News In Shorts: 01 April 2026

Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel (NGOPV)

Context: India launched Shachi, the first Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel (NGOPV), at Goa Shipyard Limited, marking a key milestone in indigenous naval shipbuilding.

About Yard 1280 (Shachi)

• Shachi is the lead ship of the NGOPV class, designed to enhance India’s maritime security through versatile, multi-role operational capabilities.
  • NGOPVs  (Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessels) are advanced indigenously built ships aimed at strengthening surveillance, protection, and operational readiness across India’s maritime domain.
• Manufacturing: Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL), Goa
• Multi-Role Capability: They can perform diverse missions including surveillance, anti-piracy, search and rescue (SAR), and protection of offshore assets.
• Symbolic Identity: The crest features the Ursa Major constellation and a lighthouse, symbolizing vigilance and guidance at sea.

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Significance

• Aatmanirbhar Push: The project strengthens India’s self-reliance in defence manufacturing under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
• Maritime Security: Enhances India’s capability to safeguard sea lanes, coastal areas, and offshore infrastructure.
• HADR Operations: The vessels are equipped for rapid Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief during natural disasters.
• Strategic Capability: Improves India’s operational readiness and presence in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

Nyaya Setu AI Chatbot

Context: The Nyaya Setu AI Chatbot and its mascot “Dishika” were unveiled at the DISHA programme by the Ministry of Law & Justice to improve access to justice.

About Nyaya Setu AI Chatbot

• Nyaya Setu is a voice-first, AI-powered legal chatbot aimed at improving access to justice.
• Objective: It aims to democratise access to justice, especially for rural and marginalized communities.
• Nodal Agency: Department of Justice.
• Multilingual Accessibility: It provides multilingual support, enabling citizens to understand legal rights and procedures in their own language.
• Technology Used: Developed by Digital India BHASHINI Division, it uses ASR (automatic speech recognition), Natural Language Processing (NLP), and conversational AI.
• Legal Alignment: It is aligned with the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, ensuring accurate and responsible legal guidance.
• Dishika: The mascot “Dishika” enhances usability by guiding users through legal queries.

About BHASHINI

• BHASHINI is India’s AI-powered language technology platform aimed at enabling multilingual digital access for citizens.
• Implementing Agency: It is implemented by the Digital India BHASHINI Division (DIBD) under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
• Objective: To break language barriers in digital services and promote inclusion by enabling access in Indian languages.
• Key Technologies: It uses Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR), Natural Language Processing (NLP), and AI-based translation systems.

Designing Innovative Solutions for Holistic Access to Justice (DISHA)

• The DISHA Programme is an initiative of the Department of Justice, Ministry of Law & Justice aimed at strengthening legal awareness and access to justice.
• It serves as a platform to showcase digital and AI-based innovations to make legal services more accessible and citizen-friendly.
• Major Initiatives: Tele-Law, Nyaya Bandhu (Pro Bono Legal Services) and Legal Literacy and Legal awareness programme.

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Exercise Dweep Shakti

Context: Exercise Dweep Shakti, emphasising jointness and multi-domain operations across India’s armed forces, was conducted under the Andaman and Nicobar Command.

About Exercise Dweep Shakti

• Nature of Exercise: A tri-service military exercise conducted by the Indian Armed Forces to enhance joint operations.
• Location: Took place in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands region.
• Objective: Aims to strengthen rapid response capability for protecting coastal and island regions.
• Participating Forces: Involves coordinated operations by the Indian Army, Indian Navy, and Indian Air Force.
• Key Operations: Includes amphibious assaults, maritime dominance operations, and beach landing drills simulating real combat conditions.
• Strategic Significance: Demonstrated India’s operational preparedness and capability to secure maritime interests and island territories.

Samrat Samprati Museum

Context: PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the Samrat Samprati Museum at Koba Tirth on Mahavir Jayanti, showcasing Jain heritage and philosophy.

About Samrat Samprati Museum

• The Samrat Samprati Museum is a dedicated cultural repository preserving and showcasing the historical, spiritual, and philosophical legacy of Jainism.
• Location: It is located at Koba Tirth in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, within the Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra campus.
• Thematic Structure: The museum comprises seven thematic galleries, presenting a chronological journey of Jain philosophy, traditions, and cultural evolution.
• Artefacts Collection: It houses over 2,000 rare artefacts, including stone and metal idols, manuscripts, miniature paintings, yantras, coins, and silver chariots.
• Modern Integration: The museum integrates digital and audio-visual technologies with traditional displays to create an immersive learning experience for visitors and researchers.

About Samrat Samprati

• Samrat Samprati was a Mauryan ruler and the grandson of Ashoka, remembered as a key patron of Jainism.
• Historical Background: He ruled around 224–215 BCE and played a significant role in spreading Jain teachings across the Indian subcontinent.
• Promotion of Jainism: Samprati actively supported the propagation of Ahimsa (non-violence) and Jain ethical principles through state patronage.
• Key Contributions: He is credited with building numerous Jain temples and stupas especially across Gujrat and Rajasthan , supporting monks, and promoting values like Satya (truth), Asteya (non-stealing), and Aparigraha (non-possession).
• Legacy: Samrat Samprati is regarded as a ruler who bridged governance and spiritual philosophy, advancing Jainism as a way of life.

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INS Dunagiri

Context: Recently , the Indian Navy received the indigenous stealth frigate INS Dunagiri, strengthening self-reliance in advanced warship design and construction.

About ‘INS Dunagiri’

• INS Dunagiri is the fifth Nilgiri-class (Project 17A) stealth frigate, designed as a multi-mission platform to address evolving maritime security challenges.
• Developed By: The ship is designed by the Warship Design Bureau (WDB) and built at Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, reflecting indigenous shipbuilding capabilities.
• Key Features
  • Advanced Propulsion: It uses Combined Diesel or Gas (CODOG) propulsion with diesel engines and gas turbines driving controllable pitch propellers for optimal performance.
  • Modern Weapon Systems: Equipped with BrahMos surface-to-surface missiles, MRSAM air defence system, MF-STAR radar, and a 76 mm naval gun, ensuring multi-dimensional combat capability.
  • Enhanced Combat Capability: Features stealth design, automation, integrated platform management system (IPMS), and anti-submarine warfare systems including torpedoes and rockets.
• Significance
  • Aatmanirbhar Bharat: With about 75% indigenous content, the project marks a major boost to India’s self-reliance in defence manufacturing.
  • Maritime Strength: Enhances India’s capability to address conventional and asymmetric threats in the Indian Ocean Region.
  • Economic Impact: The project supports MSMEs and employment generation, involving over 200 industries and thousands of jobs directly and indirectly.

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