Daily Current Affairs – 27-03-2026

International News

G7 Summit 2026 in France

The G7 Summit is scheduled to be held in France from June 15 to 17, 2026, with France serving as the chair of the G7 grouping for the year. India, South Korea, Brazil, and Kenya have been officially invited to participate in the summit. However, China has declined the invitation and will not attend. The summit is expected to focus on preventing a potential global economic crisis, addressing issues such as China’s export levels, the United States’ fiscal deficit, and the need for increased production in European countries.

North Korea–Belarus Friendship Agreement 2026

A friendship agreement was signed between North Korea and Belarus in Pyongyang, strengthening bilateral ties between the two countries.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko undertook his first official state visit to North Korea during his approximately 33-year rule and held talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Both countries, which are facing international sanctions, have agreed to enhance cooperation in military and economic sectors.

National News

Health Insurance Growth in India 2024–25

The health insurance sector in India recorded a 9% growth during the financial year 2024–25, with total premium collections exceeding ₹1.2 lakh crore, as reported by the Union Finance Ministry. The increase in premium is attributed to a rise in elderly policyholders, higher insurance coverage amounts, and improved facilities. The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has implemented timelines for cashless treatment, mandating pre-authorization within 1 hour of hospital admission and final approval within 3 hours at discharge. During the 2024–25 financial year, a total of 1,37,361 complaints were received in the insurance sector, out of which 1,27,755 complaints (93%) were resolved within the same year. The IRDAI continues to ensure transparency in insurance companies and strengthen policyholder trust.

IRDAI – Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India

• IRDAI is the regulatory body for the insurance sector in India

• Established in 1999 under the IRDA Act, 1999

• Headquarters located in Hyderabad

• Functions under the Ministry of Finance, Government of India

• Responsible for registering and regulating insurance companies

Infosys Acquisition of U.S. Companies 2026

Infosys, an Indian information technology services company, has announced the acquisition of two U.S.-based firms, Optimum Healthcare IT and Stratas, for a total value of ₹5,260 crore on March 26, 2026. The company has agreed to acquire Optimum Healthcare IT for 46.5 crore dollars and Stratas for 9.5 crore dollars. Optimum Healthcare IT specializes in providing digital solutions to hospitals and healthcare systems, while Stratas operates in the insurance technology sector, particularly in the property and casualty insurance segment. Infosys CEO Salil Parekh is associated with this development, and the completion of the acquisition is expected by June 2026.

Cyber Threats in India 2025

According to Kaspersky, a cybersecurity company, nearly one in three computer users in India faced cyber threats in the past year, even without internet connection. In 2025, around 6.46 crore offline threats were detected and blocked in India, affecting about 29.8% of users. These attacks were mainly carried out through USB drives, portable hard disks, CDs, and other storage devices, leading to increased cases of data theft. At the global level, password-stealing software increased by 59% and spyware software increased by 51%, indicating rising cyber risks.

Strait of Hormuz Crisis 2026

Amid the ongoing conflict since February 28, 2026 between Iran and U.S.–Israel coalition forces, Iran imposed restrictions on the movement of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, affecting global supply of crude oil and LPG. Following diplomatic talks, Iran permitted cargo ships from India, Pakistan, China, Russia, and Iraq to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. The conflict led to missile and drone attacks on vessels and disruption of international maritime traffic. Meanwhile, a 5-day ceasefire was announced on March 23, 2026 by U.S. President Donald Trump, along with a 15-point ceasefire plan, which was criticized by Iran as one-sided. Efforts for mediation involve countries such as Turkey and Pakistan. In a related development, Iranian Navy Commander Alireza Tangsiri, who was in charge of the Strait of Hormuz region, was killed in an Israeli airstrike near Bandar Abbas.

Indian Army–IIT Madras Partnership for Indigenous Technology 2026

The Indian Army’s Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers (EME) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with IIT Madras (IIT-M) Pravartak Technologies Foundation in Chennai to accelerate the development of indigenous military technologies. A key feature of this partnership is the establishment of a Nodal Indigenisation Centre in Avadi to promote defence manufacturing and innovation. The collaboration focuses on developing technologies in sensing systems, cyber-physical systems, and autonomous technologies, with EME providing operational requirements and Pravartak Foundation working with startups and academia to create field-ready solutions.

EU–US Trade Deal Approved with Safeguards

The European Parliament has approved a trade agreement between the European Union (EU) and the United States in Brussels with added protective safeguards. The agreement was originally negotiated in July at Turnberry, Scotland, by U.S. President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, setting a 15% tariff on most goods to prevent higher import duties. The revised agreement includes provisions to suspend the deal if the United States undermines its objectives, discriminates against EU economic operators, threatens member states’ territorial integrity, foreign or defence policies, or engages in economic coercion. The inclusion of these safeguards is linked to tensions over Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark. Further negotiations will be conducted by EU Trade Representative Maroš Šefčovič and his U.S. counterpart.

Sports News

IOC Bans Transgender Women Athletes from Women’s Events

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has made gender screening mandatory and announced that transgender women athletes will not be allowed to compete in the women’s category in all sports events. This rule will be implemented from the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The IOC has specified that participation in women’s events will be restricted to biological females, determined through a one-time SRY gene test. According to the IOC, the SRY gene is a permanent genetic marker indicating male sex development, and testing through saliva samples is considered simple and effective. This decision follows a detailed review conducted by the IOC administration, which began in September 2024 after the Paris Olympics 2024 and concluded recently. The review aimed to redefine eligibility criteria for the women’s category. The study was initiated under the leadership of Kirsty Coventry, the first woman President of the IOC.

Reports and Indices

QS Rankings 2026

The QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026, released by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), has ranked VIT University, Vellore at 119th position globally in Engineering and Technology, improving by 23 places from the previous year, and placing it at 6th position in India. The university has been ranked among the world’s leading institutions in 17 subjects. It secured positions within the top 100 in Computer Science and Information Systems (86th) and Electrical and Electronic Engineering (87th). It also ranked 104th in Mathematics, 101–200 in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, 137th in Materials Science, and 148th in Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering. Other subject rankings include Art and Design (201–300), Civil Engineering (201–275), Chemical Engineering (201–250), Chemistry, Physics and Astronomy (251–300), Statistics and Operational Research (251–275), Biological Sciences (301–350), Environmental Sciences (351–400), and Medicine (551–600).

Humanoid Robot ‘Figure 3’ Introduced at First Ladies Summit

At the First Ladies Summit held at the White House, Washington, a humanoid robot named Figure 3, developed by the American robotics company Figure, was introduced by Melania Trump, wife of the U.S. President Donald Trump. The summit witnessed participation from First Ladies of 45 countries. The robot became the first robot guest at the White House and is capable of speaking 11 languages, including English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Arabic, Japanese, Hindi, Slovenian, Ukrainian, Georgian, and Bengali. It greeted participants in multiple languages, including a Bengali welcome. The humanoid robot is designed for household work and is equipped with cameras and sensors.

Carolina Marin Announces Retirement Due to Injury

Spain’s badminton player Carolina Marin, aged 32, a three-time World Champion (2014, 2015, 2018) and Olympic Gold Medalist (2016 Rio Olympics), has announced her retirement following a knee injury sustained during the Paris Olympics 2024 semifinal, which forced her to withdraw from the match. She had planned to return to competition at the European Championships in Huelva, Spain, her birthplace. Marin created history by defeating P.V. Sindhu of India in the 2016 Olympic final, becoming the first non-Asian player to win the Olympic gold medal in women’s singles badminton.