Asia Current Affairs — Last 6 months
Daily news by your exam, state and topic — each with a short summary, key facts and MCQs.
Fri, 17 Apr 2026
Thu, 16 Apr 2026
Government notifies SEZ at Dholera for Tata Semiconductor's chip fabrication plant, India's first
The Commerce Ministry said on 16 April 2026 that it has notified a Special Economic Zone at Dholera, Gujarat, to be set up by Tata Semiconductor Manufacturing Pvt Ltd for India's first chip fabrication plant, spread over 66.166 hectares and expected to employ 21,000 people.
Constitution (131st Amendment), Delimitation and UT Laws Bills introduced in Lok Sabha after a 251–185 division
Three linked Bills, the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, the Delimitation Bill, 2026 and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, were introduced in the Lok Sabha on 16 April 2026 after the motion for introduction was carried by 251 votes to 185 in a division.
FIU-India signs MoUs with SEBI and PFRDA to fight money laundering
The Financial Intelligence Unit-India (FIU-IND) signed separate MoUs with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) on 16 April 2026 for information sharing against money laundering and terror financing.
CAQM invokes GRAP Stage-I across NCR as Delhi's AQI turns 'Poor'
The CAQM Sub-Committee on the Graded Response Action Plan on 16 April 2026 invoked all 31 Stage-I actions across the NCR after Delhi's daily average Air Quality Index reached 226, in the 'Poor' category.
MeitY constitutes AI Governance and Economic Group as apex inter-ministerial body on AI
The Ministry of Electronics and IT on 16 April 2026 constituted the AI Governance and Economic Group (AIGEG), a high-level inter-ministerial body chaired by Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, as India's central mechanism for AI governance policy.
India hosts WADA GAIIN final conference; Sports Minister says criminal provisions against doping traffickers planned
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya addressed the inaugural session of the Final Conference of WADA's Global Anti-Doping Intelligence & Investigations Network (GAIIN) in New Delhi on 16 April 2026 and said the government is working on criminal provisions against those who traffic or administer prohibited substances.
NHRC hears 216 cases of alleged bonded labour in Uttar Pradesh brick kilns
The National Human Rights Commission, chaired by Justice V. Ramasubramanian, heard 216 cases of alleged bonded labour in brick kilns across Uttar Pradesh in an online hearing on 16 April 2026.
Fisheries Secretary reviews PMMSY brackishwater aquaculture cluster at Bhimavaram, Andhra Pradesh
Fisheries Secretary Abhilaksh Likhi reviewed the Brackishwater Aquaculture Cluster notified under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana at Bhimavaram, Andhra Pradesh, on 16 April 2026 and met shrimp farmers.
EVM-VVPAT commissioning begins for Tamil Nadu and West Bengal Phase I seats
The Election Commission of India said commissioning of EVMs and VVPATs for constituencies going to the polls on 23 April 2026 began on 16 April, covering 75,064 polling stations in Tamil Nadu and 44,378 in West Bengal Phase I.
MoSPI launches Performance Monitoring Dashboard for infrastructure under PAIMANA
The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation said on 16 April 2026 that it has launched a Performance Monitoring Dashboard to track infrastructure performance across key sub-sectors, building on its PAIMANA platform.
Wed, 15 Apr 2026
Operational Guidelines launched for ₹1 lakh crore Urban Challenge Fund and its Credit Repayment Guarantee Sub-Scheme
Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal launched the Operational Guidelines of the Urban Challenge Fund, with ₹1 lakh crore of central assistance meant to catalyse about ₹4 lakh crore of urban investment, along with a Credit Repayment Guarantee Sub-Scheme, on 15 April 2026.
Samrat Choudhary sworn in as Chief Minister of Bihar; Vijay Kumar Choudhary and Bijendra Prasad Yadav take oath
Samrat Choudhary took oath as Chief Minister of Bihar on 15 April 2026 at Lok Bhawan, Patna, administered by Governor Syed Ata Hasnain, succeeding Nitish Kumar, who had resigned after becoming a Rajya Sabha member.
Census 2027: Houselisting field operations to begin on 16 April in eight States/UTs; about 12 lakh households used Self-Enumeration
The Ministry of Home Affairs announced on 15 April 2026 that Houselisting and Housing Census field operations, Phase I of Census 2027, would begin on 16 April in eight States/UTs and parts of Delhi, after a 15-day Self-Enumeration window that about 12 lakh households had used.
India hosts first BRICS Health Working Group meeting of 2026; adds Healthy Lifestyle and Mental Wellness as priorities
The Union Health Ministry chaired the first BRICS Health Working Group meeting of 2026 in New Delhi, where India, as BRICS Chair, introduced 'Healthy Lifestyle' and 'Promotion of Mental Wellness' as two new priority areas.
DoT and SEBI sign MoU to share telecom intelligence against securities market frauds
The Department of Telecommunications and SEBI signed an MoU on 15 April 2026 under which DoT will share its Financial Fraud Risk Indicator and Mobile Number Revocation List with SEBI, and SEBI will flag telecom resources linked to fraud.
ECI begins distributing Voter Information Slips for Tamil Nadu and West Bengal Phase I polls
The Election Commission of India began distributing Voter Information Slips on 15 April 2026 for the Tamil Nadu and West Bengal (Phase I) Assembly elections due on 23 April, with Braille-enabled slips for voters with visual impairment.
WPI inflation rises to 3.88% in March 2026
Annual inflation based on the All India Wholesale Price Index rose to 3.88% (provisional) in March 2026 from 2.13% in February, driven mainly by crude petroleum and natural gas, other manufacturing, non-food articles, basic metals and food articles.
India's total exports for FY 2025-26 estimated at US$ 860.09 billion, up 4.22%
India's total exports of merchandise and services for FY 2025-26 were estimated at US$ 860.09 billion, 4.22% higher than US$ 825.26 billion in FY 2024-25, according to Ministry of Commerce data released on 15 April 2026.
PLFS monthly bulletin: unemployment rate 5.1% and LFPR 55.4% in March 2026
The Periodic Labour Force Survey bulletin for March 2026, released by MoSPI on 15 April 2026, put the unemployment rate for persons aged 15 and above at 5.1% and the labour force participation rate at 55.4%.
PM inaugurates Sri Guru Bhairavaikya Mandira at Sri Kshetra Adichunchanagiri, Mandya
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Sri Guru Bhairavaikya Mandira at Sri Kshetra Adichunchanagiri in Mandya district, Karnataka, on 15 April 2026, and made nine appeals to citizens, including cutting cooking oil use by 10%.
INST Mohali develops iron-MOF nanosphere sensor that glows to detect nicotine and cotinine
Scientists at the Institute of Nano Science and Technology, Mohali, have developed a fluorescent 'turn-on' sensor made of iron metal-organic framework nanospheres that detects nicotine and its metabolite cotinine in water and living cells, the DST said on 15 April 2026.
NHAI directs FASTag issuer banks to validate vehicle registration numbers ahead of Multi-Lane Free Flow tolling
The National Highways Authority of India directed all FASTag issuer banks on 15 April 2026 to validate the vehicle registration numbers linked to their FASTags and blacklist tags linked to incorrect or invalid numbers.
Tue, 14 Apr 2026
PM inaugurates 213-km Delhi–Dehradun Economic Corridor; travel time to fall to about 2.5 hours
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 213-km, six-lane, access-controlled Delhi–Dehradun Economic Corridor in Dehradun on 14 April 2026; built at over ₹12,000 crore, it is expected to cut travel time between the two cities from over six hours to about two and a half.
135th birth anniversary of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar observed at Prerna Sthal, Parliament House complex
The Dr. Ambedkar Foundation under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment marked the 135th birth anniversary of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar on 14 April 2026 at Prerna Sthal in the Parliament House premises, where the Vice-President, Prime Minister and Lok Sabha Speaker paid floral tributes.
Explosion at Vedanta power plant in Chhattisgarh's Sakti district kills workers; PM announces ex-gratia
An explosion in a boiler steam tube at Vedanta's power plant at Singhitarai in Sakti district, Chhattisgarh, on the afternoon of 14 April 2026 killed several workers, with the toll reaching 21 by 17 April; the Prime Minister announced ₹2 lakh from PMNRF for each deceased worker's family.
2,926 candidates in the fray for the two-phase West Bengal Assembly election
The Election Commission of India said on 14 April 2026 that, after withdrawals, 2,926 candidates are contesting the West Bengal Assembly election: 1,478 in 152 constituencies in Phase I and 1,448 in 142 constituencies in Phase II.
MoRTH notifies new fee structure for overloaded vehicles on National Highways from 15 April
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways notified the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Fourth Amendment Rules, 2026, effective 15 April 2026, levying no fee for up to 10% excess load, twice the base rate for over 10% to 40%, and four times above 40%.
Scindia opens 'Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat' philatelic exhibition at Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya
Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia inaugurated the philatelic exhibition 'Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat: Celebrating India's Unity & Democracy through Postage Stamps' at the Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya on 14 April 2026, running until 17 April.
NAAS brainstorming session charts roadmap for self-reliance in fertilizers
The National Academy of Agricultural Sciences held a brainstorming session on 14 April 2026 on a roadmap for Atmanirbharta in fertilizers; DARE Secretary and ICAR Director General M.L. Jat said India consumes nearly 33 million tonnes of fertilizers a year, a significant share of it imported.