Axis Max Life Insurance Limited (Axis Max Life) and Saarathi Finance Partner for MSME Credit Protection
[Axis Max Life Insurance]
Key Updates:
- Axis Max Life Insurance Limited (Axis Max Life) has entered into a strategic partnership with Saarathi Finance to bridge the credit gap for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
- The collaboration integrates the Group Credit Life Secure insurance product into the lending framework of Saarathi Finance to ensure financial continuity for entrepreneurs.
- The initiative aligns with the national vision of achieving Insurance for All by 2047 and enhancing financial inclusivity for MSMEs.
- Sumit Madan serves as the Managing Director of Axis Max Life, while Vivek Bansal is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Saarathi Finance.
Similar Coverage
- Bharti AXA Life Insurance has entered into a bancassurance partnership with Equitas Small Finance Bank.
- The partnership will offer protection, savings, and retirement plans to Equitas Small Finance Bank customers.
- The collaboration targets deeper life insurance penetration in semi-urban and rural markets.
- Equitas Small Finance Bank operates 1,042 banking outlets across 18 states and Union Territories.
- Axis Finance Ltd (AFL) offers collateral-free Vyapar business loan up to ₹10 lakh.
- The loan targets micro and small entrepreneurs in retail, service and trading segments.
- Flexible tenures and zero collateral requirements are key features of the product.
- Axis Bank has launched Rooftop Solar Finance, a tailored financing solution to support Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in transitioning to solar energy.
- Under this programme, MSMEs can avail collateral-free loans ranging from ₹10 lakh to ₹2 crore.
- The financing scheme offers flexible repayment tenures ranging from 4 to 7 years.
- The product is available nationwide through the branch network of Axis Bank.
- Axis Bank has partnered with leading Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and a Technology Partner to provide transparency regarding system costs and projected savings.
- Axis Bank offers unsecured digital loans from ₹2 lakh to ₹20 lakh to micro and small businesses.
- Eligibility is evaluated through cash-flow intelligence instead of traditional financial statements.
- Applicants receive an instant credit decision within minutes and funds are disbursed within a few days.
- Repayments are collected through daily instalments aligned with the merchant’s actual sales.
Cabinet clears ₹3,630.77 crore for Jewar airport road connectivity
[Jewar International Airport]
Key Updates:
- The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the revised total capital cost of ₹3,630.77 crore for greenfield connectivity to Jewar international airport.
- The 31.42 km project corridor will provide direct high-speed connectivity from South Delhi, Faridabad and Gurugram to the airport in Uttar Pradesh.
- About 11 km of the project will be developed as an elevated highway between DND-Ballabhgarh Bypass and Jewar International Airport at an additional cost of ₹689.24 crore.
- The Government of Haryana has agreed to bear ₹450 crore of the elevated corridor cost.
- The corridor intersects the Eastern Peripheral Expressway, the Yamuna Expressway, and the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) to enable multimodal transport convergence.
- The airport has received an aerodrome licence from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and is expected to start operations soon.
Similar Coverage
- The Union Cabinet approved infrastructure and policy proposals worth Rs 12,236 crore, covering railways, aviation, urban transport, power sector reforms and agriculture.
- The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) cleared three railway projects—Gondia-Jabalpur doubling, Punarakh-Kiul third and fourth line, and Gamharia-Chandil third and fourth line—costing Rs 9,072 crore.
- These railway projects span Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand, adding 307 km to the network and enhancing connectivity to 5,407 villages with a population of nearly 98 lakh.
- The railway capacity augmentation is expected to handle 52 million tonnes of additional freight traffic per annum, save 6 crore litres of oil and cut CO2 emissions by 30 crore kg.
- CCEA approved a new civil enclave at Srinagar International Airport at a cost of Rs 1,677 crore, featuring a 71,500 square metre terminal with peak-hour capacity of 2,900 passengers and annual capacity of 10 million passengers.
- The Srinagar airport project includes a 1,000-car multi-level car park, apron for 15 aircraft and targets a 5-star GRIHA rating.
- The Cabinet cleared a 3.33-km Ahmedabad Metro extension from GIFT City to Shahpur at Rs 1,067.35 crore with three elevated stations to be implemented by Gujarat Metro Rail Corporation Limited.
- The Ahmedabad Metro extension is projected to serve over 23,700 passengers daily by 2029 and nearly 58,000 by 2041.
- Power sector reforms enhanced delegation to Powergrid, raising per-project equity investment limit for subsidiaries from Rs 5,000 crore to Rs 7,500 crore to boost participation in high-value tariff-based competitive bidding projects.
- The Cabinet approved renaming Kerala to 'Keralam' through the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026, to be referred by the President to the Kerala Legislative Assembly under Article 3 of the Constitution.
- The Cabinet fixed the minimum support price (MSP) for raw jute (TD-3 grade) at Rs 5,925 per quintal for 2026-27, an increase of Rs 275 per quintal over the previous year.
- Kempegowda International Airport operated by Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) signed an MoU with Frankfurt Airport on Wednesday to enhance cargo connectivity between South India and Europe.
- The collaboration focuses on joint trade lane analytics, digital corridor development, pharma integrity standards, and knowledge exchange to improve visibility and reduce dwell times.
- Frankfurt Airport is one of Europe's most connected cargo hubs and serves as a key gateway for the partnership.
- BLR Airport serves one of India's fastest-growing manufacturing and export regions.
- The partnership aligns with Frankfurt Cargo Hub Masterplan and aims to create optimal conditions for customers and the cargo community.
- The Bihar state cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister (CM) Nitish Kumar, approved the construction of an international airport at Sonepur in Saran district.
- The proposed airport will feature a 4,200-metre runway designed to handle wide-body aircraft, including the Airbus A380.
- The project is spread over 4,228 acres and is targeted for completion by the year 2030.
- The Bihar government has allocated ₹1,302 crore for the land acquisition process for the airport, which will be developed in the area between Hajipur and Dumaria.
- The Union Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has granted site clearance and in-principle approval for the project, which was also mentioned in the Union Budget.
- The state cabinet sanctioned ₹70 crore for anti-erosion work along an embankment between Ismailpur and Bindtoli in Bhagalpur district.
- Bihar currently has operational airports at Jayprakash Narayan International Airport in Patna, as well as in Gaya, Darbhanga, and Purnia.
- A total of 35 proposals from various departments were approved during the cabinet meeting.
- The Andhra Pradesh Cabinet approved the Dagadarthi greenfield airport project in Nellore district on Jan 10, 2026, to strengthen the state’s multimodal logistics and industrial network.
- The project has already received in-principle clearance from the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) for development under a long-term concession framework.
- Planned in multiple phases, the airport will be developed over 1,332.80 acres to support manufacturing, exports, agri-logistics, and services-led growth.
- Phase I is designed to handle 1.4 million passengers per annum, with capacity scalable to 15 million passengers annually in the long term.
- The master plan includes provision for a future cargo facility to support industrial output and port-led trade involving Krishnapatnam and Ramayapatnam ports.
Tata Advanced Systems selects Ramco Systems to digitise IAF C-130J MRO facility
[Tata Advanced Systems, Ramco Systems, Indian Air Force]
Key Updates:
- Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) has chosen Ramco Systems’ integrated aviation MRO platform to power the digital backbone of its upcoming defence maintenance, repair and overhaul facility for the Indian Air Force’s Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules aircraft.
- Ramco Systems will deploy modules covering contract and quote management, maintenance planning, hangar and component maintenance, supply chain management, engineering and quality, and customer billing.
- The software suite includes Ramco’s mobile applications, e-publications, digital task cards and resource planning and optimisation tools for real-time shopfloor data access.
- The facility will specialise in maintaining the Indian Air Force’s C-130J Super Hercules fleet and will interface with TASL’s enterprise resource planning system.
- Ramco Systems shares traded at Rs 427.90 on BSE, up 5.94% as of 11:45 AM Monday.
Similar Coverage
- Dassault Aviation awarded a long-term contract to Bengaluru-based Hical Technologies for manufacturing mission-critical products for Rafale fighter aircraft control systems.
- Hical Technologies will deliver products meeting Dassault Aviation's stringent engineering, qualification and reliability standards.
- The contract comes as India nears finalisation of a deal for 114 Dassault Rafale jets worth over Rs 3.25 lakh crore.
- Hical's inclusion positions India as a strategic contributor to the Rafale platform and the global aerospace and defence value chain.
- Embraer and Mahindra Group announced plans to develop Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) capabilities in India for the C-390 Millennium aircraft.
- The MRO facility is contingent on the C-390 Millennium's selection for the Indian Air Force's Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA) program.
- The collaboration builds on a strategic partnership formed in October 2025 to produce the C-390 Millennium in India.
- The initiative supports the Indian Air Force's MTA program and aligns with the 'Make in India' initiative.
- The MRO facility will provide base and heavy maintenance, structural inspections, component overhaul, avionics support, and training.
- Embraer is exploring India as a regional MRO hub for other C-390 operators.
- The C-390 Millennium has a payload capacity of up to 26 tons and a mission completion rate above 99%.
- Embraer has nearly 50 aircraft of 11 types operating in India across commercial, defense, and business aviation.
- The Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed contracts worth Rs 5,083 crore for six Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) Mk-III (Maritime Role) and Surface-to-Air Vertical Launch - Shtil missiles.
- The ALH Mk-III contract valued at Rs 2,901 crore was signed with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
- The helicopters include operational role equipment, an engineering support package, and performance-based logistics support for the Indian Coast Guard.
- The Shtil missile contract valued at Rs 2,182 crore was signed with JSC Rosoboronexport of the Russian Federation.
- The acquisition aims to enhance the Indian Navy's layered air defence and the Indian Coast Guard's maritime security capabilities.
- The Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed a contract worth Rs 2,312 crore with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the acquisition of eight Dornier 228 aircraft for the Indian Coast Guard (ICG).
- The agreement was signed in New Delhi under the Buy (Indian) category in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh.
- The aircraft will be manufactured by the Kanpur-based Transport Aircraft Division of HAL and will include Operational Role Equipment.
- The Dornier 228 is a twin-engine turboprop multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft used for maritime surveillance, marine pollution contingency, search and rescue, and medical evacuation.
- The ICG currently operates this aircraft in two variants, specifically the 228-100 and 228-200 series.
- This is the second major deal with HAL in the current financial year, following a Rs 62,370 crore contract signed in September 2025 for 97 Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk1A.
- The LCA Mk1A procurement for the Indian Air Force (IAF) includes 68 fighters and 29 twin-seaters, with deliveries scheduled to commence in 2027-28.
- The programme is expected to support a network of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and create opportunities in Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) and life cycle technical support.
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Navy conduct in-flight release trials of ADC-150 from P8I aircraft
[Defence Research and Development Organisation, Indian Navy]
Key Updates:
- Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Navy jointly conducted four successful in-flight release trials of the indigenous Air Droppable Container ADC-150 from the P8I aircraft off the coast of Goa between February 21 and March 1.
- The ADC-150 is indigenously designed to deliver a 150 kg payload and enhances naval operational logistics capabilities for quick response to naval vessels under distress.
- Naval Science and Technological Laboratory, Visakhapatnam, is the nodal laboratory for the activity.
- Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment, Agra, developed the parachute system.
- Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification, Bengaluru, provided the flight clearance and certification.
- Defence Research and Development Laboratory, Hyderabad, provided the instrumentation support for the trials.
- The ADC-150 system for the P8I aircraft was developed and qualified in a short timeframe to meet Indian Navy requirements.
- All developmental flight trials have been completed successfully and the system is expected to be inducted into the Indian Navy soon.
Similar Coverage
- Bengaluru-based startup AquaAirX Autonomous Systems launched Avataar, India's first amphibious drone capable of both aerial and underwater missions, on March 5, 2026.
- The drone has achieved Technology Readiness Level 6 (TRL 6), meaning a functional prototype has been tested in real-world operational environments rather than just controlled tanks.
- The startup secured ₹12.5 crore in seed funding for the project, led by Rainmatter, the investment arm of Zerodha.
- Avataar is constructed with a carbon fibre body to resist saltwater corrosion and uses sound pulses for 3D mapping and communication underwater, functioning like an underwater Wi-Fi system.
- The vehicle is designed for multi-domain operations, including harbour surveillance, subsea pipeline inspection, and search and rescue for the Indian Navy and Coast Guard.
- The drone features a safety protocol that prevents it from diving if the battery level is too low to ensure mission reliability.
- Director General of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG), DG Paramesh Sivamani, inaugurated the Waterjet Production and Testing Facility of Marine Jet Power (MJP) India in Goa.
- India has become the third country globally, after the United States and South Korea, to host such a specialised production and testing capability.
- The facility was commissioned under a Manufacturing and Transfer of Technology (ToT) framework to establish a domestic supply chain for waterjet propulsion systems.
- The ICG currently operates over 100 MJP waterjet propulsion systems across its fleet, with 42 additional systems planned for ships under construction.
- The new facility will serve as a regional hub for South Asia and adjoining regions while enhancing indigenous repair and overhaul capabilities.
- DG ICG reviewed the progress of six indigenously built Air Cushion Vehicles (ACVs) at Chowgule and Company Private Limited.
- The ACV project is India’s first indigenous programme of its kind, featuring approximately 50 per cent indigenous content with the first delivery scheduled for May 2026.
- The manual version of SWaDeS can be carried by a single person and can meet the emergency requirements of a group of 10-12 personnel.
- The engine operated system has the capability of purifying sea water having a salinity of 35,000 milligrams per litre of total dissolved solids (mg/L TDS) to less than 500 mg/L TDS to meet the requirement of 20-25 soldiers.
- Developed by the Defence Laboratory, Jodhpur, in response to the requirements projected by the Tri-command services, it can also be used by the civil sector in fresh water stressed areas.
- Akashlabdhi, incubated at Indian Institute of Science (IISc), completed key habitat tests in Switzerland with partners including European Space Agency (ESA).
- The July mission will launch a 70 cubic metre scaled version of AntarikshHAB aboard a vehicle supplied by Spanish firm PLD Space.
- The inflatable module will be deployed in orbit, then de-orbited for atmospheric re-entry and post-flight material inspection.
- Underground validation tests at Versuchsstollen Hagerbach (VSH) run by Amberg Group covered pressure, leak-before-burst, thermal cycling, accelerated ageing, and micrometeoroid impact simulations.
- Indian academic contributors are IISc, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT-Roorkee) and Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT-Delhi); Swiss partners include ETH Zurich, EMPA and Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI).
- The programme is grant-supported by ESA and its partners and aims to advance the habitat to Technology Readiness Level 6 (TRL-6).
NASA’s 1,300-pound Van Allen Probe A re-enters Earth’s atmosphere over eastern Pacific after 14-year mission
[National Aeronautics and Space Administration]
Key Updates:
- NASA’s Van Allen Probe A, launched in August 2012, re-entered Earth’s atmosphere at 6:37 a.m. ET on Wednesday over the eastern Pacific Ocean region confirmed by the U.S. Space Force.
- The probe and its twin Van Allen Probe B were designed to explore Earth’s Van Allen radiation belts and lasted nearly seven years instead of the planned two-year mission.
- Mission ended in 2019 when the probes ran out of fuel and could no longer orient toward the sun.
- Probe A’s re-entry was accelerated by the current active solar cycle increasing atmospheric drag, advancing the expected 2034 re-entry date.
- Probe B is not expected to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere until the 2030s.
Similar Coverage
- Proba-3’s Coronagraph spacecraft lost attitude control during 14-15 February 2026, stopping its solar panels from facing the Sun and draining its battery.
- The European Space Agency (ESA) reported the spacecraft entered survival mode and communications with ground control were cut off.
- Proba-3 was launched in 2024 by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and comprises two satellites, the Coronagraph and the Occulter, flying 150 metres apart to create artificial solar eclipses for studying the Sun’s corona.
- ESA mission teams are investigating the anomaly and plan to use the healthy Occulter spacecraft to approach the Coronagraph and assess its orientation to aid recovery efforts.
- A study led by Johns Hopkins University (JHU) and Imperial College London (ICL) shows seismometers can trace re-entering space debris by detecting sonic-boom shock waves.
- More than 120 seismic stations across California and Nevada recorded vibrations from the 1.5-metric-ton Shenzhou 15 orbital module re-entry on 2 April 2024.
- Analysis revealed descent speeds between Mach 25 and Mach 30, altitudes of 80–150 km, and a shallow one-degree entry angle.
- Seismic data indicated a cascading break-up lasting about two seconds, increasing chances that dense fragments reach Earth’s surface.
- The technique, published in the journal Science, improves emergency response by locating debris within minutes rather than weeks.
- Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Bengaluru-based Bellatrix Aerospace signed an MoU on Thursday to collaborate on design, development and manufacturing of satellite systems and payloads for Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO) operations.
- VLEO altitude ranges between 100 and 450 kilometres, enabling higher-resolution images, faster communications and better atmospheric science.
- Bellatrix Aerospace, founded in 2015, specialises in satellite propulsion technologies and satellite subsystems.
- Chandrayaan-3 detects surprisingly active plasma over the Moon’s south pole.
- The Radio Anatomy of the Moon Bound Hypersensitive ionosphere and Atmosphere–Langmuir Probe (RAMBHA-LP) instrument offers the first ground truth of the Moon’s near-surface plasma at southern high latitudes.
- The lander Vikram’s data showed that electrons close to the ground carry surprisingly high energies.
- Their kinetic temperatures were measured at roughly 3,000 to 8,000 Kelvin, indicating a plasma layer far more energised than previously understood.
- Just above the surface, the “plasma” (a mix of charged particles) is far denser and more energetic than earlier remote observations.
- Plasma is often described as the fourth state of matter, a blend of charged particles such as ions and free electrons.
- On the Moon, this thin plasma layer, sometimes called the lunar ionosphere, is shaped by a complex mix of processes.
- A constant flux of solar wind streams of electrons and ions rushed out from the Sun and strikes the Moon’s airless surface.
- Through the photoelectric effect, high-energy sunlight also removes electrons from surface atoms, increasing the ionised environment.
- The Moon receives a new supply of charged particles from our planet’s extended magnetic field as it drifts into Earth’s magnetotail for a few days.
- At the mission’s landing site Shiv Shakti Point (69.3° S, 32.3° E), the RAMBHA-LP instrument detected electron densities ranging between 380 and 600 particles per cubic centimetre.
- These values are markedly higher than earlier estimates, which relied on remote-sensing techniques such as radio occultation.
- Researchers found that this plasma does not remain steady but changes depending on the Moon’s position during its orbit around Earth.
- During lunar daylight, when the Moon is fully exposed to the Sun, and outside Earth’s magnetic influence, the interaction between solar wind particles and the Moon’s sparse exosphere drives much of the variation.
- When the Moon enters the geomagnetic tail on the far side of Earth, the plasma takes on a different character, shaped by streams of charged particles flowing through that elongated magnetic region.
- Insights from the mission also suggest that molecules such as carbon dioxide and water vapour may contribute to the behaviour of the lunar ionosphere.
- According to the Lunar Ionospheric Model developed in-house, molecular ions alongside the expected elemental ones play a meaningful role in forming the charged layer hovering near the surface.
- These measurements provide essential “ground truth” for future lunar exploration, especially for missions targeting the Moon’s southern high latitudes.
- RAMBHA-LP’s development was spearheaded by the Space Physics Laboratory at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in Thiruvananthapuram.
Smriti Mandhana retains top spot in women’s ODI rankings, Jemimah slips to 12th
[International Cricket Council]
Key Updates:
- Smriti Mandhana retained the top spot in the latest women’s ODI batting rankings released on Tuesday.
- Harmanpreet Kaur remained static at eighth spot in the same rankings.
- Jemimah Rodrigues slipped to 12th position after India lost the three-match ODI series 0-3 against Australia.
- New Zealand skipper Melie Kerr jumped five places to 11th in the ODI bowler rankings after taking seven wickets in the second match against Zimbabwe in Dunedin.
- Melie Kerr also climbed one place to fifth in the ODI all-rounder rankings.
- Brooke Halliday rose eight places to 11th in the ODI batter rankings after scoring 157* from 117 balls in the series opener against Zimbabwe.
- Maddy Green moved up four spots to equal 22nd in the ODI batter rankings after scoring 67 in the first match and an unbeaten 27* in the second match.
- Hasini Perera of Sri Lanka rose 15 spots to 28th in the T20I batter rankings following an unbeaten half-century in the third match against West Indies.
- Imesha Dulani of Sri Lanka climbed 17 rungs to equal 72nd in the T20I batter rankings after an unbeaten 34* in the same match.
- Kavisha Dilhari of Sri Lanka moved up three spots to 21st in the T20I bowler rankings and two places to 11th in the T20I all-rounder rankings.
- Afy Fletcher of West Indies climbed four rungs to seventh in the T20I bowler rankings after taking three wickets in the final two games against Sri Lanka.
Similar Coverage
- In an eye-opening study by Avtar Group, the fourth edition of 'Top Cities for Women in India' has been unveiled.
- The 2025 rankings place Bengaluru at the pinnacle for women, backed by robust industrial growth and career enablement.
- Chennai and Pune follow closely with excellent social inclusion attributes, showcasing safety and public services as pivotal factors for women.
- The longitudinal inclusivity index highlights key cities across India, evaluating their performance on social and industrial inclusion parameters essential to women's empowerment.
- The increased presence of tier-2 cities in top rankings signifies a new era in women-friendly urban ecosystems.
- Harmanpreet Kaur surpassed Suzie Bates to become the most capped player in women's international cricket with 356 matches.
- She achieved the record during the second T20I of the three-match series against Australia on February 19.
- Ellyse Perry follows with 349 international appearances for Australia.
- Harmanpreet has played 6 Tests, 161 ODIs and 189 T20Is, scoring 200, 4,409 and 3,784 runs respectively.
- She has also featured in 35 Women's Premier League, 62 Women's Big Bash League and 10 Women's 100 matches.
- Smriti Mandhana became the fastest player ever and the second Indian woman after Mithali Raj to surpass 10,000 international runs.
- She achieved the milestone during the fourth T20I against Sri Lanka at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram.
- Mandhana scored 80 runs off 48 deliveries, hitting 11 fours and three sixes at a strike rate of 170.2.
- She became the first Indian and second overall to reach 4,000 runs in Women’s T20Is during the series opener in Visakhapatnam.
- Mandhana is the first Indian woman to score a century in all three formats of the game.
- She finished 2025 as the highest run-scorer in One Day Internationals (ODIs), amassing 1,362 runs across 23 innings, including five fifties and five centuries.
- Mandhana will lead Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the 2026 Women’s Premier League (WPL) starting January 9.
- Opener Smriti Mandhana became the first Indian to reach 4000 runs in T20Is during the first of a five-match series against Sri Lanka on Sunday at the ACA-VDCA stadium in Visakhapatnam.
- India defeated Sri Lanka by eight wickets in Vizag after chasing a 122-run target.
- Smriti Mandhana reached the 4000-run milestone in 15 balls and currently sits second in the list of players with most runs in the format with 4007 runs.
- Jemimah Rodrigues scored a half-century to help India secure the victory ('Jemimah Rodrigues half century helps India beat Sri Lanka by eight wickets in Vizag').
- Vaishnavi Sharma made her T20I debut during the series opener against Sri Lanka.
- This match was India’s first international appearance since the 'Women in Blue beat South Africa to lift their maiden Women’s ODI World Cup last month'.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru hosts Sunrisers Hyderabad to open IPL 2026
[Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Sunrisers Hyderabad]
Key Updates:
- The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the first phase of the 19th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) to be held from 28 March to 12 April 2026.
- Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will face Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the opening match at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
- The first phase of the tournament will feature 20 matches across 10 venues: Bengaluru, Mumbai, Guwahati, New Chandigarh, Lucknow, Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, and Hyderabad.
- Gujarat Titans (GT) appointed former India wicketkeeper-batter Vijay Dahiya as Assistant Coach for the upcoming IPL 2026 season.
- Vijay Dahiya represented India in 19 One Day Internationals (ODIs) and two Tests and previously coached Delhi to the Ranji Trophy title in the 2007-08 season.
- GT, who won the IPL title in their inaugural 2022 campaign, also recently appointed former Australia player Matthew Hayden as Batting Coach.
- The tournament schedule includes four double-headers, with afternoon matches starting at 03:30 PM IST and evening matches at 07:30 PM IST.
Similar Coverage
- Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth will move from General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Southern Command, Pune, to Army Headquarters as Vice Chief of Army Staff (VCOAS) from 1 April.
- Lt Gen P.P. Singh, currently Vice Chief of Army Staff, will take over as Western Army Commander at Chandimandir, succeeding Lt Gen Manoj Kumar Katiyar.
- Lt Gen V.M.B. Krishnan, presently Quartermaster General at Army Headquarters, will assume charge as Eastern Army Commander in Kolkata from 1 April, succeeding Lt Gen Ram Chander Tiwari.
- Lt Gen Sandeep Jain, now Chief of Staff at Southern Command, will be promoted to Southern Army Commander in Pune, replacing Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth.
- Ayush Mhatre named captain and Vihaan Malhotra vice-captain for India U-19 squad in 2026 ICC Under-19 World Cup.
- Vaibhav Suryavanshi will captain India for the South Africa tour in absence of Mhatre and Malhotra due to wrist injuries.
- India placed in Group B alongside New Zealand, USA, and Bangladesh for the U-19 World Cup.
- India's first match scheduled against USA on January 15 at Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo.
- Mahendra Singh Dhoni was named the goodwill ambassador for the Pune Grand Tour 2026, India’s first international cycling road race.
- The Bajaj Pune Grand Tour 2026 is a UCI 2.2 category multi-stage, five-day continental road cycling race for men.
- The race covers a 437-km route across the Deccan Plateau and the Sahyadri range.
- A total of 171 riders from 29 teams across 35 countries will participate in the event.
- India will field two teams: the Indian National Team led by Naveen John and the Indian Development Team, featuring a total of 12 Indian riders with four substitutes.
- Haryana Thunders won the Pro Wrestling League (PWL) 2026 title by defeating Delhi Dangal Warriors 5-4 in the final at Noida Indoor Stadium.
- The final bout was decided in the women's 62 kg clash where Paris Olympic silver medallist Iryna Koliadenko secured a 16-0 technical superiority win.
- Haryana Thunders received ₹1.5 crore prize money while runners-up Delhi Dangal Warriors got ₹75 lakh.
- Turan Bayramov of Delhi Dangal Warriors won the Player of the Tournament award worth ₹2.5 lakh for winning all 7 of his bouts in the 57 kg men's category.
- Neha Sangwan of Haryana Thunders was named Player of the Match for keeping the final alive till the last bout.
- Ronak of Delhi Dangal Warriors won Fighter of the Match for his performance in the men's 125 kg category.
- Akshay Dhere of Haryana Thunders claimed the Impact Player of the Match award for strong performance in the 57 kg men's category.
ASSOCHAM and ICCC sign MoU to strengthen India-Canada business collaboration
[ASSOCHAM, India-Canada Business Collaboration]
Key Updates:
- The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) and the Indo Canada Chamber of Commerce (ICCC) signed an MoU on Monday during the India-Canada Business Roundtable held in New Delhi.
- The MoU provides a framework for collaboration to strengthen trade, investment, and economic cooperation between members of both organisations.
- Both organisations will facilitate exchange of information on trade policies, economic laws, and investment opportunities in India and Canada.
- Joint initiatives under the MoU include trade missions, business delegations, exhibitions, seminars, conferences, and workshops.
- Notable attendees included Anil K Agarwal (Past President & Chairman, ASSOCHAM International Council), Kam Rathee (Chair of the Advisory Board, ICCC), Prashant Srivastava (President, ICCC), Kunwar Shekhar Vijendra (Chairman, ASSOCHAM National Council on Education), Ed Jager (Trade Commissioner, High Commission of Canada to India), and Nina Tangri (Associate Minister of Small Business, Government of Ontario).
Similar Coverage
- The Ministry of Culture (MoC) and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) signed an MoU on 25 February 2026 to craft a comprehensive strategy for India’s Cultural and Creative Economy.
- Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat stated the agreement positions culture as the foundation of economic prosperity.
- The MoU aims to secure a brighter future for India’s artists and artisans.
- The Minister highlighted that the MoU can help gain global recognition for Indian cultural products and services.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the launch of the India-Canada Defence Dialogue after talks in New Delhi.
- Both countries set a bilateral trade target of $50 billion to be achieved by 2030.
- A long-term uranium supply agreement was announced between India and Canada.
- Three Memorandums of Understanding on Critical Mineral Cooperation, Promoting the use of Renewable Energy, and Cultural Cooperation were exchanged by Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
- India and Canada agreed to create the India-Canada Pulse Protein Centre of Excellence in India.
- Canadian Space Agency and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) agreed to cooperate on Earth observation and explore joint initiatives on space exploration and quantum technologies.
- Both nations will advance cooperation on security and law enforcement, focusing on illegal flow of drugs including fentanyl precursors and transnational organised criminal networks.
- Canada and India will conclude a new Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) this year following finalisation of Terms of Reference.
- India and Canada signed a Joint Statement on Energy Cooperation on the sidelines of India Energy Week 2026 in Goa.
- The Joint Statement was signed after a bilateral meeting between Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri and Canada’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Timothy Hodgson.
- The meeting marked the first high-level participation of a Canadian Cabinet Minister at India Energy Week.
- The renewed India–Canada Ministerial Energy Dialogue was launched during the meeting.
- Directions for the engagement were given by the Prime Ministers of India and Canada during their interaction on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in June 2025 in Kananaskis, Canada.
- Canada aims to become an energy superpower in clean and conventional energy through expanding LNG projects, increased crude oil exports via the Trans Mountain Expansion pipeline, and growing LPG exports from its west coast.
- India is the world’s third-largest oil consumer, fourth-largest LNG importer, and a major refining hub expected to account for over one-third of global energy demand growth over the next two decades.
- Both countries agreed to deepen bilateral energy trade, including Canadian LNG, LPG, and crude oil supply to India and export of refined petroleum products from India to Canada.
- Canada noted accelerated energy project approvals and India highlighted ongoing reforms and investment opportunities worth nearly USD 500 billion across the energy value chain.
- Areas identified for collaboration include renewable energy, hydrogen, biofuels, sustainable aviation fuel, battery storage, critical minerals, electricity systems, energy supply chain resilience, and artificial intelligence in the energy sector.
- A Joint Vision Document and Executive Programme were signed, outlining strategic cooperation, including innovation in agriculture and food industries.
- Four Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) were inked, covering cooperation in maritime heritage and museums, scientific research and innovation, skills development, agriculture, and trade cooperation between Oman’s Chamber of Commerce and India’s Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
- Both countries are on track to finalize a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), a trade pact expected to boost bilateral commerce, investment and strategic economic alignment across sectors such as energy, logistics, and manufacturing.