Today’s Top Stories
1. INS Aridhaman — India’s Third SSBN Commissioned
India commissioned INS Aridhaman, its third nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN), at Visakhapatnam. At 7,000 tonnes and fitted with 8 vertical launch tubes (double INS Arihant’s capacity), it is India’s most capable undersea deterrent. With three SSBNs operational simultaneously, India can now maintain continuous at-sea nuclear deterrence — a capability held by only five other nations.
2. 63rd National Maritime Day
India observed the 63rd National Maritime Day on April 5 with the theme “Maritime India – Empowering Progress”. President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the national celebrations. The day marks the voyage of SS Loyalty — India’s first ocean-going steamship — which set sail on April 5, 1919.
3. Solid Waste Management Rules 2026
The Union Ministry of Environment notified the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026 (effective April 1). Key changes: mandatory 4-stream waste segregation, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), a centralised digital tracking portal, and environmental compensation under the polluter-pays principle. Bulk waste generators (>100 kg/day) face new on-site processing requirements.
4. Khelo India Tribal Games 2026
The inaugural Khelo India Tribal Games 2026 concluded in Chhattisgarh on April 3. Karnataka emerged as the overall champion with 23 gold, 8 silver, and 7 bronze medals. The games showcased indigenous sports alongside mainstream events, spotlighting India’s tribal sporting talent.
5. SAFF Men’s U20 Championship — Bangladesh Wins
Bangladesh defeated India 4-3 on penalties in the final of the SAFF Men’s U20 Championship at the National Stadium, Maldives. This is Bangladesh’s maiden SAFF U20 title and marks a significant step in South Asian football outside the traditional India-Pakistan-Nepal axis.
6. Skytrax World Airport Awards 2026
Singapore Changi Airport retained the top spot at the Skytrax World Airport Awards 2026, followed by Incheon International Airport (South Korea) and Tokyo Haneda Airport (Japan). The top five airports are all from Asia. No Indian airport featured in the global top 20.
7. Tripura Panchayats Win National Panchayat Awards
Three panchayati raj institutions from Tripura won at the National Panchayat Awards 2025 ceremony: Sepahijala district panchayat (Best District — Rs 5 crore), Kanchanbari Gram Panchayat, Unakoti (Healthy Panchayat — Rs 1 crore), and Baikunthapur Gram Panchayat, West Tripura (Women-Friendly — Rs 50 lakh). Awards given under Deen Dayal Upadhyay Panchayat Satat Vikas Puraskar (DDUPSVP).
8. CMLRE — National Repository for Deep-Sea Fauna
The Union MoEFCC designated the Bhavasagara Referral Centre of CMLRE (Centre for Marine Living Resources and Ecology), Kochi as India’s National Repository for Deep-Sea Fauna. It will preserve DNA data, biological samples, and voucher specimens from deep-sea expeditions — critical for documenting India’s deep-ocean biodiversity under the National Deep Sea Mission.
9. Customs Duty Waiver on Petrochemicals
The government announced a temporary waiver of basic customs duty on ~40 petrochemical products until June 30, 2026. The move aims to reduce input costs for downstream industries and stabilise supply chains. Estimated fiscal impact: ~Rs 1,800 crore revenue loss over the three-month window.
10. BEL Mountain Radar Contract — Rs 1,950 Crore
The Ministry of Defence signed a Rs 1,950-crore contract with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) for two Mountain Radars with associated equipment for the Indian Air Force, under the highest-priority indigenous procurement category (Make-I). The radars are designed for high-altitude surveillance in mountainous terrain.
