Current Affairs

As BRICS Chair in 2026, India issued a Chair’s summary expressing deep concern over the West Asia conflict, amid differing member positions. BRICS is an intergovernmental cooperation forum; term coined by Jim O’Neill (Goldman Sachs) in 2001; first BRIC Foreign Ministers’ meet held at UNGA, New York (2006); South Africa joined in 2010. Chair rotates annually (Jan 1–Dec 31); pillars: political-security, economic-financial, cultural. BRICS has no permanent secretariat/charter; NDB set up at Fortaleza Summit (2014), HQ Shanghai; CRA provides BoP liquidity via swaps. Full members: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Indonesia; partners: Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Vietnam.

Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal gave Odisha and Chhattisgarh a final chance for amicable settlement in their inter-state water-sharing dispute (since 2016), involving Chhattisgarh’s barrages and downstream impacts. Mahanadi, India’s third-largest east-flowing peninsular river, rises in Sihawa hills (Dhamtari, Chhattisgarh), flows through both states to Bay of Bengal (851–900 km; catchment 1,41,600 sq km). Tribunal was constituted in 2018 per Supreme Court; Article 262 and Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956 (2019 amendment) govern adjudication.

Archaeological Survey of India has begun drilling into the Jagamohana of the Konark Sun Temple, Odisha, to remove sand packed during the British era as part of structural conservation. Located near the Bay of Bengal, the Surya temple, also called the Black Pagoda, forms Odisha’s Golden Triangle (Bhubaneswar–Puri–Konark). Built c.1250 CE by Narasimhadeva I (Eastern Ganga), it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (1984) in Kalinga (Nagara) style; the deul/shikhara have collapsed, while the Jagamohana remains intact.

Scientists discovered three new dragonfly species in Northeast India: Clouded Boghawker (Sarasaeschna nuboides), Siang Boghawker (Sarasaeschna sigotaayo) and Long-tailed Boghawker (Sarasaeschna dosdewaensis), order Odonata, family Aeshnidae. Clouded and Siang Boghawkers are endemic to Siang Valley, Arunachal Pradesh; Long-tailed Boghawker to Karimganj, Assam. Dragonflies (Anisoptera) indicate freshwater ecosystem health and prey on mosquitoes; eyes may have up to 30,000 facets.

Rising sea levels due to climate change may submerge much of Tuvalu by century-end, risking climate-induced displacement. Tuvalu is a Polynesian island nation in the west-central Pacific between Australia and Hawaii, comprising nine islands (four reef islands, five coral atolls); capital is Funafuti Atoll. Entirely low-lying (highest point 4.5 m), it became independent from the UK in 1978, uses a Tuvalu dollar pegged to the Australian dollar, and is strategically courted by Australia, China and the US; migration occurs to New Zealand and Australia under special agreements.

Ministry of Panchayati Raj observes National Panchayati Raj Day on 24 April (since 2010), marking 33 years of the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992, which gave PRIs constitutional status, inserted Part IX (Articles 243–243O) and the 11th Schedule (29 subjects; agriculture, health, education). Gram Sabha (all registered voters) approves plans/budgets and social audits. 16th Finance Commission recommended 84% higher grants to Rural Local Bodies (80:20 basic:performance). Digital platforms: e-GramSwaraj, SabhaSaar. Panchayat Advancement Index 2.0 aligns with 9 SDG themes; indicators cut 516 to 150; 97.3% participation across 33 States/UTs. Panchayat Dharohar monographs: Tripura, Tirupati, Uttarkashi.

Supreme Court permitted medical termination for a 31-week pregnant minor, reaffirming reproductive choice as a fundamental right. The MTP Act allows abortion up to 20 weeks generally and 24 weeks for special categories (rape survivors, minors, differently-abled); beyond 24 weeks only in exceptional cases (severe foetal abnormality or grave risk) with medical board/judicial approval. SC held fundamental rights override statutory limits, linking choice to Articles 21 and 14; cited Suchita Srivastava (2009), Puttaswamy (2017), and its 2022 ruling removing marital-status distinctions; 2024–26 rulings stress no woman, especially a minor, can be compelled to continue pregnancy.

RBI flagged Paytm Payments Bank for non-adherence to payments bank licensing guidelines under the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, highlighting compliance issues in differentiated banking. Payment banks, recommended by the Nachiket Mor Committee (2014), are small-scale institutions with minimal credit risk; other DBL entities include small finance banks. They are registered under Companies Act, 2013; governed by RBI Act, 1934, FEMA, 1999, and PSS Act, 2007; require ₹100 crore capital (promoters 40% for five years) and invest 75% in SLR securities and 25% with banks.

Jordan became the 63rd country to sign the Artemis Accords, expanding international cooperation for peaceful space exploration. Launched in 2020 under the Artemis space exploration programme, the Accords, led by the United States through NASA, set principles for cooperative exploration of the Moon, Mars and other celestial bodies. They reinforce the 1967 Outer Space Treaty and promote safe, transparent, sustainable activities, interoperability, scientific data sharing, conflict prevention and emergency assistance. India is a signatory.

NITI Aayog’s Trade Watch Quarterly reports a decline in the Herfindahl–Hirschman Index (HHI) for India’s exports, indicating greater diversification across products and regions and improved trade resilience. HHI measures dispersion of trade across partners, computed as the sum of squared partner shares; higher values imply concentration. Gems and jewellery exports (excluding raw gold) hold 7.8% global market share. West Asia instability has slowed cooperation on the India–Gulf Cooperation Council FTA.

On Adi Shankaracharya Jayanti, the Prime Minister paid tribute to the 8th century CE philosopher, born in 788 AD at Kalady, Kerala. He propagated Advaita (non-dualism), asserting Atman is not separate from Brahman; Maya explains perceived worldly duality as illusion, and moksha comes through realizing this oneness. He established four mathas at Sringeri, Dwarka, Puri and Badrinath, and authored Bhaja Govindam, Atma Shatakam and Saundarya Lahari.

Ministry of Minority Affairs signed an MoU with IIT Patna under PM VIKAS, a Central Sector Scheme launched in 2024. It integrates Seekho aur Kamao, USTTAD, Hamari Dharohar, Nai Roshni and Nai Manzil; covers notified minorities (Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis). Age: 14–45 (skilling/education), 18–45 (women leadership); reservations include 33% women (skilling), 50% (education), 100% (leadership), 3% PwDs; pan-India via PMJVK convergence, IIT/NIT/CSIR and state partners. Features: NSQF skilling, NIOS bridge, Biz Sakhi mentoring, placements, GI tagging, cultural tourism and minority Parvs; construction sector contributes 10% GDP, employs >50 million; digital transformation enables supply-chain integration, real-time monitoring, automation and startup-led innovation.

India’s construction sector (10% of GDP; over 50 million employed) is undergoing digital transformation to embed technologies across the project lifecycle and improve infrastructure delivery. The project economy spans highways, freight corridors, renewable energy, airports and data centres. Platforms such as Infra.Market, Metalbook and Brick & Bolt integrate supply chains, logistics and financing; sensors, robotics and computer vision enable real-time monitoring and automation. India’s startup-led model contrasts China’s state-driven approach. Globally, construction is a $10 trillion, low-tech-penetration industry.

On World Earth Day 2026 (22 April), National Science Centre, Delhi, is hosting a Popular Science Lecture on Antarctic exploration by Dr Amitava Sen Gupta (ISRO) and an open-house student quiz. Earth Day began in 1970 as a US environmental teach-in by Senator Gaylord Nelson and Denis Hayes. Theme: “Our Power, Our Planet”; campaign targets tripling renewables by 2030 (solar, wind, geothermal), highlights mitigation, biodiversity, reliability, 25% Revolution, Canopy Project, and 60% plastic cut by 2040; NASA showcased Artemis II Earth images.

India and Egypt adopted a bilateral defence cooperation plan for 2026–27 at a Joint Defence Committee meeting in Cairo. Egypt’s capital is Cairo; it is in northeastern Africa, bordering Libya (west), Sudan (south), and Israel and the Gaza Strip. It is bounded by the Mediterranean Sea (north) and the Red Sea and Gulf of Aqaba (east). The Nile forms the Nile Delta; major deserts are Western and Eastern; Sinai Peninsula links Africa–Asia; Lake Nasser is an artificial lake created by the Aswan High Dam.

CGTMSE organised a global symposium on credit guarantees, highlighting collateral-free formal credit access for micro and small enterprises. The Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises was established in 2000 and is jointly set up by the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises and SIDBI. It operates the Credit Guarantee Scheme for the MSE sector and covers 75–90% losses on defaulted collateral-free bank loans.

Independent tests (Sept 2025) found Salween River (3,300 km; Tibet–China–Myanmar, forming Myanmar–Thailand border to Andaman Sea), Asia’s longest undammed free-flowing river, contaminated with arsenic (5× WHO 0.01 mg/l; tributaries up to 0.554 mg/l), plus cadmium, cyanide, mercury, linked to rare-earth/gold mining via in-situ leaching. Fish/benthos harmed; Karen/Karenni affected; Thai rice shipment to Australia rejected (Oct 2025), raising transboundary governance concerns.

Samriddh Gram, a rural integrated “phygital” service initiative, has been nominated for World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Prizes 2026. Nodal ministry: Ministry of Communications; implemented by Department of Telecommunications with Telecom Technology Development Fund support. Launched in 2025 as a 2-year pilot, it uses BharatNet FTTH and PM-WANI via Samriddhi Kendras (800–1000 sq ft) for education (AR/VR, Diksha, Swayam), IoT agriculture, e-Sanjeevani, ONDC commerce, and real-time monitoring. WSIS prizes are organized by ITU.

Odisha became the first Indian state to implement a Marine Spatial Plan (MSP) in phase-II of India’s sustainable ocean planning, under the Indo-Norway Integrated Ocean Initiative. MSP is a tool for sustainable, integrated ocean management and blue-economy growth. Ministry of Earth Sciences is nodal; MoU with its NCCR supports benthic mapping and marine-parameter studies. Odisha S&T Department leads implementation. A 2025 Marine Biotechnology Corridor promotes startups and ecological protection.

India and the Republic of Korea adopted a Joint Strategic Vision (2026–2030) and institutionalised annual leader-level meetings. RoK joined India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative; bilateral trade ($27 billion; India’s deficit $15.19 billion) targets $54 billion by 2030; Economic Security Dialogue launched for supply chains/technology. RoK joined International Solar Alliance; India joined treaty-based GGGI (Rio+20, 2012; HQ Seoul). 2028–29: Friendship Year; Mumbai Korea Centre; VOYAGES maritime partnership; India–Korea Digital Bridge (AI, semiconductors, IT). Special Strategic Partnership (2015); CEPA (2010) upgrade sought; defence: 2020 roadmap, K9-Vajra ToT, KIND-X.

India’s Periodic Labour Force Survey defines Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) as the share of population aged 15+ that is employed or unemployed. Overall LFPR is 60.1%. Female LFPR rose to 40% in 2025, mainly rural, but a 60% gap persists with male LFPR; gains reflect informal, distress-driven self-employment and unpaid helper roles, while 37.4% women remain in unpaid domestic duties. Suggested measures: strengthen Mahila Shakti Kendras, expand National Creche Scheme crèches, skilling (digital/green/enterprise), safe transport/childcare/flexible work, equal pay and leave reforms.

India and Austria signed multiple agreements to strengthen cooperation in defence, trade, technology, education and culture. Austria is a landlocked country in south-central Europe with capital Vienna, bordering Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany. About 70% is Alpine; climate is temperate-alpine. Danube (2,850 km) is Europe’s second-longest river. Official language is German. It is a federal parliamentary republic. Milestones: Noricum; Charlemagne (788); Habsburg rule; Austria-Hungary (1867); collapse (1918); First Austrian Republic (1919).

Archaeologists identified a ~9,000-year-old (early Holocene) submerged Paleoindian landscape on the Alpena-Amberley Ridge in Lake Huron (Great Lakes). Using SONAR mapping and remotely operated vehicles, they documented hunting pits, drive lanes and stone caches. Drive lanes funnelled caribou into controlled zones, indicating advanced hunting. Cold, low-sediment waters aided preservation. The former Ice Age land bridge was submerged by glacial meltwater rise (~10,000 years ago), serving earlier as a migration corridor.

Ministry of Finance formed a specialised committee to simplify mobilisation of patient capital for large-scale infrastructure. Announced at the 2026 World Bank–IMF Spring Meetings, Washington DC. Patient capital implies 10–30-year investments seeking stable long-term returns, mainly from pension/insurance funds (NPS, EPF, private insurers, LIC). It suits long-gestation projects, addressing banks’ asset-liability mismatch within NMP, NIP and PPP frameworks.

RELIEF Scheme (Central Sector; launched March 2026) expanded to Egypt and Jordan. Nodal: Ministry of Commerce & Industry; implemented by ECGC. For shipments Feb–Jun 2026, it supports exporters incl freight/insurance-surcharge reimbursement. Components: I keeps pre-disruption premiums with war-risk cover up to 100%; II offers loss cover up to 95% incl new Whole Turnover policies (circular clarifies eligibility); III aids uninsured MSMEs with ₹50 lakh cap.