March 08, 2026
90 articles published on this date
Aircraft leasing gains altitude at GIFT City
GIFT City's International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) has crossed a significant milestone, with 38 aircraft leasing entities registered and over 370 avi...
An export grid that bears fruit
India's agricultural export infrastructure — particularly cold chain networks and logistics connectivity — remains the critical bottleneck preventing the cou...
Why are Finance Commission grants to cities still so limited? | Explained
Despite a historic 230% increase in urban local body (ULB) grants by the 16th Finance Commission, analysts argue that fiscal transfers to cities remain struc...
GMS seeks EU nod for Indian ship recyclers
GMS (Global Maritime Services), the world's leading cash buyer of ships for recycling, is urging the European Commission to grant recognition to Indian ship ...
Cheetahs’ shift backs corridor plan: NTCA
The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has stated that the natural movement of cheetahs from Kuno National Park (Madhya Pradesh) into Rajasthan sup...
Why Fadnavis govt pushes Jalyukta Shivar Abhiyan 2.0 to tackle drought?
The Fadnavis government has doubled down on Jalyukta Shivar Abhiyan (JSA) 2.0 in the 2026–27 Maharashtra budget, pushing water conservation works across drou...
Andreas Motzfeldt Kravik, Norway’s Deputy Foreign Minister: India ascending, we believe no problem can be resolved without its participation
Andreas Motzfeldt Kravik, Norway's Deputy Foreign Minister, expressed cautious optimism about the possibility of an Iran nuclear deal while expressing concer...
End of chapter: On Governors and reshuffle
President Droupadi Murmu approved a major reshuffle of Governors and Lieutenant Governors across nine states and Union Territories, including West Bengal, Ta...
Generational shift: On the Nepal election, the results
The 2026 Nepalese general election produced a historic result: the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), led by former Kathmandu mayor and ex-rapper Balendra "Bale...
The new Canada-India economic alignment emerges
A new phase in Canada-India relations emerged in early 2026, driven by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's four-day visit to India (February 27 – March 2, ...
Cheetahs moving from Kuno to Rajasthan show ‘natural territorial behaviour’: NTCA
Two cheetahs — designated KP-2 and KP-3 — from Kuno National Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh have moved approximately 60–70 km into the Baran district of Rajast...
The need to recognise ‘volunteer’ care work
An analysis published on March 8, 2026 (International Women's Day) argued that India urgently needs to recognise and formalise so-called "volunteer" care wor...
Who is Mojtaba Khamenei? Iran’s new Supreme Leader set to succeed his father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
Iran's Assembly of Experts named Mojtaba Khamenei as the country's third Supreme Leader following his father Ali Khamenei's death on February 28, 2026, raisi...
One Nation, One Election — remedy worse than disease
Analysis by constitutional scholars and political commentators argues that the One Nation, One Election (ONOE) proposal — which seeks to synchronise all Lok ...
With an eye on Trump visit, China weighs Iran response
China is carefully managing its response to the ongoing US-led conflict against Iran while simultaneously preparing for a planned visit by President Donald T...
Iran names Khamenei's son, Mojtaba, as new supreme leader: state media
Iranian state media announced that the Assembly of Experts had formally named Mojtaba Khamenei — son of the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei — as Iran's new ...
ISRO and ESA sign agreement for Earth Observation missions
On March 4, 2026, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the European Space Agency (ESA) signed a formal arrangement for joint calibration, valida...
Iran Elevates Khamenei Son as Increased Strikes Shake Region
Iran's Assembly of Experts formally named Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as the Islamic Republic's new Supreme Lead...
Rules not ready for new rural jobs Act
The Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act — the successor legislation to MGNREGA — was passed by the Lok Sabha on December 1...
Government launches logo design contest for VB-G RAM G Act
The Ministry of Rural Development launched a logo design contest on the MyGov platform for the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gra...
Jaishankar to speak on West Asia conflict in Parliament on March 9
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar announced he would make a formal statement in Parliament on March 9, 2026, on India's position regarding the ongoing ...
Death behind bars in Chhattisgarh
The Chhattisgarh state government disclosed in the Assembly that 66 inmates had died in state jails between January 2025 and January 31, 2026 — a 13-month pe...
Why did the U.S. Supreme Court reject Trump’s tariffs? | Explained
On February 20, 2026, the United States Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) does not authorise the President...
Jal Mahotsav kicks off in Lucknow’s Gosainganj, to cover 22,000 villages across UP
Jal Mahotsav 2026 was launched on March 8, 2026 (International Women's Day) from Lucknow's Gosainganj, with a target of covering 22,000 villages in Uttar Pra...
We are working with global oil producers, consumers to maintain stability in energy markets: US treasury secretary
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar told Parliament that India was actively engaging with both oil-producing and oil-consuming nations to ensure stable e...
Last leg of Western Freight Corridor likely to be operational by month end
The last remaining section of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC), connecting Gholvad to Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPT) in Maharashtra, is on track t...
Budget Session returns: Lok Sabha to debate no-confidence motion against speaker Om Birla, key bills and West Asia tensions in focus
During the Budget Session 2026, the opposition brought a no-confidence motion against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, with 118 opposition MPs signing it. The mot...
Government eases approval for minor bilateral MoUs and agreements, MEA clearance suffices
The Indian government has revised its approval framework for minor bilateral Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and international agreements, granting the Min...
Refugees who came to protect their religion deserve citizenship: Amit Shah on CAA
The Union Home Minister held a citizenship certificate distribution ceremony at which 188 individuals from Pakistan and Afghanistan were granted Indian citiz...
Middle East crisis: EAM Jaishankar to make statement in Lok Sabha on Monday
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar made a suo motu (voluntary) statement in the Lok Sabha on March 9, 2026, outlining India's official position on the o...
Oppn move to unseat Speaker Om Birla sets stage for stormy start to Budget session’s second leg
The Opposition submitted a no-confidence motion notice against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on February 10, 2026 — signed by 118 Members of Parliament — allegi...
Andhra Pradesh’s draft population policy: How a shift from ‘population control’ tries to address decline in fertility rates
Andhra Pradesh has released a draft Population Management Policy, the first state-level policy explicitly designed to reverse falling fertility rates rather ...
Explained: Maharashtra’s new farm loan waiver, despite past warnings of impact on credit culture — and farmers themselves
Maharashtra's Mahayuti government announced the Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Shetkari Karjmafi Yojana in its Budget 2026-27, under which crop loans of up to ...
Anthropic to fight US govt in court over ‘supply-chain risk’ label: Behind the standoff, and what it means for Claude AI
The US Department of War formally designated Anthropic — maker of the Claude AI model — as a "supply-chain risk" in letters dated March 3, 2026, invoking the...
China This Week | Response to Iran war, Two Sessions meeting, and more heads roll
China's annual Two Sessions (Lianghui) — the National People's Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) — concluded ...
Text of PM’s address at the launch of various development projects in Delhi
The Prime Minister launched and dedicated multiple development projects in Madhya Pradesh spanning infrastructure, agriculture, and welfare — continuing the ...
Israeli Military says it will pursue every successor of Iran’s Khamenei
The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) issued a formal warning — posted in Persian on social media — declaring that Israel would "pursue every successor" to Iran's...
Indian Railways launch ‘SHINE’ to empower women at workplace
Indian Railways launched the SHINE (Sexual Harassment Incident Notification for Empowerment) module on International Women's Day, March 8, 2026, integrated w...
EU likely to use FTA quotas for premium cars as ‘testbed’ for India manufacturing
The European Union is expected to use the Tariff Rate Quota (TRQ) mechanism for premium Completely Built Unit (CBU) cars under the India-EU Free Trade Agreem...
Why India’s ‘leaky pipeline’ in research is unlike the rest of the world
A detailed analysis of India's "leaky pipeline" problem in research reveals a stark paradox: India has the world's highest percentage of women in STEM underg...
Centre approves credit target of ₹2 lakh core for AIF; to be completed by mid-April
The Centre has approved a credit disbursement target of ₹2 lakh crore under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF), effectively doubling the original ₹1 l...
Global warming picking up pace, study says
A new study projects that the Earth could breach the 1.5°C warming limit set by the Paris Agreement as early as 2030, earlier than previous estimates that pl...
Majority consensus reached on Iran's next Supreme Leader
A senior Iranian cleric announced that the Assembly of Experts — Iran's 88-member clerical body — would convene within one day to formally select a new Supre...
Climate change hits women hardest, funding support inadequate: UNGCNI
The United Nations Global Compact Network India (UNGCNI) released findings showing that climate change disproportionately impacts women and girls, while glob...
India's 250 million barrel buffer and supply diversification ensure fuel stability: Report
A government report confirms India holds a combined energy buffer of over 250 million barrels of crude oil and refined petroleum products — equivalent to app...
From tariff turbulence to trade resilience, Andhra Pradesh anchors India’s shrimp export growth
Andhra Pradesh is emerging as a key contributor to India's export resilience strategy as the country navigates simultaneous pressures — US tariff hikes, West...
Karnataka Budget 2026-27: Share of Central funds decreasing by the year adds to fiscal pressure
Karnataka's Medium Term Fiscal Plan shows the share of central transfers in the state's total resource envelope has fallen from 32.1% in 2017-18 to 25.1% in ...
Gender, agriculture and climate change
A growing body of analysis documents how climate variability — including irregular monsoons, prolonged droughts, and extreme weather events — is disproportio...
‘Working with UK, handover soon’: Mauritian foreign minister on Chagos, islands housing Diego Garcia
Mauritius's Foreign Minister Dhananjay Ramful confirmed that the UK-Mauritius Chagos Islands agreement signed on May 22, 2025, is still on track, describing ...
India awaits clarity on US maritime reinsurance push for Gulf
The US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), in coordination with the US Treasury, announced a $20 billion maritime reinsurance facility to re...
WTO ministerial in Cameroon may discuss reforms, agriculture, e-commerce moratorium
The 14th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC14) is scheduled from March 26–29, 2026, in Yaoundé, Cameroon — the first such conference hosted on African soil. Trad...
State Information Commission slaps ₹1 lakh penalty on BDA official for failing to provide information under RTI
The Karnataka Information Commission has levied total fines of ₹1,25,000 on Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA) officials for violating the Right to Inform...
Crude oil shock looms over FMCG as packaging and freight costs climb; price hikes may squeeze margins
The ongoing West Asia conflict has driven crude oil prices above US$100 per barrel, triggering a cascade of cost pressures on India's Fast-Moving Consumer Go...
Exporters withdraw cargo from Customs area amid West Asia security situation
Indian exporters began withdrawing pre-loaded cargo from customs bonded areas at Nhava Sheva (Jawaharlal Nehru Port, Mumbai) and Mundra Port (Gujarat) as Wes...
PM Modi inaugurates two new Delhi Metro corridors
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated two new Delhi Metro corridors on March 8, 2026, completing India's first fully operational "Ring Metro" network. The...
A bitter harvest for wheat as war pops export dreams
India was positioned to re-enter global wheat markets after a record harvest of 120.2 million metric tonnes in 2025-26 — the largest in its history — prompti...
12 years on, renewed hunt for missing Flight MH370 comes up empty as families press for answers
Ocean Infinity, the underwater technology company contracted by the Malaysian government, concluded its renewed search for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 wit...
India taps alternative crude supplies as Iran conflict drags on
Indian refiners have begun negotiating additional crude oil cargoes from the United States, Russia, and West Africa to buffer against potential supply disrup...
Kolkata Port signs agreement with East Horizon for Rs 260 cr FSRU project at Haldia
Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata (SMPK) has signed a licence agreement with East Horizon Pvt Limited for setting up a Floating Storage and Regasification...
From lighting lives to powering livelihoods: TERI's LaBL 2.0 targets the next billion
The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) formally launched LaBL 2.0 (Lighting a Billion Lives 2.0) on February 26, 2026, at the World Sustainable Developmen...
Census 2027: House listing operations to begin in Arunachal on April 16
The preparatory phase of Census 2027 — India's first fully digital population census — commenced with house listing operations beginning from April 1, 2026, ...
Cheetahs moving from Kuno to Rajasthan show natural territorial behaviour: NTCA
Two cheetahs — designated KP-2 and KP-3 — from Kuno National Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh have dispersed approximately 60–70 km into Baran district of Rajast...
Government sets up 17-member committee for larger reforms in SEZ policy
The government has constituted a 17-member advisory committee to design comprehensive reforms for India's Special Economic Zone (SEZ) policy, branding the ex...
Bridging Digital Divide
India's Digital India programme, launched in 2015, has completed over a decade of implementation, and a recent assessment highlights the country's three-pill...
Rs 54k out-of-pocket expenditure per hospitalisation in pvt facilities under PMJAY: Study commissioned by Niti Aayog
A study commissioned by Niti Aayog found that PMJAY (Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana) beneficiaries incur an average out-of-pocket expenditure of Rs 54,000 ...
Over 52,000 Indian nationals brought back from Gulf to India in a week, says MEA
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed that over 52,000 Indian nationals returned from the Gulf region between March 1 and 7, 2026 — one week after...
Explained: The jobs that AI could most certainly replace, as per an Anthropic study
A study published on March 5, 2026, by Anthropic economists Maxim Massenkoff and Peter McCrory introduces a new framework to measure AI's actual — not theore...
CPSEs’ capex nears revised annual target with a month to spare
Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) had spent ₹7.40 lakh crore by early March 2026, touching over 99% of their revised annual capital expenditure targe...
International Women’s Day 2026: Female Genital Mutilation is not heritage — it is harm
On International Women's Day 2026, the United Nations reiterated its unequivocal position that Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is not a cultural heritage pra...
What is the state of the environment in India? | Explained
The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) released its annual *State of India's Environment in Figures 2025* report, presenting a comprehensive data-drive...
European forecaster projects El Niño to form by May, doesn’t rule out super El Niño
The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), one of the world's most authoritative seasonal forecasters, projects the formation of El Niño...
U.S., Israel hit five oil sites in and near Tehran: official
US and Israeli forces struck five oil sites in and around Tehran on March 8, 2026, marking the first time Iran's oil infrastructure had been directly targete...
Empowering rural India through commodity market access: A financial services perspective
A recent analysis highlights the transformative potential of expanding access to SEBI-regulated commodity derivatives exchanges — particularly MCX (Multi Com...
Don’t need people to join wars after it’s won: Trump tells U.K.’s Starmer over Iran
US President Donald Trump publicly rebuked UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, declaring that the United States did not need "people to join wars after we've alr...
China FM blasts West Asia war, urges U.S. to manage ties
China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi publicly condemned the US-Israel war on Iran, calling it "a war that should never have happened" and urgently calling for a ...
Iran says can fight for months as Israel strikes Beirut hotel
Iran's military leadership publicly declared it could sustain the conflict against the United States and Israel for months, projecting strategic resilience e...
Israel-Iran war LIVE: U.S., Israel hit 5 oil sites in overnight strike near Tehran; facilities 'damaged', says official
The United States and Israel struck five Iranian oil sites in an overnight military operation, marking a significant escalation of the West Asia conflict tha...
Trump downplays importance of Russia reportedly sharing intel with Iran to help it hit U.S. targets
Multiple US officials confirmed that Russia is providing Iran with intelligence — primarily satellite imagery from Russia's overhead constellation — on the l...
Australia Weighs Request From Gulf Nations for Military Support
Australia confirmed it is assessing a request from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations for defensive military support against Iranian drone and missile at...
Balendra Shah's RSP makes history, registers landmark victory in Nepal election
Rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah's Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) won a landslide majority in Nepal's 2026 general elections, defeating legacy parties ...
Israelis head to shelters after Iran fires missiles
Iran launched multiple waves of ballistic missiles at Israeli territory, prompting Israelis to seek shelter as air raid sirens sounded across the country; Is...
Sufficient fertilisers now, but problems may arise if West Asia conflict prolongs: Official
India currently has sufficient fertiliser stock for immediate agricultural needs, but a prolonged West Asia conflict could disrupt supply chains for key fert...
Women’s Day: How many women MPs does Indian Parliament have? How it compares globally
As of 2026, women comprise approximately 13-14% of the Lok Sabha membership — 74 out of 543 seats — placing India well below the global average of 26.9% for ...
Why does the Strait of Hormuz’s closure matter?
The Strait of Hormuz — the world's most critical oil and gas chokepoint — has been severely disrupted by the escalating conflict among Iran, the United State...
PMO seeks third-party audits for road, rail projects
The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has directed the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and the Ministry of Railways to commission independent third-party...
Peaceful Nepal elections historic, ready to work with new government: PM Modi
Nepal's Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), led by Balendra Shah, secured a decisive parliamentary majority in the 2026 general elections, described by observers...
Energy imports into the country are in full flow from all Non-Hormuz routes: Union Minister Hardeep Puri
The Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas confirmed that India's energy imports are flowing smoothly via all non-Hormuz routes, with no shortage of oi...
Uttar Pradesh: 2.4 crore names dropped in poll rolls since SIR announced
The Election Commission of India (ECI) conducted a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Uttar Pradesh, resulting in approximately 2.89 cror...
India's economy is booming, but uneven growth clouds ascent
India's economy expanded at approximately 7.6% in FY26, cementing its position as the world's fastest-growing major economy, driven primarily by the services...
Government to hire 1,000 professionals to help exporters
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry is set to recruit 1,000 young trade professionals to strengthen India's export ecosystem by improving awareness and uti...