Daily Current Affairs: 20 April 2026

Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) Authorises Banks to Import Gold and Silver

[Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT)]

Key Updates:

• The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has authorised 15 banks to import both gold and silver and two banks to import only gold for a period of three years.
• The authorisation is effective from April 1, 2026, and remains valid until March 31, 2029.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued the list of nominated banks on April 6.
• Banks authorised to import both gold and silver include Axis Bank, Bank of India, Federal Bank, HDFC Bank, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Deutsche Bank, Indian Overseas Bank, and Punjab National Bank.
• Union Bank of India and Sberbank are authorised to import only gold.
• Due to a delay in the notification, more than 5 metric tonnes of gold and around 8 metric tonnes of silver were stalled for customs clearance.

World Bank (WB) approves USD 225 million loan for Rajasthan highway modernisation

[World Bank, Rajasthan]

Key Updates:

• The World Bank (WB) has approved a USD 225 million loan for the highway modernisation project in Rajasthan.
• The project aims to benefit more than 3 million people and stimulate job creation across the agriculture, industrial, mining, and tourism sectors.
• The funding will support the transformation of the Rajasthan State Highway Authority into a modern, service-oriented highway agency.
• Approximately 800 km of selected highway corridors will be upgraded and maintained to be safer and climate-resilient.
• The loan is provided by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) with a final maturity of 35 years.
• The IBRD loan includes a grace period of 5 years and a step-up loan feature.
• Rajasthan connects 40 per cent of India's markets and recorded an annual growth rate of 11 per cent between 2015-16 and 2023-24.

AU Small Finance Bank (AU SFB) and CheQ launch LED-powered co-branded credit card

[CheQ, AU Small Finance Bank (AU SFB)]

Key Updates:

• AU Small Finance Bank (AU SFB) and CheQ have launched a co-branded credit card featuring an LED-powered tap-to-pay indicator.
• The LED feature is powered by the Near Field Communication (NFC) field of the point-of-sale terminal and does not require a battery.
• Applications for the card open on the CheQ app from April 28.
• The card operates on both Visa and RuPay networks to support global acceptance and Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions.
• The reward structure includes 12% rewards on e-commerce and bill payments, 5% on everyday spending, 2.5% on UPI transactions via RuPay, and 1% on other spends.
• The card has an annual fee of ₹499, which is waived on annual spends of ₹3 lakh.
• The LED variant carries a one-time fee of ₹999, which is waived until May 31.
• Cardholders receive a complimentary EazyDiner membership as a welcome benefit.

JSW Steel and POSCO Group form joint venture for 6 mtpa steel plant in Odisha

[JSW Steel, POSCO]

Key Updates:

• JSW Steel Ltd and POSCO Group have formed a 50:50 joint venture (JV) to establish a greenfield 6 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) integrated steel plant in Odisha.
• The JV will be operated through Saffron Resources Pvt Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of JSW Steel.
• The project is located in the Keonjhar district of Odisha, involving 2,445 acres of land across 12 villages under Patna tehsil.
• The total investment for the plant is ₹35,000 crore, with an estimated employment potential of around 8,000 direct and indirect jobs.
• POSCO Group will subscribe to shares of Saffron Resources Pvt Ltd for approximately ₹508.8 crore, with the transaction expected to be completed by December 31, 2026.
• JSW Steel currently has a crude steel production capacity of 35.7 mtpa, including 34.2 mtpa in India and 1.5 mtpa in the United States, with a target of 50 mtpa in India by FY31.
• POSCO Group, headquartered in Pohang, South Korea, has a steelmaking capacity of around 45 mtpa.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issues Master Direction on Facility for Exchange of Notes and Coins

[Reserve Bank of India (RBI)]

Key Updates:

• 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.

Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Bill 2026: Stringent Punishments for Sacrilege

[Punjab]

Key Updates:

• Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria gave assent to the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Bill 2026.
• The legislation focuses exclusively on protecting the sanctity of the Guru Granth Sahib.
• Standard acts of sacrilege attract a minimum imprisonment of 7 years, extendable up to 20 years, and a fine ranging from ₹2 lakh to ₹10 lakh.
• Offences committed as part of a conspiracy to disturb communal harmony carry a minimum of 10 years imprisonment, extendable to life imprisonment, and fines between ₹5 lakh and ₹25 lakh.
• The offences are classified as non-bailable and cognisable, triable by a sessions court.
• Investigations must be conducted by officers not below the rank of deputy superintendent of police or assistant commissioner of police.
• The law replaces the terms Bir and Birs with Saroop and Saroops to align with Sikh religious terminology.
• Only the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) or entities authorised by it can print, publish, store, or distribute Saroops.
• The SGPC is mandated to maintain a centralised physical and electronic register of all Saroops, updated monthly, with public access via the SGPC website within 45 days of the law coming into force.
• The legislation introduces the concept of a custodian, encompassing individuals, institutions, and gurdwara committees responsible for the care and protection of a Saroop.
• Sacrilege is broadly defined to include physical acts such as burning, tearing, or theft, as well as spoken, written, symbolic, or electronic actions.

Women's quota law comes into effect in UTs of Jammu and Kashmir and Puducherry

[Jammu and Kashmir, Puducherry]

Key Updates:

• The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) notified April 17, 2026, as the date from which women's quota provisions for the Union Territories (UT) of Jammu and Kashmir and Puducherry will come into force.
• The Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act, 2023, providing one-third seats reservation for women in the House of the People, legislative assemblies of all states, and the UT of Delhi, came into effect on April 16, 2026.
• Reservation for women in the legislative assemblies of Puducherry was enacted via the Govt of Union Territories (Amendment) Act, 2023, and for Jammu and Kashmir via the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Second Amendment) Act.
• The women's reservation will become operative after the first delimitation based on Census 2027, which is scheduled to take place from April 1, 2026, to March 1, 2027.

Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) Election Results 2026

[Tripura]

Key Updates:

• Tipra Motha won 24 out of 28 seats in the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) elections.
• The TTAADC governs nearly 70 per cent of the territory of Tripura and covers 20 tribal-reserved seats in the State Assembly.
• Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma launched a new political entity called One Northeast to foster tribal unity across the region.
• The Supreme Court (SC) has ordered the conduct of ADC village council elections in July after a gap of 10 years.
• Security deployment for the election counting included 24 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and the Tripura State Rifles (TSR).

IndiaAI Startups Global Acceleration Programme (ISG) selects 10 startups for Paris residency

[Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY)]

Key Updates:

• The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) announced the selection of 10 startups for the second cohort of the IndiaAI Startups Global Acceleration Programme (ISG).
• The ISG is developed in collaboration with HEC Paris and Station F, Paris, which is the world's largest startup campus.
• The programme is a component of the IndiaAI Mission's Startup Financing Pillar and aligns with the National AI Strategy.
• Selected startups will undergo a three-week online preparatory phase followed by a three-month immersive residency at Station F in Paris.
• The 10 selected startups are: AI Health Highway India Pvt Ltd (AI-enabled smart stethoscope), Awiros (Vision AI platform), Cognecto (AI-driven infrastructure intelligence), Flaunt (Multimodal AI agents for beauty, fashion, and digital marketing), GreenFi.ai/Climateforce Technologies Pvt Ltd (ESG compliance and risk management), Infiheal Healthtech Pvt Ltd (AI mental health companion 'Healo'), InLustro Learning Pvt Ltd (AI-powered job simulation platform), PredCo (AI compliance for manufacturing), SkyServe/Hyspace Technologies Pvt Ltd (AI infrastructure for Earth and space monitoring), and TestAIng Solutions Pvt Ltd (QA and compliance for responsible AI).

Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises signs MoU with NICDC Logistics Data Services to boost data-driven logistics

[Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MoMSME), National Logistics Development and Services Limited (NLDSL)]

Key Updates:

• The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with NICDC Logistics Data Services Limited (NLDS) to strengthen a data-driven logistics ecosystem for MSMEs.
• The collaboration aims to create a digital framework for seamless data exchange through API-based integration to improve policymaking and supply chain efficiency.
• NLDS operates under the guidance of the National Industrial Corridor Development and Implementation Trust.
• The MoU was signed by Anuja Bapat, Deputy Director General at the Office of the Development Commissioner (MSME), and Arvind Devaraj, Chief Operating Officer of NLDS.
• The initiative aims to help MSMEs gain access to logistics insights, reduce inefficiencies, optimise costs, and enhance competitiveness in domestic and global markets.

Divya Bharat: A Window to the Soul of India launched to strengthen India’s tourism ecosystem

[National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog]

Key Updates:

• National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog) launched the anthology titled "Divya Bharat: A Window to the Soul of India" on 17 April 2026.
• The initiative aims to inspire citizens and global travellers to explore India's diverse tourism landscape through a structured and immersive approach.
• The anthology presents tourism offerings through a seasonal lens, covering iconic landmarks, heritage sites, cultural traditions, festivals, cuisines, and lesser-known destinations across all States and Union Territories.
• The launch was a collaborative effort involving NITI Aayog, the Ministry of Tourism, and the Ministry of Culture.
• Industry and academic partners participating in the launch included Airbnb, Atithi Foundation, Indian School of Public Policy (ISPP), Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management (IITTM), and Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI).

India Vice President CP Radhakrishnan visits Sri Lanka on 19-20 April 2026

[Sri Lanka]

Key Updates:

• Vice President CP Radhakrishnan embarked on a two-day official visit to Sri Lanka from 19-20 April 2026.
• This marks the first bilateral visit by an Indian vice president to Sri Lanka.
• The Vice President will meet the President of Sri Lanka Anura Kumara Disanayaka and the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Harini Amarasuriya.
• The visit includes interactions with Tamil leaders and the Indian-origin Tamil community from the Northern and Eastern regions of Sri Lanka.
• The Vice President will address the Indian diaspora in Colombo and virtually hand over houses to beneficiaries under the third phase of the Indian Housing Project.
• With the completion of the third phase, the total number of houses for Tamil communities will reach 50,000.
• A fourth phase of the Indian Housing Project is currently building 10,000 additional houses.
• The itinerary includes a visit to Nuwara Eliya to inspect Indian Housing Projects and interact with the local Tamil community.

Indian Army to host Surya Devbhoomi Challenge 2.0 in Uttarakhand from 16 to 20 April 2026

[Uttarakhand]

Key Updates:

• The Indian Army, in association with IconMetrix, will host the Surya Devbhoomi Challenge 2.0 in the Uttarakhand Himalayas.
• The high-altitude endurance event will span 113 kilometres in the Badrinath–Kedarnath corridor from 16 to 20 April 2026.
• The event is organised with the support of the Government of Uttarakhand and Uttarakhand Tourism.
• Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan will interact with athletes during the Expo on 16 April.
• The challenge will feature participation from the Indian Navy and Indian Air Force.
• The event aims to promote sustainable mountain tourism and border region engagement.
• The closing ceremony on 20 April is expected to feature the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Pushkar Singh Dhami.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to deploy nuclear reactors on the Moon by 2030

[United States]

Key Updates:

• The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) aims to place nuclear reactors on the Moon by 2030 through its Fission Surface Power Project.
• NASA plans to launch a medium-power reactor into orbit by 2028.
• The Fission Surface Power Project will be a joint effort between NASA, the US Department of Energy, and the Department of Defence.
• The White House Office of Science and Technology (OSTP) has shared guidelines for federal agencies to develop a roadmap for space nuclear technology.
• The Fission Surface Power Project is expected to have a design capacity of 40-100 kilowatts of electricity.
• The NASA Artemis II mission includes astronauts Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, Victor Glover, and Jeremy Hansen.
• Nuclear power is being prioritised over solar power because a single lunar night lasts approximately 14 Earth days, and solar panels cannot function in permanently shadowed regions such as the lunar south pole.
• The project is intended to strengthen the US space technology position relative to China and Russia and serve as a test bed for future crewed missions to Mars.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and SpaceX to launch European Space Agency (ESA) Rosalind Franklin Mars rover

[Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX)]

Key Updates:

• The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) confirmed that SpaceX will launch the European Space Agency (ESA) Rosalind Franklin Mars rover as soon as late 2028.
• The mission will be launched using a Falcon Heavy rocket from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
• The Rosalind Franklin rover is expected to reach Mars in 2030.
• The mission will be the first to extract and analyse soil samples from as deep as 6 feet (2 metres) into the Martian crust.
• The rover features novel mobility capabilities, including six-wheel steering and wheel walking.
• NASA is providing a mass spectrometer to analyse Martian soil, braking engines for landing, and nuclear-powered heaters for the electronics.
• The rover was built by Airbus in the United Kingdom, the carrier spacecraft was manufactured by OHB in Germany, and Thales Alenia Space of Italy is responsible for the overall assembly.

Herbalife India and IIT Madras Establish India's First Centre of Excellence on Plant Cell Fermentation

[Herbalife, Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras)]

Key Updates:

• Herbalife International India Private Limited (Herbalife India) and the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) signed an agreement to establish the Herbalife-IIT Madras Centre of Excellence (CoE) on Plant Cell Fermentation Technology.
• The CoE is located at the IIT Madras Research Park and is India's first exclusive facility dedicated to translational research and development (R&D) on plant cell-based fermentation.
• The initiative is part of Phase 2 of the collaboration between Herbalife India and IIT Madras and is funded through the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme of Herbalife India.
• The centre focuses on the sustainable and scalable production of herbal biomass, enriched herbal extracts, and high-value phytochemicals for applications in human health and wellness.
• The CoE is expected to commence its operations from June 2026.

World Liver Day observed on April 19 with theme 'Solid Habits, Strong Liver'

Key Updates:

• World Liver Day is observed annually on April 19 to raise global awareness about liver health and the importance of preventing liver-related diseases.
• The theme for World Liver Day 2026 is 'Solid Habits, Strong Liver'.
• Metabolic dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD) affects nearly one in three adults worldwide and is linked to obesity and Type 2 diabetes.
• Nearly 90% of liver disease is preventable through consistent lifestyle choices.
• The 2026 observance is significant in India due to the rising intersection of diabetes and liver disease.
• The 'Solid Habits' campaign focuses on four pillars: balanced plant-forward diet, physical activity, re-evaluating alcohol, and routine screenings.
• Recommended routine screenings for liver health include Liver Function Tests (LFTs) and FibroScans.
• The Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS) highlighted that the best time to protect the liver is before treatment becomes necessary.

World Quantum Day observed on April 14

Key Updates:

• World Quantum Day is an annual event observed on April 14 to promote awareness and understanding of quantum science.
• The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) hosted a STEM Open House for local high school students to mark the occasion.
• Dr. Rick Mukherjee is the inaugural director of the UTC Quantum Center.
• The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) has introduced a Quantum Information Science and Engineering (QISE) certificate.
• A study by McKinsey & Company forecasted the quantum sector to be a trillion-dollar industry.

World Art Day observed on April 15

Key Updates:

• World Art Day is observed on April 15.
• The global observation celebrates culture, creativity, and artistic expression worldwide.
• Science Central museum in Fort Wayne, Indiana, hosted a celebration to explore the intersection of art and science.
• Local artists featured during the Science Central celebration included Eduar Paz, Ally Peck, Angelina Dolores Possemato, Bonnie “BonJo” Andrews, Megan Wiegand, and Kyla Covington.

Dinesh Trivedi set to be appointed High Commissioner to Bangladesh

[Bangladesh]

Key Updates:

• Dinesh Trivedi, a leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is likely to be appointed as India's next High Commissioner to Bangladesh.
• Trivedi previously served as the Railway Minister and Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare during the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government as a member of the Trinamool Congress (TMC).
• He has served as a Member of Parliament (MP) in the Rajya Sabha from West Bengal and as a Lok Sabha MP from Barrackpore.
• Trivedi joined the BJP in February 2021 after leaving the TMC.
• Pranay Verma, the former High Commissioner to Bangladesh, was appointed as the next Ambassador to Belgium and the European Union (EU).
• Pranay Verma is a 1994-batch diplomat who took charge as High Commissioner in Dhaka in September 2022.