Current Affairs 26 March 2026

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS

PM Narendra Modi Announces 7 Empowered Groups to Address Long-Term Impact of West Asia Conflict
On 24 March 2026, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi announced the formation of seven empowered groups to address the long-term strategic and economic impacts of the escalating West Asia conflict on energy supplies, trade routes, and global supply chains, following a review by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS).
Overview of 7 Empowered Groups:
Group 1: Led by Vikram Misri (Foreign Secretary of India); covers defence, external affairs, and public order.
Group 2: Led by Anuradha Thakur (Secretary of Department of Economic Affairs, DEA, Ministry of Finance, MoF); focuses on finance, trade, and supply chains.
Group 3: Led by Neeraj Mittal (Secretary of Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, MoPNG); oversees oil, LNG, LPG, and energy coordination.
Group 4: Led by Rajat Kumar Mishra (Secretary of Department of Fertilisers, DoF, under Ministry of Chemical and Fertilizers, MoCF); ensures fertiliser supply and agri inputs.
Group 5: Led by Nidhi Khare (Secretary of Department of Consumer Affairs, DCA, under Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, MoCAF&PD); maintains price stability.
Group 6: Led by Vijay Kumar (Secretary of Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, MoPSW) ; manages transport systems.
Group 7: Led by Sanjay Jaju (Secretary of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, MIB); handles communication and public outreach.

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw Launches 5 New Reforms Under ‘Reform Express’ Initiative
On 24 March 2026, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw of the Ministry of Railways (MoR), announced five new reforms in New Delhi (Delhi) under the ‘Reform Express’(52 Reforms in 52 Weeks) initiative, raising the total approved reforms in 2026 to nine and focusing on cargo efficiency, construction quality, and passenger convenience.
Overview of Indian Railways 5 New Reforms:
Salt: Stainless Steel Containers (SSC) with top-loading and side-discharge improve efficiency, reduce losses, and enhance rail share (9.2/35 Million Tonnes (MT)).
Automobile: Specialised Wagon Design (SWD) with Schedule of Dimensions (SOD) flexibility enables high-capacity, route-specific wagons, boosting rail share (~24% of ~31 Million Units (MU)).
Construction: Stricter Contractor Eligibility Criteria (CEC), Bid Security (BS), Bid Capacity Assessment (BCA), and reduced Subcontracting Limit (SL) ensure quality, accountability, and timely execution.
Ticketing: Revised Cancellation and Refund Rules (CRR) with 72/24/8-hour slabs, automatic refunds via Ticket Deposit Receipt removal (TDR), and Aadhaar-based One-Time Password (OTP) improve transparency and convenience.
Boarding: Digital Boarding Change (DBC) and Travel Class Upgrade (TCU) allowed up to 30 minutes before departure provide greater flexibility without losing confirmed seats.

Gujarat Becomes 2nd State in India to Pass Uniform Civil Code
In March 2026, the Gujarat Legislative Assembly headed by Bhupendra Patel, Chief Minister (CM) of Gujarat, passed the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill titled ‘Gujarat Uniform Civil Code, 2026’ which provides a common legal framework to govern marriage, divorce, succession, and live-in relationships irrespective of religion.

• With this, Gujarat became the second state in India after Uttarakhand to pass the bill.

Key Provisions of Gujarat’s UCC:
Applicable: The new law will extend across Gujarat and apply to its residents even outside the state, but will exclude Scheduled Tribes (STs) and other groups whose customary rights are protected under the Constitution.
Mandatory: Registration of live-in relationships is now mandatory for couples residing in the state, while it remains optional for residents living outside the state.
Penalties: The law also specifies that failure to register a live-in relationship within 1 month could attract maximum 3 months of imprisonment or a fine of Rs 10,000.
Restriction:The bill prohibits bigamy, stating that a marriage is valid under the UCC only if neither party has a living spouse at the time of marriage.

DPIIT Signs MoU with Blue Star to Support Product-Based Startups
In March 2026, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry(MoC&I), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Blue Star Limited, a leading Air Conditioning(AC) company, to promote innovation and support startups in India.
Key Details of MoU:
Signatories: The MoU was signed by T. L. K. Singh, Deputy Secretary of DPIIT; and B.Thiagarajan, Managing Director(MD) of Blue Star Limited in New Delhi, Delhi.
Focus: The partnership aims to strengthen India’s manufacturing and innovation ecosystem with a focus on Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) technologies, digital solutions, advanced manufacturing, and supply chain innovation.
Support: As part of the partnership, startups will receive mentorship from industry experts along with access to Research and Development (R&D) laboratories and testing facilities for infrastructure support.
Startup Enablement: The collaboration will promote product-based startups by supporting product validation, Proof-of-Concept (PoC) development, and integration into industry value chains for scalable solutions.

MoR Approves Rail Infrastructure Development Projects in Gujarat and Bihar
On 24 March 2026, the Ministry of Railways (MoR) approved two major rail infrastructure projects: Kosamba Rail Over Rail (RoR) Flyover in Gujarat and Bhagalpur Bypass in Bihar, with a total cost of Rs 647.58 crore to enhance connectivity, safety, and operational efficiency.

• The initiative aims to ease congestion and expand capacity, driving smoother operations and supporting regional economic growth.

About Railway Projects:
Kosamba Project: The project involves the construction of a 9.20 kilometre (km) long RoR flyover on the Mumbai–Vadodara main line under Western Railway (WR), with an estimated cost of Rs 344.38 crore.

• The project ensures seamless connectivity to the Kosamba–Umrapada section by eliminating crossings and overcoming Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) barriers, enabling safe and uninterrupted operations.

Bhagalpur Project: The project involves construction of the 13.38 km rail bypass line at Bhagalpur under Eastern Railway (ER) at a cost of Rs 303.20 crore.

• The project connects Gonudham Halt and Sabour to decongest the over-capacity Barahat–Bhagalpur section, eliminate engine reversal, and improve punctuality and operational efficiency.

BANKING & FINANCE

JICA Signs Four ODA Loan Agreements Worth Rs 16,420 Crore for Key Projects in India
In March 2026, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed Official Development Assistance (ODA) loan agreements worth Rs 16,420 crore with the Government of India (GoI) to fund 4 major projects across Punjab, Maharashtra, and Karnataka, covering healthcare, agriculture, and urban infrastructure sectors.
Projects Funded under the Agreement:
Healthcare Project: The healthcare project in Maharashtra is supported by a loan of 62,294 million Japanese Yen (JPY).
Climate-Resilient Horticulture: The climate-resilient horticulture project in Punjab is supported by a loan of 18,684 million JPY.
Bengaluru Metro Rail Project (Phase 3): The project, supported by a loan of 102,480 million JPY, includes the development of 44.65 km of elevated corridors.
Mumbai Metro Line 11 Project: The project, supported by a loan of 92,400 million JPY, involves the construction of a 17.51 km underground corridor.

HDFC Securities Launches NxtOption to Simplify Advanced Options Trading for Traders
In March 2026, HDFC Securities Limited, a subsidiary of HDFC Bank, launched a next-generation trading platform named “NxtOption”, designed to help retail investors examine, build, and execute Futures & Options (F&O) strategies through a single interface.
About NxtOption:
Creation & Monitoring: The platform enables users to create and analyse options strategies such as Straddles, Strangles, and Iron Condors, while also allowing real-time tracking and monitoring of overall strategy performance through pay-off charts.
Easy Options: It will offer strategy suggestions to users by converting their market view (like bullish, bearish, neutral) into relevant strategy ideas, along with risk-reward profiles.
Advanced Derivatives Analytics: It also provides real-time insights into Delta, Gamma, Theta, Vega, Implied Volatility (IV), and Open Interest (OI) trends, along with additional features such as market movers, rollover insights, and F&O ban list tracking.

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

S&P Global Lifts India FY27 GDP Forecast to 7.1%, Raises Growth Outlook
In March 2026, the Standard & Poor’s (S&P) Global raised India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 40 basis points (bps) to 7.1% for financial year 2026-27 (FY27), reflecting confidence in the country’s economic momentum despite global uncertainties.
Key Highlights
Growth Forecasts: The rating agency also upgraded its projections for the following years:

• FY28: For FY28 it has increased its projection by 20 bps to 7.2%
• FY29: Similarly, for FY29 it has projected 7.0%, increasing it by 20 bps

Inflation: The S&P has now projected Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation to rise to 4.3% in FY27 from 2.5% in FY26.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

KV Ramana Murty Appointed Whole-Time Member of SEBI
In March 2026, the Government of India(GoI) appointed Kompella Venkata(K.V.) Ramana Murty as a Whole-Time Member (WTM) of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) for a tenure of three years from the date of assuming charge or until further orders, whichever is earlier.

• With this appointment, SEBI now has its full complement of four WTMs. The other members include Amarjeet Singh, Kamlesh Chandra Varshney, and Sandip Pradhan.

About K.V.Ramana Murty:
Profile: He is a retired 1991-batch Indian Defence Accounts Service (IDAS) officer.
Experience: He brings extensive experience in public financial administration, having served as Additional Controller General of Defence Accounts under the Ministry of Defence(MoD).
About SEBI: Established in 1988 and granted statutory powers in 1992, SEBI regulates India’s securities markets, protects investors, and ensures market transparency, with whole-time members playing key roles in policy and supervision.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Agnikul Cosmos Successfully Test Fires World’s First Fully 3D-Printed Booster Engine ‘Agnite’ in Chennai, TN
In March 2026, Agnikul Cosmos Private Limited, an end-to-end space transportation company, successfully conducted a critical booster engine test of its rocket engine ‘Agnite’ at the Agnikul Launchpad (ALP-01) in Chennai, Tamil Nadu(TN).

• This test marked a major milestone in India’s private space sector, with Agnikul Cosmos successfully testing a full metre-long rocket engine.

Key Details of Test:
Objective: The test aimed to validate the engine’s performance, structural integrity, and propulsion efficiency for future launch missions.
Test Outcome: The successful outcome demonstrated Agnikul’s advanced capability in large-scale three dimension(3D) printing and marked a significant milestone in enhancing launch readiness, cost efficiency, and rapid turnaround time in India’s private space sector.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Puppetry Day 2026 – March 21 
World Puppetry Day (WPD) is observed annually across the world on 21 March to celebrate puppetry as a global art form and educational tool, and to honour puppeteers worldwide.
Background:
Launch: WPD was launched in 2003 by UNIMA (Union Internationale de la Marionnette), to unite puppetry artists worldwide.
First Observance: The first WPD was observed on 21 March 2003.
Organising Body: The annual observance of WPD is led by UNIMA, the world’s oldest international theatre organisation and an NGO affiliated with United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

World Water Day 2026 – March 22
The United Nations (UN’s) World Water Day is observed annually across the globe on 22 March to emphasize the significance of freshwater and raise awareness about the worldwide water crisis.

• 2026 Theme: “Water and Gender.

Background:
First Observance: The day was first observed on 22 March 1993.
Organization: World Water Day is annually organized by United Nations Water (UN-Water) and led by one or more of its Members and Partners with relevant mandates.
2026 Event:
UNESCO Event: To mark the occasion, the UNESCO Office in Venice(Italy) and the World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP) are hosting a meeting on 23 March 2026 in Venice, under the theme “Water and Gender – Where Water Flows, Equality Grows.”
Events in India: The Ministry of Jal Shakti(MoJS) organised the World Water Day Conclave 2026 on 23 March 2026 at the Dr. Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi(Delhi) under the theme “Industry for Water.”

Shaheed Diwas 2026 – March 23
Shaheed Diwas or Martyrs’ Day  is observed annually across India on 23 March to commemorate the martyrdom of Bhagat Singh, Shivaram Rajguru, and Sukhdev Thapar, who were executed by the British.
Background:
Lahore Conspiracy Case: Bhagat Singh, Shivaram Rajguru, and Sukhdev Thapar actively fought for India’s independence.

• They were arrested for their involvement in the Lahore Conspiracy Case, which included the assassination of British officer John Saunders in 1928.

Martyrdom: On 23 March 1931, the three revolutionaries were executed by the British government at Lahore Central Jail (now in Pakistan).
Organiser: The Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS) annually organises Shaheed Diwas across India to honour the sacrifices of freedom fighters.

World Meteorological Day 2026 – March 23
The United Nations (UN’s) World Meteorological Day (WMD) is annually observed across the globe on 23 March to raise awareness about the vital role of understanding weather and climate and to commemorate the formal establishment of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in 1950.

• 2026 Theme: “Observing Today, Protecting Tomorrow”

Background: 
Declaration: WMO, during its 12th Executive Committee session (EC-XII) held from 27 June to 15 July 1960, adopted Resolution 6 (EC-XII) proclaiming 23 March as WMD.
1st Observance: WMD was first celebrated on 23 March 1961.
2026 Event:
Global Event: The official ceremony of WMD 2026 held at the WMO Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.
Event in India: In India, WMD 2026 was celebrated on 23 March under the theme “Observing Today, Protecting Tomorrow,” led by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) and the India Meteorological Department (IMD) in New Delhi, Delhi, highlighting Mission Mausam and indigenous technologies.

STATE NEWS

Delhi’s CM Rekha Gupta Presents Rs 1.03 Lakh crore budget for FY27
In March 2026, Rekha Gupta, Chief Minister (CM) of  Delhi, who also holds the Finance portfolio, presented the annual budget of Rs 1,03,700 crore for the Financial Year 2026-27 (FY27) in the Union Territory (UT) legislative assembly in New Delhi, Delhi. The budget outlay for FY27 marks an increase of 3.7% compared to the last year’s budget (Rs 1 lakh crore).
Highlights of the Budget:
Expenditure Structure: As per the Revised Budget Estimate (BE) for FY26, Revenue Expenditure(RE) stood at Rs 66,710 crore while capital expenditure(CapEx) at Rs 32,600 crore.

• The government estimated  the revenue surplus at Rs 9,092 crore for FY27.

GSDP: The budget estimated the UT’s Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) at 5.09% in FY27.

• Also, UT’s GSDP increased to Rs 12.13 lakh crore (in FY25) and is further expected to reach Rs 13.27 lakh crore (in FY26).

Sector-wise Allocations: Some of the major allocations to the key departments: health (Rs 12,645 crore); education (Rs 19,148 crore);  urban development (Rs 7,887 crore);PWD (Rs 5,921 crore); rural development (Rs 787 crore); fire department (Rs 674 crore); among others

UP CM Yogi Adityanath Launches ‘Nivesh Mitra 3.0’ for Enhanced Ease of Doing Business
On 24 March 2026, Yogi Adityanath , Chief Minister (CM) of Uttar Pradesh (UP), launched ‘Nivesh Mitra 3.0’, in Lucknow, UP, an upgraded digital single-window platform aimed at enhancing Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) in the state.

• During the event, he also unveiled the ‘UP Private Business Park Development Scheme-2025’ and the ‘Plug-and-Play Industrial Sheds Scheme’ to boost industrial infrastructure by offering ready-to-use facilities through a combination of government land and private investment.

About Nivesh Mitra 3.0:
Integrated Digital System: The platform integrates over 530 services from more than 43 departments into fewer than 200 streamlined digital services, with a Permanent Account Number (PAN)-based single user identification (ID) for unified access and end-to-end monitoring.
Support: The Combined Application Form (CAF) enables single-interface multi-department approvals, while an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based chatbot provides instant assistance along with real-time Short Message Service (SMS) alerts and application tracking for transparency.
Integration: It is integrated with the National Single Window System (NSWS), Integrated Grievance Redressal System (IGRS), and Geographic Information System (GIS)-based land bank for seamless coordination and land identification.

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