News of The Day – 27th March 2026

The Hindu, Indian Express, Live Mint, Business Standard, Economic Times, PIB and AIR, etc

(with Syllabus Relevance)

(GS-2: Polity & Governance)

• Proposed amendment to Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA).
• New authority to manage assets of NGOs whose licences are cancelled.
• Aims to ensure proper utilisation of foreign-funded assets.
• Raises concerns over state control, autonomy of civil society.
• Important for transparency vs regulatory overreach debate.

(GS-2: Polity and Governance)

• IIT (ISM) Dhanbad among top global institutions in mining engineering.
• Reflects India’s strength in core engineering sectors.
• QS Rankings based on academic reputation, employer reputation, research impact.
• Important for human resource development in mining and energy sectors.

• Operation aimed at securing sea lanes in Strait of Hormuz.
• Critical chokepoint: ~20% of global oil trade passes through.
• Ensures safe passage of Indian energy imports amid regional tensions.
• Reflects India’s maritime security role in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

• Ongoing conflict in West Asia can disrupt crude oil supply → impacts India’s import bill and inflation.
• Risks: widening Current Account Deficit (CAD), rupee depreciation, capital outflows.
• RBI may need to manage liquidity, forex reserves, and exchange rate volatility.
• The government may use fiscal tools (tax cuts, subsidies) to cushion oil shocks.
• Highlights India’s vulnerability to external geopolitical shocks.

(GS-3: Economy)

• Inflation target retained at 4% ± 2% under flexible inflation targeting framework.
• Decided by Government in consultation with RBI (as per RBI Act, 1934).
• CPI-based inflation is the nominal anchor for monetary policy.
• Ensures price stability while supporting growth.
• Reflects continuity in macroeconomic policy framework.

(GS-3: Environment)

• Radiative forcing measures the impact of greenhouse gases on Earth’s energy balance.
• New accounting method evaluates emissions based on warming impact rather than just quantity.
• Helps better compare short-lived vs long-lived climate pollutants (e.g., methane vs CO₂).
• Useful for climate policy, carbon budgeting, and mitigation strategies.

• Warmer oceans increase atmospheric moisture → intensifies humid heatwaves.
• Wet-bulb temperatures rise → dangerous for human survival.
• Implications: health risks, labour productivity loss, urban vulnerability.
• Highlights need for climate adaptation and heat action plans.

(GS-3: Environment)

• Rising global temperatures affect crop yields, water availability, and food systems.
• India is highly vulnerable due to dependence on monsoon and agriculture workforce.
• Risks: decline in productivity (wheat, rice), nutritional insecurity.
• Highlights need for climate-resilient agriculture and adaptation strategies.

• Agnikul Cosmos tested a semi-cryogenic 3D-printed rocket engine (Agnite).
• Uses additive manufacturing → reduces cost and production time.
• Designed for the small satellite launch vehicle Agnibaan.
• Boosts India’s private space sector under IN-SPACe framework.