Current Affairs Today — April 27, 2026

Today’s Top Stories

1. India-New Zealand FTA Signed — 100% Duty-Free Access, 5,000 Work Visas

India and New Zealand signed a landmark Free Trade Agreement on April 27, 2026, granting 100% duty-free access for all Indian exports to New Zealand across all tariff lines. Key provisions: 5,000 temporary work visas annually for Indian professionals (IT, engineering, healthcare, AYUSH practitioners, Indian chefs); 1,000 working holiday visas for young Indians; $20 billion FDI commitment from New Zealand; dedicated AYUSH annex (first in any New Zealand FTA). Dairy sector excluded to protect Indian farmers. Target: double bilateral trade from ~$2.5 billion to $5 billion in 5 years. The 20-chapter agreement covers goods, services, investment, customs, SPS, TBT, and dispute settlement. | GS2/GS3

2. PM Modi in Sikkim — ₹4,000 Crore Projects, 50th Statehood Anniversary

Prime Minister Narendra Modi began a two-day visit to Sikkim (April 27-28) to participate in the 50th Year of Statehood celebrations at Paljor Stadium, Gangtok. Projects worth over ₹4,000 crore inaugurated/laid: permanent campus of Sikkim University at Yangang; Helen Lepcha Medical College; Dentam Professional College; 100-bedded Ayurveda Hospital at Yangang; Integrated Sowa Rigpa Hospital at NIT Deorali (traditional Tibetan medicine); two hinged double-lane steel arch bridges over River Teesta; IT infrastructure in 160 schools; Orchidarium (world-class Orchid Experience Centre) at Gangtok. | GS2/GS3

3. Ladakh Gets 5 New Districts — Total Now 7

Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena approved the creation of five new districts in Ladakh UT on April 27, 2026 — Nubra, Sham, Changthang, Zanskar, and Drass — increasing the total from 2 (Leh, Kargil) to 7. The decision, originally approved by MHA in August 2024, aims to strengthen grassroots governance and decentralise administration in remote high-altitude areas. District headquarter complexes will be built at Diskit (Nubra), Khaltsi (Sham), Nyoma (Changthang), Padum (Zanskar), and Drass (Drass). | GS2/Polity

4. Rajnath Singh at SCO Defence Ministers’ Meeting, Bishkek

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh attended the SCO Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (April 27-28). India’s agenda: zero tolerance for terrorism and extremism; counter-terrorism strategies; joint military exercises; intelligence-sharing mechanisms. Rajnath held bilateral meetings with defence ministers of SCO member states. The SCO includes India, China, Russia, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, and Belarus (10 full members). | GS2/IR

5. US Imposes 123% Anti-Dumping Duty on Indian Solar Exports

The US Department of Commerce imposed a preliminary anti-dumping duty of 123.04% on solar cells and modules imported from India — pushing the combined tariff burden beyond 200% when added to existing 125%+ countervailing duties. Companies affected: Mundra Solar, Premier Energies. Complaint originally filed in July 2025 by US solar industry body. Final determination expected in 75 days. Impact: severe blow to India’s solar export ambitions, particularly for the upcoming $500 million US solar module market. | GS3/IR

6. Raghu Rai Passes Away — India’s Greatest Photojournalist, 83

Raghu Rai, India’s legendary photographer and first Indian member of Magnum Photos (nominated by Henri Cartier-Bresson in 1977), died in Delhi on April 26, 2026, at age 83 after battling cancer. He documented the Bangladesh Liberation War, Bhopal Gas Tragedy, and the Emergency with iconic images. Author of 56 photography books; Raghu Rai Foundation archived 50,000+ images. He was trained as a civil engineer before discovering photography in the 1960s. | GS1

7. Supreme Court Sets Nationwide ICU Standards — States Get 3 Weeks

The Supreme Court (Bench: Justices Amanullah and Mahadevan) directed all states and UTs to implement uniform minimum ICU standards prepared by an expert committee (AIIMS doctor Nitish Naik, ASG Aishwarya Bhati). Three-tier classification (Level 1, 2, 3 ICUs) with defined staffing, equipment, and admission criteria. Each bed must have oxygen supply, suction, and power backup. Nurse-to-patient ratio: 1:1 for ventilated patients. Tele-ICU/e-ICU suggested for smaller centres. States given 3 weeks to submit action plan; matter listed for May 18. | GS2/GS3

Quick Bites

• Maharashtra Compressed Biogas (CBG) Policy 2026 — Maharashtra approved a policy for CBG production from organic waste, targeting blending in the city gas distribution network; ₹500 crore incentive package. | GS3
• IMD heatwave alert — Delhi-NCR temperatures at 43–45°C on April 27; IMD issued red alert for 5 states including Rajasthan, UP, Haryana. | GS3/Disaster
• NEET-UG 2026 admit cards — NTA issued NEET-UG 2026 admit cards on April 27; examination scheduled for May 4, 2026 across 571 cities. | GS2
• China iron battery breakthrough — China developed an all-iron flow battery for large-scale energy storage, reducing cost per kWh by ~40% vs vanadium-based systems — potential competitor to lithium for grid storage. | GS3

Facts Corner