Daily Current Affairs

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) released its flagship Asian Development Outlook (ADO) April 2026 report titled ‘The Middle East Conflict Challenges Resilience in Asia and the Pacific’, revising India’s GDP growth forecast for FY2026–27 upward from 6.5% to 6.9% — a gain of 40 basis points. The upgrade reflects strong private consumption, continued public investment, and anticipated government salary revisions.

• Report title: ‘The Middle East Conflict Challenges Resilience in Asia and the Pacific’ — underscores regional macro risks from geopolitical tensions
• ADB profile: Established 1966; HQ Manila, Philippines; India is a founding member; President: Masato Kanda (2024)
• Growth drivers: Private consumption momentum, government infrastructure spending, and salary revision boost to disposable income
• Inflation caveat: Food price rebound and crude oil surge push FY27 inflation to 4.5%, easing to 4% in FY28 as supply stabilises

Vice President of India C.P. Radhakrishnan released the updated edition of the Constitution of India in Sindhi language on Sindhi Bhasha Diwas (10 April 2026) at Uprashtrapati Bhawan, New Delhi. The release covers both the Devanagari Script (1st edition) and the Persian Script (2nd edition), marking the first-ever release of the Constitution in Sindhi in Devanagari script since Independence.

• Sindhi Bhasha Diwas: Observed on 10 April to honour the cultural significance of the Sindhi language
• Eighth Schedule status: Sindhi is the only 8th Schedule language without a dedicated state; it was added via the 21st Constitutional Amendment Act, 1967
• Total 8th Schedule languages: 22 languages currently listed
• Recent translations: Constitution has been translated into Bodo, Dogri, Santhali, Tamil, Gujarati, and Nepali in recent years under the Viksit Bharat vision

Doordarshan (DD), operating under Prasar Bharati, and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in April 2026 to promote Indian art, culture, and heritage globally through enhanced collaboration in broadcasting and cultural exchange programmes.

• Scope: Leverage Doordarshan’s TV, radio, and digital platforms to amplify ICCR cultural content via Indian Missions abroad; joint perpetual content rights; long-term archiving and cross-platform promotion
• ICCR profile: Indian Council for Cultural Relations; established 1950; HQ New Delhi; under Ministry of External Affairs (MEA); promotes India’s cultural diplomacy globally
• Prasar Bharati: India’s public broadcaster; established under Prasar Bharati Act, 1990; encompasses Doordarshan (TV) and All India Radio (AIR)

The Science and Technology Department of Gujarat Government signed a MoU with Allegiance International Company Limited (Taiwan-linked) to develop an Indo-Taiwan Industrial Park in the Sanand-Dholera region of Gujarat. The park is expected to attract over Rs 1,000 crore in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in semiconductor and electronics manufacturing over the next 5 years.

• Dholera SIR: Dholera Special Investment Region — India’s first greenfield smart city; part of the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC)
• Strategic goal: Strengthen Gujarat’s semiconductor ecosystem; facilitate joint ventures between Indian and Taiwanese enterprises
• National context: Aligns with India’s India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) to build domestic chip design and manufacturing capacity

Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO) and NBCC (India) Limited — both Navratna CPSEs under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) — signed two strategic MoUs on 11 April 2026 for urban redevelopment and asset monetisation in Delhi.

• Signed by: Sanjay Kulshrestha, CMD HUDCO; K.P. Mahadevaswamy, CMD NBCC
• HUDCO profile: Established 1970; Navratna PSU under MoHUA; provides loans for housing and urban infrastructure projects across India
• NBCC profile: NBCC (India) Limited; Navratna CPSE under MoHUA; specialises in project management, construction, and real estate development
• Validity: 2 years each, with mutual scope for extension

India concluded the 22nd Senior Asian Wrestling Championships 2026, held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (6–12 April 2026), with a tally of 17 medals (2 Gold, 6 Silver, 9 Bronze), finishing 5th overall in the medal standings. The event was organised by the Asian Associated Wrestling Committee (AAWC) under United World Wrestling (UWW).

• India Gold medalists: Sujeet Kalkal (65 kg Men’s Freestyle); Abhimanyou Mandwal (70 kg Men’s Freestyle)
• Notable silver: Meenakshi Goyat won Silver in Women’s Wrestling
• India squad: 30-member contingent across Men’s Freestyle, Women’s Wrestling, and Greco-Roman
• Event scale: 324 wrestlers from 21 countries; 30 gold medals on offer across three disciplines

India concluded the Asian Boxing Championships 2026 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (28 March–11 April 2026) in 2nd place with 16 medals (5 Gold, 3 Silver, 8 Bronze). The event was the inaugural Elite edition — the first continental boxing event aligned with the World Boxing ranking system, organised by the Mongolian Boxing Federation.

• Inaugural Elite edition: First Asian Boxing Championships aligned with World Boxing ranking system — marks a new governance framework for continental boxing
• Qualification pathway: Finalists in approved weight categories earned direct qualification for Commonwealth Games 2026 (Glasgow, Scotland) and Asian Games 2026 (Aichi-Nagoya, Japan)
• India’s performance: 5 gold medals placed India ahead of Uzbekistan (14) in overall count despite Kazakhstan topping the table

The Clinical Laboratory at Central Ayurveda Research Institute (CARI), Bengaluru — under the Ministry of Ayush — achieved ISO 15189:2022 accreditation in both Biochemistry and Haematology, becoming the first institute under CCRAS (Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences) to earn this global quality distinction in April 2026.

• ISO 15189:2022: International standard for medical laboratories; focuses on quality management systems and technical competence in diagnostic services
• Previous firsts: CARI Bengaluru was also the first CCRAS institute to secure both NABH and NABL entry-level certifications (2021–22)
• Digital services: Reporting via SMS/email/WhatsApp for patients; modernised diagnostic workflow
• CCRAS profile: Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences; under Ministry of Ayush; established 1978; DG: Prof. Rabinarayan Acharya

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) unveiled its medium-term strategy ‘Utkarsh 2029’ covering April 2026 to March 2029, outlining 49 deliverables across 6 pillars to reinforce its position as a world-class, full-service central bank. The strategy was announced by RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra.

• Project Sa-Mudra: Modernise RBI’s currency management operations
• CBDC expansion: Digital Rupee (e₹) for efficient cross-border payments
• Unified Lending Interface (ULI): Scale-up for wider credit access across India
• AI & Quantum Computing: Develop regulatory frameworks for emerging technologies in finance
• Internationalisation: Promote global usage of the Rupee and UPI abroad
• Previous framework: Utkarsh 2025 was RBI’s first medium-term strategy (2019–2022, later extended to 2025)

SEBI Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey launched three new IT platforms in March 2026 under the ‘SEBI 2.0’ digital transformation initiative to strengthen market regulation, streamline compliance, and enhance cybersecurity oversight across India’s capital markets.

• SEBI 2.0: Broader digital transformation initiative to modernise regulatory infrastructure, reduce manual intervention, and increase transparency
• C-SAC significance: AI-driven cybersecurity audit tool — first of its kind for Indian securities regulator; auto-generates actionable insights from submitted audit reports
• SEBI profile: Established 12 April 1988 (executive); statutory powers from 30 January 1992 via SEBI Act, 1992; HQ Mumbai; under Ministry of Finance
• Chairman: Tuhin Kanta Pandey — 1987-batch IAS, Odisha cadre; 11th Chairman; took charge 1 March 2025 (succeeded Madhabi Puri Buch)

Paytm (One 97 Communications Limited) introduced biometric authentication for UPI payments — using Face ID or fingerprint in place of a UPI PIN — and cardless ATM withdrawals in April 2026, aligning with RBI’s 2-Factor Authentication rules effective 1 April 2026.

• Biometric UPI limit: Rs 5,000 per transaction per NPCI guidelines; UPI PIN remains available for higher amounts
• Cardless ATM: User scans QR code at supported ATMs and verifies with biometrics — no physical debit/credit card needed; limit Rs 10,000
• Market context: PhonePe (46% UPI market share) launched biometric UPI in February 2026; Paytm follows in compliance with RBI mandates
• Parent company: One 97 Communications Limited (OCL); Paytm brand; listed on NSE/BSE

All four crew members of NASA’s Artemis II mission safely splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off San Diego, California on 10 April 2026, completing a 10-day journey around the Moon aboard the Orion spacecraft named ‘Integrity’. It was the first crewed lunar mission in over 50 years, setting a new record of 252,756 miles (406,900 km) from Earth — the farthest any humans have travelled.

• Distance record: 252,756 miles (406,900 km) — surpasses the previous record set by Apollo 13 (248,655 miles) in 1970
• Launch: 1 April 2026 from Launch Pad 39B, Kennedy Space Center, Florida; carried by Space Launch System (SLS) rocket
• Spacecraft name: Orion ‘Integrity’ — first Orion to carry humans to lunar distance
• Historic communication: First ship-to-ship call between a human lunar mission and the ISS — Christina Koch (Artemis II) spoke with Jessica Meir on ISS
• Recovery: USS John P. Murtha; crew then transported to NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston
• Jeremy Hansen: First Canadian to fly to the Moon

Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh was re-elected for a sixth consecutive term after winning 97.81% of the vote in the presidential election held on 10 April 2026. His only opponent, Mohamed Farah Samatar (Unified Democratic Centre, CDU), received 2.19%. Voter turnout was 80.33%.

• Constitutional change: An October 2025 constitutional amendment removed the 75-year presidential age limit, enabling the 78-year-old Guelleh to contest
• Background: Guelleh has ruled Djibouti since 1999 (27 years); party: UMP (Union for Presidential Majority); succeeded uncle Hassan Gouled Aptidon
• Strategic location: Djibouti sits at the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, Horn of Africa — a critical chokepoint for global shipping between the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden
• Foreign bases: Hosts military bases of USA, France, China, Japan — the country with the most foreign military bases relative to its size globally

Bohag Bihu (also known as Rongali Bihu) is the most celebrated of Assam’s three Bihu festivals. Manuh Bihu (Assamese New Year) falls on 15 April 2026, while Goru Bihu (cattle worship) was observed on 14 April. Bohag Bihu marks the beginning of the Assamese calendar year and the spring sowing season for rice cultivation.

• Seven days (Shat Bihu): Goru Bihu (cattle); Manuh Bihu (humans/New Year); Gosain Bihu (idols) — each day has a distinct ritual; celebrated collectively for 7 days
• Celebration: Bihu dance; folk music with dhol, pepa, gogona; exchange of Gamosa (white cloth with red border); feasts with Jolpan, Til Pitha, Narikolor Laru
• Bank holiday: State gazetted holiday on 15 April 2026 in Assam, West Bengal, Tripura, Manipur
• Static GK: Gamosa = symbol of Assamese cultural identity; Bihu dance = Assam’s state dance; Bohag Bihu also celebrated in parts of Arunachal Pradesh

Himachal Day is observed every year on 15 April to commemorate the formation of Himachal Pradesh as a Chief Commissioner Province on 15 April 1948. In 2026, it marks the 78th year of the province’s formation. HP subsequently became a Union Territory in 1956 and achieved full statehood on 25 January 1971.

• First Chief Commissioner: N. C. Mehta (1948)
• First Chief Minister: Dr. Y.S. Parmar (on statehood, 1971)
• Capitals: Shimla (summer capital); Dharamshala (winter capital since 2017)
• Etymology: Hima (snow) + Achal (lap/mountain) = “Lap of the Himalayas”
• HP = 18th state of India (ranked by order of statehood)

World Art Day is observed on 15 April every year to promote awareness of creative artistic expression globally. The date honours the birth anniversary of Leonardo da Vinci (born 15 April 1452), widely regarded as the greatest artist and polymath of the Italian Renaissance.

• Established by: International Association of Art (IAA/AIAP) — a UNESCO-affiliated NGO
• First observed: 15 April 2012
• Leonardo da Vinci: Italian Renaissance painter, sculptor, architect, scientist, and engineer; known for Mona Lisa and The Last Supper; born in Vinci, Tuscany
• UNESCO significance: Day links art, education, culture, and sustainable development goals — reinforcing the role of arts in inclusive human development

World Haemophilia Day is observed on 17 April every year — on the birthday of Frank Schnabel, founder of the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH). The 2026 theme is ‘Access for All: Partnership. Policy. Progress.’ — emphasising equitable access to diagnosis and treatment for inherited bleeding disorders.

• Haemophilia: X-linked recessive genetic disorder causing deficiency in blood clotting factors (Factor VIII = Haemophilia A; Factor IX = Haemophilia B); predominantly affects males
• WFH profile: World Federation of Hemophilia; established 1963; HQ Montreal, Canada; works in 140+ countries for patient access to treatment
• Frank Schnabel: Canadian businessman and haemophilia patient who founded WFH in 1963 to advocate for bleeding disorder patients worldwide
• Theme focus: Highlights gaps in diagnosis and treatment access in low- and middle-income countries; partnership between governments, industry, and patient groups

Asha Bhosle, legendary playback singer and Padma Vibhushan awardee, passed away on 12 April 2026 at the age of 92 in Mumbai. Born on 8 September 1933 in Sangli, Maharashtra (then a princely state), she recorded over 12,000 songs in more than 20 languages across an eight-decade career spanning 1943 to the 2020s.

• Career span: 1943–2020s; over 12,000 songs in Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Urdu, and 20+ languages
• Guinness recognition (2011): Most recorded artist in music history — a record she held globally
• Versatility: Film songs, classical, ghazals, pop, cabaret, folk, and bhajans; particularly renowned for energetic cabaret numbers in Bollywood
• Family: Daughter of classical singer Dinanath Mangeshkar; younger sister of Lata Mangeshkar; both are towering figures of Indian playback singing
• Dadasaheb Phalke Award: India’s highest honour in cinema; awarded by the Government of India at the National Film Awards