New India-UK Project To Use Quantum Power to Boost Soil Health and Food Security

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s upcoming visit to Mumbai is spotlighting a major India-UK research partnership in quantum computing and biotechnology. At the heart of this collaboration is a joint project between Imperial College London and IIT Bombay, aiming to use quantum simulations to improve crop resilience and soil health in climate-vulnerable regions.

Researchers are modeling how plants and soil bacteria communicate, using quantum computing to simulate gene regulation and microbial signaling. Strigolactones, a plant chemicals that act as messengers between roots and microbes. The joint India-UK team is studying how synthetic versions of Strigolactones and biochar can enhance these interactions.

IIT Bombay contributes microbial ecology and genomics, while Imperial brings bioinformatics and quantum simulation capabilities. The aim is to boost natural processes that help crops thrive in arid and extreme weather conditions.

Quantum Roots: How India and the UK Are Using Quantum Computing to Reinvent Agriculture

In a world grappling with climate extremes, a groundbreaking India-UK collaboration is turning to quantum computing—not for finance or cryptography, but for farming. At the heart of this effort is a joint research project between Imperial College London and IIT Bombay, aiming to decode the invisible language between plant roots and soil microbes to build climate-resilient agriculture.

From Silicon to Soil: The Quantum Leap

Led by Dr. Po-Heng (Henry) Lee at Imperial and Dr. Indrajit Chakraborty at IIT Bombay, the project uses quantum simulations to model how plants communicate with microbes in the soil. The focus is on strigolactones—plant hormones that act as chemical messengers, triggering microbial responses that affect nutrient uptake, drought resistance, and overall soil health.

We’re not just simulating molecules—we’re simulating relationships, says Dr. Lee. Quantum computing lets us explore how microbial communities respond to plant signals under stress, and how we might enhance those responses.

The Science Behind the Soil

• Synthetic strigolactones and biochar are being tested to amplify beneficial microbial activity.
• IIT Bombay contributes microbial genomics and soil ecology expertise.
• Imperial College builds quantum circuit models to simulate microbial gene expression and signal transduction.

Strategic Roots: India-UK Tech Diplomacy

• The project is a flagship under the India-UK Technology Security Initiative (TSI), signed in 2024.
• Funded by the India Connect Fund, supporting up to 25 joint research efforts annually.
• Will be spotlighted during Keir Starmer’s visit to Mumbai for the Global Fintech Fest 2025.

Why It Matters

• Food Security: Quantum-enhanced soil treatments could boost yields in climate-stressed regions.
• Climate Adaptation: Understanding microbial resilience helps design farming systems that thrive under stress.
• Tech Transfer: Sets a precedent for applying frontier technologies to grassroots challenges.

The Bigger Picture

This isn’t just about quantum computing—it’s about reimagining agriculture as a system of intelligent, adaptive relationships. By simulating the unseen conversations beneath our feet, researchers hope to unlock new pathways to sustainability.

As Dr. Chakraborty puts it, We’re using the most advanced tools in physics to solve the oldest problem in civilization: how to grow food in a changing world.

Tech Mahindra and Shipsy Partner to Build AI-Native Supply Chain Ecosystem Across UK and Europe

Tech Mahindra (NSE: TECHM), a leading global provider of technology consulting and digital solutions, has announced a strategic partnership with Shipsy, a Gartner-recognized AI-native transportation management platform, to accelerate AI-led innovation in the UK and Europe’s supply chain sector.

The collaboration aims to address mounting pressures on supply chains—ranging from cost and speed to sustainability and geopolitical uncertainty—by embedding scalable, responsible AI into logistics workflows. This initiative is part of Tech Mahindra’s “AI Delivered Right” strategy, which focuses on delivering transformative, enterprise-grade solutions that enhance visibility, optimize operations, and enable intelligent decision-making.

Our partnership with Shipsy helps customers navigate today’s supply chain challenges by building an AI-native ecosystem that empowers businesses to operate with precision, agility, and resilience, said Harshul Asnani, President and Head – Europe Business, Tech Mahindra.

Shipsy’s platform, recognized in Gartner’s 2024 and 2025 Magic Quadrants for Transportation and Warehouse Management Systems, leverages Agentic AI to drive autonomous logistics transformation for over 150 customers across 30+ countries. The company operates from hubs in London, Amsterdam, Riyadh, Dubai, Singapore, and Sydney, with innovation centers in India.

A key highlight of the partnership is its role in empowering Smiths News, a leading UK distributor of newspapers and magazines, to diversify its early-morning delivery portfolio using AI-driven precision. With the UK ranked as the third-largest e-commerce market globally and projected to reach $927.9 million by 2030, the alliance is expected to deliver significant value to retailers and logistics service providers.

We are delighted to partner with Tech Mahindra to bring AI-native solutions to the European supply chain landscape, said Soham Chokshi, Co-Founder & CEO of Shipsy. This alliance will enable enterprises to scale intelligently, make logistics management autonomous, and deliver exceptional customer experiences.

The partnership underscores a broader industry shift toward intelligent, resilient, and customer-centric supply chain operations—driven by AI and digital transformation.

In One of the World’s Biggest Known Deepfake Scams, UK Engg. Group Lost $2 Mn

A UK based engineering group, Arup, was targeted in a significant deepfake scam. The incident involved a hyper-realistic video created using artificial intelligence that featured a digitally cloned version of Arup's chief financial officer. This deepfake was used to deceive an employee into transferring a total of HK$200 million to various bank accounts during a video call.

Previously, Hong Kong police revealed what is one of the world's biggest known deepfake scams, but did not identify the company involved. However, Financial Times reported that it has confirmed it was the UK group Arup (officially Arup Group Limited). The engineering firm employs about 18,000 people globally and has annual revenues of more than £2bn.

The scam took place in the Hong Kong office of Arup and is considered one of the largest known deepfake scams to date.

Citing a Hong Kong police acting senior superintendent Baron Chan, the FT report said, "After a video conference joined by the company's digitally cloned CFO and other fake company employees. The staff member made a total of 15 transfers to five Hong Kong bank accounts before eventually discovering it was a scam upon following up with the group's headquarters."

Despite the substantial financial loss, Arup has confirmed that their financial stability and business operations were not affected, and none of their internal systems were compromised. The company, which is headquartered in London, has been working with the authorities, and investigations into the incident are ongoing.

Arup's east Asia chair Andy Lee stepped down in the weeks following the scam after just a year in the role. He was replaced by Michael Kwok, a former east Asia chair for the company. Lee said on his personal LinkedIn page that he had "decided to embark on a new opportunity".

This event highlights the increasing sophistication of cyber-attacks and the rising threat of deepfake technology being used for fraudulent purposes. It serves as a reminder of the importance of vigilance and the need for robust security measures to protect against such sophisticated scams.

Legal actions are being pursued in response to the deepfake scam that targeted Arup. The authorities have been notified, and investigations are ongoing. However, as of the latest updates, no arrests have been made yet¹²³. The case is classified as "obtaining property by deception," which indicates that law enforcement is treating it as a serious criminal matter.

Arup has been cooperative with the police, and while they have not disclosed details due to the ongoing nature of the investigation, they have confirmed that they are working with law enforcement to address the incident¹. The company has also expressed hope that their experience will help raise awareness about the increasing sophistication of cyber-attacks and the evolving techniques of malicious actors.

The incident underscores the importance of cybersecurity and the need for companies to stay vigilant against such advanced forms of fraud. It also highlights the challenges that law enforcement faces in tracking down and prosecuting perpetrators in the digital age, where the tools and methods used to commit crimes are constantly evolving. 

The University of Dundee Is Becoming the Hub of Spinouts in UK

The University has been ranked 6th in UK’s University Spinout Report

The University of Dundee is one of the best universities in the UK for producing successful spinouts, according to a new report. The University Spinout Report 2021, carried out by GovGrant, names Dundee as the UK's sixth most successful at commercializing innovation. The University spawned 1.5% of the UK’s spinouts with these companies raising £325.7 million over the past two decades.

“We are delighted to see Dundee’s success with spinouts recognised in another UK-wide independent ranking,” said David McBeth, Director of the University’s Research and Innovation Services. “At present we have several high growth spinouts making real strides commercially, our pipeline has never been stronger, and we are always on the lookout for entrepreneurial management talent.” She added.

University students formed Exscientia a pioneer in Artificial Intelligence-driven (AI) drug discovery and design and a world-leader in its field. The company has won numerous prizes including UK’s the Queen’s Award for Enterprise Innovation, recognising its pioneering work. Exscientia is the University’s most prosperous spinout to date, and having recently launched a successful IPO it has grown into a market leader in its field.

Another successful University spinout, Amphista Therapeutics, was founded by Professor Alessio Ciulli. The biopharmaceutical company creates first-in-class therapeutics that help harness the body’s natural processes to selectively and efficiently degrade proteins that cause diseases previously thought to be ‘undruggable’.

Ten Bio is another spinout venture founded by Dr Robyn Hickerson and Dr Michael Conneely that offers an alternative for many experiments currently only performed in animals. They have developed a product, branded ‘TenSkin™’, that sees human skin stretched to an optimal tension to mimic the mechanobiology that exists in intact, living skin on the body. They received recognition earlier in the year as they were awarded £65,000 in a national competition supporting Scotland’s most exciting new enterprises, funded by Scottish EDGE.

The University Spinout Report 2021 was produced by IP specialists and R&D tax credit experts, GovGrant, to celebrate the UK’s position as a global leader in innovation. It is based on analysis of just under 1,000 UK spinout companies, a sample that comprises £19.28 billion of capital invested, 4,489 deals and 1,907 investors.

The University of Dundee offers admission to all international students with special emphasis on Indian students through different scholarships. Through their spinouts, the university offers an opportunity to bring out the best in every student and facilitate their unique ideas through entrepreneurial support.

UK Regulatory Body Bans World's Largest Cryptocurrency Exchange Platform Binance

Binance, the world's largest exchange platform for cryptocurrency trading, has been banned by the UK regulatory body. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the UK's financial operating authority, has said that Binance will not conduct any activities in the UK.

The FCA has also cautioned the people of Britain to avoid such investments where platforms such as Binance.com that promise high returns on cryptocurrencies. Don't fall for any such promise, said the FCA. This decision of the FCA comes at a time when there is a ruckus around cryptocurrencies around the world.

Binance.com is an online central exchange platform where users are provided with access to a variety of financial products and services. On this website, buying and selling of any cryptocurrency, digital payment, feature, security, savings account and even borrowing facility is also available. The Vincennes Group is currently operating out of the Cayman Islands, which is an island located in the Caribbean Sea, which is Britain's Overseas Territory.

Binance Markets Limited on the other hand is an affiliated firm based in London. This firm has many units across the world. Earlier Binance Group was based in Malta.

The FCA has stated that Binance Markets Limited (BML) may not conduct activities of any kind without written permission. There is time till Wednesday to comply with this order. That is, after Wednesday, BML will not conduct any kind of activities in Britain.

The FCA emphasized that no Binance Group company would be authorized to register or license in the UK. Significantly, Binance was started by Chinese citizen Changpeng Zhao in 2017 when the Chinese government took a number of tough measures to crack down on cryptocurrencies.