Quick notes: Rafale decision, Slaughter bots...

• Rafale decision: When Parrikar reached the PMO, the Prime Minister sprang a bombshell. Parrikar was told that, on Modi’s forthcoming trip to Paris, he and French President would announce an agreement for India to buy 36 Rafale fighters. Taken aback, Parrikar still caught his flight to Goa. Over the next week, he batted loyally on behalf of his PM, publicly defending a decision he neither understood nor agreed with, that was taken over his head. Parrikar told PTI in Goa that all 36 Rafale fighters would join IAF service within two years; in fact more than six years will elapse before the final delivery is made. India needs some 200-300 fighters to replace the MiG-21 and MiG-27 fleet that is being phased out of service. Just 36 Rafales provides little cover.... About the deal.



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• Slaughterbots: And drone swarms




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• Skill and Scale: Why Suzuki-Toyota alliance is a huge deal for India’s EV dream



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• Han Prowess: China challenges Nvidia's hold on AI chips. "Draw level with the US in AI within 3 years, and become the world leader by 2030".



• Make India a higher education hub:

I've been saying for years that instead of exporting (& paying for) our students abroad, we should make India a higher education hub. But how will that happen if all we do is play politics with quotas, entitlements & institutionalized incompetence?@PrakashJavdekar https://t.co/VvZLDJdmkG

— Makarand R Paranjape (@MakrandParanspe) November 15, 2017




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