NATIONAL CURRENT AFFAIRS
India-Korea Plan of Implementation for Shipbuilding Skill Development
- Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways signed a Plan of Implementation with Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) to strengthen skill development in India’s shipbuilding and marine sector. The initiative aligns with Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, aiming to position shipbuilding as a key driver of India’s economic growth and global maritime presence.
- Under the project, KOICA and Korea Research Institute for Vocational Education and Training will conduct workforce mapping, industry research, skill gap assessment, and prepare a master roadmap for human resource development.
- The initiative focuses on workforce development, institutional capacity building, and industry-oriented training, including structured training frameworks and stronger vocational education systems to build a skilled, future-ready maritime workforce in India.
SAMPANN Platform
- Government of India signed an agreement to adopt SAMPANN (System for Accounting and Management of Pension) Platform with Goa government and Cochin Port Authority, expanding technology-driven governance through Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) model.
- About SAMPANN: It is a cloud-based digital pension management platform developed by Department of Telecommunications and managed by Controller General of Communication Account (CGCA)s. Launched in 2018 under the Digital India initiative, it streamlines authorisation, pension sanction, accounting and payment on a single platform, covering the entire pension lifecycle from initiation to disbursement.
- Under PaaS model, governments can adopt proven central digital platforms without developing new systems from scratch, improving efficiency and citizen-centric service delivery.
CDSCO-IndiaAI Health Innovation Acceleration Hackathon Launched
- IndiaAI Mission, an Independent Business Division under Digital India Corporation of Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeITY), launched CDSCO‑IndiaAI Health Innovation Acceleration Hackathon in collaboration with Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) under IndiaAI Application Development Initiative.
- Objective: Develop an end-to-end AI solution to streamline regulatory workflows at CDSCO, India’s apex drug regulator.
- Hackathon has Two Stages:
- Stage-1 requires solutions for data anonymisation, document summarisation from SUGAM applications and SAE reports, detection of missing fields, severity classification, version change detection, and auto-generation of inspection reports from handwritten or unstructured notes.
- Stage-2 involves refining models using CDSCO proprietary datasets, integrating them with SUGAM and MD Online portals, demonstrating faster regulatory approvals, and submitting a detailed project report.
BANKING | ECONOMY CURRENT AFFAIRS
India–Australia ECTA: Completes 4 years
- India–Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement has completed four years since its signing on 2 April 2022, marking a key milestone in economic relations between India and Australia.
- Agreement is a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) which is aimed at expanding market access, reducing trade barriers, and strengthening cooperation in goods, services, investments, and other economic sectors.
- Since its implementation, India’s exports to Australia have more than doubled from US$4 billion (FY 2020–21) to US$8.5 billion (FY 2024–25). Total bilateral trade reached US$24.1 billion in FY 2024–25 and US$19.3 billion in FY 2025–26 (up to February).
- Under the pact, India provides preferential access on 70.3% of tariff lines (90.6% trade value), while Australia offers access on 100% of tariff lines covering all imports from India.
Concessional Customs Duty on SEZ Goods Cleared to DTA: Key Relief for 1,200 Manufacturing Units
- Government of India notified conditional concessional customs duty on goods manufactured in Special Economic Zone (SEZs) and cleared to Domestic Tariff Area (DTA).
- Announced in Union Budget 2026, the measure will be effective from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027 and is expected to benefit about 1,200 SEZ manufacturing units affected by global trade disruptions.
- Under Special Economic Zones Act, 2005, goods moving from SEZs to DTA are treated as imports, attracting full customs duty. The new scheme allows SEZ units to sell up to 30% of highest annual FOB export value of previous three financial years to DTA at concessional duty, with minimum 20% value addition in SEZ.
- Units starting production on or before 31 March 2025 qualify, while FTWZ units and goods without substantial manufacturing are excluded. Export incentives like duty drawback are not allowed to avoid double benefits.
GOVERNMENT SCHEMES CURRENT AFFAIRS
RoSCTL Scheme Extended
- Ministry of Textiles extended Rebate of State and Central Taxes and Levies (RoSCTL) Scheme for exports of garments and made-ups until 30 September 2026 or until 16th Finance Commission cycle is approved, whichever is earlier, without any changes in existing guidelines.
- Background: Launched on 7 March 2019, the RoSCTL Scheme aims to rebate embedded state and central taxes and levies not covered under other mechanisms, based on zero-rating of exports principle. It mainly benefits MSME exporters and covers products under Chapters 61, 62 and 63 of ITC (HS) classification.
- Alongside this, Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) Scheme has also been extended from 1 April to 30 September 2026, covering textile exports outside these chapters.
DEFENCE CURRENT AFFAIRS
Large Cavitation Tunnel
- Government laid the foundation stone for Large Cavitation Tunnel (LCT) facility at Naval Science and Technological Laboratory (NSTL) in Visakhapatnam. NSTL is a key unit of DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) responsible for developing sonar systems, torpedoes, underwater weapons, hydrodynamic technologies, and underwater signature management systems for the Indian Navy.
- About Large Cavitation Tunnel: It will enable advanced hydrodynamic testing of ship and submarine components, particularly hulls, propulsion systems and propellers. It studies cavitation which is the formation of vapour bubbles due to sudden pressure drops in water which affects vibration, noise, efficiency, and structural integrity of naval platforms, thus strengthening India’s indigenous naval research and defence self-reliance.
INS Taragiri: 4th P17A Stealth Frigate Commissioned into Indian Navy
- INS Taragiri, the fourth ship of Project 17A (Nilgiri Class), was commissioned into Indian Navy at Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. The frigate was built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited and designed by Warship Design Bureau, with over 75% indigenous content, supporting Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
- Key Features: The 149-metre, 6,670-tonne stealth frigate features a Combined Diesel or Gas (CODOG) propulsion system. It is equipped with BrahMos for surface strikes, Barak‑8 for air defence, RBU-6000 rockets and torpedo tubes for anti-submarine warfare, and a 76 mm Super Rapid Gun Mount. The ship also supports two multi-role helicopters such as the MH‑60R Seahawk, enhancing surveillance and combat capability.
India’s Defence Exports: All-time high of Rs 38,424 Crore in FY 2025-26
- According to Ministry of Defence, India’s defence exports reached an all-time high of ₹38,424 crore in FY 2025–26. This marks a sharp rise from ₹23,622 crore in FY 2024–25 an increase of ₹14,802 crore (about 62–66%).
- A notable contributor to this surge was Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs), whose exports grew by 151%, nearly tripling their previous contribution.
- India now exports defence equipment to over 80 countries, with the number of exporters rising from 128 to 145 (13.3% growth).
- Over past five years, India’s defence exports have tripled, reflecting expanding global acceptance of Indian defence products and their increasing integration into international defence supply chains.
POLITY CURRENT AFFAIRS
Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026
- Parliament passed Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026 marking a major reform to improve Ease of Doing Business and Ease of Living.
- Features: The Bill amends 784 provisions across 79 Central Acts administered by 23 ministries, aiming to promote a trust-based governance framework by reducing criminal penalties for minor procedural violations.
- Under the reform, over 1,000 offences involving minor lapses shift from criminal penalties to graded monetary penalties, with 717 provisions decriminalised. The Bill introduces administrative adjudication through Adjudicating Officers and Appellate Authorities, reducing court burden.
- It also allows warnings for first-time minor violations and introduces a dynamic penalty system, with fines increasing 10% every three years to maintain deterrence.