NATIONAL NEWS

Chandigarh University Uttar Pradesh Launches CoE in Smart Healthcare

Chandigarh University, Uttar Pradesh, India’s first private Artificial Intelligence-augmented multidisciplinary university, launched a Centre of Excellence in Smart Healthcare.

The initiative aims to strengthen the state’s vision of Artificial Intelligence-driven healthcare and governance.

The Centre of Excellence is headed by Thipendra P. Singh, Professor of Artificial Intelligence and Pro Vice Chancellor.

The initiative is supported by Aseem Arun, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Department of Social Welfare, Uttar Pradesh.

The infrastructure is powered by advanced Graphics Processing Unit systems with 168 Gigabyte memory, based on NVIDIA Blackwell architecture, enabling high-end research and Artificial Intelligence model development.

The Centre of Excellence will function as a testbed for smart city healthcare solutions, support five Artificial Intelligence startups over the next two years, and facilitate hospital-based validation of technologies.

It will also strengthen Uttar Pradesh’s healthcare ecosystem through Artificial Intelligence-driven integration.

The university also launched the Artificial Intelligence Ethics Training Programme in collaboration with upGrad.

The programme aims to train 1.50 lakh youth over the next five years.

National Biodiversity Authority Constitutes Expert Committee on Invasive Alien Species

The National Biodiversity Authority, a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, constituted a multi-disciplinary Expert Committee on Invasive Alien Species under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 (amended in 2023).

The committee has been formed to address rising ecological and socio-economic threats to biodiversity and food security in India caused by Invasive Alien Species.

The decision followed proceedings by the National Green Tribunal, which highlighted the serious threats posed by Invasive Alien Species to biodiversity, ecosystems, agriculture, food security and public health.

The initiative was also supported by an advisory from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

Dhananjai Mohan has been appointed as the Chairperson of the Expert Committee.

A. Biju Kumar will serve as the Co-Chairperson of the Committee.

The committee will function for a tenure of two years.

The committee has been mandated to prepare a consolidated national list of Invasive Alien Species based on inputs from State Forest Departments.

It will prioritise high-risk species and recommend science-based strategies for prevention, control, eradication and ecological restoration related to Invasive Alien Species in India.

 

BANKING

SEBI Approves Key Regulatory Reforms at 213th Board Meeting in Mumbai

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) approved a wide-ranging set of regulatory changes covering market intermediaries, foreign investors, alternative investment funds (AIF), and governance norms at its 213th board meeting held in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

Social Impact Fund (SIF) is a sub-category of Category-I AIF introduced in July 2022, which primarily invests in Not-for-Profit (NPOs) registered or listed on the Social Stock Exchange (SSE) and in for-profit social enterprises.

SEBI amended the AIF Regulations, 2012, to reduce the minimum investment value by individual investors in SIFs of AIF from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 1,000.

The SEBI board has introduced flexibility for AIFs in winding up schemes and surrendering registration.

AIFs will now be allowed to retain liquidation proceeds beyond the tenure under specific conditions such as pending litigation, tax liabilities, or operational expenses, provided they comply with the regulatory requirements.

 

RANKS, INDICES & REPORTS

World Trade Organization Releases Global Trade Outlook and Statistics Report March 2026

The World Trade Organization released its Global Trade Outlook and Statistics – March 2026 report, projecting a sharp slowdown in global merchandise trade growth.

Global merchandise trade growth is projected to decline to 1.9 percent in 2026, compared to 4.6 percent in 2025.

The slowdown is attributed to geopolitical tensions in West Asia, normalisation of Artificial Intelligence-related demand, and the impact of earlier tariff-driven front-loading of shipments.

Global merchandise trade growth is expected to recover to 2.6 percent in 2027.

Combined global trade in goods and services is projected to grow by 2.7 percent in 2026, compared to 4.7 percent in 2025.

Commercial services trade growth is expected to moderate to 4.8 percent in 2026, down from 5.3 percent in 2025.

Commercial services trade growth is projected to increase to 5.1 percent in 2027.

Global Gross Domestic Product growth is forecast to moderate slightly from 2.9 percent in 2025 to 2.8 percent in both 2026 and 2027.

 

DEFENCE

INS Nilgiri of Indian Navy Takes Part in Exercise Kakadu 2026 in Australia

The Indian Navy (IN) frigate INS Nilgiri participated in the sea phase of Exercise Kakadu 2026 in Australia as part of its deployment to the Western Pacific.

The deployment aimed at enhancing maritime cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.

The 17th edition of Exercise Kakadu 2026 witnessed participation from over 19 nations and 6,000 personnel, covering the area from Jervis Bay to Darwin, Australia.

INS Nilgiri took part in coordinated naval manoeuvres off northern Australia, alongside warships from Malaysia, Philippines, and Thailand.

The crew of INS Nilgiri won the Kakadu Shield Trophy during sporting events held in the harbour phase at Darwin, Australia.

The Indian Navy described Exercise Kakadu 2026 as an effort to enhance interoperability, cooperation, and maritime understanding among the participating navies.

Exercise Kakadu is a multilateral maritime exercise hosted by Australia, bringing together navies from across the Indo-Pacific region.

The Indian Navy is preparing to commission its latest stealth frigate, Taragiri (F41) on April 3, 2026, with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh presiding over the commissioning ceremony.

The commissioning of Taragiri symbolizes India’s progress towards becoming a fully self-reliant naval power.

Taragiri is the fourth warship in the Project 17A class and weighs 6,670 tonnes.

The vessel represents the ‘Make in India’ initiative and highlights the advanced engineering capabilities of indigenous shipyards.

Taragiri boasts over 75 percent indigenous content, reflecting India’s drive for self-sufficiency in defence manufacturing.

The warship is equipped with surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missile systems, as well as anti-submarine warfare capabilities.

Taragiri is designed for multi-role missions, including combat and humanitarian operations.

 

AWARDS & PRIZES

Kaveh Madani Named Stockholm Water Prize 2026 Laureate

Kaveh Madani, Director of the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health, was named the Stockholm Water Prize 2026 Laureate.

The announcement was made during the World Water Day (22 March 2026) event held at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France.

At 44 years of age, he became the youngest recipient in the 35-year history of the Stockholm Water Prize.

He is also the first United Nations official and the first former politician to receive the award.

In March 2026, Natarajan Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Sons, was conferred the Honorary Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire by the United Kingdom government.

The honour was awarded for his contribution to strengthening India–United Kingdom business relations.

The award was presented by Lindy Cameron at the British High Commissioner’s residence in New Delhi on behalf of Charles III.

The Honorary Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (Civil Division) is awarded to foreign nationals for distinguished contributions in business, public life, culture and international relations.

Non-United Kingdom citizens receiving the honour cannot use the title “Sir”, but may add the suffix “KBE” after their name.

Bhupathiraju Anmish Varma Sets Guinness World Record for Fastest Climb of Seven Volcanic Summits

Bhupathiraju Anmish Varma, a native of Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, created history by setting a Guinness World Records record for the fastest time to climb the Seven Volcanic Summits (male category).

He completed the challenge in 92 days, 4 hours and 45 minutes, setting a new global benchmark.

He began the expedition from Mount Elbrus (Europe) on 23 October 2024 and completed the journey at Mount Sidley (Antarctica) on 23 January 2025.

The record was officially recognised on 6 February 2026, and he received the certificate in New Delhi on 17 March 2026.

The Seven Volcanic Summits climbed during the expedition include:Mount Elbrus (Europe), Mount Kilimanjaro (Africa), Mount Damavand (Asia), Pico de Orizaba (North America), Ojos del Salado (South America), Mount Giluwe (Oceania) and Mount Sidley (Antarctica)

 

BOOKS & AUTHORS

‘Karuna: The Power of Compassion’ Book by Kailash Satyarthi Launched in March 2026

Kailash Satyarthi, Nobel Peace Prize 2014 laureate, released his latest book Karuna: The Power of Compassion in March 2026.

The book was formally launched by the Satyarthi Movement for Global Compassion in association with HarperCollins India.

The book was unveiled in the presence of Surya Kant, Chief Justice of India, and Kiran Bedi, former Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry.

Earlier, the book was scheduled to be released during the Jaipur Literature Festival 2026 held in Jaipur, Rajasthan in January 2026.

The book highlights compassion as a transformative and active force to address global challenges such as inequality and conflict.

It introduces the concept of Compassion Quotient, a scientific approach to measure and enhance compassion among individuals and organisations.

Kailash Satyarthi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize 2014 jointly with Malala Yousafzai for their struggle against the suppression of children and young people and for ensuring the right of all children to education.

 

APPS & PORTALS

Bharat Electricity Summit 2026 Held in New Delhi

The first edition of Bharat Electricity Summit (BES 2026) was held from March 19–22, 2026 at Yashobhoomi, Dwarka, New Delhi.

The Summit brought together global stakeholders to strengthen India’s energy transition and power sector reforms.

The Summit was inaugurated by Union Minister Manohar Lal, Ministry of Power (MoP) at Yashobhoomi, New Delhi.

The theme of the four-day Summit was “Electrifying Growth. Empowering Sustainability. Connecting Globally”.

BES 2026 was organised by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) under the Ministry of Power (MoP), aligning India’s energy sector with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.

During the Summit, the Indian Carbon Market Portal (www.indiancarbonmarket.gov.in), a central platform for implementing and administering the carbon market, was launched.

The Summit facilitated several high-level bilateral meetings with countries such as Malawi, Tajikistan, Mauritius, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia, along with key industry stakeholders.

The next edition of Bharat Electricity Summit (BES 2028) will be held in 2028 at Gandhinagar, Gujarat.