From Asia to the football ground

This week we look at India's defense industry & it's AI models for food prices. While China restricts usage of US chips, toy manufacturers are moving away. We end with AI models helping football teams

Apr 05, 2024

Bharat Electronics and Hindustan Aeronautics have experienced substantial growth in their order books throughout the fiscal year 2024, attributable to a focus on domestic manufacturing that has also led to the acquisition of export orders for both entities.
In March 2024, Hindustan Aeronautics successfully secured a contract with the Guyana Defence Force, operating under the Government of Guyana, for the supply of two Hindustan-228 commuter aircraft.
Cochin Shipyard, in January, received a significant order valued at Rs 500 crore from a European client, bolstering its total export order book to Rs 2,688 crore.
With a commendable presence in export markets, Bharat Electronics achieved export revenue of Rs 400 crore during the December 2023 quarter.
Endeavors to promote the domestically developed Akash weapon system for export markets are progressing, with Bharat Dynamics and Bharat Electronics taking the lead. As of January, Bharat Dynamics held an export order book valued at Rs 2,580 crore.

India's defense exports for FY23 totaled Rs 16,000 crore. The government has set an ambitious target of reaching Rs 50,000 crore in defense exports by FY29.

China blocks usage of Intel & AMD chips

China has unveiled updated guidelines aimed at gradually phasing out the utilization of US microprocessors manufactured by Intel and AMD in government computer systems and servers.

This move is part of stricter government procurement directives that also aim to minimize reliance on Microsoft’s Windows operating system and foreign-made database software, opting instead for domestic alternatives.
Published by the China Information Technology Security Evaluation Center, the guidelines include the publication of the first list featuring "safe and reliable" processors and operating systems exclusively from Chinese companies.
Notably, among the 18 processors approved are offerings from Huawei and the state-backed entity, Phytium.
Chinese processor manufacturers are employing a diverse range of chip architectures, encompassing Intel’s x86, Arm, and domestically developed designs.
Additionally, the operating systems being embraced are derived from open-source Linux software.
State-owned enterprises have been instructed to transition their technology infrastructure to domestic providers by the deadline of 2027.

China's significance as a market was underscored by its contribution of 27% to Intel’s $54 billion in sales and 15% to AMD’s $23 billion in sales last year.

Analysts project a substantial investment requirement of Rmb660 billion ($91 billion) between 2023 and 2027 to facilitate the replacement of IT infrastructure across government entities, party organs, and eight major industries.

Toy manufacturers are moving away from China to minimise risks

During the fiscal years from 2015 to 2023, India's toy industry experienced significant growth, marked by a remarkable 239% increase in exports and a notable 52% reduction in imports. This transformation firmly established the country as a net exporter within the global market.

In 2023, the valuation of India's toy industry reached $1.7 billion and is projected to rise substantially to $4.4 billion by 2032.
Renowned international brands such as Hasbro, Mattel, Spin Master, and Early Learning Centre have increasingly turned to India as a sourcing hub.
Meanwhile, notable manufacturers like Dream Plast, Microplast, and Incas, originally from Italy, are gradually shifting their focus to India, moving away from their traditional reliance on China.
India's dependence on China for toy imports, which previously stood at 80%, has significantly decreased over time.
At present, approximately 60% of the industry's production is directed towards international markets, spanning across 33 countries, including those within the GCC, Europe, and the United States.
Reflecting on the period from 2014-15 to 2022-23, India witnessed a substantial 239% increase in toy exports alongside a notable 52% decrease in imports.
Globally, the toy market achieved a valuation of USD 129.45 billion in 2020, with projections indicating robust growth.
By 2028, it is forecasted to reach USD 230.64 billion, demonstrating a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.30% throughout the 2021-2028 period.

India using AI to predict food prices

India has introduced a groundbreaking proposal extending an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven solution to neighboring South Asian nations aimed at predicting the prices of essential food items.

This innovative model, which relies on real-time data and predictive analytics, integrates various factors including weather patterns and trade-related variables to forecast the supply and demand dynamics of agricultural commodities.

Utilizing a sophisticated algorithmic approach, the government has achieved remarkable precision in anticipating the prices of essential commodities, with forecasting capabilities extending up to 30, 45, and 60 days in advance.
The adoption of decisions based on this predictive model holds significant importance, particularly in light of past instances where surges in vegetable prices led to notable inflationary pressures during the period spanning July to August 2023.
In response to these challenges, the government implemented a series of measures aimed at stabilizing prices, including restrictions on rice exports, tariff increases on onions, and subsidizing tomatoes for consumers.
These interventions yielded positive results, with food inflation witnessing a decline to 6.56% in September, down from 9.94% in August, primarily driven by a moderation in vegetable prices.
Notably, the inflation rate for vegetables decreased substantially from 26.14% in August to 3.39% in September.
At present, the government undertakes comprehensive price data collection efforts covering 22 commodities across 550 locations on a daily basis, drawing insights from three distinct data sources.

AI helping football teams to identify unique position plays in dead ball situations

Google has introduced TacticAI, an artificial intelligence (AI) system designed to offer tactical insights, particularly focusing on corner kicks, utilizing predictive and generative AI capabilities. In collaboration with experts from the Liverpool Football Club, TacticAI underwent development and evaluation over several years as part of an extensive research partnership.

The core inquiries addressed by TacticAI include:

Prediction of outcomes for a given corner kick tactical arrangement, such as identifying the most probable recipient of the ball and the likelihood of a shot attempt.
Analysis of executed setups to comprehend the outcomes, including evaluating the effectiveness of similar tactics employed previously.
Recommendations for tactical adjustments aimed at achieving specific outcomes, such as optimizing defensive player positioning to minimize shot attempts.

Employing a geometric deep learning methodology, TacticAI has demonstrated success in accurately forecasting corner kick scenarios.

Unlike traditional methods reliant on manual video analysis, TacticAI automates the computation of numerical player representations. This enables experts to efficiently access pertinent historical data, enhancing tactical decision-making processes.

A notable success story involving TacticAI occurred during the 2019 UEFA Champions League semi-finals, where Liverpool FC orchestrated a remarkable comeback. One pivotal moment was a corner kick executed by Trent Alexander-Arnold, resulting in Divock Origi scoring what is now revered as Liverpool FC's most memorable goal in history.