Current Affairs

Daily and monthly current affairs mapped to syllabus topics and related PYQs.

GS3 · Inland waterways

Backgrounder: 111 National Waterways, 32 operational

India has 111 National Waterways covering 20,187 km across 23 States and 4 UTs, declared under the National Waterways Act, 2016. As of March 2026, 32 are operational over 5,155 km. Budget 2026-27 plans 20 new operational waterways in five years. NW cargo hit 145.84 million tonnes in 2024-25 and 198 MMT by February 2026.

27 Apr 2026
GS3 · Trade

India–New Zealand FTA signed: zero duty on all Indian exports

India and New Zealand signed a Free Trade Agreement on 27 April 2026, concluded in a record 9 months. NZ removes duty on 100% of Indian exports and commits USD 20 billion of investment over 15 years. India keeps dairy out, opens 70.03% of tariff lines and gains visa routes for students and skilled workers.

27 Apr 2026
GS3 · Nuclear energy

PFBR at Kalpakkam achieves criticality: India second after Russia with commercial-scale FBR

The indigenous 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor at Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu, reached first criticality on 6 April 2026. Designed by IGCAR and built by BHAVINI, it uses uranium-plutonium MOX fuel and breeds more fuel than it burns. It starts stage two of India's three-stage nuclear programme; India will be second after Russia to run a commercial-scale fast breeder.

27 Apr 2026
GS3 · Telecom

TRAI paper on expanding public Wi-Fi

TRAI released a consultation paper on "Proliferation of Public Wi-Fi Networks in India" on 27 April 2026. It reviews the current rules, looks at global practice, and asks how governments, local bodies, telecom firms and private players can build viable Wi-Fi in rural areas, cities and busy places. Comments are due by 25 May 2026.

27 Apr 2026
GS3 · Biodiversity governance

Five-year project to green panchayats and strengthen BMCs in TN and Meghalaya

MoEFCC and the National Biodiversity Authority launched a five-year project to strengthen grassroots biodiversity governance in Tamil Nadu and Meghalaya. Funded by a GEF–UNDP grant of USD 4.88 million for 2025–2030, it will green Gram Panchayat Development Plans and empower Biodiversity Management Committees and local institutions.

26 Apr 2026
GS3 · Renewable energy

Small Hydro Power Development Scheme: ₹2,584.60 crore for 1,500 MW

The Union Cabinet approved the Small Hydro Power Development Scheme for FY 2026–27 to 2030–31 with an outlay of ₹2,584.60 crore. It aims to add about 1,500 MW of small hydro (1–25 MW) and about 51 lakh person-days of construction jobs. India has used about 5,171 MW of an estimated 21,133.61 MW potential.

26 Apr 2026
GS3 · Defence

DRDO unveils Advanced Armoured Platforms

DRDO unveiled tracked and wheeled Advanced Armoured Platforms developed by the Vehicles Research and Development Establishment at Ahilyanagar, Maharashtra, on 25 April 2026. Both carry an indigenous 30 mm crewless turret. Indigenous content is about 65%, with a plan to raise it to 90%.

25 Apr 2026
GS2 · Urban governance

NITI framework for effective city government: directly elected mayors

NITI Aayog released "Moving Towards Effective City Government – A Framework for Million-Plus Cities" on 25 April 2026. It recommends a directly elected mayor with fixed tenure, an empowered Mayor-in-Council, integrated city services, stronger own revenues and State Finance Commission transfers, and oversight of parastatals by city governments.

25 Apr 2026
GS2 · Drug abuse

NMBA 2.0 app launched

The upgraded Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA) 2.0 App was launched at Chandigarh on 24 April 2026. It is a digital tool under NAPDDR for real-time reporting by States and districts. Citizens can now take an e-Pledge, find the nearest de-addiction centre and use helplines.

25 Apr 2026
GS3 · Startups

Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0 guidelines: ₹10,000 crore via SIDBI

DPIIT issued operational guidelines for Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0 on 25 April 2026. The ₹10,000 crore corpus will go into SEBI-registered Category I and II Alternative Investment Funds that invest in DPIIT-recognised startups. SIDBI is the first Implementation Agency; DPIIT will add another later.

25 Apr 2026