Current Affairs for Competitive Exams: 13 March 2026,Daily Roundup
13 March 2026
On March 13, 2026, the international community remained gripped by the escalating West Asian conflict
Current Affairs
National
- NXT Summit 2026: Addressing the summit in New Delhi, PM Modi highlighted India’s “exponentially increased” crisis-handling capacity. He called for national unity and patience as the country navigates the “massive energy crisis” triggered by global geopolitical tensions.
- Kavach 4.0 Milestone: Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the successful commissioning of the indigenous Kavach 4.0 system across 1,452 route km on the high-density Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Howrah routes.
- Fiscal Health Index 2026: NITI Aayog released its latest index evaluating state financial soundness. Odisha ranked first with a score of 73.1, followed by Goa and Jharkhand, while West Bengal and Kerala were noted in the “Aspirational” category due to higher debt levels.
- Retail Inflation: February 2026 CPI data revealed inflation hit an 11-month high of 3.21%, largely driven by rising global fuel and supply chain costs.
International Affairs
- Heritage Repatriation: The UK officially returned a 16th-century bronze sculpture of Thirumangai Alvar to India,
Global Geopolitical Crisis
- Middle East Escalation: Israel reported a new wave of missile strikes from Iran, directing citizens to shelters. Simultaneously, Israeli shells reportedly hit a UN peacekeeping base in southern Lebanon as conflict with Hezbollah intensified.
- Strait of Hormuz “Game of Shadows”: The UK Defence Minister suggested a “hidden hand” (Russia) might be influencing Iranian drone tactics. Despite the blockade, the Indian-flagged LPG carrier ‘Shivalik’ successfully transited the Strait Friday night under high security.
- US Bounty: The U.S. State Department offered a $10 million reward for information on Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, accusing him of orchestrating global terror campaigns.
- Energy Markets: Oil prices fluctuated near $100 per barrel
Defence
- Indigenous Logistics: DRDO and the Indian Navy successfully conducted in-flight trials of the ADC-150 (Air Droppable Container) from a P-8I aircraft, a major step toward supporting long-range maritime missions.
- Space Medicine Research: AIIMS New Delhi and ISRO signed a landmark MoU to collaborate on space medicine, focusing on human physiology and genomics to support India’s upcoming human spaceflight missions.
- India-Seychelles Ties: The first-ever tri-services edition of Exercise LAMITIYE-2026 entered its final phase at the Seychelles Defence Academy, focusing on joint counter-insurgency tactics
Sports
- Women’s Hockey World Cup Qualifiers: In a tense semi-final in Hyderabad, India defeated Italy 1-0, securing their place in the final and moving one step closer to World Cup qualification.
- Ironman Achievement: Indian athlete Anant Rana created history by completing the Ironman New Zealand triathlon in 11 hours and 50 minutes in Taupo.
- India to Host Asia Cup Archery 2027 Second Leg in Delhi After 22 Years
Global Observance
- World Sleep Day: Observed globally on the Friday before the Spring Equinox under the theme of promoting sleep health for overall well-being.
- National Good Samaritan Day: Recognized in India with several states launching “Golden Hour” incentive programs for road accident first-responders.
- K9 Veterans Day: Honouring the service and sacrifice of military and working dogs.
- World Kidney Day- 12 March
Miscellaneous One-Liners Current Affairs
- Chhattisgarh: The state government proposed a new Freedom of Religion Bill aimed at curbing forced religious conversions.
- Maharashtra: Nashik Municipal Corporation became the first urban body in the state to list a Green Municipal Bond on the NSE to fund Kumbh Mela infrastructure.
- Telangana: Shiv Pratap Shukla was officially sworn in as the 5th Governor of the state at Raj Bhavan.
- Kerala: The police launched ‘Nirbhaya Nisha’, a specialized night-patrolling initiative to enhance safety for women commuters.
- Indian Railways: Launched the ‘SHINE’ (Sexual Harassment Incident Notification for Empowerment) app specifically for its female employees.
- Environment: The Indian Orchid Festival 2026 concluded in Sikkim, showcasing over 400 indigenous species.
