Current Affairs Today — April 28, 2026

Today’s Top Stories

1. BJP Sweeps Gujarat Local Body Elections — Morbi 52/52, Ahmedabad Clean Sweep

Counting of votes for Gujarat local body elections (held April 26) concluded on April 28 in a massive BJP victory across all 15 municipal corporations. Morbi — scene of the 2022 suspension bridge collapse — recorded a 52/52 BJP clean sweep. Porbandar all seats BJP. Surat: BJP 47+ of 52 seats; Congress 1. Vapi: BJP 37/52, Congress 11. Rajkot: BJP leading 44+ seats. Ahmedabad: BJP majority confirmed. Municipal corporation voter turnout was 55.1%. In higher-tier bodies, district panchayats recorded 66.64% turnout. The results consolidate BJP’s dominance in Gujarat urban local governance ahead of the 2027 state assembly election cycle. | GS2/Polity

2. West Bengal Phase 2 Votes Tomorrow — 176 Constituencies, Results May 4

West Bengal Phase 2 assembly elections are scheduled for April 29, 2026, covering 176 of 294 constituencies (Phase 1 was April 23 across 118 constituencies). Results for all 2026 state elections — Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala, Assam, and Puducherry — will be declared on May 4, 2026 (a single counting day for all five). West Bengal’s political contest is between the ruling TMC (Trinamool Congress) under CM Mamata Banerjee, the BJP, and the Left-Congress alliance. The campaign ends at 6 PM on April 28 under Election Commission rules. | GS2/Polity

3. PM Modi Closes Sikkim’s 50th Statehood Celebrations at Paljor Stadium

PM Modi participated in the closing ceremony of Sikkim’s 50th Year of Statehood at Paljor Stadium, Gangtok on April 28. He also visited the Orchidarium — India’s first world-class Orchid Experience Centre, showcasing Sikkim’s 532 orchid species. At the closing ceremony, Modi inaugurated/laid foundation stones of ₹4,000+ crore projects including the Sikkim University permanent campus at Yangang, the Integrated Sowa Rigpa Hospital at NIT Deorali, two Teesta arch bridges, and the Helen Lepcha Medical College. The visit was accompanied by Sikkim Governor Om Prakash Mathur and CM Prem Singh Tamang. | GS1/GS2

4. MoSPI Proposes Index of Service Production — Services GDP to Get Monthly Tracking

The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released an Approach Paper for an Index of Service Production (ISP) — a monthly index to track output in India’s formal services sector, analogous to the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) for manufacturing. Key details: base year 2024-25; primary data source: GST Network; covers wholesale/retail trade, transport, banking, insurance, hotels, real estate, professional services; excludes informal services and GST-exempt sectors (health, education — covering ~67% of services GVA). Services contribute over 50% of India’s GDP yet currently have no high-frequency monthly output index. Stakeholder consultation deadline: May 5, 2026. | GS3/Economy

5. India Fast-Tracks SBS-3 Spy Satellite Network — 52 Military Satellites by 2029

Following Operation Sindoor (May 2025), India is accelerating its Space-Based Surveillance Phase 3 (SBS-3) programme — a $3 billion initiative to deploy 52 military surveillance satellites by 2029. Three private companies are involved: Ananth Technologies, Centum Electronics, and Alpha Design Technologies — with development timelines compressed from 4 years to 12–18 months per satellite. The programme will provide all-weather, round-the-clock imagery of Pakistan and China border areas, reducing India’s dependence on foreign satellite data in conflict zones. This is also a major boost to India’s private defence space sector under the Space Activities Act framework. | GS3/Security-Defence

Quick Bites

• May 4 Election Results Day — Counting for Tamil Nadu (234 seats), West Bengal (294 seats), Kerala (140 seats), Assam (126 seats), and Puducherry (30 seats) all on May 4, 2026. The largest simultaneous state election result day since 2021. | GS2
• SEBI Board meeting — SEBI board met on April 28 to discuss tightened FVCI (Foreign Venture Capital Investor) norms, new circular on settlement regulations, and enhanced disclosure requirements for AIFs (Alternative Investment Funds). | GS3
• All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Expansion — Cabinet approved establishment of new AIIMS at Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh), Guwahati (Assam), and Ranchi (Jharkhand) — taking total AIIMS count from 23 to 26. | GS2
• India’s first solar-powered airport — Cochin International Airport (CIAL) celebrated 10 years of 100% solar operation on April 28; generates 50+ MW via 46,150 panels across 80+ acres. | GS3

Facts Corner