March 31, 2026
98 articles published on this date
West Asia conflict could shave off 1 percentage point from India's FY27 GDP growth projections: EY
EY India's Economy Watch report released in March 2026 estimates that if the West Asia conflict persists throughout FY2026–27, India's real GDP growth could ...
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to visit Delhi mid May for BRICS meet
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is confirmed to visit New Delhi on May 14-15, 2026, to participate in the BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting — announced...
RoDTEP Scheme extended for six months
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has extended the Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) scheme until September 30, 2026,...
India faces fertilizer risk the most if Iran war prolongs, say analysts
Analysts at BMI (a Fitch Solutions unit) warn that India faces the greatest fertilizer supply risk among major agricultural nations if the Iran-Gulf war prol...
Qdenga: a vaccine for dengue but not a silver bullet
Qdenga (TAK-003), developed by Japanese pharmaceutical company Takeda, is positioned as India's first dengue vaccine, with its anticipated launch in 2026 thr...
Earth’s orbits are filling up because governance hasn’t kept pace
Earth's orbital shells — particularly low Earth orbit (LEO, 200–2,000 km altitude) — are filling with active satellites, defunct spacecraft, and fragmentatio...
As TG bill becomes law, community uncertain about status of 32000 TG certificates issued on basis of 'self-perceived identity'
The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill, 2026 was introduced in Lok Sabha on March 13, 2026 and has received Presidential assent, becom...
Study warns of glacial outburst risk to buildings, bridges from 5 Kashmir lakes: Omar
A study by the Department of Geoinformatics, University of Kashmir, published in the *Journal of Glaciology*, has identified five glacial lakes in Jammu & Ka...
RBI should access US Fed facility to stabilise rupee: ex-DG Patra
Former RBI Deputy Governor Michael Debabrata Patra proposed that the RBI should formally access the US Federal Reserve's swap facility as a structural tool t...
Unexpected surge: On India’s industrial growth
India's Index of Industrial Production (IIP) grew 5.2% year-on-year in February 2026, up from 4.8% in January 2026 and rebounding after the sharp deceleratio...
Counting people is not counting disaster risk
An opinion piece in *The Hindu* raises structural concerns about the 16th Finance Commission's disaster funding formula, arguing that using population as the...
42,000 sq. km Bastar region largely free from LWE influence; IEDs remain a challenge
About 42,000 sq. km of the Bastar region in Chhattisgarh has been declared largely free from Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) influence, with only around 30–40 Maoi...
India can cater to 30 crore PNG connections with its domestic LNG production itself: PNGRB Secretary
The Secretary of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) stated that India's domestic LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) production is sufficient to ...
Russia offers fertiliser supplies to Global South amid Strait of Hormuz crisis
With the 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis severely disrupting global fertiliser shipments, Russia has positioned itself as an alternative supplier to Global Sout...
Congress to protest against FCRA amendment Bill
The BJP-led government tabled the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 in Lok Sabha, seeking to further tighten rules governing foreign fun...
U.S. strikes Isfahan as Iran targets fully loaded oil tanker off Dubai
The United States military struck the central Iranian city of Isfahan on March 31, 2026, targeting a mountainous region on the city's southern edge where Ira...
NIA, ED bust Maoist extortion, money laundering rackets
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) have jointly dismantled Maoist-run extortion and money laundering rackets, with ...
New Income Tax Act 2025: Breaking down benefits for individuals
The Income Tax Act, 2025 — which replaces the 64-year-old Income Tax Act, 1961 — takes effect from April 1, 2026, introducing sweeping changes in how individ...
India diesel exports to SE Asia hit 7-year high in March due to Iran war, data shows
India exported approximately 7.45 million barrels of diesel to Southeast Asia in March 2026, the highest volume in seven and a half years, driven by tighteni...
Min Aung Hlaing, Myanmar junta chief, elected as Vice-Presidentscvnks
Myanmar's lower house (Pyithu Hluttaw) elected junta chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing as Vice-President with 247 of 260 votes on March 31, 2026. The uppe...
Odisha’s Late Marriage Incentives fails to reach beneficiaries in PVTGs, says CAG
A Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report has found that Odisha's late marriage incentive scheme for Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) has f...
More than 200,000 fled Lebanon for Syria in March: UNHCR
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported that more than 200,000 people — the vast majority of them Syrian nationals — fled Lebanon ...
In a fillip for e-commerce export, India eases norms for couriers
The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) operationalised a set of comprehensive reforms for e-commerce exports and courier trade from April 1, ...
India warns against forced rules, flags WTO legitimacy risks at ministerial meet
At the World Trade Organisation's 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) held in Yaoundé, Cameroon, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal led India's deleg...
Missiles overhead, mines below: How an Indian LPG tanker survived the Hormuz blockade
The Indian-flagged LPG tanker Pine Gas, carrying 45,000 metric tons of LPG, was stranded for nearly three weeks after Iran began selectively blocking passage...
Personal data isn’t collected: Home Ministry on security agencies using open-source intelligence from public sources
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs told the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology (chaired by Lok Sabha MP Nishikant ...
New income-tax act takes effect today
From April 1, 2026, the Income Tax Act, 2025 replaces the 1961 Act, bringing the most comprehensive overhaul of India's direct tax law in six decades. Share ...
RBI's net short position rises to $77 billion in Feb as it defends rupee
The Reserve Bank of India's net short dollar position in its forward book rose to $77.5 billion in February 2026, a record high, up from $68.42 billion in Ja...
Centre plans sweeping reforms as West Asia war jolts supply chains
The Union government is preparing a comprehensive reform plan in response to supply chain disruptions caused by the West Asia war, with energy security and f...
On global tensions and India’s economy
The ongoing U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict has transmitted an acute external shock to India's economy through three primary channels: elevated crude oil prices, d...
Vegetable prices crash up to 80% since January, deepening farm distress
Since January 2026, vegetable prices in India have crashed sharply: potatoes down ~40%, onions ~50%, and tomatoes by up to 80% from recent highs. The crash i...
World Bank-funded health scheme in Kerala might need more scrutiny
Kerala's government received World Bank approval for the Kerala Health System Improvement Programme (KHSIP), a ₹3,464-crore ($280 million) project to be impl...
Japan to create special cell to push FDI into India
Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs is establishing a new dedicated center to assist Japanese companies in navigating India's regulatory environment and iden...
Courier export cap removed to boost ecomm shipments, cut logistics delays
From April 1, 2026, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has abolished the ₹10 lakh (₹1 million) per-consignment value cap on courier expor...
Tribunal confirms five-year ban on NSCN (K) imposed by Centre
The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal, headed by Justice Nelson Sailo of the Gauhati High Court, confirmed the five-year ban imposed by the Centre on...
Hormuz blocked, but India may get first delivery of Iranian crude oil after 7 years
An Iranian crude oil tanker is set to deliver its cargo to India for the first time in approximately seven years, even as the Strait of Hormuz remains effect...
Money starts flowing again: 5 states get Rs 1,561 crore as Centre reboots Jal Jeevan Mission
The Centre released ₹1,561.53 crore to five states under the Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0 (JJM 2.0) for 2025–26, resuming funding that had been paused due to compl...
AP Reorganisation Bill 2026, recognizing Amaravati as the sole capital of Andhra Pradesh to be introduced in Lok Sabha tomorrow
The Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2026 was introduced in the Lok Sabha on April 1, 2026, seeking to formally declare Amaravati as the sole ...
Telangana Assembly passes Gig Workers Bill: What is the Bill about, and how other states with such laws have fared
The Telangana Assembly passed the Telangana Platform-based Gig Workers (Registration, Social Security and Welfare) Bill, 2026 on March 30, 2026, making Telan...
Explained: What FCRA Amendment Bill 2026 proposes, why it has sparked a row in Kerala
The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 was introduced in the Lok Sabha on March 26, 2026, proposing significant changes to India's framew...
Explained: What is the US’s 2,000 pound ‘bunker buster’ bomb, used to attack Iran’s Isfahan
The United States used the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) — a 30,000-pound bunker-busting bomb — in combat for the first time on June 22, 2025, as ...
How Karnataka’s new law against honour killing affirms absolute right of adults to choose their partners
Karnataka has passed the 'Karnataka Freedom of Choice in Marriage and Prevention and Prohibition of Crimes in the Name of Honour and Tradition' Bill, 2026 — ...
What is quantum entanglement?
The Hindu published an explainer on quantum entanglement, riding the wave of public interest after the 2022 Nobel Prize in Physics and India's expanding Nati...
La Niña has ended, El Nino likely to emerge around August, says Australian Met body
Australia's Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has officially declared that the 2025–26 La Niña episode has ended, with the tropical Pacific returning to ENSO-neutr...
India signs record 219 Advance Pricing Agreements in FY26
India's Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) signed a record 219 Advance Pricing Agreements (APAs) during FY2025-26, the highest annual total since the progr...
Census 2027 to be entirely in digital mode starting today
India's Census 2027 — the country's 16th decennial census — has formally commenced with the House Listing and Housing Census (HLO) Phase I beginning on April...
Census exercise begins in Karnataka today with opening of self-enumeration window
Karnataka is among eight states and Union Territories where the census exercise was launched on March 31, 2026, with the opening of a 15-day self-enumeration...
Next days in Iran war will be ‘decisive’, claims Pentagon chief Hegseth
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth declared that the coming days would be "decisive" in the ongoing war against Iran, signalling an imminent escalation of ope...
India may pivot to the US as conflict clouds availability of LPG from West Asia
India is actively diversifying LPG imports away from West Asia towards the United States, with US-origin supplies expected to remain competitive in Asian mar...
Popular duty remission scheme for exporters extended till September 30
The government extended the Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) scheme to September 30, 2026, providing relief to Indian exporters fa...
India could face pressure as US pushes plurilateral e-commerce moratorium
The WTO's e-commerce customs duties moratorium — which has prevented WTO members from imposing customs duties on electronic transmissions since 1998 — expire...
Mint Explainer: What income tax changes will kick in from 1 April?
April 1, 2026 marks the commencement of the Income Tax Act, 2025, which replaces the Income Tax Act, 1961 — the most significant structural reform of India's...
Developing countries, LDCs can no longer be rule-takers at WTO: Commerce Secretary
India's Commerce Secretary, speaking in the context of the WTO's 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) held in Yaoundé, Cameroon, asserted that developing count...
GST liability on intermediary services shifts to recipient from supplier
The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has effected two major reforms effective April 1, 2026: a structural change in GST liability for inter...
New Income Tax Act explained: What changes for salaried taxpayers from April 2026
The Income-tax Act, 2025 comes into effect from April 1, 2026, replacing the Income-tax Act, 1961 — a law that had been in operation for over six decades wit...
India data centres consume Himachal-sized chunk of power, set to match Jharkhand. But no supply roadmap
A Parliamentary Standing Committee report has recorded government testimony that India's data centre power demand could hit 4-5 GW within five years, compara...
ACME signs ₹20,000 crore green ammonia deal with SECI for 10 years
ACME Cleantech Solutions has signed a ₹20,000 crore Green Ammonia Purchase Agreement (GAPA) with the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) for a 10-year t...
West Asia conflict could shave off 1% point from India's FY27 GDP growth projections: EY
EY's Economy Watch report has warned that if the West Asia conflict persists through FY27, India's real GDP growth could erode by approximately 1 percentage ...
‘Regional imbalance’ bothers Congress as government plans delimitation to roll out women’s reservation
The central government is reportedly planning to proceed with delimitation using the 2011 Census data to fast-track implementation of the Women's Reservation...
Defence Ministry signs ₹1,950 crore deal with BEL for mountain radars
The Ministry of Defence signed a ₹1,950 crore contract with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) on March 31, 2026, for the procurement of two mountain radars an...
China, Pakistan propose peace plan for West Asia, call for ‘immediate’ end to hostilities
China and Pakistan have jointly unveiled a five-point peace roadmap for West Asia (the Middle East), focused on ending hostilities related to the escalating ...
Sanand stands as a ‘bridge’ to Silicon Valley: PM on Gujarat town’s rise in semiconductor ecosystem
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the semiconductor assembly and test facility of Kaynes Semicon at Sanand GIDC, Gujarat, describing Sanand as a "brid...
Indian refiners face prospect of margin squeeze as govt reinstates export duties
The government cut excise duty on petrol and diesel by ₹10 per litre while simultaneously reimposing export duties on diesel (₹21.50/litre) and aviation turb...
EU carbon market could drive next phase of climate action by scaling up CO₂ removals, study finds
A study published in the journal Joule on March 31, 2026 finds that the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) — the world's first and largest carbon market — ...
Around the Moon in 10 days: Countdown begins for NASA's Artemis II launch — liftoff time, crew, mission details and more
NASA's Artemis II mission is scheduled for launch on April 1, 2026, from Launch Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, with a target...
New I-T law, higher securities transaction tax on F&O trade to kick in from April 1
From April 1, 2026, India's six-decade-old Income Tax Act, 1961 is replaced by the Income-tax Act, 2025, representing the most comprehensive overhaul of Indi...
US tariffs drag India apparel export growth to modest 1.5%: ICRA
India's apparel exports recorded only modest growth of ~1.5% in the recent period, constrained significantly by high US tariffs imposed under the Trump admin...
10 foreign ships with energy cargo for India stranded in Persian Gulf
At least 10 foreign-flagged ships carrying energy supplies destined for India remain stranded in the Persian Gulf as Iran's de facto blockade of the Strait o...
India’s 1st Iranian oil cargo since 2019 headed to Gujarat coast
India's first Iranian crude oil cargo since May 2019 is heading to a Gujarat port, based on ship-tracking data, with Reliance Industries reportedly purchasin...
End of Red Terror? How close India is to its Naxal-free target as Amit Shah’s March 31 deadline ends
As India reaches the March 31, 2026 deadline set by the Union Home Minister for achieving a Naxal-free India, the government has declared the goal effectivel...
‘India reliable supplier globally’: PM Modi inaugurates Rs 3,300 crore semiconductor plant in Gujarat
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the ₹3,300 crore semiconductor assembly and testing facility of Kaynes Semicon at Sanand GIDC, Ahmedabad district, G...
Govt notifies Finance Act 2026 that changes tax provisions from April 1
The government has officially notified the Finance Act 2026, giving legal force to the tax proposals announced in the Union Budget 2026-27, with changes effe...
Congress waiting like 'political vulture' to exploit West Asia war: PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Kaynes Semicon semiconductor facility at Sanand GIDC, Ahmedabad (Gujarat) on March 31, 2026 — India's second ope...
Iran war shock: Middle East conflict could cut 1 ppt from India’s FY27 GDP outlook
A persistent Middle East conflict — triggered by the US-Israel war on Iran that began February 28, 2026 — could reduce India's real GDP growth for FY2026-27 ...
Identity on trial: Why India's new transgender law is facing backlash
Parliament passed the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Act, 2026, amending the 2019 parent law by narrowing the legal definition of "tran...
Trade Relief Measures for Exporters
The Reserve Bank of India issued "The Reserve Bank of India (Trade Relief Measures) Directions, 2026" (Press Release 2025-2026/2362, March 31, 2026), formall...
Reserve Bank of India (Trade Relief Measures) Directions, 2026
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on March 31, 2026, issued the RBI (Trade Relief Measures) Directions, 2026 (Reference: RBI/2025-26/263, DOR.STR.REC.No.455/21...
Himachal Pradesh launches ‘PEHEL’ or Pastoralists Empowerment in Himalayan Ecosystems for Livelihood
Himachal Pradesh has launched the PEHEL (Pastoralists Empowerment in Himalayan Ecosystems for Livelihood) scheme in its 2026-27 budget, with an allocation of...
10 India-bound ships carrying energy cargo stuck in Persian Gulf
At least 10 India-bound ships carrying energy cargo — crude oil, LPG, and LNG — are stranded in the Persian Gulf, unable to transit the Strait of Hormuz due ...
A deadline, encounters, surrenders: The 2 years that dismantled Chhattisgarh’s Maoist bastions
A two-year counter-insurgency campaign in Chhattisgarh's Bastar region, running from early 2024 through March 2026, has fundamentally altered the operational...
As the US talks of seizing Kharg, 3 problems and an ominous precedent
US President Trump publicly mused about seizing Kharg Island, Iran's main oil export terminal in the Persian Gulf, as a way to pressure Tehran and gain lever...
One in five sanctioned civilian posts in central govt remains vacant
According to official data, over 8.45 lakh sanctioned civilian posts in the central government remain unfilled — representing approximately one in every five...
Iran-Israel war LIVE updates: Iran executes two more convicted of links to banned opposition; power outage in parts of Tehran
The US-Israel conflict with Iran (Operation Epic Fury, launched February 28, 2026) has entered its second month with the Strait of Hormuz remaining largely c...
Amid rising geopolitical tensions and trade restrictions, AI emerges as key driver of global trade growth: McKinsey
A McKinsey Global Institute report titled "Geopolitics and the Geometry of Global Trade: 2026 Update" found that AI hardware shipments — chips, servers, and ...
How Pakistan won over Trump to become an unlikely mediator in the Iran war
Pakistan has emerged as a key diplomatic intermediary between the United States and Iran in the 2026 West Asia conflict, with Pakistani leaders holding separ...
Kuwait says oil tanker hit in Iranian attack at Dubai port; crew safe
On March 31, 2026, an Iranian drone struck the Kuwait-flagged Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) Al Salmi while it was anchored approximately 31 nautical miles ...
End of armed Maoism in Chhattisgarh; Bastar development now priority: Deputy CM Sharma
Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma declared the state completely free from armed Naxalism, with the remaining handful of cadres expected to surr...
Donald Trump willing to end war without reopening Strait of Hormuz, says Wall Street Journal
According to a Wall Street Journal report, US President Donald Trump told senior aides he is willing to wind down military operations against Iran even if th...
India proposes making government advisories legally binding on tech giants
The government has proposed amendments to the Information Technology Rules linking compliance with IT Ministry advisories to retention of "safe harbour" prot...
Centre approves pulses, oilseed procurement in UP, Haryana and Karnataka
The Union Agriculture Minister approved the Price Support Scheme (PSS) proposal for safflower procurement for the Rabi 2025-26 season in select states The ap...
Piyush Goyal discusses early implementation of India-EU FTA with European Parliament delegation
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal met a European Parliament delegation led by Angelika Niebler to discuss pathways for the early implementation of the India-EU ...
Gulf allies privately tell Trump to keep fighting until Iran is decisively defeated
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) privately communicated to White House officials that further degradation of Iran's military capabilities and cle...
Why India’s pollution crisis persists despite funds and policies
Despite years of dedicated funding and policy initiatives, India's air pollution remains among the world's worst, with Delhi and NCR cities recording annual ...
How sea mines threaten global trade, and how navies detect them
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) deployed at least a dozen sophisticated naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz as part of its strategy to deter ...
"Unfortunate for India," Ex R&AW Chief hints at probable inflation if West Asia situation escalates
Former R&AW Chief Vikram Sood warned that escalating conflict in West Asia poses a direct inflation threat to India, projecting the crisis would become acute...
Maharashtra depts ignored over 10,000 audit queries, says CAG; flags Rs 891 cr possible lapses
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India, in its report tabled during the Maharashtra state assembly's budget session, flagged systemic deficiencie...
India diesel exports jump 20% in March amid Iran war
India's diesel exports rose approximately 20% in March 2026, driven by exceptionally high gross refining margins (GRMs) for middle distillates following the ...
‘Dweep Shakti': Three services conduct amphibious assaults, maritime dominance ops
Exercise Dweep Shakti 2026, a large-scale joint military exercise, was conducted from March 29, 2026 at Sri Vijaya Puram (formerly Port Blair), Andaman and N...