Current Affairs for Competitive Exams: 03 April 2026, Daily Roundup
Current Affairs- 03 April 2026
On 3 April 2026, attention remained on West Asia tensions, while India advanced in trade cooperation, defence modernisation, education reforms, and digital governance.
National
• India–Australia ECTA Completes 4 Years: The Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) marked its fourth anniversary, showing strong trade growth. Zero-duty market access to Australia boosted Indian exports, which doubled to $8.5 billion, strengthening bilateral economic ties.
• MSME TEAM Scheme Launched: The Ministry of MSME launched the Technology Enabled Alliance for Marketing (TEAM) scheme to support micro and small enterprises. The initiative will help local MSEs onboard onto the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), improving digital access and market reach.
• National SDG Dashboard Introduced: In collaboration with the United Nations, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) launched a unified India SDG Dashboard to track real-time progress of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) across states and sectors.
• NCERT Granted Deemed University Status: The University Grants Commission (UGC) granted NCERT the status of “Deemed to be University.” This allows NCERT to introduce specialised academic programmes and expand its role beyond curriculum design into higher education and research.
International Affairs
• India–Algeria Foreign Office Consultations: India hosted the 7th round of Foreign Office Consultations with Algeria. Discussions focused on expanding bilateral trade, enhancing counter-terrorism cooperation, and strengthening food security partnerships.
• Skytrax World Airport Awards 2026: Singapore’s Changi Airport retained its title as the World’s Best Airport for the 14th time. Notably, five Indian airports entered the global top 100, with Delhi’s IGI Airport ranking within the top 30 worldwide, reflecting improvements in airport infrastructure.
Global Geopolitical Crisis
• Arab Nations Seek UN Action on Hormuz: Amid continuing US–Iran tensions, several Arab countries approached the United Nations seeking international intervention and maritime security guarantees to keep global trade routes open through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital energy corridor.
• RELIEF Package for Exporters: To counter rising freight costs due to disruptions in West Asia shipping routes, India approved the RELIEF (Resilience & Logistics Intervention for Export Facilitation) support package. The scheme aims to protect exporters from increased logistics costs and maintain export competitiveness.
Defence
• Record Defence Export Growth: India recorded its highest-ever defence exports of ₹38,424 crore in FY 2025–26, reflecting 62.66% growth compared to the previous year. This highlights India’s growing presence in the global defence market.
• INS Taragiri Commissioned: The Indian Navy commissioned INS Taragiri, a Project 17A stealth-guided missile frigate, at Visakhapatnam. The vessel strengthens India’s maritime defence capability and enhances naval presence in the Indian Ocean Region.
• New Vice Chief of Army Staff: Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth assumed office as the 49th Vice Chief of Army Staff, marking an important leadership transition in the Indian Army.
Science & Technology
• Aditya-L1 Research Access Opened: Following the successful operational phase of India’s solar mission, Aditya-L1, ISRO invited global research proposals to utilise mission data for solar observation and space weather studies.
• AI Curriculum for Schools: The Ministry of Education and CBSE introduced a new AI and Computational Thinking Curriculum for students from Classes 3 to 8, aiming to strengthen early digital and analytical skills.
Sports
• IPL 2026 Match Update: In a high-scoring contest, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) defeated Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by 65 runs, showcasing strong batting performance.
• Para-Archery Global Recognition: India’s para-archer Sheetal Devi was honoured as the global “Para Archer of the Year” by the World Archery Federation, marking a significant achievement in para-sports.
Global Observance
• Convention on Migratory Species (CMS): At the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP-15) held in Brazil, member nations granted legal conservation protection to 40 additional migratory species, strengthening global biodiversity conservation.
Miscellaneous One-Liners Current Affairs
• Earthquake Tremors: A 5.9-magnitude earthquake centred in Afghanistan caused tremors across Delhi-NCR, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, and Haryana.
• Punjab Caste Survey: The Punjab government allocated ₹250 crore to conduct its first comprehensive Caste Socio-Economic Survey.
• Delhi Political Development: The Aam Aadmi Party removed MP Raghav Chadha as Deputy Leader in Rajya Sabha, triggering political debate.
• Bihar Liquor Tragedy: Four deaths were reported in Motihari after consumption of spurious liquor, prompting an official investigation.
• Tripura Panchayat Achievement: Sepahijala District Panchayat ranked first nationally at the Panchayat Satat Vikas Puraskar awards.
• Andhra Pradesh Capital Decision: Parliament approved the formal shift of Andhra Pradesh’s capital to Amaravati, reinforcing the state’s administrative framework.
• Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan Releases Sudha Murty’s Book ‘Tides of Time’ on Parliamentary Murals
• Meghalaya Sign LoI with Starlink to Boost Digital Connectivity in Region
