16th April 2026

1. DoP & PMML Signs MoU to Preserve India’s Democratic Heritage
2. Indian Army Launches ‘Radio Sikkim Sundari’ to Boost Border Connectivity in Sikkim
3. IAF and GE Aerospace Sign Agreement to Set Up F404 Engine Depot Facility in India
4. Overview of 9th Indian Ocean Conference held in Port Louis, Mauritius
5. Visa, HDFC Bank Launches ‘FIFA World Cup 2026 Pixel Credit Card’
6. 2026 Badminton Asia Championships South Korea Tops, India’s Ayush Shetty Claims Silver
7. International Day for Street Children 2026
8. Vietnam’s Vingroup and Maharashtra Inks USD 6.5 billion Multi-Sector Investment Pact
9. TIME100 2026: Full List of World’s Most Influential People and Key Trends
10. FICCI Names Anant Swarup as Secretary General, Takes Charge from April 14, 2026
11. Amelie Kerr Wins ICC Women’s Player of the Month for March 2026
12. Sanju Samson Wins ICC Men’s Player of the Month for March 2026 After T20 World Cup Heroics
13. India Unemployment Rate Rises to 5.1% in March 2026, Hits Five-Month High
14. Narendra Modi Inaugurates Sri Guru Bhairavaikya Mandira in Karnataka
15. World Voice Day 2026: Origin, Theme and Significance of the Day
16. Karnataka High Court Directs State to Implement Menstrual Leave Policy Across All Sectors
17. R Vaishali Wins Women’s Candidates Tournament 2026, Qualifies for World Championship

State News

Indian Army Launches Sikkim Border Radio Station

• What: Indian Army’s Trishakti Corps launched Sikkim’s first border village community radio station ‘88.4 FM Radio Sikkim Sundari’ to improve communication and information access in remote high-altitude areas facing connectivity challenges.
• Tell me more:
  • The Indian Army has expanded similar community radio initiatives –
    • Radio Sangam – Rajouri district, Jammu & Kashmir
    • Ibex Tarana – Jyotirmath, Uttarakhand
    • AIR Humbatingla – Humbatingla region, Ladakh
    • AIR Drass – Drass region, Ladakh
    • AIR Nyoma – Nyoma region, Ladakh
    • AIR Khalsi – Khalsi region, Ladakh
    • Radio Anlay – Hanle region, Ladakh

Vingroup Commits $8.5 Billion Investment in Maharashtra

• Vietnam-based Vingroup signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Maharashtra government entities to invest $8.5 billion over two years across multiple sectors, aiming to create about 24,700 jobs and support infrastructure and mobility development.

PM Modi Inaugurates Sri Guru Bairavaikya Mandira in Mandya, Karnataka

• What: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate Sri Guru Bairavaikya Mandira at Srikshetra Adichunchanagiri mutt in Mandya, Karnataka.
• Tell me more:
  • The temple is dedicated to Sri Guru Bairavaikya, which represents the spiritual lineage (gurus) of the Adichunchanagiri mutt.
  • The mandira architecture is inspired by Konark Sun Temple and incorporates designs from Hoysala, Cholas, Chalukyas and Gangas.

Karnataka HC Links Menstrual Health To Article 21

• What: Karnataka High Court declared menstrual health as part of right to life under Article 21 and directed the State to strictly implement its menstrual leave policy providing one day monthly leave to eligible women employees.
• Tell me more:
  • The policy mandates one day paid leave per month for women aged 18 to 52 across public and private sectors, amounting to up to 12 days annually.
  • The Court referred to Supreme Court ruling in Jaya Thakur vs Union of India linking menstrual health to Article 21.

International News

9th Indian Ocean Conference in Port Louis, Mauritius

• India Foundation (Delhi-based think tank), in partnership with the Government of Mauritius, organized the 9th Indian Ocean Conference (IOC 2026) held from April 10-12 in Port Louis.
• Focus of this meeting: Collective Stewardship for the Indian Ocean
• External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar held bilateral meetings with leaders of Mauritius, Seychelles and Bhutan on the sidelines of the 9th Indian Ocean Conference in Port Louis to strengthen diplomatic partnerships.
• Indian Ocean Rim Association HQ – Mauritius
• Indian Ocean Rim Association Current Chair – India

Banking and Economy

Visa and HDFC Launch FIFA Credit Card Campaign

• What: Visa and HDFC Bank launched a limited-edition FIFA World Cup 2026 Pixel Credit Card and a nationwide Spend & Win campaign to offer Indian consumers rewards like match packages and merchandise through everyday card usage.
• Tell me more:
  • The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico with an expanded 48-team format from June 11 to July 19, 2026.
  • A Spend & Win campaign means a promotional scheme where customers earn rewards by spending money using their cards.

Unemployment Rises to Five-Month High in March 2026

• Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) data showed unemployment rate increased to 5.1% in March from 4.9% in February, driven mainly by rising urban unemployment, with higher joblessness among women and youth.

Reports and Indices

TIME100 2026: World’s Most Influential People

• This list is divided into categories under which the most influential people are mentioned. The categories are Artists, Pioneers, Titans, Icons, Leaders, and Innovators.
• Indians and Indian-origin people on the list:

Defence News

GE Aerospace Signs Deal For Tejas Engine Facility

• What: GE Aerospace signed a contract with the Indian Air Force (IAF) to establish an in-country depot facility for F404-IN20 engines used in Light Combat Aircraft Tejas to strengthen repair, overhaul, and sustainment capabilities in India.
• Tell me more:
  • The benefit for India is that Indian Air Force (IAF) will repair and maintain engines within the country, which will reduce dependence on foreign repair centres and improve turnaround time.
  • GE Aerospace engines also power Indian Navy P-8I aircraft, MH60R helicopters, IAF AH-64 Apache helicopters, and INS Vikrant aircraft carrier.

Awards

ICC Player of the Month for March 2026

• Men’s – India opener Sanju Samson
• Women’s – New Zealand all-rounder Amelia Kerr
• Men’s Cricketer of the Year 2024 – Jasprit Bumrah
• Women’s Cricketer of the Year 2024 – Amelia Kerr

Important Days

International Day for Street Children 2026 – April 12

• Theme of the day is “Protect, Not Punish: Strengthening Access to Justice for Street-Connected Children”. It is set up by the “Project: Right To Truth”, an Indian organization.

World Voice Day – April 16

• Theme: Caring for Our Voices!

Sports

Ayush Shetty Wins Silver at Asian Badminton Championships

• Ayush Shetty won the silver medal at the Asian Badminton Championships after losing the final to Shi Yuqi of China.
• An Seyoung (Republic of Korea) won women’s singles.
• Venue – Ningbo, China
  • This city in also hosted the 2024 and 2025 editions of the tournament.

R Vaishali Wins FIDE Candidates Tournament Title

• R Vaishali won the FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament 2026 in Cyprus and became the first Indian to win the title, securing qualification for the World Championship match against reigning champion Ju Wenjun later this year.

Memorandum of Understanding

DoP And PMML Sign MoU For Heritage

• What: Department of Posts (DoP) and Prime Minister’s Museum and Library (PMML) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen collaboration in preserving and presenting India’s democratic and national journey at Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya.
• Tell me more:
  • The MoU was signed on the 4th foundation day of the Prime Minister’s Museum on April 14 at Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya in New Delhi.
  • Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia inaugurated a philatelic exhibition titled “Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat: Celebrating India’s Unity and Democracy through Postage Stamps”. A philatelic exhibition is an exhibition of postage stamps and related items.
  • The Department of Posts will establish a permanent outlet at the museum under the agreement.

Appointments

Ficci Appoints Anant Swarup as Secretary General

• Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Ficci) appointed Anant Swarup as Secretary General with immediate effect, and Jyoti Vij continues to serve as Director General.

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