Daily Current Affairs: 12 April 2026

Colonel Sonam Wangchuk (Retd), Maha Vir Chakra awardee and Kargil War hero, passes away.

[Lad]

Key Updates:

• Colonel Sonam Wangchuk (Retd) died at age 61 following a heart attack at his residence in Leh, Ladakh.
• He was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra, India’s second-highest wartime gallantry award, for his actions during the Kargil War.
• Then Major Wangchuk led Ladakh Scouts troops across Chorbat La on 30 May 1999 without artillery support and captured enemy positions.
• Two posts in the sector, ‘Sonam 1’ and ‘Sonam 2’, were named after him in recognition of his bravery.
• He was commissioned into the Assam Regiment on 4 September 1987 and later served with the Ladakh Scouts.
• His wife Padma Angmo is a UT cadre civil servant posted in Delhi and their son Riggyal Otvum is an IIM graduate working in Bengaluru.

PM Modi and President Murmu paid tribute to Mahatma Jyotiba Phule on his 200th birth anniversary.

Key Updates:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to Mahatma Jyotiba Phule on his 200th birth anniversary on Saturday.
• President Droupadi Murmu and PM Modi offered floral tributes at Prerna Sthal on the Parliament premises.
• Mahatma Jyotiba Phule was born on April 11, 1827, in Satara, Maharashtra.
• Phule founded the Satyashodhak Samaj to secure equal rights for peasants and lower castes.
• Phule and his wife Savitribai Phule were pioneers of women's education in India.

Amit Kshatriya appointed as Associate Administrator of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

[National Aeronaut and Space Administration]

Key Updates:

• Amit Kshatriya became NASA’s Associate Administrator, the agency’s highest-ranking civil servant, in September 2025.
• He serves as senior advisor to NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and leads ten centre directors and mission directorate heads at NASA Headquarters in Washington.
• Kshatriya previously held the role of Deputy Associate Administrator for the Moon-to-Mars Program at NASA.
• He was awarded the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal for his work as lead flight director during the International Space Station’s 50th expedition.
• He received the Silver Snoopy award for his performance as lead robotics officer during the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services Dragon demonstration mission.

Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) ships record 6,008 cars from Mundra Port in single vessel

[Mundra Port]

Key Updates:

• Mundra Port has become India’s largest automobile export hub by shipping 6,008 cars on a single vessel.
• The port’s Roll-on/Roll-off (RoRo) terminal exports vehicles to more than 100 countries.
• APSEZ is targeting a cargo handling capacity of one billion tonnes by 2030 after crossing 500 million tonnes.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) records $9.06 billion rise in India's foreign exchange reserves

Key Updates:

• India's foreign exchange reserves rose by $9.06 billion to $697.12 billion during the week ended 3 April 2026, ending four consecutive weeks of decline.
• Gold reserves surged by $7.22 billion during the reported week.
• Foreign currency assets increased by $1.78 billion to $552.85 billion in the same period.
• Gold prices climbed 4.06% to $4,676 per ounce during the week.
• Foreign exchange reserves expanded by $22.72 billion during the previous financial year.
• Special Drawing Rights grew by $58 million to $18.7 billion.
• India's reserve position with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) remained unchanged at $4.82 billion.

CPA India Region Zone VII Conference focuses on transparent and inclusive governance

[Commonwealth Parliamentary Association]

Key Updates:

• Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla addressed the inaugural session of the First CPA India Region Zone VII Conference in Goa.
• The conference brought together legislators from Maharashtra, Goa, and Gujarat under the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) India Region.
• Shri Birla urged lawmakers to rise above personal and political interests to fulfil public aspirations.
• He described young lawmakers as central to achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047.
• The CPA Zone VII comprises Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Goa.

National Safe Motherhood Day 2026: Focus on maternal health advocacy and safe pregnancies

Key Updates:

• National Safe Motherhood Day is observed annually on 11 April in India.
• The day was first established in 2003 by the White Ribbon Alliance India (WRAI).
• The date honours Kasturba Gandhi's birth anniversary.
• The 2026 observance highlights the need for improved maternal care in underserved rural regions.
• The day advocates collective action to prioritise maternal health and prevent preventable deaths.

International Election Visitors’ Programme (IEVP) 2026 showcases Assembly Polls in Kerala, Assam, and Puducherry

[Electoral Voter Engagement Programme]

Key Updates:

• The Election Commission of India (ECI) organised the International Election Visitors’ Programme (IEVP) 2026 during the Assembly elections in Kerala, Assam, and Puducherry.
• A total of 38 delegates representing 22 nations participated in the programme to witness the electoral process firsthand on 8 and 9 April 2026.
• The delegates observed the systematic movement of polling parties and visited CCTV control rooms monitoring 100 per cent webcasting of polling stations.
• The visit included the observation of mock polls and the inspection of inclusive facilities such as ramps, wheelchairs, and creches at polling stations.
• Specialised polling stations managed entirely by women and Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) were showcased to the international participants.
• The IEVP is a flagship initiative designed to foster engagement between the ECI and international Election Management Bodies (EMBs).

Narmada canal-based drinking water project reaches Sundra village after 728 km

Key Updates:

• Narmada canal water originating from Amarkantak hills in Madhya Pradesh has reached Sundra village in Barmer district after travelling 728 km.
• Sundra, located along the India–Pakistan border in Rajasthan, has received clean potable drinking water through taps for the first time since Independence.
• The Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) project aims to supply water to more than 200 villages in the region.
• The project infrastructure includes 16 large water storage reservoirs, several pumping stations, and over 80 elevated service reservoirs.

Delhi Draft Electric Vehicle Policy 2026–2030: Up to ₹1 Lakh Scrappage Incentive and Full Road Tax Waiver

[Delhi]

Key Updates:

• The Delhi government released the draft Electric Vehicle Policy 2026–2030 to accelerate electric vehicle (EV) adoption through financial incentives and infrastructure mandates.
• The policy proposes a 100 per cent exemption on road tax and registration fees for electric cars priced up to ₹30 lakh until 31 March 2030.
• Strong hybrid vehicles priced up to ₹30 lakh will be eligible for a 50 per cent exemption on road tax and registration fees.
• A scrappage incentive of up to ₹1 lakh is proposed for the first 1,00,000 applicants who replace Delhi-registered BS-IV or older vehicles with new electric cars priced up to ₹30 lakh.
• Additional scrappage incentives include ₹50,000 for electric goods carriers, ₹25,000 for electric three-wheelers, and ₹10,000 for electric two-wheelers.
• From 1 January 2026, no new Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) two-wheelers or light goods vehicles will be permitted to join aggregator and delivery fleets.
• From 1 January 2027, only electric three-wheelers, including auto-rickshaws, will be permitted for new registrations in Delhi.
• Electric two-wheelers priced up to ₹2.25 lakh will receive phased subsidies starting at ₹10,000 per kWh (capped at ₹30,000) in the first year, reducing to ₹3,300 per kWh by the third year.
• Electric auto-rickshaws will receive a flat incentive of ₹40,000 in the first two years and ₹30,000 in the third year.
• Incentives for electric goods carriers in the N1 category are set at ₹1 lakh in the first year, ₹75,000 in the second year, and ₹50,000 in the third year.
• All new infrastructure projects by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), and Delhi Cantonment Board must be EV-charging ready.
• Delhi Transco Limited (DTL) has been designated as the nodal agency for planning and coordinating public charging and battery swapping stations.

Justice Yashwant Varma resigns from Allahabad High Court amid impeachment proceedings

[Delhi High Court]

Key Updates:

• Justice Yashwant Varma of the Allahabad High Court resigned via a letter addressed to President Droupadi Murmu.
• His resignation ends the Lok Sabha committee investigation under the Judges Inquiry Act, 1968.
• Justice Varma was due to retire in 2031 and is now entitled to the same pension benefits as a superannuating judge.
• He also sent a copy of his resignation letter to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant.
• The controversy involved alleged discovery of burnt cash at his Delhi residence last year.

India-flagged Tanker Jag Vikram Transits Strait of Hormuz Following United States-Iran Ceasefire

[Strait of Hormuz]

Key Updates:

• The India-flagged Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) tanker Jag Vikram crossed the Strait of Hormuz, marking the first such transit by an Indian vessel since the announcement of a two-week ceasefire between the United States (US) and Iran.
• Jag Vikram is owned by the Mumbai-based Great Eastern Shipping Company and is a mid-sized gas carrier with a deadweight capacity of over 26,000 tonnes.
• India imports approximately 88 per cent of its crude oil, around 50 per cent of its natural gas needs, and nearly 60 per cent of its LPG requirement.
• More than half of India's crude imports, about 40 per cent of gas, and up to 85-90 per cent of LPG shipments originate from Gulf countries and pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
• According to MarineTraffic data, 426 tankers, 34 LPG carriers, and 19 Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) vessels were effectively stranded in the region during the disruption.
• The Government of India prioritised Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) for transport and piped cooking gas for households while partially restoring supplies to fertiliser plants.

United Kingdom shelves Chagos Islands transfer to Mauritius after United States withholds support

[United Kingdom, United States]

Key Updates:

• The United Kingdom has set aside a bill to return the Chagos Islands to Mauritius due to lack of support from United States President Donald Trump.
• The UK government stated it would only proceed with the deal if it had US support.
• A bill outlining plans to cede sovereignty of the 60-plus Indian Ocean islands was dropped from the next UK parliamentary agenda starting 13 May.
• In May last year the UK and Mauritius jointly announced a deal to return full sovereignty of Chagos to Mauritius, with Britain leasing Diego Garcia on a 99-year lease to preserve US military operations.
• Trump opposed the move in January, calling it an 'act of great stupidity'.
• Diego Garcia is the largest island in the Chagos Archipelago and hosts a major United States military base leased from Britain since 1966.
• Mauritius Foreign Minister Dhananjay Ramful pledged to 'spare no effort to seize any diplomatic or legal avenue to complete the decolonisation process'.
• Britain has controlled the Chagos since 1814, including after Mauritius gained independence in the 1960s.
• The Diego Garcia base has supported US military operations in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan.
• Chagossians forcibly evicted to make way for the base have brought compensation claims to British courts.
• In 2019 the International Court of Justice recommended that the archipelago be returned to Mauritius.

Israel announces readiness for direct talks with Lebanon amid strikes

[Israel, Lebanon]

Key Updates:

• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on 9 April 2026 instructed his cabinet to start direct negotiations with Lebanon as soon as possible.
• Netanyahu stated the talks will focus on disarming Hezbollah and establishing peaceful Israel-Lebanon relations.
• Israeli strikes across Lebanon on 8 April 2026 killed more than 300 people and wounded over 1,000, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry.
• Lebanon’s cabinet ordered security forces to restrict weapons in Beirut to state institutions alone.
• Hezbollah lawmaker Ali Fayyad rejected direct negotiations with Israel and demanded an Israeli troop withdrawal and ceasefire first.
• Since 2 March 2026, Israeli attacks have killed at least 1,888 people and displaced over 1.2 million inside Lebanon, the United Nations reported.
• US and Iranian delegations are scheduled to meet in Islamabad, Pakistan on 11 April 2026 to discuss ending the five-week US-Israel war on Iran.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Completes Artemis II Moon Mission

[National Aeronaut and Space Administration]

Key Updates:

• The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) successfully concluded the Artemis II mission with the Orion spacecraft splashing down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego.
• The mission crew consisted of commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen.
• Artemis II set a new record for the farthest distance humans have traveled from Earth, reaching a maximum distance of 252,756 miles during the lunar flyby.
• The Orion capsule, named Integrity, traveled a total estimated distance of 694,481 miles over a mission duration of 9 days, 1 hour, and 31 minutes.
• During atmospheric reentry, the spacecraft reached a maximum speed of 24,661.21 mph and its heat shield endured temperatures of approximately 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
• A system of 11 parachutes was deployed to slow the capsule from 300 mph to a splashdown velocity of approximately 17-20 mph.
• The United States Navy recovery ship USS John P. Murtha was utilised to recover the crew and the spacecraft from the Pacific Ocean.
• The mission involved a lunar flyby where the spacecraft reached its closest approach of 4,067 miles above the surface of the moon.
• The crew carried a plush mission mascot named Rise, designed by an eight-year-old, which served as the zero-gravity indicator for the mission.

NASA’s PACE satellite pinpoints air-pollution sources with kilometre-scale precision

[PACE, NASA]

Key Updates:

• NASA’s Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, Ocean Ecosystem (PACE) satellite was launched on 8 February 2024.
• PACE’s Ocean Colour Instrument (OCI) detects nitrogen dioxide emissions from individual highways, power plants and shipping facilities at ~1 km spatial resolution.
• OCI senses 340 nm–2260 nm wavelengths to deliver vertical column density of nitrogen dioxide at nadir.
• Nitrogen dioxide’s short atmospheric lifetime allows daily tracking of emission signatures back to specific sources.
• PACE data complement NASA’s TEMPO mission that monitors pollution movement over North America every hour.

SKUAST-Kashmir achieves first controlled cultivation of high-value Morchella mushrooms

[Jammu and Kashmir]

Key Updates:

• Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST) in Srinagar has successfully cultivated Morchella mushrooms in controlled conditions for the first time.
• Morchella, locally called Kangaech, naturally grows in high-elevation forest ecosystems and commands market prices between Rs 15,000 and Rs 40,000 per kilogram.
• The breakthrough was achieved independently by Prof Tariq Ahmad Sofi, his student Kamran Muneer from the Faculty of Horticulture, and Prof Vikas Gupta from the Faculty of Agriculture.
• Researchers collected wild Morchella from over 1,000 locations, shortlisted 10 strains, and have achieved fruiting in three strains under controlled systems.
• Cultivation trials have been conducted in polyhouse and open conditions across microclimatic zones of Baramulla, Anantnag, and Srinagar districts.
• The team has applied for a patent for the controlled cultivation technology.
• Controlled Morchella cultivation is expected to boost farm incomes and support high-value bioeconomy development in Jammu and Kashmir.

Rare Woolly-necked Stork Spotted in Thanjavur District of Tamil Nadu

[Tamil Nadu]

Key Updates:

• The woolly-necked stork (Ciconia episcopus) was recently sighted in the paddy fields near Vannarapettai village in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu.
• The species is currently classified as Near Threatened on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.
• The sighting was documented by researchers from the Endangered Wildlife and Environmental Trust (EWET).
• While the bird is native to India and commonly found in northern states, its presence in southern India after the migration season is considered a rare event.
• The woolly-necked stork is a medium-sized wading bird that inhabits open grasslands, paddy fields, riverbanks, and other wetland areas.
• The primary diet of the species consists of fish, frogs, small reptiles, insects, and other aquatic creatures.
• During the breeding season, these birds build nests on tall trees and typically lay two to four eggs.

Caribou winter survival hinges on lichen abundance and snow depth: SUNY study

[Arctic]

Key Updates:

• State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY ESF) researchers found caribou in high-lichen areas up to nine times more likely to survive winter than those in low-lichen zones.
• The study analysed GPS telemetry data from 1,067 caribou winters spanning 2009–2024 to link lichen cover and snow depth to survival.
• Caribou access lichen by digging through snow in a behaviour termed ‘cratering’, but snow depths exceeding about 50 centimetres block access and erase the survival advantage.
• Collaborators included the National Park Service, University of Alaska Fairbanks, and University of Maryland.

New Dark Matter Theory Challenges Existence of Sagittarius A* Black Hole

[Milky Way]

Key Updates:

• Astronomers have proposed a theoretical model suggesting that Sagittarius A*, the object at the centre of the Milky Way, may be a dense concentration of dark matter rather than a supermassive black hole.
• The traditional interpretation of the galactic core is based on the presence of a black hole with a mass equivalent to approximately four million Suns.
• The new hypothesis suggests that dark matter consisting of fermions could create an extremely dense core at the centre of the galaxy surrounded by a large dark matter halo.
• This dark matter configuration aims to explain the high-velocity orbits of S-stars near the galactic core and the overall rotation curve of the Milky Way.
• The model proposes that the dark central region observed by the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) could be caused by gravitational lensing effects produced by concentrated dark matter rather than an event horizon.
• If supported, the theory would imply a continuous mass distribution from the galactic centre to the halo instead of a single central singularity.