Weekly Current Affairs (April 2026 – Week 3) – Exam Revision Notes
1) International Current Affairs
China Renames Locations in Arunachal Pradesh – Building a Cartographic Claim
China has once again published standardised Chinese names for locations within Arunachal Pradesh, this time framing the exercise as building a “digital and cartographic record” of its territorial claims. China refers to Arunachal Pradesh as Zangnan (South Tibet) and rejects the McMahon Line (1914) as an illegal colonial imposition, a position India firmly rejects.
India’s position remains unchanged: Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and inalienable part of India. The Tawang region, which hosts one of the most important Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in the world, is the most sensitive flashpoint in the India–China dispute over the state, because of both its religious significance and its strategic location near the border.
First Life-Size Swami Vivekananda Statue Unveiled in the USA – Seattle
The first life-size statue of Swami Vivekananda in the United States was unveiled in Seattle, marking a significant moment in India’s cultural diplomacy. Vivekananda’s famous 1893 speech at the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago — where he addressed the audience as “Sisters and Brothers of America” — remains one of the most celebrated moments in India–US cultural history and introduced Vedanta and yoga to the Western world at scale.
Greece Assesses Climate Risks to Ancient Heritage Sites
Greece has conducted the first large-scale nationwide assessment of climate risks to ancient archaeological sites, commissioned by the Greek Culture Ministry. The assessment is driven by the accelerating threats that extreme weather events now pose to millennia-old structures that were built for entirely different climate conditions.
Acropolis (Athens): Under threat from extreme heatwaves that expand and crack ancient stonework. Olympia: Highly vulnerable to the increasingly frequent and devastating forest fires that have swept through the Peloponnese. Delphi: At risk from rockslides destabilised by changing precipitation patterns. Dion: Facing a growing flood risk as storm intensities increase. This assessment is significant globally — Greece is leading a model that other UNESCO heritage-rich nations may need to follow.
India–Austria Strengthen Bilateral Ties – MoUs Signed During Austrian Chancellor’s Visit
During the visit of Austria’s Federal Chancellor Christian Stocker to India, both countries signed multiple MoUs, Agreements, and Letters of Intent (LoIs) to enhance cooperation. Key agreements included an agreement on audiovisual co-production, an MoU on Food Safety between AGES (Austria) and FSSAI (India), and the launch of a structured bilateral Dialogue on Cooperation in Education — deepening a partnership that spans trade, culture, and science.
2) National Current Affairs
Barabanki–Bahraich Highway – Boosting India–Nepal Trade Through NH-927
The Government approved construction of a 4-lane access-controlled Barabanki–Bahraich section of National Highway-927 (NH-927) to strengthen India–Nepal trade. India is Nepal’s largest trading partner, accounting for over 60% of Nepal’s total trade volume, and better road infrastructure directly translates into faster, cheaper movement of goods and people.
The highway will improve connectivity to the Rupaidiha Land Port and Nepalgunj (Nepal). Land Ports in India are designated border points that facilitate cross-border trade and passenger movement with neighbouring countries. They are managed by the Land Ports Authority of India (LPAI), established under the Land Ports Authority of India Act, 2010. Major land ports: Attari (Pakistan), Petrapole (Bangladesh), Raxaul and Rupaidiha (Nepal), Moreh (Myanmar).
Jallianwala Bagh Massacre Remembrance Day – 13 April 1919
On 13 April 1919, during the festival of Baisakhi, General Reginald Dyer ordered British Indian Army troops to open fire without warning on a peaceful gathering of unarmed civilians at Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar. The crowd had assembled to protest the Rowlatt Act (1919) — a repressive law that allowed detention without trial — and to mourn the arrest of local leaders Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlew and Dr. Satyapal.
The massacre killed hundreds of men, women, and children and left thousands wounded. Its impact on the Indian independence movement was seismic: it shattered any remaining faith in British goodwill and galvanised a generation of Indians — including a deeply moved Rabindranath Tagore, who returned his knighthood — toward demanding complete Swaraj (self-rule) rather than gradual reform within the empire.
Poshan Pakhwada 2026 – Brain Development in the First Six Years of Life
The Ministry of Women and Child Development launched the 8th edition of Poshan Pakhwada 2026 under Mission Poshan 2.0 (observed 9–23 April). The theme — “Maximising Brain Development in the First Six Years of Life” — is scientifically grounded: over 85% of brain development occurs before a child turns six, meaning nutrition and stimulation in these early years have lifelong consequences for cognitive ability, learning, and health.
The five focus areas of this edition are: maternal and child nutrition, early stimulation, play-based education, minimising screen time for young children, and strengthening Anganwadi Centres as the front-line delivery point for early childhood care.
Harvest Festivals of India – April 14–15
The President of India extended greetings on multiple harvest festivals and regional New Year celebrations observed across India on April 14–15, 2026. These festivals mark the harvest season and the beginning of the new year in the regional calendar of different communities — celebrating agriculture, culture, and community simultaneously.
Baisakhi – Punjab | Vishu – Kerala | Vishuv – Odisha | Bohag Bihu – Assam | Poila Boishakh – West Bengal | Puthandu – Tamil Nadu | Meshadi – Kerala/Tamil region | Vaishakhadi – North India
Delhi–Dehradun Economic Corridor – Travel Time Cut from 6 Hours to 2.5 Hours
Prime Minister Modi reviewed and inaugurated key infrastructure projects in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand on April 14, 2026. The centrepiece was the 213 km, six-lane access-controlled Delhi–Dehradun Economic Corridor, developed at a cost of over ₹12,000 crore. The corridor passes through Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, reducing travel time between Delhi and Dehradun from over six hours to approximately two and a half hours.
A standout feature of the project is a 12 km elevated wildlife corridor — one of the longest in Asia — designed to allow animals from the Rajaji and Shivalik forest zones to cross safely beneath the highway without disruption to traffic, making this a model for infrastructure-wildlife coexistence.
Samrat Choudhary Becomes Bihar’s First BJP Chief Minister
Samrat Choudhary was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Bihar, becoming the first BJP leader to hold the post in the state. This marks the end of the long tenure of former Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, one of the longest-serving leaders in Bihar’s political history, whose era defined the state’s politics for two decades.
Telangana Caste Survey – SCs and STs Found 3x More Backward Than General Castes
The Government of Telangana released findings of the Social, Educational, Employment, Economic and Political Caste Survey (SEEEPC), providing the most detailed statistical picture yet of social inequality across caste groups in the state. The survey introduced a Caste Backwardness Index that measures inequality across education, employment, and living standards.
Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) are 3 times more backward than General Castes on the index. Backward Classes (BCs) are 2.7 times more backward. The state average backwardness index stands at 81. These findings are expected to inform debates on reservation reform, resource allocation, and welfare policy in Telangana and beyond.
India’s First Chip Fabrication Plant Notified at Dholera SEZ, Gujarat
The Government officially notified the establishment of India’s first semiconductor chip fabrication plant at Dholera Special Economic Zone (SEZ), Gujarat. This is a historic milestone in India’s electronics manufacturing journey — for the first time, India will produce chips domestically, reducing its near-total dependence on imports from Taiwan, South Korea, and China. The Dholera fab is part of India Semiconductor Mission and aligns with the broader strategy to make India a global node in the semiconductor supply chain.
3) Andhra Pradesh Current Affairs
AP Proposes Amaravati–Vizag–Tirupati Tourism Corridor
The Andhra Pradesh government is developing a major tourism corridor connecting three of the state’s most significant destinations: Amaravati (cultural and Buddhist heritage tourism), Visakhapatnam (coastal and port tourism), and Tirupati (religious tourism — one of the world’s most visited pilgrimage sites). The corridor is part of Amaravati’s positioning as a global creative economy hub, with Eros International and Red Bull in discussions for content creation and event-based promotion — signalling a modern, experience-economy approach to tourism development.
Census 2027 Self-Enumeration Begins in Andhra Pradesh from April 16
The Census 2027 process in Andhra Pradesh began on April 16, 2026, with the state joining the digital self-enumeration phase where citizens can submit their household details online before the enumerator’s visit. This is a significant logistical and administrative shift — moving one of the world’s most complex data collection exercises from paper-based to digital-first, improving accuracy, reducing delays, and enabling real-time tracking of census coverage.
Bhimavaram Brackishwater Aquaculture Cluster – AP Contributes 30% of India’s Fish Production
The Union Government reviewed the Bhimavaram Brackishwater Aquaculture Cluster in Andhra Pradesh under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY). The numbers underscore AP’s dominance in India’s fisheries sector: the state achieved 64 lakh tonnes of fish production, contributing nearly 30% of India’s total fish production and accounting for approximately 34% of India’s seafood exports. The Bhimavaram cluster in West Godavari is one of the most productive brackishwater aquaculture zones in Asia.
4) Polity & Governance
AI Governance and Economic Group (AIGEG) Constituted – India’s Apex AI Policy Body
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology constituted the AI Governance and Economic Group (AIGEG) as India’s apex inter-ministerial body to coordinate and oversee AI policy. Its formation implements recommendations from India’s AI Governance Guidelines and the Economic Survey, which called for a centralised authority to manage AI’s rapidly expanding role in governance, economy, and society.
AIGEG will be chaired by the Union Minister for Electronics and IT, Railways, and Information & Broadcasting (currently Ashwini Vaishnaw). The Minister of State for Electronics & IT and Commerce & Industry (currently Jitin Prasada) serves as Vice Chairperson. As the apex AI governance body, AIGEG will set the direction for India’s AI regulation, ethics framework, and economic deployment — covering everything from AI in healthcare to autonomous vehicles.
Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 – Delimitation Reform and Lok Sabha Expansion
The Government introduced the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 along with the Delimitation Bill, 2026 and Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026 — a package of electoral reforms that will reshape India’s democratic representation for generations. The Bills aim to restart the delimitation process frozen since 1976 and significantly expand the Lok Sabha while implementing the Women’s Reservation Act ahead of schedule.
India’s Constitution mandates that Lok Sabha and State Assembly seats must be proportional to population. However, the 42nd Amendment (1976) froze seats based on the 1971 Census. The 84th Amendment (2001) extended this freeze until after the first Census post-2026. The 106th Amendment (2023) introduced 33% women’s reservation but linked its implementation to a future delimitation.
What the 131st Amendment Bill Proposes:
Return to population-based representation: Equal population per constituency to restore fair representation. Parliamentary control over census timing: Parliament will decide when to use which census — with 2011 Census currently the likely choice. Lok Sabha expansion: Current limit of 550 seats increased to a proposed 850 seats (815 for states + 35 for Union Territories). Women’s reservation unlocked: Removes the link to a future census, enabling the 33% women’s reservation to be implemented earlier. Delimitation Commission: To be constituted by the Central Government, chaired by a Supreme Court Judge, with representatives from the Election Commission and State Election Commissioners.
The Core Political Tension: States like Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka, which successfully controlled population growth over decades, fear losing parliamentary seats to more populous northern states. The 131st Amendment reignites this north-south federalism debate that is one of the most consequential political questions India faces.
Supreme Court Pushes for Vaccine Injury Compensation Mechanism
The Supreme Court, in Rachana Gangu v. Union of India (2026), directed the government to frame a no-fault compensation policy for individuals who suffer serious adverse effects following vaccination. Under a “no-fault” framework, a claimant does not need to prove negligence — they only need to show that the adverse event occurred following vaccination. This is considered international best practice and already exists in countries like the USA, UK, and Germany. The Supreme Court’s direction fills a significant gap in India’s public health law, where millions are vaccinated each year without any formal compensation pathway for the rare but real cases of serious side effects.
5) Economy
UPI Records 21.70 Billion Transactions in January 2026 – India Leads Global Real-Time Payments
January 2026 saw a record-breaking 21.70 billion UPI transactions worth ₹28.33 lakh crore processed in a single month. UPI now accounts for 81% of all retail digital transactions in India, and India contributes an extraordinary 49% of total global real-time payment transactions — meaning nearly one in every two real-time digital payments anywhere in the world happens in India.
This revolution was enabled by the JAM Trinity (Jan Dhan – Aadhaar – Mobile) which together built the infrastructure of identity, banking access, and connectivity that UPI runs on. Earlier payment systems like RTGS (launched 2004) and IMPS (launched 2010), while still operational, have been eclipsed in transaction volume by UPI’s frictionless design.
The Rising ‘Vulnerable Middle Class’ – India’s Hidden Economic Challenge
A World Bank analysis has highlighted a growing concern in India’s economy: the rise of a “vulnerable middle class” — people who have moved above the poverty line but remain economically fragile, unable to build savings, access formal employment, or achieve upward mobility. This group is particularly exposed to any economic shock, such as rising fuel prices or a health emergency, that can push them back into poverty.
Less than 10% of India’s workers are in formal jobs — the vast majority work in the informal sector with unstable incomes and no social security. Around 94% of informal workers earn below ₹10,000 per month, leaving no margin for saving or investment. Jobless growth has been a consistent trend: even as GDP grew, manufacturing shed millions of jobs between 2016 and 2021. Real wages have stagnated despite rising productivity — meaning workers are producing more but not earning proportionally more. Rising inequality means a tiny fraction of households captures a disproportionate share of India’s economic gains.
India’s Total Exports Cross $860 Billion in FY 2025–26
India’s combined merchandise and services exports reached $860.09 billion in FY 2025–26, registering a 4.22% growth over the previous year — a resilient performance in the face of global geopolitical uncertainties, including the West Asia conflict and supply chain disruptions. Top performing export sectors include petroleum products, engineering goods, and minerals (mica, coal, ores). Major export destinations this year were Singapore, Malaysia, China, Sri Lanka, and Tanzania.
Startup India Records Highest-Ever Growth – 55,200 New Startups in FY 2025–26
More than 55,200 startups were recognised in FY 2025–26 — the highest-ever annual figure since the Startup India initiative was launched in 2016. This represents a 51.6% year-on-year growth. The cumulative total of recognised startups in India has now crossed 2.23 lakh, generating over 23.36 lakh direct jobs (a 36.1% increase). About 48% of startups have at least one woman director or partner. Maharashtra and Karnataka lead the country in both startup numbers and employment generation.
6) Science & Technology
Anthropic Launches ‘Claude Mythos’ – Advanced AI Model for Cybersecurity
Anthropic announced “Claude Mythos”, described as its most advanced Large Language Model (LLM), specifically designed to detect software vulnerabilities and hidden bugs in complex systems, including decades-old legacy code that is notoriously difficult to audit manually. Unlike Anthropic’s publicly available models, Mythos will not be publicly released — it is restricted to a consortium of 40 companies, primarily in the cybersecurity and critical infrastructure sectors. Its ability to find hidden bugs in legacy software could have major implications for national-level cybersecurity programmes.
Aluminium as a Catalyst – A Potential Game-Changer for India’s Pharma Industry
A recent scientific study demonstrated that aluminium can act as an effective alternative to expensive precious-metal transition metal catalysts like Palladium, Platinum, and Rhodium — which are widely used in pharmaceutical and industrial chemical manufacturing but are rare, extremely expensive, and largely imported by India.
Researchers modified aluminium using a ligand (carbazolyl compound) to enable it to undergo redox reactions (electron transfer reactions) — the key capability that makes transition metals useful as catalysts. The aluminium catalyst was successfully used in Alkyne cyclotrimerisation, a reaction important in drug synthesis. If scalable, this discovery could significantly reduce the cost of producing medicines in India and reduce the country’s import dependency for catalytic materials.
7) Environment
IMD Forecasts ‘Below-Normal’ Southwest Monsoon in 2026 – First Such Forecast in 11 Years
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast a “Below-Normal” southwest monsoon for 2026 — the first such forecast in 11 years. India is expected to receive only 92% of the Long Period Average (LPA) rainfall during the June–September monsoon season, where the LPA is approximately 87 cm. A below-normal monsoon has significant implications for agriculture, reservoir levels, groundwater recharge, and food prices — particularly in rain-dependent states like Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and parts of Andhra Pradesh.
Normal: 96%–104% of LPA. Below Normal: 90%–96% of LPA. Above Normal: 104%–110% of LPA. Deficient: Less than 90% of LPA. Excess: More than 110% of LPA. The 2026 forecast of 92% places this year in the below-normal category — enough to cause agricultural stress in many regions but not a drought unless uneven distribution makes some areas deficient.
8) Schemes
Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0 – ₹10,000 Crore to Deepen Startup Funding
The Government launched Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0 (FoF 2.0) with a corpus of ₹10,000 crore, designed to address a persistent challenge in India’s startup ecosystem: a shortage of risk capital at the early and growth stages. Rather than investing directly in startups, a Fund of Funds invests in SEBI-registered Alternate Investment Funds (AIFs), which in turn deploy the capital into startups — creating a multiplier effect on private investment. FoF 2.0 extends the earlier Fund of Funds for Startups (FFS 1.0) launched in 2016 under the Startup India Action Plan.
River Basin Management (RBM) Scheme Extended to 2030-32 – ₹2,183 Crore for Integrated Water Governance
The River Basin Management (RBM) Scheme, a central sector initiative under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, has been extended for five years from 2026-27 to 2030-32 with an estimated cost of ₹2,183 crore, fully funded by the Union Government. The scheme addresses a fundamental gap in India’s water management: rivers don’t respect state boundaries, but water governance is fragmented by state. RBM focuses on basin-level planning — treating a river basin as a single ecosystem for sustainable use, protection, and development of rivers, groundwater, and related ecosystems.
RELIEF Scheme Expanded – Egypt and Jordan Added as Covered Markets
The Government expanded the scope of the RELIEF (Resilience & Logistics Intervention for Export Facilitation) scheme, adding Egypt and Jordan as newly covered North African markets. Launched on March 19, 2026 under the Export Promotion Mission (EPM), RELIEF was created to support Indian exporters grappling with the ripple effects of the West Asia conflict — specifically rising freight costs, higher insurance premiums, and war-related trade disruption. The expansion to Egypt and Jordan reflects the geographic spread of the conflict’s economic impact on India’s export routes.
9) Defence
India–Uzbekistan Joint Military Exercise ‘DUSTLIK-VII’ Begins
The Indian Armed Forces contingent departed for the 7th edition of Exercise DUSTLIK, the annual joint military exercise between India and Uzbekistan, held from April 12 to 25, 2026. The previous edition (2025) was held in Aundh, Pune, India. DUSTLIK is conducted alternately in India and Uzbekistan, focused on counter-terrorism operations, tactical training, and military interoperability — strengthening India’s defence partnerships in Central Asia, a region of growing strategic importance.
10) Awards & Honours
Wisden Almanack 2026 – Indian Cricketers Dominate Awards
Indian cricketers had a strong showing at the Wisden Almanack 2026 awards, one of cricket’s most prestigious annual recognitions — published continuously since 1864 and considered the “bible of cricket.” Deepti Sharma was named Leading Women’s Cricketer of the Year. Abhishek Sharma won Leading T20 Cricketer of the Year. Mitchell Starc (Australia) won Leading Men’s Cricketer of the Year.
Kerala Botanist Wins WWF Award for AI-Based Biodiversity App ‘Neophyte ID’
N. Alim Yusuf, a botanist from Kerala, received the WWF National Award for developing “Neophyte ID” — an AI-powered mobile application that identifies invasive plant species (neophytes) using image recognition. The award was presented at the International Youth Biodiversity Conference 2026 in Telangana. The app addresses a critical conservation challenge: invasive alien plants often establish themselves undetected until they have spread widely, outcompeting native species. By enabling anyone with a smartphone to identify and report invasive plants, Neophyte ID turns citizen science into a conservation tool.
11) Ranks & Reports
India Ranks 2nd Globally in Food Waste – Wasting 78–80 Million Tonnes Annually
Analysis based on the UNEP Food Waste Index Report 2024 places India as the second-largest food waster in the world, with approximately 78–80 million tonnes of food wasted annually — valued at ₹1.55 lakh crore. This happens while 194 million Indians remain undernourished and India ranks 11th on the Global Hunger Index — making food waste not just an environmental issue but a profound social justice one.
Globally, around 1.05 billion tonnes of food is wasted every year. The breakdown by stage reveals where interventions matter most: Household level accounts for 60% of wastage, food services (restaurants, canteens) account for 28%, and retail for 12%. The dominance of household-level waste means that consumer behaviour change — through awareness, better storage, and meal planning — is as important as supply chain improvements.
UNDP Report: West Asia Conflict May Push 2.5 Million Indians into Poverty
A UNDP report titled “Military Escalation in the Middle East: Human Development Impacts Across Asia and the Pacific” warns that the ongoing West Asia conflict could push approximately 2.5 million (25 lakh) people in India into poverty, raising India’s poverty rate from 23.9% to 24.2%. The mechanism is indirect but powerful: the conflict drives up global fuel prices and freight costs, which raises input costs for businesses, squeezes household purchasing power, and increases food insecurity — hitting the economically vulnerable hardest.
12) Committees & Conferences
India Hosts First BRICS Health Working Group Meeting 2026
India hosted the First BRICS Health Working Group (HWG) Meeting 2026 in New Delhi under its BRICS Chairmanship, bringing together health representatives from BRICS member countries — Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa — along with new members Egypt, Ethiopia, UAE, and Indonesia. The meeting focused on strengthening global health cooperation, pandemic preparedness, and equitable access to medicines. The BRICS 2026 theme is “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”.
World Border Security Congress 2026 – India Presents Maritime Security Best Practices in Vienna
India represented its growing leadership in maritime security at the World Border Security Congress 2026, held in Vienna, Austria from April 14–16, 2026. An Indian delegation led by Anand Prakash Badola presented India’s best practices in safeguarding maritime boundaries — reflecting India’s evolution from a continental security-focused nation to one that increasingly sees its maritime domain as central to national security and economic prosperity.
13) Person in News
Mahatma Jyotirao Phule – 200th Birth Anniversary Commemoration Begins
The Government of India launched a two-year nationwide commemoration from April 11, 2026 to April 11, 2028 marking the 200th birth anniversary of Mahatma Jyotirao Phule — one of India’s most transformative social reformers, born on April 11, 1827 in Maharashtra.
Phule fought against caste discrimination and untouchability at a time when doing so was socially dangerous. He and his wife Savitribai Phule opened the first school for girls in India — an act of radical defiance against the prevailing social order. He founded Satyashodhak Samaj in 1873 (Truth Seekers’ Society) to unite lower castes in the pursuit of equality. His notable works include Gulamgiri (Slavery) — a searing critique of Brahminical dominance — and Shetkaryacha Asud (Cultivator’s Whipcord), which addressed the exploitation of farmers. He was conferred the title “Mahatma” for his social reform efforts and is called the “Father of Indian Social Revolution”.
Asha Bhosle – Legendary Playback Singer Passes Away at 92
Renowned Indian playback singer Asha Bhosle passed away on April 12, 2026, in Mumbai at the age of 92. Born on September 8, 1933 in Sangli, Maharashtra, she was one of the most versatile and celebrated playback singers in the history of Indian music — with a career spanning seven decades, thousands of songs across dozens of languages, and a voice that defined the sound of Bollywood from the 1950s through the 2000s. Her passing marks the end of an era in Indian cinema and music.
Peter Magyar Wins Election in Hungary – New Political Leadership
Peter Magyar‘s Tisza Party secured a significant election victory in Hungary, marking a new chapter in Hungarian politics. PM Modi congratulated Magyar on his victory. Hungary is a member of the European Union and NATO, and its political direction holds relevance for European politics given ongoing debates about democratic backsliding within EU member states.
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s Birth Anniversary – 14 April 1891
India paid rich tributes to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar on his birth anniversary at the Parliament House Complex. Born on April 14, 1891, Ambedkar was the principal architect of the Indian Constitution, the first Law Minister of independent India, and one of the foremost voices against caste discrimination. His legacy encompasses constitutional law, social justice, Buddhism’s revival in India, and the rights of Scheduled Castes — making him one of the most consequential figures in modern Indian history.
14) Important Days
World Parkinson’s Day – 11 April | Theme 2026: “Bridge the Care Gap”
World Parkinson’s Day is observed every year on 11 April, which is also the birth anniversary of Dr. James Parkinson — the British physician who first described the disease in 1817 in his “Essay on the Shaking Palsy.” The 2026 theme — “Bridge the Care Gap” — highlights that while treatments exist, millions of Parkinson’s patients worldwide lack access to diagnosis, medication, and specialist care. Parkinson’s is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects movement, caused by the loss of dopamine-producing neurons in the brain.
Himachal Day – 15 April | State Formation in 1948
Himachal Pradesh celebrated Himachal Day on April 15, 2026, commemorating the formation of the state as a separate administrative unit. On April 15, 1948, Himachal Pradesh was created as a Chief Commissioner’s Province by merging approximately 30 small princely hill states — a significant achievement in post-independence integration that laid the foundation for the state’s eventual elevation to full statehood in 1971.
15) Books
NITI Aayog Launches ‘Divya Bharat’ – An Anthology to Promote Indian Tourism
NITI Aayog launched an anthology titled “Divya Bharat: A Window to the Soul of India” to promote India’s tourism sector, encouraging both domestic and international travel. Released by Suman Bery (NITI Aayog Vice Chairman) in the presence of Ministry of Tourism officials, the anthology presents India’s cultural, spiritual, and geographic richness through essays and narratives — aimed at positioning India as a world-class travel destination in line with the government’s target of making tourism a major driver of GDP and employment.
Quick Revision Table
| Topic | One-Line Summary |
|---|---|
| China Renames Arunachal Pradesh Locations | China published standardised names for Arunachal Pradesh locations as a “cartographic claim”, calling the state Zangnan (South Tibet) and rejecting the McMahon Line. |
| Swami Vivekananda Statue – USA | First life-size statue of Swami Vivekananda in the United States was unveiled in Seattle. |
| Greece – Climate Risk Assessment of Heritage Sites | Greece conducted the first large-scale national climate risk assessment of ancient sites, with the Acropolis threatened by heatwaves, Olympia by forest fires, Delphi by rockslides, and Dion by flooding. |
| India–Austria Bilateral MoUs | Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker’s India visit produced MoUs on audiovisual co-production, a Food Safety MoU between AGES (Austria) and FSSAI (India). |
| Barabanki–Bahraich Highway (NH-927) | 4-lane access-controlled NH-927 approved to boost India–Nepal trade via Rupaidiha Land Port; India is Nepal’s largest trading partner. |
| Poshan Pakhwada 2026 | 8th edition under Mission Poshan 2.0, observed 9–23 April, with theme “Maximising Brain Development in the First Six Years of Life”. |
| Harvest Festivals – April 14–15 | Baisakhi (Punjab), Vishu (Kerala), Bohag Bihu (Assam), Poila Boishakh (West Bengal), Puthandu (Tamil Nadu), Vishuv (Odisha) are all celebrated around April 14–15 as harvest season and regional New Year festivals. |
| Delhi–Dehradun Economic Corridor | 213 km, 6-lane access-controlled corridor costing ₹12,000+ crore reduces Delhi-Dehradun travel from 6 hours to 2.5 hours; includes a 12 km elevated wildlife corridor — one of Asia’s longest — for safe animal movement under the highway. |
| Samrat Choudhary – Bihar CM | Samrat Choudhary was sworn in as Bihar’s Chief Minister, becoming the first BJP leader to hold the post, ending the long tenure of Nitish Kumar who had dominated Bihar politics for two decades. |
| Telangana Caste Survey (SEEEPC) | Telangana’s Social, Educational, Employment, Economic and Political Caste Survey found SCs/STs are 3x more backward than General Castes and BCs are 2.7x more backward, using a Caste Backwardness Index with a state average of 81. |
| India’s First Chip Fab Plant – Dholera SEZ | India notified its first semiconductor chip fabrication plant at Dholera Special Economic Zone, Gujarat. |
| AP – Tourism Corridor | AP is developing a tourism corridor linking Amaravati (Buddhist heritage), Visakhapatnam (coastal), and Tirupati (religious tourism) as part of positioning Amaravati as a global creative economy hub. |
| AP Bhimavaram Aquaculture Cluster | AP produces 64 lakh tonnes of fish annually, contributing 30% of India’s total fish production and 34% of seafood exports; the Bhimavaram Brackishwater Aquaculture Cluster reviewed under PM Matsya Sampada Yojana. |
| AIGEG – AI Governance Body | Ministry of Electronics and IT constituted the AI Governance and Economic Group (AIGEG) as India’s apex inter-ministerial AI policy body, chaired by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, to coordinate AI governance, ethics, and economic deployment. |
| Constitution 131st Amendment Bill 2026 | Proposes to expand Lok Sabha from 550 to 850 seats, restart delimitation (frozen since 1976) based on 2011 Census, enable early implementation of 33% women’s reservation, and constitute a Delimitation Commission chaired by a Supreme Court judge. |
| SC – Vaccine Injury Compensation | In Rachana Gangu v. Union of India (2026), the Supreme Court directed the government to create a no-fault compensation policy for serious adverse vaccine reactions — aligning India with best practices already established in the USA, UK, and Germany. |
| UPI – 21.70 Billion Transactions (Jan 2026) | UPI processed a record 21.70 billion transactions worth ₹28.33 lakh crore in January 2026, accounting for 81% of India’s retail digital transactions and 49% of all global real-time payments — powered by the JAM Trinity (Jan Dhan–Aadhaar–Mobile). |
| Vulnerable Middle Class – World Bank | World Bank analysis flags a growing “vulnerable middle class” in India — people above the poverty line but economically fragile — driven by 90%+ informal employment, 94% informal workers earning below ₹10,000/month, jobless growth, stagnant real wages, and rising inequality. |
| India Exports – $860 Billion FY 2025–26 | India’s combined merchandise and services exports reached $860.09 billion in FY 2025–26, growing 4.22% despite global disruptions; top sectors include petroleum products, engineering goods, and minerals; major destinations are Singapore, Malaysia, China, Sri Lanka, and Tanzania. |
| Startup India – Record FY 2025–26 | 55,200 new startups recognised in FY 2025–26 (highest-ever, 51.6% YoY growth), taking the cumulative total to 2.23 lakh startups generating 23.36 lakh direct jobs; 48% have at least one woman director; Maharashtra and Karnataka lead. |
| Anthropic – Claude Mythos | Anthropic’s most advanced AI model “Claude Mythos” is designed specifically for cybersecurity — detecting hidden software vulnerabilities in legacy code — and is restricted to a consortium of 40 companies, not available to the public. |
| Aluminium Catalyst – Pharma Breakthrough | Scientists modified aluminium using a carbazolyl ligand to enable redox catalysis, demonstrating it can replace expensive imported transition metals like Palladium and Platinum in drug synthesis reactions like Alkyne cyclotrimerisation. |
| IMD – Below-Normal Monsoon 2026 | IMD forecast 92% of LPA (below-normal) for the 2026 southwest monsoon — the first such forecast in 11 years; IMD categories: Normal 96–104%, Below Normal 90–96%, Deficient below 90%, Above Normal 104–110%, Excess above 110% of LPA. |
| Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0 | ₹10,000 crore corpus to invest in SEBI-registered AIFs which deploy capital into startups — extending FoF 1.0 (2016) to deepen early-stage and growth-stage funding in India’s startup ecosystem. |
| River Basin Management (RBM) Scheme | Central sector scheme under Ministry of Jal Shakti extended for 5 years (2026-27 to 2030-32) with ₹2,183 crore fully funded by the Union Government, focusing on integrated basin-level water governance beyond state boundaries. |
| RELIEF Scheme – Egypt and Jordan Added | The RELIEF (Resilience & Logistics Intervention for Export Facilitation) scheme, launched March 19, 2026 under Export Promotion Mission, expanded to include Egypt and Jordan to support Indian exporters hit by rising West Asia conflict-related freight and insurance costs. |
| Exercise DUSTLIK-VII – India–Uzbekistan | 7th edition of annual India–Uzbekistan Joint Military Exercise DUSTLIK held April 12–25, 2026; previous edition (2025) was in Aundh, Pune; conducted alternately in both countries and focuses on counter-terrorism and tactical interoperability. |
| Wisden Almanack 2026 | Deepti Sharma won Leading Women’s Cricketer of the Year, Abhishek Sharma won Leading T20 Cricketer of the Year, and Mitchell Starc (Australia) won Leading Men’s Cricketer of the Year at the prestigious Wisden Almanack 2026 awards. |
| WWF Award – Neophyte ID App | Kerala botanist N. Alim Yusuf won the WWF National Award for “Neophyte ID”, an AI-powered app that identifies invasive plant species using image recognition, presented at the International Youth Biodiversity Conference 2026 in Telangana. |
| India – 2nd in Global Food Waste | India wastes 78–80 million tonnes of food annually (₹1.55 lakh crore), ranking 2nd globally per UNEP Food Waste Index 2024, while 194 million Indians are undernourished and India ranks 11th on the Global Hunger Index. |
| UNDP – West Asia Impact on India | UNDP report warns that West Asia conflict could push 2.5 million Indians into poverty (poverty rate rising from 23.9% to 24.2%) through higher fuel prices, freight costs, and food insecurity. |
| BRICS Health Working Group 2026 | India hosted the first BRICS Health Working Group Meeting 2026 in New Delhi under its BRICS Chairmanship, with participation from original and new BRICS members including Egypt, Ethiopia, UAE, and Indonesia; BRICS 2026 theme: “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”. |
| Mahatma Jyotirao Phule – 200th Anniversary | Government launched a 2-year commemoration (April 11, 2026 – April 11, 2028) of Phule’s 200th birth anniversary; he founded Satyashodhak Samaj (1873), opened India’s first girls’ school with Savitribai Phule, wrote Gulamgiri and Shetkaryacha Asud, and is called the “Father of Indian Social Revolution”. |
| Asha Bhosle – Passes Away | Legendary playback singer Asha Bhosle passed away on April 12, 2026 in Mumbai at age 92; born September 8, 1933 in Sangli, Maharashtra, her seven-decade career across thousands of songs in dozens of languages defined the sound of Indian cinema. |
| Dr. B.R. Ambedkar – Birth Anniversary | India paid tributes to Dr. Ambedkar on April 14, 2026 (born April 14, 1891) — principal architect of the Indian Constitution, first Law Minister of India, and the most consequential voice against caste discrimination in modern Indian history. |
| World Parkinson’s Day – 11 April | Observed on April 11 (birth anniversary of Dr. James Parkinson who first described the disease in 1817); 2026 theme: “Bridge the Care Gap” — Parkinson’s is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder caused by loss of dopamine-producing neurons. |
| Himachal Day – 15 April | Himachal Pradesh celebrates Himachal Day on April 15, marking its formation on April 15, 1948 as a Chief Commissioner’s Province by merging approximately 30 princely hill states — it became a full state in 1971. |
| ‘Divya Bharat’ – NITI Aayog Book | NITI Aayog released “Divya Bharat: A Window to the Soul of India”, an anthology launched by Suman Bery to promote India’s domestic and international tourism by showcasing the country’s cultural, spiritual, and geographic richness. |
| Peter Magyar – Hungary | Peter Magyar’s Tisza Party won Hungary’s election, marking a new political phase in the country; Hungary is a member of the EU and NATO, and its political direction is significant for European democratic governance debates. |
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