RAS Current Affairs — March 2026
RAS current affairs monthly brief for March 2026 covering 303 RAS-scoped articles. The dominant themes this month are the West Asia crisis and India's BRICS chairmanship, the updated NDC 2031-2035 climate targets, and Rajasthan's new industrial, AI-ML and semiconductor policies alongside the state budget.
1 March 2026 – 31 March 2026
119 qualifying articles· 103 sources· 1 coverage areas
Articles in this archive
Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026 Notified; Four-Stream Segregation Mandatory from April 1, 2026, Replacing 2016 Rules
SWM Rules, 2026 notified effective April 1, 2026, replacing 2016 rules. Mandatory 4-stream segregation (wet/dry/sanitary/special), bulk generators (>100 kg/day) must process organic waste on-site, RDF use to rise from 5% to 15% over 6 years, backed by Polluter Pays Principle and a digital waste tracking portal.
31 March 2026 · PIB / MoEFCC
Great Indian Bustard Chick Hatched in Gujarat's Kutch After a Decade via First-Ever Inter-State 'Jumpstart' Initiative from Rajasthan
India's first inter-state 'jumpstart' GIB conservation initiative successfully hatched a chick in Gujarat's Kutch on March 26, 2026 — after a decade — by transporting a fertile egg 770 km from Sam, Rajasthan to Naliya, Gujarat. Only ~150 GIBs remain in the wild; Rajasthan's two breeding centres house 73 birds.
31 March 2026 · Manorama Yearbook / Gulf News / Social News XYZ / DD News
Union Cabinet Approves India's Updated NDC for 2031–2035: 47% Emissions Intensity Reduction and 60% Non-Fossil Power by 2035
The Union Cabinet on March 25, 2026 approved India's NDC 3.0 for 2031–2035, targeting 60% non-fossil electricity capacity, 47% emissions intensity cut from 2005 levels, and a 3.5–4 billion tonne carbon sink by 2035. India had already surpassed earlier NDC targets, with 52% non-fossil power and 36% emission intensity reduction achieved.
31 March 2026 · PIB / Kashmir Reader / Down to Earth
India AI Impact Summit 2026: 92 Nations Endorse Declaration, $200 Billion Investments Pledged
The India AI Impact Summit 2026 (Feb 16-21) saw 92 nations endorse the India AI Declaration, ~6 lakh in-person attendees, a Guinness World Record for AI pledges, and over $200 billion in AI investment commitments including $110 billion from Reliance Industries.
31 March 2026 · Press Information Bureau
ISRO Conducts Successful 165-Second Full-Power Test of CE20 Cryogenic Rocket Engine
ISRO successfully conducted a 165-second full-power test of the CE20 cryogenic engine at Mahendragiri on March 10, 2026, a key milestone for the Gaganyaan crewed spaceflight programme.
31 March 2026 · ISRO / Department of Space
Rajasthan Government Unveils Dedicated Semiconductor Policy to Attract Global Investment
Rajasthan launched a dedicated semiconductor policy in March 2026 aligning with Make in India and India Semiconductor Mission, offering capital subsidies and single-window clearances to attract chip manufacturing investment.
30 March 2026 · Indian Infrastructure
Reliance Industries Announces ₹10 Trillion AI Investment to Build India's Sovereign Compute Infrastructure
Reliance Industries announces ₹10 trillion AI investment to build India's sovereign compute infrastructure, aligning with IndiaAI Mission; India's AI industry projected at ₹2.47 lakh crore with 45% CAGR.
30 March 2026 · IBEF
Gerd Faltings Awarded 2026 Abel Prize for Arithmetic Geometry; First German Mathematician to Win
German mathematician Gerd Faltings won the 2026 Abel Prize (announced March 19) for arithmetic geometry and proving the Mordell and Lang conjectures. He becomes the first German to win both the Fields Medal (1986) and Abel Prize. The prize is worth NOK 7.5 million (~$800,000).
30 March 2026 · Abel Prize / Max Planck Institute / Nature / ZME Science
Project Great Indian Bustard: Conservation-Breeding Count Reaches 73, Operation Egg Transfer Achieves Inter-State Breakthrough
Project GIB's captive population reached 70 in March 2026 as two new chicks hatched in Jaisalmer's Sam Breeding Centre. A pioneering Operation Egg Transfer saw a fertilised egg transported 19 hours from Rajasthan to Gujarat, resulting in a chick birth in Kutch — the first in a decade.
30 March 2026 · ANI / Deccan Chronicle / Manorama Yearbook
India's First Hydrogen-Powered Train Completes RDSO Oscillation Trials; to Run on Jind–Sonipat Route
India's first hydrogen train, built by ICF Chennai, completed RDSO oscillation trials around March 29, 2026 for the Jind–Sonipat route in Haryana. With 2,400 kW output, zero emissions, and trials at 70 km/h, India is set to become the 5th country globally with an operational hydrogen train.
29 March 2026 · Deccan Chronicle / DD News / Business Standard / Channel IAM
PM Modi Inaugurates Noida International Airport Phase I at Jewar — India's Newest Net-Zero Gateway
PM Modi inaugurated Noida International Airport Phase I at Jewar on March 28, 2026 — India's first net-zero airport with ₹11,200 crore Phase-I investment, 12 MPPA capacity, and a 3,900-metre runway, designed to eventually serve 70 MPPA by 2036.
28 March 2026 · PIB / DD News / The Week / News on Air
Earth Hour 2026 Marks 20th Anniversary — India Observes Symbolic Lights-Off at Iconic Landmarks
Earth Hour 2026 was observed globally on March 28, 2026 (8:30–9:30 PM) marking its 20th anniversary, with India switching off lights at iconic landmarks including India Gate and Hawa Mahal (Jaipur). The event aligns with India's new NDC 2031-2035 commitments.
28 March 2026 · PIB / WWF India / Times of India