Current Affairs 2026
Latest News 2026: Comprehensive National, International, and Technology Highlights
Stay updated with the ultimate 2026 news roundup, covering extensive details across national initiatives, international affairs, polity, defense, science and technology, sports, and more. This meticulously organized report provides an in-depth look at the policies, events, and milestones shaping India and the world—perfect for BPSC Guru aspirants.
National News
- The World Buddhist Peace Conference 2026: Hyderabad and Buddhavanam (Telangana).
- Samrat Samprati Museum: inaugurated by PM Modi; Koba, Gandhinagar; showcases Jain heritage; promotes digitization of ancient manuscripts; Houses largest Jain manuscripts in India.
- Sadhana Saptah 2026: Nationwide capacity-building initiative under Mission Karmayogi, April 2 to April 8, 2026 to improve skills and efficiency of government employees.
- Raja Ravi Varma’s “Yashoda and Krishna” painting sold for ₹167.2 crore, becoming the most expensive Indian artwork ever sold at auction, surpassing M.F. Husain’s Gram Yatra (₹118 crore).
- NCERT Declared ‘Deemed to be University’ by MoE. It can now independently design courses, conduct research, and award its own degrees.
- Poshan Pakhwada 2026: Ahilyanagar district, Maharashtra topped in India.
- India’s First Petroglyph Conservation Park: at Sindhu Ghat in Leh, Ladakh.
- International Film Festival of Delhi 2026: 1st edition, held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi; Rekha Gupta inaugurated; Focus Country: Spain; Opening Film- Sirat; Closing Film- Amoeba.
- Blood Centres: India set a goal to establish at least one blood centre in every district by December 2026.
Quick Revision Quiz
Which museum inaugurated by PM Modi houses India’s largest collection of Jain manuscripts?
Answer: Samrat Samprati Museum in Koba, Gandhinagar.
What is the target date set by India to establish at least one blood centre in every district?
Answer: December 2026.
Which district topped in India during Poshan Pakhwada 2026?
Answer: Ahilyanagar district, Maharashtra.
International Affairs
- One Health Summit 2026: held from April 5 to 7, 2026, in Lyon, France, under the G7 Presidency; Theme- “Ecosystems, plants, animals, and humans: An action and solutions summit to better the health of all life and the planet”. Coincided with World Health Day on 7 April. Hosted by France under its G7 Presidency.
- Quadripartite: Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). WHO assumed chairship.
- Launched Global One Health Diagnostics Access Compact.
- First BRICS Health Working Group (HWG) Meeting 2026: held under the chairship of India in a virtual format under the BRICS framework for 2026.
- New Priorities Proposed by India: BRICS Mission for Healthy Lifestyles & Mental Health and Wellness Promotion.
- Indian Ocean Conference (IOC): 9th edition concluded in Port Louis (Mauritius) under the theme “Collective Stewardship for Indian Ocean Governance”. Organizers: India Foundation, in association with MEA (India) and Mauritius. First time being hosted in Africa. Jaishankar outlined 5 strategic pillars. Singapore hosted the first in 2016.
- BRICS–MENA (Middle East & North Africa) Meeting: New Delhi, ended without joint consensus over West Asia and Israel–Palestine issues; India issued a Chair’s Statement instead.
- WTO’s 14th Ministerial Conference: Yaounde (Cameroon) ended without consensus on the ecommerce moratorium, with India opposing transparency norms used for trade retaliation. India continued to demand a permanent solution for Public Stockholding for food security to protect its MSP.
- UNFCCC COP33 2028 Bid: India withdrew its bid to host leaving South Korea as the only contender in Asia-Pacific (S.Korea will also host G20 in 2028); Bid originally announced by PM Modi at COP28 Dubai (2023); COP30 (2025) – Brazil; COP31(2026)- Turkiye & Australia (Turkiye- Physical host; Australia- President of Negotiations), COP32 (2027) – Ethiopia (First LDCs).
- India hosted COP 8 in 2002 (Only once).
- UAE Exit from OPEC & OPEC+: UAE to exit OPEC and OPEC+ from 1 May 2026; 3rd largest OPEC producer after Saudi & Iraq.
- OPEC: founded in 1960 at Baghdad by Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia & Venezuela; UAE joined OPEC in 1967; after its exit, OPEC has 11 active members remaining- Algeria, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela.
- OPEC+: formed in 2016, combining OPEC with 10 non-OPEC oil producers – Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Brunei, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Oman, Russia, South Sudan, Sudan.
- India-New Zealand FTA: Signed on 27 April 2026 in Delhi by Piyush Goyal & Todd McClay. India’s 2nd largest trading partner in Oceania.
- Tariff Elimination: New Zealand eliminated duties on 100% of Indian exports. India reduced or removed tariffs on 70% covering 95% imports from New Zealand. India excluded dairy & sensitive farm products. New Zealand committed to a USD 20 billion investment in India over the next 15 years.
- India–Japan AI Strategic Dialogue: India and Japan held their first AI Strategic Dialogue in Mumbai to enhance cooperation in emerging technologies and digital innovation.
- India–Egypt Defence Meet: 11th Joint Defence Committee (JDC) meeting held in Cairo.
- Adopted a 2026–27 roadmap for deeper defence cooperation.
- Focus on co-production of defence systems and military collaboration.
- Formal Navy-to-Navy talks launched to strengthen maritime security and trade routes.
- India–South Korea Partnership: Talks held between PM Modi and President Lee Jae Myung in Delhi.
- Both countries set a target to double bilateral trade from USD 27 billion to USD 54 billion by 2030.
- CEPA upgrade talks accelerated; “India–Korea Digital Bridge” launched for AI & semiconductors.
- Plans for Korean industrial township in India, K-pop hub in Mumbai & Friendship Festival in 2028.
- South Korea joined the International Solar Alliance and Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI); India to join the Global Green Growth Institute.
- India and China held their first bilateral talks under the SCO in April 2026.
- India and Russia operationalised the RELOS agreement, enabling mutual access to military bases, ports, and air facilities in peace and war.
- India deployed the Aarogya Maitri Project in Jamaica to strengthen humanitarian and health cooperation with Caribbean countries.
- Rajnath Singh attended the SCO Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
- India and Austria launched a Fast-Track Mechanism (FTM) to boost trade and economic cooperation.
- India and Azerbaijan resumed high-level engagement through the 6th Foreign Office Consultations (first since 2022), marking a diplomatic reset after strain following Operation Sindoor.
- First-ever life-size statue of Swami Vivekananda was unveiled at Seattle (USA).
- Vice-President C.P. Radhakrishnan made the first-ever VP visit to Sri Lanka.
- Names of 33,000 Indian soldiers who died in World War I were added to the Basra Memorial (Iraq).
- CSAR (Combat Search and Rescue) Mission: 155-aircraft US mission in Iran to rescue downed F-15E crew from Zagros Mountains in West Asia.
- Yellow Line: newly established military buffer zone, 10-km-deep in southern Lebanon created by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), aims to prevent infiltration and target Hezbollah infrastructure.
- US sanctions waiver on Russian and Iranian oil expired.
- United Kingdom Parliament passed the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, banning cigarette sales to people born on or after January 1, 2009, to create a “smoke-free generation.”
- France national roadmap to end coal, oil, gas use by 2050.
- Turkey passed a Bill to restrict social media access for children under 15.
- Japan lifted restrictions on lethal weapons exports.
- China selected two Pakistani astronauts Muhammad Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud for training for the 2026 Tiangong space station mission, marking the first foreign astronauts on a Chinese space mission.
- China established a new county ‘Cenling’ in Xinjiang near the PoK–Afghanistan border to secure the Wakhan Corridor and strengthen control over Silk Road and CPEC routes; 3rd new county (after Hean & Hekang); India objects (overlaps Ladakh/Aksai Chin plateau– occupied by China since the 1962 war).
- Chinese PLA unveiled the Atlas drone swarm system, a vehicle-mounted platform capable of launching and coordinating 100 drones with a single operator.
- United States imposed a 123.04% anti-dumping duty on Indian solar cell and module imports.
- ICC confirmed trial proceedings against Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte over crimes against humanity linked to his ‘war on drugs’.
- India Investment Centre: Japan launched a specialised centre to assist firms investing in India.
Quick Revision Quiz
Which country will host the UNFCCC COP33 in 2028 after India’s withdrawal?
Answer: South Korea.
What was the theme of the Indian Ocean Conference (IOC) 2026 held in Mauritius?
Answer: “Collective Stewardship for Indian Ocean Governance”.
Which new county was established by China in Xinjiang near the PoK-Afghanistan border?
Answer: Cenling.
Polity and Governance
- Income-tax Act, 2025: came into force on 1 April 2026, replacing the 1961 Act.
- Reduced Complexity: Total sections reduced from 819 to 536 and chapters from 47 to 23 to eliminate redundancy.
- The “Tax Year” Concept: The confusing dual terminology of “Assessment Year” and “Previous Year” has been replaced by a single, unified “Tax Year” (April 1 to March 31).
- Standard Deduction: Increased from ₹50,000 to ₹75,000 for salaried individuals.
- Tax-Free Threshold: income up to ₹12 lakh is now effectively tax-free (via enhanced rebates).
- Justice Yashwant Varma of the Allahabad High Court resigned under Article 217(1)(a) amid cash-at-home controversy and impeachment proceedings.
- Nyaya Setu AI Chatbot: Launched by the Ministry of Law under DISHA programme, with mascot “Dishika” to provide multilingual, real-time legal assistance to citizens.
- Right to Safe Travel: under Art 21 (SC).
- Ladakh’s 5 New Districts: Nubra, Sham, Changthang, Zanskar, and Drass; Now total 7.
- SC allowed a 15-year-old minor to terminate a 31-week pregnancy, upholding reproductive autonomy under Article 21.
- Online Gaming Authority of India (OGAI): operational from May 1, 2026 under a 2025 Act.
- Chhattisgarh UCC Framework: under CM Vishnu Deo Sai.
- 131st Constitutional Amendment Bill: defeated in Lok Sabha; sought delimitation based on the 2011 Census and expansion of Lok Sabha seats from 543 to 850.
- Meghalaya approved Khasi and Garo as official languages alongside English.
- Parliament passed the Jan Vishwas (Amendment) Bill, 2026, decriminalising 717 provisions across 79 laws to improve ease of doing business and living.
Quick Revision Quiz
The unified “Tax Year” under the Income-tax Act 2025 spans which dates?
Answer: April 1 to March 31.
Which state recently formulated a UCC framework under CM Vishnu Deo Sai?
Answer: Chhattisgarh.
How many provisions were decriminalised under the Jan Vishwas (Amendment) Bill, 2026?
Answer: 717 provisions across 79 laws.
Schemes & Initiatives
- Samriddh Gram Initiative: A DoT-led initiative nominated for the WSIS 2026 prize; uses a “phygital” (physical + digital) model to deliver healthcare, education, and e-commerce services through village-level Samriddhi Kendras powered by BharatNet.
- PMGSY–III Extension: till March 2028, with revised outlay increased to ₹83,977 crore.
- VAANI scheme: All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) launched the 3rd edition of AICTE-VAANI (Vibrant Advocacy for Advancement and Nurturing of Indian Languages) to promote Indian languages in technical education; 1st edition launched in 2024.
- Atal Pension Yojana: Launched 2015 for unorganised workers; crossed 9 crore enrolments by April 21, 2026; record 1.35 crore added in FY 2025–26; guarantees ₹1,000–₹5,000 pension after 60.
- e-SafeHER initiative: launched by Reliance Foundation and C-DAC, Hyderabad (under MeitY’s ISEA programme. Target: To train 1 million rural women (Cyber Sakhis) over a period of three years.
- SARAL AI: An ANRF-led initiative that uses AI to convert complex scientific papers into videos, podcasts, and posters across 18 Indian languages, making high-level research understandable for every citizen.
- PRASHAST 2.0: launched by NCERT, an upgraded digital platform for early screening of 21 disabilities in school children.
- ‘Kar Saathi’ AI Tax Platform: an AI-powered assistant, launched by Income Tax Department, to simplify direct tax compliance and provide 24×7 taxpayer support.
- Relief Scheme: Expanded to Jordan and Egypt; launched by Ministry of Commerce under the Export Promotion Mission to support exporters and ensure supply chain resilience amid global disruptions.
Quick Revision Quiz
Which AI-powered platform was launched by the Income Tax Department for 24×7 taxpayer support?
Answer: ‘Kar Saathi’ AI Tax Platform.
What is the guaranteed pension range under the Atal Pension Yojana after age 60?
Answer: ₹1,000 to ₹5,000.
What does the SARAL AI initiative aim to achieve?
Answer: Converting complex scientific papers into accessible formats (videos, podcasts) across 18 Indian languages.
Science & Technology
- Artemis II mission: a historic 10-day crewed lunar flyby mission, marked the first time humans traveled to the vicinity of the Moon in over 50 years (since Apollo 17 in 1972).
- Reid Wiseman (Commander, NASA): Former Chief Astronaut.
- Victor Glover (Pilot, NASA): The first Person of Color to participate in a lunar mission.
- Christina Koch (Mission Specialist, NASA): The first woman to participate in a lunar mission; also holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman.
- Jeremy Hansen (Mission Specialist, CSA): The first Canadian to fly to the Moon.
- World’s First “10 Giga” Nation: UAE launched world’s first ultra-fast U6GHz internet network, achieving ‘10 giga’ connectivity infrastructure.
- Japan has deployed its first long-range, domestically produced Type-12 land-to-ship missiles.
- Bangladesh began uranium fuel loading at Unit-1 of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, moving closer to becoming the 33rd country to generate nuclear electricity.
- China discovered a new lunar mineral, Cerium–Magnesium Changesite.
- Finland built the world’s first permanent underground nuclear waste repository, Onkalo, to safely store radioactive waste for up to 100,000 years.
- China’s Iron Battery: a cheaper alternative to lithium-ion batteries for energy storage.
- China developed the Zero-Carbon-Emission Direct Coal Fuel Cell (ZC-DCFC), a technology that converts coal directly into electricity without burning, reducing emissions and improving energy efficiency.
- NASA completed the assembly of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, expected to map space 1,000 times faster than Hubble after its planned 2026 launch.
- US announced plans to deploy space nuclear reactors in orbit by 2028 and on the Moon by 2030 for future space missions.
- SpaceX to launch the Rosalind Franklin rover to Mars in 2028 under the ExoMars programme to search for signs of past or present life.
- First Malaria Drug for infants: Coartem Baby (Artemether-Lumefantrine), developed by Novartis.
- Japan’s Lunar Ring Project: an 11,000 km solar panel belt around the Moon to transmit clean energy to Earth via microwaves or lasers.
- China Humanoid Robot “Flash”: completed a 21-km half marathon in 50:26, surpassing the human record of 57:20 set by Jacob Kiplimo.
- Meta Muse Spark: Meta’s first proprietary multimodal reasoning model (2026); uses parallel agents to deliver “personal superintelligence” across social apps and smart hardware.
- PFBR Criticality: India’s indigenously developed Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor at Kalpakkam achieved criticality, officially launching the second stage of the nation’s nuclear program.
- Criticality refers to the state of a nuclear reactor when the nuclear fission chain reaction is self-sustaining.
- The PFBR is the vital bridge in Stage-2 of India’s 3-stage nuclear program designed by Dr. Homi J. Bhabha:
- Stage 1 (PHWRs): Uses natural uranium to produce electricity and Plutonium-239 as a byproduct.
- Stage 2 (FBRs – Current Milestone): Uses the Plutonium from Stage 1 to “breed” more fuel than it consumes. It converts Uranium-238 into more Plutonium and will eventually convert Thorium into Uranium-233.
- Stage 3 (Thorium Reactors): The ultimate goal of using India’s vast thorium reserves (among the world’s largest) to provide clean energy for centuries.
- Gaganyaan Integrated Air Drop Test: ISRO’s second IADT-02 validated safe crew-module landing; mission aims to send 3 Indian astronauts to Low Earth Orbit (400 km) for 3 days; first crewed flight targeted 2027.
- Chandrayaan-5 (LUPEX): ISRO–JAXA lunar south pole mission; launch on JAXA H3-24L with ISRO lander + Japanese rover; aims to study water ice/volatiles; ESA & NASA instruments onboard; part of India’s roadmap to human Moon landing by 2040. ISRO began launch site assessment in Japan.
- Mission MITRA (Mapping of Interoperable Traits and Response Assessment): first-of-its-kind human spaceflight analog mission launched by ISRO in Leh, Ladakh to study astronauts’ psychological, physiological, and team responses for Gaganyaan.
- Meghalaya signed MoU with Starlink India to pilot high-speed LEO satellite internet; third state after Maharashtra & Gujarat.
- Larsen & Toubro signed long-term pact with Japan’s ITOCHU Corporation to supply 3 lakh tonnes green ammonia annually.
- Deakin University (Australia) and Telangana signed a strategic MoU in Hyderabad to establish the Aikam–Deakin Hub for Research in Intelligent Technology & Innovation (Aikam-DHRITI) focused on AI research and innovation.
- India’s First 3D Semiconductor Packaging Unit: Foundation stone laid at Info Valley, Bhubaneswar.
- Google Cloud India AI Hub: Foundation stone laid in Visakhapatnam, to make “AI Patnam” by 2028.
- Ashwini Vaishnaw inaugurated the Atmanirbhar high-speed bullet train manufacturing plant ‘Aditya’ at BEML, Bengaluru; first prototype expected in 2027.
- Amaravati Quantum Reference Facility (AQRF) is India’s first open-access quantum hub, inaugurated in Andhra Pradesh to boost indigenous quantum technology and deep-tech innovation.
- India’s first semiconductor fabrication plant will be set up at Dholera, Gujarat by Tata Semiconductor.
- Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology inaugurated an X-band dual-polarisation Doppler weather radar at Mahabaleshwar under Mission Mausam to track rainfall, storms, fog, and winds in real time.
- IIT Madras, with MeitY, launched indigenous silicon photonics solutions, a major step toward self-reliance in advanced electronics.
- AI-Powered Namma 112: Bengaluru Police launched multilingual AI emergency response to overcome language barriers and improve assistance.
- Abhay AI Chatbot: CBI introduced chatbot to help citizens spot fake digital arrest notices and curb cyber fraud.
- Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling Facility: Rocklink India set up integrated recycling unit in Uttar Pradesh for batteries and rare earths to boost clean energy.
- Qdenga Dengue Vaccine: India approved Takeda’s tetravalent vaccine (ages 4–60) protecting against all four dengue serotypes.
- IIT Bombay Leaf-to-Fuel Tech: Developed biomass gasification system converting dry leaves into clean cooking gas, reducing LPG use by up to 40%.
Quick Revision Quiz
Which reactor’s criticality officially marked the launch of Stage-2 of India’s nuclear program?
Answer: Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam.
Where was India’s first open-access quantum hub, Amaravati Quantum Reference Facility (AQRF), inaugurated?
Answer: Andhra Pradesh.
Which country built the world’s first permanent underground nuclear waste repository named ‘Onkalo’?
Answer: Finland.
Who holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman and is part of the Artemis II mission crew?
Answer: Christina Koch (NASA).
Defence And Security
- India launched Shachi, the first Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel (NGOPV), at Goa Shipyard Limited.
- Operation Him Setu: by Indian Army’s Trishakti Corps that rescued over 1,400 stranded individuals in North Sikkim following a bridge collapse and landslides near the India-China border.
- INS Aridhaman: inducted as India’s 3rd nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) after INS Arihant (2016) and INS Arighaat (2024).
- DRDO conducted the maiden salvo launch of the NASM-SR (Naval Anti-Ship Missile–Short Range).
- Pakistan successfully tested the indigenous “Taimoor” air-launched anti-ship cruise missile.
Quick Revision Quiz
What is the name of India’s 3rd nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN)?
Answer: INS Aridhaman.
Which operation was launched by the Indian Army’s Trishakti Corps to rescue stranded individuals in North Sikkim?
Answer: Operation Him Setu.
What is the name of India’s first Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel launched at Goa Shipyard?
Answer: Shachi.
Economy
- India’s Global Economy Rank: According to IMF World Economic Outlook 2026, India slipped to the world’s 6th-largest economy, overtaken by Japan and United Kingdom.
- Reasons:
- GDP base year revision lowered India’s nominal GDP estimates by 4%.
- Rupee depreciated 11% against US dollar, reducing GDP size in dollar terms.
- Iran conflict raised oil prices & inflation, impacting growth outlook.
- Moody’s cut India’s FY27 growth forecast to 6% due to Strait of Hormuz disruptions.
- India–China Trade: China became India’s largest trading partner in 2025–26, surpassing US with bilateral trade of USD 151.1 billion; record USD 112.6 billion trade deficit for India.
- World Bank cut India’s FY27 GDP growth forecast to 6.6% amid west Asian crisis.
- Amul became the first FMCG company in India to cross ₹1 lakh crore (₹1 trillion) turnover in FY26.
- India recorded its highest-ever wind energy addition of 6.05 GW in FY 2025–26, a 46% year-on-year rise; India now ranks 4th globally in wind power capacity after China, USA, and Germany; leading states are Gujarat, followed by Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
- India’s solar capacity rose from 2.82 GW (2014) to 150.26 GW (March 2026), with a target of 500 GW non-fossil capacity by 2030, ranking 3rd globally in renewable energy.
- India launched its first Annual Survey of Incorporated Services Sector Enterprises (ASISSE) through the NSO under MoSPI to build a comprehensive database of the country’s incorporated services sector.
- Agricultural Zonal Conferences 2026: Launched from Jaipur to shift India toward agro-climatic zonal planning and introduce a National Farmer ID for digitized, personalized support.
- India’s E-commerce Ecosystem: projected to grow from $90 billion now to $250 billion by 2030 (Commerce Frontier report).
- Mission SAKSHAM: RBI launched Mission SAKSHAM, a nationwide capacity-building programme for Urban Cooperative Banks to strengthen governance, resilience, and professional standards.
- Andhra Pradesh will launch a ₹13,000-crore Mushroom Mission to raise production to 67,500 tonnes.
- Mundra Port: Kutch (Gujarat) emerged as India’s largest automobile export hub.
- Antariksh Venture Capital Fund: a SEBI-registered Category II AIF with ₹1,005 crore corpus, has been operationalised to fund and scale India’s private space-tech startups from FY2027.
- Vishwa Sutra is a collaboration between the Ministry of Textiles and NIFT that pairs 30 state-specific Indian weaves with 30 global design inspirations to transform traditional handlooms into high-fashion products for the international market.
- Utkarsh 2.0: RBI launched a three-year medium-term strategy framework to strengthen regulation, supervision, and institutional functioning.
- Delhi–Dehradun Economic Corridor: Inaugurated by PM Modi; 210 km, 6-lane expressway via Baghpat, Shamli & Saharanpur of UP; features Asia’s longest 12-km elevated wildlife corridor in Rajaji National Park for safe animal movement.
- Odisha became the first Indian state to launch a Marine Spatial Plan (MSP) for sustainable management of marine and coastal resources and promotion of the Blue Economy.
- AP to host the Jonnagiri gold project, India’s first large-scale private gold mine since Independence.
- India aims to achieve cocoa self-sufficiency by 2040 under its Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision.
- Kamala Hydropower Project: Arunachal (Kamle, Kra Daadi and Kurung Kumey districts); 1,720 MW.
Quick Revision Quiz
Which company became the first FMCG firm in India to cross the ₹1 lakh crore turnover mark in FY26?
Answer: Amul.
India aims to achieve self-sufficiency in which commodity by 2040 under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision?
Answer: Cocoa.
Which state became the first in India to launch a Marine Spatial Plan (MSP)?
Answer: Odisha.
Environment & Geography
- Vantara University: Jamnagar (GJ); world’s first global, integrated university for wildlife & Veternary.
- India’s 99th Ramsar Site: Shekha Jheel Bird Sanctuary; Aligarh (UP).
- India’s 1st Deep-Sea Fauna Repository: MoEFCC designated the “Bhavasagara” Referral Centre in Kochi, Kerala.
- Jawahar Nagar landfill (Hyderabad) and Kanjurmarg landfill (Mumbai) ranked among the world’s top 25 methane super-polluters in 2025.
Quick Revision Quiz
Where is India’s 1st Deep-Sea Fauna Repository, the “Bhavasagara” Referral Centre, located?
Answer: Kochi, Kerala.
Which bird sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh was designated as India’s 99th Ramsar Site?
Answer: Shekha Jheel Bird Sanctuary (Aligarh).
Indices & Reports
- Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report 2026: UNESCO; theme “Access and Equity,”
- the world is nearly 75 years behind its 2030 target for universal secondary school completion.
- Secondary school enrollment up 30% since 2000, but only two-thirds complete education.
- 273 million children/youth remain out of school due to conflict & poverty.
- Higher education enrollment increased by 161% since 2000.
- Only 78% of primary teachers are academically qualified globally.
- Global Report on Food Crises 2026:
- 266 million people in 47 countries faced acute food insecurity in 2025.
- Conflict became the biggest cause, affecting 147 million people (56%).
- Two-thirds of all people facing acute hunger live in just 10 countries, with Nigeria, the DR Congo, and Sudan representing one-third of the global total.
- “From Borrowers to Builders: Women and India’s Evolving Credit Market” Report: 2nd edition released by NITI.
- Women borrowers account for ₹76 lakh crore credit portfolio (26% of total credit).
- Outstanding credit to women rose 4.8 times from 2017–2025.
- Credit penetration among women increased from 19% to 36%.
- Women business credit grew at 31% CAGR (2022–25).
- Bihar & UP saw notable rise in women’s credit access.
- Personal, gold & housing loans remain major credit products for women.
- “Ease of Doing Research & Development in India” survey report: by NITI Aayog.
- Energy Statistics India 2026: released by the NSO under the MoSPI.
- India’s Total Primary Energy Supply rose 2.95% in FY25.
- Renewable energy potential reached 47 lakh MW; solar accounts for 71%.
- Installed renewable capacity increased from 90 GW (2016) to 229 GW (2025).
- Per capita energy consumption rose from 15,296 MJ to 18,096 MJ (2016–25).
- Coal remains India’s dominant energy source.
- SIPRI report 2025: India has emerged as the world’s fifth-largest military spender in 2025, with its defense expenditure rising 8.9% to $92.1 billion.
- Top 5 Spenders: 1. USA 2. China 3. Russia 4. Germany 5. India.
Quick Revision Quiz
According to the SIPRI report 2025, India emerged as the world’s ____ largest military spender.
Answer: Fifth-largest.
What percentage of total credit in India belongs to women borrowers according to NITI Aayog?
Answer: 26% (₹76 lakh crore).
According to the Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report 2026, the world is how many years behind its 2030 target?
Answer: 75 years.
Awards and Honors
- Goldman Environmental Prize 2026: For the first time, awarded exclusively to six women environmental activists from across the world.
- Iroro Tanshi – Nigeria
- Borim Kim – South Korea
- Sarah Finch – United Kingdom
- Theonila Roka Matbob – Papua New Guinea
- Alannah Acaq Hurley – United States
- Yuvelis Morales Blanco – Colombia
- Two Marathi films, ‘Jeev (The Creature)’ and ‘April May 99’, have been selected for screening at Marché du Film (Film Market) section of the Cannes Film Festival 2026 in France.
- ‘September 21’: Karen Chhithi Suvarna’s debut film “September 21” will premiere at the Cannes Film Festival’s Marché du Film, focusing on Alzheimer’s and family relationships.
- Bloomberg Billionaires Index 2026: Gautam Adani ($92.6 billion) became the richest in India and Asia, surpassing Mukesh Ambani; Elon Musk remains the world’s richest.
- US Hall of Fame Honour: General Upendra Dwivedi was inducted into the International Hall of Fame of the US Army War College, becoming the third Indian Army Chief after V. K. Singh and Bikram Singh.
- WEF Young Global Leaders 2026: ICC Chairman Jay Shah named.
- TIME100 2026: Ranbir Kapoor, Sundar Pichai and Vikas Khanna among world’s 100 most influential.
- World Food Prize 2026: Huub Lelieveld (Netherlands), for global food safety.
- Abel Prize 2026: Gerd Faltings; First German mathematician to receive it.
- Dr. Atanu Nath: an assistant professor from Assam, first scientist from Northeast India to receive the 2026 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics (“Oscars of Science”) for contribution to the Muon g-2 experiment.
- 4th Gender Equality Mobilisation Award 2026: Awarded to Guntur Municipal Corporation by UN Industrial Development Organization for its inclusive and eco-friendly waste management project.
- Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award 2026: Awarded to Nobel Peace Prize laureate Kailash Satyarthi.
Quick Revision Quiz
Who was the first scientist from Northeast India to receive the 2026 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics?
Answer: Dr. Atanu Nath.
Which Marathi films were selected for screening at the Cannes Film Festival 2026?
Answer: ‘Jeev’ and ‘April May 99’.
Which municipal corporation received the 4th Gender Equality Mobilisation Award 2026?
Answer: Guntur Municipal Corporation.
Books and Authors
- Tides of Time: Bharat’s History through Murals in Parliament – authored by Sudha Murty (Rajya Sabha MP); released by Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan at Samvidhan Sadan; documents 124 mural panels tracing India’s journey from Indus Valley Civilization to the Freedom Struggle.
- Sab Par Ram: Tapasvi Raja – authored by Ashutosh Agnihotri (Additional Secretary, MoEFCC); released by Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla.
- The Curious and the Classified – authored by Gen Manoj Naravane; explores myths and lesser-known stories of the Indian Armed Forces.
Quick Revision Quiz
“Tides of Time: Bharat’s History through Murals in Parliament” is authored by whom?
Answer: Sudha Murty.
Which book explores the lesser-known stories of the Indian Armed Forces and is authored by Gen Manoj Naravane?
Answer: The Curious and the Classified.
Sports
- Laureus World Sports Awards 2026 (Madrid): Carlos Alcaraz – Sportsman; Aryna Sabalenka – Sportswoman.
- Hockey India 8th Annual Awards 2025:
- Player of the Year (Balbir Singh Sr. Award): Hardik Singh (Men) & Navneet Kaur (Women).
- Lifetime Achievement Award (Major Dhyan Chand Award): Zafar Iqbal, 1980 Olympic Gold Medalist.
- World Para Athletics Championships 2027: To be hosted in Tashkent, Uzbekistan – first time in Central Asia, 5th time in Asia.
- SAFF Women’s Championship 2026: Pakistan withdrew; to be hosted by India in Goa.
- Asian Boxing Championships 2026 (Ulaanbaatar): India 2nd overall – 16 medals (5 Gold, 3 Silver, 8 Bronze). Gold: Vishvanath Suresh (Men, 50kg); Minakshi (48kg), Preeti (54kg), Priya (60kg), Arundhati Choudhary (70kg).
- ISSF World Cup 2026 (Granada, Spain): Palak Gulia & Mukesh Nelavalli won gold in 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team; set WR score 487.7.
- Khelo India Tribal Games 2026: The 1st edition was held in Chhattisgarh (Raipur, Jagdalpur & Sarguja) from March 25–April 3, 2026; final medal tally: Karnataka (1st), Odisha (2nd), Jharkhand (3rd); Bihar – Rank 19- 1 Gold, 1 Silver, 0 Bronze.
- Payal Nag: An 18-year-old from Odisha, became the world’s first quadruple amputee to win international gold by defeating world champion Sheetal Devi in Bangkok.
- FIDE Women’s Candidates 2026 (Cyprus): R. Vaishali won, earning title shot vs Ju Wenjun.
- Aryan Ghosh: Became India’s 95th Grandmaster at Bangkok Chess Open.
- Ayush Shetty: Silver – 2026 Badminton Asia Championships (Men’s Singles).
- Sawan Barwal: New national marathon record 2:11:58 at Rotterdam Marathon 2026; broke Shivnath Singh’s 1978 record.
- Rithika Sri (Tamil Nadu): India’s first transgender cricket umpire.
- OmegaBall: Introduced in India by IIT Madras – innovative 3-team sport on circular field with 3 goals.
Quick Revision Quiz
Who became the world’s first quadruple amputee to win an international gold medal?
Answer: Payal Nag from Odisha.
Which player won the FIDE Women’s Candidates 2026?
Answer: R. Vaishali.
Who set the new national marathon record at the Rotterdam Marathon 2026, breaking a 1978 record?
Answer: Sawan Barwal.
Persons in News
- Ashok Kumar Lahiri: Appointed Vice Chairperson of NITI Aayog (April 25, 2026), replacing Suman K. Bery. New full time Members: Rajiv Gauba, Prof. K. V. Raju, Prof. Gobardhan Das, Dr. M. Srinivas, Prof. Abhay Karandikar.
- Padma Viswanathan: Canadian-American writer of Indian origin; shortlisted for International Booker Prize 2026 as translator for Ana Paula Maia’s On Earth As It Is Beneath.
- Menaka Guruswamy: the first openly queer MP (Rajya Sabha).
- Harivansh Narayan Singh: elected for a third term as Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha, marking the first time a nominated member holds the post.
- Divya Singh: became the first Indian woman second globally to cycle to Everest Base Camp, after a 14-day, 700 km journey.
- Sunita Singh (56): became one of the oldest Indian women to scale Mount Kilimanjaro (Uhuru Peak, 5,895 m).
- Sadhvi Sair (Goa): Won Femina Miss India World 2026; will represent India at Miss World.
- Bodhana Sivanandan: an 11-year-old Indian-origin prodigy, became the No. 1 ranked female chess player in the UK (overtaking Lan Yao), securing the FIDE Master title.
- Deep Jariwala: Indian-origin scientist, Professor at University of Pennsylvania; appointed UT-ORNL Governor’s Chair for Quantum Devices.
- Amit Kshatriya: Indian-American space scientist; played key leadership role in NASA’s Artemis II Moon mission.
Quick Revision Quiz
Who was appointed as the Vice Chairperson of NITI Aayog on April 25, 2026?
Answer: Ashok Kumar Lahiri.
Who became the first Indian woman to cycle to the Everest Base Camp?
Answer: Divya Singh.
Which Indian-origin prodigy became the No. 1 ranked female chess player in the UK at age 11?
Answer: Bodhana Sivanandan.
Obituary
- Asha Bhosle: Legendary singer; passed away at Mumbai the age of 92; born in Sagli (MH,1933), began her singing career at the age of 9.
- Awards and Recognition: Dadasaheb Phalke Award (2000), Padma Vibhushan (2008), National Film awards (1981 Umrao Jan & 1986 Izzat), Banga Bibhushan (West Bengal, 2018) Maharashtra Bhushan Award (2021) & Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award (2023).
- Recognized by Guinness World Records as the most recorded artist in music history.
- First Song: Chala Chala Nav Bala (Marathi film Majha Bal, 1943).
- Breakthrough: Naya Daur (1957).
- Chandrikapersad Santokhi: of Bihari-origin Indo-Surinamese family; served as Suriname President (2020–25).
- Colonel Sonam Wangchuk: A legendary Kargil War hero and Maha Vir Chakra awardee, remembered for his resolute leadership in capturing the strategic Chorbat La heights during the 1999 Kargil War.
- C.D. Gopinath: the last surviving member of India’s first Test-winning team, died at the age of 96.
- Nadendla Bhaskara Rao: former CM of undivided Andhra Pradesh and co-founder of the TDP.
- Jim Whittaker: the first American to summit Mount Everest in 1963.
Quick Revision Quiz
Which legendary Kargil War hero, known for capturing Chorbat La heights, recently passed away?
Answer: Colonel Sonam Wangchuk.
Who was the last surviving member of India’s first Test-winning team?
Answer: C.D. Gopinath.
What was the first song recorded by the legendary singer Asha Bhosle?
Answer: Chala Chala Nav Bala (1943).