The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) stated in its Payment System Report, December 2025, that credit card transaction volumes increased from 216 crore in 2021 to 570 crore in 2025. Credit card transaction value rose from ₹8.9…
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) revises Kisan Credit Card norms, standardises crop season definition
Key Updates:
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued the 'Reserve Bank of India [Commercial Banks - Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Scheme] Directions, 2026', applicable from January 2026.
- Crop seasons under the KCC Scheme are standardised at 12 months for short duration crops and 18 months for long duration crops.
- Banks must waive collateral security and margin requirements for agricultural loans, including allied activities, up to Rs 2 lakh per borrower.
- For KCC loans against hypothecation of crops or stock with tie-up arrangements, collateral security may be waived for loans up to Rs 3 lakh.
- RBI rejected suggestions to increase the collateral-free limit, noting it was recently enhanced in December 2024 and no further increase is envisaged.
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IDFC FIRST Bank launched the FD-backed Business Multiplier Metal Credit Card for founders, entrepreneurs, and business owners. The card is available against a Fixed Deposit starting from ₹50,000, providing a credit limit…
Make in India procurement norms: 60% local content target for HVDC substations by 2035 (Start of May)
The Ministry of Power (MoP) revised the "Make in India" procurement norms for the power sector via an official order dated April 30. The MoP introduced a phased roadmap to achieve a minimum of 60 per cent local content…
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued the Digital Payments: E-mandate Framework, 2026, consolidating all existing guidelines on recurring digital payments into a single master framework. The framework applies to…
Government directs Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) to build ₹15,000 crore Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR)
Key Updates:
- Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) will develop a 1.75 million metric tonne (MMT) underground cavern at Mangaluru, Karnataka, to strengthen India's energy security.
- The project involves a total investment of approximately ₹15,000 crore ($1.6 billion), including ₹5,000 crore for construction and ₹10,000 crore for crude oil stocks.
- This is the first instance of a state-run oil company developing an SPR facility, as existing sites are managed by Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Ltd (ISPRL).
- India's current emergency crude storage capacity stands at 5.33 MMT, located at Visakhapatnam (1.33 MMT), Mangaluru (1.5 MMT), and Padur (2.5 MMT).
- The second phase of SPR expansion includes a 4 MMT facility at Chandikhol, Odisha, and a 2.5 MMT facility at Padur, Karnataka, under a public-private partnership (PPP) model.
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India and United Arab Emirates sign Strategic Defence Partnership and USD 5 billion investment pacts on 15 May 2026 (Mid of May)
Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Limited (ISPRL) and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) signed a Strategic Collaboration Agreement to increase United Arab Emirates (UAE) participation in India's strategic…
Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd (ONGC) appoints CFO and approves petrochemicals joint venture (End of April)
Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd (ONGC) appointed Yogish Nayak S as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) effective from May 1, 2026. ONGC approved the formation of a joint venture (JV) for integrated petrochemicals marketing…
The Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Vinai Kumar Saxena, approved a five-year extension of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) to establish India's first geothermal power…
Oil India Limited (OIL), a Maharatna company, has successfully unlocked a new gas-bearing pay zone in the Dandewala field of Rajasthan. The gas discovery was made at a depth of 950 metres, marking the first successful…
BSE Index Services Pvt. Ltd. launches India's first Saatvik Index named BSE Saatvik 100
Key Updates:
- BSE Index Services Pvt. Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), has launched the BSE Saatvik 100, which is India's first index focused on ethical and value-based investing.
- The index is derived from the constituents of the BSE 500 Index that align with Saatvik principles of purity, responsibility, and ethical conduct.
- The financial services sector holds the highest weight in the index at 37.55 per cent, followed by consumer discretionary, energy, commodities, industrials, utilities, telecommunication, services, fast-moving consumer goods, and healthcare.
- HDFC Bank holds the largest individual stock weight in the index, followed by ICICI Bank, Reliance Industries, Infosys, State Bank of India (SBI), Axis Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, and Mahindra & Mahindra.
- The index is designed for use in passive investment strategies such as Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) and index funds, and as a benchmark for Portfolio Management Services (PMS).
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Meesho and Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) launch Project Shikhar for MSME IPO readiness (Start of June)
E-commerce platform Meesho has partnered with the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) to launch an initiative named 'Project Shikhar'. The initiative was formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to facilitate the…
Parag Agrawal, former Twitter CEO, has unveiled Index, a platform from his artificial intelligence (AI) startup Parallel Web systems. The Index platform is designed to fairly compensate content creators when AI agents…
Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) releases approach paper on Index of Service Production (ISP) (Start of May)
The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has released an approach paper for compiling the Index of Service Production (ISP) for the formal sector of the economy. The ISP is designed to capture…
Canara HSBC Life Insurance introduced Promise4Wealth, a market-linked savings plan. The product offers three variants: Maximiser, Shield, and LongLife.
State Bank of India (SBI) presents ₹8,813 crore dividend to Central Government
Key Updates:
- The State Bank of India (SBI) presented a dividend cheque of ₹8,813 crore to the Central government for the financial year 2025-26.
- The dividend cheque was handed over to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman by SBI Chairman C.S. Setty.
- This payout contributes to the non-tax revenue receipts of the government.
- SBI Chairman C.S. Setty stated that a pause in interest rates by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) would help stabilise economic conditions.
- SBI is the largest lender in the country.
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State Bank of India (SBI) reported strong profits and steady business growth in its Q4 and full-year financial results. A loan is classified as a Non-Performing Asset (NPA) when the borrower fails to repay the interest…
State Bank of India (SBI) aims to expand its balance-sheet to approximately 25 per cent of India's GDP by 2030, increasing from the current level of about 20 per cent. SBI plans to improve its market share by one per…
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) extends Keki Mistry's tenure as interim chairman of HDFC Bank (Mid of June)
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) approved a three-month extension of Keki Mistry's tenure as interim part-time chairman of HDFC Bank until September 18, 2026, or until a regular chairman is appointed. Keki Mistry was…
Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) and Manulife incorporate Mahindra Manulife Insurance Limited (MMIL) (Start of June)
Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) and Canada-based Manulife have incorporated a life insurance joint venture named Mahindra Manulife Insurance Limited (MMIL) following approval from the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA). The…
Ministry of Finance (MoF) of UAE launches first Sovereign Retail T-Sukuk Programme
Key Updates:
- The Ministry of Finance (MoF) of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has launched the inaugural Sovereign Retail T-Sukuk Programme, a Shariah-compliant investment instrument for citizens and residents.
- The programme features an IPO-style subscription framework similar to the Dubai Financial Market (DFM) and Nasdaq Dubai, with a minimum subscription amount of AED 1,000.
- The initiative is aligned with the UAE’s Year of Family 2026 and was developed in collaboration with the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE).
- Emirates NBD Bank has been appointed as the Lead Receiving Bank, while Emirates Islamic Bank, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB), Ajman Bank, and Mashreq Bank will serve as Receiving Banks.
- Nasdaq Dubai will act as the central securities depository and provide the settlement platform, with the sukuk expected to be listed for trading on the exchange.
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The Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) announced the world’s first commercial upper 6GHz (U6GHz) network at the SAMENA Council Leaders’ Summit 2026. The U6GHz band operates between…
CSB Bank launches Smart Save Account with up to 7% interest on sweep-in Fixed Deposits. (Mid of April)
CSB Bank launched the Smart Save Account after upgrading its core banking platform. The account offers up to 7% interest on sweep-in Fixed Deposits over a 13-month tenure.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced its withdrawal from the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and OPEC+ effective May 1, 2026. The UAE is the world's seventh-largest oil producer.
The Telangana government launched a breakfast scheme for students in government educational institutions. The first phase of the programme covers 1,44,610 students across 1,302 government educational institutions…
Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) establishes working group on Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Key Updates:
- The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has set up a working group on Artificial Intelligence (AI) to guide the insurance sector on adoption, governance, and oversight while safeguarding policyholder interests.
- Sandeep Shukla, Director of IIIT Hyderabad, has been appointed as the chairperson of the group.
- The members of the group include Nandakumar Saravade (former CEO of ReBIT), Ashutosh Bahuguna (scientist, CERT-In), Manoj Nayak (Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), SBI Life Insurance), Shivanath Somanathan (CISO, Star Health & Allied Insurance), and Steve D'Souza (Chief Risk Officer (CRO), ICICI Lombard General Insurance).
- Deepak Gaikwad, General Manager and CISO of IRDAI, will serve as the member-convener.
- The group is tasked with suggesting an AI governance framework for ethical adoption, assessing frontier AI tools, proposing an AI audit framework, and identifying capacity-building needs for stakeholders.
- The working group must submit its recommendations to the member Finance and Investment within three months from the date of its constitution.
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Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) forms sub-committee to review private health insurance ecosystem (Start of April)
Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has constituted a sub-committee under its Insurance Advisory Committee to undertake a comprehensive review of India’s private health insurance ecosystem.…
Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Irdai) notifies Ind AS norms for insurers with one-year forbearance (Start of April)
Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Irdai) issued final regulations for transition to Indian Accounting Standards (Ind AS) effective 1 April 2026. Insurers may request forbearance until 30 April 2026…
Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) retains LIC, GIC Re, New India Assurance as D-SIIs for FY26 (Start of April)
Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has retained Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), General Insurance Corporation of India (GIC Re), and The New India Assurance Company Ltd. as…
Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) mandates Ind AS accounting for all insurers from 1 April 2026 (Start of April)
IRDAI approved the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Actuarial, Finance and Investment Functions of Insurers) (Amendment) Regulations, 2026. All insurers — life, general, stand-alone health…
Odisha Development Projects Worth Over ₹47,600 Crore Launched
Key Updates:
- President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi jointly unveiled development projects worth more than ₹47,600 crore in Odisha to enhance energy security and infrastructure.
- The foundation stone was laid for the Bharat Coal Gasification and Chemicals Limited (BCGCL) project at Lakhanpur in Jharsuguda and a 300-tonne-per-day municipal solid waste-based compressed biogas plant in Bhubaneswar.
- Energy sector initiatives include the 600-MW Upper Indravati pumped storage project and the Stage-II expansion of the IB Thermal Power Station featuring two 660-MW units.
- Railway and transport infrastructure includes two multi-tracking projects worth over ₹732 crore, the four-laning of the Nuapada-Ghatipada section of NH-353, 24 Atal bus stands, and nine automated testing stations.
- Social and educational projects inaugurated include a 300-bed district headquarters hospital at Boudh, an Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) regional centre, a tribal research centre, and the Kusumi Smart Irrigation Project.
- Connectivity projects include a bridge over the Kathajodi river connecting Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, the Nayagarh town bypass on NH-57, and the widening of the Dhalpur-Harbhanga road in Boudh district.
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The High-Level Clearance Authority (HLCA) approved 20 major industrial projects with a cumulative investment of ₹76,611.86 crore. These projects are expected to generate 50,517 employment opportunities across nine…
PMGSY-IV: ₹1,698-crore rural road projects to be launched in Rayagada, Odisha on May 1, 2026 (Start of May)
Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan will launch the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana-IV (PMGSY-IV) road projects worth ₹1,698.04 crore in Rayagada, Odisha on May…
Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired the 51st meeting of Pro-Active Governance And Timely Implementation (PRAGATI) at Seva Teerth. The meeting reviewed seven major infrastructure projects in the Railways, Power, and Road…
Odisha Coastal Highway and NH Projects: ₹24,249.6 Crore Outlay (Start of June)
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved National Highway (NH) projects worth approximately ₹24,249.6 crore in Odisha, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, and Bihar. The Rameshwar-Paradip section of the Odisha…
UGC Foreign University Initiative: 15 Global Universities to Establish Campuses in India
Key Updates:
- The Ministry of Education (MoE) announced that 15 foreign universities have received Letters of Intent (LoIs) to establish campuses in India.
- The initiative is governed by the University Grants Commission (UGC) (Setting up and Operation of Campuses of Foreign Higher Educational Institutions in India) Regulations, 2023.
- The initiative aligns with the goals of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 to internationalise higher education and encourage global engagement.
- The foreign campuses are expected to maintain student-teacher ratios ranging from 12:1 to 25:1.
- Students at these campuses may benefit from fee reductions between 18% and 74% compared to studying at the same institutions overseas.
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National Education Policy (NEP) 2020: Approval for Three Global Universities to Open India Campuses (Mid of June)
The Ministry of Education issued Letters of Approval (LoAs) to the University of Bristol, the University of York, and the University of New South Wales (UNSW) to establish campuses in India. The approvals align with the…
Chandigarh University (CU) Establishes India's First Private University 'IndiaAI Data Lab' with Intel India (Start of June)
Chandigarh University (CU) has established the 'IndiaAI Data Lab' in collaboration with Intel India, becoming the first private university in India to do so. The lab is located at the University Institute of Computing…
The University of Liverpool received a Letter of Approval to establish its first campus in Bengaluru, Karnataka. The announcement was made during the first ministerial review of the India-UK Vision 2035 held in New…
NCERT granted deemed-to-be university status to award own degrees (Start of April)
The Ministry of Education, on the advice of the University Grants Commission (UGC), declared the National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT) and its six constituent units as deemed-to-be university…
PM-KISAN 23rd instalment released to 9.44 crore farmers with Rs 18,880 crore
Key Updates:
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi released the 23rd instalment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN), transferring Rs 18,880 crore to over 9.44 crore farmers across the country.
- The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) was launched in West Bengal, aiming to provide insurance coverage to nearly 50 lakh farmers across about 14 lakh hectares of agricultural land during 2026-27.
- The estimated insured value of crops under PMFBY in West Bengal is around Rs 28,140 crore, with premium subsidies to support farmers.
- The prime minister also launched the Agri Stack, the National Mission on Natural Farming, and the Pradhan Mantri Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana as key agriculture initiatives.
- Under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY-III), 49 road infrastructure projects covering more than 315 km across various districts of West Bengal were inaugurated.
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National PNG Drive 2.0 extended till 30 June 2026 to sustain PNG expansion momentum (Start of April)
The Government has extended the National PNG Drive 2.0 till 30th June 2026 to sustain momentum in PNG expansion across the country. City gas distribution entities have been directed to speed up domestic PNG connections.
The Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) released a mother sanction of ₹10,021.42 crore to 12 states under the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G). The 12 recipient states are Assam, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat…
Supreme Court of India invoked Article 142 to dissolve the marriage after the wife withdrew consent for mutual divorce. The wife had received Rs 75 lakh as first instalment and Rs 14 lakh for car purchase under the…
Goa celebrates 39th Statehood Day on May 30 (End of May)
Goa was granted full statehood on May 30, 1987 and became the 25th state of the Indian Union. Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan participated in the Statehood Day celebrations at the Kala Academy in Panaji.
Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PM-VBRY) disburses ₹2,400 crore in incentives
Key Updates:
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi disbursed incentives worth around ₹2,400 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PM-VBRY).
- PM-VBRY is an employment-linked incentive scheme aimed at supporting first-time employees, encouraging job creation and expanding social security coverage.
- The scheme has supported the creation of 15 lakh employment opportunities.
- Nearly 70 lakh new jobs have been created and an equal number of first-time employees have been brought under social security coverage.
- More than ₹2,000 crore has been directly transferred to beneficiaries’ bank accounts.
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Mukh Mantri Mawan Dheeyan Satkar Yojana: Punjab Cabinet clears monthly aid of ₹1,000–₹1,500 for over 97% women (Start of April)
The Punjab Cabinet approved the Mukh Mantri Mawan Dheeyan Satkar Yojana to provide ₹1,000 per month to all other women and ₹1,500 per month to Scheduled Caste women. The scheme is expected to benefit more than 97% of…
Narendra Modi becomes the elected Prime Minister with the longest continuous tenure of 4,399 days on June 10, surpassing the record of Jawaharlal Nehru. He is the first Prime Minister since Nehru to secure three…
Navegaon Nagzira Tiger Reserve to assume control of 652.20 sq km buffer notified area from April 1 (Start of April)
Navegaon Nagzira Tiger Reserve (NNTR) in Maharashtra’s Gondia will take control of the buffer notified area from April 1. The decision was made through a government resolution on December 24 last year.
Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin): 125 Days Work Guarantee (Mid of May)
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…
National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission: Target to eradicate disease by 2047
Key Updates:
- India aims to eradicate sickle cell disease by the national target year of 2047 under the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission.
- The National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission has screened 7 crore people, ranging from newborns to those up to 40 years of age.
- Madhya Pradesh screened over 4 lakh women under the ‘Swasth Nari, Sashakt Parivar Abhiyan’ held from September 17 to October 2, 2025.
- The Madhya Pradesh government launched the ‘Sickle Mitra’ initiative on International Sickle Cell Day to raise awareness and provide assistance to patients.
- Under the ‘Sickle Mitra’ initiative, representatives from government and non-government institutions, voluntary organisations, and National Cadet Corps (NCC) cadets have been trained.
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World Sickle Cell Day 2026 observed globally on June 19 (Mid of June)
World Sickle Cell Day is observed globally on June 19 every year. The theme for World Sickle Cell Day 2026 is 'Closing the Survival Gap: Equity in Sickle Cell Disease'.
Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Gates Foundation launch Rs 1-crore challenge to combat anaemia (Mid of June)
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the Gates Foundation have launched a Rs 1-crore Grand Challenge to develop iron-rich food products for adolescent girls and women of reproductive age. The initiative…
National Blood Policy: Target to establish one blood centre in every district by December 2026 (End of April)
The Ministry of Health (Health Ministry) aims to establish at least one blood centre in every district by December 2026, in line with the National Blood Policy. Approximately 10 per cent of districts in the country…
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has approved artemether-lumefantrine, the first antimalarial formulation designed specifically for newborns and young infants weighing between two and five kilograms. World Malaria Day…
Young Lawyers' Professional Assistance Fund Proposed to Support Junior Advocates
Key Updates:
- The Supreme Court proposed the creation of a Young Lawyers' Professional Assistance Fund to address financial hardships faced by junior advocates and stop brain drain.
- The bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice V Mohana issued notice to the Centre, all states, Union Territories, and other stakeholders seeking responses on a plea highlighting financial challenges.
- Proposed funding sources include donations from senior advocates and practising lawyers, a part of court fees collected by the judiciary, and costs imposed in judicial proceedings.
- The fund aims to provide a monthly stipend-cum-honorarium to first-generation lawyers and those from economically and socially disadvantaged backgrounds during the formative years of practice.
- Financial assistance is proposed for an initial three years, proportionately reduced over time, and ending after seven years, with a mechanism for beneficiaries to contribute back to the fund.
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Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026 to increase judge strength to 37 (Start of May)
The Union Cabinet approved a proposal to increase the sanctioned strength of judges in the Supreme Court of India from 33 to 37, excluding the Chief Justice of India (CJI). The decision facilitates the introduction of…
Judicial Infrastructure Advisory Committee formed to redesign India’s judicial infrastructure for the 21st century (Mid of May)
The Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant announced the formation of the Judicial Infrastructure Advisory Committee to modernise courts across India. The high-powered panel is led by Supreme Court Justice Aravind Kumar…
Supreme Court seeks Centre and states' response on PIL over RTE Act and NEP 2020 implementation. (Mid of April)
Supreme Court bench comprising Chief Justice and Justice Joymalya Bagchi issued notices to Centre, all states and Union Territories on PIL by advocate Haripriya Patel. PIL alleges uneven implementation of Right to…
The Supreme Court of India (SC) issued notice to the Election Commission of India (EC) and the Central Government on a PIL filed by Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay. The PIL requests creation of a nationwide fingerprint and iris…
Supreme Court (SC) Declares Right to Walk on Secured Footpaths a Fundamental Right
Key Updates:
- The Supreme Court (SC) declared the right to walk on secured footpaths a fundamental right under Part III of the Constitution, integral to Article 19(1)(d) and Article 21.
- A bench of Justices P S Narasimha and Atul S Chandurkar ruled that the right to walk on demarcated footpaths shall have priority over the movement of motorised vehicles.
- The SC identified urban development authorities, municipal corporations, municipalities, and panchayats as duty bearers responsible for constructing and maintaining pedestrian infrastructure.
- The judgment allows citizens to seek restitution and compensation for violations of this right, independent of the remedies available under the Motor Vehicles (MV) Act, 1988.
- The SC Registry was directed to forward the judgment to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), and the Law Commission to initiate a legal framework.
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Supreme Court (SC) reiterates right to vote and contest elections are statutory, not fundamental rights. (Mid of April)
Supreme Court bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and R Mahadevan set aside Rajasthan High Court orders that had struck down eligibility conditions for District Milk Producers’ Cooperative Unions elections. Verdict dated…
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…
The Supreme Court (SC) concluded a 16-day marathon hearing on the Sabarimala temple entry reference case on May 14. The case was heard by a nine-judge Constitution bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant…
Supreme Court seeks Centre and states' response on PIL over RTE Act and NEP 2020 implementation. (Mid of April)
Supreme Court bench comprising Chief Justice and Justice Joymalya Bagchi issued notices to Centre, all states and Union Territories on PIL by advocate Haripriya Patel. PIL alleges uneven implementation of Right to…
Delhi Reservation for ex-Agniveers: 20 per cent reservation in Group 'C' posts
Key Updates:
- Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) Taranjit Singh Sandhu directed a 20 per cent reservation for ex-Agniveers in Group 'C' posts.
- Ex-Agniveers are defined as retired short service Army personnel.
- The reservation applies to non-gazetted Group 'C' positions, specifically Police Constables, Firemen, Forest Guards, Jail Warders, and Wildlife Guards.
- The initiative is being implemented in accordance with the guiding vision of the Government of India (GoI).
- A deadline of June 30 has been set for all concerned departments to complete necessary processes and amendments to recruitment rules.
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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…
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav ordered the withdrawal of a draft provision in the proposed civil services rules that limited government job eligibility to a maximum of two children. The Chief Minister directed the General…
The West Bengal government approved the rollout of the Annapurna Yojana to provide monthly financial assistance of ₹3,000 to women in the state. The scheme increases the financial aid compared to the Lakshmir Bhandar…
The National Housing Bank (NHB) launched the Gruh Sugam Portal to simplify home-loan access for Defence, Paramilitary and Government employees. The portal, announced by the Ministry of Finance, enables personnel to apply…
Organic Spice Processing Plant in Meghalaya: Northeast's Largest Facility
Key Updates:
- Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated the Northeast's largest organic spice processing plant in the Ri Bhoi district of Meghalaya.
- The facility was established by the Eastern Ri-Bhoi Organic Farmer Producer Company.
- The plant has an annual processing capacity of 10,000 metric tonnes of spices and is expected to directly benefit 5,500 organic farmers.
- The unit is equipped to process spices including Lakadong turmeric, ginger, and black pepper.
- Several Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were signed with companies to strengthen market linkages and create business opportunities for farmers and producer groups.
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The Agriculture and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) is establishing a basmati and organic training centre and demonstration farm in Tanda Bijesi village, Pilibhit. The project has an…
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) issued notices to food business operators for violating the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, regarding misleading brand names, trade names, and product claims.…
Rare Earth Magnet Pilot Plant at ARCI Hyderabad to boost indigenous Nd-Fe-B magnet production. (End of March)
The Department of Science and Technology (DST) has set up a pilot plant for manufacturing neodymium-iron-boron (Nd-Fe-B) rare earth permanent magnets at the International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy…
The Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands for South India and the World Spice Organisation (WSO) organised a seminar on “Sustainable Spice Value Chains”. India exports over 250 varieties of spices and…
Scheme for Promotion of Surface Coal/Lignite Gasification Projects Approved with ₹46,000 Crore Outlay
Key Updates:
- The Union Cabinet approved the Scheme for Promotion of Surface Coal/Lignite Gasification Projects with a total financial outlay of ₹46,000 crore.
- The Ministry of Coal (MoC) initiative aims to convert domestic coal into value-added products such as methanol, ammonia, and fertiliser feedstocks to reduce reliance on imports.
- India holds nearly 400 billion tonnes of coal reserves, making it the fifth-largest in the world, and currently stands as the world's second-largest producer and consumer of coal.
- Nearly 70 per cent of the country's electricity generation is dependent on coal, which supports millions of livelihoods across the industrial sector.
- Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) and Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research (CIMFR) have showcased indigenous coal gasification technologies to promote technological self-reliance.
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Coal Gasification Push: ₹4 Lakh Crore Investment Target (Start of June)
The Union Ministry of Coal and Mines (MoCM) is prioritising surface and underground coal gasification to reduce import dependence and target investments of ₹4 lakh crore. The initiative aims to save approximately ₹3 lakh…
Scheme for Promotion of Surface Coal/Lignite Gasification Projects: ₹37,500 Crore Outlay (Mid of May)
The Union Cabinet approved the Scheme for Promotion of Surface Coal/Lignite Gasification Projects with a total financial outlay of ₹37,500 crore. The scheme aims to gasify approximately 75 million tonnes of coal to…
Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) and Bharat Coal Gasification and Chemicals Limited (BCGCL) signed a land lease agreement for a coal-to-ammonium nitrate project at Lakhanpur in Jharsuguda district, Odisha. The agreement…
BCGCL and MCL sign Odisha land lease for 2,000 TPD coal-to-ammonium nitrate plant using BHEL technology (Start of April)
Bharat Coal Gasification and Chemicals Ltd (BCGCL) and Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL) signed a land leasing pact in Odisha for a 2,000 tonnes per day coal to ammonium nitrate project. The facility will be built on about…
India to acquire nine retired Jaguar fighter aircraft from United Kingdom for spare parts
Key Updates:
- The Indian Air Force (IAF) will acquire nine retired Jaguar fighter aircraft from the United Kingdom (UK) to serve as a source for spare parts and reusable sub-assemblies.
- The IAF currently operates six squadrons of these deep strike penetration aircraft and remains the only air force in the world still operating the Jaguar fleet.
- Previous procurements of retired airframes include 31 units gifted by France in 2018 and over 20 units transferred from Oman to maintain the ageing fleet.
- Critical components salvaged from these imported airframes include landing gears, hydraulics, avionics, and Rolls-Royce Adour engines.
- Half of the fleet has been upgraded to the DARIN-III standard, featuring advanced radar for tracking multiple targets, electronic jamming, and cockpit modernisation.
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India issues Letter of Request to France for 114 Rafale fighter jets in ₹3.25 lakh crore deal (Start of June)
India has issued a Letter of Request (LoR) to France for the acquisition of 114 Rafale fighter jets for the Indian Air Force (IAF) in a government-to-government deal worth approximately ₹3.25 lakh crore. Under the…
Rolls-Royce Plc Plans Up to $10 Billion Investment in India's Defence, Aviation, and Nuclear Sectors (Mid of May)
Rolls-Royce Plc (Rolls-Royce) aims to establish India as its fourth home market following the United Kingdom, Germany, and the United States. The company has indicated an intention to invest up to $10 billion in India…
Indian Navy seeks indigenous 80-mm aero rockets for MiG-29K and MiG-29KUB fighter jets (Start of June)
The Indian Navy has invited domestic companies to design and manufacture 80-mm aero rockets for its MiG-29K and MiG-29KUB carrier-based fighter jets. The Expression of Intent (EoI) for the project was issued on May 26 by…
India is developing the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) stealth fighter and expanding indigenous drone warfare capabilities. Major 6th-generation projects include the F-47 and Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD)…
India to host BRICS National Security Advisers' Meeting on June 22 and 23
Key Updates:
- India will host the BRICS National Security Advisers' (NSA) Meeting on June 22 and 23, with National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval chairing the deliberations.
- The meeting will focus on the theme Non-traditional security challenges confronting the world today and the role of emerging technologies in shaping new security threats.
- Participants will review the outcomes of the BRICS Joint Working Groups on Counter-Terrorism and on Security in the Use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT).
- India will assume the BRICS Chairship for the fourth time in 2026, guided by the theme Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.
- The BRICS grouping comprises 11 emerging economies: Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
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BRICS Agriculture Meeting Commences in Indore on June 9, 2026 (Start of June)
Senior officials from BRICS countries gathered in Indore for a five-day agriculture meeting starting June 9, 2026. The meeting is held under the chairmanship of India to focus on food security, climate-resilient farming…
India to host second BRICS Culture Working Group meeting in Varanasi on June 4-5, 2026 (Start of June)
India will host the second meeting of the BRICS Culture Working Group (CWG) in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, on June 4-5, 2026. The meeting is conducted under India's 2026 BRICS theme, Building for Resilience, Innovation…
India assumed the BRICS Chairmanship on January 1, 2026, and hosted the BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting in New Delhi. India's trade with BRICS nations surged to $416 billion.
The meeting of agriculture ministers of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) will be held in Indore from June 12 to 13 under India's presidency. A three-day meeting of officials under the BRICS…
Palestinian Embassy appeals to India for $100 million medical aid under Aarogya Maitri project
Key Updates:
- The Embassy of the State of Palestine to the Republic of India has requested the Government of India for life-saving medical supplies valued at 100 million USD.
- The appeal seeks assistance under the Aarogya Maitri humanitarian initiative, a project announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide essential medical supplies to developing countries affected by natural disasters or humanitarian crises.
- Data from the World Health Organization (WHO) indicates that only 19 out of 36 hospitals in the Gaza Strip remain partially operational.
- In the West Bank, 180 out of 520 essential medicines are completely unavailable, including 50 out of 97 medicines specialised for cancer and tumour treatment.
- The embassy cited reports from the WHO, United Nations (UN), and United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) estimating that 12,000 bodies are trapped under rubble.
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India dispatched the first tranche of medical supplies and protective kits to the African Centre for Diseases Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) in response to the Ebola public health emergency. The World Health…
Accessible India Campaign: BIS Publishes Six New Standards for Priority Assistive Products (Start of May)
The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) published six new standards for medical assistive technologies under the National List of Essential Assistive Products (NLEAP) initiative of the Indian Council of Medical Research…
Graduate Medical Education Regulations 2023: NMC Proposes 10-Year Limit for MBBS Completion (Start of June)
The National Medical Commission (NMC) has proposed a draft amendment to the Graduate Medical Education Regulations 2023 to extend the maximum duration for completing the MBBS course. The proposal seeks to increase the…
India delivered humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) materials to Afghanistan including kitchen sets, hygiene kits, plastic sheets, tarpaulins, and sleeping bags. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA)…
Indian defence firm SMPP and European major KNDS sign teaming agreement for loitering munitions production in India
Key Updates:
- Indian defence manufacturer SMPP signed a teaming agreement with European defence major KNDS (formed through the merger of France's Nexter and Germany's Krauss-Maffei Wegmann) to manufacture advanced loitering munitions in India.
- The agreement was signed at the Eurosatory defence exhibition in Paris and covers KNDS' VELOCE and RODEUR loitering munition systems along with the ISTAR family of drones.
- The partnership includes technology transfer and indigenous manufacturing under the government's Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives.
- The systems are designed for precision strikes using a hybrid navigation architecture combining multi-constellation Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers with Inertial Navigation Systems (INS), and feature a fire-and-forget capability.
- This partnership builds on an earlier agreement signed at the Milipol exhibition in Paris in November 2025 to manufacture the KATANA 155-mm precision-guided artillery munition.
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Indian Army releases Technology Roadmap for Unmanned Aerial Systems and Loitering Munitions (Start of April)
Lt Gen Rahul R Singh, Deputy Chief of the Army Staff (Capability Development & Sustenance), released the Indian Army’s Technology Roadmap for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and Loitering Munitions (LM). The roadmap aims…
Nibe Limited successfully completed technical trials of the indigenous Vayu Astra-1 loitering munition system designed for precision strikes. The trials for the munition system were conducted at Pokhran in Rajasthan and…
Indian Army receives indigenous kamikaze drones and precision munitions on May 12, 2026 (Mid of May)
The Indian Army received the UAV-Launched Precision Guided Munition (ULPGM) and AGNIKAA VTOL-1 First-Person View (FPV) Kamikaze Drone under emergency procurement (EP-6). Both combat systems were designed and developed by…
Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and France-based Exail have partnered to deliver an advanced Unmanned Mine Counter-Measure (MCM) Suite for the Indian Navy's Mine Counter Measure Vessels (MCMVs) programme. The unmanned MCM suite…
India hosts inaugural BRICS MSME Forum 2026 in Agra on June 19
Key Updates:
- The Union Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) hosted the inaugural BRICS MSME Forum 2026 in Agra on June 19.
- The forum aimed to discuss strategies for strengthening MSME ecosystems, promoting sustainable growth, and enhancing global competitiveness across the BRICS bloc.
- The event followed the 3rd BRICS Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Working Group Meeting.
- Union Minister for MSME Jitan Ram Manjhi reaffirmed India's commitment to strengthening economic cooperation and knowledge exchange within the bloc.
- Key areas identified for collaboration include technology adoption, sustainable manufacturing, digital transformation, skilling, and market access.
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India has initiated a renewed agenda for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) cooperation under its 2026 chairship of BRICS. The Ministry of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) is tasked with organising three…
The 13th BRICS Urbanisation Forum was inaugurated by the Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) on 11 June 2026 at Sushma Swaraj Bhavan, New Delhi. The forum was hosted under India's BRICS Chairship in 2026…
The inaugural convening of the BRICS Academic Forum was hosted by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) in partnership with the Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS) on April 17 and 18, 2026, in…
The 16th BRICS Agriculture Ministers’ Meeting was held in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, on June 12 and 13 under India’s Presidency. The BRICS Network of Centres of Excellence on Agroecology and Regenerative Agriculture will be…
India to commission three indigenously built naval ships in Kolkata
Key Updates:
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi will commission three indigenously built naval ships—Dunagiri, Sanshodhak, and Agray—at Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port in Kolkata.
- The vessels were designed by the Indian Navy's Warship Design Bureau and constructed by the Kolkata-based Defence Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd.
- Dunagiri is a Project 17A stealth frigate equipped with BrahMos surface-to-surface missiles and a medium-range surface-to-air missile system.
- Sanshodhak is a survey vessel designed for coastal and deep-water hydrographic surveys and the collection of oceanographic and geophysical data.
- Agray is an Arnala-class anti-submarine warfare shallow water craft equipped with lightweight torpedoes, indigenous rocket launchers, and shallow-water sonar systems.
- These platforms have indigenous content exceeding 75 per cent, with participation from more than 200 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
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Titagarh Naval Systems launches fourth diving support craft A23 for Indian Navy on 20 April 2026 (End of April)
Titagarh Naval Systems Ltd (TNSL), a subsidiary of Titagarh Rail Systems Ltd, launched the fourth diving support craft (DSC) A23 (Yard 328) for the Indian Navy. The A23 vessel is part of a series of five DSCs being built…
Indian Navy receives delivery of fourth Nilgiri-class stealth frigate Mahendragiri from Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders (MDL) (Start of May)
The Indian Navy has received delivery of Mahendragiri, a Project-17A Nilgiri-class frigate from Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders (MDL). The Nilgiri-class frigates are an improvement over the Project-17 Shivalik-class and are…
India to induct five indigenous naval platforms in June 2026 (Start of June)
The Indian Navy is set to induct five indigenously built naval platforms in June 2026. The new additions comprise two Project 17A stealth frigates (INS Dunagiri and INS Mahendragiri), one large survey vessel, and two…
Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd (GRSE) delivered three frontline platforms to the Indian Navy. The delivered vessels include the guided missile frigate INS Dunagiri, the survey vessel INS Sanshodhak, and the…
Ministry of Defence signs Rs 425 crore contract with Bharat Forge Ltd for Indian Navy generators
Key Updates:
- The Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed a contract worth approximately Rs 425 crore with Bharat Forge Ltd for the procurement of 12 sets of 1.25 MW Marine Gas Turbine Generators.
- The contract for the Indian Navy was signed under the Buy (Indian) category and mandates a minimum indigenous content of 60%.
- The agreement was inked in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh to strengthen domestic manufacturing capabilities in critical naval technologies.
- The marine gas turbine generators are used for power generation on naval warships and support critical combat systems, advanced weapons, and onboard sensors.
- The programme aims to advance the Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India initiatives by establishing indigenous capability and providing end-to-end lifecycle support.
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India Ministry of Defence signs ₹449 crore contract for 20 indigenous ECGNSS jammers for Indian Navy (Mid of June)
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed a ₹449-crore contract for the procurement of 20 Enhanced Capability Global Navigation Satellite System (ECGNSS) Jammers for the Indian Navy. The contract was signed with…
Pune-based Bharat Forge signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Andhra Pradesh government to establish India's first private-sector marine gas turbine Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) and development…
India Ministry of Defence signs Rs 858 crore contracts for Tunguska missile system and P8I aircraft maintenance (End of March)
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed contracts worth a total of Rs 858 crore to enhance the air and maritime defence capabilities of India. A contract valued at Rs 445 crore was signed with JSC Rosoboronexport, Russia…
Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) secures order worth ₹2,000-2,500 crore from Nigeria (Start of June)
Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has secured a significant international contract valued between ₹2,000 crore and ₹2,500 crore. The contract agreement was signed on June 2 with Nigeria's Dangote Petroleum Refinery…
Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) installs reactor pressure vessel at Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) Unit-5
Key Updates:
- The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) completed the installation of the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) at Unit-5 of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) in Tamil Nadu on June 15.
- The installation was supported by Russia's nuclear energy corporation Rosatom, with the RPV manufactured at the Atommash plant of Rosatom's Machine-Building Division in Volgodonsk.
- The RPV weighs approximately 320 tonnes and houses the reactor core where nuclear fission occurs.
- The installation utilised the open-top method, involving a heavy-duty crane to place equipment into the reactor building before the dome is erected.
- Units 3, 4, 5, and 6 are equipped with WWER-1000 reactors, and the plant will have a total installed capacity of 6,000 MWe once all six reactors are operational.
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Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) approves restart of Tarapur Atomic Power Station (TAPS) Unit 2 (Mid of May)
The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) approved the restart and continued operation of Unit 2 at Tarapur Atomic Power Station (TAPS) in the Palghar district of Maharashtra. The approval, granted on May 7, follows a…
India's First Indigenous Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR) Attains Criticality at Kalpakkam (Start of April)
The first indigenous 500-megawatt electric (MWe) Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR) at Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu, has attained criticality. Criticality signifies the initiation of a self-sustaining nuclear fission reaction, a vital…
Titagarh Naval Systems launches fourth diving support craft A23 for Indian Navy on 20 April 2026 (End of April)
Titagarh Naval Systems Ltd (TNSL), a subsidiary of Titagarh Rail Systems Ltd, launched the fourth diving support craft (DSC) A23 (Yard 328) for the Indian Navy. The A23 vessel is part of a series of five DSCs being built…
Russia agreed to build Kazakhstan's first nuclear power plant under a $16.5 billion deal, with an agreement signed on Thursday, May 28, 2026. The plant will be located in the village of Ulken on the shores of Lake…
Central Water Commission (CWC) Reports India's Major Reservoirs at 28.28% Capacity
Key Updates:
- As of 11 June 2026, 166 major reservoirs monitored by the Central Water Commission (CWC) held 51.92 billion cubic metres (bcm) of water, which is 28.28% of the total live storage capacity of 183.56 bcm.
- National reservoir storage is 15.8% above the normal level for the period but 8.17% lower than the 56.53 bcm recorded during the same period last year.
- The eastern region, comprising Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Tripura, and West Bengal, has 27 reservoirs at 21.77% capacity.
- The southern region, including Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, has 47 reservoirs at 20.98% capacity.
- The northern region, covering Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Rajasthan, has 11 reservoirs at 33.64% capacity, while the western region, covering Goa, Gujarat, and Maharashtra, has 53 reservoirs at 31.13% capacity.
- The central region, covering Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, has 28 reservoirs at 35.09% capacity.
- Chandan Dam (Jharkhand), Bhima-Ujani (Maharashtra), Maudaha (Uttar Pradesh), and Nanak Sagar (Uttarakhand) reservoirs recorded zero storage compared with normal levels.
- Other reservoirs with low storage include Bhadra (3.17%), Kabini (17.08%), Vaigai (10.88%), Krishnaraja Sagar (33.47%), and Tungabhadra (36.53%).
- Storage is above normal in the Ganga, Indus, Narmada, Tapi, Mahi, Sabarmati, Godavari, Brahmaputra, Pennar, Mahanadi, Kutch, Saurashtra, and Luni basins.
- Storage is close to normal in the Krishna, Cauvery, Brahmani-Baitarani, and Subarnarekha basins, but below normal in the Barak basin and east-flowing rivers between the Mahanadi and Pennar.
- Nine out of 20 hydropower project reservoirs have water levels at or below normal.
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Central Water Commission (CWC) reports water storage in 166 reservoirs falls below 40 per cent (Mid of May)
The Central Water Commission (CWC) monitors the live storage of 166 reservoirs in India with a total live storage capacity of 183.565 billion cubic meters (BCM). According to the CWC bulletin dated April 30, 2026, the…
ICRA has lowered India's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth estimate for FY27 to 6.2 per cent from an earlier projection of 6.5 per cent. For FY26, ICRA projects GDP growth at 7.5 per cent, which is marginally lower…
Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Limited (ISPRL) and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) signed a Strategic Collaboration Agreement to store up to 30 million barrels of crude oil in India's Strategic Petroleum…
Morgan Stanley (MS) cuts India FY27 GDP growth forecast to 6.2% on Gulf conflict supply shocks (Start of April)
Morgan Stanley lowered India’s FY27 GDP growth forecast by 30 basis points to 6.2%. Crude oil price assumption raised to $95 per barrel amid Gulf conflict.
Ladakh Bans Single-Use Plastics to Protect Fragile Ecosystem
Key Updates:
- The Union Territory of Ladakh has announced a ban on single-use plastics to protect its fragile ecology and landscapes.
- Random inspections for banned plastic items will be conducted at Leh Airport and border entry points.
- An environmental penalty of ₹10,000 will be imposed on individuals, commercial establishments, and institutions for using, selling, or storing banned single-use plastics.
- Littering in public places within the region will attract a fine of ₹5,000.
- Field-level officials authorised to detect violations and issue challans include Block Development Officers (BDOs), Tehsildars, Municipal Officers, Foresters, and Forest Guards.
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Australian Student Angelina Arora Develops Biodegradable Plastic from Prawn Shells and Silk Proteins (Mid of June)
Australian researcher Angelina Arora developed a sustainable alternative to single-use plastics using a combination of prawn shells and silk proteins. The production process involves isolating chitin from waste shells…
Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena approved the constitution of the Snow leopard and High-Altitude Nature (SHAN) conservation society in Ladakh. SHAN will operate under the Department of Environment and Forests…
FSSAI Draft Notification: Ban on Plastic and Metallised Layers in Pan Masala Packaging (End of April)
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued a draft notification proposing that pan masala packaging should not use plastic material or metal layers. The proposed regulation prohibits the use of…
Centre proposes first-ever Tar-balls Management Rules 2026 under polluter pays principle (Start of April)
The Union government has for the first time proposed dedicated Tar-balls Management Rules 2026 to manage weathered oil residue polluting India’s western coast. Tar balls are sticky lumps formed by weathering of oil from…
Tamil Nadu establishes five renewable energy zones for faster project clearances
Key Updates:
- Tamil Nadu proposed to establish five renewable energy zones in Chennai, Tiruchirappalli, Tirunelveli, Coimbatore, and Madurai under the Tamil Nadu Green Energy Corporation Limited.
- The administrative restructuring aims to accelerate battery energy storage system projects and solar projects including PM-KUSUM and PM Rooftop Solar scheme.
- The move is part of the state's objective to increase green power generation by 2030, as stated by Energy Resources Minister C T R Nirmal Kumar.
- The restructuring follows a directive from Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay and will dissolve existing Non-Conventional Energy Sources (NCES) offices in Udumalpet and Tirunelveli.
- A separate project implementation and monitoring centre has been created in Chennai to strengthen the operations of the five zones.
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The Tamil Nadu government released a State-level standard operating procedure (SOP) on June 4, 2026, to scale up cool roof coatings across homes, schools, and public buildings. Launched on June 5 to mark World…
Adani Green Energy Ltd (AGEL) has commissioned a cumulative 3.37 Gigawatt-hour (GWh) battery energy storage system (BESS) at Khavda in Gujarat. The BESS at Khavda is the world's largest single-location battery storage…
Green Energy Corridor Plan: ₹22,000 Crore Outlay (Start of June)
Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu unveiled a ₹22,000 crore green energy corridor plan to integrate 18 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy into the Andhra Pradesh power grid. The plan includes 11 GW of solar power and…
Tamil Nadu Crop Loan Waiver: ₹5,932 Crore Outlay (Mid of June)
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay announced a full waiver of crop loans up to ₹75,000 for farmers who availed loans through cooperative banks. The waiver is applicable for loans availed from May 1, 2025, to…
Amaravati Quantum Valley (AQV) achieves 4 Kelvin milestone for indigenous quantum hardware
Key Updates:
- The Amaravati Quantum Valley (AQV) successfully reached a temperature of 4 Kelvin (-269°C) using a dilution refrigerator at the Quantum Reference Facility in Medha Towers, Andhra Pradesh.
- The project was initiated following a September 2025 assessment presented to Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Information Technology (IT) minister Nara Lokesh, indicating that 85% of quantum computing components could be developed indigenously.
- In April 2026, the AQV partnered with Qbit Force and Qubitech to establish India’s first Quantum Reference Facilities at Medha Towers and SRM University for advanced hardware testing.
- The 4 Kelvin environment enables the characterisation of superconducting devices, quantum sensors, cryogenic electronics, single-photon detectors, microwave systems, quantum communication components, and advanced quantum materials.
- According to the Amaravati Quantum Mission (AQM), the facility will continue cooling towards ultra-low millikelvin temperatures to facilitate the development of advanced superconducting quantum processors.
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Amaravati Quantum Reference Facilities (AQRF) launched to build India’s first sovereign quantum hardware ecosystem (Mid of April)
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu inaugurated the Amaravati Quantum Reference Facilities (AQRF) in Amaravati. AQRF comprises Amaravati 1S located at a private college and Amaravati 1Q located at Medha…
Andhra Pradesh unveils India’s first open-access quantum computer test beds at Amaravati Quantum Valley (Mid of April)
Andhra Pradesh launched two open-access quantum computer test beds under the Amaravati Quantum Valley project. The 1Q test bed is located at Medha Towers and the 1S test bed at SRM University, Amaravati.
Global Helium Shortage Impacts Indian Healthcare, Semiconductor, and Aerospace Sectors (End of March)
Supply disruptions from Qatar, one of the largest global producers, have caused helium spot prices to double since the start of the West Asia crisis. Liquid helium is critical for healthcare diagnostic chains as it cools…
Abhay Karandikar is the secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DST). He announced the 1,000-km quantum communication milestone under the National Quantum Mission.
H5N1 avian influenza detected in Australia for first time
Key Updates:
- The H5N1 avian influenza (H5N1) was detected in a brown skua bird on a remote beach at Cape Le Grand National Park near Esperance, Western Australia.
- This detection marks the first time the deadly H5 variant has reached mainland Australia, making Australia the last continent to be affected globally.
- A second bird, a southern petrel, was found exhausted on an Esperance beach and returned a suspected positive result for avian influenza.
- Australia committed $95 million in October 2025 for biosecurity, environmental and public health funding to prepare for an H5 bird flu incursion.
- Federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins confirmed the positive result on 20 June 2026, and the Consultative Committee for Emergency Animal Disease convened to coordinate the response.
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Usutu Virus Detected in Scotland for First Time (Mid of June)
The African-origin Usutu virus was identified in blackbirds in Scotland for the first time in April. The primary vector for the Usutu virus is the brown-grey Culex pipiens mosquito, which is most active in warm…
Myrtle rust is caused by the fungus Austropuccinia psidii and was first detected in Australia in 2010. The fungus affects species in the Myrtaceae family, including paperbarks, eucalypts, and bottlebrushes, threatening…
Cyclone Narelle turns Australia’s skies red on March 28 (End of March)
Cyclone Narelle triggered a powerful dust storm that turned skies blood red over Shark Bay and Denham in Western Australia on March 28. The cyclone reached Category 4 intensity with wind gusts surpassing 200 km/h.
Tagged Sanderling completes 7,472 km Australia-to-Andamans migration (Start of April)
A Sanderling tagged on 13 April 2025 at Brown Bay, South Australia, was photographed on Narcondam Island, Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The bird covered 7,472 km in just over two months before being spotted in June 2025.
15-Million-Year-Old Marine Fossils Discovered in Odisha's Mayurbhanj District
Key Updates:
- Marine fossils approximately 15 million years old were discovered in the Mayurbhanj district of Odisha.
- The fossils were unearthed from the Baripada Fossil Bed, which stretches from Dera in the Kuliana block to Pratappur in the Badasahi block.
- The remains are dated to the Miocene epoch, indicating that present-day Baripada and surrounding areas were once submerged under a shallow marine environment.
- The fossil assemblage includes shark teeth, vertebrae, fish bones, mollusc shells, and microscopic marine organisms.
- Researchers from Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanja Deo (MSCB) University stated that this is the only known site in Odisha where Miocene-age fossils have been found.
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4.5-million-year-old freshwater fish fossils discovered in Shivalik foothills near Dehradun (Start of April)
Scientists led by the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG) unearthed otoliths of snakehead (Channa sp.), goby (Gobiidae indet.), and gourami (Trichogaster fasciata) in the Shivalik foothills near Mohand, Dehradun.…
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced that the Bhima Mandali caves in the Rairakhol sub-division of Sambalpur, Odisha, will be developed into a premier global heritage destination. The caves are situated…
The Odisha government announced free and universal education from kindergarten to postgraduate (KG to PG) level. The decision is expected to benefit more than 10 lakh students, particularly those from economically…
U.N. Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) COP15 adds 40 species to global protection list (Start of April)
The U.N. Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) COP15 summit concluded in Campo Verde, Brazil, with representatives from 132 countries and the European Union. CMS Parties approved…
Egyptian Scientists Discover Bacteria Capable of Degrading Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Microplastics
Key Updates:
- Egyptian scientists have identified bacterial strains capable of breaking down Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) microplastics, which are traditionally difficult to recycle.
- The research, published in the National Library of Medicine, involved isolating bacteria from soil exposed to long-term plastic contamination.
- The bacterial strain Stutzerimonas sp. NH2 was found to reduce the weight of PVC microplastics by more than 23 per cent.
- Another bacterium, Glutamicibacter nicotinae NH27, also demonstrated degradation activity, although at a lower level than Stutzerimonas sp. NH2.
- A consortium combining both Stutzerimonas sp. NH2 and Glutamicibacter nicotinae NH27 achieved a higher weight reduction of nearly 27 per cent.
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Researchers engineered Escherichia coli (E coli) to convert discarded polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic into levodopa. The study was published in Nature Sustainability.
Scientists Identify Extracellular RNA (exRNA) Persistence in Disinfected Drinking Water (End of March)
A study published in the journal Clean Water on 28 March 2026 reported that extracellular RNA (exRNA) from bacteria can persist in disinfected drinking water. Researchers found that analysing exRNA allows for the…
Researchers discovered a diverse community of microbes living in complete darkness hundreds of metres beneath the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica. A 2022 study published in Nature Communications revealed that these…
EU Parliament tightens water pollution standards to curb PFAS, microplastics and pharmaceuticals (Start of April)
The European Union (EU) Parliament approved updated water pollution standards on 26 March 2026. The updated lists add Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), pharmaceuticals such as painkillers, industrial…
Nilgiris District Administration and Department of Horticulture (DoH) Launch Native Fruit Tree Revival Initiative
Key Updates:
- The Nilgiris district administration and the Department of Horticulture (DoH) have launched a project to revive and promote the cultivation of native fruit trees in the region.
- One acre of land at the pomological station in Coonoor has been specifically dedicated to the cultivation of native species such as wild figs, monkey fruit, wild guavas, and jamuns.
- The initiative focuses on the propagation of Eleocarpus tectorius, commonly known as Vikki fruits, alongside other native ornamental and flowering tree species found in the Nilgiris.
- District Collector Lakshmi Bhavya Tanneeru inaugurated the programme on June 17 and visited local orchards that cultivate peaches, plums, pears, grapes, oranges, and lemons.
- The DoH aims to increase local bird diversity through the planting of these native fruiting trees and provides guidance to farmers for the production of indigenous saplings.
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Climate change endangers Karnataka’s GI-tagged Appemidi mango (Start of April)
Appemidi mango received Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2009. A 30-km conservation march from Sarakuli village to Unchalli Falls assessed tree status during 30 March-1 April.
Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare projects horticulture production at 3,777.76 lakh tonne (Mid of June)
The Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DAFW) projects India's horticulture production to reach 3,777.76 lakh tonne in 2025-26, marking a 1.9 per cent increase over the previous year. The area under…
The Government of India (GoI) is implementing the National Mission on Edible Oils–Oil Palm (NMEO-OP) to enhance domestic production and reduce reliance on imported edible oils. Oil palm cultivation is currently being…
Assam's Nari Shakti Plantation Drive: 1 Crore Trees Target (Start of June)
Assam is conducting a community-led environmental initiative on World Environment Day to plant one crore trees across the state. The drive involves 35 lakh women from self-help groups (SHGs) to spearhead grassroots…
Rare Mishmi Takin Sighted in Sikkim
Key Updates:
- Rare Mishmi takins, a unique group of goat-antelopes, were spotted at Bakuchaang in Sikkim by staff from the Tourism and Forest departments.
- The species is distributed across the Eastern Himalayan landscapes of India, China, and Myanmar.
- In India, the Mishmi takin is primarily associated with Arunachal Pradesh, although it is occasionally seen in other Himalayan regions.
- The animal is adapted to extreme climates with thick fur and an oily skin coating that serves as a natural shield against rain, snow, and fog.
- Their natural habitats include mountain forests, bamboo-covered areas, alpine grasslands, and rocky landscapes.
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President Draupadi Murmu conferred the President's Police Colour on the Sikkim Police at Paljor Stadium in Gangtok. Sikkim is the 15th state in India and the third in the northeast to receive this award.
A rare wild cat species known as Caracal was spotted in Kuno National Park (KNP) located in the Sheopur district of Madhya Pradesh. The sighting of the Caracal occurred during a recent camera trap survey, marking the…
The rare dragonfly species known as the Long-tailed Duskhawker (Gynacantha khasiaca) was rediscovered in Arunachal Pradesh after a period of 110 years. The species was spotted inside the Namdapha National Park and Tiger…
A rare white female albino Himalayan tahr was recorded in the Dharol beat of Thanari Goth within the Kugti Wildlife Sanctuary at Bharmour in Chamba district. The Chamba Wildlife Division posted a video of the albino tahr…
Yarsagumba: The Himalayan Gold fungus driving Nepal’s mountain economy
Key Updates:
- Yarsagumba, also known as Keeda Jadi or caterpillar fungus, is a unique combination of a parasitic fungus and the larvae of ghost moths.
- The rare fungus is found in the Himalayan regions of Nepal, Tibet, and parts of India at altitudes exceeding 4,000 metres above sea level.
- Highly valued in traditional Chinese medicine for improving stamina and boosting immunity, the fungus can fetch prices up to ₹20 lakh per kg in international markets.
- The annual harvesting season for this natural resource typically occurs between May and July in districts such as Dolpa, Mugu, Jumla, and Darchula.
- The biological process involves the fungus mummifying the underground caterpillar and sprouting a thin stalk above the soil surface for collection.
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Pohela Boishakh 2026 falls on April 15 (Mid of April)
Pohela Boishakh 2026 will be celebrated on April 15. The Sankranti Moment on Pohela Boishakh is 09:39 AM on April 14, according to Drik Panchang.
The Adi community celebrated Etor Gidi, a traditional agro-based festival, on May 15, 2026. Etor Gidi marks the start of the farming season and involves rituals for a bountiful harvest.
Gujarat Achieves 100% Rural Household Tap Water Coverage under Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) (End of May)
The Gujarat government implemented the Nal Se Jal mission to provide clean drinking water to remote villages in the Dang district. The state's efforts are aligned with the Central Government's Har Ghar Jal initiative.
Union Minister for the Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) Jyotiraditya Scindia and the Chief Minister of Tripura launched 'Mission Queen Pineapple' with an outlay of ₹236 crore. The mission is a three-year…
West Bengal Government to Establish Two Dolphin Parks Along Hooghly River
Key Updates:
- The West Bengal government plans to set up two dolphin parks along the Hooghly river to conserve aquatic biodiversity and develop eco-tourism.
- The project will be implemented by the state government in coordination with the Central Government.
- One of the proposed dolphin parks is planned to be developed at Contai in West Bengal.
- The initiative was announced by the State Urban Development & Municipal Affairs Minister, Agnimitra Paul.
- Union Minister of Jal Shakti C R Paatil also announced plans to establish five additional sewerage treatment plants in the city.
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Shyam Metalics has proposed a total investment of ₹20,000 crore in West Bengal, of which ₹10,000 crore is already committed to ongoing projects. The company is investing ₹4,000 crore to set up a specialty steel and wagon…
Hazaribag district has been identified as the first and only pearl farming cluster in India by the Government of India (GoI). The fisheries department is developing Hazaribag into a model pearl hub at the national level.
The Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) has deployed armed village defence volunteers and personnel from Bangladesh Ansar and the Village Defence Party at more than a dozen spots along the international border in West Bengal…
West Bengal to implement Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) with health cover up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year (Start of June)
West Bengal will become the 36th State/UT to implement Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) on June 8. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will be signed between the National Health Authority…
Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-National Metallurgical Laboratory (CSIR-NML) signs MoU with R2E Greentech for Li-Ion battery recycling
Key Updates:
- The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-National Metallurgical Laboratory (CSIR-NML), Jamshedpur, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with New Delhi-based M/s R2E Greentech Pvt Ltd.
- The agreement is for the transfer and commercialisation of an indigenous technology developed for the recycling of end-of-life lithium-ion batteries.
- The technology developed by CSIR-NML enables the recovery of lithium, cobalt, manganese, nickel, copper, aluminium, and graphite from spent batteries.
- These recovered materials are critical for battery manufacturing, electric vehicles, electronics, energy storage, and clean energy applications.
- The initiative aims to strengthen India's circular economy and resource security by providing secondary resources for strategic metals like lithium and cobalt, which are currently largely imported.
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Rocklink India, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Germany-based Rocklink Group, has set up its first integrated recycling facility in the Uttar Pradesh State Industrial Development Corporation (UPSIDC) Industrial Area in…
Rocklink India Establishes Lithium-ion Battery and Rare Earth Recycling Facility in Uttar Pradesh (End of April)
Rocklink India Pvt. Ltd. has established an integrated recycling facility for lithium-ion batteries and rare earth magnets at the Uttar Pradesh State Industrial Development Corporation (UPSIDC) Industrial Area in…
India and the European Union (EU) launched a ₹169 crore (€15.2 million) joint programme to enhance electric vehicle (EV) battery recycling capacity and recover critical raw materials. The initiative was announced under…
Centre approves 58 companies under critical mineral recycling incentive scheme with ₹1,500 crore outlay (Start of May)
The Ministry of Mines approved 58 companies for participation under the incentive scheme for promotion of critical mineral recycling. The scheme has an outlay of ₹1,500 crore and is part of the National Critical Mineral…
India Ranks 11th Globally in Physical Climate Risk Exposure for Planned Data Centres
Key Updates:
- The Cross Dependency Initiative (XDI) released a report titled 2026 Global Analysis of Planned Data Centres for Physical Climate Risk and Resilience.
- India ranks 11th globally in terms of physical climate risk exposure for planned data centres.
- Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Karnataka are among the world's most vulnerable locations for climate-related operational disruptions to planned data centres.
- More than 75 per cent of planned data centre assets in India, Brazil, Mexico, and Indonesia face high operational disruption risk from heat stress.
- Out of 2,595 planned data centres assessed globally, 154 were categorised as high risk in 2026 under low-resilience construction standards.
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Cushman & Wakefield ranks India as the second-largest data center market in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region with 1.6 GW of operational capacity. India is among the top three markets by development pipeline with 3.1 GW…
Meta Platforms partners with Reliance Industries Limited for AI data centre in Jamnagar (Mid of June)
Meta Platforms has partnered with Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) to lease a 168 MW AI-ready data centre in Jamnagar, Gujarat. The Jamnagar facility will be powered by renewable energy, cooled with desalinated…
Uber has partnered with the Adani Group to establish its first data centre in India. The data centre project is scheduled to be ready later this year to test and deploy Uber's technology.
Pixxel has partnered with Sarvam to develop and build Pathfinder, which is India’s first orbital data centre satellite. The Pathfinder is a 200 kg-class satellite scheduled for launch as early as the fourth quarter (Q4)…
Nationwide mock drill conducted ahead of NEET-UG 2026 re-examination on June 21
Key Updates:
- The National Testing Agency (NTA) conducted a nationwide mock drill for the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination.
- More than 2.5 lakh security personnel participated in the drill across examination centres nationwide.
- Over 5,000 examination centres will be under CCTV surveillance with a three-layer security arrangement.
- The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) issued a blocking order for Telegram, which was upheld by the Delhi High Court.
- The NEET-UG 2026 re-examination will be held on June 21 for over 22 lakh candidates.
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Centre blocks Telegram till June 22 under Section 69A of IT Act to secure NEET-UG re-examination (Mid of June)
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) issued a direction under Section 69A of the IT Act to restrict access to the messaging app Telegram across India until June 22. A second order from MeitY…
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) announced the development of four greenfield "Namo Cities" (Namo Nodes) in the National Capital Region (NCR), with one city each in Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and…
Indian Army to host inaugural edition of multilateral exercise 'Pragati' in Meghalaya (End of April)
The Indian Army is hosting the inaugural edition of the multilateral exercise 'Pragati'. The exercise is being conducted at the Foreign Training Node in Umroi, Meghalaya.
Indian Army to host 11 nations for inaugural edition of exercise Pragati in Meghalaya (End of April)
The Indian Army is hosting the inaugural edition of the multilateral exercise 'Pragati'. The exercise is being conducted at the Foreign Training Node in Umroi, Meghalaya.
Jonathan the tortoise nominated for Guinness World Records Icons list 2026
Key Updates:
- Jonathan, a Seychelles giant tortoise residing on Saint Helena island, holds the dual titles of the world's oldest-known land animal and the world's oldest turtle.
- Estimated to have been born around 1832, the tortoise is approximately 194 years old and has been nominated for the Guinness World Records (GWR) Icons list for 2026.
- Jonathan arrived on Saint Helena Island, a British Overseas Territory in the South Atlantic Ocean, in 1882.
- He currently lives in the garden of Plantation House, which is the official home of the Governor of Saint Helena Island.
- Researchers are studying Jonathan's DNA to better understand the ageing process, as giant tortoise cells function differently from human cells.
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The Beyond EPICA project aims to retrieve continuous Antarctic ice cores dating back as early as 1.5 million years ago. The drilling operation is conducted by the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) at Little Dome C in East…
India Pushes Ethical Scientific Research as Government Hosts National Conference on Laboratory Animal Welfare (Mid of May)
The Committee for Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals (CCSEA), under the Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAHD), organised the National Conference on 'Laboratory Animal Welfare: Policies and Best…
World Day for Laboratory Animals observed on April 24 (End of April)
World Day for Laboratory Animals, also known as World Day for Animals in Laboratories or World Lab Animal Day, is observed annually on April 24. The day was established in 1979 by the National Anti-Vivisection Society…
Ishank Singh, a 7-year-old boy from Ranchi, Jharkhand, swam 29 km across the Palk Strait in 9 hours and 50 minutes on April 30. He began his swim at Talaimannar in Sri Lanka and finished at Dhanushkodi in Tamil Nadu.
International Day of Yoga to be observed on June 21, 2026
Key Updates:
- The International Festival of Yoga and Meditation 2026 is being organised across Ladakh from June 15 to 21 to mark the 12th United Nations (UN) International Day of Yoga.
- The National Institute of Sowa Rigpa (NISR), Leh, in collaboration with the Mahabodhi International Meditation Centre, organised a seminar on the Integration of Yoga for Public Health.
- Major attractions of the festival include special Yoga sessions at the Siachen Base Camp and Pangong Lake to showcase the region's landscape and promote wellness.
- The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs conducted a Yoga workshop at the Parliament House Annexe in New Delhi, led by Dr. Ramesh Kumar from Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri National Sanskrit University.
- Former Director of the Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga, Dr. Ishwar V. Basavaraddi, and NISR Director Dr. Padma Gurmet highlighted the role of Yoga in preventive healthcare.
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The Ministry of Ayush (MoA) launched the Yoga Park Portal in Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh, to transform public parks and public spaces into community wellness hubs for yoga, meditation and preventive healthcare. The portal…
The main celebration of the International Day of Yoga 2026 will be held in Kolkata on June 21. The theme for the 2026 observance is Yoga for Healthy Ageing.
The 12th International Day of Yoga (IDY) will be observed on June 21. The Ministry of Ayush announced Yoga for Healthy Ageing as the theme for IDY 2026.
International Day of Yoga (IDY) observed on June 21 (End of May)
The 12th International Day of Yoga (IDY) will be observed on 21 June 2026. The IDY was adopted by the United Nations (UN) in 2014 following an initiative by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Over 1.8 lakh pedestrians killed in road crashes in India between 2019 and 2024
Key Updates:
- More than 1.8 lakh pedestrians were killed in road crashes across India between 2019 and 2024, averaging over 30,500 deaths annually.
- The National Highway (NH) network accounted for nearly 31% of all pedestrian fatalities recorded during this five-year period.
- Data from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) reveals that collisions with two-wheelers and cars caused nearly 54% of pedestrian deaths in 2024, claiming 19,680 lives.
- Tamil Nadu recorded the highest number of pedestrian deaths in 2024 with 4,712 fatalities, followed by Bihar (4,149), Maharashtra (3,344), and West Bengal (3,241).
- The Supreme Court (SC) affirmed that the right to use footpaths is guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution, citing standards prescribed by the Indian Roads Congress (IRC).
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Rapido has partnered with the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) to support the Government of India's Rahveer Scheme. The Rahveer Scheme is designed to encourage citizens and bystanders to provide timely…
The Supreme Court (SC) declared the right to safe road travel as part of the right to life guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution of India. The order was issued on April 13 by a Bench comprising Justice JK…
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), in partnership with Vertis Foundation, is expanding 'Project Saksham' to provide vocational training and employment to rural women and underserved youth. The initiative…
World Day for Safety and Health at Work observed on 28 April (End of April)
World Day for Safety and Health at Work is observed annually on 28 April to promote safe, healthy and decent work. The day has been observed by the International Labour Organization (ILO) since 2003.
Vivek Aggarwal elected as Vice President of Financial Action Task Force (FATF)
Key Updates:
- Vivek Aggarwal has been elected as the Vice President of the FATF, an intergovernmental organisation that formulates global standards to combat money laundering and terrorist financing.
- Aggarwal is a 1994-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Madhya Pradesh cadre and currently serves as the Secretary in the Ministry of Culture, Government of India (GoI).
- He previously served as the head of the Indian delegation to the FATF and as the Director of the Financial Intelligence Unit-India (FIU-IND).
- Before assuming his current role in April 2025, he was the Additional Secretary in the Department of Revenue under the Ministry of Finance, where he managed matters related to the Goods and Services Tax (GST).
- He has also served as Additional Secretary and Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, leading national initiatives such as PM-KISAN, Digital Agriculture, and the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund.
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Banwarilal Purohit Elected President of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (Start of June)
Banwarilal Purohit was unanimously elected as the president of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan on June 7. Deepak Parekh was elected as the vice president of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.
CP Radhakrishnan Released Book as Vice President (Mid of June)
Vice President CP Radhakrishnan released a book titled Agatthiyar – The Unifier. The book release event took place at Uprashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.
Sahdev Yadav was elected unanimously as the president of the South Asian Weightlifting Federation (SAWF) during a meeting held in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, on May 12. Yadav currently serves as the president of the Indian…
R Mukundan, Managing Director and CEO of Tata Chemicals, was elected President of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) for 2026-27. Mukundan succeeds Rajiv Memani as the President of CII.
Jainendra K Jain Receives Wolf Prize in Physics
Key Updates:
- Indian-origin theoretical physicist Jainendra K Jain received the Wolf Prize in Physics for his discovery of composite fermions, which provided an explanation for the fractional quantum Hall effect.
- The award was presented by Israeli President Isaac Herzog at a state ceremony held in the Knesset in Jerusalem.
- Jainendra K Jain, an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, is the first person of Indian origin to receive the Wolf Prize in Physics.
- Professor Venkatesan Sundaresan was also honoured with the Wolf Prize in Agriculture for his discoveries in plant genetics and crop improvement.
- Other Indian-origin laureates of the Wolf Prize mentioned include Dr Gurdev Singh Khush for Agriculture and conductor Zubin Mehta for Music.
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Yáng Shuāng-zǐ and translator Lin King won the International Booker Prize 2026 for the novel Taiwan Travelogue, which was originally published in Mandarin Chinese in 2020. The £50,000 prize money is divided equally…
Andhra Pradesh Community Managed Natural Farming (APCNF) wins 2026 Food Planet Prize on June 04, 2026 (Start of June)
The Andhra Pradesh Community Managed Natural Farming (APCNF) programme won the 2026 Food Planet Prize, presented by the Curt Bergfors Foundation in Båstad, Sweden. The APCNF received a prize amount of $1.5 million…
Shubhankar Sharma wins inaugural Boulders Classic 2026 (Mid of April)
Shubhankar Sharma won the inaugural edition of the Boulders Classic golf tournament held in Hyderabad. The victory ended an eight-year title drought for the 29-year-old Indian golfer.
Vibhor Jain assumed charge as managing director and chief executive officer of Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) on 7 April. He had been serving as acting CEO after former CEO Thampy Koshy quit in April last year…