Daily Current Affairs and GK | 27 March 2026

Topic: National Appointments

1. The government has appointed Kompella Venkata Ramana Murthy as a Whole-Time Member of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).

• His tenure will last for three years or until further orders are issued.
• With his induction, SEBI now has a full set of four Whole-Time Members.
• The other Whole-Time Members include Amarjeet Singh, Kamlesh Chandra Varshney, and Sandip Pradhan.
• Murthy is a retired officer of the 1991 batch of the Indian Defence Accounts Service.
• Previously, he served as the Additional Controller General of Defence Accounts under the Ministry of Defence.
• SEBI was formed as a non-statutory body on April 12, 1988. It was set up through a resolution of the Government of India.
• It was set up as a statutory body in 1992. Tuhin Kanta Pandey is its current Chairperson.

Topic: Summits/Conferences/Meetings

2. WTO 14^th Ministerial Conference convened in Yaoundé to address global trade issues.

• On 26 March, the 14th Ministerial Conference (MC-14) of the World Trade Organization started in Yaoundé, Cameroon, and will continue until 29 March 2026.
• The conference is being attended by ministers from 166 member countries to discuss key global trade issues.
• Major areas such as WTO reform, agriculture, e-commerce, and investment facilitation have been included in the agenda.
• The event has been chaired by Cameroon’s Minister of Trade, Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana.
• The conference is being held in the context of rising geopolitical tensions and global economic uncertainties.
• Trade tensions, particularly between the United States and China, have been identified as a significant concern.
• Recent tariff measures by the United States have been questioned for being inconsistent with WTO principles.
• Core principles such as Most Favoured Nation treatment and bound tariff commitments have been highlighted during discussions.
• The conference is being viewed as an opportunity to restore confidence in the multilateral trading system.

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

3. DPIIT–KRAFTON signed MoU for strengthening startup and innovation ecosystem.

• An MoU has been signed by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) with KRAFTON India Pvt. Ltd. to strengthen India’s startup and innovation ecosystem.
• The collaboration is aimed at supporting startups, innovators, and entrepreneurs across sectors such as digital entertainment, online gaming, esports, and artificial intelligence technologies.
• The initiative is intended to enable startups to develop scalable and industry-relevant solutions through structured industry engagement and ecosystem support.
• Under the partnership, access to mentorship, industry insights, knowledge exchange platforms, and curated engagement opportunities will be provided to startups.
• The collaboration will facilitate startups in achieving milestones such as Proof-of-Concept development, market access, and integration into industry ecosystems wherever feasible.
• Innovation challenges, hackathons, workshops, and masterclasses will be organized under initiatives like the Bharat Startup Grand Challenge across emerging domains.
• The partnership will also promote knowledge exchange and exposure to global best practices to enhance innovation capabilities.
• Selected startups may receive opportunities for pilot collaborations with potential for further engagement based on outcomes.
• The initiative will strengthen outreach efforts and participation in Startup India programmes to deepen ecosystem engagement.
• The MoU was formally signed by Shri T. L. K. Singh and Shri Vibhor Kukreti in the presence of senior officials from both organisations.

Topic: Reports and Indices

4. IIT ISM Dhanbad ranked 21st globally in Mineral and Mining Engineering in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026.

• The institute has retained its position as the top-ranked institution in India in this specialised field.
• In Petroleum Engineering, the institute has been placed in the 151–175 global rank band while securing the 4th position in India.
• Mechanical Engineering has been included for the first time in the rankings with a global position in the 501–575 band.
• The institute has also achieved the 110th rank in the QS World University Rankings Southern Asia 2026.
• This achievement reflects the institute’s consistent focus on quality education, research, and innovation.
• The performance highlights the strengthening of India’s global presence in engineering and mining education.
• The institute, established in 1926, continues to build its reputation as a premier centre for technical education.

Topic: Sports

5. Khelo India Tribal Games witness strong performances and Karnataka leads medal tally.

• Competitions in swimming, weightlifting, hockey, and football were held on the second day of the Khelo India Tribal Games in Chhattisgarh.
• Karnataka swimmer Manikanta L. secured the gold medal in the 200 metres individual medley, completing a hat-trick of gold medals.
• Odisha’s Anjali Munda won the gold medal in the women’s 200 metres individual medley, marking her second gold in the event.
• In weightlifting, gold medals were won by Monikha Sonowal of Assam and Isak Malsawmtluanga of Mizoram in their respective categories.
• Karnataka is leading the medal tally with eight gold, three silver, and one bronze medal.
• Odisha is placed second with five gold, one silver, and eight bronze medals.
• More than three thousand athletes from thirty states and union territories are participating in the Games.
• The event includes competitions in archery, athletics, football, hockey, swimming, weightlifting, and wrestling.
• Mallakhamb and Kabaddi have been included as demonstration sports to showcase indigenous traditions.
• The Games are being conducted across venues in Raipur, Bastar, and Surguja and will continue till 3rd April.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

6. ‘Gruh Sugam’ portal launched by National Housing Bank to simplify home loan access.

• The ‘Gruh Sugam’ portal has been launched by the National Housing Bank to simplify access to home loans.
• The portal has been designed to enable defence personnel, paramilitary forces, and government employees to avail housing loans digitally.
• Through this platform, home loan applications can be submitted from the place of posting without visiting banks or financial institutions.
• The initiative is aimed at accelerating digital lending adoption and strengthening financial inclusion in the housing sector.
• The portal functions as a unified digital marketplace that allows comparison and selection of suitable loan offers.
• It provides seamless digital integration between NHB and lending institutions for efficient processing.
• Loan applications are submitted with minimal data and are forwarded to registered lenders for competitive offers.
• Enhanced loan processing efficiency, grievance redressal mechanisms, and an online chat facility have been incorporated.
• The platform supports registration through administrative units of defence, paramilitary, and government departments.
• The National Housing Bank (NHB) is the apex agency established by the Government of India to promote cost effective housing finance system.

Topic: National News

7. Indian Railways has approved projects worth over ₹1,200 crore to upgrade communication systems and enhance railway safety.

• Two major projects, valued at over ₹600 crore, will be implemented within Central Railway.
• These projects will cover all five divisions of the zone.
• A dual-fiber communication network will be established. This will ensure reliable and uninterrupted connectivity.
• Optical fiber cables will be laid across the entire network. Overhead ground wire systems will also be installed.
• This network will create a robust communication backbone. It will also provide an opportunity to generate revenue by leasing out fiber capacity.
• 'Kavach 4.0' will be deployed on busy routes spanning 548 km. These routes are located in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka.
• This project will entail an expenditure of over ₹300 crore.
• 'Kavach' is an Automatic Train Protection system. It helps prevent train collisions.
• This system can automatically apply brakes in emergency situations, thereby enhancing safety on high-traffic routes.
• Under another project, optical fiber communication infrastructure will be expanded in Gujarat.
• This initiative will cover the Rajkot and Bhavnagar divisions. This project will cost over ₹300 crore.
• These initiatives will strengthen the railway's communication infrastructure.

Topic: Infrastructure and Energy

8. LPG vessel, Apollo Ocean, arrived at New Mangalore Port.

• Unloading operations began soon after the vessel docked.
• The ship carried a large LPG consignment. It transported about 16,000 metric tons of fuel.
• An earlier cargo ship Shivalik was expected to deliver part of its LPG consignment to Mangaluru.
• This ship did not unload cargo at Mangaluru. Instead, it discharged the entire consignment at a Gujarat port.
• The LPG was later redirected to Mangaluru. It was transported using Apollo Ocean.
• The fresh supply has helped improve fuel availability.
• Port authorities expect more tankers to arrive. These will carry crude oil shipments.
• The schedules of these vessels are not yet confirmed.

Topic: Infrastructure and Energy

9. PM Narendra Modi will inaugurate the first phase of the Noida International Airport on March 28.

• This airport has been constructed with an investment of approximately ₹11,200 crore.
• It has been designed as a sustainable and future-ready infrastructure project.
• The facility aims to operate as a 'Net-Zero Emission' airport.
• This project is one of India's largest greenfield airport development projects.
• It is expected to help India achieve its goal of becoming a 'Global Aviation Hub.'
• It will serve as a major international gateway for the National Capital Region (NCR).
• This airport is being developed as a second international hub for the Delhi-NCR region.
• It will complement the operations of the Indira Gandhi International Airport.
• Initially, its passenger handling capacity has been set at 12 million (1.2 crore) passengers per year.
• In subsequent phases, this capacity can be expanded to 70 million (7 crore) passengers annually.
• The airport features robust infrastructure for cargo handling.
• It also includes a 'Multi-modal Cargo Hub' equipped with integrated logistics facilities.

Topic: Indian Economy

10. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) projects that India will remain the world's fastest-growing major economy.

• India's GDP growth rate is projected to stand at 7.6% for 2025–26.
• In 2026–27, the growth rate is expected to moderate to 6.1%. It is projected to rise slightly to 6.4% in 2027–28.
• The OECD has highlighted the ongoing tensions in the Middle East as a risk to global stability.
• Disruptions to shipments through the Strait of Hormuz have impacted energy flows.
• Damage to energy infrastructure has exacerbated supply bottlenecks.
• Supply disruptions have also affected key commodities, such as fertilizers.
• Inflationary trends are intensifying due to these factors.
• China's economic growth is expected to slow down gradually.
• China's GDP growth rate could decline from 5.0% in 2025 to 4.4% in 2026. By 2027, it is projected to moderate further to 4.3%.
• Global GDP growth is forecast to be approximately 2.9% in 2026. It is expected to rise slightly to 3% in 2027.
• Robust investment in technology sectors will support growth.
• However, geopolitical tensions continue to create uncertainty regarding global demand.