NEW DELHI: India has recorded steep declines in malaria, tuberculosis, maternal and child deaths, signalling what the government calls a decisive, results-driven phase in the country’s public-health journey.Addressing the Advancing Public Health Outcomes Forum 2025 on Wednesday, Union health minister JP Nadda said the gains were based on sustained political commitment, strong scientific capacity and people’s participation, rather than isolated programmes. “Disease control and immunisation outcomes today are the result of institutional strength and Jan Bhagidari,” he said.Incidence of malaria has dropped by over 80%, with deaths down 78%, shifting India from a high-burden to a high-impact phase. Incidence of tuberculosis has fallen from 237 cases per lakh population in 2015 to 187 per lakh — a 21% decline, nearly double the global average. Maternal mortality has reduced from 130 per lakh live births in 2014 to 88 in 2025, while infant mortality has declined from 39 to 27 per 1,000 live births. Under-five and neonatal mortality rates have also fallen far faster in India than globally.At the forum, four national reports reviewed progress on malaria, tuberculosis, lymphatic filariasis and immunisation. While they show that sustained programmes have sharply reduced the disease burden across most regions, they warn that the final phase of elimination will be the most demanding.The malaria assessment found transmission persisting in tribal, forested and hard-to-reach areas, with emerging risks in some urban pockets. As cases fall, experts cautioned that asymptomatic infections could be missed unless surveillance remains strong.The lymphatic filariasis report flagged gaps in post-treatment districts, especially in urban slums, industrial belts and migrant settlements. Uneven drug uptake, weak follow-up and limited morbidity care could threaten the 2027 elimination target despite years of mass drug administration.On tuberculosis, expanded diagnostics, digital tracking & newer regimens have improved outcomes, but poverty, malnutrition, migration and co-morbidities continue to drive transmission. Disruptions in care for migrants & the growing burden of post-TB lung disease among survivors were highlighted as major concerns.The immunisation assessment pointed to strong childhood coverage but warned of problems beyond early life—gaps in adolescent and adult vaccination, data inconsistencies and the absence of a life-course immunisation strategy.Strengthening primary healthcare remains central to the government’s approach. Nadda reiterated the goal of one Ayushman Arogya Mandir for every 2,000 people, noting that over 30,000 centres have already achieved national quality certification.

Isro delivers its heaviest punch as Bahubali puts BlueBird into orbit

SRIHARIKOTA: Baahubali sent BlueBird to the heavens. India’s space ambitions gained new heights and heft. Isro capped 2025 with a flawless heavy-lift statement Wednesday, as its LVM3 rocket — nicknamed Baahubali — hurled the US communications satellite BlueBird Block-2 into low Earth orbit, the heaviest spacecraft ever launched from Indian soil.The lift-off came from the second launch pad at Sriharikota at 8.55 am, delayed by a minute to sidestep space debris. Fifteen minutes later, precision prevailed. The 6,100kg satellite was injected into a near-perfect circular orbit, marking another clean chapter for India’s human-rated launcher.The mission extended LVM3’s unbroken streak to nine consecutive successes — a milestone that sharpens confidence for the Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme and signals India’s arrival as a serious player in the global LEO communications market.Isro chairman V Narayanan called it a standout flight on multiple fronts. The launcher achieved orbital accuracy of less than 1.5km, placing BlueBird at 518.9km against a target of 520km — the best performance by an Indian rocket to date. “With nine consecutive successful LVM3 launches, our confidence in the Gaganyaan mission has significantly increased,” Narayanan said.Beyond mass and accuracy, the launch carried historical weight. It marked Isro’s 434th satellite deployment for 34 countries across 45 years, and the first back-to-back LVM3 mission, executed with a turnaround of just 52 days.Technological upgrades pushed the rocket further. Payload capability rose by more than 150kg after electro-hydraulic actuators were replaced with electro-mechanical systems to control the massive S200 booster motors. “With additional technologies, we have demonstrated that Isro is in a much better position for future missions, including Gaganyaan,” said mission director T Victor Joseph.The flight underscored rising commercial momentum. P Mohan, acting chairman and MD of Isro’s commercial arm NewSpace India Ltd, said interest in the launcher is accelerating. “There is interest for six to 10 LVM3 missions annually, with several global companies seeking up to six launches per year from 2026–27 onwards,” he said.Wednesday’s mission, designated LVM3-M6, was flown under a commercial agreement between NSIL and US-based AST & Science LLC. BlueBird Block-2 forms part of a global LEO constellation designed to deliver direct-to-mobile 4G and 5G connectivity.Shanti Gupta, chief operating officer of AST SpaceMobile, said the company aims to deploy 45 to 60 satellites by the end of 2026 for worldwide coverage and is in talks with space agencies across the globe, including Isro.Industry voices framed the launch as a strategic inflection point. Space Industry Association of India president Subba Rao said India now stands among a select group capable of reliably deploying heavy-class LEO payloads for next-generation telecom networks. “Its significance lies not just in launch success, but in what it signals about India’s industrial readiness, reliability, and ability to support constellations at scale over time,” he said.Indian Space Association director general Lt Gen (retd) AK Bhatt described the mission as a quantum leap. “It exemplifies Isro’s engineering excellence and operational maturity, enabling heavier payloads for global satellite constellations,” he said. “The mission strengthens India’s self-reliance in launch services and positions Isro as a preferred provider for international missions, while accelerating growth across the domestic space ecosystem.”As Baahubali faded into the morning sky, the message lingered on Earth: India is no longer testing the limits of heavy lift — it is defining them.

Pune company’s Delhi-Mumbai express-way contract may be axed over delays

NEW DELHI: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) on Wednesday slapped an “intention to termination notice” – the final procedure before termination – on Roadways Solutions India Infra Ltd (RSIL) for failing to meet the construction target of a 35-km stretch of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway. The physical and financial progress on this stretch in Gujarat was barely 4.9% and 4.6%, respectively, of the target.The progress on two other stretches – 27 km and 25 km – being constructed by the company in the state is at 23% and 36%. The dismal pace of construction may push the revised deadline of the project beyond March 2028, sources said.Pune-based RSIL is an engineering and construction company that operates mainly in the roads and highways sector. The company had bagged the packages of the expressway in Gujarat in 2021.Suprisingly, NHAI had terminated the contract of RSIL for two stretches in March 2023 and then re-awarded them to RSIL in Nov 2023 after it again put in the lowest bid. TOI on Feb 14 had first reported how the slow progress on these three stretches, with a total length of 87 km in Gujarat, was delaying the over Rs 1 lakh crore project.In a letter to RSIL, NHAI said the “intention to termination notice” has been issued on account of contractor’s “absolute and continued non-performance”. It said, “…despite the contractor having been granted repeated indulgences and more than adequate opportunities through the execution of three settlement agreements, the contractor has achieved a negligible financial progress of only 4.59% (after lapse of 16 months from the appointed date of Aug 31, 2024)”.The letter said that as per the originally envisaged timeline of 18 months commencing from Aug 31, 2024, the contractor ought to have achieved approximately 70% financial progress. Mentioning how little progress has been made even after 16 months conclusively establishes that completion of the Jujuwa-Gandeva section of the expressway by Nov 15, 2026 “is wholly impossible”, it said.The highways authority claimed that despite granting repeated opportunities and its extended assistance to the contractor, it “failed to demonstrate any improvement or to achieve the requisite progress”. It said that even after three settlement agreements, the contractor failed to meet targets. “In the settlement agreements, it was specified that if it fails to achieve agreed milestones, NHAI will terminate the contract without any cure period notice. So, we have served the notice,” said an official.Cure period notice is issued to a contractor to fix any breach in 60 days. NHAI said the communication may be treated as a “15-day notice”, as per the contract agreement, and after the expiry of this period, the authority “shall be entitled to terminate the contract agreement”. It has also said the incomplete three packages under RSIL are creating significant public inconvenience across multiple fronts. In the case of two other sections, NHAI is likely to give a cure period notice to RSIL.

China is likely seeking to leverage the easing of tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with India to stabilise strained bilateral ties and, more strategically, to prevent a further deepening of New Delhi’s partnership with Washington, according to a new report by the US Department of War.In itsannual report to Congress, “Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China 2025”, the Pentagon assesses that Beijing views the recent de-escalation along the India–China border as an opportunity to recalibrate relations with India at a time of sharpening geopolitical competition in the Indo-Pacific.

The report highlights that in October 2024, Indian leaders announced an agreement with China to disengage from the remaining standoff points along the LAC, just two days before a meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit.It states: “Developments along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with India. In October 2024, Indian leadership announced an agreement with China to disengage from remaining standoff sites along the LAC two days before a meeting between President Xi and Indian Prime Minister Modi on the sidelines of the Brics Summit.”According to the Pentagon, the Xi–Modi interaction marked the start of monthly high-level engagements between the two sides, with discussions extending beyond border management to the “next steps” in the bilateral relationship. These included proposals on resuming direct flights, easing visa restrictions and reviving exchanges of academics and journalists, signalling a cautious effort to restore normalcy after years of tension.The report, however, underlines that Beijing’s motivations are viewed with suspicion in New Delhi. “China probably seeks to capitalize on decreased tension along the LAC to stabilize bilateral relations and prevent the deepening of U.S.-India ties; however, India probably remains skeptical of China’s actions and motives. Continued mutual distrust and other irritants almost certainly limit the bilateral relationship,” it says.Over the past few months, India and China have rolled out a series of people-centric measures following the formal end of the four-year military face-off in eastern Ladakh in October last year. India resumed issuing tourist visas to Chinese nationals in July, while both countries agreed to restart the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra, resume direct flights, facilitate visas and commemorate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations. Direct flights resumed in October.The Pentagon situates these moves within China’s long-term national strategy of achieving “the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation” by 2049, including building a “world-class” military capable of “fight and win”. It reiterates that Beijing treats issues tied to sovereignty — including Taiwan, the South China Sea, the Senkaku Islands and Arunachal Pradesh — as “core interests” that are not open to negotiation.The report also stated that US–China relations are “stronger than they have been in many years” under President Donald Trump, with Washington seeking stability through strength rather than confrontation. “We do not seek to strangle, dominate, or humiliate China,” it says, emphasising that US policy in the Indo-Pacific is aimed at deterring aggression and preserving a balance of power. The Department of War will therefore prioritise bolstering deterrence in the Indo-Pacific through strength, not confrontation.It added that President Trump aims for stable peace, fair trade and respectful ties with China, and that the Department of War would back these goals from a position of military strength, while working to maintain a balance of power in the Indo-Pacific that allows open and fair trade, shared prosperity and respect for all nations’ interests.(With inputs from PTI)