April 15, 2026
160 articles published on this date
12L households in 11 states/UTs self-enumerate for Census 2027
Over 12 lakh (1.2 million) households across 11 states and Union Territories have opted for the self-enumeration facility under Census 2027 — India's first f...
Fighting precarity and a phantom boss, gig workers join wider labour unrest
India's gig and platform workers — delivery riders, cab drivers, and app-based service providers — are joining a broader wave of labour unrest, with strikes ...
India’s trade deficit eases marginally to $21 billion in March amid West Asia crisis; goods exports up by 1% in FY26
India's goods trade deficit narrowed marginally to $20.67 billion in March 2026, down from a peak of $26.72 billion in November 2025. The narrowing was prima...
Govt plan: Keep south share unchanged in LS, list each state’s new count in ‘schedule’
Reports indicate that the Union government's proposed delimitation framework includes a provision to list each state's new Lok Sabha seat count in a constitu...
Political parties firm on moving education back to State list, retaining two-language formula
Multiple political parties, particularly from southern states, have reiterated their demand that "Education" be moved from the Concurrent List back to the St...
India to decide women's quota bill as row over parliamentary seats intensifies
Southern Indian states have launched mass mobilisation against the Union government's proposal to link the operationalisation of women's reservation in Parli...
Sri Lanka repatriates 238 Iranian sailors stranded after US torpedo attack
Sri Lanka repatriated 238 Iranian sailors stranded in the island nation following the US torpedo attack on Iranian naval vessels in its waters. On March 4, 2...
New brain-inspired ‘memristors’ promise to cut AI energy use
Researchers at the University of Cambridge developed a hafnium oxide-based thin film that reliably mimics the behaviour of biological synapses — functioning ...
India's fossil fuel power output sees sharp decline in March amid push for renewables
India recorded one of the sharpest declines in coal-fired power generation among major economies in March 2026, driven primarily by a surge in solar and wind...
Kargil bloc rejects Ladakh territorial council, sticks to statehood, Sixth Schedule
The Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) formally rejected the Centre's proposed "Ladakh Territorial Council" model, reiterating its demand for full statehood an...
'Delimitation won’t be based on 2011 census': Seats in all states to rise 50%, govt to tell Lok Sabha today
The government clarified on April 15, 2026, that the upcoming delimitation exercise will not be conducted on the basis of the 2011 Census — countering opposi...
Opposition: Will oppose delimitation, it cuts share of south, NE
The INDIA bloc opposition alliance declared it will oppose the proposed Delimitation Bill in Parliament, warning that population-based delimitation will disp...
India’s negotiating team to visit Washington next week as US readies new global tariffs
India's trade negotiating team is scheduled to visit Washington from April 20–22, 2026, for the next round of discussions on the bilateral trade agreement. T...
First-ever bat conservation assessment flags threat to species, data dark spots
India's first-ever comprehensive bat conservation assessment has been published, flagging multiple species as threatened and highlighting a significant data ...
Know the Articles which three proposed Bills will amend
The 2026 legislative package — consisting of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, the Delimitation Bill, and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill ...
Door-to-door house listing of Census 2027 to begin across Karnataka on April 16
Door-to-door house listing — the first phase of Census 2027 — commenced across Karnataka on April 16, 2026, making it one of the first states to begin field ...
We support CM’s stand on delimitation: Shanmugam
AIADMK leader C Shanmugam stated that the party supports the Chief Minister's stand on delimitation, signalling alignment with Tamil Nadu's opposition to the...
Devious menace: On predatory loan apps
Predatory digital loan applications continue to operate in regulatory grey zones, exploiting gaps between formal banking regulation and the informal fintech ...
Dry days: On rainfall deficit forecast
An editorial analyses the India Meteorological Department's (IMD) April 2026 forecast of a below-normal southwest monsoon, and cautions against both undue al...
India rejects USTR allegations, seeks end to Section 301 probe
India submitted a formal rebuttal to the USTR's Section 301 probe, characterising the US allegations as "baseless and lacking in evidence." The government ur...
Allahabad High Court flags lodging of ‘fake FIRs’ under anti-conversion law in Uttar Pradesh
The Allahabad High Court raised serious concerns about the misuse of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021, noting that ...
Pakistani delegation, led by Army chief Munir, reaches Iran for peace talks
A high-level Pakistani delegation led by Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir arrived in Tehran carrying what Iranian state media described as a "new message"...
Telangana SEEEPC survey, IEWG analysis shows SCs/STs three times more backward than others
The Telangana government publicly released the findings of the Independent Expert Working Group (IEWG) analysis of the Socio-Economic, Educational, Employmen...
Placing women at the core of democracy
An analytical opinion piece published on April 15 examines the structural challenge of implementing women's reservation in India: the law exists on paper sin...
Implications of increasing the size of the Lok Sabha
Analysts and parliamentarians have raised substantive questions about the implications of expanding the Lok Sabha from 543 to 850 seats — a 57% increase — be...
Chhattisgarh cabinet forms committee to prepare UCC draft
The Chhattisgarh cabinet approved the formation of a high-level committee — headed by retired Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai — to prepare a draft Uniform Civi...
Bageshwar Dham gets government nod to receive foreign funds
Bageshwar Dham, a prominent religious establishment in Madhya Pradesh led by Pandit Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, received government approval to accept foreign...
Women’s Reservation Bill will be passed, opposers will be exposed, says A.P. CM
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu wrote letters to leaders of various political parties and Members of Parliament — including both Rajya Sab...
All States will have their number of Lok Sabha seats increase by 50% after delimitation: Official
A senior government functionary stated on April 15, 2026, that all states will see their Lok Sabha seat count increase by at least 50% after delimitation — m...
BJP trying to ‘gerrymander’ all Lok Sabha constituencies in ‘anti-national’ act: Rahul
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP of attempting to "gerrymander" all Lok Sabha constituencies through the proposed Delimitation Bill — calling it ...
UN Awaits Go-Ahead to Move Fertilizer Through Strait of Hormuz
The United Nations is awaiting final authorisation to move a fertilizer shipment through the Strait of Hormuz, amid the ongoing US-led blockade and Iran-Isra...
Tamil Nadu's spiral: From welfare to freebies
Tamil Nadu's governance model, long associated with welfare provisioning, is facing growing scrutiny as the line between public welfare investments and unsus...
BRS, YSRCP punch a hole in Centre's delimitation move
Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K.T. Rama Rao (KTR) strongly opposed the Delimitation Bill 2026, warning that a population-based delimitation ...
India trade delegation to visit US for BTA talks, first in-person meeting since October
An Indian trade delegation led by Darpan Jain (Additional Secretary, Department of Commerce) is scheduled to visit Washington DC from April 20–22, 2026, for ...
Electronics imports cross USD 100 billion in 2025-26: Commerce Ministry
India's electronics imports crossed USD 100 billion for the first time in 2025-26, according to data released by the Commerce Ministry — a landmark that unde...
US’ 301 probes: India denies allegations, seeks termination of both investigations
India formally submitted its response to the US Trade Representative (USTR), rejecting all allegations made under two parallel Section 301 investigations ini...
Govt's wheat procurement to drop 69% due to delayed arrivals
Government wheat procurement in the 2026-27 Rabi Marketing Season (RMS) has fallen approximately 69% compared to the same period last year, reaching only abo...
CM Stalin leads mega procession, says issue is delimitation not women’s quota
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin led a large procession in Tamil Nadu on April 15, 2026, framing the demonstration as a protest against the Centre's pro...
WPI inflation hits 38-month high of 3.9% in March as soaring energy, crude prices amid West Asia war drive up costs
India's Wholesale Price Index (WPI)-based inflation reached 3.88% in March 2026 on a year-on-year basis, the highest level in 38 months (since January 2023),...
Bills to operationalise women's quota listed for introduction in Lok Sabha on Thursday
The Union government listed three interconnected bills for introduction in Lok Sabha during a special parliamentary session beginning April 16, 2026. The thr...
India stands by trade pact with US, trade negotiators to visit Washington next week
India has reaffirmed its commitment to finalising the bilateral trade agreement with the United States, with trade negotiators confirmed to travel to Washing...
Naveen Patnaik opposes delimitation exercise
On April 15, 2026, former Odisha Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik wrote to current Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi,...
Opposition against 131st Amendment, says delimitation formula motivated
The INDIA bloc — comprising Congress, DMK, Trinamool Congress, NCP (SP), and allied parties — formally announced it will oppose the Constitution (131st Amend...
Arvind Kejriwal’s affidavit points to judge Swarana Kanta Sharma family as children empanelled as central govt counsels
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal filed an affidavit in a court matter pointing to the conduct of Special Judge Swarana Kanta Sharma, who had been presidi...
Centre’s women quota, delimitation formula has my 100% support: N Chandrababu Naidu
Andhra Pradesh CM N. Chandrababu Naidu declared "100% support" for the Centre's proposed delimitation formula and the linked women's reservation bill, positi...
US Sec 301 probe: India rejects allegations, requests for terminations of both investigations
India has formally rejected the allegations underlying the United States Trade Representative's (USTR) Section 301 investigation targeting India among 16 eco...
Watch: Delimitation controversy & Bihar’s first BJP CM | Above the Fold | 15.04.2026
AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge announced after an INDIA bloc meeting that the opposition alliance has "unitedly" decided to oppose the Delimitation Bill i...
'They are playing tricks': Kharge says INDIA bloc will oppose Centre's delimitation bill
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge stated that "they are playing tricks with delimitation" and that all INDIA bloc parties had unanimously decided to oppo...
South vs North, women vs seats: Inside India's most contested special session
Parliament convened for a special session on April 16–17, 2026 to consider three interlocking bills: the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill 2026, the Delimi...
Russian president Vladimir Putin to visit India for Brics summit
Russian President Vladimir Putin is confirmed to visit India for the 18th BRICS Summit, expected in September 2026 in New Delhi. Russia's Deputy Foreign Mini...
Women’s Reservation & Delimitation Bills set for Parliament showdown: What’s driving the debate?
A special session of Parliament was convened beginning April 16, 2026, with the explicit purpose of introducing and passing the three-bill legislative packag...
Plastic bags to playing cards: Wholesale prices jump, push March WPI inflation to 38-month high
WPI inflation hit 3.88% in March 2026 — a 38-month high — with manufactured products playing a significant role alongside the headline energy price shock fro...
Stalin interview: ‘Vajpayee froze delimitation to preserve balance until the country evolved more evenly. Why abandon that wisdom now?’
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, in an interview ahead of the special Parliament session, cited the Vajpayee government's 84th Amendment (2002) as a de...
Delimitation row escalates: Stalin calls urgent meeting of DMK district heads, black flag protest planned across Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin convened an emergency meeting of DMK district heads as the delimitation row intensified ahead of the special Parliament ...
‘Age tokens’ via DigiLocker to regulate kids’ social media use in Andhra Pradesh
The Andhra Pradesh government is evaluating a system of "age tokens" integrated with DigiLocker to verify children's ages before granting access to social me...
India, US to hold trade talks in Washington from April 20
India's commerce ministry delegation, led by chief negotiator Darpan Jain, travelled to Washington DC for trade talks from April 20–22, 2026 — the latest rou...
Opposition favours women’s quota but will oppose delimitation Bill: Congress
The Congress party and the broader INDIA bloc formally articulated a dual position ahead of the special Parliament session (April 16–18, 2026): support for t...
BRICS Foreign Ministers’ meet likely in May; Wang Yi, Lavrov may attend
India will host the BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting on May 14–15, 2026, in New Delhi, as part of its 2026 BRICS chairship. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey L...
India calls for safe, unimpeded maritime transport at Japan energy meet
India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar participated in the AZEC-Plus (Asia Zero Emissions Community Plus) meeting convened by Japan on April 15, 202...
Odisha’s Naveen Patnaik opposes delimitation bill, says it ‘hits spirit of cooperative federalism’
Former Odisha Chief Minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik came out in strong opposition to the delimitation bill, stating it "hits directly at the spirit...
Focus on ‘development roadmap’ as Mizoram signs agreement with ‘only remaining underground group’
The Mizoram government signed a Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) with the Lalhmingthanga Sanate-led faction of the Hmar People's Convention-Democratic (HPC-D (...
Women’s quota pretext to push through delimitation that could disproportionately favour certain states: Rajya Sabha MP
Critics and opposition leaders have flagged a structural linkage built into the Constitution (106th Amendment) Act, 2023: women's reservation in Parliament a...
After war, rain: Below-average monsoon emerges as new inflation risk
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued its first Long Range Forecast for the 2026 Southwest Monsoon on April 13, 2026, predicting below-normal rain...
Explained: Impact of proposed women’s reservation Bills on delimitation process
The Union government introduced a three-bill legislative package in a special Parliament session (April 16–17, 2026) that ties the implementation of women's ...
Venezuela, Russia step up crude shipments, India benefits
India's crude oil imports from Venezuela are estimated to reach approximately 12.51 million barrels in April 2026 — the highest monthly import from Venezuela...
Sharmila urges CM to oppose Delimitation Bill citing risks to A.P. political representation
Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) President Y.S. Sharmila urged Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to join the opposition to the Delim...
Law to introduce ballot papers notified
A law enabling the use of ballot papers as an alternative to Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) for certain elections has been formally notified by the govern...
India’s exports in FY26 grow 4% to $860 billion; trade deficit widens by $25 billion
India's combined merchandise and services exports reached a record $860.09 billion in FY 2025-26 (April 2025 – March 2026), up 4.22% from $825.26 billion in ...
Shri K.V.R. Murty takes charge as Whole Time Member, SEBI
Kompella Venkata Ramana (KVR) Murty assumed charge as a Whole Time Member (WTM) of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) on April 15, 2026. Murty...
Wholesale inflation climbs to 3.88% in March, highest in over 3 years
WPI-based inflation rose to 3.88% in March 2026, marking the highest level in over three years, driven by concurrent surges in oil prices, food costs, and ma...
Boat carrying 250 people, including Rohingya and Bangladeshis, sinks in the Andaman Sea
A boat carrying approximately 280 people — mostly Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi nationals, including women and children — capsized and sank in the Andama...
Expanding permanent category with veto critical to real reform of UNSC: India
India has reiterated that any reform of the United Nations Security Council that does not include expanding the permanent category with full veto powers woul...
Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif embarks on three-nation visit to discuss bilateral, regional issues
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif embarked on a three-nation tour (April 15–18, 2026) covering Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkiye, focused primarily on in...
How will Gaganyaan astronauts return safely to earth? | Explained
ISRO successfully conducted the Second Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT-02) for the Gaganyaan programme on April 10, 2026, validating the parachute deployment ...
US Ambassador meets Oil Minister Puri over expanding energy purchases
The US Ambassador to India met Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri to discuss expanding Indian purchases of American LPG and LNG, following...
250 missing after migrant boat sinks in Indian Ocean
Approximately 250 people, comprising Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi nationals, are missing after their boat capsized in the Andaman Sea while attempting t...
Indian LPG vessel Jag Vikram reaches Kandla Port after crossing Strait of Hormuz
Indian LPG tanker Jag Vikram, owned by Mumbai-based Great Eastern Shipping Company, became the first Indian-flagged vessel to cross the Strait of Hormuz afte...
China calls U.S. claims of military pressure on Taiwan a 'distortion'
China's Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson Chen Binhua called US State Department criticisms of Chinese military activity around Taiwan "a complete distortio...
Telangana set to gain 60 more Assembly seats in delimitation
Telangana is projected to gain approximately 60 additional Assembly seats under the proposed delimitation exercise, raising its Legislative Assembly strength...
Over 80% nations got loans from China in the last two decades
A data analysis reveals that Chinese banks and state-linked institutions have provided development loans to over 80% of the world's nations over the past two...
A question of less: weight loss drugs
GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs — primarily semaglutide (sold under brand names Ozempic for diabetes and Wegovy for obesity) — are at the centre of a global hea...
Indian negotiators to resume talks on US trade deal from April 20
Indian trade negotiators will resume talks with their US counterparts in Washington from April 20-22, 2026, to recalibrate the interim bilateral trade agreem...
Navy at ‘inflection point’ as maritime threats rise, says Navy chief
Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi stated that the Indian Navy is at an "inflection point" as maritime threats rise across the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) an...
U.S. shuts down Iran's maritime trade despite optimism for more talks
The United States declared its naval blockade of Iranian ports "fully implemented" as of April 15, 2026, effectively cutting off Iran's international seaborn...
Door-to-door visit by Census enumerators in eight States/U.T.s from April 16
Door-to-door visits by Census enumerators began from April 16, 2026 in eight states and Union Territories for the first phase of Population Census 2027 — the...
Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Department of Telecommunications (DOT), Government of India
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on April 15, 2026...
In Charts: India slips to 6th in GDP ranking for now; to reach 4th by FY28
India has slipped to the 6th position in the global GDP ranking (by nominal GDP in USD) in 2025-26, falling behind the United Kingdom, after holding the 5th ...
IMF cuts growth outlook, warns world already drifting toward more adverse scenario
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) released its World Economic Outlook (WEO) in April 2026 at its Spring Meetings, cutting the global growth forecast amid...
Trump says he asked Xi not to give Iran weapons
US President Donald Trump revealed that he had sent a letter to Chinese President Xi Jinping requesting that China not supply weapons to Iran during the ongo...
Children killed in Lebanon as Israeli strikes hit homes far from front lines of war with Hezbollah
Israeli strikes in Lebanon have killed 168 children among more than 2,100 fatalities over six weeks of renewed conflict, according to Lebanon's Health Minist...
India's green fuel plans collide with farmers' water fears
India's aggressive ethanol blending programme — targeting 20% ethanol blending in petrol (E20) — is triggering resistance from farmers in multiple states who...
Fertilizer supply crunch tightens global farm economics
A severe global fertilizer supply crunch in 2026 is tightening farm economics worldwide, driven by geopolitical disruptions to key supply routes and producin...
Will vote against delimitation: INDIA bloc
The INDIA bloc — the principal opposition alliance — formally announced it will vote against the Delimitation Bill in the special Parliament session beginnin...
Delimitation will suppress and stifle the voice of south India in parliament: Chidambaram
South Indian leaders, scholars, and political parties argued on April 15 that the proposed Delimitation Bill will structurally suppress South India's politic...
SC says no religion superior to the other; TDB argues entry of ‘fertile’ women antithetical to Sabarimala deity
A nine-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court, hearing the reference arising from the 2018 Sabarimala judgment, made the significant observation that ...
Indian agriculture sector under threat by below-Normal Monsoon, El Nino, and West Asia war: ICRA
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued its first Long Range Forecast (LRF) on April 13, 2026, predicting a below-normal Southwest Monsoon (SWM) in ...
India’s wholesale inflation rises to 3.88% in March, highest in over 3 years on fuel, metal costs
India's Wholesale Price Index (WPI)-based inflation rose to 3.88% (year-on-year) in March 2026, a provisional figure released by the Office of the Economic A...
Sanctioned tanker turns back to Strait of Hormuz, day after Gulf exit
A sanctioned Iranian oil tanker that had attempted to exit the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz turned back one day after entering the Gulf of Oman,...
China envoy cautions Nepal home minister against govt participation in oath-taking of Tibet leader in exile
Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Zhang Maoming held direct talks with newly elected Nepal Home Minister Sudan Gurung, warning against any government-level Nepali ...
India’s wholesale inflation at multi-year high of 3.88% in March; up from 2.13% in February
India's Wholesale Price Index (WPI)-based inflation surged to 3.88% in March 2026, the highest level in 38 months (since January 2023), up sharply from 2.13%...
Indian negotiating team headed to US next week for another round of trade agreement talks
An Indian negotiating team, led by chief negotiator Darpan Jain, will travel to Washington DC from April 20–22 for the next round of bilateral trade agreemen...
India’s exports rise 4.22% to USD 860.09 bn in FY26; imports grow 6.47%, trade deficit widens
India's combined merchandise and services exports reached a record USD 860.09 billion in FY2025-26, a 4.22% increase over USD 825.26 billion in FY2024-25. Me...
US blockade to choke Iran’s economic lifelines—its ports. From Kharg to Chabahar
The US naval blockade imposed on April 13, 2026, after failed Islamabad peace talks threatens all 11 of Iran's ports located in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of ...
Iranian, Emirati FMs & Saudis likely to come face-to-face at BRICS foreign ministers’ meet in Delhi
India, as the 2026 BRICS Chair, is set to host a BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting in New Delhi on May 14–15, 2026. The meeting will be chaired by External Af...
Oil falls for second day on expectations US-Iran talks may resume
Global crude oil prices declined for a second consecutive day on April 15, 2026, as markets priced in expectations that US-Iran ceasefire talks would resume....
Gold loans emerge as second largest retail credit product after home loans
Gold loans have emerged as India's second-largest retail credit product after home loans, according to data from TransUnion CIBIL, with outstanding balances ...
Jeh Aerospace inks pact with Liebherr-Aerospace to supply high-precision components
Jeh Aerospace, a Hyderabad-based precision aerospace and defence manufacturing company, has signed a long-term agreement (LTA) with Liebherr-Aerospace & Tran...
Rupee settles 9 paise lower at 93.44 against U.S. dollar
The Indian rupee settled approximately 9 paise lower at ₹93.44 against the US dollar in mid-April 2026, continuing a period of elevated exchange rates driven...
Wholesale inflation rises to a 3-year high of 3.88% in March
India's Wholesale Price Index (WPI)-based inflation rose to 3.88% in March 2026, the highest level in three years, up sharply from 2.13% in February 2026. Th...
Sri Lanka repatriates 238 stranded Iranian sailors: Minister
Sri Lanka repatriated 238 Iranian sailors who had been stranded on the island following naval incidents linked to the 2026 Iran-US conflict. 32 sailors from ...
Russia raking in a windfall from Hormuz blockade. Export revenues doubled to $19 bn in March, says IEA
Russia's crude oil and petroleum product export revenues nearly doubled to $19 billion in March 2026, up from $9.7 billion in February, according to the Inte...
Trump doubles down in criticising Pope Leo over Iran
US President Donald Trump publicly and repeatedly criticised Pope Leo XIV over the latter's statements calling for restraint and dialogue regarding the US-Is...
Jaishankar speaks to Israeli counterpart Gideon Sa'ar over ‘different aspects’ of West Asia crisis
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held a telephonic conversation with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar on April 14, 2026, covering "different aspe...
Hopes rise for renewed talks as U.S. military says Iran blockade is in force
Regional officials confirmed that the US and Iran gave an "in principle agreement" to extend the two-week ceasefire, due to expire April 22, 2026, to allow f...
Climate-hit Kashmir saffron farmers battle rising porcupine menace
Saffron farmers in Kashmir's Pampore region — the world's primary source of Kashmiri saffron — are facing mounting losses from the Indian crested porcupine (...
Saudi Arabia to lend another $3 bn to Pakistan to boost forex reserves, days after $5 bn pledge
Saudi Arabia announced an additional $3 billion deposit/loan to Pakistan on April 15, 2026, days after pledging a separate $5 billion — bringing total Saudi ...
Flagging Centre’s ‘deceit’ over delimitation, Congress says move is to avoid caste census
The Congress party accused the Centre of "deliberate deceit" over the delimitation bills, claiming the government had earlier assured Parliament that any Lok...
India’s unemployment rate edges up to 5.1% in March as urban joblessness rises
India's overall unemployment rate edged up to 5.1% in March 2026 from 4.9% in February 2026, the highest level since October 2025, according to CMIE data. Ur...
Indian agricultural sector under threat by trifecta of below-Normal Monsoon, El Nino, and West Asia war: ICRA
The India Meteorological Department's (IMD) first long-range forecast (LRF) for the 2026 Southwest Monsoon pegs seasonal rainfall at 92% of the Long Period A...
Karnataka High Court directs State government to ‘strictly and faithfully’ implement menstrual leave policy
The Karnataka High Court directed the Karnataka state government to "strictly and faithfully" follow the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, in a significa...
Xi Jinping calls China-Russia ties 'precious' in current international context
Chinese President Xi Jinping met Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on April 15, 2026. Lavrov arrived in China...
North Korea is boosting nuclear weapons capacity: IAEA chief
IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi warned at a press conference that North Korea is "sharply boosting" its nuclear weapons production capacity, with signs i...
India’s March trade deficit narrows to $20.67 billion on year
India's merchandise (goods) trade deficit narrowed to USD 20.67 billion in March 2026, down from USD 21.70 billion in March 2025, as both exports and imports...
Iran ups threats over naval blockade, but still talking to U.S.
Iran's military threatened to shut down Red Sea trade unless the United States lifted its naval blockade of Iranian ports, escalating the 2026 US-Iran milita...
Gems and jewellery exports fall to five-year low on U.S. tariffs
India's gems and jewellery exports fell to a five-year low as shipments to the United States plunged 45% year-on-year to USD 5.09 billion, according to data ...
Activists seek delinking of women’s reservation from Census, delimitation
Women's rights activists, civil society organisations, and feminist legal scholars publicly demanded that the government delink women's parliamentary reserva...
Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin convenes emergency meeting of DMK MPs over delimitation consequences
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin convened an emergency virtual meeting of DMK MPs and district secretaries on April 15, 2026 — one day before the specia...
Kerala Congress (M) chairperson Jose K. Mani suggests multi-factor matrix for ‘a fair delimitation formula’
Kerala Congress (M) chairperson Jose K. Mani proposed a multi-factor matrix for determining parliamentary seat allocation in the upcoming delimitation exerci...
China moves to block entrance to disputed South China Sea shoal, images show
China deployed a 352-meter (approximately 1,150-foot) floating barrier at the entrance to Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea on April 10–11, 2026, acco...
Delimitation: Stalin announces state-wide black flag protest, says Centre will pay 'heavy price'
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin announced a state-wide black-flag protest on April 16, 2026 — the day Parliament's special session begins to consider t...
Indian official team to visit Washington next week for trade talks
An Indian negotiating delegation is travelling to Washington for three-day trade talks from April 20-22, 2026, to resume discussions on an interim bilateral ...
Wildlife trade is driving disease outbreaks globally — raising risk of pathogens reaching humans by 50%, finds study
A peer-reviewed study published in the journal Science (April 2026) found that wild mammals involved in trade have a 50% higher probability of sharing at lea...
India‘s textile and apparel exports degrow by -2.22% in FY 26: Govt Data
India's total textile and apparel exports for FY2025-26 stood at USD 35.16 billion, a degrowth of 2.22% compared to USD 35.96 billion in FY2024-25, according...
India-UK trade agreement may come into force next month: Commerce Secy
India's Commerce Secretary confirmed that the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) is expected to come into operation "sometime in May"...
Daily Court Digest: Major environment orders (April 14, 2026)
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) addressed three major environmental enforcement cases on April 14, 2026, spanning industrial pollution, solid waste managem...
Mayawati bats for sub-quota for SC, ST, OBC women within 33% reservation
BSP chief Mayawati backed the Women's Reservation Bill and the government's proposal to implement 33% reservation for women in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies...
Women's Reservation Bill, a historic step towards Women's empowerment: CM Rekha Gupta
As the Union government introduced its three-bill package in a special Parliament session (April 16–18, 2026), the Women's Reservation Act was once again bro...
India’s trade deficit narrows to $20.67 billion in March on West Asia risks
India's merchandise trade deficit narrowed to $20.67 billion in March 2026, compared to $27.1 billion in March 2025 — a significant contraction, but for reas...
Crude unlikely to return to pre-war levels soon; India's import bill may rise $70bn annually: Report
Brokerage Prabhudas Lilladher estimates India's annual oil import bill could surge by more than $70 billion due to persistently elevated crude prices stemmin...
WPI inflation rises to 38-month high of 3.88 pc in March on higher fuel prices amid West Asia crisis
Wholesale Price Index (WPI)-based inflation rose sharply to 3.88% in March 2026, the highest reading in 38 months (over 3 years), up from 2.13% in February a...
Guidelines for Urban Challenge Fund released; Rs 5,000 cr-credit repayment guarantee scheme launched
Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal Khattar released the operational guidelines for the Rs 1 lakh crore Urban Challenge Fund (UCF) on April ...
Wholesale price inflation rises 3.88 pc in March on surge in crude rates
India's Wholesale Price Index (WPI)-based inflation rose to 3.88% in March 2026, the highest level in 38 months, driven primarily by surging crude petroleum ...
Geopolitical tensions cripple India-Middle East trade in March
India's exports to Middle East fell over 50% in March 2026, with gems and jewellery exports to UAE down approximately 80%, following the temporary closure of...
'Women’s reservation bill already passed': Congress accuses Centre of 'hissa chori' using delimitation
The Congress party accused the Centre of using delimitation as a tool for a political "power grab" — characterised as "hissa chori" (share theft) — under the...
India’s exports drop 7.44 pc to USD 38.92 billion in Mar amid disruptions due to West Asia crisis
India's merchandise exports contracted 7.44% year-on-year to USD 38.92 billion in March 2026, down from USD 42.05 billion in March 2025, as the West Asia con...
India’s unemployment hits five-month high of 5.1% in March: PLFS
India's unemployment rate rose to 5.1% in March 2026, up from 4.9% in February, marking the highest level since October 2025, according to the monthly bullet...
India achieves record exports of USD 860 billion in 2025-26: Piyush Goyal
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal announced that India achieved a record $860 billion in total exports (merchandise + services) in FY 2025-26, surp...
Government likely to roll out mobile PLI 2.0 with outlay of over $5 billion by May
The government is expected to roll out a new Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for mobile phone manufacturing — Mobile PLI 2.0 — by May 2026, with an ...
‘Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam’ will provide women leadership role in policy-making: Haryana CM
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini stated that the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam will provide women a leadership role in the country's policy-making by ...
Mallikarjun Kharge convenes meeting of Congress brass to discuss women quota, delimitation
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge convened a high-level meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) in Delhi to discuss strategy on the Women's Reser...
China surpasses US as India's largest trading partner in FY26; trade gap swells to USD 112.16 bn
China has surpassed the United States to become India's largest trading partner in FY2025-26, with bilateral trade reaching USD 151.1 billion for the full fi...
Telangana govt puts 2024 caste survey data in public domain
The Telangana government released the data of its 2024–25 caste survey — officially titled the Telangana Socio, Economic, Educational, Employment, Political ...
Stalin vs Centre: Why is Tamil Nadu protesting the delimitation bill
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin announced a state-wide black flag protest against the Centre's proposed delimitation exercise, calling it a "grave dang...
Southern CMs oppose delimitation push, seek wider consultations; Vijayan calls for bill to be dropped
Chief Ministers of Karnataka, Kerala, and Telangana — Siddaramaiah, Pinarayi Vijayan, and Revanth Reddy — met and issued a joint statement opposing the Centr...
‘Project Caracal’ aims to strengthen efforts for conservation of rare wild cat across Rajasthan
The Rajasthan forest department launched 'Project Caracal' at the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve during a 'Caracal Conservation Workshop' on April 15, 2026. The i...
India unveils a power-packed FTA calendar: UK, Oman, New Zealand deals next
India is set to operationalise multiple major free trade agreements in 2026, marking one of the most active periods in the country's trade diplomacy history....
Implementation of Section 51A of UAPA, 1967: Updates to UNSC’s 1988 (2011) Taliban Sanctions List: Amendment of 04 Entries
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued a notification (RBI/2026-27/12) on April 15, 2026, directing all regulated financial entities to implement amendments ...
Chandrayaan-3: Vikram’s hop offers fresh insights on the moon’s surface
Chandrayaan-3's Vikram lander performed a controlled "hop" experiment during the final phase of its mission on the lunar surface, reigniting its engines to l...
Aatmanirbhar 2.0 in works to cushion India against supply chain, energy Pain
The government is working on a second phase of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) initiative — informally called Aatmanirbhar 2.0 — specifically de...
Trump’s tariff rates could be restored by July, says US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that the tariff rates introduced by the Trump administration could be restored to their earlier levels by early Ju...