March 30, 2026
110 articles published on this date
Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks – Credit Facilities) Amendment Directions, 2026 (Revised)
The Reserve Bank of India issued revised Commercial Banks Credit Facilities Directions, 2026 (Notification RBI/2025-26/254, dated March 30, 2026), supersedin...
Design in India or lose subsidy, IT & electronic minister Ashwini Vaishnaw tells electronics companies
Union Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw warned electronics companies that they must build in-house design capabilities in India or lose access to ...
Big boost for maritime strength: Navy gets delivery of 2 warships, 1 survey vessel in one day
On March 30, 2026, Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, simultaneously handed over three indigenously built vessels to the Indian Navy — ...
Energy imports from Africa are steadily on the rise as India diversifies to plug Hormuz gap
India has been steadily increasing crude oil and LNG imports from African producers — particularly Nigeria, Angola, and other West African suppliers — as a d...
Jaishankar meets Russian minister, discusses West Asia war
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and separately with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko to disc...
U.S.-Israel-Iran war puts India’s EV gap in focus
The escalating conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran in West Asia has renewed focus on India's structural vulnerability arising from its nea...
Newfound brain network ‘SCAN’ implicated in Parkinson’s disease
An international study, published in the journal *Nature* in February 2026, identified the brain's Somato-Cognitive Action Network (SCAN) as a key region imp...
Census 2027 starts April 1, digital mode means data will be available same year
House-listing and Housing Census operations for Census 2027 begin on April 1, 2026, marking the formal start of India's most-delayed census (last held in 201...
IBC amendments to speed up resolutions, boost stakeholder value, says Finance Minister
The Lok Sabha passed the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill 2025 on March 30, 2026, introducing a package of 12 amendments aimed at speeding up ...
Independent news creators on Centre’s radar as it seeks tighter control over content posted online
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has proposed amendments to Rule 8 of the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics ...
Shielding ‘choice’ from ‘honour’
The Karnataka Legislative Assembly passed the Karnataka Freedom of Choice in Marriage and Prevention and Prohibition of Crimes in the Name of Honour and Trad...
Bastar close to being considered Naxal-free, possibility of revival extremely remote: IGP
Bastar Inspector General of Police (IGP) P. Sundarraj stated on March 30, 2026 — on the eve of the Centre's March 31 deadline to eliminate Maoism — that Bast...
A flame the state cannot guarantee
India's LPG supply system came under severe stress following the eruption of the US-Iran military conflict on February 28, 2026, which effectively closed the...
India's April-February fiscal deficit at 80% of 2025/26 target
India's fiscal deficit for April–February 2025-26 stood at Rs 12.52 lakh crore, or 80.4% of the full-year budget estimate of Rs 15.58 lakh crore This is an i...
India’s e-bus market jumps 44%; Switch, PMI lead
India's electric bus market saw robust growth in 2025, with newer pure-play EV manufacturers Switch Mobility and PMI Electro Mobility displacing legacy comme...
Barring one, entire top leadership of Maoists wiped out, Amit Shah tells Lok Sabha
Union Home Minister Amit Shah declared in the Lok Sabha on March 30, 2026 — a day before the government's self-imposed deadline of March 31, 2026 — that Indi...
Ensuring federalism within delimitation
With Census 2027 formally starting on April 1, 2026, the delimitation debate has moved from abstract constitutional discussion to immediate political reality...
GRSE delivers three frontline warships to Navy
Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd (GRSE), Kolkata, delivered three frontline naval platforms to the Indian Navy in a single day — a first-of-its-ki...
No change in interest rates on small savings schemes
The Ministry of Finance announced that interest rates on small savings schemes will remain unchanged for the April-June 2026 quarter (Q1 FY 2026-27), marking...
IRDAI approves India AS framework for insurers from April 1
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) approved the India AS (Indian Accounting Standards) framework for implementation by all c...
Iranian Parliament mulls possible exit from nuclear treaty
Members of Iran's parliament have begun discussing priority legislation that would withdraw Iran from the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons ...
Amidst West Asia crisis, India purchased natural gas at $19/unit from spot markets for fertiliser units
India purchased natural gas (LNG) at $19 per MMBtu from international spot markets to keep fertilizer manufacturing plants operational, as the West Asia conf...
On track to achieve ₹30,000 crore in road monetisation: NHAI
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has mobilised ₹28,307 crore in FY26 through a combination of Infrastructure Investment Trust (InvIT) and Toll...
SECI inks 7.24 lakh tonnes/ year green ammonia supply agreements with fertiliser films
The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has signed green ammonia supply agreements with fertiliser companies for 7.24 lakh tonnes per year, under Tranch...
Fiscal deficit until February eases to 80.4% of FY26 target
India's fiscal deficit for April 2025 to February 2026 stood at ₹12.53 lakh crore, equal to 80.4% of the full-year FY26 target of ₹15.58 lakh crore (4.4% of ...
Putting trans people under OBC quota gives no real benefit, says Rajasthan High Court
The Rajasthan High Court, in Ganga Kumari v. State of Rajasthan (2026), held that Rajasthan's notification placing transgender persons within the general OBC...
Centre eyes new regulation to cover social media users
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) published proposed amendments to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digit...
Transgender Amendment Bill gets President Murmu’s assent
President Droupadi Murmu granted assent to the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill, 2026, making it law. A day before assent, over 140 ...
India taps new sources to plug fertilizer gap ahead of kharif season
India currently holds approximately 180 lakh tonnes (18 million tonnes) of fertilizer stock, against a requirement of around 390 lakh tonnes (39 million tonn...
On the implications of euthanasia in India
The Supreme Court of India, in Harish Rana v. Union of India (2026), authorised the withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment for Harish Rana, a 32-year-old ma...
RBI should use forex reserves to prop up rupee: SBI report
The State Bank of India's economic research department released a report recommending that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) actively deploy its substantial fo...
Economy on firm footing, rupee doing fine compared to Asian peers: FM Nirmala Sitharaman
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman told the Lok Sabha on March 30, 2026 that India's economic fundamentals are strong and the rupee is "absolutely going fin...
Pulses import duties likely to stay unchanged
The government decided to maintain current import duty rates on pulses and extend the duty-free import period for tur (pigeon pea) and urad (black gram) to p...
NDA cites fall in Naxalism; Opposition flags deeper issues
Parliament witnessed a wide-ranging debate on Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) on March 30, 2026, a day before the government's self-imposed deadline of March 31, 2...
IBC helped banks recover 52% bad loans: Nirmala Sitharaman
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman told Lok Sabha that the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) contributed ₹54,528 crore out of total bank bad-loan recover...
India must pursue value-driven critical minerals diplomacy in Africa
A major policy analysis piece argues India must shift from a transactional "resource extraction" model to a "value-driven" critical minerals diplomacy with A...
RBI defers implementation of the Amendment Directions on Capital Market Exposures to July 1, 2026
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced a deferral of the implementation of its Amendment Directions on Capital Market Exposures to July 1, 2026, from the ...
10 foreign-flagged tankers with oil, gas bound for India remain stranded in Persian Gulf
At least 10 foreign-flagged tankers loaded with crude oil and LPG destined for India remain stranded in the Persian Gulf as of March 30, 2026, unable to safe...
Census 2027: Caste enumeration to be conducted in Phase 2 as self-enumeration begins on April 1
The first phase of Census 2027 — House Listing and Housing Operations — formally begins on April 1, 2026, making it the first phase of India's 16th national ...
Lok Sabha passes Bill to amend Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code: Sitharaman says law helped improve banking sector’s health
The Lok Sabha passed the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2025, introducing a new pre-packaged insolvency mechanism alongside the existing Co...
Home ministry’s AI vision: Predictive policing, dark web monitoring, and end of mule accounts
A Parliamentary Standing Committee report titled "Impact of emergence of Artificial Intelligence and related issues" was tabled in Lok Sabha on 30 March 2026...
Bill seeking divisional status for Jammu’s Pir Panjal and Chenab Valley: Politics behind it, and financial implications
PDP MLA Waheed Para has introduced the Jammu and Kashmir Territorial Administrative Reorganisation Bill, 2026, a Private Member's Bill in the J&K Legislative...
China This Week | Putin may visit China after Trump, new Indian Ambassador appointed, and China’s ocean mapping
Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to visit China in May 2026, shortly after a confirmed visit by US President Donald Trump (scheduled May 14-15), ...
IBC amendments boost transparency, strengthen insolvency framework: Sitharaman
The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2025 — tabled by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during the Budget Session 2026 — was passed by Lok ...
WTO e-commerce tax moratorium lapses as India, others oppose extension
The WTO's moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions has formally lapsed following the failure of MC14 to agree on its extension. Countries are...
Return of the native: Inside the Nilgiris’ grassland and shola forest revival
Ongoing restoration efforts in the Nilgiris are rebuilding the unique shola forest–grassland mosaic ecosystem, which has been degraded by over a century of p...
Australia-EU FTA deal has Indian experts seeking GI tag for basmati rice
The recently concluded Free Trade Agreement between Australia and the European Union includes a comprehensive Geographical Indication (GI) protection framewo...
Govt clears 29 investment proposals worth ₹7,104 cr under Electronics Component Mfg Scheme
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has approved 29 applications under the fourth tranche of the Electronics Component Manufacturi...
Leaders killed, U.S. strikes and Iranian response: a month of Iran-U.S. war
The US-Israel military campaign against Iran crossed the one-month mark at the end of March 2026, beginning with strikes on February 28, 2026 that killed Sup...
Trump weighing risky ground op for Iran’s uranium, says WSJ report. How it could impact the war
US President Trump is considering a high-risk military ground operation to physically extract approximately 450 kg of highly enriched uranium from Iran's nuc...
IndiGo launches Shanghai-Kolkata direct flight
IndiGo commenced daily non-stop flights between Kolkata's Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport and Shanghai's Pudong International Airport from M...
Spain denies U.S. permission to use its airspace for ‘illegal’ war on Iran
Spain has closed its entire national airspace to US military aircraft involved in operations against Iran, announced by Defence Minister Margarita Robles on ...
IIP growth quickens marginally to 5.2% in February 2026 on stronger manufacturing, capital goods performance
India's Index of Industrial Production (IIP) grew by 5.2% in February 2026 compared to February 2025, a marginal improvement over the 4.8% recorded in Januar...
Government clears 29 investment proposals worth ₹7,104 cr under Electronics Component Manufacturing Scheme
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) cleared 29 fresh investment proposals worth ₹7,104 crore under the Electronics Component Manuf...
India’s Apr-Feb fiscal deficit hits 80% of FY26 target
India's central government fiscal deficit for the April–February period of FY2025–26 stood at ₹12.53 lakh crore — equivalent to 80.4% of the full-year budget...
India authorises some state firms to procure critical equipment from China
The Indian government has authorised select state-owned enterprises, including Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) and Steel Authority of India (SAIL), t...
India developing lethal autonomous weapon systems, database of citizens’ crime risk—House Panel report
The Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology tabled its 27th Report in Lok Sabha, titled "Impact of Emergence of Artificial Intelligen...
Trump threatens to strike Iran’s civilian infrastructure if no deal is reached
US President Donald Trump threatened to destroy Iran's civilian energy infrastructure — including electric power plants, oil wells, Kharg Island, and desalin...
West Asia conflict: Centre allows kerosene supply to ‘kerosene-free’ states, LPG supply ramped up
The Central government issued an emergency notification restoring Public Distribution System (PDS) kerosene allocation to 21 states and Union Territories tha...
No jail for defecating in public in Delhi or smoking on Metro: Jan Vishwas Bill softens law on nuisance
The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026 was introduced in the Lok Sabha on 27 March 2026 by Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Pr...
WTO faces new reality of global trade
The World Trade Organization's 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) was held in Yaoundé, Cameroon, in late March 2026 — the first MC on African soil in over tw...
Delimitation row: Revanth Reddy wants current gap in seats be maintained, as 50% increase in Lok Sabha seats will leave South at a disadvantage
Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has formally demanded that the proportional gap in Lok Sabha seats between northern and southern states be maintain...
Comply or lose safe harbour: MeitY’s draft amendment to IT Rules lets govt give platforms binding orders
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has circulated a draft amendment to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Di...
IBC Amendments target delays, governance; experts see gains but urge balance on litigation risks
The Lok Sabha passed the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2025 on March 30, 2026, introducing 12 significant amendments aimed at reducing res...
LS passes insolvency law amendments; FM says bill will help maximise value for stakeholders
The Lok Sabha passed the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2025, with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stating the amendments are designed ...
Sitharaman defends IBC citing higher recoveries and post-resolution performance of firms
During the Lok Sabha debate on the Insolvency and Bankruptcy (Amendment) Bill 2026, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman defended the IBC framework by citing ...
Lok Sabha passes insolvency law amendments; Sitharaman says Bill will help maximise value for stakeholders
The Lok Sabha passed the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2025 on March 30, 2026 with a voice vote during the Budget Session. Finance Ministe...
Daily Court Digest: Major environment orders (March 27, 2026)
A joint committee inspection ordered by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) found rampant debris dumping by construction contractors during the Jowai bypass ro...
Every $10 rise in crude may add 60 bps to India's inflation: CareEdge Global
A study by CareEdge Global IFSC Limited found that every USD 10 rise in average crude oil prices during FY27 could increase India's headline inflation by 55–...
War fades the Goldilocks moment. RBI's next move will matter
India's brief "Goldilocks" macroeconomic period — characterised by high growth (GDP at 8% in H1 FY26) and simultaneously low inflation (CPI around 2.2%) — is...
Non-violation complaints under WTO's TRIPS agreement: An explainer
The moratorium on non-violation complaints (NVCs) under the WTO's TRIPS Agreement has lapsed for the first time since it was established in 1995. WTO members...
ICRA expects India's GDP growth to moderate to 6.5% in FY27 amid West Asia conflict
ICRA, a domestic credit rating agency, projected India's GDP growth to moderate to 6.5% in FY2026-27 (FY27), down from approximately 6.8–7% in the current fi...
NDA, opposition spar in Lok Sabha over efforts to free country of Naxalism
The Lok Sabha held a Rule 193 short-duration discussion on "efforts to free the country from left-wing extremism" on March 30, 2026 — one day before the gove...
Opposition members in Rajya Sabha hit out at Centre over CAPF Bill
Opposition members in Rajya Sabha strongly opposed the Central Armed Police Forces (General Administration) Bill, 2026 during the Budget Session of Parliamen...
WTO fails to reach consensus on key e-commerce moratorium, reforms
The WTO Ministerial Conference in Yaoundé (MC14) concluded without agreement on either the e-commerce moratorium extension or meaningful institutional reform...
West Asia conflict sparks 60 pc gas price hike for fertiliser plants
The ongoing West Asia conflict — which intensified around February 28, 2026 and has effectively disrupted Strait of Hormuz shipping lanes — has pushed natura...
India’s April–February fiscal deficit at Rs 12.53 lakh crore, narrows on-year to 80.4% of FY26 aim
India's central government fiscal deficit for April–February FY2025-26 stood at ₹12.53 lakh crore (approximately ₹12.5 trillion), equivalent to 80.4% of the ...
Away from Middle East war zone, many battles unfold on the table
The WTO Ministerial Conference in Yaoundé ended in deadlock, with the e-commerce moratorium lapsing, WTO institutional reforms stalled, and intellectual prop...
Bio-bitumen technology can help tackle air pollution and reduce imports: Jitendra Singh
CSIR-Central Road Research Institute (CSIR-CRRI) and CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum (CSIR-IIP) jointly developed a technology called "Bio-Bitumen via Pyr...
WTO meet concludes; no consensus on extension of e-commerce duty moratorium
The WTO's 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) concluded in Yaoundé, Cameroon, without reaching consensus on extending the moratorium on customs duties on elec...
India's invisible receipts grow 56% to $464.189 billion in April-Dec period
India's inward receipts from international trade in services, investment income, and remittances grew 56% year-on-year to $464.189 billion during April–Decem...
Meity moots IT rules tweaks to mandate platforms’ compliance with advisories, SOPs
MeitY has proposed tweaks to the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, that would formally mandate digital platforms' compl...
FCRA amendment bill draws opposition flak in Kerala ahead of polls
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging withdrawal of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill,...
Israel, Iran war: ‘Situation very vulnerable,' Urea output impacted, India govt official says
The escalating conflict in West Asia has created a "very vulnerable" situation for India's domestic urea production, according to a senior government officia...
‘Stable’ live-in couples to be considered married in Census 2027
Census 2027 FAQs and enumeration guidelines indicate that live-in couples residing together in the same household will be counted as "married" if they consid...
RBI’s new forex cap to stem rupee slide: Why are banks worried?
The Reserve Bank of India issued a directive on March 27, 2026, requiring all authorised dealer banks to cap their Net Open Position in Rupee (NOP-INR) at $1...
2027 Census activities at an advanced stage: RGI
The Registrar General of India (RGI) confirmed that preparations for Census 2027 are at an advanced stage, with caste enumeration to be conducted during the ...
What is the World Trade Organization e-commerce moratorium?
The WTO's e-commerce duty moratorium — a standing agreement since 1998 that prohibits customs duties on electronic transmissions — came under review at MC14 ...
Parliament Budget Session LIVE: Underutilised fast-track process given new creditor-initiated insolvency framework, says FM Nirmala Sitharaman
The Lok Sabha took up the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2025 for consideration and passing on March 30, 2026, with Finance Minister Nirmal...
Donald Trump says U.S. negotiating with Iran directly and indirectly
US President Donald Trump confirmed that the United States is negotiating with Iran both "directly and indirectly," and expressed optimism: "I do see a deal ...
Trump suggests U.S. could take Iran's Kharg Island
US President Donald Trump publicly suggested the United States could seize Iran's Kharg Island — the offshore terminal that handles the vast majority of Iran...
China resumes direct flights to North Korea after six years
Air China resumed direct flights between Beijing Capital International Airport and Pyongyang Sunan International Airport on 30 March 2026 — the first regular...
Centre allocates PDS kerosene to States, UTs in 60-day emergency measure to ease LPG pressure
The Central Government has made an ad hoc allocation of PDS Superior Kerosene Oil (SKO) to States and Union Territories for 60 days to ensure households faci...
Government releases 33 FAQs for first phase of Census
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has released 33 officially notified questions for the first phase of Census 2027 — the House Listing and Housing Operation...
Has BJP chief Nitin Nabin's resignation as Bihar MLA been put on hold? What we know
Following the Bihar Rajya Sabha biennial election results on March 16, 2026, questions arose about whether BJP Bihar President Nitin Nabin's MLA resignation ...
‘Global order maker’ & a ‘disruptor’: China-Russia combo ‘powerful threat to West’—Australian think tank
The Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) released a report characterising the China-Russia combination as a "powerful threat to the West," casting Ch...
Mosquitoes carrying malaria are evolving more quickly than insecticides can kill them – researchers pinpoint how
A landmark study published in the journal Science (March 26, 2026) has sequenced over 1,000 complete genomes of Anopheles darlingi — the principal malaria-tr...
Export rule-breaking: A good many offences could soon see punishments reduced
The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026 was introduced in the Lok Sabha on March 27, 2026, by the Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, p...
What is the Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Bill? | Explained
The Maharashtra Legislative Assembly passed the Freedom of Religion Bill 2026 (also called Dharma Swatantrya Adhiniyam), making Maharashtra the 13th state to...
Nitin Nabin resigns as Bihar MLA, set for bigger role in Rajya Sabha
BJP Bihar President Nitin Nabin, elected to the Rajya Sabha from Bihar in the biennial elections on March 16, 2026, resigned as MLA from the Bankipur constit...
Govt releases 33 FAQs for first phase of Census
The Government of India has released 33 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for the first phase of Census 2027 — the House Listing and Housing Census — which b...
What changes will RBI’s new rules bring to digital payments from April 1?
The Reserve Bank of India's new framework on Authentication Mechanisms for Digital Payment Transactions, 2025 comes into force on April 1, 2026, making two-f...
View: Why India’s South thinks it has to populate or perish
Several southern Indian states — led by Andhra Pradesh — are now actively encouraging women to have more children, with politicians warning that falling fert...
WTO talks conclude; no consensus on extension of e-commerce duty moratorium
The 14th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC14) concluded in Yaounde, Cameroon after four days of talks, without reaching consensus on extending the moratorium on...
Revisiting Dasgaon, where a 23-year-old drank water from a well and broke a social order
A recent revisiting of the village of Dasgaon in Maharashtra has brought attention to a largely forgotten precursor to the famous Mahad Satyagraha: in early ...
Centre allows temporary kerosene distribution in kerosene-free states, UTs amid LPG supply concerns
The Central Government has authorised an ad hoc allocation of Public Distribution System (PDS) Superior Kerosene Oil (SKO) to 21 States and Union Territories...
Australia seeks 'another crack' at trade deal with India in coming weeks
Australia is seeking to resume trade negotiations with India in the coming weeks, aiming to advance a bilateral Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement ...
Administrative hub of Iron Age kingdom? ASI dig at Bihar’s Balirajgarh seeks answers on ancient Mithila history
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has approved fresh scientific excavation at Balirajgarh Fort in Madhubani district, Bihar, aiming to investigate whe...
Will the Iran war lead to food inflation?
The US-Israel military strikes on Iran (February 28, 2026) and the subsequent disruption of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz triggered a surge in global...
Global oil prices up 3% as Iran war escalates, Yemen's Houthis launch attacks on Israel
Global crude oil prices rose over 3% after Yemen's Houthi forces launched missile and drone strikes against Israel on March 28–29, 2026, marking the Houthis'...