Directive from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas force (1st April 2026), requiring to dispense E20 fuel with a minimum 95 RON octane rating in country.

• RON (Research Octane Number) serves as an indicator of fuel stability and indicates the level of pressure generated during fuel combustion within a vehicle's engine. 

About E20 Fuel

• It is an 80:20 mix of petrol and ethanol.
• The National Policy on Biofuels, 2018(amended in 2022): Advanced the target of 20% blending of ethanol in petrol to Ethanol Supply Year (ESY) 2025-26 from 2030.
• Benefits: Improves fuel performance, Strengthens energy security etc.
• Concerns: Reduced fuel efficiency in some vehicles, corrosion or damage to older vehicles, etc.

Scientists from Australia and the U.S. have shown that helium atoms can be entangled through their movement like quantum entanglement seen in lighter particles like electrons.

About Quantum Entanglement

• In quantum theory one of the phenomenon is Quantum Entanglement where particles of the same origin, which were once connected, always stay connected. 
  • Quantum is the study of atoms and subatomic particles, and how they interact with each other.
• Quantum entanglement occurs when two particles become so deeply linked that they share a single existence.
• In entanglement, one atom does not disappear and reappear elsewhere. Instead, teleportation involves quantum information: when a measurement defines the first atom’s state, that information effectively dictates the state of the second atom across the void.

The first phase of Census-2027 begins on 1^st April, 2026.

About Census-2027

• It is the 16^th Census in the series and the 8th since Independence.
  • The last Census was conducted in 2011. 
• It is the world’s largest and first digitallly conducted Census with the option of Self-Enumeration.
  • Self-Enumeration is a secure web-based facility for entering information online in 16 languages before the door-to-door survey.
• To be conducted in two phases, House Listing (HLO) and Population Enumeration (PE).
• It will include the first nationwide caste enumeration in independent India (last done in 1931) for all communities (beyond Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes).
• Conducted by: Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, Ministry of Home Affairs (decennially)
• Legal Backing: Census Act, 1948 and Census Rules, 1990.

Indian Navy received key Naval warships, a milestone for indigenous defence manufacturing.

Key Naval Warships Received

• Malwan: The second Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC), indigenously designed and constructed by Cochin Shipyard Limited at Kochi. 
  • Named after the historic coastal town of Malwan, reflecting the rich maritime legacy associated with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
  • Capabilities: underwater surveillance and anti-submarine and mine warfare.
• Three frontline Naval platforms built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd. (GRSE), Kolkata:
  • Indigenous Stealth Frigate Dunagiri: Fifth ship of Nilgiri Class (Project 17A), it is capable of striking designated targets with missiles. 
  • Fourth Survey Vessel (Large) Sanshodhak: Carry out coastal and deep-water Hydrographic surveys 
  • ‘Agray’: The fourth of eight ASW SWC, designed to destroy enemy submarines. 

The PM inaugurated the Samrat Samprati Museum in Koba, Gandhinagar, Gujarat on Mahavir Jayanti.

About Samrat Samprati 

• A Mauryan emperor and the grandson of Emperor Ashok, born to father Kunal and mother Kanchanmala.
• Known as Indrapalit, Sangat and Vigatashok; his life is described in Jain scripture like ‘Sampratikatha’, ‘Parishistaparva’, and ‘Prabhavakcharita’.
• Pivotal role in spreading Jainism (also referred to as ‘Jain Ashoka’) and the principle of ahimsa (non-violence) across the subcontinent.
• He is known to have built and repaired many Jain temples.

Based on RBI’s rules, from 1 April, all digital transactions must be verified using at least Two-factor Authentication with at least one factor being dynamic.

About RBI’s Two-factor Authentication(2FA) 

• Aim: To plug gaps in PIN- and OTP-based systems, reducing vulnerabilities and strengthening safeguards in digital payments.
  • Current OTP-only approach is vulnerable to phishing and SIM-swap attacks.
• It applies across payment modes, including cards, UPI and wallets.
• Independent authentication factors include personal identification number (PIN), a one-time password (OTP), biometric or device-based authentication.

Supreme Court appointed high level committee highlighted that industrial pollution has turned the Jojari-Luni-Bandi River system into a toxic mix of sludge, untreated effluents and municipal waste.

About Jojari-Luni-Bandi River System

• Luni River originates from western slopes of the Aravalli ranges near Ajmer.
• Traversing a course of 511 km in Rajasthan, it finally flows into Rann of Kachchh. 
• Its Tributaries include Jojari, Bandi, Mithri, Lilari, Sukri, Jawai etc. 

Indian Air Force (IAF) is preparing to induct unmanned stealth fighters under the Remotely Piloted Strike Aircraft (RPSA) programme.

About RPSA Programme

• RPSA aims to develop Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs), known as Ghatak UCAVs. 
  • UCAVs usually carries aircraft ordinances such as missiles and/or bombs and is used for drone strikes and other military operations.
• Ghatak is a stealth-capable UCAV, based on a flying-wing configuration. 
• Once operational, Ghatak could undertake deep-strike missions, penetrating heavily defended airspace to hit high-value targets without placing pilots at risk.