Aviation
Noida International Airport (Jewar) — Phase 1
Inaugurated by PM Modi on 28 March 2026; developed by Zurich Airport International AG under PPP (Rs 11,200 crore). IATA code: DXN. Phase 1 capacity: 12 MPPA (scalable to 70 MPPA with 5 runways by 2040); 3,900-metre runway. Delhi-NCR’s second international airport alongside IGI Airport (DEL). Located at Yamuna Expressway, Gautam Buddha Nagar, UP.
Aviation
Jewar Airport — Cargo & MRO
Integrated Cargo Terminal: initial capacity 2.5 lakh metric tonnes/year (scalable to 18 lakh MT). Dedicated 40-acre MRO facility to reduce India’s overseas maintenance dependence. Full vision investment: Rs 29,560 crore (all phases). Multi-modal hub with planned road, rail, metro connectivity.
Maritime
India’s First Port of Refuge (PoR)
Operationalised by APSEZ on 27 March 2026: Dighi Port (Maharashtra, west coast) and Gopalpur Port (Odisha, east coast). Services: salvage/wreck removal, firefighting, pollution containment, emergency coordination. Defined by IMO; backed by tripartite MoU with SMIT Salvage and MERC. India’s coastline: over 11,000 km.
Literature
Saraswati Samman 2025
Awarded to Dr. Ramkumar Mukhopadhyay for Bengali novel ‘Hara Parbati Katha’ (2020). Bengali literature receiving the award after a 22-year gap. Instituted by K.K. Birla Foundation (1991); carries Rs 15 lakh cash + citation + plaque. Inaugural award to Harivanshrai Bachchan in 1991. Recognises works in any of India’s 22 scheduled languages.
Climate
India’s NDC 2031–2035
Three key targets: (1) Reduce GDP emissions intensity by 47% by 2035 vs 2005 levels; (2) Achieve 60% non-fossil power capacity by 2035; (3) Create 3.5–4 billion tonnes CO₂ equivalent carbon sink via forest cover. Already achieved: 36% intensity reduction (2005–2020); 52.57% non-fossil capacity (Feb 2026). India’s NDC first submitted in 2015, updated 2022.
Aviation
Modified UDAN Scheme
Approved by Union Cabinet: outlay Rs 28,840 crore over FY2027–FY2036 (10 years). Targets 120 new destinations in Tier-2/Tier-3 cities; expected to serve 40 million passengers. Provides Viability Gap Funding (VGF) to airlines on regional routes. Original UDAN launched October 2016; full name: Ude Desh Ka Aam Naagrik.
Digital Governance
IVFRT Scheme Extension
Immigration, Visa, Foreigners Registration & Tracking — extended April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2031 (5 years); budget Rs 1,800 crore. Implemented by MHA through Bureau of Immigration (BoI). Aligns with the new Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025. A Mission Mode Project under National e-Governance Plan (NeGP); originally approved in May 2010.
Health
World Bipolar Day — 30 March
Jointly organised by ISBD, IBPF, and ANBD. Date chosen to mark the birthday of Vincent van Gogh (30 March 1853), posthumously diagnosed with bipolar disorder. 2026 theme: ‘#BipolarStrong’. First observed 30 March 2014. Global prevalence: 1–5%; WHO lists it as the 6th leading cause of disability. Awareness symbol: green ribbon.
Digital Governance
BHASHINI–PFRDA MoU
Signed 25 March 2026 (‘BHASHINI for Seva–Sanchalan’); enables multilingual pension access in all 22 Eighth Schedule languages. BHASHINI (Digital India BHASHa Interface for India) is India’s AI-driven language initiative under National Language Translation Mission, implemented by MeitY. BHASHINI overall supports 36 Indian languages, 23 voices, 35 international languages. PFRDA oversees NPS and Atal Pension Yojana (APY).
Geopolitics / Maritime
APSEZ & India’s Maritime Readiness
APSEZ is India’s largest port operator, handling ~27% of India’s port cargo across 15 ports. The Port of Refuge initiative is India’s first formal emergency maritime framework. Partner: SMIT Salvage (division of Royal Boskalis Westminster NV, the Netherlands). India’s location along key global shipping routes — including the Malacca Strait and Persian Gulf corridors — makes PoR strategically vital.