Nestled in the Jampui Hills, Vangmun village, once grappling with acute water scarcity, has transformed itself through collective efforts and now stands as a symbol of resilience. Highlighting the initiative during his recent address in Mann Ki Baat, the Prime Minister underscored the importance of water conservation, especially with the onset of summer across several parts of the country.

Over the past decade, he noted, campaigns such as the Jal Sanchay Abhiyan have led to the creation of nearly 50 lakh artificial water harvesting structures nationwide, significantly boosting awareness on water preservation. He also pointed out that under the Amrit Sarovar Abhiyan, around 70,000 water bodies have been developed, with cleaning and maintenance already underway ahead of the monsoon.

Several Chinese surveillance equipment manufacturers will soon be barred from selling internet-connected CCTV cameras in India starting April 1, 2026. This comes after the implementation of new certification and security compliance rules coming into effect from the said date. The move, according to experts is aimed at tightening digital security and reducing reliance on foreign surveillance technology in sensitive infrastructure.

Chinese video surveillance companies that are likely to be affected by the move are Hikvision, Dahua and TP-Link. According to Economic Times, the government is explicitly refusing to certify products made by these companies and those using Chinese chipsets.

About one-third of all CCTV sales in India till last year were Chinese, but with this move, home grown brands like CP Plus, Qubo, Prama, Matrix, and Sparsh- that have shifted to Taiwanese chipsets - and now cater to 80 per cent of the Indian market, according to market tracker counterpoint will do even better business.

The government on Monday said it is mulling over to bring the unorganised sector under the ambit of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation and the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation.

This information emerged in a reply to a supplementary question in the Lok Sabha during Question Hour by Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Shobha Karandlaje. “At present, it is being deliberated in the labour department that that the unorganised workers should get pension in the coming days as the prime minister desires that all those who work should get pension and they should come under the ambit of the EPFO and ESIC,” she told the House.

The MoS also informed that a lot of improvement is happening in the pension scheme, including the launch of the free doorstep service. The Ministry in its deliberations is also considering online industry for pension in the near future, the Minister from Karnata said.

The Indian Air Force is set to equip its fleet of MiG-29 fighter jets with the Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile, or ASRAAM, in a move that will significantly upgrade the aircraft's combat capabilities.

The Ministry of Defence issued a request for proposals on March 25 for the integration and testing of the ASRAAM on the MiG-29 UPG variant. The contract will cover not only the missile itself but also the necessary launchers, associated equipment and training for aircrew and ground personnel.

ASRAAM, a European-designed short-range air-to-air missile built by the multinational company MBDA, has already been integrated on the indigenous LCA Tejas and Jaguar aircraft. Its stated range exceeds 25 kilometres, more than double that of the Soviet-era R-73 missile it is intended to replace on the MiG-29. The Indian Air Force currently operates more than 55 MiG-29s, including eight twin-seat trainer versions.

The government has invited nominations for the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar (RVP) 2026. The award is a prestigious national initiative to recognize outstanding contributions in the fields of Science, Technology, and Innovation. It honours scientists, technologists, and innovators whose work has significantly advanced India’s scientific landscape and contributed to national development. The RVP-2026 awards will be presented in four distinct categories, which include the Vigyan Rata, Vigyan Shri, Vigyan Yuva-Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar and Vigyan Team.

Science and Technology Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said that the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar reflects the government’s unwavering commitment to fostering excellence in science, technology, and innovation. He added that these awards celebrate the spirit of inquiry and dedication of country’s scientists and innovators who are driving India’s transformation into a global knowledge leader. Dr Singh also highlighted that the awards serve as a testament to nation’s commitment to fostering a culture of excellence and innovation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday lauded the cricket team of Jammu and Kashmir for bagging the Ranji Trophy title for the first time and expressed hope that this winning streak of sports persons there continues in the future.

Addressing his monthly radio broadcast 'Mann Ki Baat', Modi said March has been a month full of excitement and enthusiasm for cricket fans across the country.

He said when India achieved a historic victory in the T20 World Cup, a wave of joy swept across the country and all citizens are very proud of the team's thumping success.

Late last month, a thrilling match was witnessed in Karnataka's Hubli, where the Jammu and Kashmir cricket team secured the Ranji Trophy, he said.

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Secretary (West) Sibi George met with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malta, Ian Borg, on Saturday to discuss ways of further enhancing cooperation between India and Malta.

The discussions also covered expanding the scope of bilateral engagement between the two countries.

In a post on X, Ambassador Sibi George shared, "Secretary (West) @AmbSibiGeorge called on Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malta, Dr. Ian Borg. They discussed ways to strengthen the ongoing cooperation between India and Malta while also broadening the scope of bilateral engagement. They also exchanged views on regional and global issues of interest."

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) today announced its ‘Payments Vision 2028’, outlining a roadmap to strengthen and expand India’s rapidly growing digital payments ecosystem.

Anchored in the theme, ‘Shaping India’s Payment Frontier’, the Vision document focuses on user empowerment, safeguards against fraud, improving the efficiency of cross-border payment frameworks, and promoting ease of doing business. Through its various initiatives, the Vision Document charts a course of action up to December 2028.

Among key initiatives, the RBI has proposed developing an interoperability framework for Trade Receivables Discounting Systems (TReDS) to create a more integrated and efficient receivables financing ecosystem. It also plans to explore a “switch on/off” facility across all digital payment modes, similar to card controls, to help users manage transactions and reduce fraud risks.

The Indian Navy hosted the IONS Maritime Exercise (IMEX) TTX 2026 at the Maritime Warfare Centre under the Southern Naval Command in Kochi on March 27, bringing together naval representatives from across the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) to deliberate on emerging maritime security challenges.

The high-level exercise saw participation from member navies of the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS), along with international officers of IOS SAGAR and Indian Navy personnel. Delegates from countries including Bangladesh, France, Indonesia, Kenya, Maldives, Mauritius, Myanmar, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tanzania and Timor-Leste took part in the exercise.

The multinational participation highlighted a shared commitment to enhancing cooperation, mutual trust and maritime security in the strategically significant Indian Ocean Region. The exercise assumes added importance as India prepares to take over the IONS Chairmanship for the 2026–2028 cycle after a gap of 16 years.

The sky above Western Australia recently transformed into a scene from a science fiction movie, leaving residents and social media users questioning if they were looking through a digital filter.

On March 27, 2026, the horizon in regions like Shark Bay and the Pilbara turned a deep, blood-red hue. This was not a camera trick or a cinematic stunt, but a powerful atmospheric event triggered by Tropical Cyclone Narelle.

As the severe storm approached the coast, its intense winds vacuumed up massive quantities of iron-rich dust from the arid Australian outback, suspending it in the atmosphere to create an eerie crimson daylight.