23rd April 2026

1. MoEFCC Declares Area Around UP’s Barasingha WLS as ESZ
2. India and Bhutan hold 7th Joint Group of Customs (JGC) meeting in Munnar, Kerala
3. MoD Inks Rs.975 Crore Contract for TRAWL Assembly for T-72/T-90 Tanks
4. IIT Ropar Launches India’s First Integrated Agricultural Intelligence Ecosystem
5. FedEx, IIT-M Completes India’s 1st Intra-City Drone Delivery
6. Overview of Vice President C P Radhakrishnan Visit to Sri Lanka
7. Karnataka Bank Partners with Pine Labs to Enhance Digital Payment Solutions
8. NBBL Onboards PLI as Insurance Biller on Bharat Connect Platform
9. ADNIC Secures Licence to Establish Reinsurance Branch at GIFT City, Gujarat
10. Tata Steel Signs Pact with SMS Group to Deploy World’s First EASyMelt Technology
11. WEF’s Young Global Leaders Class of 2026: 10 Indians Featured Including Jay Shah and Isha Ambani
12. Ex-Rajya Sabha Member Dr Gopalrao Patil Passed Away
13. International Mother Earth Day – April 22
14. India’s New Online Gaming Rules Kick In from May 1, 2026 – What to Expect
15. Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nadendla Bhaskar Rao Passes Away in Hyderabad
16. India Launches ‘VM Frames’ Film Contest Celebrate 150 Years of Vande Mataram Through Storytelling
17. India Textile Exports Growth 2025-26: Rise by 2.1% to ₹3.16 Lakh Crore
18. English Language Day 2026
19. World Book Day 2026
20. Tashkent to Host World Para Athletics Championships 2027 in June
21. HDFC Life Reappoints Vibha Padalkar as MD & CEO for Five-Year Term
22. Abhishek Sharma First Indian To Do So In IPL History
23. Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope Enters Final Testing Phase After Assembly Completion
24. Moody’s Cuts India GDP Growth Forecast to 6% for FY27
25. India Adds 99th Ramsar Site with Inclusion of Shekha Jheel in Uttar Pradesh
26. New Sugar Policy Proposal: 25 km Gap for Sugar Mills to Reshape Industry Structure
27. India’s Seafood Exports Hit Record ₹72,325 Crore in FY 2025-26: Marine Products Export Development Authority Data
28. 90% of World Heritage Sites in Danger? UNESCO Report Raises Alarm
29. Fiscal deficit may breach target, hit 4.5% in FY27

National News

Vice President Visit Strengthens India Sri Lanka Relations

• What: Vice President CP Radhakrishnan concluded a two-day visit to Sri Lanka, where he reviewed development projects, held high-level meetings, and highlighted strengthened bilateral ties and cooperation.
• Tell me more:
  • Vice President CP Radhakrishnan reviewed housing projects, announced expansion of Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) scheme and scholarships, marked Phase III completion, held bilateral talks, and visited cultural sites during the visit.

Government Notifies Online Gaming Rules Under PROG Act

• What: The government notified the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Rules, 2026, to operationalise the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming (PROG) Act, 2025 from May 1 for regulating online gaming and ensuring user safety.
• Tell me more:
  • The Online Gaming Authority of India operates as a digital-first regulator under Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
  • The Authority includes members from home affairs, finance, information and broadcasting, sports, and law ministries.
  • The rules classify games, regulate online money gaming, mandate platform obligations and user safety features, create grievance systems, and impose penalties for violations.

Culture Ministry Launches VM Frames Filmmaking Competition

• What: Ministry of Culture launched “VM Frames”, a national filmmaking competition, to commemorate 150 years of Vande Mataram by inviting citizens to present its spirit through visual storytelling.
• Tell me more:
  • Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay wrote Vande Mataram in his novel ‘Anandmath’ (1882).
  • The competition includes three categories: Reels, AI-based Films, and Short Films.
  • Awards & Recognition of this competition:

Government Proposes New Sugar Sector Regulation Framework

• What: Union government proposed Sugarcane (Control) Order, 2026 to expand regulation to ethanol production, increase mill distance to 25 km (from 15 km), and give more powers to states.
• Tell me more:
  • The rule fixes a larger exclusive area for each mill, so nearby mills cannot operate within 25 km and cannot compete for the same farmers’ sugarcane supply.
  • The draft brings khandsari units under regulatory framework. Khandsari is a type of raw, unrefined sugar made in small, local units using traditional methods, without full industrial processing like regular refined sugar.
  • India’s ethanol production capacity is about 20 billion litres under E20 blending programme.
  • The draft introduces search and seizure provisions under Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023.

State News

Environment Ministry Proposes ESZ Around UP Sanctuary

• What: The Environment Ministry issued a draft notification declaring 408.7 sq km around Barasingha Wildlife Sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh as an Eco-Sensitive Zone to regulate activities and protect the surrounding ecosystem.
• Tell me more:
  • The Barasingha Wildlife Sanctuary is located across Muzaffarnagar, Meerut, Hapur, Bijnor, and Amroha districts in Uttar Pradesh.

Shekha Jheel Bird Sanctuary Declared Ramsar Site

• What: Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav announced the designation of Shekha Jheel Bird Sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh as a Ramsar site, making it the state’s 12th and India’s 99th Ramsar site.
• Tell me more:
  • The sanctuary serves as a key stopover on the Central Asian Flyway and provides habitat for migratory birds such as Bar-headed Goose, Painted Stork, and various duck species during winter.

International News

NASA Completes Assembly of Roman Space Telescope

• What: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) completed the final assembly of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope at Goddard Space Flight Center.
• Tell me more:
  • The telescope is named after NASA’s first chief astronomer Nancy Grace Roman.
  • The telescope will be transported to Kennedy Space Center for launch preparation and features a 2.4 metre primary mirror with a field of view around 100 times greater than Hubble Space Telescope.
  • The telescope will launch aboard SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket and operate at Lagrange Point 2 nearly one million miles from Earth.

Banking and Economy

India and Bhutan Hold Seventh Customs Cooperation Meeting

• What: The 7th Joint Group of Customs (JGC) Meeting between India and Bhutan was held on 20–21 April 2026 in Munnar, Kerala to discuss customs cooperation, trade facilitation, and border management.
• Tell me more:
  • Both sides reaffirmed commitment to strengthen customs cooperation and ensure secure cross-border trade under the Agreement on Trade, Commerce and Transit.
  • India remained Bhutan’s largest trading partner and accounted for nearly 80% of Bhutan’s total trade, while bilateral trade exceeded $1.9 billion in FY 2024–25 and recorded over 46% growth.
  • Both sides discussed Coordinated Border Management (CBM), MoU on pre-arrival exchange of customs data, digitization of customs processes, and transit cargo under Electronic Cargo Tracking System (ECTS).

FedEx Completes Intra City Drone Delivery Trials

• Federal Express Corporation (FedEx) completed India’s first intra-city drone delivery flight trials in Bengaluru with Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras to test faster aerial logistics routes at the FedEx SMART Centre at IIT Madras.

Karnataka Bank Partners with Pine Labs for Payments

• Karnataka Bank partnered with Pine Labs to give special payment machines (point-of-sale (PoS) from Pine Labs to shops and businesses so they can accept digital payments like cards easily.

NBBL Adds Postal Life Insurance on Bharat Connect

• What: National Payments Corporation of India Bharat BillPay Limited (NBBL) onboarded Postal Life Insurance (PLI) as a biller on Bharat Connect.
• Tell me more:
  • It allows policyholders of Postal Life Insurance to pay their insurance premiums easily through Bharat Connect using apps or nearby agents, instead of using traditional payment methods.
  • State Bank of India acts as the Biller Operating Unit for this integration, meaning it manages and supports the system that connects Postal Life Insurance with Bharat Connect, so premium payments can be processed smoothly.

ADNIC Receives Reinsurance Licence in GIFT City

• What: Abu Dhabi National Insurance Company (ADNIC) received a licence to undertake reinsurance business from GIFT City, India’s first International Financial Services Centre (IFSC), effective from 1 April 2026.
• Tell me more:
  • It means ADNIC can now operate from GIFT City in India to provide reinsurance services, expand its business, and support trade and investment between India and the United Arab Emirates.
  • MD & CEO of GIFT City: Sanjay Kaul
  • Chairman – Nominee of Government of Gujarat – Shri Uday Kotak

Tata Steel to Deploy EASyMelt Low Carbon Technology

• What: Tata Steel signed an agreement with Paul Wurth SA, part of SMS Group GmbH, to use EASyMelt technology at its Jamshedpur plant to make steel in a cleaner way and reduce carbon emissions by over 50%.
• Tell me more:
  • Paul Wurth SA is based in Luxembourg. SMS group GmbH headquarters is in Germany.

India Textile Exports Rise Despite US Tariffs

• What: India’s textile exports increased by 2.1% to ₹3.16 lakh crore in FY 2025–26 despite high tariffs imposed by the United States, showing steady global demand and sector competitiveness.
• Tell me more:
  • United States imposed tariffs starting at 10% in April 2025 and increased to 50% by August 2025 until February 2026.
  • Export growth occurred in more than 120 destinations during April 2025 to February 2026.

India Fiscal Deficit May Rise in FY27: Fitch

• What: BMI, a unit of Fitch Solutions, projected India’s fiscal deficit to rise to 4.5% of GDP in FY27 from the target of 4.3% due to higher subsidy spending and policy measures.
• Tell me more:
  • The government may increase subsidy spending on energy and fertilisers from about 1.5% of GDP due to the US-Iran conflict and use the ₹1 trillion Economic Stabilisation Fund to provide subsidies and tax relief.

Reports and Indices

UNESCO’s Report: 90% of World Heritage Sites in Danger

• It says that nearly 90% of UNESCO-designated sites face growing risks due to climate change, land-use pressures, and other human impacts, which threaten their ecosystems, biodiversity, and long-term sustainability.
• UNESCO report highlights 2,260 sites where people and nature coexist, covering over 13 million sq km and supporting 900 million people.

GDP Forecasts

Moody’s Cuts India Growth Forecast Amid Iran Conflict

• Moody’s Ratings lowered India’s FY27 growth forecast to 6% from 6.8% due to weaker consumption and industrial activity caused by higher energy and input prices linked to the Iran conflict.

Defence News

MoD Signs Contracts for Tank Mine Clearing Systems

• What: The Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed contracts worth around ₹975 crore with Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) and Electro Pneumatics and Hydraulics India Private Limited for procuring TRAWL Assembly for T-72 and T-90 tanks.
• Tell me more:
  • TRAWL Assembly is an equipment developed by DRDO for T-72 and T-90 tanks to create safe lanes for vehicles so that they can move freely in the areas with anti-tank mines.
  • MoD signed contracts in March for six Advanced Light Helicopters ALH Mk-II for the Coast Guard worth ₹5,083 crore.
  • MoD signed contracts in March for Surface-to-Air Vertical Launch Shtil missiles for the Navy worth ₹2,901 crore.
  • MoD signed a contract in February with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Transport Aircraft Division for eight Dornier 228 aircraft worth ₹2,312 crore for the Coast Guard.

Science and Technology

IIT Ropar Launches Integrated Agricultural Intelligence Ecosystem

• What: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Ropar launched India’s first integrated agricultural intelligence ecosystem, ANNAM.AI.
• Tell me more:
  • The system collects field data through weather stations, analyses it using artificial intelligence to detect crops and pests, and provides farmers advisories on weather, crops, and markets through Annam Chat Engine (ACE).
  • The ecosystem includes Swan weather stations, Krishi intelligence call centres, and Annam Chat Engine (ACE).
  • The Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence for Agriculture was established under a ₹990 crore national initiative for three AI centres.
  • The system operates in Punjab with real-time insights, supports offline access in low-connectivity areas, and helps farmers reduce water usage by 20–30% and prevent 9–12% crop losses.

Agriculture and Rural Development

India’s Marine Exports Reach Record High in FY26

• What: India’s marine product exports reached a record ₹72,300+ crore in FY 2025–26, with export volume rising to 19.32 lakh metric tons, reflecting strong global demand and diversified market growth.
• Tell me more:
  • Frozen shrimp contributed ₹47,900+ crore, accounted for over two-thirds of export earnings, and recorded growth of 4.6% in volume and 6.35% in value.
  • Visakhapatnam, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), Kochi, Kolkata, and Chennai ports handled nearly 64% of export value.
  • Top export destinations:

Awards

WEF’s Young Global Leaders Class of 2026

• What: The World Economic Forum (WEF) Young Global Leaders (YGL) Class list is an yearly list of people under 40 who are already doing exceptional work in fields like business, politics, technology, sports, arts and society.
• Tell me more:
  • Indians on this list:

Oscar 2026 (Academy Awards)

• Edition: 98th

Important Days

International Mother Earth Day – April 22

• Theme: ‘Our Power, Our Planet’
• World Economic Forum’s Global Risk Report 2026 (21st edition) highlights:

Global Risks Short Term (2 Years)

Global Risks Long Term (10 Years)

• In India, the top risks are mentioned below (rank-wise):
  1. Cyber insecurity
  2. Inequality (wealth, income)
  3. Insufficient public services and social protections (incl. education, infrastructure, pensions)
  4. Economic downturn (e.g. recession, stagnation)
  5. State-based armed conflict (proxy, civil wars, coups, terrorism, etc.)

UN English Language Day – April 23

• English Language Day at the United Nations is observed on 23 April, the date traditionally regarded as both the birth and death anniversary of William Shakespeare (1564-1616).

World Book and Copyright Day – April 23

• Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is the World Book Capital for 2025, while Rabat, Morocco is the World Book Capital for 2026.
• To date, UNESCO has designated 26 World Book Capitals, from Madrid, Spain, in 2001, to Rabat, Morocco, in 2026.

Sports

Tashkent to Host 2027 World Para Athletics Championships

• What: World Para Athletics (WPA) confirmed Tashkent, Uzbekistan as the host for the 2027 World Para Athletics Championships, marking the first time the event will be held in Uzbekistan and Central Asia.
• Tell me more:
  • Venue – Olympic City Main Stadium in June 2027.
    • The event will be the largest international para sport event hosted in Uzbekistan.
  • Edition – 13th
  • The event will be hosted in Asia for the fifth time after Doha 2015, Dubai 2019, Kobe 2024, and New Delhi 2025.
  • The programme will include at least 164 events aligned with the Paralympic Games programme.
  • The previous edition in New Delhi included over 1,000 athletes and 186 medal events. Brazil topped the medals table and Uzbekistan secured five gold medals in the previous edition.

Abhishek Sharma Sets Record for Fast IPL Centuries

• What: Abhishek Sharma became the first Indian cricketer who has scored more than one century in IPL, and each time he reached 100 runs in less than 50 balls, which no other Indian player has done before.
• Tell me more:
  • He plays for Sunrisers Hyderabad.
  • Vaibhav Sooryavanshi holds the fastest IPL century by an Indian in 35 balls in 2025. He plays for Rajasthan Royals.

Appointments

HDFC Life Reappoints Vibha Padalkar as CEO

• HDFC Life Insurance Company approved the reappointment of Vibha Padalkar as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer for five years from September 12, 2026, subject to shareholder and regulatory approvals.

Miscellaneous

Former Rajya Sabha MP Dr Gopalrao Patil Passes Away

• Former Rajya Sabha member and paediatrician Dr Gopalrao Patil passed away at the age of 94.

Former Andhra Chief Minister Nadenla Bhaskar Rao Dies

• Veteran politician Nadenla Bhaskar Rao, co-founder of Telugu Desam Party and former chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, died at 90 in Hyderabad after a prolonged illness.

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