Daily Current Affairs

India and New Zealand signed their comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on 27 April 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. The agreement was signed by Union Minister Piyush Goyal (Ministry of Commerce & Industry) and New Zealand’s Minister for Trade and Investment Todd McClay. Negotiations began in March 2025 and were concluded in December 2025 — one of India’s fastest-concluded FTAs (less than 9 months from start to conclusion).

• Key sectors for India: Textiles, pharmaceuticals, AYUSH, medical devices, IT services, engineering goods, leather and footwear (Agra — 75% of India’s leather footwear).
• Protected sectors: India made no concessions on dairy, onions, sugar, spices, edible oils, and rubber — to protect farmers and domestic industry.
• Special chapters: First-ever AYUSH/Traditional Medicine chapter in any FTA; easier pharma regulatory approvals via acceptance of GMP and GCP inspection reports.
• Strategic significance: India’s gateway to Oceania and Pacific Island markets; India has now signed FTAs with three Five Eyes (FVEY) members — Australia, UK, and New Zealand.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh departed for Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on 27 April 2026 to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ meeting scheduled for 28 April 2026. The meeting brings together defence ministers from all SCO member states — including India, China (Dong Jun), Russia, Pakistan, and Iran.

• Agenda: Terrorism, extremism, regional security, counter-terrorism strategies, joint military exercises, and intelligence sharing.
• 2026 SCO Theme: ’25 Years of the SCO – Place for Peace and Prosperity’ — under Kyrgyzstan’s chairmanship (4th time hosting).
• India’s position: Expected to reiterate call for decisive action against radicalisation and cross-border terrorism; emphasis on respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.
• SCO Summit: To be held later in 2026 in Bishkek; Kyrgyzstan also hosting foreign ministers’ and NSA-level meetings.

The National Association of Software and Service Companies (Nasscom) appointed Srikanth Velamakanni, Co-Founder and Group Chief Executive of Fractal Analytics, as its Chairperson for 2026–2027 (announced 23 April 2026). He succeeds Sindhu Gangadharan, Managing Director, SAP Labs India.

• Vice Chairperson: Kishor Patil, Co-Founder, CEO & MD of KPIT Technologies.
• Velamakanni profile: 6+ years as Nasscom Vice Chairperson and Executive Council member; expertise in enterprise AI, analytics, and responsible technology.
• Industry size: Nasscom Strategic Review 2026: India’s IT industry projected at USD 315 billion in FY26, growing at 6.1%.
• AI agenda: Nasscom (with NITI Aayog and BCG) estimates AI could create up to 4 million new jobs in India by 2031 across healthcare, manufacturing, BFSI, retail, and public services.
• About Nasscom: National Association of Software and Service Companies; founded 1988; HQ: New Delhi; President: Rajesh Nambiar.

The Government of India established the Online Gaming Authority of India (OGAI) under the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming (PROGA) Act, 2025, to regulate India’s rapidly growing online gaming sector. OGAI becomes operational from 1 May 2026, functioning under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).

• Role: Central regulator for online games, including esports; introduces registration and classification system; determines whether a game qualifies as a ‘money game’; handles public grievances related to online gaming.
• Legal basis: Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming (PROGA) Act, 2025; effective 1 May 2026.
• About MeitY: Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology; established 2017; HQ: New Delhi; Secretary: S. Krishnan.

India’s foreign exchange reserves increased by USD 2.36 billion to reach USD 703.31 billion for the week ended 17 April 2026, according to data released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

• Significance: Reflects continued accretion in RBI’s reserves buffer; among the world’s highest forex reserves after China, Japan, Switzerland, and the EU.
• Components: Foreign Currency Assets (FCAs) — largest component; Gold reserves; SDRs (Special Drawing Rights); Reserve Tranche Position with IMF.
• About RBI: Reserve Bank of India; est. 1 April 1935; HQ: Mumbai; Governor: Sanjay Malhotra.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced on 21 April 2026 at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, that the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is targeting launch as early as September 2026 — eight months ahead of the original commitment of May 2027. The telescope’s construction was completed on 25 November 2025.

• Scientific goals: Surveys dark energy, dark matter, galaxy formation, and exoplanets using gravitational microlensing.
• Named after: Dr. Nancy Grace Roman — NASA’s first Chief of Astronomy; known as the ‘Mother of Hubble’.

S. Krishnan, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), launched two indigenously developed Silicon Photonics technology solutions on 24 April 2026 at IIT Madras. The solutions were developed at the MeitY-sponsored Centre of Excellence for Compound Photonics and Programmable Photonic Integrated Circuits Systems (CoE-CPPICS) at IIT Madras, Chennai.

• Applications: AI data centres, high-speed internet networks, quantum communication, and next-generation defence systems.
• Significance: India previously had to rely on foreign PDK libraries and overseas test facilities; marks India’s entry into global Silicon Photonics sovereignty; enables Multi-Project Wafer (MPW) fabrication runs from Q3 FY2026-27.
• Next step: MeitY Secretary called for a dedicated Silicon Photonics Fab under the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM); ISM 2.0’s R&D vertical to provide commercialisation pathway.

World Immunisation Week (WIW) is observed globally during the last week of April (24–30 April) every year, coordinated by the World Health Organization (WHO) to promote the use of vaccines to protect people of all ages against disease. The 2026 theme is ‘For every generation, vaccines work’.

• Key fact: Vaccines have saved more than 150 million lives over the last 50 years — six lives every minute, every day, for five decades (WHO).
• Organised by: World Health Organization (WHO); est. 1948; HQ: Geneva, Switzerland.
• First observed: 2012; observed annually in the last week of April.
• India relevance: Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP) under MoHFW; covers 12 vaccine-preventable diseases; PM Modi launched nationwide HPV vaccination campaign for girls aged 14 from Ajmer, Rajasthan in 2026.
• SDG link: Contributes to SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being).

World Press Freedom Day is observed globally on 3 May every year, proclaimed by the UN General Assembly on the recommendation of UNESCO, to raise awareness on press freedom and remind governments of their duty to respect and uphold the right to freedom of expression. The day also commemorates the Windhoek Declaration (1991) on press pluralism and independence.

• Established: Proclaimed by UNGA Resolution 48/432; first observed 3 May 1994.
• Origin: Windhoek Declaration on Promoting an Independent and Pluralistic African Press; adopted 3 May 1991 in Windhoek, Namibia.
• Organised by: UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization); HQ: Paris; Director-General: Audrey Azoulay.