NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. President Murmu inaugurates National Conference on Environment 2025: President Droupadi Murmu has inaugurated the National Conference on Environment held at the Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi.The National Conference on Environment 2025 has been organised by the National Green Tribunal (NGT).The National Conference on Environment focuses on the legal aspect of Environmental laws and their proper implementation. Thus, the Conference brings together the Judges of the Supreme Court, High Court, District Court, and the policymakers- the government of India and its various ministries.
2. PM Modi unveils projects worth Rs 33 thousand 700 crore in Chhattisgarh: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched projects worth 33 thousand 700 crore rupees in Chhattisgarh.The projects are aligned with his government’s broader agenda of infrastructure expansion, housing, education, and rural empowerment.The projects unveiled by Prime Minister include three lakh new houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, 130 PM-SHRI schools equipped with smart classrooms and modern laboratories, a 540-km petroleum pipeline to enhance regional energy security, and an extensive network of rural roads aimed at improving connectivity in Maoist-affected areas.
3. Tata Group appoints Shibashish Roy as MD & CEO of Croma: Tata Group’s electronics retail chain Croma has appointed Shibashish Roy as its chief executive officer and Managing Director.Roy, who has over 20 years of experience in Tata Group companies, was named chief executive officer in November 2024 and worked alongside outgoing managing director Avijit Mitra during a transition period that concluded in March 2025.
4. Startup Mahakumbh 2025: The Startup Mahakumbh 2025, scheduled for April 3-5, 2025, at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, is initiative by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA). This event aims to empower Scheduled Tribe (ST) entrepreneurs by providing them with a platform to showcase their innovations and connect with industry leaders. It coincides with the Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh, celebrating the 150th birth anniversary. Dharti Aaba TribePreneurs 2025 is a flagship initiative under MoTA. It marks the importance of tribal entrepreneurship in India. The event aims to encourage inclusive economic growth and self-reliance among tribal communities. It features more than 45 startups founded by ST entrepreneurs. These startups have been incubated at prestigious institutions like IIM Calcutta and IIT Bhilai.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. GAIL to begin LNG supplies from Qatar Energy next month under five-year deal: State-owned gas utility GAIL (India) Ltd will begin receiving LNG supplies from Qatar Energy Trading next month under a five-year agreement, ensuring the delivery of 12 cargoes annually.In addition to the Qatar deal, GAIL has signed a 10-year contract with Vitol Asia for 1 MTPA of LNG from 2026 and another 10-year deal with ADNOC Gas (UAE) for 0.5 MTPA of LNG.These agreements support India’s goal of increasing the share of natural gas in the energy mix from 6-7% to 15% by 2030, aligning with national energy security and sustainability objectives.
2. Japan’s Megaquake Threat: The Nankai Trough is a 900-kilometre undersea fault off Japan’s Pacific coast. It stretches from Shizuoka to Kyushu. The region is tectonically active due to the subduction of the Philippine Sea Plate beneath the Eurasian Plate. This geological process creates immense strain, which can lead to powerful earthquakes.The Japanese government estimates a 70-80% chance of a magnitude 8 to 9 earthquake occurring within the next 30 years. Historical data shows that quakes recur every 100 to 200 years. The last major earthquake in this region occurred in 1946. This alarming probability puts stress on the need for preparedness.
OTHER UPDATES:
DEFENCE
1. India launches Operation Brahma to help quake hit Myanmar: The government of India has launched Operation Brahma to help the earthquake-hit victims in Myanmar. A 7.7 magnitude quake hit Myanmar on 28 March 2025, killing at least 1000 people.According to the US Geological Survey, more than 10,000 people are feared dead in Myanmar.India, under its Neighbourhood First policy and its policy of being the first responder in providing Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) has launched Operation Brahma.Two Indian Air Force C-130J aircraft carrying relief material for the quake-hit Myanmar took off from Hindon Air Force Station, Uttar Pradesh.The plane carried the first tranche of 15 tonnes of urgent humanitarian aid landed at the Yangon airport of Myanmar. A search-and-rescue team and a medical team have also been sent to Myanmar.
2. IAF to Participate in Multinational Air Exercise INIOCHOS-25 in Greece :The Indian Air Force (IAF) will participate in the multinational air exercise INIOCHOS-25, beginning in Greece.The 12-day exercise, hosted by Greece’s Hellenic Air Force, will take place at Andravida Air Base in a historic region of Elis. It will continue till the 11th of April.The IAF contingent will include Su-30 MKI fighters, along with combat-enabling IL-78 and C-17 aircraft.The exercise will integrate multiple air and surface assets from fifteen countries under realistic combat scenarios, designed to simulate modern-day air warfare challenges.
3. Recent Exercise: 14th edition of Exercise Indra between India and Russia -Chennai23rd edition of bilateral naval exercise, Varuna 2025 between India and Franc – Arabian SeaINS Ranvir participates in Exercise Bongosagar 2025 between India and Bangladesh12th edition of Exercise KHANJAR-XII between India and Kyrgyzstan – Tokmok, Kyrgyzstan7th edition of Security Belt-2025 between Russia, China and Iran – Iranian port of Chabahar near Indian Ocean
SPORTS
1. Nihal Sarin clinches 2025 Tashkent Open Agzamov Memorial title: India’s Nihal Sarin has clinched the 2025 Tashkent Open Agzamov Memorial title in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.The 20-year-old Indian Grandmaster secured the title with an unbeaten score of 8 out of 10, outperforming a strong field that included eight players rated above 2600.With this victory, Nihal gained 7.1 Elo rating points, bringing his live rating to 2694, just a step away from the coveted 2700 mark.
2. Deepak Punia & Udit settle for Silver medals at Asian Wrestling Championship in Amman: In wrestling, Olympian Deepak Punia and Udit settles for silver medals at Asian Wrestling Championships in Amman, Jorda.While Deepak Punia won Silver in the Men’s freestyle 92kg weight category, Udit bagged Silver in 61kg weight division.Meanwhile, Dinesh, who went down to Mongolia’s Munkhtur Lkhagvagerel in the 125kg semis, made the most of his chance by defeating Turkmenistan’s Zyyamuhammet Saparov to bag the bronze.India have secured a total of 10 medals – one gold, three silver and six bronze at the event.
3. Bihar to host Men’s Hockey Hero Asia Cup 2025: Rajgir in Bihar will host the Hero Asia Cup Hockey 2025 in August of this year.Hockey India and the Bihar State Sports Authority signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in this regard at the Patliputra Sports Complex in Patna.
The tournament will take place from the 29th of August to the 7th of September at the recently developed Rajgir Hockey Stadium. This will be the second international sporting event hosted by Rajgir, after the Women’s Asian Champions Trophy in November last year, where India emerged victorious.The 12th edition of the Hero Asia Cup will witness the participation of 8 teams, including India, Pakistan, Japan, Korea, China, and Malaysia.The remaining two teams will secure their spots through the qualifying tournament, the AHF Cup.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. SpaceX Launches Historic “Fram2” Mission – First Human Spaceflight Over Polar Regions: SpaceX launched “Fram2,” the first human spaceflight to travel directly over Earth’s North and South Poles, on a privately funded mission.The mission includes groundbreaking experiments, such as taking the first X-ray in space and studying mushroom growth in microgravity.The crew consists of mission commander Chun Wang (China/Malta), vehicle commander Jannicke Mikkelsen (Norway), mission pilot Rabea Rogge (Germany), and mission specialist Eric Philips (Australia).Named after the 19th-century Norwegian exploration ship “Fram,” the mission aims to gather new data to advance long-term space exploration.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. India’s economy projected to grow at 6.5% in FY26: EY report: India’s economy is expected to grow at 6.5% in the fiscal year 2025-26, according to the latest EY Economy Watch report.The report emphasizes the need for a well-calibrated fiscal strategy that supports human capital development while maintaining fiscal prudence to enhance long-term growth prospects.For FY25, real GDP growth is projected at 6.4%, aligning with the revised estimates by the National Statistical Office (NSO).The revised national accounts data indicate that India’s real GDP growth rates for FY23, FY24, and FY25 are estimated at 7.6%, 9.2%, and 6.5%, respectively.The third-quarter growth rate for FY25 is estimated at 6.2%, implying a required 7.6% growth in the fourth quarter to meet the annual projection.
2. Aditya Birla Finance merges with parent Aditya Birla Capital: The amalgamation of Aditya Birla Finance Ltd (ABFL) with its parent Aditya Birla Capital Ltd (ABCL) with effect from April 1, 2025, will lead to rationalisation and simplification of group structure, improved financial stability, and increased operational efficiency.ABCL will be converted from a Core Investment Company to an operating NBFC (non-banking finance company), and this will create a unified larger entity with greater financial strength and flexibility enabling direct access to capital.As of December-end 2024, ABCL’s aggregate assets under management of over ₹03 lakh crore, include a consolidated lending book of over ₹1.46 lakh crore and gross written premium of ₹16,942 crore in Life and health insurance businesses in nine months of FY25.
3. NPCI Brings New UPI Guidelines in Effect from April 1, 2025: The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) is set to implement new guidelines for Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions from April 1, 2025, to enhance security, interoperability, and overall customer experience.These are requirements for all member banks of UPI, Payment Service Providers (PSPs), and third-party app providers (TPAPs), such as leading apps like PhonePe, Google Pay, and Paytm.The new framework attempts to resolve issues related to unused or reassigned mobile numbers and improve user trust and operating efficiency.One of the most important updates is the handling of mobile numbers assigned to UPI IDs. According to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), mobile numbers that have remained unused for 90 days can be reassigned to new customers.
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