Current Affairs One - Liner : 10th March 2026

National:

• On March 7, 2026, NITI Aayog announced a strategic partnership with Tata Electronics (TEPL) to accelerate India’s electronics manufacturing growth, focusing on semiconductors, supply chain resilience, and advanced production capacity. This collaboration is part of India’s push toward self-reliance under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Kerala and Tamil Nadu on March 11, 2026, launching and inaugurating development projects worth over ₹16,000 crore across infrastructure, energy, highways, and connectivity sectors. The initiatives include major petroleum projects, highway expansions, and railway upgrades aimed at boosting regional growth.
• Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav announced that female cheetah Jwala had given birth to five cubs at Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh, on March 9, 2026. This milestone takes India’s total cheetah population to 53, marking the 10th successful litter since Project Cheetah began.

International:

• On March 5, 2026, Romania ratified the Framework Agreement of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) in Bucharest. This makes Romania a full-fledged member of ISA, joining over 120 countries in global solar cooperation. The aim is to promote affordable, sustainable, and clean solar energy solutions under ISA’s vision of “One Sun, One World, One Grid.”
• Balendra Shah, popularly known as Balen Shah, is set to become the next and youngest Prime Minister of Nepal after his party, the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), swept the 2026 general elections. At 35, the rapper-turned-politician and former Kathmandu mayor represents a generational shift in Nepali politics.

Banking:

• Bank of Baroda (BoB) has become the first Indian bank to issue domestic Green Infrastructure Bonds, successfully raising ₹10,000 crore on March 5, 2026. The seven-year bonds were priced at a 7.10% coupon and saw bids worth ₹16,415 crore, more than three times the base issue size.
• Swiggy and HDFC Bank launched two new co-branded credit cards — the Swiggy BLCK HDFC Bank Credit Card and the Swiggy Ornge HDFC Bank Credit Card — on March 7, 2026, in Mumbai. These cards are designed to reward users on travel, food delivery, shopping, and daily spending, with potential annual savings of up to ₹48,000.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) approved the appointment of Ketan Merchant as the Interim CEO of Fino Payments Bank on March 6, 2026, following the arrest of MD & CEO Rishi Gupta in a GST-related case. Merchant, who was serving as CFO, will oversee operations for a temporary period of three months.

Economy:

• On March 6, 2026, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant presented a ₹30,195 crore Budget for FY27 in the state assembly. The budget emphasizes infrastructure development, tourism promotion, and welfare schemes for youth and women. It also allocates funds for healthcare, education, and green initiatives to align with sustainable growth.

Science & Technology:

• On March 4, 2026, ISRO and the European Space Agency (ESA) signed a landmark agreement to strengthen cooperation in Earth Observation missions, focusing on joint calibration, validation, and scientific studies. This builds on their long-standing partnership dating back to 1978.

Summits & Conferences:

• International Malaria Conference (IMC) 2026 – Held in New Delhi (7–9 March), organized by Indian Council of Medical Research – National Institute of Malaria Research (ICMR–NIMR); Theme: “Discovery, Development & Delivery: Driving Malaria Elimination and Beyond”; Focus on global collaboration, innovations in detection/monitoring, and policy integration.

Appointments:

• Gary Kirsten was appointed head coach of Sri Lanka's men's cricket team on March 9, 2026, by SLC after Sanath Jayasuriya's exit post the T20 World Cup flop. The South African, who led India to 2011 ODI World Cup glory, starts April 15 on a 2-year deal through 2028.

Awards & Honours:

• Rashmika Mandanna won the Best Actress Award at the Telangana Gaddar Film Awards 2026 on March 7, 2026, for her performance in the Telugu romantic drama The Girlfriend. This was her first major award after her marriage to Vijay Deverakonda, making it a personally and professionally significant milestone.

Obituaries:

• Renowned German Indologist and Padma Shri awardee Prof. Hermann Kulke passed away on 10 March 2026 in Bhubaneswar at the age of 87. He was globally recognized for his pioneering research on Odisha’s history, culture, and the Jagannath tradition.
• Veteran Tamil filmmaker, producer, composer, and actor Thakkali Srinivasan passed away on 10 March 2026 in Bengaluru at the age of 72 after a prolonged illness. He was widely respected for his multifaceted contributions to Tamil cinema and later dedicated himself to philanthropy.

Questions:

Q.1 Which bank became the first Indian bank to issue domestic Green Infrastructure Bonds in March 2026?
a) State Bank of India
b) HDFC Bank
c) Bank of Baroda
d) ICICI Bank

Answer: c) Bank of Baroda raised ₹10,000 crore through 7-year Green Infrastructure Bonds with a 7.10% coupon rate.

Q.2 Which country ratified the Framework Agreement of the International Solar Alliance in March 2026?
a) Poland
b) Romania
c) Hungary
d) Bulgaria

Answer: b) On 5 March 2026, Romania ratified the ISA Framework Agreement, becoming a full member of the alliance that promotes global solar energy cooperation under the vision “One Sun, One World, One Grid.”