Current Affairs — 21 April 2026
Daily news by your exam, state and topic — each with a short summary, key facts and MCQs.
Tue, 21 Apr 2026
India's seafood exports hit record ₹72,325.82 crore in FY 2025–26; frozen shrimp leads, US remains top market
India's seafood exports reached a record ₹72,325.82 crore (US$8.28 billion) and 19.32 lakh tonnes in FY 2025–26, according to provisional MPEDA data released on 21 April 2026.
Atal Pension Yojana crosses 9 crore gross enrolments; FY 2025–26 sees record 1.35 crore new subscribers
The Atal Pension Yojana, administered by PFRDA, surpassed 9 crore total gross enrolments on 21 April 2026, after a record 1.35 crore enrolments in FY 2025–26.
ECI begins Phase II of International Election Visitors' Programme 2026 for Tamil Nadu and West Bengal polls
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar inaugurated Phase II of the International Election Visitors' Programme 2026 at IIIDEM, New Delhi, on 21 April 2026, with 34 delegates from 17 countries.
Blast at fireworks unit in Mundathikode, Thrissur kills at least 13; PM announces ex-gratia from PMNRF
A fire and series of explosions at a fireworks manufacturing unit in Mundathikode near Thrissur, Kerala, on 21 April 2026 killed at least 13 people, and the Prime Minister announced ex-gratia from the PMNRF.
18th Civil Services Day: Vice-President recalls Patel's 'steel frame'; PM's Excellence Award entries rise to 2,035
The 18th Civil Services Day was observed at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, on 21 April 2026, with Vice-President C.P. Radhakrishnan delivering the keynote address.
INS Sunayna reaches Jakarta on third port call of IOS SAGAR deployment with crew from 16 countries
Indian Navy offshore patrol vessel INS Sunayna, deployed under the IOS SAGAR initiative, arrived at Jakarta, Indonesia, on 21 April 2026 for the third port call of its deployment.
Backgrounder: PLI Scheme for Food Processing Industry — ₹10,900 crore outlay, 3.39 lakh jobs
A PIB backgrounder of 21 April 2026 said the Production-Linked Incentive Scheme for the Food Processing Industry, with an outlay of ₹10,900 crore for 2021-22 to 2026-27, had created about 3.39 lakh jobs by February 2026.
Defence Ministry signs ₹975 crore contracts for DRDO-developed TRAWL assemblies for T-72/T-90 tanks
The Ministry of Defence signed contracts worth about ₹975 crore with BEML and Electro Pneumatics and Hydraulics (India) on 21 April 2026 for TRAWL assemblies for T-72/T-90 tanks.
President Murmu inaugurates planetarium, tribal museum and command centre in Rourkela, Odisha
President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated a Planetarium and Science Centre, the Nirmal Munda Parivesh Path, a Tribal Museum and an Integrated Command and Control Centre at Rourkela, Odisha, on 21 April 2026.
India and Bhutan hold 7th Joint Group of Customs meeting in Munnar, Kerala
The 7th India–Bhutan Joint Group of Customs meeting was held in Munnar, Kerala, on 20–21 April 2026, co-chaired by CBIC Member (Customs) Yogendra Garg and Bhutan's Director General of Revenue and Customs Sonam Jamtsho.
Uttar Pradesh's rooftop solar push: Lucknow leads India with about 90,000 PM Surya Ghar installations
Lucknow has emerged as the leading city in India under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana with about 90,000 installations, followed by Varanasi with about 40,000, according to a session at the 18th Civil Services Day on 21 April 2026.
Skill Ministry reviews Vibrant Villages skilling; 74 proposals sanctioned for border villages
The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship held a capacity-building and review workshop on the Vibrant Villages Programme in New Delhi on 21 April 2026, having sanctioned 74 skilling proposals so far.
Poshan Pakhwada 2026: screen-time reduction campaign held at EMRS Ngopa, Mizoram
A school-based awareness campaign on reducing screen time was held at Eklavya Model Residential School, Ngopa, Mizoram, under Poshan Pakhwada 2026, the Ministry of Women and Child Development said on 21 April 2026.