National Affairs

PM Narendra Modi’s Visit to Rajasthan & Gujarat (Feb 28, 2026)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a historic nationwide health mission and inaugurated major industrial units in a day-long visit.

• Nationwide HPV Launch: Flagged off the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccination Programme in Ajmer, Rajasthan.
  • Target: Girls aged 14 years across all States/UTs.
  • Vaccine: Single-dose Gardasil 4 (protects against HPV types 16, 18, 6, and 11).
• Micron’s ATMP Facility: Inaugurated the Semiconductor Assembly, Testing, Marking, and Packaging (ATMP) unit of Micron Technology in Sanand, Gujarat.
  • Investment: Boise (USA)-based Micron invested ₹22,516 crore in this facility.
• Rajasthan Infrastructure: Dedicated projects worth ₹16,680 crore across road, irrigation, energy, and drinking water sectors.

Central Facility for Recombinant Cells and Sensors Inaugurated in Kerala
Union MoS Dr. Jitendra Singh inaugurated an advanced biotech facility at BRIC-RGCB, Thiruvananthapuram, as part of National Science Day 2026.

• Investment: Developed with a ₹60 crore outlay by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT).
• cGMP Facility: Foundation stone laid for a state-of-the-art Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) facility (₹80 crore project).
• Book Release: Released “Quantum Physics: One Hundred Magical Years” by V. P. N. Nampoori.

National Arogya Fair 2026 Held in Buldhana, Maharashtra
The 4-day fair focused on AYUSH systems of medicine (Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy) to promote affordable healthcare.

• Organisers: Ministry of AYUSH in collaboration with the All India Ayurvedic Congress.
• Key Felicitation: President Droupadi Murmu honored senior Vaidyas including Vaidya Devendra Triguna (Jeevan Gaurav award).

MoTA Announces Three Festivals for Tribal Heritage in March 2026
The Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) announced three flagship events in New Delhi to promote tribal arts and commerce:

1. Tribes Art Fest (TAF): March 2–13 at Travancore Palace.
2. Living Roots Festival (LRF): March 13–15 at Bikaner House.
3. Bharat Tribes Fest (BTF): March 18–30 at Sunder Nursery.

ISA and IIT Delhi Partner to Advance Global Solar Skills
The International Solar Alliance (ISA) and IIT Delhi signed a Framework for Action (FFA) to build clean energy capacity.

• ToT Model: Will launch a one-year Post Graduate Diploma based on the "Train-the-Trainers" model.
• Research Focus: Integrating AI, Machine Learning, and Blockchain with solar technologies.

HCLTech & IIT Kanpur Partner for GCC Deep Tech Innovation
HCL Technologies and IIT Kanpur signed an MoU to develop enterprise-ready AI and robotics solutions for Global Capability Centers (GCCs).

• Scope: Focuses on intelligent systems and advanced engineering research.
• Other Ties: IIT Kharagpur signed an MoU with the Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC) to strengthen indigenous 6G architecture and antenna systems.

Nagaland Signs 20-Year MoU with IMD for Weather Forecasting
To boost disaster readiness, Nagaland’s Higher Education Department partnered with the IMD.

• Radar Installation: An X-band Doppler Weather Radar (DWR) will be installed at Dimapur Government College under the ‘Mission Mausam’ scheme.
• Duration: The partnership is established for a long-term tenure of 20 years.

International Affairs

India and EU Agree on 5-Year ‘Most Favoured Nation’ (MFN) Status
In a major step for the India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA), both sides agreed to grant each other MFN status for five years.

• Exclusions: Benefits from DTAAs and sensitive agriculture items like rice, sugar, beef, and dairy are excluded.
• FTA Impact: The deal reduces/eliminates tariffs on 96.6% of traded goods, saving EU firms ~4 billion euros annually.

Banking & Finance

RBI Imposes ₹11.50 Lakh Penalty on Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services
The penalty was levied for non-compliance during the FY25 annual inspection.

• Reason: Breach of the Fair Practices Code (revised foreclosure fees without proper disclosure) and deficiencies in the Internal Ombudsman escalation process.

Economy & Business

MoSPI Releases New GDP Series with Base Year 2022-23
The National Statistics Office (NSO) has updated India's GDP base year from 2011-12 to 2022-23.

Airtel and Google Partner for Secure RCS Messaging in India
This world-first collaboration applies telecom-grade accountability to Over-the-Top (OTT) messaging.

• Security: Uses AI-powered spam filters and real-time identity validation for business senders to prevent fraud.
• Features: Supports high-quality media and interactive elements via the Google Messages app.

Appointments & Resignations

Ayatollah Alireza Arafi Named Iran’s Interim Supreme Leader
Following the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in an airstrike, Arafi was appointed as the interim leader.

• Interim Council: Under Article 111, a 3-member council (President Pezeshkian, CJ Mohseni-Ejei, and Arafi) will exercise powers until a successor is chosen.

Sports

Jammu & Kashmir Wins Maiden Ranji Trophy Title 2025-26
J&K created history by clinching their first-ever Ranji Trophy by defeating Karnataka in the final at Hubballi.

• Outcome: J&K won on the basis of a massive 291-run first-innings lead.
• Player of the Tournament: Auqib Nabi (J&K) for taking 62 wickets (the season's leading wicket-taker).

Important Days

State News

West Bengal & GIZ to Develop Masterplans for Ichhamati and Jalangi Rivers
Under the ‘Nodi Bandhan’ (River Binding) program, West Bengal signed an MoU with German firm GIZ and SMCG.

• Scope: Developing basin-based masterplans for pollution control, dredging, and groundwater recharge.
• Budget: ₹200 crore earmarked for 39 river sub-basins.

President Droupadi Murmu Dedicates Four Welfare Schemes for Women in Delhi
At the ‘Sashakt Nari Samriddh Delhi’ event, four major schemes were launched:

1. Saheli Pink Smart Card (NCMC): Free travel for women on DTC buses, Metro, and RRTS.
2. Delhi Lakhpati Bitiya Yojana: Phased assistance for girls (birth to graduation) maturing to ₹1.25 lakh.
3. Free LPG Cylinder Scheme: DBT of ₹853 per consumer for cylinders during Holi and Diwali.
4. Meri Poonji Mera Adhikaar: Phased disbursement of pending funds from the Ladli scheme.