03rd-05th March 2026

1. MoD inks Rs 5,083 crore contracts for ALH Mk-III (MR) & VL-Shtil missiles
2. Indian Navy commissions ‘Dolphin Hunter’ INS Anjadip‘ at Chennai Port, TN
3. Overview of PM Narendra Modi’s visit to TN and Puducherry
4. Union MoS Dr Jitendra Singh Inaugurates Central Facility for Recombinant Cells and Sensors at BRIC-RGCB, Kerala
5. ISA and IIT Delhi FFA to Advance Solar Skills Across Member Countries
6. HCLTech and IIT Kanpur Partner to Drive Deep Tech Innovation for GCCs
7. Nagaland Signs MoU with IMD to Boost Weather Forecasting
8. RBI Imposes Rs 11.50 Lakh Penalty on Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services
9. Bharti Airtel, Google Partners to Launch Secure RCS Messaging in India
10. Zero Discrimination Day 2026
11. World Civil Defence Day 2026
12. World Seagrass Day 2026
13. Civil Accounts Day 2026
14. World Hearing Day 2026
15. National Safety Day 2026
16. International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness 2026
17. World Obesity Day 2026; India Overtakes US in Childhood Obesity With 20 Million Children
18. India INX GA partners HSBC IBU to Expand Overseas Investment Access via GIFT City
19. TIME Women of the Year 2026: Safeena Husain founder of Educate Girls Features Among 16 Global Leaders
20. Veteran Congress Leader and Former Union Minister KP Unnikrishnan Passed Away
21. VP CP Radhakrishnan Releases 16 publications on renowned Tamil scholars, heritage, architecture & culture
22. Dr Mansukh Mandaviya Releases Book ‘Mahatma: A Great Communicator’ in New Delhi
23. Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini Presents Rs 2.23 lakh crore Budget for FY27
24. Indian Navy Signs Contract with Shoft Shipyard for 4 Self-Propelled Fuel Barges
25. Jio Platforms Appoints Dan Bailey as President to Lead International Business
26. Veteran Journalist & Former Diplomat H.K. Dua Passes Away
27. Telangana’s SERP Partners with TBIS, T-Hub & WE Hub to Launch Rs.12.66 Crore Challenge Fund
28. Ashmolean Museum Returns 16th Century Saint Thirumankai Alvar Idol to India
29. Indian Women’s Cricket Team Nominated for 2026 Laureus World Team of the Year
30. Indian Army and Ladakh Forest Department Sign MoU to Protect Snow Leopard
31. Project HANUMAN Launched to Address Growing Human Wildlife Conflict
32. Meet Saba Shawl: The First Kashmiri Woman to Head Central Jail Srinagar
33. Debrigarh Sanctuary To Showcases Rich Wildlife in Second Indian Bison Fest

National News

Central Facility for Recombinant Cells and Sensors Inaugurated at BRIC-RGCB

• What: Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh inaugurated the Central Facility for Recombinant Cells and Sensors at Biotechnology Research and Innovation Council–Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (BRIC-RGCB) in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
• Tell me more:
  • The facility will help scientists find and test new medicines more easily and support research on genes related to human health and crops using special lab-made cells and advanced testing systems.
  • The facility was inaugurated at the BRIC-RGCB Akkulam campus in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
  • A book titled “Quantum Physics: One Hundred Magical Years” by V. P. N. Nampoori was released.
  • India’s bioeconomy grew from about $10 billion to about $166 billion in the past decade. The national bioeconomy target is about $300 billion in coming years.
  • Biotechnology start-ups increased from about 50–70 in 2014 to more than 11,000.
  • The event was organised during National Science Day (28 February).

International Solar Alliance and Indian Institute of Technology Delhi sign Framework for Action on solar energy capacity building

• What: International Solar Alliance (ISA) and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi signed a Framework for Action to strengthen solar energy skills, academic cooperation and technology collaboration, supporting human resource development and the global transition toward renewable energy.
• Tell me more:
  • The programme will be conducted with Institut National de l’Énergie Solaire of France.
  • A one-year post-graduate diploma using the “Train-the-Trainers” model will be introduced.

HCLTech and IIT Kanpur sign pact to convert research into scalable solutions for Global Capability Centres

• • What: HCL Technologies and IIT Kanpur signed a collaboration to convert academic research into real-world pilots and scalable solutions for Global Capability Centres, supporting research-led innovation in advanced engineering and deep technology sectors.
  • Tell me more:
    • Global Capability Centres (GCCs) are offices set up by global companies in another country to handle important work like technology, research and business operations for their worldwide activities.

State News

Prime Minister Launches Development Projects Worth ₹2,700 Crore in Puducherry

• What: Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated and laid foundation stones for development projects worth over ₹2,700 crore in Puducherry, focusing on infrastructure, healthcare, tourism, education, and industrial development.
• Tell me more:
  • Global Spirituality Mahotsav 2026 inaugurated at Auroville, reflecting the vision of Sri Aurobindo and Mirra Alfassa.
  • East Coast Industrial Corridor will improve connectivity between Puducherry, Chennai, Bengaluru and Coimbatore, supporting tourism, trade and industry.

Nagaland signs MoU with India Meteorological Department for weather forecasting and atmospheric research

• What: Department of Higher Education Nagaland signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
• Why: To strengthen weather forecasting and atmospheric research in the state and improve understanding of weather hazards in Nagaland.
• Tell me more:
  • The radar will be installed under the Centre’s Mission Mausam scheme. The MoU will remain valid for twenty years.

Haryana presents ₹2.23 lakh crore Budget for FY2026–27

• What: Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini presented the state budget for financial year 2026–27 with an outlay of ₹2.23 lakh crore, focusing on capital spending, farm power supply, clean air initiatives and climate resilience.
• Tell me more:
  • The World Bank approved financial assistance of ₹2,716 crore for the Haryana Clean Air Project.
  • The budget proposes creating Haryana Agri Discom as a third power distribution company. The initiative aims to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply to farms across the state.
  • The budget proposes creation of the Haryana Green Climate Resilience Fund with ₹100 crore to support investments in zero-emission vehicles, renewable energy, energy efficiency, water conservation, urban greening and climate-resilient agriculture.

Telangana’s T-Hub launched Challenge Fund to promote rural entrepreneurship

• What: Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty launched a ₹12.66 crore Challenge Fund with partners to promote rural entrepreneurship and support more than 300 women and young entrepreneurs through institutional support and business capacity building.
• Tell me more:
  • The initiative is implemented with Technology Business Incubator Society at BITS Pilani Hyderabad, T-Hub and WE HUB.
  • The programme is supported by Union Ministry of Rural Development.

Indian Army and Ladakh department sign MoU for wildlife conservation

• What: Indian Army signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Forest, Ecology and Environment Department of Ladakh on World Wildlife Day to conserve wildlife species and protect fragile high-altitude ecosystems of Ladakh.
• Tell me more:
  • The MoU focuses on conservation of Snow Leopard, Himalayan Wolf, Bharal, Ibex, Marmot and Black-necked Crane.
  • The initiative works under the Global Snow Leopard Ecosystem Forum.
• Knowledge Nuggets:
  • In 2012, Kyrgyzstan started an initiative to protect snow leopards and mountain ecosystems.
  • In October 2013, the First International Forum on Snow Leopard Conservation was held in Bishkek, where leaders adopted the Bishkek Declaration and approved the Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection Program (GSLEP).

Andhra Pradesh launches Project HANUMAN to reduce human–wildlife conflict

• What: Andhra Pradesh Government launched Project HANUMAN on World Wildlife Day 2026 to address human–wildlife conflict by rescuing, treating, rehabilitating and monitoring injured wildlife and strengthening rapid response systems across the state.
• Tell me more:
  • Project HANUMAN stands for Healing and Nurturing Units for Monitoring, Aid and Nursing of Wildlife.

Odisha’s Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary to host second Indian Bison Fest

• What: Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary in Bargarh district of Odisha will host the second edition of the two-day Indian Bison Fest on March 8 at Zeropoint to promote conservation awareness of the Indian bison.
• Tell me more:
  • The festival celebrates the Indian bison, locally called Gayala, in the Debrigarh–Hirakud landscape.

International News

Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum returns 16th century bronze idol to India

• What: Ashmolean Museum of University of Oxford returned a 16th century bronze idol of Saint Thirumankai Alvar to India for its return to Shri Soundararaja Perumal temple in Thadikombu, Tamil Nadu.
• Tell me more:
  • Ashmolean Museum acquired the idol in a Sotheby’s auction in 1967.

Banking and Economy

RBI imposes penalty on Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services for regulatory violations

• RBI imposed a monetary penalty of ₹11.50 lakh on Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services Limited for non-compliance with Fair Practices Code and Internal Ombudsman directions identified during inspection for the financial year ended March 31, 2025.

Google and Airtel introduce anti-spam protection for Rich Communications Services messaging

• What: Google partnered with Bharti Airtel to introduce Artificial Intelligence powered spam filters and anti-fraud protection for Rich Communications Services (RCS) messaging in the Google Messages app to help protect mobile users in India from rising online scams.
• Tell me more:
  • Rich Communications Services (RCS) is a newer messaging system that replaces Short Message Service (SMS) and Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS).
  • It allows sending high-quality photos and videos, group chats, read receipts, and messaging over Wi-Fi or mobile data.

India INX and HSBC IFSC Banking Unit partner to expand global investment access through GIFT City

• • What: India International Exchange (India INX) announced a partnership between India INX Global Access IFSC (India INX GA) and HSBC International Financial Services Centre Banking Unit (HSBC IBU).
  • Tell me more:
    • The partnership will give Indian investors structured access to global investment products, allowing participation in international markets and helping investors invest beyond domestic assets through a regulated framework in GIFT City.
    • It will allow HSBC IBU clients to access international investment products through the India INX GA platform.
    • India INX Global Access IFSC (India INX GA) is a company officially approved by the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) to provide Indian investors access to global investment products through the IFSC in GIFT City.
    • MD and CEO, India INX – Vijay Krishnamurthy

Reports and Indices

India ranks second globally for childhood overweight and obesity in World Obesity Atlas 2026

• What: World Obesity Atlas 2026 reported that India ranks second globally after China in the number of children who are overweight or living with obesity, highlighting growing public health risks for the young population.
• Tell me more:
  • India ranks first within the World Health Organization South-East Asia Region with more than 45 million young people aged zero to nineteen overweight or living with obesity.
  • China had about 62 million children with high Body Mass Index and 33 million children with obesity.
  • The United States had about 27 million children with high Body Mass Index and 13 million children with obesity.
  • The World Obesity Atlas reported that over 20.7% of children aged 5–19 worldwide are overweight or living with obesity now, reflecting a 14.6% increase since 2010.

Defence News

Defence Ministry Signs ₹5,083 Crore Contracts for Helicopters and Missile Systems

• What: Ministry of Defence signed contracts worth ₹5,083 crore for six Advanced Light Helicopters Mk-III for the Indian Coast Guard and Surface-to-Air Vertical Launch Shtil missiles for the Indian Navy to strengthen maritime security and air defence.
• Tell me more:
  • The contract has been signed with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Bengaluru.
  • Procurement is under the Buy (Indian-Indigenously Designed Developed and Manufactured) category.
  • India signed the contract for Surface-to-Air Vertical Launch – Shtil missiles with Joint Stock Company Rosoboronexport of the Russian Federation.
  • Rosoboronexport is Russia’s state-owned defence export agency.

Indian Navy Commissions INS Anjadip Anti-Submarine Warfare Craft

• What: Indian Navy commissioned INS Anjadip, a next-generation Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft. The ship is described as a “Dolphin Hunter”.
• Tell me more:
  • The name continues the legacy of a Petya-class corvette named Anjadip.
  • The vessel, built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers, Kolkata, is the third ship in the eight-ship Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft project.
  • INS Anjadip was commissioned by Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi at Chennai Port and will operate under the Eastern Naval Command.
  • The ship is named after Anjadip island near Karwar in Karnataka, which witnessed naval action during the 1961 Goa liberation operations.
  • The Indian Navy commissioned 12 warships and one submarine in 2025 and plans to induct about 15 more ships in 2026.

Indian Navy signs contract for four 500T self-propelled fuel barges

• What: Indian Navy signed a contract with Shoft Shipyard Private Limited, Thane for construction of four 500T self-propelled fuel barges, supporting Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiatives and strengthening domestic shipbuilding capacity.
• Tell me more:
  • Shoft Shipyard Private Limited is a Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises shipyard located in Thane. The barges will be built under the classification rules of Indian Register of Shipping.
  • Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) is an organisation that works to make ships and sea operations safe, reliable, and high-quality. It checks ships and sets standards so that maritime activities follow proper safety and quality rules.

Awards

Educate Girls becomes first Indian nonprofit to receive Ramon Magsaysay Award

• What: Educate Girls, a Mumbai-based nonprofit founded by Safeena Husain, became the first Indian nonprofit to receive the Ramon Magsaysay Award for its work helping more than two million girls in remote villages return to school.
• Tell me more:
  • In 2019, Educate Girls became the first Asian organisation chosen for support by the Audacious Project, a social-impact funding programme that operates under TED.
  • The book “Every Last Girl: A Journey to Educate India’s Forgotten Daughters” was written by Safeena Husain.
  • TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design. It is a nonprofit organisation that shares ideas through short talks by experts. These talks are widely known as TED Talks.
• Knowledge Nuggets:
  • The Ramon Magsaysay Award is an international award given every year to people or organisations in Asia for important work in public service, leadership, community service and social change. It started in 1957 and is often called “Asia’s Nobel Prize.”
  • Winners are announced on August 31, the birth anniversary of former Philippines President Ramon Magsaysay. The award medal and certificate are presented in a ceremony in Manila, Philippines, in November of the same year.

Important Days

Zero Discrimination Day 2026 – March 1

• This year’s Zero Discrimination Day highlights the need to put people first.

World Civil Defence Day 2026 – March 1

• Theme: Managing Environmental Risks for a Resilient and Sustainable Future

World Seagrass Day 2026 – March 1

• What: UN Focus: Healthy seagrass, healthy planet
  • In May 2022, the UN General Assembly declared 1 March as World Seagrass Day.
  • International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) announced fourteen community-led seagrass conservation projects in the Western Indian Ocean under the Western Indian Ocean Coastal and Ocean Resilience (WIOCOR) project on this day.
• Tell me more:
  • The projects fall under the Blue Nature Pillar of the Great Blue Wall Initiative.
    • The Great Blue Wall Initiative is a major Africa-led marine conservation effort focused on the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region.
  • The projects will be implemented in Comoros, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique and Tanzania. The Western Indian Ocean region has thirteen reported species of seagrass.
  • The projects are supported through the Western Indian Ocean Coastal and Ocean Resilience project.
  • Funding support comes from the French Facility for Global Environment and the ReSea project funded by Global Affairs Canada.
  • Seagrasses cover less than 1% of the planet’s surface. Seagrasses store up to 18% of the ocean’s carbon. Seagrasses provide nursery habitat for up to 20% of the world’s largest fisheries.

50th Civil Accounts Day – March 1, 2026

World Hearing Day 2026 – March 3

• Theme: From communities to classrooms: hearing care for all children

National Safety Day – March 4

• This year, in 2026, it is celebrating the 55th National Safety Week under the theme “Engage, Educate & Empower People to Enhance Safety“.
• The National Safety Council of India observes National Safety Day on March 4 to mark its establishment in 1966.
• National Safety Day was first formally celebrated in 1972, and the week-long campaign has since been used to spread safety awareness across industries.

International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness 2026 – March 5

World Obesity Day 2026 – March 4

Sports

India women’s cricket team nominated for Laureus World Team of the Year Award 2026

• What: India women’s cricket team was nominated for the Laureus World Team of the Year Award 2026 after winning their first Cricket World Cup title, becoming the first women’s cricket team globally to receive this nomination.
• Tell me more:
  • The nomination followed the team’s victory in their first Cricket World Cup. India defeated South Africa in the final to win the title.
  • The team is led by Harmanpreet Kaur.
  • Other nominees include England women’s football team, European Ryder Cup team, Paris Saint-Germain and McLaren Formula One team.
  • Laureus World Sports Academy jury will select the winners. The award ceremony will be held at Cibeles Palace in Madrid on April 20.

Appointments

Jio Platforms appoints Dan Bailey as President for international business

• What: Jio Platforms Limited appointed Dan Bailey as President to lead its international business, marking the company’s first leadership appointment focused on expanding its operations and digital services in global markets.
• Tell me more:
  • Dan Bailey will be based in London and report to Akash Ambani, Chairman of Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited.
  • He most recently served as Chairman of Deutsche Bank’s technology, media and telecom practice.

Saba Shawl becomes first Kashmiri woman to head Srinagar Central Jail

Miscellaneous

Veteran Congress Leader and Former Union Minister KP Unnikrishnan Passed Away

Vice President releases 16 books published by Publications Division

• What: Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan released sixteen books published by Publications Division of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in New Delhi, promoting literature and supporting efforts to preserve and share India’s cultural heritage.
• Tell me more:
  • The books include fourteen in Tamil language and one each in Hindi and English.

Mansukh Mandaviya releases book “Mahatma: A Great Communicator”

• What: Union Minister of Labour and Employment and Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandaviya released the book “Mahatma: A Great Communicator” at Gandhi Darshan, Rajghat in New Delhi.
• Tell me more:
  • The book was written by Additional Director General of Akashvani, Dhiraj Kakadia.
  • CEO of Prasar Bharati – Shri Gaurav Dwivedi (IAS)

Former Hindustan Times editor-in-chief Hari Krishan Dua passes away

• What: Former editor-in-chief of Hindustan Times Hari Krishan Dua died after a brief illness, marking the loss of a senior journalist who held leading editorial roles, served in the Rajya Sabha and worked as India’s Ambassador to Denmark.
• Tell me more:
  • He served as media adviser to former Prime Ministers H. D. Deve Gowda and Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
  • Hari Krishan Dua was nominated as a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha. He later served as India’s Ambassador to Denmark.

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