India‑New Zealand Free Trade Agreement to be signed on 27 April 2026
India and New Zealand will sign a Free Trade Agreement on 27 April 2026, signaling a major step in bilateral economic ties. The pact grants Indian exporters 100 percent duty‑free access to the New Zealand market, while tariffs on about 95 percent of imports from New Zealand will be removed or significantly reduced. Talks began in March 2025 and concluded by December 2025, reflecting a rapid negotiation. The FTA is expected to boost exports, diversify supply chains, and deepen cooperation across textiles, pharmaceuticals, engineering goods, gems and jewellery, and agricultural products, setting a model for future agreements.
FTA signing scheduled for 27 April 2026
100% duty‑free access for Indian exporters to NZ
Tariffs removed/reduced on 95% of NZ imports
Talks commenced March 2025; concluded December 2025
Aims to expand textiles, pharma, engineering, gems, and agri trade
Dabur appoints Herjit S Bhalla as India Business CEO; effective 23 April 2026
Dabur has named Herjit S Bhalla as Chief Executive Officer of its India Business, with effect from 23 April 2026. Bhalla will report to Mohit Malhotra, Whole‑time Director and Global CEO. Bringing over 25 years of global experience, Bhalla previously spent 16 years at Unilever starting in 2000. His appointment comes as Dabur navigates a rapidly evolving FMCG sector driven by digital channels and rural market growth. Bhalla is expected to drive domestic growth, sharpen market positioning, and oversee sales, marketing, and operations, leveraging his international perspective to enhance competitiveness in the Indian market.
Herjit S Bhalla appointed India Business CEO
Effective 23 April 2026; reports to Mohit Malhotra
Over 25 years of global experience; 16 years at Unilever
Role focuses on domestic growth, brand expansion, and operations
Aims to leverage digital expansion and rural market growth
NASSCOM appoints AI expert Srikanth Velamakanni as new Chairman
Srikanth Velamakanni has been appointed the new Chairman of NASSCOM, the apex body representing India’s IT and BPM industries. Velamakanni is an AI and analytics expert and co‑founder of Fractal Analytics, with over two decades in data science, AI, and business strategy. His leadership comes as India’s digital economy expands and IT services confront rapid changes driven by artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and global competition. Velamakanni is expected to guide policy discussions, industry collaboration, and innovation, supporting India’s IT leadership while addressing the challenges and opportunities posed by emerging technologies.
Srikanth Velamakanni named NASSCOM Chairman
AI and analytics expert; co‑founder of Fractal Analytics
Over two decades in data science and AI
Holds key role in guiding policy and industry collaboration
Aims to sustain India’s IT leadership amid rapid tech changes
Raghu Rai passes away at 83; landmark Indian photographer leaves enduring legacy
Renowned Indian photographer Raghu Rai died after a prolonged illness at the age of 83. Rai’s career spanned decades, during which his lens documented India’s social, political, and cultural journey, capturing both beauty and hardship. He earned widespread recognition for work on war and refugee crises, including the Padma Shri in 1972, and international honours such as Photographer of the Year in 1992 (USA) and France’s Officier des Arts et des Lettres in 2009. Rai’s family stated the illness began with prostate cancer and later spread to the brain. His passing marks the loss of a defining voice in Indian photojournalism and a shift in the country’s visual history.
Raghu Rai died at age 83 after a prolonged illness including cancer progression.
Padma Shri awarded in 1972 for war and refugee crisis photography.
Named Photographer of the Year in 1992 (USA).
Officier des Arts et des Lettres conferred by France in 2009.
His work chronicled India’s social, political, and cultural evolution.
His death is described as the end of an era in Indian photography.
Gurbax Singh Grewal, 1968 Olympic hockey bronze medalist, dies at 84
Gurbax Singh Grewal, a member of India's 1968 Olympic bronze‑medal hockey team, died at the age of 84 following a heart attack. A noted player of his era, Grewal also contributed to hockey beyond his playing days by nurturing young talent and serving as a Senior Sports Officer with Western Railways. His passing marks the end of an influential chapter in Indian hockey history, a period when the sport enjoyed strong international stature. Grewal’s career on the field and his mentorship off it left a lasting impact on the sport’s development in India.
Grewal was part of India’s 1968 Olympic bronze team in Mexico City.
Died at age 84 after a heart attack.
Served as Senior Sports Officer with Western Railways.
Active in identifying and nurturing hockey talent post‑retirement.
His demise signals the passing of a pivotal hockey era.
World Malaria Day 2026 underscores action to end malaria with new theme
World Malaria Day is observed on 25 April each year to raise awareness and mobilize resources to end malaria. The 2026 theme, Driven to End Malaria: Now We Can. Now We Must, urges governments, health workers, communities, and donors to act with urgency. Malaria remains a life‑threatening, mosquito‑borne disease, preventable and treatable with timely diagnosis and effective treatment. India continues its malaria control efforts, emphasizing early diagnosis, vector control, and sustained funding for health systems. The day highlights the need for rapid investment, stronger community outreach, and international cooperation to protect vulnerable groups, especially children and pregnant women.
Observed globally on 25 April 2026 with a new theme
Malaria is preventable and treatable with early diagnosis
Theme calls for urgent, multi‑sector action to end malaria
India emphasizes vector control and health-system strengthening
Special focus on children and pregnant women
33,000 Indian WWI soldiers named on Basra Memorial via digital panels
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission has added 33,000 Indian Army soldiers to the Basra Memorial in Iraq through digital name panels. Previously many Indian soldiers were unnamed or listed numerically on the memorial for the Mesopotamia Campaign in World War I. The digital panels, launched earlier this month, display names, ranks, and regiments alongside more than 46,000 Commonwealth personnel. This initiative corrects a long‑standing omission and ensures proper recognition for Indian troops who served far from home. The Basra Memorial underscores India’s historic military ties with the Commonwealth and the importance of accurate remembrance.
34,000 Indian soldiers now named on Basra Memorial digital panels
Basra Memorial honors Mesopotamia Campaign WWII era casualties
Digital panels correct past omissions; display names, ranks, regiments
Alongside 46,000 Commonwealth personnel
Highlights India’s long military connection with the Commonwealth
US imposes preliminary anti‑dumping duty on Indian solar cells and panels
The US Department of Commerce announced a preliminary anti‑dumping duty on Indian solar cells and panels, with rates around 123.04 percent for most exporters and 123.07 percent for some firms. The duties follow an investigation alleging sales below fair value. The final decision is expected within 75 days. The move could dampen US demand for Indian solar products and push exporters to seek alternate markets, potentially affecting export volumes and pricing. Indian manufacturers may respond with pricing adjustments, supply‑chain diversification, or increased policy engagement to address concerns about competition and fair trade in the US market.
Preliminary anti‑dumping duty set around 123.04% for most exporters
Certain firms face 123.07% margins
Final decision due within 75 days
Possible impact: reduced US exports of Indian solar products
Companies may explore alternative markets and pricing strategies
India approves ₹30 billion SAARC currency swap with Maldives
India, through the Reserve Bank of India, approved a currency swap facility of ₹30 billion with the Maldives under the SAARC Currency Swap Framework (2024–2027). The swap falls under the INR Swap Window and aims to provide quick liquidity to member nations during external shocks. The agreement traces to the Maldives president’s visit to India in October 2024, reflecting sustained bilateral financial cooperation. The facility supports balance‑of‑payments resilience and regional financial stability, illustrating India’s role as a reliable partner in SAARC and its use of swap mechanisms to bolster regional stability.
₹30 billion SAARC currency swap with Maldives
Under SAARC Currency Swap Framework (2024–2027)
Falls under the INR Swap Window
Formalized during the Maldives President’s 2024 visit to India
Guntur wins GEM Award 2026 for women‑led urban service initiative in Vienna
Guntur Municipal Corporation (GMC) has received the Gender Equality Mobilization (GEM) Award 2026 in Vienna, recognizing its Women Empowerment Initiative. The program deployed over 200 women as electric auto drivers for door‑to‑door waste collection, combining clean energy use with efficient urban services and livelihoods. The award was presented at the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) event during the International Day of Women in Industry celebrations, with Tarja Halonen among attendees. GMC officials accepted the honor, highlighting inclusive governance and sustainable urban development. The recognition positions GMC on the international map for gender equality and urban resilience.
GMC awarded GEM Award 2026 in Vienna
Program employed 200+ women as electric auto drivers
Focus on clean energy and waste management
Presented during UNIDO event on International Day of Women in Industry
Tarja Halonen attended the event
WHO prequalifies first malaria drug designed for newborns and infants
The World Health Organization has granted prequalification to artemether‑lumefantrine, the first malaria treatment formulated specifically for newborns and infants. This infant‑specific formulation addresses dosing accuracy and safety concerns that previously arose when using medicines designed for older children. Prequalification confirms the medicine meets global standards of quality, safety, and efficacy, enabling public health programs to procure it with confidence. The development is expected to improve treatment outcomes for the youngest patients, supporting broader malaria control and elimination efforts in high‑burden regions and improving equity in access to essential medicines.
First infant‑specific malaria treatment approved by WHO prequalification
Drug: artemether‑lumefantrine
Addresses dosing safety for newborns and infants
Prequalification enables public procurement and wider access
Supports malaria control goals in high‑burden areas
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