Asia Current Affairs — Last 6 months
Daily news by your exam, state and topic — each with a short summary, key facts and MCQs.
Fri, 24 Apr 2026
North Zone Agriculture Conference held in Lucknow ahead of Kharif season
The Union Agriculture Ministry held the North Zone Agriculture Conference in Lucknow on 24 April 2026 with Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and ministers from six states and three Union Territories, to build a common agenda for Kharif and Rabi preparations.
Jaipur hosts first regional workshop under 'Sahkar se Samriddhi' cooperative reform drive
The Ministry of Cooperation held the first Regional Workshop on 'Sahkar se Samriddhi' in Jaipur, Rajasthan on 24 April 2026, focusing on decentralised grain storage, expansion of PACS, dairy and fisheries cooperatives and state action plans for FY 2026–27.
Thu, 23 Apr 2026
PIB backgrounder on insurance: India 10th-largest market; FDI limit raised to 100%
A PIB backgrounder on 23 April 2026 said India is the 10th largest insurance market by premium volume (Swiss Re), the FDI limit in insurance has been raised to 100% under the Sabka Bima, Sabki Raksha (Amendment of Insurance Laws) Act, 2025, and IRDAI is working towards 'Insurance for All by 2047'.
West Bengal votes in Phase I for 152 Assembly seats; bye-elections in Gujarat and Maharashtra
Phase I of the West Bengal Assembly election was held on 23 April 2026 in 152 constituencies, with 1,478 candidates, 3.60 crore electors and 44,376 polling stations; bye-elections were held the same day in Umreth (Gujarat) and Baramati and Rahuri (Maharashtra).
Tamil Nadu votes in single phase for 234 Assembly seats; ECI final turnout 86.03%
Tamil Nadu voted in a single phase for all 234 Assembly constituencies on 23 April 2026, with 4,023 candidates and 75,064 polling stations; ECI's statistical report puts the final state polling percentage at 86.03%, above the previous highest of 78.29% recorded in 2011.
BSNL's FY 2025-26 results reviewed; ARPU rises 42% to ₹101
Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia reviewed BSNL's FY 2025-26 results on 23 April 2026, noting average revenue per user rose 42% to ₹101 from ₹71 and that India is among five countries with an end-to-end indigenous telecom stack.
NHAI's 12-km greenfield Dehradun bypass 44% complete, due by April 2027
NHAI is building a 12-km greenfield four-lane access-controlled Dehradun bypass linking to the Delhi–Dehradun Economic Corridor at about ₹716 crore, with around 44% physical progress and completion expected by April 2027, the Road Transport Ministry said on 23 April 2026.
Bihar's first structured pulse procurement begins: NCCF buys masoor under PM-AASHA
NCCF began organised procurement of masoor (lentil) in Bihar for the first time under the Atmanirbhar Pulses Mission, with 100.4 MT procured against a 32,000 MT target as of 22 April 2026, the Food and Consumer Affairs Ministry said on 23 April.
Bharat Taxi expands to Mumbai as Piyush Goyal launches driver onboarding drive
Union Commerce Minister and Mumbai North MP Piyush Goyal inaugurated the Bharat Taxi driver onboarding initiative in Mumbai on 23 April 2026, adding Mumbai to a network that includes Delhi NCR, Gujarat, Chandigarh and Lucknow.
Envoys of Lao PDR, DR Congo, Namibia and Guinea-Bissau present credentials to President Murmu
President Droupadi Murmu accepted credentials from the envoys of Lao PDR, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Namibia and Guinea-Bissau at Rashtrapati Bhavan on 23 April 2026.
Wed, 22 Apr 2026
Shekha Jheel Bird Sanctuary in Aligarh becomes India's 99th Ramsar site; Uttar Pradesh's 12th
Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav announced on 22 April 2026 that Shekha Jheel Bird Sanctuary in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, has been designated a Ramsar site, taking India's total to 99 and Uttar Pradesh's to 12.
MeitY notifies Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Rules, 2026; in force from 1 May
MeitY announced on 22 April 2026 the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Rules, 2026, framed under Section 19 of the PROG Act, 2025, which come into force on 1 May 2026 and set up the Online Gaming Authority of India.
IAF activates Emergency Landing Facility on Purvanchal Expressway at Sultanpur, by day and night
The Indian Air Force activated the Emergency Landing Facility on the Purvanchal Expressway in Sultanpur district, Uttar Pradesh on 22 April 2026, by day and night, with Jaguar, Mirage-2000, Su-30MKI, C-295 and AN-32 aircraft and a Mi-17 V5 helicopter.
Centre approves MSP procurement of five crops in Odisha worth over ₹1,428 crore
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on 22 April 2026 approved central procurement of moong, urad, groundnut, sunflower and mustard in Odisha, with a total MSP value exceeding ₹1,428.31 crore.
PM Internship Scheme opened to final-year graduate and postgraduate students
The Ministry of Corporate Affairs on 22 April 2026 expanded the eligibility of the pilot phase of the Prime Minister Internship Scheme (PMIS) to final-year undergraduate and postgraduate students aged 18–25, who must submit a No Objection Certificate from their institution.
Election seizures in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal cross ₹1,000 crore
Seizures in poll-bound Tamil Nadu and West Bengal reached ₹1,072.13 crore between the activation of the Election Seizure Management System on 26 February and 22 April 2026, with Tamil Nadu at ₹599.24 crore and West Bengal at ₹472.89 crore, the Election Commission said.
Ladakh to host first-of-its-kind exposition of Lord Buddha's holy relics from 1 to 15 May
Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said at a curtain raiser at the National Museum on 22 April 2026 that Ladakh will host a Sacred Exposition of the Holy Relics of Tathagata from 1 to 15 May 2026, the first time in India that relics preserved at their original repository are brought out for public exposition.
Revised TDIP Scheme guidelines released with ₹203 crore outlay for 2026–31
Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia released revised guidelines for the Department of Telecommunications' Technology Development and Investment Promotion (TDIP) Scheme on 22 April 2026, with an outlay of ₹203 crore for 2026–31 to boost India's role in global telecom standards and 6G.
India adds record 6.1 GW of wind capacity in 2025–26; target 100 GW by 2030
New and Renewable Energy Minister Pralhad Joshi said on 22 April 2026 that India added a record 6.1 GW of wind capacity in 2025–26, ranks fourth globally with over 56.1 GW installed, and aims for 100 GW by 2030 and 156 GW by 2036.
Justice Lisa Gill appointed Chief Justice of Andhra Pradesh High Court
The President appointed Justice Lisa Gill, a judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court whose parent High Court is Punjab and Haryana, as Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh High Court with effect from 25 April 2026, the Law Ministry notified on 22 April 2026.
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.