PI Industries has launched Pioxaniliprole, Indias first indigenously

♦ PI Industries has launched Pioxaniliprole, India’s first indigenously discovered insecticide molecule, under the trade name Pioxazon. The Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee formally recognised it as the first insecticide active ingredient discovered in India at its 476th meeting.

♦ Approved as a 20% weight-by-volume Suspension Concentrate, Pioxaniliprole is registered for rice, chilli, tomato and Bengal gram (chana), and for use against fall armyworm in maize. 

♦ Pioxaniliprole belongs to the anthranilic diamide class and acts on ryanodine receptors, disrupting calcium regulation in insect muscle cells. This causes paralysis, stops feeding and ultimately kills the insect. PI Industries developed the molecule after more than a decade of research and has invested about Rs.2,000 crore in overall research and development since 2014. The company plans to generate data for markets including the United States, Mexico and Brazil.

Pan-India Coastal Defence Exercise Sea Vigil-26

♦ The fifth edition of the Pan-India Coastal Defence Exercise 'Sea Vigil-26' is being held from 11 to 19 Nov 2026, coordinated by the Indian Navy as the lead agency. The exercise will be conducted in two phases: The Coastal Defence and Security Readiness Evaluation (CDSRE) phase from 11 to 17 Nov 2026, followed by the Sea Phase on 18 and 19 Nov 2026.

♦ Exercise Sea Vigil was conceptualised in 2018 to validate the measures instituted to strengthen maritime security in the aftermath of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. Sea Vigil-26 will span the entire coastline and Exclusive Economic Zone of India, and will involve all Coastal States and Union Territories, along with other maritime stakeholders, including the fishing and coastal communities.

♦ The exercise is significant in terms of its geographical spread, the number of participating agencies and units, and the range of its objectives. Assets of the Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard, Coastal Security Police, Customs and other maritime agencies will participate. 

♦ Sea Vigil is also a build-up to the Indian Navy's biennial Theatre Level Readiness Operational Exercise (TROPEX). Together, Sea Vigil and TROPEX address the entire spectrum of maritime security challenges, from coastal defence to operations on the high seas.

Malis Sahara Desert

Scientists identified Teghaza 001, a rose-coloured meteorite found in Mali’s Sahara Desert, as a piece of Mars formed at least 4.1 billion years ago. Meteorite hunters discovered it in 2022 on a salt plain. The findings were published in Science on 29 October 2026, with planetary scientist Yang Liu of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory as lead author.

• The meteorite comprises eight fragments weighing about 798.5 grams in total. Its chemical and mineral composition, including zircon crystals, distinguishes it from previously studied Martian samples. It resembles materials observed in Mars’ southern highlands by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, and scientists identified 13 potential Martian locations matching its mineralogy and chemistry.

• Analysis indicates that water altered Mars’ crust at least 4.1 billion years ago. Teghaza 001 is among the three oldest Martian meteorites found on Earth.

Gajraj

In the highest-ever landing by an IL-76 anywhere in the world, an Indian Air Force (IAF) IL-76MD 'Gajraj' has touched down at the Mudh-Nyoma airbase in eastern Ladakh, at 13,629 feet. Nyoma lies around 25 km from the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China. The landing shows the IAF can now take its heaviest Russian-origin transport aircraft and the troops and military hardware it carries, almost to the frontline.

• It was put to the test after the 2020 standoff in eastern Ladakh, when the IAF flew in over 68,000 soldiers, around 90 tanks and 330 BMP infantry combat vehicles.

• The landing also comes amid continuing friction along the 3,488-km LAC. Patrolling has resumed in Ladakh but the temporary buffer zones at Galwan, Gogra-Hot Springs and Pangong Tso still cover areas Indian troops historically patrolled.

• ‘Gajraj’ is a Russian-origin, four-engine heavy-lift military transport aircraft designed to carry troops, military equipment, vehicles and cargo over long distances. The aircraft was formally inducted into the IAF on June 16, 1985, and has remained an important component of its strategic airlift capabilities.

• Gajraj can carry about 45 tonnes and has been airlifting T-72 tanks and BMP-2 vehicles to Ladakh since the early 1990s. But Nyoma's earlier mud strip could handle only smaller aircraft like the C-130J and AN-32, besides helicopters. At over 4,000 metres, the thin air saps engine power and wing lift, so aircraft land faster and need longer runs. The record is for the type; lighter aircraft such as the C-130J have landed at Daulat Beg Oldi, the world's highest airstrip at 16,614 feet.

India-US bilateral Tri-Service

The fifth edition of the India-US bilateral Tri-Service Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Exercise Tiger Triumph 2026 concluded with a closing ceremony in Visakhapatnam. Conducted from October 31 to November 5, the exercise involved personnel from the armed forces of both countries and focused on enhancing interoperability and strengthening mutual understanding in planning and conducting joint HADR operations, with particular emphasis on combined amphibious operations.

• The exercise comprised a Staff Exercise (STAFFEX) and a Tabletop Exercise (TTX).

• The STAFFEX included operational planning, academic lectures and Subject Matter Expert Exchanges (SMEEs) on contemporary areas such as cyberspace and medical operations. These sessions facilitated the exchange of professional expertise and best practices between the participating forces.

• The TTX provided an opportunity for the forces to apply the concepts and plans developed during the STAFFEX in a simulated operational environment. It also helped develop a common understanding of operational challenges and coordination mechanisms for joint HADR missions.

Pralay missile

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), on 5 November 2026, successfully flight-tested the indigenously developed Pralay missile off the coast of Odisha. The missile has been developed by Research Centre Imarat, Hyderabad, in collaboration with other DRDO laboratories. Bharat Dynamics Limited, one of the development-cum-production partners, produced the system.