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Current Affairs – 18 March 2026

Sahitya Akademi Award 2025

Why in News:
The Sahitya Akademi Awards 2025 were officially announced on 16 March 2026, recognising outstanding literary works across 24 Indian languages.

Key Highlights

• The Sahitya Akademi Award is presented annually by the Sahitya Akademi, India’s National Academy of Letters.
• The awards celebrate excellence in literature across multiple Indian languages.

    Categories in Sahitya Akademi Award 2025

      The selected works include:

  •  8 poetry collections
  •  4 novels
  •  6 short story collections
  •  2 essay books
  •  1 literary criticism work
  •  1 autobiography
  •  2 memoirs

     Award Ceremony

  •  The Sahitya Akademi Award 2025 ceremony will be held on 31 March 2026 in New Delhi.

   Award Components

     Each recipient will receive:

  •  ₹1,00,000 cash prize
  •  A ceremonial shawl
  •  An engraved copper plaque (casket).

LANGUAGE - TITTLE AND GENRE- NAME OF THE AUTHOR

  •  Assamese – Karhi Khelar Sadhu (Novel) – Devabrat Das
  •  Bengali – Shrestha Kabita (Poetry) – Prasun Bandyopadhyay
  •  Bodo – Dwngnwi Lama Mwnse Gathwn (Novel) – Sahaisuli Brahma
  •  Dogri – Thakur Satsaiye (Poetry, Couplets) – Khajur Singh Thakur
  •  English – Crimson Spring (Novel) – Navtej Sarna
  •  Gujarati – Bhattkhadaki (Poetry) – Yogesh Vaidya
  •  Hindi – Jeete Jee Allahabad (Memoir) – Mamta Kalia
  •  Kannada – Dada Seerisu Tande (Short Stories) – Amaresh Nugadoni
  •  Kashmiri – Najdaiyaneky Pot Aalay (Poetry) – Ali Shaida
  •  Konkani – Konkani Kayven: Rupan Ani Rupakam (Essays) – Henry Mendonca (H. M. Pernal)
  •  Maithili – Dhart Paat San Gaam (Memoir) – Mahendra
  •  Malayalam – Maayaamanushyar (Novel) – N. Prabhakaran
  •  Manipuri – Kanglamdiba Eephut (Short Stories) – Haobam Malini
  •  Marathi – Kalyanlya Resha (Autobiography) – Raju Baviskar
  •  Nepali – Nepali Paramparik Sanskriti Ra Sabhyata Ko Dukuti (Essays) – Prakash Bhattarai
  •  Odia – Padapurana (Poetry) – Girijakumar Baliyar Singh

  Background

     Sahitya Akademi

  • Sahitya Akademi is India’s National Academy of Letters, dedicated to promoting literature in multiple Indian languages.
  • It was established in 1954.
  • The institution works to support literary creativity, translation, publishing and cultural exchange.

     Sahitya Akademi Award

  •  The Sahitya Akademi Award is one of the most prestigious literary honours in India.
  •  It recognises outstanding books published in 24 languages officially recognised by the Akademi.
Exam Relevance:

UPSC/BPSC

India Submits First National Report on Nagoya Protocol

NATIONAL

Why in News:
India has submitted its first National Report on the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The report was submitted on 27 February 2026 by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in collaboration with the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA).

Key Highlights

• The report highlights India’s progress in implementing global biodiversity agreements.
• It covers the implementation period from 1 November 2017 to 31 December 2025.
• The report reflects India’s efforts to regulate access to biological resources and ensure fair sharing of benefits.

Background

  Nagoya Protocol

  •  The Nagoya Protocol is an international agreement adopted in 2010 under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
  •  It focuses on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits arising from their utilisation (ABS).
Exam Relevance:

UPSC/BPSC

Kusunpur to Become Odisha’s First Smart Village

NATIONAL

Why in News:
Kusunpur village in Kendrapada district of Odisha is set to become the first smart village in the state under an initiative launched by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) under the Ministry of Science and Technology.

Key Highlights

• The project aims to transform Kusunpur into a model smart village using scientific and technological solutions.
• The village has around 130 families with a population of nearly 700 people.
• The initiative will focus on improving infrastructure, technology access, and sustainable development at the rural level.
 

Exam Relevance:

UPSC/BPSC

Washington Consensus (WC)

Why in News:
The Washington Consensus is often discussed in debates on economic reforms and development strategies for developing countries.

Key Highlights

• The Washington Consensus (WC) refers to a set of economic policy prescriptions designed to promote macroeconomic stability and market-oriented reforms in developing countries.
• The term was coined by economist John Williamson in 1989.
• It describes the policy framework promoted by Washington-based institutions, including:
• International Monetary Fund (IMF)
• World Bank
• US Treasury Department

   Core Principles of Washington Consensus

    The framework promotes neoliberal economic reforms focused on:

  •  Liberalisation – Reducing trade barriers and opening markets.
  •  Privatisation – Transferring state-owned enterprises to private ownership.
  •  Globalisation – Integrating economies with global markets through trade and investment.
  •  Deregulation – Reducing government regulations to encourage private sector growth.

    Objectives

  •  Promote economic growth through market-driven policies.
  •  Encourage fiscal discipline and efficient public spending.
  •  Improve trade openness and foreign investment flows in developing economies.

Mains News

Defence Forces Vision 2047

NATIONAL

Why in News:
The Defence Minister of India unveiled “Defence Forces Vision 2047: A Roadmap for a Future-Ready Indian Military.” The document was prepared by the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQ IDS) to guide the transformation of India’s armed forces for future challenges.

Key Highlights

• The document acts as a meta-strategy for India’s long-term military transformation.
• It recognizes that modern national security depends not only on military strength but also on industrial capacity and technological ecosystems.
• The roadmap aims to build a future-ready, technologically advanced and integrated military by 2047.

     Core Pillars of Defence Forces Vision 2047

      Technological Advancement

  • Focus on advanced technologies such as:
  •  Artificial Intelligence (AI)
  • Autonomous systems
  • Quantum sensing
  •  Advanced surveillance systems
  • These technologies will help maintain strategic and technological superiority in modern warfare.

     Jointness and Synergy

  •  Enhancing coordination among the Army, Navy and Air Force.
  •  Reducing duplication of resources and ensuring efficient use of defence capabilities.

      Multi-Domain Capability

  •  The future military will operate across multiple domains, including:
  •  Land, Sea and Air
  •  Cyber space
  •  Outer space
  •  Cognitive domain

   Key Proposals and Structural Reforms

   Creation of Specialized Forces

    The roadmap proposes the establishment of several next-generation defence structures, including:

  •  Space Command
  •  Cyber Command
  •  Data Force
  •  Drone Force
  •  Cognitive Warfare Action Force

    Doctrinal Shift

  •  The strategy proposes a shift from Net-Centric Warfare to Data-Centric Warfare.
  •  The focus will move from information superiority to decision superiority on the battlefield.

   Mission Sudarshan Chakra

  •  The mission proposes expansion of ballistic missile and air defence systems.
  •  The goal is to protect India’s strategic, economic and civilian infrastructure from aerial threats.

Phased Implementation Strategy

     Era of Transition (Till 2030)

  •  Restructuring of the military.
  •  Strengthening deterrence capabilities.
  • Promotion of indigenous defence technologies such as drones.

     Era of Consolidation (2030–2040)

  •  Integration of cyber warfare and space capabilities.
  •  Development of layered air and missile defence systems.

     Era of Excellence (2040–2047)

  •  Creation of a fully integrated and self-reliant all-domain military force.
  •  Establishing India as a world-class military power by 2047.
Exam Relevance:

UPSC/BPSC

Manuscript Mapping Survey

NATIONAL

Why in News:
The Ministry of Culture has launched a three-month nationwide survey to map India’s manuscript heritage.

Key Highlights

• It is the first nationwide initiative to systematically identify manuscripts across the country.
• The survey will be conducted from the district level upward to locate manuscripts in libraries, institutions and private collections.
• The collected information will be compiled into a consolidated national database.

Background

     Manuscript Mapping Survey

  • The data gathered through the survey will be digitally compiled into a national repository.
  • This repository will be created under the Gyan Bharatam Mission.
Exam Relevance:

UPSC/BPSC

Economic Stabilisation Fund (ESF)

NATIONAL

Why in News:
The Lok Sabha approved the second batch of Supplementary Demands for Grants (2025–26) and the Finance Minister introduced the Economic Stabilisation Fund (ESF) with an allocation of ₹1 lakh crore to strengthen macroeconomic stability.

Key Highlights

• The Economic Stabilisation Fund (ESF) is designed as a financial buffer to protect the Indian economy from global shocks.

• It aims to address risks arising from West Asia conflicts, rising oil prices, and global supply chain disruptions such as a possible Strait of Hormuz blockade.

• The fund will act as a financial shock absorber without breaching India’s fiscal deficit targets.

    Funding Source

  •  ₹57,381.84 crore will come from Supplementary Demands for Grants.
  •  The remaining amount will be sourced from savings, recoveries and higher receipts from various ministries.
  •  The fund will be kept under reserve funds managed by the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Ministry of Finance.

   Fiscal Discipline

  •  The government clarified that no additional borrowing will be undertaken for this fund.
  •  Therefore, the fiscal deficit target of 4.4% for 2025–26 (Revised Estimates) will remain unchanged.

  Supplementary Demands for Grants

      Article 115 of the Constitution

  •  Supplementary Demands for Grants are presented when the funds approved in the Appropriation Act become insufficient for a service.
  •  These demands are placed before both Houses of Parliament by the President for approval before the end of the financial year.
Exam Relevance:

UPSC/BPSC

One Liner

FACTUAL

  1. India Post is launching the ‘24 Speed Post’ service from 17 March 2026, offering next-day guaranteed delivery in six major cities: Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Hyderabad.
  2. World Social Work Day 2026 will be observed on 17 March with the theme “Co-Building Hope and Harmony: A Harambee Call to Unite a Divided Society”.
  3. World Bank, the Government of India and the Uttar Pradesh Government signed a $299.66 million agreement to improve air quality in the state.
  4. Arun Mammen has been re-elected as Chairman of Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association, while Rajarshi Moitra became Vice Chairman and Sanjay Chatterjee was elevated as Director General; ATMA, founded in 1975, represents India’s USD 12 billion tyre industry and over 80% of the country’s tyre production.
  5. Omar Abdullah inaugurated Asia’s largest tulip garden in Srinagar, marking the beginning of Kashmir’s spring tourism season.
  6. Gujarat has launched a statewide Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccination drive from 1 March to 15 April to protect livestock and prevent the spread of the disease under the National Animal Disease Control Programme.
  7. India has started the process of signing Terms of Reference (ToR) with the Philippines and Maldives to begin negotiations for new trade agreements, under which India will negotiate a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) with the Philippines and a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the Maldives to strengthen economic relations and promote trade.
  8. The animated short film CHYIMI, directed by Partha Sarathi Mahanta, won the Best Director Award at the New York Short Animation Festival 2026.
  9. Uniqlo has appointed Jasprit Bumrah as its brand ambassador in India.
Exam Relevance:

UPSC/BPSC

Sea Dragon Exercise 2026

NATIONAL

Why in News:
India has joined the U.S.-led multinational naval exercise Sea Dragon 2026, which is being held near Guam.

Key Highlights

• The exercise is being conducted near Guam, a strategic location in the Indo-Pacific region.

• The Indian Navy is participating in the exercise.

• Other participating countries include:
Australia
Japan
New Zealand

Guam

• Location: Western Pacific Ocean
• Status: Unincorporated territory of the United States
• Capital: Hagåtña
• Largest City: Dededo

Exam Relevance:

UPSC/BPSC

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