March 13, 2026
185 articles published on this date
El Niño likely to emerge post-July, say international weather models
International climate models — including data from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) — indicate that El Niño conditions are like...
BJP: Infiltrators from B'desh behind Meghalaya violence
Violent clashes erupted in West Garo Hills district of Meghalaya around March 10, 2026, triggered by disputes over nominations for Garo Hills Autonomous Dist...
Tehran: Will allow Indian ships to pass; PM Modi says Iran a friend
Iran granted a diplomatic exemption allowing Indian-flagged merchant vessels to transit the Strait of Hormuz, following Prime Minister Modi's direct conversa...
Trans bill drops 'self-perceived identity' clause
The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill, 2026, was introduced in the Lok Sabha on March 12, 2026, by Social Justice and Empowerment Min...
Help farmers shift from paddy to pulses, SC suggests to govt
The Supreme Court, while hearing a petition filed by the Kisan Mahapanchayat, directed the Centre to revisit its long-standing policy of MSP-driven focus on ...
In Sabarimala U-turn, Kerala backs tradition on entry of women
In a special cabinet meeting on March 13, 2026, the Kerala government led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan reversed its earlier position on women's entry i...
Oil price rise: Market sinks 5% in a week, logs worst 4-yr weekly fall
Indian stock markets recorded their worst weekly fall in four years, with the Sensex declining approximately 5% in a single week The primary trigger was a sh...
‘I’m repaying a debt’: Modi hands over land rights to 28,000 tea workers in historic Assam move
Prime Minister Modi distributed land ownership certificates (pattas) to 28,241 tea garden worker families in Assam during the first phase of a land rights in...
Will try our best: Iran envoy on safe passage for India-bound fuel ships
Iran's Ambassador to India, Mohammad Fathali, stated that Tehran would "try its best" to ensure safe passage for India-bound fuel ships through the Strait of...
As BRICS chair, condemn attacks on Iran: Tehran’s message to Delhi
Iran formally asked India — currently holding the rotating presidency of BRICS for 2026 — to issue a BRICS statement condemning the US-Israel military strike...
Why foreign investors are dumping Indian stocks, pushing rupee down
Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) have continued large-scale selling of Indian equities into early 2026, following record net outflows of approximately ₹1,5...
Auto sales surge double digit in Feb, SIAM flags concern on production, exports due to West Asia conflict
India's automobile industry recorded double-digit growth across all segments in February 2026, with domestic sales rising approximately 30% year-on-year to 2...
Tamil Nadu’s AVGC-XR policy aims for creative boom
The Government of Tamil Nadu has formally approved its AVGC-XR Policy 2026, a five-year framework to build the state into a national hub for Animation, Visua...
Price pressures: On new series of Consumer Price Index, inflation
India's Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) launched a new Consumer Price Index (CPI) series with base year 2024 (2024=100) starting ...
Duty of care: On vaccine injury compensation programmes
The Supreme Court of India, in the case Rachna Gangu v. Union of India (2026 INSC 218), directed the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to formulate a "no...
Indian LPG carrier crosses Strait of Hormuz: marine traffic website
An Indian-flagged LPG carrier, the MV Shivalik, successfully crossed the Strait of Hormuz on the night of March 13, 2026, carrying approximately 40,000 metri...
The India-Canada turnaround is about deliverables
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney visited India in late February 2026 — a landmark diplomatic reset after nearly two years of severely strained bilateral t...
Opposition leaders press government, Lok Sabha Speaker to revoke the suspension of 8 MPs
Eight opposition Members of Parliament — seven from the Congress and one from the CPI(M) — were suspended from the Lok Sabha on February 3, 2026, during the ...
Study suggests protein in egg whites may provide scalable, effective solution against forever chemicals
Researchers at North Dakota State University (NDSU), in collaboration with the University of Central Florida and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EP...
West Asia conflict: Two Indians killed in attack in Oman’s Sohar
Two Indian nationals were killed and ten others injured in an attack in Oman's Sohar city — the first Indian deaths on land in Oman since the West Asian conf...
Over Rs 15k cr disbursed to exporters till December 25 this fiscal under duty refund scheme RoDTEP
Over Rs 15,700 crore was disbursed to exporters under the Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) scheme up to December 25 of the current...
Researchers discover chemical reaction that opens new avenues in drug development, protein science
Researchers led by Professor Justin Chalker at Flinders University (Australia), in collaboration with scientists from the University of Liverpool and interna...
Making sense of the political tsunami in Nepal
Nepal underwent another dramatic political transition when Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli — who had returned to power for a fourth stint in July 2024 in coalit...
India to receive two LPG cargoes via Strait of Hormuz soon
Two Indian-flagged LPG tankers — Shivalik and Nanda Devi, owned by the Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) — crossed the Strait of Hormuz on March 14, 2026 a...
Pentagon elevates investigation into Iran school strike
US Central Command (CENTCOM) head Admiral Brad Cooper ordered an elevated AR 15-6 military investigation into a strike that reportedly hit a school in Iran, ...
In Rajya Sabha, BJP MP proposes setting up National Commission for persons with disabilities
BJP Rajya Sabha MP Bhim Singh (Bihar) proposed the setting up of a fully autonomous National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, arguing that the exist...
Exercise LAMITIYE-2026: India and Seychelles carry out joint military exercise
India and Seychelles launched the 11th edition of Exercise LAMITIYE-2026 at the Seychelles Defence Academy from March 9 to March 20, 2026. For the first time...
PM distributes land deeds to Assam’s tea workers
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on March 13, 2026, distributed over 28,241 land pattas (ownership deeds) to tea garden workers and their families in Assam in t...
U.S. offers $10 million reward for information on Iran's supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei, senior officials
The US State Department's Rewards for Justice (RFJ) programme announced rewards of up to $10 million for information on the whereabouts and activities of Ira...
Parliament Watch: EU rules challenge Indian exporters; Over 1 lakh benefit from RoDTEP in FY26; India’s imports from China slow
Parliament received a compilation of updates on India's trade challenges in March 2026, covering three key areas: (1) the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mecha...
India, UK trade pact may come into effect in one month from now: Piyush Goyal
Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal announced on March 13, 2026, that the India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) — formally called the Comprehe...
Drone strike in Oman takes Indian toll to 5
A subsequent drone strike in Oman's Sohar province killed two more Indian nationals, raising the total Indian death toll from the West Asian conflict to five...
India’s imports from China slowed overtime, exports grow faster: Govt tells Parliament
The Indian government informed Parliament in March 2026 that India's imports from China have been growing at a slower rate over time, while India's exports t...
IDBI Bank strategic sale scrapped as financial bids below reserve price: Sources
The government has scrapped the strategic divestment of IDBI Bank after financial bids from shortlisted buyers came in below the government-set reserve price...
Tree cover in Indian Himalayan region shrunk by 2.2% in two years: Govt
A government report presented in the Rajya Sabha on March 12, 2026, by Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Kirti Vardhan Singh...
Oppn submits first-ever motion in LS & RS to remove CEC
The INDIA bloc opposition submitted notices for removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha — the first time such ...
Pending MGNREGS dues to states Rs 9,300 crore in FY26: Govt to Rajya Sabha
The central government informed the Rajya Sabha that total pending liabilities under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) ...
NHRC notice to Delhi Police chief over reported assault on Manipuri woman
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) took suo motu cognizance of media reports that a woman from Manipur was physically assaulted in the Malviya Nagar...
27 Indian-flagged ships remain stranded in Persian Gulf, one starts moving: Government official
At least 27 Indian-flagged ships remained stranded in the Persian Gulf following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz after the outbreak of the US-Israel war ...
Centre’s delay in releasing Rs 900 cr holding up SC/ST, OBC scholarships: Jharkhand minister
Jharkhand's Minister for SC/ST and Backward Classes Welfare, Chamra Linda, accused the Union Government of delaying the release of approximately Rs 900 crore...
War upends life as LPG crisis hits not only eateries & hostels but also temples
The ongoing US-Israel war on Iran (Operation Epic Fury, launched February 28, 2026) triggered a closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran, causing a severe LPG...
Fitch raises India FY26 GDP growth forecast to 7.5% on strong domestic demand
Fitch Ratings, in its Global Economic Outlook for March 2026, revised upward India's GDP growth forecast for FY2025-26 to 7.5%, from the 7.4% projected in De...
Forex reserves decline by $12 billion as volatility hits asset valuations
India's foreign exchange reserves fell by approximately $11.68 billion in the week ended March 6, 2026, driven by the RBI's active intervention in the foreig...
India protects key sectors under 'powerful' US trade deal, says Piyush Goyal
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal stated that India has fully protected agriculture, dairy, sugar, and sensitive manufacturing sectors under the interim India-U...
How many constituencies can a candidate contest from? | TN Elections with The Hindu
In the 2001 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, AIADMK leader J. Jayalalithaa filed nominations from four constituencies — all four were rejected by Returning Off...
Maha anti-conversion bill proposes 7-year jail, Rs 1 lakh fine
The Maharashtra government tabled the Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Bill, 2026, in the state legislative assembly, proposing stringent penalties for forced...
West Asia crisis: The Indians caught in the crossfire
The ongoing Iran-Israel-US conflict in West Asia has placed approximately 90 lakh (9.1 million) Indians working in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countri...
'Partial conduct, proved misbehaviour': Oppn moves to impeach CEC Gyanesh Kumar; 193 MPs sign notice
The opposition INDIA bloc formally moved to impeach Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on March 13, 2026, citing "partial conduct and proved misbehavi...
Opposition submits notices seeking motion for CEC’s removal to both House today
On March 13, 2026, the INDIA bloc opposition formally submitted notices to both the Lok Sabha Speaker and the Rajya Sabha Chairman seeking the initiation of ...
Iran-Israel-US 'triangle trap': Decoding India's stance amid rising Middle East tensions
With the US-Israel war on Iran in its third week, analysts and policymakers were examining the acute dilemma facing India: its strategic interests were pulli...
'Hospital-insurance nexus; Rs 26K cr claims were rejected in 2024': MP Swati Maliwal claims in RS
Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal raised concerns in the Upper House about a "hospital-insurance nexus," alleging that health insurance claims worth approximately...
West Asia crisis: Around 23,000 Indian sailors in Gulf, 27 vessels near Strait of Hormuz: Ministry
The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways updated Parliament that approximately 23,000 Indian sailors were present in the Gulf region, with 27 vessels in...
War risk insurance costs spiral upwards as West Asia conflict escalates
As the West Asia conflict escalated and the Strait of Hormuz was effectively blocked, war risk insurance premiums for commercial shipping spiked sharply, com...
Opposition moves notice for impeachment motion against CEC Gyanesh Kumar
Opposition parties submitted formal notices in both Houses of Parliament seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar — the first such no...
Jaishankar speaks with Iran foreign minister Araghchi as he calls for co-operation from BRICS amid West Asia conflict
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held his fourth telephonic conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in two weeks (March 13, 2026), m...
‘Basavaraju killing was our collective failure… Sonu was a traitor’: Top Maoist Devuji, who surrendered last month, speaks out
Devuji (real name not confirmed in reports), a senior CPI (Maoist) leader who had served on the Central Military Commission since 2001 and was inducted into ...
2 Indians killed, 10 injured as downed drone falls in Oman city
Two Indian nationals were killed and ten others injured when a downed drone fell on Oman's Sohar province, marking the first Indian deaths on land in the Sul...
Centre sets conditions for states to receive Jal Jeevan funds
The Centre has set new conditions for releasing Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) funds to states: each scheme must be mapped through a unique Scheme ID, and future f...
How Iran’s use of naval mines in Strait of Hormuz points to its asymmetric warfare against US-Israel
Iran has deployed naval mines in and around the Strait of Hormuz as part of its asymmetric response to US-Israeli military superiority, with US intelligence ...
Iran war: As oil prices soar, why US is considering pausing a century-old maritime rule
With Brent crude above $100 per barrel, the US was reportedly considering invoking the Defense Production Act and pausing the Jones Act — a century-old marit...
IRGC: How a paramilitary force became one of Iran’s most powerful organisations
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has emerged as a central actor in the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict, directing Iran's missile and drone strikes a...
Russia is not fighting West Asia war, but is its real winner — thanks to crude windfall
As the West Asia conflict escalated — disrupting Persian Gulf oil shipments and triggering volatility in global crude prices — Russia emerged as an unexpecte...
Graphs, Data and Perspectives: How costly will the US-Iran war be?
Following the outbreak of direct US-Israel military action against Iran in late February 2026, economists and policy analysts began modelling the macroeconom...
NASA says it’s ready to go back to the moon for the first time in 50 years
NASA's Artemis II mission (April 1–11, 2026) was the first crewed flight beyond low Earth orbit since Apollo 17 in December 1972 — a gap of 54 years. The mis...
Watch: Dozens injured, homes damaged from barrages of Iranian overnight strikes on Israel
Iran launched a large barrage of overnight strikes on Israeli territory, resulting in dozens of casualties and significant damage to residential and civilian...
Maharashtra to use AI to boost freshwater fisheries output; ₹1,024-crore scheme launched
Maharashtra has launched the Chief Minister Matsyasampada Yojana — a ₹1,024-crore scheme covering 28 initiatives (6 at state level, 19 at district level) to ...
Milk adulteration case: two more die, toll rises to 15
At least 15 people died in Andhra Pradesh's East Godavari district after consuming milk adulterated with ethylene glycol, an industrial coolant; the toll sub...
Noida airport expects to handle four million passengers in CY 2026
The Noida International Airport at Jewar (Gautam Buddha Nagar, Uttar Pradesh) set a target of handling four million passengers in Calendar Year 2025. The air...
₹1 lakh crore Economic Stabilisation Fund to create fiscal buffer against global shocks, says FM Sitharaman
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the creation of a ₹1 lakh crore Economic Stabilisation Fund (ESF) to serve as a fiscal buffer against global ec...
Rupee depreciates to ₹92.3 against the dollar on crude oil spikes
The Indian rupee depreciated sharply to ₹92.3 against the US dollar, driven by a surge in global crude oil prices. Brent crude breaching $90 per barrel trigg...
K.V. Ramana Murthy to be new Whole Time Member of SEBI
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved the appointment of K.V. Ramana Murty as a Whole Time Member (WTM) of the Securities and Exchange Board of ...
Bodies of 84 Iranian sailors killed in US torpedo strike to be repatriated
The bodies of 84 Iranian sailors killed when the Iranian Navy frigate IRIS Dena was sunk on March 4, 2026, are being repatriated to Iran following confirmati...
US opens forced-labour trade probe into India, others under Section 301
The United States Trade Representative (USTR) launched Section 301 investigations against 60 economies, including India, in March 2026, targeting each countr...
Maharashtra’s downgrading of legal protection for leopards symbolic, aims to facilitate Vantara: experts
Maharashtra has approved a proposal to shift the leopard from Schedule I to Schedule II of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 — effectively reducing the lev...
'No-one will hire women' - India's top court rejects menstrual leave petition
The Supreme Court of India declined a PIL seeking a nationwide mandatory menstrual leave policy, disposing of the petition on March 13, 2026 CJI Surya Kant m...
Israel expands strikes on Lebanon, cuts bridge over Litani river
Israeli forces expanded airstrikes into Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah positions across a broader geographic area than before, including areas north of the tra...
28 Indian vessels with LNG, LPG and crude stranded near Hormuz
The Shipping Ministry and Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) confirmed that 28 Indian-flagged vessels carrying liquefied natural gas (LNG), liquefied petr...
IndiGo, Air India seek government support during Iran crisis, sources say
Indian carriers IndiGo and Air India approached the Indian government seeking financial relief — specifically tax concessions and policy support — as the Ira...
Dairy sector a safety net for farmers, says Nabard chairman
The Chairman of NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development) emphasised that the dairy sector serves as a critical safety net for India's far...
Farmers’ organisations seek urgent support amid global market instability
Farmers' organisations in India sought urgent government intervention amid escalating disruptions in global agricultural markets, including volatile commodit...
West Asia crisis leaves 23,000 Indian seafarers stranded across Gulf; 768 on 28 Indian ships
The Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) reported that approximately 23,000 Indian seafarers are working across merchant, harbour, and offshore vessels in t...
As urea imports are poised to hit record high, Indian parliamentary panel moots adopting green ammonia for fertilisers
India's urea imports from China hit a three-year high — 21.24 lakh tonnes in April 2025–February 2026 alone — with total urea imports poised to reach a recor...
Lok Sabha approves supplementary demands for grants for additional ₹2.01 lakh cr spending in FY26
The Lok Sabha passed the second batch of Supplementary Demands for Grants for 2025-26, authorising a net additional cash outgo of ₹2.01 lakh crore (gross: ₹2...
India, US on the heels of finalising a critical minerals agreement, ‘big announcement in few months’, says Sergio Gor
India and the United States have agreed on the "broad parameters" of a critical minerals agreement, with US Ambassador Sergio Gor confirming at the India Tod...
Crude oil futures rise ₹94 to ₹8,898 per barrel; Brent breaches $100
Crude oil futures on the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) rose by ₹94 to ₹8,898 per barrel in domestic trading. International benchmark Brent crude breached th...
Technology adoption and improved seed varieties boost India’s wheat & rice production
Union Agriculture Minister Bhagirath Choudhary stated in Parliament that wheat and rice production has been boosted through high-yielding climate-resilient v...
Finance Minister proposes ‘economic stabilisation fund' to boost resilience against global headwinds
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the creation of an Economic Stabilisation Fund (ESF) of ₹1 lakh crore to provide fiscal headroom for India to r...
Economic Stabilisation Fund to help government respond to global challenges: Sitharaman
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduced the concept of an Economic Stabilisation Fund (ESF) of ₹1 lakh crore during the Lok Sabha debate on supplement...
Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Bill 2026 introduced in assembly
The Maharashtra government introduced the Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Bill, 2026 in the state legislative assembly on March 13, 2026, targeting forced an...
Rare thread-legged assassin bug ‘missing’ for 100 years rediscovered in limestone caves in the Andamans
Scientists have rediscovered Myiophanes kempi, a rare thread-legged assassin bug from the subfamily Emesinae (family Reduviidae), approximately 100 years aft...
Clinical Establishments Act: govt. offers concessions to small hospitals
The Central Government announced concessions in the implementation of the Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010 for small hospitals...
‘Don’t see India as market of 1.5 bn people, but as partner amid shifting geopolitics’—Polish envoy
In a recent interview, a senior foreign business leader articulated a shift in perspective on India — viewing it not simply as a market of 1.5 billion consum...
Kandla port crosses 150 mt cargo milestone well ahead of fiscal year end
Deendayal Port Authority (formerly Kandla Port), Gujarat, achieved a historic milestone by handling over 150 million metric tonnes (MMT) of cargo in financia...
Significant contamination detected along Ashtamudi, Vembanad lakes
Significant contamination was detected at a total of nine monitoring stations under national and state water monitoring programmes in Kollam, Kottayam, Alapp...
Centre proposes life term for forced transgender conversion; moves to amend 2019 Act
The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill, 2026 introduced in Lok Sabha proposes life imprisonment for forcing children to undergo transg...
Lila Global’s VLCC becomes 1st Indian-flagged vessel structured via GIFT City
A Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) belonging to Lila Global, an Indian shipping company, became the first Indian-flagged vessel to be "structurally recycled" ...
Indian sugar industry urges government to raise ethanol blending beyond 20%
The Indian Sugar and Bio-Energy Manufacturers Association (ISMA) urged the Prime Minister's Office to fast-track a roadmap to raise the Ethanol Blended Petro...
TB survivors seek government clarification on continuity of medicines and diagnostic supplies amid global conflict
Tuberculosis (TB) survivors and patient advocacy groups sought clarification from the government on the continuity of free TB treatment under the National Tu...
A.P. aims to become a hub of defence manufacturing, says Lokesh
A Lok Sabha member from Andhra Pradesh articulated the state's ambition to become a major hub of defence manufacturing, building on existing aerospace and de...
A first for India: MPs move notice for removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar. What the Constitution says
For the first time in India's constitutional history, opposition MPs moved a formal notice in Parliament seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner G...
Counting the glow: India’s first firefly checklist reveals 92 species
Scientists published India's first comprehensive checklist of fireflies in the journal Zootaxa, documenting 92 species across 27 genera from records spanning...
Parliamentary panel recommends high-level committee to assess India’s urban infra needs
A parliamentary standing committee recommended that the government constitute a high-level committee to study and assess the implementation framework for wom...
NHRC issues notices to five States over rise in missing persons cases
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) took suo motu cognisance of reports highlighting a growing number of missing persons across several states and th...
Jaishankar, Iran’s Araghchi hold 4th phone call since start of West Asian conflict
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held their fourth phone call since the outbreak of the Iran-US-Israel con...
U.S. opens unfair trade practices probe of 60 countries, including India, over forced labour
The USTR launched a second wave of Section 301 investigations targeting 60 countries over forced labour trade practices — covering major US allies and partne...
Macron says Russia ‘mistaken’ if thinks West Asia war offers it respite
French President Emmanuel Macron warned that Russia would be "mistaken" if it believed the West Asia war offered it a strategic opportunity to advance its in...
Iran’s new Supreme Leader ‘wounded,’ ‘likely disfigured’, claims Hegseth
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stated on March 13, 2026, that Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is "wounded and likely disfigured" — the first...
Cabinet move to accelerate execution of Polavaram irrigation project
The Union Cabinet took steps to accelerate the execution of the Polavaram Irrigation Project in Andhra Pradesh, which has been accorded National Project stat...
Second edition of Puducherry Bird Atlas records 33,000 birds, 174 species
The second edition of the Puducherry Bird Atlas has been released, recording 33,000 individual birds across 174 species in the Union Territory of Puducherry,...
Extreme heat severely limits daily activity for more people in India than anywhere else: Study
A major international study published in 2026 found that India experiences the most severe heat-induced limitations on daily human activity of any country in...
Strait of Hormuz closure disrupts Chittoor’s mango pulp exports
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has severely disrupted mango pulp exports from Chittoor district in Andhra Pradesh, with consignments worth over ₹300 cro...
Deadly blast rocks Iran as leaders attend rally in show of defiance
A large explosion struck Ferdowsi Square in Tehran on March 13, 2026, during the annual Al-Quds Day demonstrations, killing at least one woman from shrapnel ...
A.P. Cabinet approves ₹9,355 crore for seven Multi-Village Schemes
The Andhra Pradesh Cabinet approved seven major Multi-Village Drinking Water Schemes at a combined cost of ₹9,355 crore, aimed at providing safe drinking wat...
India to hold off on US trade deal amidst new probe by Trump, sources say
India signalled it would adopt a "wait and watch" approach on finalising the interim trade agreement with the United States after the US Trade Representative...
Tax nudges lead 5 million taxpayers to revise returns; refund claims drop ₹2,000 crore
The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) initiated the NUDGE campaign — Non-Intrusive Usage of Data to Guide and Enable — starting December 2025, using data ...
As told to Parliament (March 12, 2026): Over 350 sq km of tree cover lost in Indian Himalayan Region between 2021 and 2023
Parliament was informed on March 12, 2026 of multiple significant environmental and energy statistics from the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023 and o...
India rebuts reports of pause in US trade talks
India's Commerce Secretary issued a clarification rebutting media reports suggesting that India-US bilateral trade agreement (BTA) negotiations had been paus...
Middle East crisis: Jaishankar holds fourth call with Iranian FM Araghchi since war began, discusses bilateral ties
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held his fourth phone call with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi since the Iran-US-Israel war began, this time...
One of 28 Indian-flagged vessels stranded in Strait of Hormuz sails away safely
As of March 13, 2026, 28 Indian-flagged vessels were stranded in the Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing US-Israel-Iran conflict — 24 on the western side (with...
China announces anti-dumping duty on certain rubber imports from India, Japan, Canada
China announced the imposition of anti-dumping duties on certain rubber imports from India, following a formal anti-dumping investigation that was extended a...
India’s forex reserves fall $11.68 billion to $716.81 billion, biggest drop in over a year
India's foreign exchange reserves fell by $11.683 billion to $716.810 billion for the week ending March 6, 2026 — the steepest single-week decline since Nove...
Fitch raises India’s GDP growth projection for FY26 to 7.5 pc
Fitch Ratings revised India's GDP growth projection for FY2025-26 (current fiscal year) upward to 7.5%, marginally higher than its December 2025 estimate of ...
Online crimes against women & children: Govt urges law enforcement & IT firms for stronger response
The Union Government directed law enforcement agencies across states and Union Territories to use the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP) — managed b...
Protests break out in Shia dominated areas in Kashmir; Curbs imposed
Protests broke out in Shia-dominated areas of Kashmir — including Magam and Budgam — in March 2026, following US and Israeli strikes on Iran, reflecting the ...
MP CM transfers Rs 1,836cr to women under Ladli Behna Yojana; Rs 52,000cr disbursed so far
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav transferred ₹1,836 crore to over 1.25 crore women beneficiaries under the Ladli Behna Yojana, continuing the scheme...
EXPLAINER: Why kerosene and coal are making a temporary comeback in India
The Indian government has temporarily reintroduced kerosene for household cooking use and permitted coal, biomass, and refuse-derived fuel (RDF) pellets as a...
'One-sided foreign policy': P Chidambaram blasts Centre for co-sponsoring UNSC resolution condemning Iran
India co-sponsored UNSC Resolution 2817 (2026), which strongly condemned Iran's attacks on Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations and Jordan, condemning them...
‘India is our friend’: Iran envoy hints at 'safe passage' for Indian ships via Strait of Hormuz
Iran's Ambassador to India, Mohammad Fathali, confirmed that Tehran will provide safe passage to Indian-flagged vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, stating...
Global sugar prices slide on Brazil surplus, India outlook stable: ICRA
Global raw sugar prices fell sharply to $313 per metric tonne in February 2026, down from $445 per metric tonne a year earlier, as surplus production from Br...
US, India moving very close to finalising critical minerals agreement: Envoy Sergio Gor
US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor announced at the India Today Conclave 2026 that the United States and India are "moving very close" to finalising a critica...
Lok Sabha approves additional spending of Rs 2.01 lakh crore for FY 2025-26
Lok Sabha approved the Second Batch of Supplementary Demands for Grants for FY2025-26, permitting the government to spend an additional net amount of ₹2.01 l...
Bill seeking precise definition of transgender, excluding sexual orientation from ambit tabled in LS
The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill, 2026 was introduced in the Lok Sabha on March 12, 2026 by Union Minister for Social Justice an...
India stands tall in shaky world economy as Fitch lifts FY26 growth view to 7.5%
Fitch Ratings on March 13, 2026, raised India's GDP growth projection for FY2025-26 (ending March 2026) to 7.5%, up from its December 2025 estimate of 7.4% C...
When med care fails: What SC’s passive euthanasia ruling means
The Supreme Court's March 11, 2026 ruling in the Harish Rana case has been widely analysed for its practical implications on end-of-life medical care in Indi...
Centre orders probe into Farooq Abdullah attack, questions raised over ‘lapses’, before and after
On March 11, 2026, former Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir and National Conference president Farooq Abdullah survived an assassination attempt when an attac...
ExplainSpeaking: Understanding the ‘discrepancies’ in India’s new GDP data
On February 27, 2026, MoSPI (Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation) released India's new GDP series with a revised base year of 2022-23, replac...
Expert Explains: China’s softer reaction to war in Iran compared to Venezuela, and its concerns
Analysts and foreign policy experts note that China's reaction to the US-Israel military campaign on Iran has been notably more restrained than its response ...
Expert Explains | Iran war: ‘Oil reserves are sufficient… LNG reserves are the greater concern’
Expert analysis indicates that India's crude oil supply is relatively more resilient to the Strait of Hormuz closure than commonly assumed — approximately 60...
Explained: Changes in India’s FDI policy for Land Bordering Countries, including China, and who stands to gain
The Union Cabinet on March 10, 2026, approved amendments to the Consolidated FDI Policy relating to investments from countries sharing a land border with Ind...
Pakistan bombs airline fuel depot near Kandahar airport: Afghan Taliban
Pakistan's military carried out overnight airstrikes on March 13, 2026, hitting the fuel depot of private airline Kam Air near Kandahar airport — a significa...
South Asia bets on LNG demand surge as India leads 110 mtpa import expansion
South Asia has approximately 110.7 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of LNG import capacity in development, representing about 17% of the global total in the p...
12 illegal immigrants from Bangladesh 'pushed back': Assam CM
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that 12 illegal immigrants from Bangladesh were "pushed back" across the border, continuing the state's ac...
The norm in global AI governance right now is performance and scale; India can rewrite that
Analysts and policy experts have observed that the dominant norm in global AI governance frameworks is currently performance and scale — the ability to build...
Warmonger: Trump’s second term sees highest external attacks by the U.S. in a decade
Data compiled by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED) and other conflict trackers shows that Trump's second term (since January 20, 202...
Govt rethinks plan to float tenders for 1 GW wind energy projects amid weakening interest
The Indian government has reconsidered its plan to float a fresh 1 GW offshore wind energy tender, citing rising global costs and persistently weak developer...
Stronger air defence takeaway for India from West Asia conflict: Ex IAF chief
A former Chief of Air Staff highlighted that the most significant strategic takeaway for India from the West Asia conflict (Israel-Iran exchanges, Houthi dro...
Supreme Court takes suo motu cognisance of illegal sand mining in National Chambal Sanctuary
The Supreme Court, on a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, initiated suo motu proceedings over reports of illegal sand extraction in the Nation...
Ukraine opens battlefield data access to allies' AI models
Ukraine approved a resolution in March 2026 creating a framework under which international partners and allied defence companies gain access to its vast trov...
Iran says it will not close Strait of Hormuz but reserves right to protect security
Iran stated that it would not immediately close the Strait of Hormuz but explicitly reserved the right to do so under certain conditions. The statement came ...
Tracking ship attacks in the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf: Timeline
Since the US-Israel military campaign began on February 28, 2026, Iran and IRGC-linked forces have conducted systematic attacks on commercial shipping in and...
Global EV registrations drop 11% in February as China sales plunge 3%
Global electric vehicle (EV) registrations declined 11% in February 2025 compared to the previous month, falling to approximately 1 million units — the lowes...
India, Chile agree to boost cooperation in trade, investment, mineral exploration, space
India and Chile agreed to boost bilateral cooperation across trade, investment, health and pharmaceuticals, mining and mineral exploration, science and techn...
NASA clears its Artemis 2 moon rocket for April launch with four astronauts
NASA completed a Flight Readiness Review (FRR) in early March 2026 and cleared the Artemis II mission for launch no earlier than April 1, 2026, after resolvi...
Paid menstrual pain leave may cost women their careers, Supreme Court apprehends
On March 13, 2026, the Supreme Court disposed of a PIL seeking nationwide paid menstrual leave for women employees and students, declining to issue such a di...
Amid war, U.S. President Donald Trump pushes for SIR-type electoral overhaul
Amid ongoing conflict in Europe, the Trump administration pushed for US-backed electoral oversight mechanisms in European nations, raising questions about so...
Oil holds above $100 and stocks fall as Khamenei targets Hormuz
Oil prices held above $100 per barrel after Iran's new Supreme Leader (replacing Ali Khamenei, killed February 28, 2026) and senior advisors pledged to maint...
U.S. grants India-like waiver to other countries to buy Russian oil
The US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued a 30-day general licence allowing countries to purchase Russian crude oil and petroleum prod...
Oil prices slightly lower after US allows all countries to purchase Russian oil for 30 days
Oil prices declined slightly from above $100/barrel after the US Treasury issued a 30-day waiver allowing entities globally — not just India — to purchase Ru...
Boiling crude pushed inflation forecast up to 4.5% for FY 27
Escalating crude oil prices — driven by the West Asia conflict (Iran war) disrupting the Strait of Hormuz — have pushed India's CPI inflation forecast for FY...
Donald Trump threatens Iran following new wave of attacks on Gulf states and Israel
US President Donald Trump issued escalating threats against Iran as Iranian forces carried out retaliatory drone and missile strikes on Gulf Cooperation Coun...
Taiwan Parliament authorises government to sign stalled U.S. arms deals
Taiwan's parliament unanimously authorised the government to sign four U.S. arms sale packages worth approximately $9 billion, after defence officials warned...
Six MPs urge Centre to include reservation Act of Karnataka in Ninth Schedule
Six Members of Parliament from Karnataka urged the Union Government to include the state's reservation legislation in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution,...
Invoking Kautilya, Turkey’s envoy to Delhi says ‘middle powers like India’ are stabilising Asia
Turkey's Ambassador to India invoked Kautilya's Arthashastra and the Mandala theory during a diplomatic address, arguing that "middle powers like India shoul...
LPG and oil crisis LIVE: Moscow piles pressure on U.S. over oil sanctions
Russia has been exerting diplomatic pressure on Washington to extend or broaden the temporary 30-day waiver on Russian oil purchases, as Moscow seeks to main...
China passes new ethnic minority law, prioritise use of Mandarin language
China's National People's Congress (NPC) passed a new law titled "Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress" on March 12, 2026, at its closing session, with 2,756 ...
Iran-Israel war LIVE: Israel says struck over 200 targets in Iran in past day
Israel's Air Force struck over 200 targets in Iran within a 24-hour period, including command centers, air defense systems, and weapons storage and productio...
Russian oil purchase allowed… for now — Scott Bessent announces ‘short-term’ licence as crude prices rise amid Iran war
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced a temporary 30-day waiver authorizing Indian refiners and other buyers to purchase Russian crude oil and petrol...
Experts clash over HALEU-Th fuel for Indian nuclear reactors
A debate has emerged among nuclear scientists and policymakers over a proposal to use HALEU-Thorium (HALEU-Th) fuel — specifically a commercial product calle...
Goa ranks second in Niti Aayog fiscal health Index 2026 — Who is No 1?
NITI Aayog released the second annual edition of the Fiscal Health Index (FHI) 2026, measuring the fiscal health of Indian states for Financial Year 2023-24....
Electrifying industrial heat as a path to India’s thermal independence
A growing body of research and policy commentary argues that electrifying industrial process heat — replacing fossil fuel combustion in factories with electr...
U.S. intelligence says Iran government is not at risk of collapse, say sources
U.S. intelligence agencies assessed that Iran's government is not at risk of collapse despite nearly two weeks of sustained American and Israeli bombardment ...
RSP sweeps Nepal elections with historic majority, ex-rapper Balen Shah to become PM months after deadly Gen Z protests
The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) of Nepal won a near-supermajority in Nepal's 2026 general elections, securing approximately 182 out of 275 seats in the Ho...
Motion against CEC in Parliament: Will Gyanesh Kumar be removed? What's the process?
Multiple Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs submitted a formal notice for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on March 13, 2026 — a first in ...
When GPS lies at sea: How electronic warfare is threatening ships and their crews
GPS interference at sea has reached alarming levels: Lloyd's List Intelligence recorded 1,735 GPS interference events affecting 655 vessels between early 202...
The Supreme Court judgement on creamy layer exclusion for OBC quota | Explained
The Supreme Court's March 11, 2026 judgment (Union of India v. Rohith Nathan) resolved decades of confusion about how to apply the income/wealth test for OBC...
Energy power play: India’s oil and gas strategy amid U.S.-Iran tensions
India's crude basket surged to $120 per barrel following the US-Israel strikes on Iran beginning February 28, 2026, and the effective closure of the Strait o...
US begins 'unfair trade' practices probe against India & 59 other countries over forced labor
The US Trade Representative (USTR) office initiated investigations against 60 countries, including India, under Section 301(b) of the Trade Act of 1974, to d...
Iran’s new leader warns Strait of Hormuz could be used as strategic leverage
Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, in his first public statement after being appointed on March 8–9, 2026, declared that "the lever of blocking the ...
US calls India a 'tough negotiator'; expects New Delhi, other partners to 'honour' trade deals
US officials publicly characterised India as a "tough negotiator" while expressing expectation that New Delhi — along with other partners — would reduce trad...
Cash-for-query case: SC stays Delhi HC order on sanction for CBI to try Moitra
The Supreme Court stayed paragraph 89 of a December 2025 Delhi High Court order that had directed the Lokpal to consider granting sanction to the CBI to file...
SC takes suo motu cognisance of illegal sand mining in National Chambal Sanctuary
A Supreme Court bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta took suo motu cognisance of reports of rampant illegal sand mining in the National Chambal Sa...
India, US exploring opportunities in advanced engines, unmanned systems and expanded MRO, says Sergio Gor
US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor announced that India and the United States are actively exploring cooperation in advanced jet engines, unmanned aerial syst...
India’s West Asia trade artery under strain with up to $4 billion in monthly exports at risk
The ongoing West Asia conflict — centred on US-Israel strikes on Iran beginning February 28, 2026 — has disrupted key maritime routes used for India's export...
'These are plans to call women inferior': CJI led-Supreme Court bench rejects plea on menstrual leave
The Supreme Court of India declined to entertain a PIL seeking a nationwide mandatory menstrual leave policy for women students and employees, warning that m...
In a first, EC appoints officers of SDM level & above as returning officers for Bengal polls
The Election Commission of India (ECI) upgraded the rank of returning officers (ROs) across all 152 assembly constituencies in West Bengal to the level of Su...