National Affairs

Overview of PM Narendra Modi's Visit to Gujarat on March 31, 2026

On March 31, 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Gujarat — covering Gandhinagar, Sanand (Ahmedabad), and Vav–Tharad (Banaskantha) — to launch and dedicate multiple development projects worth over Rs 20,000 crore.

Highlights of the Visits:

• Key Highlight: Inaugurated the Ahmedabad–Dholera Expressway built at a cost of over Rs 5,100 crore, enhancing regional connectivity and supporting industrial growth in the Dholera Special Investment Region (DSIR).

GoI Extends National Piped Natural Gas Drive 2.0 Till June 30, 2026

The Government of India (GoI) extended the National Piped Natural Gas (PNG) Drive 2.0 by three months till 30 June 2026 to sustain momentum in nationwide PNG expansion and increase the share of natural gas to 15% in India's energy basket.

The initiative, earlier scheduled to end on 31 March 2026, has been extended to accelerate PNG connectivity and strengthen the transition towards a gas-based economy.

• PNG Drive 2.0 Launch: The PNGRB launched PNG Drive 2.0 from 1 January 2026 to 31 March 2026, bringing together City Gas Distribution (CGD) companies under the theme "Har Ghar PNG, Har Gaadi CNG."
• Targeted Expansion: The government aims to extend natural gas pipeline connectivity to 37 additional Geographical Areas (GAs) not connected to the national gas pipeline and 44 districts without PNG network access.
• Current Progress: In March 2026 alone, India added over 3,10,000 new connections and issued another 2,70,000 connections for domestic and commercial users.

VP CP Radhakrishnan Unveils 'Nyaya Setu' AI Chatbot and Mascot 'Dishika' at DISHA Programme in New Delhi

Vice-President Chandrapuram Ponnusami (C.P.) Radhakrishnan, along with Union Minister of State (IC) Arjun Ram Meghwal, Ministry of Law & Justice (MoL&J), unveiled the 'Nyaya Setu AI Chatbot' and its mascot 'Dishika' during the Designing Innovative Solutions for Holistic Access to Justice (DISHA) programme organised by the Department of Justice (DoJ), MoL&J, at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.

• Overview: Nyaya Setu is a voice-first, multimodal, multilingual AI-powered legal assistant designed to help citizens understand legal processes, rights, and next steps through simple voice and text interactions in multiple Indian languages.
• Developing Authority: Developed by the Digital India BHASHINI Division (DIBD) under the Digital India Corporation (DIC), Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
• Technology: Built on a complete end-to-end voice stack, integrating Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR), Natural Language Processing (NLP), and conversational AI systems.

International Affairs

Overview of WTO's 14th Ministerial Conference Held in Yaounde, Cameroon

The World Trade Organization (WTO) held its 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) from March 26 to 30, 2026 in Yaounde, Cameroon, focusing on key challenges and future priorities of the global multilateral trading system.

The conference was chaired by Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana, Minister of Trade of Cameroon.

• Overview: The Ministerial Conference is the highest decision-making body of the WTO and is usually held once every two years (biennial).
• Indian Delegation: Led by Union Minister Piyush Goyal, Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoC&I), supported by officials from the Permanent Mission of India in Geneva, Switzerland.
• Outcomes: Members agreed to continue talks on fisheries subsidies ahead of MC15. Two decisions were adopted to improve small economies' integration and strengthen S&DT under SPS and TBT agreements. A draft "Yaounde Package" was also prepared for further negotiations in Geneva.

Skytrax World Airport Awards 2026: Singapore's Changi Tops; 5 Indian Airports in Top 100

Singapore's Changi Airport was named the world's best airport for the 14th time since 2000 at the Skytrax World Airport Awards 2026 held during the Passenger Terminal Expo & Conference (PTE) World in London, UK.

Indian Airports in Top 100:

Economy & Business

Air India Signs Codeshare Agreement with Uzbekistan Airways

Air India signed a codeshare agreement with Uzbekistan Airways, aimed at expanding connectivity between India and Central Asia.

• Routes Covered: Air India has placed its 'AI' designator code on Uzbekistan Airways flights between Delhi–Tashkent, Mumbai–Tashkent, and Goa–Tashkent.
• Interline Arrangement: Airlines of both countries have also established an interline arrangement, enabling passengers of Air India to travel to Tashkent and connect further to other cities including Samarkand, Qarshi, Nukus, Termez, Bukhara, Fergana, and Namangan via Uzbekistan Airways' network.
• Key Benefits: Seamless access to Tashkent from major Indian cities, single-ticket convenience, and easy onward connections through Air India's domestic and international network.

Awards & Recognitions

ASF Awards 2025: Anahat Singh, Abhay Singh Secure Top Honours

India's top squash players Anahat Singh and Abhay Singh have been named the Asian Squash Federation (ASF) Player of the Year 2025 in the girls' (U-19) and men's categories (Dato Alex Lee Award), respectively, recognising their outstanding performances during the 2024–25 season.

The official ceremony is scheduled during the 33rd Asian Junior Individual Championships in Panzhihua, China, in May 2026.

Tripura Panchayats Win Top Honours at DDUPSVP & NDPSVP 2025 Awards

Tripura achieved a major milestone as three of its Panchayats secured top honours at the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Panchayat Satat Vikas Puraskar (DDUPSVP) 2025 and the Nanaji Deshmukh Sarvottam Panchayat Satat Vikas Puraskar (NDPSVP) 2025, presented by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR).

Appointments & Resignations

Uchral Nyam-Osor Elected as New PM of Mongolia

Uchral Nyam-Osor, former Deputy Prime Minister of Mongolia and leader of the Mongolian People's Party (MPP), was elected as the new Prime Minister of Mongolia. He became the country's third PM in nine months, reflecting ongoing political instability and economic challenges.

• Election Process: On March 30, 2026, the State Great Khural (parliament) voted, with 107 of its 126 lawmakers participating. Uchral Nyam-Osor secured 88 votes (82.2%).
• Succession: He succeeds Zandanshatar Gombojav, who resigned on 27 March 2026 to address the political crisis.
• Young Leadership: At 39 years of age, he is among the younger leaders in Mongolia's political landscape.

ACC Appoints Vir Vikram Yadav as Director General of DGCA

On March 31, 2026, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) appointed Vir Vikram Yadav, a 1996-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of Odisha cadre, as the Director General (DG) of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), under the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA).

• Succeeds: Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, who has been appointed as Additional Secretary in the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) under Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions (MoPP&P).
• Experience: Held key administrative positions in both state and central governments.
• Previous Position: Served as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).

IndiGo Appoints William Walsh as New CEO

India's largest airline, IndiGo, appointed aviation veteran William Walsh as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), with his tenure set to begin in August 2026.

He will succeed Pieter Elbers, who resigned on 10 March 2026 following a major operational crisis that resulted in over 4,500 flight cancellations in late 2025.

Science & Technology

GSL Launches INS Shachi for IN; Delivers ICGS Achal to ICG

Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL), a premier Defence Public Sector Undertaking under the Ministry of Defence (MoD), achieved a significant milestone with the ceremonial launch of INS Shachi for the Indian Navy (IN) and the delivery of ICGS Achal to the Indian Coast Guard (ICG).

The vessels were launched in the presence of Shagun Sobti, Vice Admiral Tarun Sobti (Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff), and V K Parmar (DIG, ICG).

State News

AP Launches Rs 150 Crore Free Electricity Scheme for Handloom and Powerloom Weavers

The Government of Andhra Pradesh, led by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, launched a free electricity scheme for handloom and powerloom weavers across the state from 1 April 2026, with an annual outlay of Rs 150 crore.

• Additional Support: Rs 4,000 monthly pension, Rs 5 crore thrift fund for cooperatives, up to 90% subsidy on modern machinery, and a 15% yarn rebate.
• Cluster Development: Supported in Dharmavaram, Pithapuram, and Mangalagiri, along with marketing assistance through Amazon, Flipkart, exhibitions, and Andhra Pradesh State Handloom Weavers Cooperative Society (APCO) digital platforms.

Important Days at a Glance