Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) Reduces Royalty Rates for Domestic Oil and Gas Production
Key Updates:
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) notified revised royalty rates on May 8 to incentivise domestic exploration and reduce import dependence.
Under the revised framework, the effective royalty on onshore crude oil production is reduced to 10%, while royalty on offshore crude production is lowered to 8%.
Natural gas production will attract an effective royalty rate of 8% based on a new flat deduction formula for calculating the well head price.
Fixed deductions for post well-head costs are set at 20% of the sale price for nomination regime blocks and 15% for all other regimes to determine royalty payments.
Blocks under the Discovered Small Field (DSF) Policy and Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy (HELP) will attract zero royalty for the first seven years in deepwater and ultra-deepwater areas.
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Nigeria Introduces Green Tax Surcharge on High-Emission Vehicles (End of April)▼
Nigeria's Finance Minister Wale Edun signed a circular on April 1, 2026, to introduce a green tax surcharge on vehicles, effective from July 1.
The tax is imposed on vehicles with engine capacities of 2,000 cc and above, with a 2 per cent tax for 2,000 cc to 3,999 cc and 4 per cent for 4,000 cc and above.
Exemptions from the green tax are provided for vehicles with engine sizes below 2,000 cc, mass transit buses, electric vehicles (EVs), and locally manufactured vehicles.
Import tariffs on fully built passenger vehicles have been reduced from 70 per cent to 40 per cent within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) common external tariff (CET) structure.
A 90-day grace period has been granted to manufacturers, importers, and service providers for the transition to the new fiscal measures.
Nigeria has imposed a 5 per cent fuel surcharge on petrol and diesel since January 1.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics, Nigeria's passenger car imports increased to Naira 1.58 trillion.
Under its Third Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0), Nigeria commits to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 29 per cent by 2030 and 32 per cent by 2035 compared to 2018 levels.
Nigeria has committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2060.
The transport sector is identified as having a mitigation potential of 44.3 Mt CO2e through the adoption of clean vehicles.
Other national initiatives include a Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) programme, removal of fuel subsidies, and a ban on the import of polluting two-stroke engines.
Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) reports India bought $2.59 billion of Russian fossil fuels in January 2026. (End of February)▼
India remained the second-largest buyer of Russian energy products in January 2026 with purchases worth €2.2 billion ($2.59 billion).
Crude oil accounted for 78 percent of India’s Russian energy imports, amounting to €2 billion ($2.36 billion).
Coal imports from Russia stood at €442 million ($520.6 million) and oil products at €30 million ($35.3 million).
India’s overall spending on Russian hydrocarbons declined from €2.3 billion ($2.71 billion) in December 2025.
China’s crude oil imports from Russia rose 29 percent over the last two months to €4 billion ($4.71 billion).
India’s purchases of Russian crude dropped 23 percent since November 2025.
Reliance Industries’ Jamnagar refinery received no seaborne Russian oil in January 2026 due to Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctions on Rosneft.
The average price of Russia’s Urals crude increased 4 percent to $54.2 per barrel in January 2026, above the EU and UK price cap of $44.1 per barrel effective from 1 February 2026.
India’s Russian oil imports are projected to fall to 800,000 barrels per day in March 2026, the lowest since May 2022.
In January 2026, India imported 1.2 million barrels per day of Russian crude and 774,000 barrels per day from Saudi Arabia.
Central Government reduces excise duty on petrol and diesel by ₹10 per litre each and imposes export duties on diesel and ATF. (End of March)▼
Central excise duty on petrol and diesel for domestic consumption reduced by ₹10 per litre each on 26 March 2026.
Export duty on diesel set at ₹21.5 per litre and on aviation turbine fuel (ATF) at ₹29.5 per litre.
International crude price rose from around $70 per barrel to about $122 per barrel in the past month.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stated the changes were notified to Parliament.
Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri noted global fuel price increases of 20-50 per cent across regions.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said India is engaging global partners to ensure stable energy supplies amid the West Asia crisis.
Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal stated the measures prioritise domestic supply and stabilise the economy.
Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw indicated the government absorbed fiscal pressure to shield poor and middle-income families.
Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah described the duty reduction as consumer-focused relief during global fuel shortages.
Reliance Industries secures US licence to import Venezuelan crude oil (Mid of February)▼
Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) received a US general licence to purchase Venezuelan crude oil directly without violating sanctions.
The licence enables RIL to resume discounted heavy crude imports suited to its Jamnagar refinery configuration and optimise refining margins.
RIL operates the world’s largest single-site refining complex at Jamnagar, Gujarat.
RIL bought 2 million barrels from trader Vitol when Venezuelan oil flowed through traders this year.
State-owned Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) jointly bought 2 million barrels: 1.5 million barrels for IOC’s Paradip refinery, Odisha, and 500,000 barrels for HPCL’s Visakhapatnam unit, Andhra Pradesh.
Venezuelan crude grades from the Orinoco Belt are predominantly heavy and extra-heavy, trading at deep discounts.
US President Donald Trump stated Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to stop buying Russian oil and purchase more from the US and possibly Venezuela after a US-India trade deal that led the US to drop 25 per cent tariffs on Indian goods.
Central Government notifies 1 per cent construction worker welfare cess
Key Updates:
The Ministry of Labour and Employment (MoLE) notified a 1 per cent construction worker welfare cess on total construction costs, excluding land and compensation costs, effective from May 1.
The cess must be paid within 30 days of project completion, with a penalty of 2 per cent interest per month for delayed payments.
The Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1996 has been replaced by the Code on Social Security, 2020 and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020.
As of September 30, 2024, approximately 5.73 crore construction workers were registered across India.
Out of the total ₹1,17,507 crore collected as cess, ₹67,670 crore was spent on welfare schemes, leaving ₹49,800 crore unutilised.
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Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U 2.0): Odisha Leads in Housing Completions (Start of May)▼
Odisha has maintained the top national ranking for completed houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U 2.0) since March 2025.
The state of Odisha has delivered 2,008 affordable urban homes as of the latest reporting period.
The PMAY-U 2.0 scheme is central to the national target of ensuring Housing for All by 2028.
Progress under the scheme aims to catalyse credit flows through the National Housing Bank (NHB) and create demand for affordable-housing bonds.
The central government monitors subsidy disbursement patterns under the Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme (CLSS) as part of the programme.
Dearness Allowance and Dearness Relief Hike: 2% Increase for Central Government Employees and Pensioners (End of April)▼
The Union Cabinet approved a 2% increase in Dearness Allowance (DA) for central government employees and Dearness Relief (DR) for pensioners, effective from 1 January 2026.
The DA rate has been raised from 58% to 60% of basic pay.
The hike benefits approximately 50.46 lakh central government employees and 68.27 lakh pensioners.
The annual financial implication on the exchequer is estimated at ₹6,791.24 crore.
The revision is based on the recommendations of the 7th Central Pay Commission.
DA and DR are revised twice annually, on 1 January and 1 July, based on the All-India Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers published by the Labour Bureau.
The December 2025 index data showed a 12-month average of 145.54 points, resulting in a calculated DA rate of 60.33%, rounded down to 60%.
The decision was announced by the Ministry of Finance (MoF).
Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Farm Loan Waiver Scheme and ₹7.69 Lakh Crore Maharashtra Budget (Start of March)▼
Maharashtra Chief Minister (CM) Devendra Fadnavis presented a ₹7.69 lakh crore state budget with a primary focus on farm relief and infrastructure.
The Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Farm Loan Waiver Scheme was announced to provide a loan waiver of up to ₹2 lakh for farmers with pending loans as of 30 September 2025.
Farmers who have consistently repaid their loans will receive an incentive benefit of up to ₹50,000.
Under Phase III of the Mukhyamantri Gram Sadak Yojana (MGSY), the state will build 23,000 roads and bridges, including concrete roads in villages with populations exceeding 1,000.
The Mumbai Metro Line-11 project will be extended to connect the Dharavi Redevelopment Project with Bandra Suburban Station and Bandra Terminus.
A new Chief Minister Entrepreneurship Mega Fund will be established to provide direct financial assistance and government work orders worth up to ₹25 lakh to 50 selected startups without tendering.
Administrative approval has been granted for the Wainganga-Nalganga and the Damanganga-Vaitarna-Godavari river link projects.
A world-class startup and innovation hub will be developed on 130 acres of land at Wadala, and a New Nagpur project will be set up as a business and financial hub.
Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Development Centres will be established to provide vocational training specifically for differently-abled persons.
Maharashtra's debt stock is projected to be ₹9,73,989 crore for 2025-26 and is expected to reach ₹11,02,654 crore for 2026-27.
The annual interest payment and debt service for the state is estimated at ₹62,030.74 crore for 2025-26.
Urban Challenge Fund approved with Rs 1 lakh crore Central assistance (Mid of February)▼
Union Cabinet approved Rs 1 lakh crore Urban Challenge Fund to support urban infrastructure projects over five years.
Cities must raise at least 50% of project cost from market through municipal bonds, bank loans, and public-private partnerships.
Fund provides 25% Central assistance for projects where 50% cost is market-raised, covering projects worth Rs 4 lakh crore.
Operational period is 2025-26 to 2030-31, extendable up to 2033-34.
Projects identified via challenge-based framework covering urban mobility, water supply, sewerage, and legacy infrastructure retrofitting.
Credit repayment guarantee scheme of Rs 5,000 crore approved for north-east/hilly states and cities below 1 lakh population, offering Central guarantee up to Rs 7 crore or 70% of loan amount for first-time borrowers.
Administrative control of projects remains with state governments and urban local bodies.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and European Central Bank (ECB) sign MoU on central banking cooperation
Key Updates:
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the European Central Bank (ECB) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance cooperation in the field of central banking.
The agreement was signed by RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra and ECB President Christine Lagarde.
The signing took place on the sidelines of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) meetings in Basel.
The MoU updates an earlier agreement signed between the two central banks in 2015.
The framework establishes regular exchange of information, policy dialogue, and technical cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
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Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) and Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) sign AED 20 billion currency swap agreement. (Start of April)▼
The Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) and the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) signed a currency swap agreement worth AED 20 billion (BHD 2 billion).
The five-year arrangement was formalised during a virtual ceremony by Khaled Mohamed Balama, Governor of the Central Bank of the UAE, and Khalid Humaidan, Governor of the Central Bank of Bahrain.
The agreement aims to strengthen coordination between the two central banks and support trade and investment flows by encouraging the use of local currencies.
Punjab National Bank (PNB) partners with Government e-Marketplace (GeM) to offer collateral-free short-term loans to sellers. (Start of April)▼
Punjab National Bank (PNB) signed an MoU with Government e-Marketplace (GeM) to provide swift, collateral-free short-term loans against GeM purchase orders.
The facility targets Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and small businesses facing hurdles in securing timely and affordable credit.
Loan processing will be transparent, efficient, digital, and paperless as per PNB.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issues Master Direction on Facility for Exchange of Notes and Coins (Mid of April)▼
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued the Master Direction – Facility for Exchange of Notes and Coins on April 01, 2026.
The guidelines were issued under the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, for providing note and coin exchange facilities to the public.
The consolidated Master Direction aims to ensure uniform implementation by banks across the country by bringing all existing instructions into a single reference document.
All previous circulars and master directions on the subject of note and coin exchange facilities stand withdrawn from the date of issuance.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and Bank of Japan (BoJ) Renew $75 Billion Bilateral Swap Arrangement (BSA) (Start of March)▼
The RBI and the BoJ renewed the BSA with effect from 28 February 2026.
The size of the facility remains unchanged at up to $75 billion.
The BoJ acted as the agent for Japan’s Ministry of Finance to sign the third amendment and restatement agreement of the BSA.
The arrangement is a two-way currency swap framework allowing both authorities to exchange local currencies for the US dollar.
The pact aims to strengthen financial safety nets and contribute to regional and global financial stability.
Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and Airtel Payments Bank launch co-branded RuPay National Common Mobility Cards (NCMC)
Key Updates:
DMRC has partnered with Airtel Payments Bank to launch co-branded RuPay On-The-Go NCMC.
The NCMC is an open-loop card designed to enable seamless payments across metro systems, buses, and other transit networks nationwide.
The cards will be available at all DMRC stations within 10 days and can be recharged digitally through the DMRC and Airtel applications.
This initiative aims to advance the One Nation One Card ambition by allowing commuters to use a single card for travel in multiple cities.
The launch ceremony was attended by DMRC Managing Director Vikas Kumar and Airtel Payments Bank MD and CEO Anubrata Biswas.
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Punjab National Bank (PNB) partners with Kiwi to expand credit on UPI for 180 million customers (End of April)▼
Punjab National Bank (PNB) has partnered with Kiwi to launch the RuPay-based PNB Kiwi Credit Card.
The collaboration aims to introduce credit-enabled Unified Payments Interface (UPI) payments to 180 million customers.
The PNB Kiwi Credit Card offers fully digital onboarding, UPI integration, and cashback on online transactions ranging from 0.5 per cent to 1.5 per cent.
PNB operates over 10,000 branches, with 60 per cent of these located in semi-urban and rural regions.
PhonePe launches RuPay On-The-Go National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) for offline transit payments (Mid of March)▼
PhonePe has launched the RuPay On-The-Go Card, a National Common Mobility Card (NCMC), to enable offline tap-and-pay transactions across public transport services.
The initiative aligns with the Government of India’s One Nation One Card vision to digitise public transport payments through a unified mobility platform.
The card functions without internet connectivity using a prepaid stored-value model where the balance is stored directly on the card’s chip.
Users can load a maximum balance of ₹2,000 on the card, with a limit of ₹500 for individual offline transactions.
The initial rollout has commenced with the Hyderabad Metro in partnership with L&T Metro Rail (Hyderabad) Limited (LTMRHL).
The card is fully interoperable and can be used across NCMC-enabled public transport systems in cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Bengaluru.
Commuters can purchase the card at Hyderabad Metro ticket counters after a one-time password verification of their phone number.
The card supports transactions across various NCMC-enabled services including metros, buses, suburban trains, toll plazas, and parking facilities.
Scapia Launches Scapia Pay for RuPay Credit Card Unified Payments Interface (UPI) Payments (Mid of March)▼
Scapia has launched Scapia Pay, an in-app UPI service for rewards with co-branded RuPay credit cards.
The service allows users to link Scapia Federal RuPay and Scapia BOBCARD RuPay credit cards for instant UPI payments and rewards.
The platform provides features including a custom UPI ID, first-time payment alerts, high-value transaction notifications, and consolidated spend tracking.
The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in India processed approximately 20 billion transactions in February 2026.
The 2026 Spring Release includes two-click credit card bill payments via the Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS).
Scapia partners with Federal Bank and BOBCARD to provide co-branded credit cards for domestic and international use.
The platform has expanded to include flights, buses, trains, stays, visas, experiences, international airport privileges, and financial services.
IDFC First Bank launches secured RuPay credit card with up to 5% cashback and no income proof requirement. (Mid of February)▼
IDFC First Bank has launched the Hello Cashback secured RuPay credit card backed by a minimum fixed deposit of Rs 10,000.
The card offers 3% cashback on the first Rs 10,000 of online spends per statement cycle and 5% beyond that, capped at Rs 1,000.
A flat 1% cashback applies to UPI payments via the bank’s app, in-store swipes, and essentials including utilities, rent, education, insurance, jewellery, FASTag, Government payments, and wallet loads, raising the monthly cap to Rs 1,500.
The credit limit is set at 100% of the fixed deposit, and users continue to earn fixed deposit interest alongside cashback.
Joining fee of Rs 1,000 is waived until 31 March 2026; annual fee of Rs 1,000 is waived at Rs 2 lakh spends and halved at Rs 1 lakh spends.
The card provides Rs 2 lakh personal accident cover, Rs 25,000 purchase protection, and fuel surcharge waivers.
State Bank of India (SBI) projects India's real GDP growth at 7.2% for Q4FY26
Key Updates:
State Bank of India (SBI) expects India's real GDP growth to reach nearly 7.2 per cent in the final quarter of the 2025-26 fiscal year.
The SBI projects the full-year GDP growth for FY26 to be 7.5 per cent and for FY27 to be 6.6 per cent.
Nominal GDP growth is estimated at 12.2 per cent for Q4FY26 and approximately 11 per cent for the 2026-27 fiscal year.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has projected India's growth at 6.5 per cent for 2026-27 and the world growth forecast at 3.1 per cent for 2026.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has indicated it will actively intervene to manage liquidity amid inflation volatility caused by crude oil prices and possible El Nino conditions.
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S&P Global Market Intelligence (S&P Global) Cuts India FY27 Growth Forecast to 6.6% (Start of May)▼
S&P Global Market Intelligence (S&P Global) has lowered India's economic growth forecast for the financial year 2026-27 (FY27) to 6.6% from an earlier projection of 7.1%.
The revision is driven by risks associated with the Iran war, which may lead to narrowing fiscal space and potential constraints on infrastructure-related capital expenditure.
India's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth for the financial year 2025-26 (FY26) is estimated at 7.6% according to official figures.
The debt-to-GDP ratio is expected to rise to 57.5% from 56.1% in FY26, which could delay the long-term target of 49-51% by the financial year 2030-31 (FY31).
The services sector is anticipated to expand its share in the national GDP to nearly 55% by 2030, supported by services-focused free trade agreements (FTAs) and medical tourism.
SBI Research projects India GDP growth between 6.8% and 7.1% for FY27 (End of April)▼
SBI Research projects India's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth between 6.8% and 7.1% for FY27.
India's growth for FY26 is estimated at 7.6%.
For FY27, inflation is projected to average 4.5% and the fiscal deficit is estimated between 4.5% and 4.6%.
The report identifies the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) GIFT City as a stable global financial destination.
Indian airports may emerge as alternative transit hubs due to airspace risks over parts of the Middle East and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is expected to maintain its current monetary policy status quo.
State Bank of India (SBI) projects India GDP growth at 8.1% for Q3FY26 (End of February)▼
State Bank of India (SBI) forecasts 8.1% GDP growth for Q3FY26 despite global headwinds.
High-frequency indicators show strong growth momentum in Q3FY26.
Rural consumption remained firm on positive farm and non-farm signals.
Urban consumption rose consistently, helped by fiscal stimulus and higher post-festive spending.
Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation will release second advance GDP estimates for FY26 on 27 February.
Base year for GDP calculation is being updated from 2011-12 to 2022-23.
First advance estimates pegged FY26 GDP growth at 7.4%.
Economic Survey projects FY26 growth around 7% and FY27 growth in the 6.8-7.2% range.
ICRA projects India’s GDP growth to moderate to 7.2% in Q3 FY26 (End of February)▼
ICRA forecasts India’s YoY GDP growth at 7.2% in Q3 FY2025-26, down from 8.2% in Q2 FY2025-26.
Services GVA growth eased to 7.8% in Q3 FY2025-26 from 9.2% in Q2 FY2025-26.
Agriculture GVA growth slowed to 3.0% in Q3 FY2025-26 from 3.5% in Q2 FY2025-26.
Industrial sector GVA hit a six-quarter high of 8.3% in Q3 FY2025-26 versus 7.7% in Q2 FY2025-26.
Government of India’s gross capital expenditure contracted 23.4% YoY in Q3 FY2025-26 after 40.0% YoY growth in H1 FY2025-26.
GoI’s gross capex fell to Rs. 2.1 trillion in Q3 FY2025-26 from Rs. 3.1 trillion in Q2 FY2025-26.
Combined Central and state non-interest revenue expenditure rose marginally by 0.3% YoY in Q3 FY2025-26 against a 0.6% decline in Q2 FY2025-26.
India’s services exports growth slowed to a seven-quarter low of 7.5% YoY in Q3 FY2025-26 at USD 111.2 billion.
Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin): 125 Days Work Guarantee
Key Updates:
The Ministry of Rural Development announced the Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB–G RAM G) to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) from July 1, 2026.
VB–G RAM G increases the statutory rural employment guarantee from 100 days under MGNREGA to 125 days per year for eligible rural households performing unskilled manual work.
The government has allocated ₹95,692.31 crore for the programme in FY27, with the total outlay including states' contributions expected to exceed ₹1.51 lakh crore.
Wages will be paid via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to bank or post office accounts on a weekly basis or within 15 days of muster roll closure.
The framework emphasises rural infrastructure creation, livelihoods, and village-level productivity, positioning Gram Panchayats at the centre of implementation.
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Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G Act): Guaranteed wage employment increased to 125 days (Mid of May)▼
The Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G Act), 2025, will come into force across India from July 1, 2026, replacing the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
Under the VB-G RAM G Act, every rural household whose adult members volunteer for unskilled manual work is entitled to 125 days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year, increased from 100 days under MGNREGA.
The scheme focuses on four broad categories of works: water security projects, core rural infrastructure, livelihood-related infrastructure, and extreme weather mitigation works.
Local development is managed through Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans (VGPPs) prepared by Gram Panchayats and approved by Gram Sabhas, with attendance captured via a face authentication-based system.
Funding patterns are 90:10 for northeastern and Himalayan states, 60:40 for other states and Union Territories with legislatures, and 100 per cent central funding for Union Territories without legislatures.
ICAR Special Task Force to safeguard India's agricultural resilience amid global geopolitical uncertainties (Start of April)▼
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has constituted a high-level Special Task Force to counter emerging global challenges and safeguard India's agricultural sector.
The Task Force chaired by M L Jat, Secretary of the Department of Agricultural Research and Education and Director General of ICAR, outlined a comprehensive framework for national food and input security.
It will intensify the 'Mera Gaon Mera Gaurav' campaign, prioritising 100 aspirational districts to deliver complete packages of agricultural practices and build grassroots confidence.
Dedicated officers across divisions will track weekly progress and align actions under a unified plan.
A campaign for balanced fertiliser and bio-input use will be launched, with district-level assessments to rationalise consumption in wheat and rice.
Technological solutions like Direct Seeding of Rice will be scaled up under strengthened agrometeorology programmes with real-time advisories.
The Task Force will meet as situational exigencies demand and provide data-driven inputs to the government through institutional feedback mechanisms.
Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP) Phase 2 Launched with ₹6,839 Crore Outlay (End of February)▼
Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched the second phase of the Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP) in a border village in the Cachar district of Assam.
The second phase of the programme has a total financial outlay of ₹6,839 crore and will be implemented until the financial year 2028-2029.
The VVP Phase 2 aims to cover 1,954 villages across Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.
A total of 140 villages located in Assam have been included for development under the second phase of the scheme.
The first phase of the VVP was launched in April 2023 at Kibithoo in Arunachal Pradesh, covering 662 villages in 19 districts along the northern border.
The programme focuses on comprehensive development through security-related initiatives, scheme saturation, and connectivity programmes to transform border villages into India’s first villages.
Pusa Krishi Vigyan Mela unveils roadmap for Viksit Krishi–Atmanirbhar Bharat reforms (End of February)▼
Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan inaugurated the three-day Pusa Krishi Vigyan Mela at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) campus in Pusa, Delhi.
He announced that agencies or state governments withholding farmers’ money will pay 12% interest on the withheld amount.
The Centre is exploring direct transfer of its share to farmers if states delay payments under schemes.
Over ₹2 lakh crore annual fertiliser subsidy is under review for possible Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to farmers’ accounts.
Kisan Credit Card (KCC) loans charge 4% effective interest for about 75% of small farmers; banks must ensure zero-delay disbursement.
Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) will be developed as district-level agricultural reform command centres to bridge research and extension.
Pesticide licensing will be simplified through reduced layers, fixed timelines and full transparency to speed quality product availability.
Minimum Support Price (MSP) procurement window to be compressed from three months to a maximum of one month in coordination with states.
The ‘Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan’ will resume in April with scientist teams visiting villages ahead of the kharif season to transfer latest technologies.
Seven farmers received the IARI Krishi Adhyeta Award during the inaugural session.
Kartavya-KAAMS Launched for AI-Enabled Attendance of Karnataka School Staff
Key Updates:
The Department of School Education and Literacy (DSEL) of Karnataka launched the Karnataka Advanced Attendance Management System (Kartavya-KAAMS).
The Kartavya-KAAMS is an Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Geographic Information System (GIS) enabled facial recognition mobile application.
It is mandatory for permanent teaching and non-teaching staff to register attendance twice a day via the app starting from the academic year 2026-27.
Employees must register using their Karnataka Government Insurance Department (KGID) number registered in the Human Resource Management System (HRMS).
The app will monitor attendance at schools, training programmes at State, District, and Block levels, and Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) evaluation centres.
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Andhra Pradesh Assembly Launches AI-Facial Recognition System for MLA Attendance (Mid of February)▼
The Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly has debuted an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based attendance system, becoming the first legislature in India to implement such technology.
Speaker Ayyanna Patrudu introduced the AI facial recognition system which records the attendance of Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) only when they are seated in their designated places.
The digital system is designed to prevent proxy attendance where members would previously sign the register and leave the House without participating in proceedings.
Legislature Secretariat officials stated that members who fail to attend for a minimum of 60 days could face disqualification.
The Business Advisory Committee (BAC) of the Andhra Pradesh Assembly has scheduled the state budget discussion for 14 March.
The Parliament of India is reportedly considering the implementation of a similar digital attendance system.
Andhra Pradesh AI-facial recognition attendance system ends proxy attendance for MLAs (Mid of February)▼
Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly became the first legislature in India to introduce an Artificial Intelligence-based facial recognition attendance system on 12 February 2026.
The system records attendance only when Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) are physically present and seated in the House.
Legislature Secretariat officials stated that MLAs who do not attend a minimum of 60 days may face disqualification.
Ministry of Education Launches SATHEE App for Free Competitive Exam Preparation (Mid of March)▼
The Ministry of Education (MoE) introduced the Self Assessment Test and Help for Entrance Exams (SATHEE) app as a digital learning platform for competitive examinations.
The application was developed as an initiative by the MoE in association with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur.
The platform offers free preparation resources for various exams, specifically Joint Entrance Examination (JEE), National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), Staff Selection Commission (SSC), Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS), and Common University Entrance Test (CUET).
Academic content provided includes video lectures and notes from experts at the IIT and other educational institutions.
The app features study materials, including previous year question papers, available in multiple Indian languages including Hindi and English.
The platform is designed with a simple interface to facilitate access for students in rural areas and those unable to afford private coaching academies.
MeHEALTH app launched by Kerala Health Department to provide nearby public health-care facility information (Start of March)▼
Kerala Health Department launched the MeHEALTH mobile application to help users access information about nearby public health-care facilities and services.
Users can view details of nearby hospitals, specialty departments, laboratory tests, test rates, blood banks, paywards, radiology services, and pharmacies.
The app allows advance booking of appointments in hospitals where the e-Health project is implemented.
Information on Janakeeya Aarogya Kendrams (formerly subcentres), government homoeopathy hospitals, and Karunya pharmacies is available through the app.
Users must install the app and log in using their phone number and OTP; linking Aadhaar enables online OP ticket and doctor appointment booking.
The app shows the exact distance and route to health-care facilities using integrated Google Maps navigation.
The 'Nearby Services' option displays hospitals within a 10-km radius and allows filtering by specialty, services, ambulances, blood banks, laboratories, paywards, radiology, JAK centres, pharmacies, and homoeopathy clinics.
National Panchayat Awards 2025: Financial Incentives up to ₹5 Crore
Key Updates:
The Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) announced the National Panchayat Awards 2025, selecting 42 Panchayats for honours.
Karnataka secured the highest number of awards with six Panchayats, followed by Andhra Pradesh and Odisha with five awards each.
Awards are conferred under two categories: the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Panchayat Satat Vikas Puraskar and the Nanaji Deshmukh Sarvottam Panchayat Satat Vikas Puraskar.
The Deen Dayal Upadhyay awards selected 34 Gram Panchayats from 17 States and Union Territories for performance in poverty-free livelihoods, health, water sufficiency, sanitation, women-friendly governance and social justice.
The Nanaji Deshmukh Sarvottam Panchayat Satat Vikas Puraskar selected eight Panchayats, including three district Panchayats, two block Panchayats and three Gram Panchayats.
Winning Panchayats will receive financial incentives ranging from ₹50 lakh to ₹5 crore under the Incentivization of Panchayats scheme of the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA).
The award distribution ceremony will be held in New Delhi on the 3rd of next month.
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Ministry of Panchayati Raj releases Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) 2.0 Report (Start of May)▼
The Ministry of Panchayati Raj released the Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) 2.0 Report for FY 2023–24 on National Panchayati Raj Day, celebrated on 24th April 2026.
PAI 2.0 recorded a national participation of 97.30 per cent, with 2,59,867 Gram Panchayats (GPs) across 33 States and Union Territories submitting validated data.
Based on composite scores, 3,635 GPs are categorized as Front Runners and 1,18,824 GPs (approximately 45.72% of participating GPs/Traditional Local Bodies) are placed in the Performer category.
Under the theme Poverty Free and Enhanced Livelihoods in Panchayats, 3,313 GPs/Traditional Local Bodies (TLBs) achieved the A+ grade.
Under the theme Healthy Panchayats, 1,015 GPs/TLBs attained the A+ grade.
PAI 2.0 evaluates GPs against 150 indicators and 230 data points across nine thematic areas under the Localization of Sustainable Development Goals (LSDGs).
The nine LSDG thematic areas include Poverty, Health, Child Welfare, Water, Environment, Infrastructure, Social Justice, Good Governance, and Women’s Empowerment.
The index classifies GPs into five performance categories: Achiever (A+: 90 and above), Front Runner (A: 75 to below 90), Performer (B: 60 to below 75), Aspirant (C: 40 to below 60), and Beginner (D: below 40).
West Bengal has not on-boarded in the PAI 2.0 exercise.
National Panchayati Raj Day observed on April 24 (End of April)▼
National Panchayati Raj Day is celebrated annually on April 24.
The theme for National Panchayati Raj Day 2026 is “Sashakt Panchayat, Sarvangeen Vikas" (Empowered Panchayats, Holistic Development).
The day commemorates the implementation of the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1992, which came into effect on April 24, 1993.
The Panchayati Raj system operates on a three-tier structure: Gram Panchayat (village level), Panchayat Samiti (intermediate level), and Zilla Parishad (district level).
e-GramSwaraj is an online platform aimed at improving transparency and efficiency in Panchayat administration.
The observance aligns with the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat and the goal of becoming a Viksit Bharat (Developed India) by 2047.
Panchayat elections are held every five years, with at least 50% of seats reserved for women, Scheduled Castes (SCs), and Scheduled Tribes (STs).
India currently has 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats, 6,687 Panchayat Samitis, and 666 Zilla Panchayats.
National Panchayati Raj Day has been an annual event since its establishment in 2010.
Deen Dayal Upadhyay and Nanaji Deshmukh Panchayat Satat Vikas Puraskar 2025 conferred on three Tripura panchayats (Start of April)▼
Sepahijala district of Tripura ranked best District Panchayat in India.
Kanchabari Gram Panchayat topped the Health-Friendly category.
Baikunthapur Gram Panchayat placed third in the Women-Friendly category.
Winners will receive financial assistance ranging from ₹50 lakh to ₹5 crore.
Sashakt Panchayat - Netri Abhiyan and Nirbhay Raho Initiative: ₹4,35,236 Crore Allocated for Rural Bodies (Mid of March)▼
The Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) organised a national conference in Delhi to commemorate the first anniversary of the Sashakt Panchayat - Netri Abhiyan.
The Nirbhay Raho initiative was launched under the Nirbhaya Scheme to enhance women's safety and leadership in rural governance.
The initiative aims to provide capacity building and legal rights training to 14.5 lakh elected women representatives.
A total of 17.5 lakh male representatives will be sensitised on gender equality as part of the programme.
The financial allocation for rural bodies has been increased to ₹4,35,236 crore for the 2026-31 period.
The conference showcased the Artificial Intelligence (AI) enabled SabhaSaar platform designed to improve inclusive local governance.
India Rejects Sanctioned Russian Liquefied Natural Gas Cargoes Amid West Asia Energy Crisis on 12 May 2026
Key Updates:
India has declined an offer from Russia to purchase Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) sourced from sanctioned projects, specifically Portovaya LNG and Arctic LNG 2.
The decision was discussed during a meeting on 30 April between Russian Deputy Energy Minister Pavel Sorokin and India’s Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri.
An LNG shipment aboard the tanker Kunpeng, originating from the Portovaya plant, was unable to discharge at the Dahej LNG terminal in Gujarat and was later tracked near Singapore.
The United States (US) has intensified sanctions on Russian energy exports, which are easier to monitor than crude oil due to advanced satellite tracking systems for LNG vessels.
Russia is pursuing long-term supply agreements with India for LNG and fertilisers, including potash, phosphorus, and urea, to address energy security risks in the West Asia region.
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Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) reports India bought $2.59 billion of Russian fossil fuels in January 2026. (End of February)▼
India remained the second-largest buyer of Russian energy products in January 2026 with purchases worth €2.2 billion ($2.59 billion).
Crude oil accounted for 78 percent of India’s Russian energy imports, amounting to €2 billion ($2.36 billion).
Coal imports from Russia stood at €442 million ($520.6 million) and oil products at €30 million ($35.3 million).
India’s overall spending on Russian hydrocarbons declined from €2.3 billion ($2.71 billion) in December 2025.
China’s crude oil imports from Russia rose 29 percent over the last two months to €4 billion ($4.71 billion).
India’s purchases of Russian crude dropped 23 percent since November 2025.
Reliance Industries’ Jamnagar refinery received no seaborne Russian oil in January 2026 due to Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctions on Rosneft.
The average price of Russia’s Urals crude increased 4 percent to $54.2 per barrel in January 2026, above the EU and UK price cap of $44.1 per barrel effective from 1 February 2026.
India’s Russian oil imports are projected to fall to 800,000 barrels per day in March 2026, the lowest since May 2022.
In January 2026, India imported 1.2 million barrels per day of Russian crude and 774,000 barrels per day from Saudi Arabia.
Government of India (GoI) Resumes Wheat Exports with 5 Million Tonnes Allocation (Start of May)▼
The Government of India (GoI) has authorised the resumption of wheat exports after a four-year hiatus, lifting the ban originally imposed in 2022.
India, the world's second-largest wheat producer after China, has permitted traders to export a total of 5 million tonnes of wheat in two tranches of 2.5 million tonnes each.
ITC Limited (ITC) has commenced loading 22,000 metric tons of wheat at the Kandla port for shipment to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The export deal for the shipment to the UAE was finalised at a price of approximately $275 per ton on a free on board basis.
Indian wheat is currently at least $20 per ton more expensive than supplies from Australia or the Black Sea region, which are priced between $290 and $300 per ton.
Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) launches anti-dumping probe into ethyl chloroformate imports from China (End of March)▼
The Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) initiated the investigation following an application by Paushak, India’s sole domestic producer of ethyl chloroformate.
The probe covers ethyl chloroformate imports from China during the period October 2024 to September 2025.
Paushak alleged that rising Chinese imports caused material injury, price suppression, and weakened profitability for domestic producers.
DGTR’s preliminary assessment indicated a dumping margin above the de minimis level, signalling significant price undercutting by Chinese exporters.
The investigation will examine evidence from exporters, importers, and other interested parties before recommending anti-dumping duties to the government.
In a separate case, DGTR also opened an anti-dumping investigation into hexamine imports from China, Russia, and the United Arab Emirates.
Russia to ban gasoline exports from 1 April 2026 (End of March)▼
Russia plans to ban gasoline exports for the nation’s producers from 1 April 2026.
Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak ordered the Energy Ministry to prepare draft legislation barring gasoline exports starting next month.
The export ban aims to meet domestic demand as global fuel prices surge amid the war in Iran.
Indian Coast Guard conducts girder laying ceremony for indigenous Air Cushion Vehicles in Goa
Key Updates:
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) conducted the girder laying ceremony for the fourth, fifth, and sixth Air Cushion Vehicles (ACVs) at the Rassaim Yard of Chowgule Shipyard in Goa.
The ACVs are being manufactured under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative with approximately 50 per cent indigenous content.
A contract for six indigenously designed and constructed ACVs was signed between the ICG and Chowgule & Company Private Limited in October 2024.
The ACVs will be used for high-speed coastal patrolling, reconnaissance in shallow waters and marshy terrain, deep-sea operations, interception and interdiction missions, and search and rescue activities.
The vessels are intended to assist ships and boats in distress and enhance the operational capabilities of the ICG across India's coastal areas.
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Indian Coast Guard commissions ICGS Achal into North West fleet on May 9, 2026 (Mid of May)▼
On May 9, 2026, Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Achal was commissioned at Goa Shipyard Limited by Additional Secretary & DG (Acquisition) A. Anbarasu in the presence of senior officials.
ICGS Achal is an Adamya-class Fast Patrol Vessel designed and built by Goa Shipyard Limited with over 50 per cent indigenous components.
The 51-metre vessel is powered by two 3000 kW advanced diesel engines, achieving a top speed of 27 knots and an operational endurance of 1500 nautical miles.
It is armed with a 30 mm CRN-91 gun and two 12.7 mm Stabilised Remote-Controlled Guns, and features an Integrated Bridge System and Integrated Machinery Control System.
The ship will be stationed at Vadinar, Gujarat, under Commander Coast Guard Region (North West), commanded by Commandant (JG) Naveen Kumar with a complement of 5 officers and 34 personnel.
Keel laying of second and third Next-Generation OPVs held at Ratnagiri Shipyard. (Mid of March)▼
The keel laying ceremony of Yard 16402 and 16403, the second and third of six Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs), took place at YMPL, Ratnagiri on 17 March 2026.
The vessels are being constructed under the Buy (Indian-IDDM) category of India’s indigenous shipbuilding programme for the Indian Coast Guard (ICG).
Each OPV will measure 117 metres in length, have a range of 5,000 nautical miles, and attain a maximum speed of 23 knots.
The ships will carry 11 officers and 110 men and feature AI-based predictive maintenance systems, Remote Piloted Drones, Integrated Bridge System (IBS), and Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS).
The contract for six Next Generation OPVs was signed on 20 December 2023 at a total cost of ₹1,614.89 crore.
Four of the six vessels will replace aging OPVs while the remaining two will augment the ICG fleet to enhance surveillance, law enforcement, search and rescue, maritime pollution response, and humanitarian assistance.
Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) launches INS Shachi and delivers ICGS Achal in single-day milestone (Start of April)▼
Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) launched INS Shachi (Yard 1280), a Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel (NGOPV), for the Indian Navy.
GSL delivered Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Achal (Yard 1274) to the Indian Coast Guard on the same day.
INS Shachi incorporates around 76 percent indigenous components.
ICGS Achal has been built with over 65 percent indigenous content.
GSL has launched 14 vessels in the past 600 days, averaging one vessel every 40–43 days.
Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) launches INS Shachi and delivers ICGS Achal in single-day milestone (Start of April)▼
Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) launched INS Shachi (Yard 1280), a Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel (NGOPV), for the Indian Navy.
GSL delivered Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Achal (Yard 1274) to the Indian Coast Guard on the same day.
INS Shachi incorporates around 76 percent indigenous components.
ICGS Achal has been built with over 65 percent indigenous content.
Vice Admiral Tarun Sobti attended the launch ceremony of INS Shachi.
GSL has launched 14 vessels in the past 600 days, averaging one vessel every 40–43 days.
India and South Africa strengthen scientific collaboration with banner handover at South African Astronomical Observatory on May 8, 2026
Key Updates:
On May 8, 2026, High Commissioner of India to South Africa Prabhat Kumar formally handed over a banner of the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) to the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) at the Royal Observatory in Cape Town.
The IUCAA banner will be displayed at the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT), symbolising the growing partnership between India and South Africa in astronomy and scientific research.
SAAO Managing Director Rosalind Skelton highlighted SALT's achievements over its 20-year history and noted the development of a new camera detector and controller in partnership with Indian collaborators.
India holds the 2026 BRICS chairship, under which a series of astronomy-related engagements are being organised, with the SAAO actively participating in the BRICS astronomy working group meeting and SALT workshop in India later this year.
South Africa's Tebogo Makoma from the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation stated that the partnership is predicated on an agreement signed between the two countries in 1995 and that South Africa participates in 13 BRICS working groups.
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Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) Partner to Strengthen Research and Development (R&D) Ecosystem (Start of May)▼
The Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) to bolster the national research and development ecosystem.
The collaboration aims to bridge gaps between industry, academia, and research institutions while promoting the translation and commercialisation of research and supporting policy dialogue.
Ajay Kumar Sood, the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Indian government, emphasised the need for technology diffusion to generate new ideas, products, and processes across various sectors.
The partnership identifies high-tech priority areas for scaling, specifically focusing on solar energy and green batteries to drive technological advancement.
The initiative leverages the government-enabled Research Development and Innovation (RDI) fund to support industries and startups in conducting deep tech research and technology development.
India Hosts 35th ISO Technical Committee Meeting on Space Systems in New Delhi (Start of May)▼
The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is hosting the 35th Plenary and Working Groups meetings of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Technical Committee 20/Subcommittee 14 in New Delhi.
The subcommittee is responsible for developing global standards for Space Systems and Operations, including design, manufacturing, launch, and orbital management.
Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare highlighted that policy reforms and the creation of the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) have advanced private sector participation.
The meeting focuses on critical industry challenges such as space debris mitigation, orbital congestion, and the long-term sustainability of outer space activities.
Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) Chairman Pawan Goenka stated that robust international standards are essential for driving innovation and integrating India into the global space economy.
CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (NIScPR) and Research and Information System for the Developing Countries (RIS) sign MoU (Mid of May)▼
Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (CSIR-NIScPR) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Research and Information System for the Developing Countries (RIS) on 6 May 2026.
The partnership aims to strengthen collaboration in science, technology, innovation policy, and diplomacy through joint research, policy analysis, capacity building, and knowledge sharing.
RIS initiatives include ITEC courses, iGOT Karmayogi training, Forum for Indian Science Diplomacy publications, and global partnerships through DAKSHIN and IBSA Fellowships.
CSIR-NIScPR focuses on science communication, policy research, affordable HIV drug innovations, traditional knowledge validation, rural innovations, and the management of 15 open-access journals.
Three documents were released: “India-Republic of Korea S&T Cooperation: Co-Creating the Future”, “Proceeding of Workshop on Strengthening India's Semiconductor Ecosystem: Policies, Challenges and Opportunities”, and a policy bulletin titled “The key drivers of particulate pollution from road transportation in Indian states”.
Science City of Andhra Pradesh (SCAP) inks MoU with CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (CSIR-NIScPR) (Start of April)▼
The Science City of Andhra Pradesh (SCAP) signed an MoU with the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (CSIR-NIScPR) on 30 March 2026.
The collaboration aims to strengthen science popularisation and promote joint research in Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) policy.
SCAP CEO Venkateswarlu Kesineni and CSIR-NIScPR director Dr Geetha Vani Rayasam signed the agreement.
Scientists discover dwarf galaxy 'Loki' that was absorbed by the Milky Way billions of years ago
Key Updates:
Scientists discovered a dwarf galaxy named Loki, after the Norse god of trickery, that was likely consumed by the Milky Way billions of years ago.
The findings were published in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.
The discovery was made by examining 20 metal-poor stars located on the Milky Way's galactic plane.
The stars' chemical composition and orbital movements differed from other metal-poor stars, and they contained traces of heavy elements from supernovas and neutron star mergers but no white dwarfs.
Researchers concluded the stars originated from a short-lived dwarf galaxy, but noted that a larger dataset is required to fully confirm Loki's existence and structure.
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New Dark Matter Theory Challenges Existence of Sagittarius A* Black Hole (Mid of April)▼
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.
Astronomers Identify 27 Potential Circumbinary Planets Using NASA TESS Data (Start of May)▼
Astronomers have discovered 27 potential circumbinary planets, which are planetary bodies that orbit two stars.
The discovery was made using data from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), which was launched in 2018.
The researchers employed a technique called apsidal precession, which involves studying the wobble in stars that orbit and eclipse each other to detect a third body.
The candidate planets are located between 650 and 18,000 light years from Earth and range in size from Neptune-like planets to bodies ten times the mass of Jupiter.
The study was led by researchers from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) solves 2,000-year-old mystery of RCW 86 supernova (End of March)▼
Ancient Chinese astronomers recorded a bright guest star in 185 AD, which is now recognised as the first recorded supernova in human history.
The supernova remnant, known as RCW 86, spans approximately 85 light-years across, a size that previously suggested it was 10,000 years old rather than 2,000.
Research using the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Chandra X-ray Observatory and the European Space Agency (ESA) XMM-Newton revealed the star exploded inside a low-density cavity.
The cavity or hidden bubble was created by the star's own stellar wind before it died, allowing debris to expand rapidly without resistance from surrounding material.
A reverse shock or bounce back effect occurred when debris hit denser gas at the cavity's edge, reheating gas to millions of degrees and emitting X-rays detected by NASA.
The 185 AD event is classified as a Type Ia supernova, a category of stellar explosions used as standard candles to measure distances across the universe.
The study also utilised data from the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory (NOIRab).
Understanding these explosions helps scientists refine measurements regarding the expansion of the universe and the nature of dark energy.
NASA identifies X-ray dot 3DHST-AEGIS-12014 using Chandra and Webb telescopes (Start of May)▼
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Chandra X-ray Observatory and James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) identified a unique object named 3DHST-AEGIS-12014, also known as an X-ray dot.
The X-ray dot is located approximately 11.8 billion light-years from Earth and provides a link to a class of mysterious early universe objects called Little Red Dots (LRDs).
Researchers propose that LRDs are supermassive black holes embedded in dense gas clouds, and the X-ray dot represents a transition phase where gas is being consumed.
The findings, published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, were led by researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy and the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian.
NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center manages the Chandra programme, while the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory's Chandra X-ray Center (CXC) controls its science operations.
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) achieves 1,200-second scramjet runtime
Key Updates:
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) achieved a 1,200-second runtime of its actively cooled scramjet full-scale combustor.
The test was conducted at the Scramjet Connect Pipe Test (SCPT) facility of the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) in Hyderabad.
The hypersonic cruise missile is capable of exceeding five times the speed of sound, which is over 6,100 km per hour.
The engine utilises an indigenously developed liquid hydrocarbon endothermic fuel jointly developed by DRDL and industry partners.
An advanced ceramic Thermal Barrier Coating (TBC) capable of operating beyond the melting point of steel was jointly developed by DRDL and the Department of Science and Technology (DST).
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India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) conducts long duration scramjet combustor test in Hyderabad (Mid of May)▼
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted a long duration test of its scramjet combustor in Hyderabad.
The test was conducted by the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) and achieved a run time of more than 1,200 seconds.
This performance is a major improvement over the earlier 700 second test conducted in January 2026.
Scramjet engines enable missiles to travel at hypersonic speeds above Mach 5 by using oxygen from the atmosphere during flight.
The combustor utilizes indigenous technologies including Indian developed liquid hydrocarbon fuel, advanced thermal barrier coatings, and modern manufacturing techniques.
CSIR-NCL Pune develops indigenous Dimethyl Ether technology as LPG alternative (Mid of March)▼
Scientists at the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research - National Chemical Laboratory (CSIR-NCL) in Pune have created a patent-protected process to produce Dimethyl Ether (DME) from methanol using a cost-effective catalyst.
The Bureau of Indian Standards allows up to 20 per cent DME blending with LPG under standard IS 18698:2024, and up to 8 per cent blending needs no change in existing LPG cylinders, regulators, hoses or burners.
India imported nearly 21 million tonnes of LPG in 2024; replacing 8 per cent with DME could save around ₹9,500 crore in foreign exchange annually.
The pilot plant scales 250 kg per day, and an industrial demonstration plant of 2.5 tonnes per day is planned within six to nine months.
A patented burner prototype developed by CSIR-NCL can operate from 100 per cent LPG to 100 per cent DME and was tested at the LPG Equipment Research Centre in Bengaluru.
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully tests CE20 cryogenic engine at 22-tonne thrust (Mid of March)▼
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) conducted a sea-level hot test of its CE20 cryogenic engine at 22-tonne thrust at the ISRO Propulsion Complex on March 10.
The CE20 engine powers the upper cryogenic stage of the LVM-3 launch vehicle.
The test lasted 165 seconds and used a nozzle protection system and a multi-element igniter.
ISRO plans to operate future LVM-3 missions with an uprated C32 cryogenic stage delivering 22-tonne thrust to enhance payload capability.
The cryogenic engine has undergone a record 20 successful hot tests demonstrating technologies including ignition using a multi-element igniter and engine qualification for Gaganyaan at 20-tonne thrust level.
AIFF and Odisha renew MoU to expand elite youth football
Key Updates:
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) and the Department of Sports and Youth Services (DSYS), Government of Odisha, signed a renewed five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to expand elite youth football.
The partnership strengthens the AIFF-FIFA Talent Academy under the Talent Development Scheme of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA).
The MoU was signed by Dr. Vijay Yeddula, Director of Sports, DSYS, and Mr. M. Satyanarayan, Deputy Secretary General, AIFF.
AIFF will lead the technical and operational aspects of player development, while DSYS will provide institutional, financial, and infrastructure support.
Achievements from the first cohort include a semi-final finish in the U17 AIFF Elite Youth League 2024-25, four players in the India U17 national team setup, and one Odisha girl in the India U19 Women’s National Team.
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India selected for FIFA Women's Development Programme (End of April)▼
India is one of 12 countries selected by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) for its Women's Development Programme.
The other selected nations are Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Scotland, Canada, Mexico, Finland, Ghana, Jordan, Lithuania, and Paraguay.
The programme will be conducted online from May to October 2026.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) secured inclusion after presenting a commercial strategy and future plans to FIFA.
The programme aims to provide capacity building for clubs in developing commercial strategies, securing sponsorships, and engaging fans.
The initiative prepares clubs for the women's club licensing system planned by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
India's senior, U20, and U17 women's teams have qualified for the AFC Asian Cups in their respective age categories.
The ASMITA U13 Women's Football League has been utilised to create a base at the youth level.
Punjab FC defeats Zinc Football Academy to win AIFF Elite Youth League 2025-26 (End of April)▼
Punjab FC won the All India Football Federation (AIFF) Elite Youth League 2025-26 by defeating Zinc Football Academy 3-0 in the final.
The final match was held at the Ramsar Sahib Sports Stadium in Gharshankar.
Punjab FC successfully defended their title in the AIFF Elite Youth League.
The goals for Punjab FC were scored by Karish Soram, Vishal Yadav, and Thongram Rishikant Singh.
Jay Shah Named to World Economic Forum (WEF) Young Global Leaders Class of 2026 (End of April)▼
Jay Shah, the Chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC), has been selected for the Young Global Leaders (YGL) Class of 2026 by the World Economic Forum (WEF).
He was recognised for his role in shaping the future of global cricket and his instrumental efforts in including the sport in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Jay Shah previously served as the youngest secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and managed Indian Premier League (IPL) operations and media rights deals.
The YGL Class of 2026 comprises 118 leaders under the age of 40 from 55 countries, spanning sectors such as public service, science, business, and civil society.
Other notable figures in the 2026 cohort include Tomas Okmanas of Nord Security, Jennifer Zhang of WIZ.AI, Thea LaFond, and Professor Sally Nuamah.
Kushal Das, former All India Football Federation (AIFF) general secretary, passes away. (Mid of March)▼
Kushal Das died at the age of 66 at a private hospital in Delhi.
He served as AIFF general secretary for 12 years before resigning in 2022.
Das previously held the post of Chief Financial Officer at the International Cricket Council (ICC) and International Management Group (IMG) India.
He played a key role in organising the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup hosted by India.
Under his tenure, India secured hosting rights for the 2022 AFC Women’s Asian Cup and the 2022 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
He facilitated the partnership between AIFF and Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) leading to the launch of the Indian Super League (ISL).
India women's recurve team defeats China to win Archery World Cup Stage 2 gold
Key Updates:
India's women's recurve team won the gold medal at the Archery World Cup Stage 2 in Shanghai by defeating China 5-4 (28-26) in a shoot-off.
The gold-winning Indian team comprised Deepika Kumari, Ankita Bhakat, and Kumkum Mohod.
This victory marks India's first Archery World Cup stage gold medal since 2021.
The Indian women's recurve team defeated the South Korea women's national archery team in the semifinals.
Pravin Jadhav won a bronze medal in the compound individual event.
Sahil Jadhav secured a bronze medal in the men's individual compound competition by defeating Martin Damsbo of Denmark 147-144.
Simranjeet Kaur advanced to the semifinals of the women's recurve individual event.
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Payal Nag wins double gold at World Archery Para Series Bangkok (Start of April)▼
Payal Nag defeated world No.1 Sheetal Devi 139-136 to claim the compound women’s individual gold at the World Archery Para Series in Bangkok.
She partnered Sheetal Devi to secure the team gold, helping India finish atop the medal table with seven gold, five silver and four bronze medals.
The 18-year-old quadruple amputee from Balangir, Odisha, became the world’s first quadruple amputee archer to compete internationally after World Archery approved her customised equipment.
Coach Kuldeep Vedwan spotted her through a 2023 social-media post, obtained district-collector permission to shift her from Parbati Giri Bal Niketan orphanage to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board academy in Katra.
Vedwan designed a steel device fitted to her right prosthetic leg that enables her to lift and shoot the bow, and she trains nearly eight hours daily.
Payal made her international debut at the 2025 Asian Youth Para Games in Dubai and earlier defeated Sheetal Devi for double gold at the 2025 Jaipur Nationals.
Sheetal Devi named Para Archer of the Year 2025 by World Archery (End of March)▼
Sheetal Devi, a 19-year-old athlete from Jammu & Kashmir, was named Para Archer of the Year 2025 by World Archery.
She is the first and only female armless archer to win a gold medal at the World Para Archery Championships, achieving the feat in the women’s compound individual event in Gwangju, South Korea.
The Arjuna awardee completed a full set of medals at the World Championships, including a silver in the women’s team event and a bronze in the mixed team event.
Her international honours include a bronze medal in the mixed team event at the Paris Paralympics and individual silver medals from the 2022 Asian Para Games and the 2023 Asian Championships in Bangkok.
In other categories of the 2025 World Archery Awards, Emircan Haney of Turkey was named Archer of the Year and Baptiste Addis of France was named Young Archer of the Year.
The Best Team of the Year title was awarded to the recurve men’s team from Korea.
The World Archery Awards were launched in 2011 to recognise excellence and outstanding contributions to the international archery season.
Delhi awarded second leg of Asia Cup Archery 2027 (Mid of March)▼
Delhi has been awarded the hosting rights for the second leg of the Asia Cup archery tournament in 2027.
The decision was finalised following approvals from World Archery Asia during a meeting held in Kolkata.
India will host a top international archery competition for the first time in 22 years, with the last major event being the Asian Archery Championships held in Delhi in 2005.
Archery Association of India (AAI) Secretary General Virendra Sachdeva and World Archery Asia President Kazi Rajib Uddin Ahmed Chapol met to discuss the hosting of upcoming international tournaments.
Delhi is also being considered as the potential venue for the Commonwealth Archery Championships next year.
Indian archers claim two bronze and reach two finals in Asia Cup Stage-1 (End of March)▼
Indian archers won two bronze medals and advanced to the finals of the men’s recurve and women’s compound team events at the Asia Cup World Ranking Tournament Stage 1 in Bangkok.
The women’s compound team of Chikitha Taniparthi, Raj Kaur and Tejal Salve defeated Thailand 229-226 in the semifinal and will face Kazakhstan in the final.
The men’s compound team of Rajat Chauhan, Rishabh Yadav and Uday Kamboj lost 233-234 to Vietnam in the semifinal but beat Bhutan 234-232 to secure bronze.
The men’s recurve team of Devaang Gupta, Sukhchain Singh and Juyel Sarkar beat Malaysia 5-1 to enter the final where they will face Kazakhstan.
The women’s recurve team of Ruma Biswas, Kirti and Ridhi Phor defeated Malaysia 5-1 to win bronze.
Supreme Court Ruling on SC/ST Act Public View Requirement on May 11, 2026
Key Updates:
The Supreme Court (SC) ruled that caste-based abuse occurring inside a private residence without public presence or visibility does not attract offences under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
A bench comprising Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra and Justice N V Anjaria held that the expression in any place within public view is a mandatory ingredient for offences under Sections 3(1)(r) and 3(1)(s) of the Act.
Section 3(1)(r) of the SC/ST Act pertains to intentional insult or intimidation with intent to humiliate a member of a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe in any place within public view.
Section 3(1)(s) of the Act deals with abusing any person belonging to a Scheduled Caste (SC) or Scheduled Tribe (ST) by caste name in any place within public view.
The SC reiterated the landmark ruling in State of Haryana v Bhajan Lal, stating that a First Information Report (FIR) must be quashed if its contents fail to disclose the necessary ingredients of a cognisable offence.
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Supreme Court ruling on Section 18 of SC/ST Act on May 11, 2026 (Mid of May)▼
A Supreme Court (SC) bench comprising Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan ruled that the statutory bar on anticipatory bail under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act (SC/ST Act) must not be applied mechanically.
The SC clarified that Section 18 of the SC/ST Act, which restricts pre-arrest bail, depends on the specific facts of each case and the nature of allegations levelled in the First Information Report (FIR).
The ruling originated from an appeal against a Gujarat High Court order passed in March 2026 involving charges under Section 69 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the SC/ST Act.
The SC bench noted that judicial scrutiny is required to assess whether the ingredients of caste-based offences are prima facie established before denying liberty to the accused.
The court reinforced that the embargo under Section 18 does not prevent courts from examining if a genuine case under the statute is made out based on the material on record.
Supreme Court Ruling on Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code (Mid of May)▼
Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was introduced in 1983 to protect married women from cruelty, harassment, and dowry-related abuse by husbands or their relatives.
Under Section 498A, cruelty by a husband or his relatives is a criminal offence, enabling the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) and the initiation of legal proceedings.
The Supreme Court (SC) recently allowed criminal proceedings against a husband to continue in a dowry harassment case while quashing the FIR against his family members.
The SC quashed the FIR against the in-laws on the grounds that the allegations were too general and lacked specific evidence.
The judiciary has stated that criminal law should not automatically involve every relative unless there is clear evidence of direct involvement to prevent the misuse of criminal provisions.
Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950 limits Scheduled Caste status to Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists (End of March)▼
The Supreme Court bench of Justices PK Mishra and NV Anjaria ruled that conversion to a religion outside Hinduism, Sikhism or Buddhism ends Scheduled Caste status.
The court cited Paragraph 3 of the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950 which recognises only Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists as eligible for Scheduled Caste benefits.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court had earlier held that continued practice of Christianity disqualifies a person from claiming Scheduled Caste reservation.
The Allahabad High Court directed the Uttar Pradesh government to ensure Scheduled Caste status is not granted to converts and ordered district magistrates to identify such cases within four months.
Supreme Court (SC) rules on hate speech legislation on April 29, 2026 (End of April)▼
A Supreme Court (SC) bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta held that the existing framework of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) adequately addresses hate speech.
The SC noted that the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) provides for the registration of First Information Reports (FIRs) in cognisable offences.
The Law Commission 267 report, dated March 23, 2017, suggested legislative measures and amendments to address evolving societal challenges regarding hate speech.
The SC cited the Lalita Kumari judgment, which mandates that police are bound to register an FIR upon the disclosure of a cognisable offence.
Legal recourse for non-registration of FIRs is available under Section 154(3), Section 156(3), and Section 200 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).
Corresponding legal remedies under the BNSS include Section 175 for approaching a Magistrate and Section 223 for filing a complaint.
In 2018, the SC issued specific guidelines to control hate crimes, mob violence, and lynching, which included the appointment of nodal officers and fast-tracked trials.
PM Modi visits Karnataka and Telangana on May 10, 2026
Key Updates:
The Art of Living, founded in 1981 by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, celebrated its 45th anniversary and the 70th birthday of its founder at the Art of Living International Centre in Bengaluru.
The PM MITRA Park at Warangal, also known as the Kakatiya Mega Textile Park, is India's first fully functional PM MITRA Park operationalising the 5F vision of Farm to Fibre to Factory to Fashion to Foreign.
The Zaheerabad Industrial Area in Sangareddy district is being developed under the Hyderabad-Nagpur Industrial Corridor (HNIC) as part of the National Industrial Corridor Development Programme.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the four-laning of National Highway-167 (NH-167) from Gudebellur to Mahabubnagar on the Hyderabad-Panaji Economic Corridor.
Sindhu Hospital in Hyderabad was dedicated to the nation as a 1,500-bed, cancer-focused, multi-super speciality quaternary care not-for-profit institution.
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PM Narendra Modi to visit Tamil Nadu on March 1; visit to Thiruparankundram Murugan Temple scheduled (Start of March)▼
PM Narendra Modi will arrive in Chennai on the night of 28 February and stay overnight at the Governor's residence.
On 1 March, he will travel to Puducherry to participate in a public programme and address a large gathering.
After Puducherry, he will proceed to Madurai and offer prayers at the Thiruparankundram Murugan Temple, one of the six sacred abodes of Lord Murugan.
Following the temple visit, he will address a grand public meeting in Madurai expected to draw supporters from southern districts.
The 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly will go to polls in the first half of 2026.
PM Modi rolls out ₹16,686 crore infra push in Rajasthan (Start of March)▼
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Ajmer, Rajasthan on 28 February 2026 and launched 43 projects worth ₹16,686 crore across urban development, drinking water, roads, railways, irrigation, energy and industrial infrastructure.
34 state projects worth ₹8,554 crore cover urban development, public health engineering, public works, energy, water resources and industries departments.
Nine national highway and energy projects worth ₹8,132 crore include two foundation stones and seven inaugurations.
National highway works worth over ₹4,516 crore comprise the four-lane greenfield Bandikui–Jaipur expressway (₹1,207 crore), eight-lane carriageway from NH-76 junction to NH-12 at Ummedpura village under Delhi-Vadodara Access Controlled Greenfield Expressway Package 14, and statewide highway widening.
Urban road projects include the Sanganer Flyover to Malpura Gate elevated road in Jaipur (₹286 crore) and the Mahamandir to Akhaliya Chauraha four-lane elevated road in Jodhpur (₹1,243 crore).
Malbamori–Mangrol–Baran State Highway in Baran district is estimated at ₹322 crore.
Drinking water initiatives comprise four packages of the Nonera Major Drinking Water Project (₹1,021 crore) and five packages of the Parwan Akawad Major Drinking Water Project (₹2,247 crore).
A ₹3,616 crore transmission system for renewable energy evacuation and foundation stones for five 220 kV and two 400 kV grid substations were launched.
Infrastructure and drinking water works in the Jodhpur Pali Marwar Industrial Area were initiated.
Appointment letters were distributed to 21,863 selected candidates including 3,320 Patwaris, 2,291 contractual Junior Technical Assistants and Account Assistants, 2,590 Livestock Assistants, 3,822 Community Health Officers, and 7,357 Public Health Care Nurses, Medical Lab Technicians, Lab Technicians, Nursing In-charges, Nursing Trainers, Nurses and Nurse Grade-II.
PM Modi also launched the HPV vaccination drive for girls aged 9–14 to prevent cervical cancer.
PM Modi launches development projects worth ₹16,450 crore in Kerala and Tamil Nadu (Mid of March)▼
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched multiple development projects worth approximately ₹16,450 crore across Kerala and Tamil Nadu on 11 March.
In Kerala, projects worth about ₹10,800 crore were launched, including the foundation stone for a Polypropylene Unit at the Kochi Refinery of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) costing over ₹5,500 crore.
The Polypropylene Unit at the BPCL Kochi Refinery will have a production capacity of 400 kilo tonnes per annum to boost domestic polymer manufacturing.
The Prime Minister inaugurated the six-laning of the Thalapady-Chengala section of National Highway (NH) 66 (₹2,650 crore) and the Kozhikode Bypass from Vengalam to Ramanattukara (₹2,140 crore).
Under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme (ABSS), three redeveloped railway stations were inaugurated in Kerala: Shoranur Junction, Kuttippuram Railway Station, and Changanassery Railway Station.
The Prime Minister dedicated the Shoranur-Nilambur Road railway line electrification and flagged off a new train service between Palakkad and Pollachi.
A 50 MW floating solar project foundation stone was laid at West Kallada in Kollam district, Kerala, to enhance renewable energy capacity.
In Tamil Nadu, projects worth ₹5,650 crore were launched, including a City Gas Distribution (CGD) Network by BPCL in The Nilgiris and Erode districts with an investment of over ₹3,680 crore.
A Lube Blending Plant with a capacity of 672 thousand metric tonnes per annum, developed by Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) at Manali for ₹1,490 crore, was dedicated to the nation.
Under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), 23 rural roads in Kerala and 89 rural roads covering 370 kilometres in Tamil Nadu were inaugurated.
The Prime Minister flagged off two Amrit Bharat Express trains, two express trains, and a passenger train service to improve connectivity between Tamil Nadu and states like Telangana, Karnataka, and Kerala.
The foundation stone was laid for a greenfield bypass near Gangaikonda Cholapuram on National Highway 81 in Tamil Nadu.
PM Modi to launch projects worth Rs 19,000 crore in Vav-Tharad district. (Start of April)▼
PM Modi will visit Gujarat on 31 March to inaugurate or lay foundation stone of developmental projects worth around Rs 19,000 crore in Vav-Tharad district.
Vav-Tharad became Gujarat’s 34th district after being carved out of Banaskantha district in September 2025.
The public event will be held at Nani village near Deesa at Air Force Station.
Projects cover railways, power, defence, urban development and belong to both state and central governments.
CM Bhupendra Patel, Deputy CM Harsh Sanghavi and concerned Union ministers will accompany PM Modi.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah launches books by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta on May 10, 2026
Key Updates:
Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched two books authored by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta in New Delhi on 10 May 2026.
The titles of the launched books are 'The Bench, the Bar, and the Bizarre' and 'The Lawful and the Awful'.
The event was attended by several dignitaries, including the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Justice Shri Surya Kant.
The books were released on the occasion of Mother's Day.
Tushar Mehta dedicated the books to his mother.
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Sindhi Bhasha Diwas observed on 10 April 2026 (Mid of April)▼
Sindhi Bhasha Diwas is observed annually on 10 April.
Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan, the Vice-President of India, released the updated version of the Constitution of India in the Sindhi language on 10 April 2026.
The updated Constitution was released in two formats: the first edition in Devanagari script and the second edition in Persian script.
The Legislative Department of the Ministry of Law and Justice prepared the updated versions through the Regional Languages Officers in the Official Languages Wing.
Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal, the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Law and Justice, highlighted the inclusion of the Sindhi language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India.
Former Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee was recognised for his pioneering efforts in including the Sindhi language in the Eighth Schedule.
The event was attended by Shri Vasudev Devnani, the Speaker of the Rajasthan Assembly, and Shri Shankar Lalwani, Member of Parliament (MP).
Dr. Rajiv Mani serves as the Secretary of the Legislative Department under the Ministry of Law and Justice.
Constitution of India released in Tamil and Gujarati on International Mother Language Day (End of February)▼
Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan released updated versions of the Constitution of India in Tamil and Gujarati at Uprashtrapati Bhavan on International Mother Language Day.
The 8th Edition of the Legal Glossary (English–Hindi) was also released alongside the constitutional translations.
In the past decade, the Constitution was officially translated for the first time into Bodo, Dogri and Santhali.
Last year, the Constitution was released in Nepali for the Nepali-speaking population of India.
The Legal Glossary aims to make legal terminology accessible to lawmakers, students, judicial officers, researchers, translators and policymakers.
CM unveils two books by Bishwabhushan Harichandan (Mid of February)▼
Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi unveiled the Odia book 'E Mati Katha Kahe' and the English book 'Buxi Jagabandhu: The Great Commander' written by former Governor Bishwabhushan Harichandan on 8 February 2026 in Bhubaneswar.
The English book highlights the 1817 Paika Rebellion, which the state wants recognised as India’s First War of Independence.
The Odia book contains 30 essays on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, world peace, and the Jagannath Nabakalebara Yatra.
Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan released coffee table book 'Atal Bihari Vajpayee: The Eternal Statesman' authored by Vijay Goel. (End of February)▼
Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan released the coffee table book 'Atal Bihari Vajpayee: The Eternal Statesman' at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre.
The book is authored by Shri Vijay Goel and contains rare photographs, archival material and personal anecdotes of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Shri Radhakrishnan served as a Member of the 12th and 13th Lok Sabha during Vajpayee’s tenure as Prime Minister.
The release event was attended by Bihar Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, Haryana Governor Ashim Kumar Ghosh, Rajasthan Governor Haribhau Kisanrao Bagde, former Union Minister Murli Manohar Joshi, and Vice Chairman of Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti Vijay Goel.
World Migratory Bird Day observed in May and October with theme Power of Community Science
Key Updates:
World Migratory Bird Day is observed twice annually in May and October to align with migration patterns in both hemispheres.
The theme for World Migratory Bird Day 2026 is the power of Community Science.
The campaign is coordinated by a network including Environment for the Americas (EFTA), The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA), and the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership.
The 2026 ambassador species selected to represent global flyways are the American Oystercatcher, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Barn Swallow, Cinnamon Teal, and Merlin.
The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is currently listed as Least Concern on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.
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World Penguin Day observed on April 25 (End of April)▼
World Penguin Day is observed on April 25.
The African penguin is the only penguin species endemic to the coastlines of South Africa and Namibia.
The African penguin was uplisted to Critically Endangered in 2024 on the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
There are currently fewer than 10,000 breeding pairs of African penguins left.
Scientists have warned that the African penguin could be extinct in the wild by 2035.
The City of Cape Town has invested in a Penguin Ranger Team in partnership with SANCCOB and South African National Parks.
Hudsonian godwit population declines by 95 percent over four decades (End of March)▼
The Hudsonian godwit, a migratory shorebird, has experienced a 95 percent population decline over the past 40 years.
The species is among 42 proposed for international protection at the upcoming meeting of the UN Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS) in Brazil.
The bird performs a 30,000-kilometre annual journey from the Arctic to South America and is capable of flying 11,000 kilometres in a single stretch without stopping.
Environmental pressures include climate change in the Arctic, expanded salmon and oyster farming in Chile, and agricultural changes in the United States.
A recent report indicates that 49 percent of species listed under the CMS are now experiencing population declines, up from 44 percent two years ago.
World Sparrow Day observed on March 20 (End of March)▼
World Sparrow Day is observed annually on March 20 to raise awareness and encourage conservation efforts for the house sparrow.
The initiative was first introduced in 2010 by Nature Forever, a bird conservation organisation in India, and has expanded to 50 countries.
The house sparrow was designated as the official state bird of Delhi in 2012.
Environmental conservationist Jagat Kinkhabwala launched the Save The Sparrow campaign, which received support from Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi in 2017.
A 2025 Press Information Bureau (PIB) statement highlighted the efforts of Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament (MP) Brij Lal, who established 50 nests for sparrows at his home.
The house sparrow plays a vital role in ecological balance by regulating insect populations and assisting in pollination and seed dispersal.
The decline in the sparrow population is attributed to habitat loss, excessive pesticide usage, pollution, industrialisation, and modern building designs that lack nesting spaces.
U.N. Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) adds 40 species to global protection list at COP15 in Brazil (Start of April)▼
The U.N. Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) approved listing 40 new species for international protection at the COP15 summit in Campo Verde, Brazil.
The snowy owl (Bubo scandiacus), Hudsonian godwit (Limosa haemastica), great hammerhead shark (Sphyrna mokarran), striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena), cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) and giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) are among the newly protected species.
Representatives from 132 countries and the European Union attended the COP15 summit on migratory species.
CMS Parties are legally obliged to protect listed species, conserve and restore their habitats, prevent migration obstacles and cooperate with other range states.
A pre-summit report indicated that 49 percent of CMS-catalogued species show declining numbers and nearly one in four are threatened with global extinction.
A separate U.N. assessment released during the summit warned that migratory freshwater fish populations face collapse due to habitat destruction, overfishing and water pollution.
International Day of Argania observed on May 10
Key Updates:
The International Day of Argania is observed every year on May 10 to recognise the cultural, environmental and socio-economic importance of the argan tree.
The day is celebrated under the auspices of the United Nations (UN).
The UNESCO-recognised Arganeraie Biosphere Reserve in the Souss-Massa region of Morocco spans more than 2.5 million hectares.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) recognises Morocco's argan-based production system under its Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) initiative.
In 2025, the Cooperative Cultural Heritage (CCH) programme of the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) included the argan ecosystem and its women's cooperatives on its List of Tangible Cooperative Cultural Heritage.
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International Day of Women in Industry observed on 21 April 2026 (End of April)▼
The first global celebration of the International Day of Women in Industry was observed on 21 April 2026 in Yerevan, Armenia.
The event was led by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) at the UN House.
The celebration marked the first UNIDO-led inter-agency initiative in Armenia, involving the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), UN Women, and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
The event saw the participation of 92 representatives from the government, private sector, civil society, and development partners.
Iran marks Nowruz under US-Israeli strikes amid internet blackout (End of March)▼
Iran celebrated Nowruz on 20 March 2026 as US and Israeli warplanes conducted overnight and periodic bombardment.
Spring equinox in Iran occurred at 18:15:59 local time (14:45:59 GMT) on 20 March 2026.
Tehran’s air-defence batteries fired intermittently after the new-year moment in an apparent celebratory move.
Iranian government allows citizens 30 litres of petrol daily via personal fuel cards and claims no fuel shortage despite depot bombings.
State maintains near-total internet shutdown for 21st consecutive day, reducing connectivity to under 1 percent of previous levels.
Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) documented over 7,000 deaths during January protests; UN special rapporteur Mai Sato estimates more than 20,000 civilian deaths.
Iranian authorities executed three men, including 19-year-old national wrestling team member, and a Swedish dual national for alleged protest-related crimes and spying for Israel.
Rotaract Festival scheduled for March 14 in Uganda (Mid of March)▼
The Rotaract Festival is scheduled to take place on March 14 at the Legends Rugby Grounds to mobilise resources for community development projects.
The event marks the conclusion of the annual Rotaract Week, which is observed from March 9 to March 14.
Geoffrey Martin Kitakule serves as the District Governor of Rotary District 9213.
Rotaract is a global youth leadership programme operating under the aegis of Rotary International.
The organisation adheres to the official motto Service Above Self.
Rotaract clubs in Uganda support community initiatives in sectors including health, education, environmental conservation, and youth empowerment.
World Earth Day 2026 Observed with Theme 'Our Power, Our Planet' (End of April)▼
World Earth Day is observed annually on 22 April to promote environmental protection, conservation, and sustainability.
The theme for World Earth Day 2026 is 'our power, our planet', which emphasises human agency and collective action.
Campaigns in 2026 focus on civic mobilisation, environmental literacy, and democratic action through activities such as voter registration drives, teach-ins, and town halls.
World Earth Day began on 22 April 1970 in the United States (US) following protests against environmental degradation in cities including New York and Boston.
The 1970 movement led to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and key environmental laws.
The movement expanded globally in 1990 with participation from 141 countries.
Lalenthangi Hnamte Awarded National Florence Nightingale Nurses Award
Key Updates:
President Droupadi Murmu presented the National Florence Nightingale Nurses Award to Lalenthangi Hnamte, also known as Maeni, in New Delhi.
The award ceremony was held on International Nurses Day to recognise exceptional contributions to the nursing profession.
Lalenthangi Hnamte serves as a health worker at the Health and Wellness Centre (HWC) located in the Lunglei district of Mizoram.
She was honoured for her significant role and dedication in delivering healthcare services at the grassroots level.
Mizoram Governor Vijay Kumar Singh highlighted the achievement as an inspiration for healthcare workers across the country.
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Ayushman Bharat (PM-JAY): ₹5 Lakh Health Coverage (Start of May)▼
Ayushman Bharat Diwas is celebrated annually on April 30 to recognise the impact of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY).
PM-JAY was launched on September 23, 2018, in Ranchi, Jharkhand.
The scheme provides cashless health coverage of up to ₹5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary healthcare.
It targets over 10.74 crore poor and vulnerable families (approximately 50 crore individuals), focusing on the poorest 40% of the population identified by SECC 2011 data.
The programme is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) of the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations (UN) under the umbrella of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
The scheme covers pre-existing conditions and provides access to over 1,900 medical procedures at empanelled public and private hospitals.
Beneficiary groups include low-income families, people with chronic illnesses, hospitalised patients, women, the elderly, and interstate migrants.
The coverage includes maternal and child health, non-communicable diseases, mental health, and rehabilitation care.
By late 2025, more than 5.38 crore Ayushman cards were issued, with 74.4 lakh beneficiaries in Uttar Pradesh receiving free treatment.
Over 1 lakh Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) have been operationalised to expand healthcare access in underserved areas.
The Ask Ayushman chatbot on WhatsApp is utilised to help users find hospitals and check eligibility.
ESIC Marks 75th Year of Service with Infrastructure Expansion and NHA-NABL MoUs (End of February)▼
The Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) commenced its 75th Year of Service celebrations at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
Established in 1952 with 1.2 lakh beneficiaries and one dispensary, ESIC now serves over 15 crore beneficiaries through 166 hospitals, 17 medical colleges, and nearly 1,600 dispensaries.
The organisation's footprint currently extends across 713 districts in 36 States and Union Territories (UTs).
Union Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya released a commemorative coin (ESIC@75), the ESIC@75 Coffee Table Book, and launched the Swasthya Rath Initiative.
ESIC signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Health Authority (NHA) for the convergence of the ESI Scheme with Ayushman Bharat–Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY).
An MoU was signed between ESIC and the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) to improve diagnostic standards and laboratory accreditation.
Under the new Labour Codes, ESIC’s mandate includes pan-India coverage and the extension of benefits to unorganised and gig workers.
The Ministry of Labour & Employment (MoLE) highlighted that workers aged 40 and above are now mandated to receive annual health check-ups for preventive care.
India was recently recognised by the International Social Security Association (ISSA) for excellence in social security administration.
ESIC will observe a nationwide Special Services Fortnight from 24 February to 10 March 2026, featuring health camps, preventive screenings, and grievance redressal drives.
National Women’s Day 2026 observed in India on 13 February (Mid of February)▼
National Women’s Day 2026 in India is observed on 13 February.
The day marks the birth anniversary of Sarojini Naidu, known as the Nightingale of India.
Sarojini Naidu became the first woman president of the Indian National Congress in 1925.
She was appointed the first woman Governor of an Indian state, the United Provinces (now Uttar Pradesh), in 1947.
India celebrates a separate National Women’s Day on 13 February, while International Women’s Day is marked worldwide on 8 March.
Janaushadhi Saptah 2026: Nationwide Health Check-Ups Launched (Start of March)▼
Janaushadhi Saptah 2026 began today with health check-up camps across the country to raise awareness about affordable and quality generic medicines.
The Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers (MoCF) stated that the week-long celebrations will culminate in the 8th Janaushadhi Diwas.
The Department of Pharmaceuticals is organising health check-up camps at over 250 locations nationwide until the 5th of this month.
On the first day, health camps were held at approximately 50 locations offering general health check-ups, free blood tests, blood pressure, and thyroid tests.
Free distribution of Janaushadhi medicines, physiotherapy consultations, eye check-ups, and child health initiatives were also organised at several centers.
Special attention was given to women and senior citizens at the camps.
Over 18,000 Janaushadhi Kendras are operating across the country under the Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP).
The government targets expanding the network to 25,000 Kendras by 2027.
Ashok Kumar Panda assumed charge as Chairman and Managing Director of Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL)
Key Updates:
Ashok Kumar Panda has taken over as the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL).
Prior to his elevation, he served as Director (Finance) and held the additional charge of Director (Commercial) for approximately nine months.
He joined SAIL as a Management Trainee (Technical) in 1992.
He holds a Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering, a specialisation in Finance from XIM, Bhubaneshwar, and a Ph.D. in Business Finance.
He is credited with reducing borrowings by ₹20,000 crore through deleveraging efforts.
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Dilip Kumar Appointed Chief Vigilance Officer of Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) (End of April)▼
Dilip Kumar assumed charge as the Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) of Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) with effect from April 27, 2026.
He is a senior officer of the Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers (IRSME).
He previously served as the Additional Divisional Railway Manager in East Central Railway and Chief Workshop Manager at Harnaut in Nalanda, Bihar.
He is an engineering graduate from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) BHU Varanasi.
He received the National Award for Outstanding Services in 2016 and the Railway Board’s Certificate of Excellence for Best Innovation for 2018–19.
Burra Vamsi Rama Mohan Appointed Chairman & Managing Director of Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID) (Start of April)▼
Burra Vamsi Rama Mohan has assumed charge as the Chairman & Managing Director (CMD) of Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID).
The appointment was approved by the Board of Directors following an order issued by the Ministry of Power on March 18, 2026.
His tenure as CMD will continue until July 31, 2030, or until the date of his superannuation.
Before this elevation, he served as the Director Projects at POWERGRID and has over 33 years of experience in the power transmission and telecom sectors.
He previously served as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Powergrid Teleservices Limited and was a founding member of the Regulatory Cell at POWERGRID.
POWERGRID is a Maharatna Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) that operates one of the largest electricity transmission networks in the world.
T.N. Natarajan appointed Director (Commercial) of Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL). (End of March)▼
T.N. Natarajan assumed the post of Director (Commercial) on the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) board effective 19 March 2026.
He was nominated by the Government of India and the appointment was approved by SAIL’s board.
Before this elevation, Natarajan served as Chief General Manager in SAIL.
He joined SAIL in 1993 as a Management Trainee at Bhilai Steel Plant and has over 32 years of experience in production, logistics, and sales.
His prior roles include postings in the Central Marketing Organisation at Bengaluru, Chennai, and Trichy, and most recently as Regional Manager (Western Region).
He led the establishment of SAIL’s first Ready-to-Use TMT service centre at Kalamboli.
Amarendu Prakash resigns as Chairman and Managing Director of Steel Authority of India (SAIL). (Start of April)▼
Amarendu Prakash submitted his resignation on 2 January 2026 and ceased to be a member of the SAIL board from 1 April 2026.
The Ministry of Steel approved his resignation effective 1 April 2026.
Krishna Kumar Singh, Director (Personnel) of SAIL, has been given additional charge as CMD for three months from 2 April 2026 to 1 July 2026 or until a regular appointment is made, whichever is earlier.
SAIL reported a consolidated net profit of ₹374.03 crore for the third quarter of the previous financial year.
Mal Anderson Dies Aged 91
Key Updates:
Mal Anderson was an Australian tennis player who died at the age of 91.
He was the first unseeded player to win the US Open men's singles title, achieving the victory in 1957.
Anderson won three major doubles titles during his career.
He won the Davis Cup twice.
After retirement, he mentored young Australian players, including former world number one Pat Rafter.
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Vijay Kumar passes away as veteran Indian golfer (Start of May)▼
Veteran Indian golfer Vijay Kumar passed away at the age of 57 in Lucknow due to a heart attack.
He won the Indian Open in 2002.
He was a four-time Order of Merit champion.
He is one of only nine Indian golfers to have won the Indian Open.
He turned professional in 1988.
He represented India at the Alfred Dunhill Cup 1999 played at St. Andrews in Scotland.
France defeats India in Thomas Cup 2026 semi-finals (Start of May)▼
The Indian men's badminton team secured a bronze medal at the Thomas Cup 2026 after losing to France in the semi-finals.
This achievement marks India's second medal in the history of the tournament, following their gold medal victory in 2022.
The competition was held in Horsens, Denmark, from 24 April to 3 May 2026, sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF).
India's top-ranked player Lakshya Sen was unable to play the semi-final due to an elbow injury sustained during the quarter-final against Chinese Taipei.
In the singles matches, Ayush Shetty lost to Christo Popov (21-11, 21-9), Kidambi Srikanth lost to Alex Lanier (21-16, 21-18), and HS Prannoy lost to Toma Junior Popov (21-19, 21-16).