April 02, 2026
145 articles published on this date
Explained: RBI’s ban on speculative games in rupee through NDD, amid pressures on rupee
The Reserve Bank of India issued a circular on April 1, 2026, prohibiting Authorised Dealers (ADs — primarily banks) from offering Non-Deliverable Derivative...
UK and allies discuss sanctions to stop Iran blocking Strait of Hormuz
The UK convened a virtual meeting of foreign ministers from over 40 countries — including France, Germany, Italy, Canada, Japan, and the UAE — to coordinate ...
Six ISRO launches remain unfulfilled as March ‘deadline’ passes
At least six planned ISRO launches remain unexecuted as the self-imposed March 2026 deadline passed, reflecting a broader pattern of mission delays that has ...
Nuclear fusion cost models too optimistic to be viable, experts warn
Two studies published in the journal Nature Energy (2026) challenge prevailing assumptions about the economic viability of nuclear fusion power plants. Resea...
India is looking at preferential market access for its products in the US: Goyal
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, speaking on the sidelines of the WTO's 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) held in Yaounde, Cameroon (March 26–30...
Critical petrochemical products get full customs duty exemption
The Ministry of Finance announced a full customs duty exemption on approximately 40 petrochemical feedstocks and polymers, effective April 2 to June 30, 2026...
Raghav Chadha’s video message after AAP removes him from key post
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) removed Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha from the post of Deputy Leader of the AAP parliamentary group in the Rajya Sabha, replacing hi...
Rajya Sabha passes Jan Vishwas Bill; have tried to bring swift and proportionate penalties, says Goyal
Both houses of Parliament passed the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026 — Lok Sabha on April 1 and Rajya Sabha on April 2, 2026, both by voice ...
No word on motion against CEC, match-fixing in broad daylight: TMC’s O’Brien
TMC MP Derek O'Brien criticised the absence of action on the opposition's no-confidence motion against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, calli...
India flags ‘unimpeded transit’, 60-nation meet calls for reopening Hormuz
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri represented India at a UK-hosted virtual meeting of over 60 nations convened to explore diplomatic and operational pathways to...
SEBI proposes to enable share buybacks through stock exchanges
SEBI issued a consultation paper on April 2, 2026, proposing the reintroduction of the open market route for share buybacks — allowing listed companies to re...
Jal Shakti Minister’s remarks on Kaleshwaram trigger row in Rajya Sabha
Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil sparked a major controversy in the Rajya Sabha by declaring that over ₹1 lakh crore spent on Telangana's Kaleshwaram Lift ...
High steel prices hit engineering manufacturers
India's engineering manufacturers are facing significant margin pressure as domestic steel prices remain elevated, squeezing production costs in sectors from...
Telangana delists RTA m-Wallet app; move to integrate with Vahan and Sarathi
Telangana's Transport Department has delisted its state-level RTA m-Wallet app — a first-of-its-kind digital transport payment platform — as part of a move t...
T.N. legislature fully empowered to take away power to appoint Vice-Chancellors from Governor: State tells Madras High Court
The Tamil Nadu government told the Madras High Court that the state legislature is fully empowered to transfer the power to appoint Vice-Chancellors (VCs) of...
Legislation providing internal quota to Scheduled Castes on hold?
Several state governments are deferring legislation to create internal quotas (sub-classification) within the Scheduled Castes (SC) reservation, while awaiti...
Governor bound by Cabinet’s advice: Madras High Court
The Madras High Court held on April 2, 2026, that the Governor of a State is bound by the aid and advice of the State Cabinet in the appointment of Vice-Chan...
Real issues take a back seat
Analysis and commentary are circulating about Operation Sindoor — India's May 2025 tri-service military operation against terrorist infrastructure in Pakista...
West Asia crisis: Rajnath Singh chairs high-level meet to minimise impact on India
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh chaired the second meeting of the Informal Group of Ministers (IGoM) on April 2, 2026, at Kartavya Bhawan-2, New Delhi, to ass...
UN to vote on using 'all defensive means' to secure navigation in Strait of Hormuz
Bahrain, backed by the Gulf Cooperation Council and over 22 signatory nations, circulated a draft resolution at the UN Security Council that would authorise ...
PMI slows to lowest level in 4 years in March
The HSBC India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) fell to 53.9 in March 2026 from 56.9 in February, marking the weakest manufacturing expansion i...
Govt imposes import curbs on all articles of gold, silver, platinum
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) revised the import policy for all articles of gold, silver, and platinum jewellery (under Customs Tariff Head...
US Allies Work On Plan B For Hormuz Strait If Trump Walks Away
More than 40 countries participated in a virtual meeting on April 2, 2026, hosted by British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, to coordinate measures to reope...
India is looking at preferential access to US market, says Piyush Goyal
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal stated that India is seeking preferential access to the US market as a core objective of ongoing bilateral trade ...
India Inc seeks export ban on key inputs, QCO relief
Indian industry associations have approached the government seeking export bans on key raw material inputs to prevent domestic shortages created by the disru...
Key petrochemical products get 3 month import duty relief
The Finance Ministry reduced customs duty to nil on 40 key petrochemical products, effective April 2, 2026, with the exemption valid until June 30, 2026. The...
A shield for India Inc: How govt is blunting the Iran war shock
The government has rolled out a targeted package of economic measures to blunt the impact of the Iran war on India's economy, avoiding sweeping market interv...
Passage of Jan Vishwas Bill India’s giant step in accelerating ease of living: Amit Shah
Parliament passed the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026 — Lok Sabha on April 1, 2026, and Rajya Sabha on April 2, 2026. The Bill amends 784 pr...
Income tax dept opposes benefits to Jane Street Singapore
India's income tax department issued a draft assessment order challenging treaty benefits claimed by Jane Street's Singapore arm for financial year 2023-24. ...
Defence exports skyrocket to record Rs 38,424cr in 2025-26, 62.7 per cent rise over previous fiscal
India's defence exports reached an all-time high of Rs 38,424 crore in FY2025-26, a 62.7% jump from Rs 23,622 crore in FY2024-25. The milestone exceeds the g...
Astronaut Shukla lauds Artemis II launch, recalls meeting crew
Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla expressed enthusiasm over the April 1, 2026 launch of NASA's Artemis II mission from Kennedy Space Center, d...
Navy escorting tankers from Strait of Hormuz, no dearth of fuel or gas in country, says defence minister
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh assured the nation that there is no shortage of fuel or gas in India, citing active Indian Navy escort operations for oil and ...
India talks trade expansion with China, a first after 2019 RCEP talks exit
India and China have resumed formal discussions on trade expansion — the first such engagement since India walked out of RCEP negotiations in November 2019. ...
Why BJP-led Maharashtra government is pushing for SC sub-classification
The BJP-led Maharashtra government is working to implement sub-classification within Scheduled Caste (SC) reservations, following the Supreme Court's landmar...
3,609 trees transplanted for Central Vista projects,1,545 perished: Govt
The government has disclosed in Parliament that 3,609 trees were transplanted for Central Vista redevelopment projects, of which 1,545 — approximately 42.8% ...
Meat and eggs may be banned in Haridwar civic area. But concerns and a constitutionality test remain
The Haridwar Municipal Corporation has proposed extending a ban on the sale of meat and eggs within the civic area of Haridwar, Uttarakhand — a city with dee...
‘Stop your games’: Rajya Sabha erupts as Kiren Rijiju hints at special session; Opposition alleges poll code violation
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju dropped strong hints in the Rajya Sabha that the government intends to introduce "a very significant bill" in a s...
Vande Bharat Sleeper train: Indo-Russian JV ‘Kinet Railway Solutions’ completes first car body, prototype soon
Kinet Railway Solutions, the Indo-Russian joint venture between Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) and Russia's Transmashholding (TMH), has completed the protot...
Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project: How tunnel construction is progressing on MAHSR corridor
The Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) project's undersea tunnel construction is progressing, with the 21-km tunnel section between Bandra-Kurla Comple...
Bank locker theft news: 40 cases reported in PSBs in 5 years – check state-wise, bank-wise data
Over 40 cases of locker theft have been reported in public sector banks (PSBs) across India during the five-year period from FY2020-21 to FY2024-25. Compensa...
‘We seek accountability’: India condemns attacks on UNIFIL peacekeepers in Lebanon
India strongly condemned attacks on United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peacekeepers in southern Lebanon, calling for accountability and the pro...
J-K’s ‘power’ struggle: Row erupts over ‘handing over’ of hydel projects to NHPC
On 27 March 2026, the Jammu and Kashmir government signed an implementation agreement with NHPC Ltd for two new hydropower projects — Uri-I Stage-II (240 MW)...
Any misadventure could invite unprecedented and decisive action from India, Rajnath warns Pakistan
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh issued a stern warning to Pakistan at the Sainik Samman Sammelan in poll-bound Kerala, stating that any misadventure from Paki...
India’s defence exports increased by 62.66% in 2025-26 to reach all-time high of Rs 38,424 crore: Ministry
India's defence exports reached an all-time high of Rs 38,424 crore in FY 2025-26, a 62.66% jump over the previous year's Rs 23,622 crore, as announced by De...
US calls India’s online censorship mechanism ‘politically motivated’, cites ‘increasing’ takedown requests: Here’s what to know
The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) published its 2026 National Trade Estimate (NTE) Report on March 31, identifying India's online c...
Govt. exempts Customs Duty for 40 petrochemical products
The Central Government on April 2, 2026, issued a notification exempting customs duty on 40 petrochemical products to protect domestic supply chains disrupte...
Comply with guidelines to curb dark patterns, IRDAI asks insurers
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) issued a directive on April 2, 2026, instructing all insurance companies operating throug...
Pioneering initiative: Construction of SHG buildings picks up pace in Telangana
Tamil Nadu has pioneered an initiative where women Self-Help Group (SHG) members are directly involved in the construction of houses under the Pradhan Mantri...
Telangana Waqf Board aims to list 6,700 properties on UMEED portal
The Telangana Waqf Board has announced plans to list approximately 6,700 properties on the UMEED portal, part of the national effort to digitise and verify W...
Akka Mahadevi Jayanti to be celebrated in Kalaburagi tomorrow
Akka Mahadevi Jayanti 2026 was celebrated in Kalaburagi (formerly Gulbarga), Karnataka, on April 1 — observed on Chaitra Pournami (the full moon day of the C...
Kerala prepared for new Solid Waste Management Rules, say experts
Experts have assessed Kerala as well-positioned to comply with the new Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules, 2026, which came into force on April 1, 2026, repl...
Yamuna, the river that became stagnant
A detailed assessment by Down to Earth documents the Yamuna's transformation from a living river to a stagnant, ecologically dead waterway due to compounding...
India’s exports to Australia double under ECTA in four years
India's exports to Australia more than doubled in the four years since the India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) came into force, r...
Iconic 19th Century painting sets Indian art record with $17.9m sale
Raja Ravi Varma's oil painting "Yashoda and Krishna" (c. 1890s) was sold for $17.9 million (approximately ₹167.2 crore, including buyer's premium) at a Saffr...
Hormuz crisis chokes shipping, sends freight rates soaring fivefold
The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, following Iran's closure of the waterway in response to US-Israeli strikes on February 28, 2026, has caused freight rat...
Iran War: Fertiliser, agri-input stress emerges; Kharif outlook hinges on policy, farmer choices
The West Asia conflict and Strait of Hormuz blockade are creating significant stress in India's fertiliser supply chains, with serious implications for khari...
India agrees to longer WTO e-commerce moratorium, opposes plurilateral push without safeguards
At the WTO's 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) held in Yaounde, Cameroon (March 2026), India agreed to an extended moratorium on customs duties on electroni...
‘India is 100% import‑dependent for Helium, making many industries acutely vulnerable to global disruptions’
Ashok Chandak, President of the India Electronics and Semiconductor Association (IESA), has warned that India is 100% import-dependent for helium — a critica...
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri represents India at UK-convened meet to discuss Strait of Hormuz
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri attended a UK-convened virtual summit of 35 countries on April 2, 2026, to discuss reopening the Strait of Hormuz, which has b...
Nandyal MP seeks UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage tag for Ahobilam Paruveta Utsavam
The Member of Parliament from Nandyal constituency (Andhra Pradesh) has formally sought UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) recognition for the Paruv...
India seeks preferential market access over competitors as part of US trade deal
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal stated that India is pushing for "preferential market access" in its ongoing trade engagement with the United Sta...
Iran fires missiles at Israel after Trump threatens weeks of strikes
Iran launched missile attacks against Israel in response to US President Donald Trump's threats of "weeks of strikes" against Iran's nuclear and energy infra...
Over 6 lakh passengers return to India amid West Asia conflict, says govt
The Indian government announced that over 6 lakh (approximately 6,24,000) passengers have returned to India from West Asia since February 28, 2026, as the US...
Artemis II crew to prepare for perigee raise burn soon – Here's how to track NASA’s historic Moon mission in real time
The Artemis II crew successfully completed the perigee raise burn on April 2, 2026 — a 43-second engine firing of Orion's service module main engine that rai...
Lack of inter-state coordination has led to rampant illegal sand mining in Chambal—SC-appointed panel
The Central Empowered Committee (CEC), a Supreme Court-appointed oversight body, submitted findings to the Supreme Court that the root cause of rampant illeg...
Govt exceeds FY26 indirect tax collection estimates of ₹15.52 lakh cr
The Central Government has exceeded its FY26 Revised Estimate (RE) for indirect tax collections of ₹15.52 lakh crore, achieving approximately 101.2% of the r...
Tea Board plans shifting auctions to cloud-based platform, industry voices concern
India's Tea Board is planning to migrate tea auctions to a cloud-based digital platform to improve efficiency and transparency in commodity trade. The move i...
India sharpens foreign media outreach in post Op Sindoor world, new strategy in play
India is developing a new foreign media outreach strategy in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor (May 2025), the three-day Indian military operation against P...
Coal production from captive, commercial mines up 10.2% in FY 2025-26
India's captive and commercial coal mines produced 210.46 million tonnes (MT) in FY 2025-26, crossing the 200 MT milestone for the first time — a 10.22% rise...
Amid West Asia tensions, India leads 16-nation maritime initiative with IOS SAGAR
INS Sunayna set sail from Mumbai on April 2, 2026 as the Indian Ocean Ship (IOS) SAGAR, carrying naval personnel from India and sixteen friendly foreign coun...
India pushes China for balanced trade as Piyush Goyal, Wang Wentao interact in 1st such meet in 7 yrs
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal met Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao on the sidelines of the WTO's 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) in Yao...
Iran vows ‘crushing’ attacks on U.S. and Israel after Trump’s threats
Iran pledged "crushing" retaliatory attacks against the United States and Israel in response to Trump's threats of sustained military strikes against Iranian...
India to replace 10% conventional fertilisers with Nano products in 3-4 yrs, says IFFCO MD Patel
IFFCO Managing Director K J Patel announced plans to replace at least 10% of conventional fertilisers with nano fertiliser products in India within the next ...
SIR in West Bengal: Election Commission hands over the Malda violence case to NIA after SC directives
Seven judicial officers conducting Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls were held hostage for over nine hours by a mob in Malda district, West...
Governor is bound by council of ministers’ advice on release of convicts from prison: Madras high court
The Supreme Court has reiterated the settled constitutional position that the Governor is bound by the advice of the Council of Ministers when exercising pow...
India’s Russian crude purchases hit 9-month high in March amid West Asia war, but discounts vanish
India's crude oil imports from Russia climbed to a 9-month high of approximately 1.96 million barrels per day (mbpd) in March 2026, sharply up from 1.04 mbpd...
FinMin says indirect tax collection exceeds FY26 RE, cautious about FY27
The Finance Ministry confirmed that indirect tax collections have exceeded the FY26 Revised Estimate (RE) of ₹15.52 lakh crore — with the overall achievement...
Budget Session adjourned, Parliament to reconvene on 16 April to raise Lok Sabha seats to 816: Report
The Budget Session of Parliament was adjourned on April 2, 2026, but the government has announced it will reconvene on April 16 for a brief two-to-three day ...
LIC, New India Assurance, GIC continue to remain Domestic Systemically Important Insurers: IRDAI
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has continued to designate Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), The New India Assur...
India attends UK talks on Strait of Hormuz opening; MEA in 'touch with Iran' for safe passage
India participated in a UK-convened virtual summit of 35 countries focused on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, which has been effectively shut since late Febr...
West Asia crisis: Govt to assess impact of recent tax concessions on its indirect tax revenues
The Union government has initiated an assessment of the fiscal impact of recent tax concessions — including customs duty exemptions on petrochemicals and exc...
CAPF Bill passed by Lok Sabha as Opposition walks out over absence of Home Minister
The Central Armed Police Forces (General Administration) Bill, 2026, was passed by the Lok Sabha with the opposition staging a walkout, protesting the absenc...
As Telangana bans Paraquat, demands emerge for nationwide ban
The Telangana government issued a notification on March 31, 2026, imposing a 60-day ban on the sale, stocking, distribution, and manufacturing of Paraquat di...
Govt plans rare earth magnet push; pre-bid meeting set for 7 April
The government has opened global bids to set up rare earth permanent magnet manufacturing units under a Rs 7,280 crore incentive scheme sanctioned by the Uni...
‘Requests being examined’: Maldives, Sri Lanka among several nations seeking India’s energy supplies, says MEA
The United States announced sweeping "reciprocal tariffs" on April 2, 2026 — dubbed "Liberation Day" by President Trump — targeting trading partners across t...
Artemis II update: Where are its astronauts? When will NASA's mission reach moon? All FAQs answered
NASA's Artemis II mission launched from Kennedy Space Center on April 1, 2026 at 6:35 PM EDT — the first crewed mission to travel beyond low Earth orbit sinc...
Sandmining mafia are the modern dacoits of Chambal: Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of India, hearing a suo motu case on illegal sand mining in the National Chambal Sanctuary, described the sand mining mafia as "modern daco...
Several measures announced to cushion exporters from Gulf conflict impact: DGFT
The government announced full customs duty exemption on 40 specified critical petrochemical feedstocks and polymers, effective April 2 to June 30, 2026, thro...
One battle after another: How India fared in the year of Trump tariffs
On April 2, 2026 — dubbed "Liberation Day" by US President Donald Trump — the United States announced a sweeping set of "reciprocal tariffs" on imports from ...
India ready to slash import duties, curb exports to secure domestic supply: Trade official
India's trade ministry signalled readiness to cut import duties and, where necessary, curb exports to ensure adequate domestic supply of essential goods amid...
Road ministry to compensate for price hike and volatility in commodity prices to contractors
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways announced a temporary compensation mechanism for highway developers to offset commodity price volatility, effecti...
India's March palm oil imports fall to 3-month low as prices surge
India's palm oil imports fell to approximately 689,000 metric tonnes in March 2026, the lowest level since December 2025 and down nearly 19% from 847,689 ton...
India stood alone to oppose IFD pact at WTO meet, won't join crowd just to look better: Goyal
At the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC14) held in Yaoundé, Cameroon (March 30 – April 2, 2026), India was the sole dissenting voice against incorporating...
India, UK FTA may come into force in next 30 to 45 days, says Piyush Goyal
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal announced that the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), signed on July 24, 2025, is likely to come into...
UPI growth stays relentless with 22.64 billion March transactions, says Department of Financial Services
Unified Payments Interface (UPI) recorded 22.64 billion transactions in March 2026 — its highest-ever monthly volume since launch in April 2016, according to...
Centre pushes states on fertiliser black-marketing, MSP procurement; 9.25 crore farmer IDs created
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan chaired a virtual meeting with state agriculture ministers ahead of the Kharif season, directing states to c...
'For a very important bill': Parliament to reconvene on April 16; what’s on cards
Parliament's Budget Session, originally scheduled to conclude on April 2, has been adjourned with an announcement that both Houses will reconvene on April 16...
West Asia crisis: Govt exempts import duty on key petrochemical products till June
The Ministry of Finance, effective April 2, 2026, granted a full customs duty exemption (Basic Customs Duty reduced to zero) on 40 critical petrochemical fee...
Government signals 'very important' bill soon as Rajya Sabha adjournment hints at fresh push on women’s quota
The government indicated that a "very important" bill would be introduced in Parliament soon, signalling active legislative business ahead. The Rajya Sabha r...
Self-enumeration by President Murmu, VP & PM Modi kicks off Census 2027
India's Census 2027 officially began on April 1, 2026 with the launch of the self-enumeration phase — the first time in Indian census history that citizens c...
FCRA bill not taken up amid oppn protests
The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 was listed for passage in the Lok Sabha on April 1–2, 2026, but was not taken up for discussion as...
Use of recycled plastic in packaging made mandatory, new rules to boost circularity
India has made the use of recycled plastic in packaging mandatory, with specific targets for different categories of plastic packaging taking effect from fis...
Rupee jumps to 93.53 vs dollar after RBI steps to curb speculative trades
The Indian rupee appreciated sharply — gaining up to 1.8% to trade at 93.14 per US dollar on April 2, 2026 — its biggest single-day gain since September 2013...
‘We were minutes away from striking Pakistan from sea’: Navy Chief on Operation Sindoor
Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi disclosed on April 1, 2026, at a naval investiture ceremony that Indian naval forces were positioned in the Ar...
India defence exports hit Rs 38,424 Crore in FY26, Rajnath lauds 62% surge
India's defence exports in FY 2025-26 reached a record Rs 38,424 crore (approximately USD 4.6 billion), a 62.7% surge over the previous fiscal year's Rs 23,6...
War in West Asia: Why it has drawn comparisons with the 1973 oil price crisis
The ongoing West Asia conflict, which has led to a partial closure of the Strait of Hormuz and sent Brent crude prices above $100/barrel, has drawn widesprea...
Trump speech: Five takeaways, and what India must prepare for
Analysts have identified five key takeaways from the ongoing US-Israeli military campaign against Iran that have direct and significant implications for Indi...
Artemis II: Humans back to moon after more than 50 years
NASA's Artemis II mission lifted off from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on April 1, 2026, carrying four astronauts on the first crewed journey beyond low Ea...
For humanity as a whole, Artemis II is both a symbol and a tool
NASA's Artemis II, launched April 1, 2026, represents both a symbolic milestone — the most diverse lunar crew in history — and a practical test mission essen...
India’s manufacturing PMI dips to 45-month low of 53.9 in March
India's Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) fell to 53.9 in March 2026 — the lowest in 45 months (since June 2022) — from 56.9 in February. The tw...
Pakistan's push in Iran war diplomacy - is India sidelined?
Pakistan has emerged as the primary diplomatic intermediary between the United States and Iran in the ongoing US-Israeli military campaign against Iran, host...
India, Russia step up high-level engagement as Deputy PM Manturov visits amid West Asia tensions
Russia's First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov undertook a two-day visit to New Delhi (around April 2-3, 2026), his second high-profile visit in recent ...
NASA astronauts reach orbit on historic mission — When will Artemis 2 reach the moon?
NASA's Artemis II mission launched on April 1, 2026 at 6:35 pm EDT from Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center, Florida — the first crewed mission to fly aro...
Artemis II astronauts reach orbit on historic mission to moon and back
NASA's Artemis II mission launched on April 1, 2026, from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, aboard the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket — the first crewed fligh...
U.S. President Donald Trump’s address on Iran-Israel war: Key quotes
US President Donald Trump delivered a primetime national address on the ongoing US-Israeli military campaign against Iran, signalling that operations would c...
Lok Sabha passes Bill recognising Amaravati as sole capital of Andhra Pradesh
Parliament passed the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2026, formally recognising Amaravati as the sole and permanent capital of Andhra Prades...
India’s defence exports rocket to Rs 38,424 cr in FY26, up by 63%. US remains top destination
India's defence exports for FY2025-26 reached Rs 38,424 crore — a 62.66% increase over FY25's Rs 23,622 crore — setting a new all-time record. The United Sta...
India’s manufacturing registers weakest growth in nearly four years: PMI survey shows
India's manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) fell to 53.9 in March 2026, down from 56.9 in February — the weakest reading since June 2022, represen...
Rajya Sabha clears Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code Amendments
The Rajya Sabha passed the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2025, completing the bill's parliamentary journey after the Lok Sabha passed it o...
CBDT refines GAAR exemption clause for pre-2017 investments
The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) amended the General Anti-Avoidance Rules (GAAR) on March 31, 2026, clarifying that GAAR will not apply to income — i...
Venezuelan oil exports hit 6-year high as India fills China gap
Venezuelan crude oil exports touched 890,000 barrels per day in March 2026, the highest level since December 2019, as Indian refiners emerged as the country'...
RBI trading ban rocks $149 billion-a-day offshore rupee market
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) rolled out some of its toughest currency market measures in over a decade, targeting speculative trading in the offshore rupe...
iPhones travel beyond Earth's orbit as Artemis II crew departs from Florida
For the first time in spaceflight history, NASA has authorised astronauts to carry personal iPhones beyond Earth's orbit, with the Artemis II crew taking the...
Church’s opposition to FCRA Bill triggers political storm in Kerala
The proposed Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 triggered a significant political storm in Kerala, with the state's major church denomina...
CBIC waives full customs duty on critical petrochemical products
The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) waived full customs duty on a comprehensive list of critical petrochemical products, effective April 2...
Why is India pushing piped gas now? | Explained
The Central Government has issued the Natural Gas and Petroleum Products Distribution Order, 2026, mandating a time-bound transition for households in areas ...
GE Aerospace delivers sixth F404-IN20 engine for Tejas LCA-Mk1A
GE Aerospace delivered the sixth F404-IN20 engine to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the Tejas LCA-Mk1A programme, but missed its revised annual targ...
Govt removes import duty on 41 items effective today - Check full list of items here
The Ministry of Finance, through CBIC, announced full customs duty exemption on 41 critical petrochemical products effective April 2, 2026, valid until June ...
Amendment to FCRA a direct attack on minority institutions: T.N. CM Stalin
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin condemned the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, calling it "a direct attack on Christian NGOs, Ch...
India's defence exports hit record ₹38,424 crore in FY 25-26
India's defence exports touched an all-time high of ₹38,424 crore in FY 2025-26, a 62.6% jump over the previous year's ₹23,622 crore. The Defence Minister an...
‘Deeply personal’: On Artemis II launch, Shubhanshu Shukla says ‘weight of history is tangible’ at Kennedy Space Center
Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla was present at Kennedy Space Center to witness the Artemis II launch on April 1, 2026 — an occasion he descr...
India's economy puts up brave front as GST, auto sales and UPI payments surge despite Gulf war
India's GST collections crossed the Rs 2 lakh crore mark in March 2026 for the first time — touching Rs 2,00,064 crore gross (8.8% year-on-year growth) — eve...
Over 20 Indian workers died abroad daily in last 5 years, most in Gulf nations: Govt data
Government data tabled in Parliament reveals that 37,740 Indian workers died while working abroad between 2021 and 2025 — an average of over 20 deaths per da...
Ravi Varma’s ‘Yashoda & Krishna’ fetches record-shattering Rs 167 crore
Raja Ravi Varma's oil painting "Yashoda and Krishna" sold for Rs 167.2 crore (approximately $18 million) at Saffronart's Spring Auction on April 1, 2026 in M...
SP raises Mahabodhi temple management issue in Rajya Sabha, demands Buddhist control
Samajwadi Party's Rajya Sabha member Ramji Lal Suman raised the Mahabodhi Temple management issue during Zero Hour in the upper house on April 2, 2026, deman...
Indian cities’ heat action plans must focus on high night-time temperatures, study says
A new study published ahead of the 2026 summer season finds that India's existing city-level Heat Action Plans (HAPs) are significantly under-prepared for th...
Govt exempts critical petrochemical products from customs duty amid West Asia crisis
The government granted full customs duty exemption on critical petrochemical products to ensure supply stability and provide cost relief to domestic industri...
'Complete breakdown of law & order in Bengal': SC after judicial officers were held hostage for hours over SIR deletion
The Supreme Court took serious cognisance of the 9-hour gherao of seven judicial officers conducting Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in M...
Centre waives duties on key petrochemical products amid supply disruptions due to Iran war
The Ministry of Finance, through the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), granted full customs duty exemption on a wide range of critical petr...
TN CM Stalin opposes amendment to FCRA, alleges proposed move attack on minority institutions
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin issued a strong condemnation of the proposed Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, calling it a "direc...
Voter name deletion: Judicial officers rescued after protesters gheraoed them for hours in Bengal
Seven judicial officers conducting the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls were gheraoed by protesters for approximately 9 hours at the Kalia...
SIR protest: SC slams West Bengal govt over gherao of judicial officials, terms incident calculated
Seven judicial officers — including three women — who were deployed in Malda's Kaliachak 2 Block Development Office to adjudicate electoral roll (SIR) claims...
Judicial officers will decide 60L Bengal claims by Apr 7, 47.3L completed: Supreme Court
The Supreme Court, while hearing the West Bengal Special Intensive Revision (SIR) case, noted that judicial officers deployed as Election Registration Office...
'Minutes away from striking Pakistan from sea': Navy chief Dinesh K Tripathi reveals key Operation Sindoor moment
Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi has publicly disclosed that the Indian Navy was minutes away from launching a sea-borne strike on Pakista...
Defence budget under capital head fully utilised in FY2025-26
The Ministry of Defence fully utilised its revised capital expenditure allocation of Rs 1.86 lakh crore for FY2025-26, marking the second consecutive year of...