Recently, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) launched three satellites using its newly developed launch vehicle called Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV). The SSLV is ISRO’s third and smallest launch vehicle after the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV). The SSLV is a 3-stage vehicle with three solid propulsion stages and liquid propulsion based Velocity Trimming Module as a terminal stage.
Benefits of the SSLV:

• Low cost: It requires only six people to do the job, instead of 60 people in case of other vehicles. Also, the entire cost will only be around Rs. 30 crore.
• Launch-on-demand ability: The SSLV takes only 72 hours to integrate, unlike the 70-day period for other launch vehicles. Thus, satellites can be launched on an immediate basis. Minimal launch infrastructure
• requirements: The SSLV is 2m in diameter and 34m in length with lift off mass of 120 tonnes. Due to its compact size, it needs minimal launch infrastructure.
• Flexibility in accommodating multiple satellites: The SSLV is capable of launching mini, micro and nano satellites with weights ranging from 10 to 500 kg mass in to the 500 km planar orbit. It also supports multiple orbital drop-offs.

Significance of the SSLV for ISRO in the coming years:

• Until now, smaller satellites were launched using the PSLV. The SSLV provides an alternative to the PSLV. Operating the SSLV on smaller and more commercial missions will free up the massively used PSLV for bigger missions to space.
• The SSLV will help ISRO to cater to the emerging market for the launch of small satellites up to 500 kg to low earth orbit. It is driven by the needs of developing countries, universities, and private corporations.
• With the SSLV, ISRO will be able to commercialise the small satellite launches through ‘launch- on-demand’ basis. Hence, the SSLV will add a new capability for fast launches to India’s space programme.
• The development and manufacture of the SSLVs are expected to create greater synergy between the space sector and private Indian industries a key aim of the Indian Space Policy 2023. After the initial developmental flights, ISRO, through its commercial arm New Space India Ltd., is planning to manufacture SSLV through the Indian industries.
• The global market for small satellites was about $7.8 billion in 2019 and is projected to grow to about $25 billion in a decade. Given, the reputation of the PSLV as an established player, providing low cost and competitive launch services, the ISRO will benefit enormously by establishing the SSLV as an exclusive offering in the near future.

ISRO has been a reliable and cost effective space agency and the launch of new SSLV adds to this capability. The SSLV will play an important role with regard to commercial space launches.

Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNP) is one of the leading container ports of the country and is ranked 26th among the top 100 global ports. It is a container handling port accounting for around 50% of the total containerized cargo volume. The JNP became the first 100% Landlord Major Port of India.
A Landlord Port is characterized by its mixed public-private orientation. Under this model, the port authority acts as the regulatory body and landlord, while port operations (especially cargo handling) are carried out by private companies. Today, the Landlord Port is the dominant port model in larger and medium-sized ports.
The features of the Landlord Port include:

• The port authority manages the basic port assets by letting land and infrastructure to port operators in an efficient manner. It would also be involved in planning, lease negotiation, safety, navigation and overall coordinating functions.
• Cargo services, marine service, ancillary services, berths etc. are privatised on captive/BOT(Build-Operate-Transfer) basis to the primary port users.
• Port operators and other undertakings which need to be located in the port, lease the land, infrastructure and associated services and provide them to the secondary users cargo owners, ship owners and cargo ship owners.

Other types of models employed in port management are as follows:

• Public service port model: In this model, the public authority owns the land and all available assets-fixed and mobile-and performs all regulatory as well as operational tasks. The main objective is to provide a smooth and secured transaction through the port and create employment rather than focusing on profit.
• Tool port model: It is close to the public service port model with the public authority owning all the land and providing all the infrastructure and superstructure including, cranes, port control equipment, and other supplies. The port operator uses the provided equipment to continue the port operation. A tool port is a transitional form between a public service port and a landlord port.
• Corporatized port model: These ports are almost entirely privatized, with the exception that the ownership remains public and often assumed as a majority shareholder. The port authority essentially behaves as a private enterprise. This management model is unique since it is the only one where ownership and control are separated.
• Private service port model: The port authority is entirely privatized with almost all the port functions under private control with the public sector retaining a standard regulatory oversight. Still, public entities can be shareholders and thus gear the port towards strategies that are deemed to be of public interest.

The government enacted the Major Port Authorities Act, 2021 to empower the ports and enable them to perform with greater efficiency on account of increased autonomy in decision-making and by modernizing their institutional framework. Further, as part of the Maritime India Vision (MIV) 2030, globally benchmarked targets have been defined to help India develop best-in-class port infrastructure.

Biopiracy refers to a situation where traditional knowledge is used by others for profit, without permission from and with little or no compensation or recognition to the indigenous people. Traditional knowledge is a vast treasure of knowledge susceptible to misappropriation because of its immense potential.
Biopiracy is detrimental for the existing traditional knowledge of the developing world in the following ways:

• A patent holder unfairly appropriates indigenous knowledge and resources for earning profits. Mostly, patents are filed in the developed nations on traditional knowledge available in the developing countries.
• Many indigenous groups are at risk from biopiracy since their way of life depends on the local natural resources.
• Farmers or communities may have to sacrifice their livelihood in addition to giving up their generational expertise when traditional knowledge is patented.
• A well-established judicial system may get upset when unfair and unethical exploitation is carried out by claiming such patents.

Some of the examples of misappropriation of existing traditional knowledge of the developing world include patents filed for the use of turmeric in wound healing, fungicidal effect of neem, ‘texmati’ rice, kava grown in the Pacific, quinoa from the Andes, hoodia from Africa, etc. Thus, it is imperative for the governments in the developing countries to take adequate measures in this regard.
The steps taken by the government of India for protecting the existing traditional Indian knowledge include:

• Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL): It seeks to prevent the granting of patents for products developed utilising traditional knowledge. It holds more than 2.6 lakh medicinal formulations from the ancient texts of India, including from the areas of Unani, Ayurveda, Siddha, etc. It also provides the information in international languages like German, French, Spanish, Japanese and English.
• The Biological Diversity Act, 2002: It protects traditional knowledge, as it has the provision of requirement of prior permission by entities seeking protection of intellectual protection rights (IPR) based on knowledge/information obtained from Indian communities.
• The Patents Act, 1970: Section 3 (p) of the Patent Act, 1970, bars patent protection for invention involving use of traditional knowledge or any duplication or aggregation of such knowledge.
• TRIPS Agreement: It advocated five modes of traditional knowledge protection, which included disclosure requirements of traditional knowledge use, sui generis system of traditional knowledge protection, bilateral contract laws for traditional knowledge protection, etc. India is a party to the TRIPS Agreement.
• Convention on Biological Diversity: The 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity, while recognizing the role of traditional knowledge in environmental conservation, has also raised the requirement of revamping the international intellectual-property agreements. India is a party to this Convention.

Traditional knowledge-based innovations are critical for developing countries like India, not only for the development of indigenous population but also for the country’s economic development. Though the Indian legislations, together with the TKDL, are significant and laudable advances towards the protection of traditional knowledge and the prevention of biopiracy, an enforceable international regime for the acknowledgment and protection of traditional knowledge is still needed.