crore litres in 2025. Correspondingly, the ethanol blending rate with petrol has risen sharply from 4.22 per cent to 18.61 per cent as of April 30, 2025. Sugar production has reached 286.9 lakh tonnes as on April 30 of the ongoing 2024-25 season, out of which 30 lakh tonnes have been diverted for ethanol. The industry has additionally suggested evaluating the possibility of blending ethanol in diesel as a future strategy to expand ethanol use across fuel types. NFCSF noted that diverting sugar to ethanol does not reduce the actual production of sugar but helps to manage surplus sugar stocks, stabilise market prices, improve the financial health of sugar mills, and ensure timely payments to farmers. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Time of India
02-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Sugar industry seeks ethanol price revision as blending share drops to 28% from 73%
The sugar industry has demanded a revision of ethanol procurement prices and extension of blending targets beyond 20%, as the sector's contribution to the national ethanol programme has declined sharply from 73% to just 28%. The industry has also demanded accelerated promotion and manufacturing of Flex-Fuel Vehicles (FFVs) to boost ethanol demand and ensure market preparedness for higher blending, National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories (NFCSF) said in a statement. The demand was made by the industry delegation, led by Ravi Gupta, Chairman of IFGE's Sugar Bioenergy Group, and expert Member on the Board of NFCSF, in a meeting held at the PMO (Prime Minister's Office) recently, it said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Sasha Meneghel já está irreconhecível após sua recente transformação. 33 Bridges Undo In 2022-23 season (October-September), NFCSF said the sugar industry reached a significant milestone by diverting 43 lakh tonnes of sugar towards ethanol production , enabling the supply of 369 crore litres of ethanol, which accounted for 73 per cent of total ethanol blended with fuel across the country. However, in 2023-24, ethanol supply from sugar-based feedstocks declined to 270 crore litres, contributing only 38 per cent to the national blending programme. Live Events "This is projected to fall further to 250 crore litres in 2024-25, making up just 28 per cent of the total blending target of 900 crore litres," it said in a statement. The main reason for this drop is that ethanol procurement prices have not been increased in line with the rise in the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) of sugarcane , making ethanol production less profitable for sugar mills . Although there is potential to divert up to 40 lakh tonnes of sugar into ethanol this year, only 32 lakh tonnes are expected to be diverted. "This shortfall is due to the gap between ethanol prices and better returns from selling sugar directly in the domestic market," NFCSF said. As a result, India's ethanol production capacity of 952 crore litres per year -- including 130 crore litres from multi-feed distilleries -- is being under-utilised. The Ethanol Blending Programme (EBP) has emerged as a vital solution to the longstanding issue of surplus sugar stocks under the National Policy on Biofuels - 2018, which set an ambitious target to divert 60 to 70 lakh tonnes (LMT) of excess sugar annually towards ethanol production. Since the policy's inception, India's ethanol production capacity has expanded significantly from 518 crore litres in 2018 to 1,800 crore litres in 2025. Correspondingly, the ethanol blending rate with petrol has risen sharply from 4.22 per cent to 18.61 per cent as of April 30, 2025. Sugar production has reached 286.9 lakh tonnes as on April 30 of the ongoing 2024-25 season, out of which 30 lakh tonnes have been diverted for ethanol. The industry has additionally suggested evaluating the possibility of blending ethanol in diesel as a future strategy to expand ethanol use across fuel types. NFCSF noted that diverting sugar to ethanol does not reduce the actual production of sugar but helps to manage surplus sugar stocks, stabilise market prices, improve the financial health of sugar mills, and ensure timely payments to farmers.
Time of India
01-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Telangana govt announces police service medals
Hyderabad: On the eve of Telangana's formation day, the state govt announced that 486 policemen and other uniformed service personnel would be awarded Police Seva Medals in recognition of their distinguished service. In an order, special chief secretary Ravi Gupta said that nine policemen from Greyhounds, an anti-Naxal commando force, had been awarded the Shourya Pathakamu. These officers are sub-inspectors Ch. Mahesh, G. Shobhan and A. Rakesh Kumar, and Junior Commanders G. Venkatesh, K. Ramesh, Papia Naik, Ravinder Sanjay, T. Venkatesh and Naresh. Similarly, the Mahonnatha Seva Pathakamu was awarded to 16 police officers. Uttamaseva Pathakamu was awarded to 461 personnel. Gupta said: "This is in recognition of the outstanding work done by police officers in their respective fields, including the police, fire services, vigilance and enforcement, and the anti-corruption bureau (ACB) and special protection force (SPF), with payment of a monthly recurring grant and a non-recurring lump sum grant to the recipients of the pathakams. "
