Daily Current Affairs
India-Mauritius Energy Security Pact
Why in News: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar announced that India is finalising a government-to-government (G2G) agreement to supply oil and gas to Mauritius.
- Key Facts:
- Announced during the 9th Indian Ocean Conference in Port Louis.
- The pact aims to insulate Mauritius from energy price volatility caused by the West Asia crisis.
- India is also developing Mauritius’s first floating solar power project.
- iGOT Karmayogi Portal: India launched a dedicated portal for Mauritian civil servants, marking the first time the platform has been extended to a partner country.
- Static GK Integration:
- Mauritius Capital: Port Louis.
- Currency: Mauritian Rupee.
- Karmayogi Mission: A National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building (NPCSCB) launched in 2020.
- One-liner Revision Fact: India is set to become the primary energy guarantor for Mauritius through a new G2G oil and gas supply agreement.
National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) Review 2026
Why in News: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change released a progress report on NCAP, highlighting a 25% reduction in $PM_{10}$ levels in 45 targeted cities.
- Key Facts:
- Goal: To achieve 20% to 30% reduction in Particulate Matter ($PM_{10}$ and $PM_{2.5}$) by 2026 (base year 2017).
- Financial support is provided under the 15th Finance Commission grants.
- Static GK Integration:
- NCAP Launch: 2019.
- Pollutants Monitored: $PM_{10}$, $PM_{2.5}$, $NO_2$, $SO_2$, etc.
- One-liner Revision Fact: NCAP has successfully met its intermediate 2026 targets for $PM_{10}$ reduction in nearly 40% of targeted non-attainment cities.
U.S.-Iran Conditional Ceasefire (The “Islamabad Agreement”)
Why in News: A two-week conditional ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran took effect on April 8/9, 2026, brokered by Pakistan.
- Key Facts:
- The Goal: To reopen the Strait of Hormuz, where oil transit had been halted, leading to global price spikes ($120+/barrel$).
- Negotiation Terms: Iran has demanded the lifting of all sanctions and U.S. troop withdrawal from the region as part of a permanent peace deal.
- Impact on India: Reopening the Strait is critical as India imports nearly 60% of its energy from the Gulf.
- Static GK Integration:
- Strait of Hormuz: Connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman.
- Chokepoint: Roughly 21 million barrels of oil per day (bpd) pass through this strait.
- One-liner Revision Fact: Pakistan-mediated “Islamabad Talks” have led to a fragile two-week ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran to stabilize global oil markets.
9th Indian Ocean Conference
Why in News: Held in Port Louis, Mauritius, with the theme “Sustainable and Secure Indian Ocean.”
- Key Facts:
- Focused on maritime security, climate change, and blue economy.
- India emphasized its SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) policy.
- One-liner Revision Fact: The 9th Indian Ocean Conference focused on maritime domain awareness and energy cooperation among littoral nations.
RBI’s New Digital Payment Security Framework
Why in News: Effective April 2026, the RBI has mandated Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) for all digital transactions including UPI, regardless of the amount.
- Key Facts:
- Aimed at curbing the rising incidence of digital frauds (estimated at ₹15,000 crore annually).
- Risk-Based Model: Verification intensity will vary based on transaction size and device familiarity.
- Banks must now bear liability for system failures in fraud cases unless negligence is proven.
- Static GK Integration:
- UPI: Unified Payments Interface, developed by NPCI (National Payments Corporation of India).
- Governor: Shaktikanta Das (re-appointed/extension era).
- One-liner Revision Fact: RBI’s new security norms mandate strict 2FA for all UPI and digital wallet transactions to enhance fraud resilience.
Extension of Export Credit Tenor
Why in News: Due to geopolitical disruptions in the Red Sea and West Asia, RBI extended the enhanced export credit tenor to 450 days.
- Key Facts:
- Extension valid until June 30, 2026.
- Provides liquidity relief to MSME exporters facing shipment delays.
- One-liner Revision Fact: RBI extended the export credit tenor to 450 days to support Indian exporters amid global supply chain shocks.
SPADEX Mission Success: In-Orbit Servicing
Why in News: ISRO successfully demonstrated autonomous docking and power transfer between two satellites under the SPADEX (Space Docking Experiment).
- Key Facts:
- Critical for the future Bharatiya Antariksha Station (India’s Space Station).
- The mission validated “chasing” and “docking” maneuvers in low earth orbit (LEO).
- Static GK Integration:
- Space Station Goal: India aims to set up its own space station by 2035.
- LEO Altitude: 160 km to 2,000 km.
- One-liner Revision Fact: ISRO’s SPADEX mission successfully proved India’s capability to dock satellites in space, a precursor to building its own space station.
LVM3-M6 / BlueBird Block-2 Record
Why in News: ISRO’s LVM3 (Launch Vehicle Mark 3) set a new record by launching the heaviest-ever satellite payload from Indian soil.
- Key Facts:
- Payload capacity improved by 176 kg through the use of composite thrust frames.
- Validated the S200 motor’s electro-mechanical actuation.
- One-liner Revision Fact: The LVM3-M6 mission marked India’s highest-ever payload delivery, showcasing advanced composite materials in rocket stages.
“Kamikaze” Drones Induction
Why in News: The Indian Army has begun the mass induction of indigenous Loitering Munitions (Kamikaze Drones) for high-altitude deployment.
- Key Facts:
- Developed under the iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence) framework.
- Designed for precision strikes in the Himalayas with a range of 40-100 km.
- One-liner Revision Fact: Indian Army’s new “Kamikaze” drones provide a significant edge in high-altitude precision warfare along northern borders.
New Species of Butterfly Discovered in Western Ghats
Why in News: Researchers from ZSI (Zoological Survey of India) discovered a new species named Caltoris ghatensis in the Agasthyamalai biosphere.
- Key Facts:
- The discovery highlights the biological richness of the Southern Western Ghats.
- Agasthyamalai is a UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves site.
- Static GK Integration:
- ZSI Headquarters: Kolkata (founded 1916).
- One-liner Revision Fact: Caltoris ghatensis is a newly discovered butterfly species endemic to the Agasthyamalai region of the Western Ghats.
WTT Feeder: Senthil Kumar Mehan’s Victory
Why in News: Indian defensive specialist Senthil Kumar Mehan outlasted Bodhisatva Chaudhury in a thriller at the WTT (World Table Tennis) Feeder event.
- Key Facts:
- Venue: SAMA Indoor Sports Complex.
- Senthil saved three match points to win the encounter 3-2.
- One-liner Revision Fact: Senthil Mehan’s victory at the WTT Feeder highlights the rising prominence of defensive strategies in Indian Table Tennis.
Andhra Pradesh: “Utharandhra” Heatwave Warning
Why in News: The AP Disaster Management Authority issued a severe heatwave warning for North Coastal Andhra (Utharandhra) for mid-April.
- Key Facts:
- Temperatures are expected to cross 45 degrees in districts like Vizianagaram and Srikakulam.
- Farmers advised to protect crops from “Vada Gallu” (hailstorms/heatwaves).
Telangana: Comprehensive Cancer Registry
Why in News: Following the notification of Cancer as a reportable disease, Telangana has launched the “Arogya Telangana Cancer Portal.”
- Key Facts:
- Integrates patient data from MNJ Cancer Hospital and private corporate hospitals.
- Will facilitate free chemotherapy under the Ayushman Bhava/Aarogyasri scheme.
National Safe Motherhood Day (11 April)
- Theme 2026: “Equity in Maternal Health: Reaching Every Mother.”
- Why in News: Observed on the birth anniversary of Kasturba Gandhi.
- Significance: India was the first country in the world to officially declare a National Safe Motherhood Day.
- Static GK: India’s MMR (Maternal Mortality Ratio) target is to reach below 70 per lakh live births by 2030 (SDG 3.1).