Prelims Current Affairs includes Imf Projects 6.5% Growth For India In 2026, India Slips To Sixth In Imf Gdp Rankings 2025, China Becomes India’s Top Trade Partner In Fy26, India Unemployment Rate Rises To 5.1% In March 2026, Türkiye Outlines ‘Cop Of The Future’ Vision For Cop31, China Plans 120 Km Undersea Bullet Train Tunnel, Sanju Samson Wins Icc Men’s Player Of The Month, Melie Kerr Wins Women’s Award For March 2026, Karnataka High Court Directs State To Implement Menstrual Leave Policy  & Baisakh Pilgrimage Begins As Bijli Mahadev’s Palanquin Reaches Kullu’s Jia Village

INTERNATIONAL DAYS

1.  WORLD HERITAGE DAY 2026 (INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR MONUMENTS AND SITES)

Current Context: World Heritage Day 2026, also known as the International Day for Monuments and Sites, will be observed on 18 April 2026.

ABOUT WORLD HERITAGE DAY

• Declared by:UNESCO
• Proposed by:International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) in 1982
• Approved by:UNESCO in 1983
• Theme for 2026:“Emergency Response for Living Heritage in contexts of Conflicts and Disasters”
  • Objective: Focuses on protecting monuments, sites, and cultural traditions during natural disasters, conflicts, and crises

ECONOMY

2. INDIA APPROVES FIRST SEMICONDUCTOR SEZ AT DHOLERA

Current Context: The Government of India has approved a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) for the country’s first semiconductor fabrication plant at Dholera, Gujarat, marking a major step towards building a domestic chip manufacturing ecosystem.

ABOUT THE SEMICONDUCTOR SEZ

• Company:Tata Semiconductor Manufacturing Private Ltd
• Investment:Approximately ₹91,000 crore
• Area:16 hectares
• Notified by:Department of Commerce
• Policy Reforms (June 2025):Minimum land requirement for semiconductor SEZs reduced from 50 hectares to 10 hectares

NATIONAL NEWS

3. INDIA-NEW ZEALAND FTA TO BE SIGNED APRIL 27

Current Context: India and New Zealand are set to sign a landmark free trade agreement (FTA) on April 27 in New Delhi, aiming to boost bilateral trade to USD 5 billion within five years. 

ABOUT THE INDIA-NZ FTA

• Signing Date:April 27, 2026
• Venue:Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi
• Target:Double bilateral trade to USD 5 billion within five years
• Investment Target:Nearly USD 20 billion over 15 years
• Tariff Provisions:
  • India to get zero-duty access for 100% of its exports to New Zealand
  • India to eliminate/reduce tariffs on ~95% of New Zealand’s exports
• Sensitive sectors excluded:Dairy products, edible oils, sugar, onions, spices, rubber
• Key NZ Imports benefiting from tariff cuts:Wool, coal, wood products, wine, avocados, blueberries
• Services & Mobility:
  • New Zealand to introduce dedicated visa pathway for skilled Indian workers
  • Up to 5,000 professionals annually for up to three years
• Current Trade (2024-25):
  • Merchandise trade: USD 1.3 billion
  • Total trade (goods + services): ~USD 2.4 billion
  • Services trade: USD 1.24 billion (led by travel and IT services)

NATIONAL NEWS

4. FIRST BRICS HEALTH WORKING GROUP MEETING 2026

Current Context: The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare hosted the First BRICS Health Working Group (HWG) Meeting 2026 in New Delhi.

ABOUT THE MEETING

• Host:Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India
• Venue:New Delhi
• Theme:“Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”
• Two New Priority Areas Introduced by India:
  1. BRICS Mission for Healthy Lifestyles (addressing unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, tobacco, alcohol)
  2. Promotion of Mental Health and Wellness

Other Priority Areas:

• BRICS TB Research Network
• Evidence-Based Traditional Medicine
• Digital Health Architecture
• Regulatory Cooperation for vaccines and medicines
• Early Warning Systems for infectious diseases
• Network of Public Health Institutes
• Social determinants of health

SPORTS

5. R VAISHALI WINS WOMEN’S CANDIDATES TOURNAMENT 2026

Current Context: Indian chess player R Vaishali has scripted history by winning the Women’s Candidates Tournament 2026 in Cyprus, securing a spot in the Women’s World Chess Championship.

ABOUT R VAISHALI’S ACHIEVEMENT

• Achievement:Became second Indian woman to qualify for Women’s World Chess Championship (after Koneru Humpy)
• Will face:Current reigning champion Ju Wenjun
• Other Achievements:
  • Winner of FIDE Grand Swiss (twice)
  • Part of India’s Women’s Olympiad-winning team (2024)

APPOINTMENTS

6. IRAQ ELECTS KURDISH LEADER NIZAR AMEDI AS NEW PRESIDENT

Current Context: Nizar Amedi has been elected as the new President of Iraq by parliament after the November elections.

ABOUT IRAQ

• Capital:Baghdad
• Currency:Dinar
• President:Nizar Amedi (former environment minister, led political office of Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) in Baghdad since 2024)

ENVIRONMENT

7. FIRST WILDLIFE OFFENCE PROSECUTED THROUGH CBI

Current Context: In a landmark ruling, a Delhi court convicted a person for illegal export of Shahtoosh shawls made from the hair of the Tibetan Antelope in violation of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

ABOUT SHAHTOOSH WOOL

• Source:Under fleece of Tibetan Antelope (Chiru), obtained only by killing the animal
• Colour:Shades of brown, beige, grey (depends on gender and body area)
• Legal Ban:Globally banned since 1975 under CITES

ABOUT CHIRU (TIBETAN ANTELOPE)

• Scientific Name:Pantholops hodgsonii
• Habitat:Tibetan plateau, Xinjiang and Qinghai provinces of western China, migratory population in India
• Conservation Status:
  • WPA, 1972: Schedule I and IV
  • CITES: Appendix I
  • IUCN Red List: Near Threatened
• Threats:Illegal poaching, loss of habitat, harsh natural environment

ABOUT THE CASE

• Agencies Involved:CBI, Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, Customs, Wildlife Institute of India (joint operation)

SCHEMES

8. URBAN CHALLENGE FUND (UCF)

Current Context: Union Minister launched the Operational Guidelines for the Urban Challenge Fund (UCF) and the Credit Repayment Guarantee Sub-Scheme (CRGSS) to revolutionize urban infrastructure financing.

ABOUT URBAN CHALLENGE FUND (UCF)

• Implementation Period:FY 2025-26 to FY 2030-31
• Nodal Ministry:Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA)
• Total Central Assistance:₹1 lakh crore (aims to mobilize nearly ₹4 lakh crore total investments – 4x leverage)
• Funding Ratio:
  • Central Assistance: 25% of project cost
  • At least 50% funding through municipal bonds, bank loans, PPPs
• Fund Allocation:
  • ₹90,000 crore: Direct project funding
  • ₹5,000 crore: Project preparation and capacity building
  • ₹5,000 crore: Credit Repayment Guarantee Sub-Scheme (CRGSS)
• Credit Repayment Guarantee Sub-Scheme (CRGSS):Helps Tier-II, Tier-III, hilly, and North-Eastern cities access credit by providing guarantees to lenders
• Focus Sectors:Redevelopment of old city areas, urban mobility, water, sanitation, climate-resilient infrastructure

HIMACHAL NEWS

9. HIMACHAL CM FELICITATES ACHIEVERS WITH STATE-LEVEL AWARDS

Current Context: Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu honoured distinguished individuals and institutions with state-level awards at a function held in Reckong Peo, Kinnaur district, recognizing exceptional contributions across governance, sports, healthcare, and social service.

ABOUT THE AWARD CEREMONY

CIVIL SERVICES AWARD

• Institutional Category (Departmental):
  • Mandi DC Apoorv Devgan
  • Department of Digital Technology and Governance
• Individual Category:
• Balh SDM (Mandi) Smritika Negi (for service delivery and governance initiatives)

PRERNA SROT SAMMAN

• Individual Category:
  • Charu Sharma (Shimla district)
  • Chhonzin Angmo (Kinnaur district)
• Group Category (Indian National Women’s Kabaddi Team members from Himachal):
  • Ritu Negi
  • Sakshi Sharma
  • Pushpa
  • Bhawan Devi
  • Champa Thakur
• Institutional Category:
• Department of Urology, Chamiyana Hospital (for contribution to public healthcare)

HIMACHAL GAURAV AWARD

• Recipients:
  • Padma Shri awardee Prem Lal Gautam
  • Dr OP Sharma
  • Dr Brij Sharma
  • Harleen Kaur
  • Sneh Lata

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