IMPORTANT DAYS

CISF Raising Day 2026

• CISF Raising Day is celebrated every year on 10 March.

• 2026 marks the 57th Raising Day of the Central Industrial Security Force.

• Narendra Modi greeted CISF personnel on the occasion.

• CISF is one of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) in India.

• It was established on 10 March 1969 under an Act of Parliament.

• The force works under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

• It provides security to around 300 industrial units and critical infrastructure projects.

• The current Director-General is Praveer Ranjan, and its headquarters is in New Delhi.

APPOINTMENT

Nepal Elections 2026 & New Leadership

• Balendra Shah is set to become the next Prime Minister of Nepal.

• His party, the Rashtriya Swatantra Party, secured a landslide victory.

• He defeated former PM K. P. Sharma Oli in Jhapa-5 constituency.

• Oli belongs to the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist).

• Balendra Shah first gained fame as a rapper highlighting social issues.

• Elections were held on 5 March 2026 to elect 275 members of Parliament.

• The polls were conducted after youth protests in September 2025.

• The development reflects a shift towards youth-driven political change in Nepal.

RANKING AND REPORTS

Global Arms Import Report Highlights (2021–2025)

• According to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, India remained the world’s second-largest arms importer.

• Ukraine emerged as the largest arms importer globally during this period.

• Other major importers include Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Pakistan.

• India’s main arms suppliers were Russia, France, and Israel.

• India’s arms imports declined by about 4% compared to 2016–2020, with Russia’s share dropping to around 40%.

• Pakistan ranked 5th globally, with about 80% of its imports coming from China.

• Europe became the largest arms-importing region, with its share rising to 33%.

• Top global exporters were led by the United States (42% share), followed by France, Russia, Germany, and China; India is not among top 25 exporters.

DEFENCE

Exercise LAMITIYE-2026

• An Indian Armed Forces contingent reached Seychelles for Exercise LAMITIYE-2026.

• It is the 11th edition of this bilateral military exercise.

• The exercise is conducted with the Seychelles Defence Forces.

• Training is being held at the Seychelles Defence Academy.

• The exercise started on 9 March and will continue till 20 March 2026.

• It aims to strengthen coordination and interoperability between both armed forces.

• Focus is on sub-conventional operations in semi-urban environments and peacekeeping missions.

• The 12-day exercise includes field training, combat discussions, and a final validation phase.

SUMMIT AND CONFERENCES

International Malaria Conference 2026

• The International Malaria Conference 2026 concluded in New Delhi.

• The event was organised by ICMR–National Institute of Malaria Research.

• The conference was held from 7 to 9 March 2026.

• It brought together scientists, policymakers, public health experts, and researchers from India and other nations.

• The theme was “Discovery, Development and Delivery: Driving Malaria Elimination and Beyond.”

• The event served as a platform for sharing research findings on malaria control.

• Experts discussed key challenges such as malaria persistence and drug resistance.

• Advances in malaria vaccine research and strategies to tackle residual transmission were also highlighted.

35th SCOVA Meeting 2026

• The 35th meeting of Standing Committee of Voluntary Agencies was chaired by Dr. Jitendra Singh in New Delhi on 10 March 2026.

• The meeting was organised by the Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare.

• It focused on issues related to welfare of Central Government pensioners.

• DoPPW coordinates with various ministries and departments to formulate policies and resolve grievances.

• It also engages with Pensioners’ Welfare Associations to ensure participative consultation.

• SCOVA was constituted in 1986 to strengthen coordination between government and pensioners’ bodies.

• The committee includes 15 non-official members and officials from different ministries.

• It provides a platform for pensioners’ associations across states to raise concerns directly with the government.