Daily Current Affairs

On March 6, 2026, the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) celebrated the 7th anniversary of its SWAYATT (Startups, Women and Youth Advantage through e-Transactions) initiative at its New Delhi office, reaffirming GeM’s commitment to inclusive public procurement.

• Launch: SWAYATT was launched on February 19, 2019 to promote inclusive public procurement for startups, women entrepreneurs, and youth
• Women Entrepreneurs: Cumulative order value grew from Rs 1,265.62 crore (FY2019) to Rs 83,323 crore (FY2026); total orders climbed from 1,01,530 to 44,48,894
• Event: Ajit B. Chavan, Additional CEO of GeM, presented the opening perspective on SWAYATT’s progress and future roadmap

In March 2026, the Government of India submitted its 7th National Report (NR7) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The report evaluates India’s progress across 23 national biodiversity targets, aligned with the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) — the first comprehensive progress assessment since countries adopted the KMGBF in 2022.

• Prepared by: MoEFCC (Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change) with inputs from 33 central ministries and departments
• KMGBF 2030 Goals: Protecting 30% of the world’s land and marine areas, restoring degraded ecosystems, and halting species extinction
• Status: India has largely completed the planning and policy alignment phase; focused implementation required to achieve 2030 goals

In March 2026, Union MoS (Independent Charge) Jitendra Singh (Ministry of Science and Technology) reviewed progress of India’s first integrated Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) plant being developed at Kavaratti, Lakshadweep.

• Technology: OTEC uses the temperature difference between warm surface seawater and cold deep-sea water to generate electricity — a renewable and reliable marine energy source
• Scope: Will provide clean power, desalinated drinking water, and sustainable energy solutions for island communities
• Implementing Agencies: Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) and National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), HQ – Chennai, Tamil Nadu

In March 2026, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) notified new emission standards for Green Ammonia (NH₃) and Green Methanol (CH₃OH) under the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM) (notified February 27, 2026). The standards aim to accelerate global trade of green hydrogen derivatives and promote decarbonisation.

• Green Methanol scope: Covers hydrogen production, synthesis, purification, and storage
• CO₂ Sources allowed: Biogenic sources, Direct Air Capture (DAC), or existing industrial sources

In March 2026, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) sanctioned a research project titled ‘Development of Novel Antidote(s) for Highly Toxic Organophosphorous Compounds’ to Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu — with a total financial outlay of Rs 99.15 lakh.

• Duration: To be completed within 36 months
• Research Body: DRDO Industry Academia Centre of Excellence (DIA-CoE) at Bharathiar University
• Principal Investigator: Dr. N. Jayakumar, Professor and Head
• Co-Principal Investigator: Dr. S. Suja, Professor, Department of Biochemistry, Bharathiar University

In March 2026, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), through the Directorate General of Training (DGT), signed a Flexible MoU (Flexi-MoU) with Bajaj Auto Limited for industry-integrated skill development in advanced automotive manufacturing at facilities in Maharashtra and Uttarakhand.

• Tenure: Valid for 10 years, with extensions based on enrolment and placement performance
• Training: ~1,000 trainees enrolled in the first year for courses of up to 24 months, covering mechatronics, robotics, quality control, and advanced welding under NSQF
• Flexi-MoU Scheme: Allows industries to design customised training programmes aligned with emerging technologies while adhering to NSQF standards

In March 2026, NABARD launched the ‘National Climate Stack Innovation Challenge’ in collaboration with the Gates Foundation and Dalberg Advisors, aimed at building a National Climate Stack — decision-ready climate intelligence for agriculture, rural finance, and public planning.

• Infrastructure: Anchored in DiCRA (Data in Climate Resilient Agriculture), NABARD’s climate data platform — to be upgraded from a digital public good into a digital public infrastructure
• Target Group: Open to tech startups, research institutions, and universities across India
• Awards: Top three solutions receive cash prizes of Rs 15 lakh, Rs 10 lakh, and Rs 5 lakh respectively

In March 2026, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) granted the Aerodrome Licence to Yamuna International Airport Private Limited (YIAPL) for the Noida International Airport (NIA) at Jewar, Gautam Budh Nagar, Uttar Pradesh. Licensed under the Public Use category for all-weather operations.

• Developer: YIAPL — wholly owned subsidiary of Zurich Airport International AG; under a PPP model with UP and Central governments; concession period: 40 years from October 1, 2021
• Phase 1 Capacity: One runway + one terminal — approximately 1.2 crore (12 million) passengers annually
• Full Capacity: After all four phases + multi-modal cargo hub — up to 7 crore (70 million) passengers per year
• Significance: Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu described NIA as a major step for aviation connectivity in the NCR and western Uttar Pradesh

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed contracts worth Rs 5,083 crore (~USD 590 million) on March 3, 2026 for two major defence acquisitions, in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh at South Block, New Delhi.

India scripted multiple cricketing records on March 8, 2026, defeating New Zealand by 96 runs in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Final at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, under the captaincy of Suryakumar Yadav.

Key Performances:

• Sanju Samson — 89 off 46 balls; Player of the Tournament
• Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan — quickfire fifties
• Jasprit Bumrah — 4/15; Player of the Match
• Axar Patel — 3/27
• Tim Seifert (NZ) — top-scored with 52

Closing Ceremony: Featured Punjabi singer Sukhbir and Grammy Award winner Ricky Martin at Narendra Modi Stadium.

The India women’s national cricket team was nominated for the Laureus World Team of the Year Award 2026 following their historic victory in the Women’s Cricket World Cup. India became the first women’s cricket team ever to be shortlisted for this prestigious award.

• Ceremony venue: Cibeles Palace, Madrid, Spain
• Previous Indian nominees: Vinesh Phogat (2019), Neeraj Chopra (2022), Rishabh Pant (2025)
• Special award: Sachin Tendulkar won the Laureus Sporting Moment Award in 2020

International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated globally on March 8 every year. The theme for IWD 2026 is ‘Rights’ — spotlighting the need to uphold and advance women’s fundamental rights across all spheres of life.

• UN Declaration: March 8 was declared IWD by the United Nations in 1977
• Origins: Traces roots to early 20th-century labour movements — women’s strikes in New York in 1908 demanding shorter working hours, better pay, and voting rights
• Significance: A call to action to accelerate gender equality, challenge discrimination, and advance women’s rights in health, education, employment, and political participation

Jan Aushadhi Diwas (Generic Medicine Day) is observed annually on March 7 to raise awareness about the affordability and effectiveness of generic medicines and to promote the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP). March 7, 2026 marked the 8th observance.

• Declaration: PM Narendra Modi declared March 7 as Jan Aushadhi Diwas on March 7, 2019; Jan Aushadhi Diwas Week observed from March 1–7 each year
• Organiser: Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Bureau of India (PMBI) under the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP), Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers