Moody's Ratings has slashed India's economic growth estimates for the current fiscal to 6 per cent from 6.8 per cent earlier, saying the ongoing conflict in West Asia will moderate growth momentum and raise inflation risks.
In its credit opinion report on India, Moody's said prolonged disruptions, particularly LPG shipments due to the conflict, would lead to near-term household shortages, higher fuel and transport costs, and spillovers to food inflation through India's reliance on imported fertilisers.
The region accounts for around 55 per cent of crude oil imports and over 90 per cent of liquified petroleum gas (LPG) supplies to India.
Procam International has named double Olympic medallist Blanka Vlašić as International Event Ambassador for the Tata Consultancy Services World 10K Bengaluru 2026. The World Athletics Gold Label race will be held on 26 April 2026, and enters its 18th edition.
Blanka Vlašić is regarded as one of high jump’s finest performers. The Croatian star claimed Olympic silver at Beijing 2008 and Olympic bronze at Rio 2016. She also secured multiple World Championship and World Indoor titles. Her 2.08m personal best from 2009 remains the Croatian national record.
That 2.08m clearance stands as the third-highest jump in women’s high jump history. It underlines a career built on longevity and consistent success on the world stage. Vlašić now brings this experience and profile to Bengaluru, supporting an event that attracts elite runners and mass participants from across India and beyond.
Imagine a world where every action is guided by love, a clear sense of right and wrong, and genuine care for one another — this is the essence of a culture of peace, a vision embraced by the United Nations and global communities alike.
Central to this vision is the International Day of Conscience, observed each year on 5 April, which highlights the vital role of conscience as a guiding force in achieving global peace, tolerance, and mutual respect.
The modern quest for peace gained momentum in 1989 at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) International Congress on Peace in the Minds of Men in Côte d'Ivoire. This landmark event sparked a worldwide conversation on embedding peace into our daily lives.
A decade later, in 1999, the United Nations formalized this vision with the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace.
The 2026 International Day of Sport for Development and Peace will spotlight the theme “Sport: Building Bridges, Breaking Barriers,” underscoring sport’s unique capacity to foster connection, inclusion, and peace in an increasingly fragmented world.
As a universal language that transcends cultural, social, and boundaries, sport serves as a powerful catalyst for social transformation. Sport connects communities across borders and generations, reducing isolation among marginalized groups, and creating spaces for dialogue, solidarity, and mutual respect.
The 2026 International Day will highlight evidence-based approaches and best practices demonstrating how sport contributes measurably to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly in advancing health, gender equality, reduced inequalities, and peaceful, inclusive societies.
To raise awareness of this potential, 6 April was declared as the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP) by the UN General Assembly.
The adoption of this Day signifies the increasing recognition by the UN of the positive influence that sport can have on the advancement of human rights, and social and economic development.
World Health Day is observed every year on April 7 to spread awareness about global health issues and encourage people to prioritise their well-being. The day highlights key health challenges and mobilises action worldwide.
World Health Day marks the founding of the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 1948 The idea was first proposed during the first World Health Assembly. It was officially celebrated for the first time in 1950.
Since then, April 7 has been dedicated to raising awareness about critical health issues globally.
The theme for 2026 is: “Together for Health: Stand with Science.”
Former Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) director R.K. Raghavan’s autobiography ‘A road well travelled’, was launched at a function held in the city.
While launching the book, an upgraded version of the first edition, Mr. Raghavan shared his work experiences from being selected and posted for training as a police officer in the State cadre, getting selected to the Intelligence Bureau, and finally heading the top-most investigating agency of the country.
He worked with various leaders, including Atal Bihari Vajpayee, M.G. Ramachandran, and Jayalalithaa.
The autobiography starts with the most important incident of Mr. Raghavan’s police career — the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in Sriperumbudur on May 21, 1991, by the members of the LTTE.
Mr. Raghavan was providing security for him when the assassination took place.
Mr. Raghavan, who also headed the Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up by the Supreme Court to probe the Gujarat riots, has shared the nine-hour interrogation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was then the Chief Minister of Gujarat.
Businessman R.T. Chari released the book with Nandini Azad, president of Indian Cooperative Network for Women, receiving the first copy. Retired Director General of Police R. Nataraj also spoke on the occasion.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) proposed amendments to the policy guidelines for television (TV) rating agencies, which remove certain restrictive provisions for media houses, allowing more players in the TV ratings measurement segment, as per a release by the Press Information Bureau.
MIB has also modified clause 1.4 by replacing the earlier requirement that a company’s Memorandum of Association (MoA) shall not include any activity like consultancy or advisory services with an easier-to-comply provision.
Currently, BARC (Broadcast Audience Research Council) is the organisation that looks after TV viewership and releases television rating points (TRP).
The issue arises as BARC does not track trends in connected TV (CTV) platforms, which have seen a rise in viewership in recent years.
Bharat Tribes Fest 2026 concluded today with a grand closing ceremony in New Delhi. The event marked the culmination of a 19-day celebration of tribal culture, craftsmanship, and enterprise.
The closing ceremony witnessed the felicitation of top-performing tribal artisans and sellers across ten categories – Pottery, Cane and Bamboo, Jewellery, Cuisines, Gifts and Assortments, Metal, Naturals, Paintings, Textiles, and Van Dhan Vikas Kendras.
The festival’s record sales and over 1 lakh 50 thousand attendees demonstrate the growing desire for tribal goods and empowerment. The Ministry of Tribal Affairs said over 200 stalls showcased a diverse range of tribal handicrafts, handlooms, and natural products.
The festival featured more than 300 artisans and representatives from over 75 Van Dhan Vikas Kendras. Visitors enjoyed 17 live craft demonstrations and explored more than 30 tribal food stalls run by over 120 tribal chefs, offering a vibrant cultural and culinary experience.
India celebrates National Maritime Day on April 5 to honour its rich seafaring legacy and the historic 1919 voyage of SS Loyalty. The day recognises the vital role of shipping in trade, economy, and global connectivity, while saluting seafarers.
India observes National Maritime Day every year on April 5 to recognise the country’s rich maritime heritage and the vital role of the shipping industry in global trade and economic growth. The day highlights the contribution of seafarers, ports, and maritime organisations that keep India connected to the world.
The significance of April 5 dates back to 1919, when the Indian-owned ship SS Loyalty made its maiden voyage from Mumbai (then Bombay) to London. This was a landmark moment during British colonial rule, as it marked the beginning of India’s shipping industry breaking free from foreign dominance.
The Grand Finale of the 63rd National Maritime Day Celebrations–2026, marking the culmination of Merchant Navy Week, was held on April 5, 2026 at the Bharatratnam Auditorium, Andheri, Mumbai, under the theme “Maritime India, Empowering Progress.”
NITI Aayog and Atal Innovation Mission have launched ATL Sarthi and Mentor India Academy in Telangana to provide structured mentorship and institutional support to 379 Atal Tinkering Labs. This rollout builds on AIM’s national mission of nurturing one of the world’s largest student innovation ecosystems.
The initiative will enable young innovators to translate ideas into solutions that contribute to India’s development journey and position Telangana as a key node in India’s expanding grassroots innovation ecosystem.
The rollout builds on AIM’s broader national mission of establishing one of the world’s largest innovation ecosystems for students, with over 10,000 ATLs operational across the country.
Bengaluru-based SatSure, a full-stack satellite Earth Observation (EO) and Decision Intelligence company, announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Hyderabad-based Dhruva Space, a leading full-stack space solutions provider with proven expertise in satellite platforms, launch services, and ground station infrastructure.
This strategic partnership aims to unify the two companies’ end-to-end, indigenously developed capabilities across the upstream and downstream segments of the space value chain, addressing the needs of both strategic and commercial stakeholders with high-reliability, home-grown technology.
The collaboration seeks to provide one-stop-shop support for the world’s growing space-based observation needs by combining SatSure subsidiary KaleidEO’s next-generation analytical solutions with Dhruva Space’s expertise in small satellite platforms, critical subsystems, and system integration.
Vietnam unanimously elected Communist Party general secretary To Lam as President for a five-year term, consolidating his control over both the party and the state.
The move departs from Vietnam's tradition of shared leadership, in which the jobs have typically been held by different people, and echoes power structures in China under Xi Jinping and neighbouring Laos.
It has been widely expected since Mr. Lam's reelection as Communist Party head in January, when observers noted that his consolidation of party authority positioned him to assume the presidency as well.
Phạm Minh Chính is the current Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, having held the position since April 5, 2021.
The National Statistics Office (NSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), launches the first ever Annual Survey of Incorporated Services Sector Enterprises (ASISSE) from April, 2026 covering all States and Union Territories; accompanied by an explainer document titled Know Your Survey:
A User Guide to the Annual Survey of Incorporated Services Sector Enterprises (ASISSE), designed specifically for communicating survey processes in a user-friendly manner.
In terms of economic significance, the services sector contributes more than half of India's GDP, generates millions of jobs and has been a major catalyst for the country's economic transformation in the last few decades.
ASISSE is envisaged to be a key source of official data on the incorporated services sector of the economy comprising of services like trade, transport, hospitality, information technology, education, heath, etc. and thereby representing one of the most dynamic components of India’s economy.
ASISSE is a significant initiative aimed at developing a comprehensive database of the incorporated services sector in India. A comparable database for the registered manufacturing sector already exists through the Annual Survey of Industries (ASI), conducted by the NSO, MoSPI.
The survey covers corporate entities in the services sector – companies registered under the Companies Act, 1956/2013 or Limited Liability Partnership Act, 2008. With a sample size of approximately 1.21 lakh enterprises, the survey is expected to generate key operational and economic indicators, which are crucial for evidence-based policymaking and economic analysis.
The survey will be conducted under the provisions of Collection of Statistics Act, 2008, as amended in 2017 and through the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023 and data will be collected through a secure web-based portal.
At the Indian Athletics Series 2026, Murali Sreeshankar began his season with victory in the men’s long jump, registering a best effort of 8.15m.
Competing at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium, in Bengaluru, the 27-year-old produced his best jump on the fourth attempt and emerged as the only athlete in the field to cross both the 8.00m mark and the Asian Games qualifying standard of 7.91m.
In the men’s triple jump, former Asian champion Abdulla Aboobacker secured first place with a leap of 16.82m.
National record holder Praveen Chithravel did not compete in the event. Meanwhile, Sarvesh Kushare, who represented India at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, won the men’s high jump with a clearance of 2.23m.
Among the other standout performances, Baranica Elangovan impressed in the women’s pole vault, while Ancy Sojan narrowly defeated Shaili Singh by just two centimetres to claim the women’s long jump title. In the men’s javelin throw, Bibin Antony emerged victorious with a best throw of 77.53m.
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions; Department of Space and Atomic Energy, Dr. Jitendra Singh, chaired the 327th meeting of the Executive Council of the Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA) in New Delhi.
As Chairman of the Council, Dr. Jitendra Singh emphasized the need for stronger integration of governance training with emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, digital platforms, and data-driven tools.
The Executive Council approved several agenda items, including confirmation of the previous meeting’s minutes, adoption of the Annual Report and audited accounts for 2024–25, admission of new life members, and establishment of a new local branch at Nanded, Maharashtra.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBl) has, by an order dated April 2, 2026, imposed a monetary penalty of ₹1.09 lakh (Rupees One Lakh Nine Thousand only) on Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Urban Cooperative Bank Ltd., Amravati, Maharashtra (the bank),
for non-compliance with certain directions issued by RBI on ‘Classification, Valuation and Operation of Investment Portfolio of Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks’, ‘Exposure Norms and Statutory / Other Restrictions – UCBs’ and ‘National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) System - Rationalisation of customer charges’.
