National Affairs

MeitY Selects 10 Startups for Cohort II of ISG Under IndiaAI Mission
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) announced the selection of 10 Indian Artificial Intelligence (AI) startups for the second cohort of the IndiaAI Startups Global (ISG) Acceleration Programme. This initiative aligns with India’s National AI Strategy, focusing on cross-border knowledge exchange and global market integration.

• IndiaAI Startups Global Acceleration: Initiated under the IndiaAI Mission's Startup Financing Pillar, developed in collaboration with Station F (France) and HEC Paris.
• Key Sectors: Covers healthtech, climate tech, edtech, satellite intelligence, and cognitive AI.
• Selected Startups: Includes AI Health Highway India, Awiros, Cognecto, Flaunt, GreenFi.ai Climateforce Technologies, Infiheal Healthtech, InLustro Learning, PredCo, SkyServe, and TestAIng Solutions.

AICTE Launches 3rd Edition of VAANI Scheme to Promote Indian Languages
The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) launched the third edition of the AICTE-VAANI (Vibrant Advocacy for Advancement and Nurturing of Indian Languages) scheme in New Delhi to promote regional languages in technical education.

• Funding: Allocates an annual outlay of ₹4 crore, granting ₹2 lakh per event to institutions to conduct 200 conferences, seminars, and workshops across India.
• Languages: Events will be conducted across all 22 Indian languages listed under the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.
• Domains: Covers 16 emerging technology areas, including AI, Quantum Technology, Cybersecurity, Space and Defence, and Agrotech.

Herbalife India and IIT Madras Sign MoU to Establish India’s First CoE on Plant Cell Fermentation
Herbalife India and IIT Madras signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish India’s first Centre of Excellence (CoE) on Plant Cell Fermentation Technology at the IIT Madras Research Park in Chennai.

• Objective: To establish a world-class CoE for R&D, innovation, and entrepreneurship in the sustainable production of herbal biomass and high-value phytochemicals.
• Technology Integration: Combines advanced upstream cultivation systems with state-of-the-art downstream processing and metabolomics platforms.
• Capacity Building: Supports industry technology transfer and entrepreneurship, backed by specialized, cutting-edge equipment.

MoMSME Signs MoU with NLDSL to Strengthen Data-Driven Logistics Ecosystem
The Ministry of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MoMSME) signed an MoU with NICDC Logistics Data Services Limited (NLDSL) to enhance logistics efficiency and promote data-driven policymaking for the MSME sector.

• Integration: Establishes an API-based digital framework for seamless real-time data exchange between the Ministry and NLDSL.
• Empowerment: Will provide MSMEs with comprehensive logistics insights, helping optimize supply chain costs and enhance global competitiveness.
• About NLDSL: A Joint Venture between the GoI’s NICDIT and Japanese tech giant NEC Corporation, which notably operates the Unified Logistics Interface Platform (ULIP).

Banking & Finance

RBI Issues Master Directions on Notes and Coins Exchange Facility
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released new Master Directions mandating all bank branches across the country to provide free, non-discriminatory exchange services for currency notes and coins to the public.

• Exchange Facility: Banks are mandated to issue fresh/good quality notes, exchange soiled/mutilated notes, and accept coins and notes for transactions or exchange without restrictions.
• Soiled Note: Defined as a note that has become dirty due to wear and tear, or a two-piece note pasted together (belonging to the same note with no essential features missing), which must be accepted over the counter.

DGFT Authorizes 17 Banks to Import Gold & Silver Until March 2029
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) updated its list of authorized banks, granting permission to 15 banks to import both gold and silver, and 2 banks to import only gold, valid from April 1, 2026, to March 31, 2029.

• Imports Both: Includes major players like SBI, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Punjab National Bank, Axis Bank, Deutsche Bank, and the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Limited.
• Import Only: Union Bank of India (UBI) and SBER Bank (a Russian state-listed company) are authorized to import gold exclusively.

World Bank Approves USD 225 Million Loan for Rajasthan Highway Modernization Project
The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors approved a USD 225 million (approx. ₹2,080 crore) loan to upgrade the efficiency, climate resilience, and safety of state highways in Rajasthan.

• Loan Terms: The 35-year maturity IBRD loan features a 5-year grace period and utilizes India’s first Step-Up Loan (SuL) mechanism.
• SuL Mechanism: Eases fiscal pressure during the early high-risk construction phase by allowing higher repayments later once the project is ready for market refinancing.
• Scope: Will upgrade and maintain roughly 800 km of state highways while transforming the Rajasthan State Highway Authority into a modern, service-oriented agency.

CheQ and AU SFB Launch India’s First Co-branded LED Credit Card
Credit management platform CheQ partnered with AU Small Finance Bank (AU SFB) to launch the ‘CheQ AU Credit Card’, India’s first co-branded LED-powered credit card designed to light up during tap-to-pay transactions.

• Technology: The card illuminates by drawing power from the Near Field Communication (NFC) field of POS terminals, eliminating the need for an internal battery.
• Network & Fees: Supports dual networks (Visa for global, RuPay for UPI). It carries an annual fee of ₹499 (waived on ₹3 lakh spend).
• Rewards: Offers a unified points system yielding up to 12% on select platforms, 5% on everyday spends, and 2.5% on UPI transactions.

Economy & Business

JSW Steel Board Approves Proposal to Sign Pact with POSCO for JV
The Board of JSW Steel Limited approved a proposal to form a Joint Venture (JV) with South Korea’s POSCO Group to establish a massive 6 Million Tonnes Per Annum (MTPA) integrated steel plant in Odisha.

• 50:50 JV: Saffron Resources Private Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of JSW Steel, will be transformed into a 50:50 JV between JSW and POSCO.
• Equity Subscription: POSCO Group will acquire equity shares of Saffron Resources for roughly ₹508.8 crore.
• Timeline: The massive transaction is expected to be finalized by December 31, 2026.

Awards & Recognitions

Bollywood Actress Sayani Gupta Named Person of the Year by Harvard SAA
Bollywood actress Sayani Gupta was named the South Asian ‘Person of the Year’ by the Harvard University South Asian Association (SAA), recognizing her exceptional contributions to film, storytelling, and representation.

• Person of the Year Award: Presented annually by Harvard University, it honors individuals whose work has significantly influenced global perceptions of South Asian talent across arts, leadership, and public service.
• Legacy: She succeeds Michelin-star Chef Vikas Khanna, who won the prestigious award in 2025.

Science & Technology

USA Unveils Space Nuclear Power Plan, Targets Moon Reactor by 2030
The USA’s Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) launched the National Space Technology Memorandum-3 (NSTM-3), an aggressive initiative to deploy low- to mid-power nuclear reactors in orbit, on the Moon, and on Mars in the 2030s.

• Moon Reactor: NASA is tasked with starting a program within 30 days to develop a mid-power lunar surface reactor, expected to launch by 2030.
• Orbital Reactor: The US Department of Defense has been mandated to develop a mission-ready in-space reactor by 2031.
• Key Role of DOE: The Department of Energy (DOE) will assess within 60 days if the US reactor industry is capable of building up to 4 space reactors within 5 years.

NASA Announces SpaceX to Launch Rosalind Franklin Rover to Mars in 2028
NASA announced that SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket will launch the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Rosalind Franklin rover to Mars in 2028 from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

• Objective: The rover will drill up to 2 meters beneath the Martian surface to search for signs of past or present microbial life, becoming the first Mars rover to explore subsurface environments.
• Project Framework: Approved under the Rosalind Franklin Support and Augmentation (ROSA) project, part of the wider ExoMars mission.
• NASA's Role: Will provide critical support including launch services, landing platform braking engines, and radioisotope heater units to maintain internal temperatures.

Books & Authors

NITI Aayog Launches “Divya Bharat: A Window to the Soul of India” Anthology
NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Suman Bery launched "Divya Bharat", a curated tourism anthology designed to showcase India’s rich cultural heritage, traditions, and diverse destinations on a global scale.

• Framework: Follows a month-wise seasonal travel calendar that promotes experiential tourism through local communities and lifestyles.
• Content: Features around 3,000 curated entries, including 2,100 tourist destinations and 1,200 cultural listings covering heritage, festivals, cuisine, and lesser-known sites.
• Alignment: Heavily supports national initiatives like Dekho Apna Desh and Swadesh Darshan.

State News

Meghalaya Govt Approves Khasi, Garo as Official State Languages
The Meghalaya Cabinet, led by CM Conrad K. Sangma, approved the ‘Meghalaya Official Languages Ordinance, 2026’, officially declaring Khasi and Garo as official state languages alongside English.

• Objective: To strictly preserve and promote regional languages widely spoken by local tribal communities.
• Legislative Amendment: Amends the 1980 Act, allowing MLAs to formally speak and debate in Khasi and Garo inside the State Assembly.
• Implementation: Will be rolled out in phases, allowing state-level examinations to be conducted in these languages while English remains the common link for inter-district communication.

CDS Anil Chauhan Flags Off ‘Surya Devbhoomi Challenge 2.0’ in Uttarakhand
Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan formally flagged off the 2nd edition of the ‘Surya Devbhoomi Challenge 2.0’, a brutal high-altitude endurance event in Badrinath, Uttarakhand.

• Organiser: The 113-kilometer expedition is organized by the Indian Army in strategic partnership with IconMetrix, covering the 3 sacred Kedars (Kalpeshwar, Rudranath, Tungnath).
• Key Role of IconMetrix: Ensures the expedition targets a pan-India demographic, ranging from running clubs in Gujarat to trail communities in West Bengal.
• Significance: Expected to drastically boost tourism and generate employment in border villages under the Vibrant Village Programme (VVP).

Important Days at a Glance