India’s micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) sector stands at a crossroads as industries rapidly adopt advanced technologies, like robotics and automation, while also transitioning to cleaner fuels and technologies to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

In the book “Klara and the Sun” solar-powered robots, also known as artificial friends (AFs) gently nudge and maneuver themselves by the store window to get their share of sunlight, a prime energy source. In the not-so-distant future (2030), it is projected that more than 40% of India’s population will be living in urban areas and will similarly jostle and compete for access to limited vital resources – food, water and opportunities.

As the November chill takes over Bihar, thousands of brick kiln workers prepare to mold, stack, and fire countless rounds of clay. For these workers, the brick-firing season – typically lasting from October to June – is an essential livelihood opportunity. Bihar is home to approximately 7,865 brick units. It produces over 23 billion bricks annually and is one of India’s largest brick manufacturing hubs.

The Kashmir Valley, surrounded by the lofty Himalayas, has been sculpted by glacial flooding and the Jhelum River over thousands of years. Located at the center of the valley, Srinagar lies in a strategic yet ecologically fragile region that hosts a dense network of wetlands, lakes and other water bodies.