13 March 2026

The Union Cabinet approved Phase II of the National Quantum Mission (NQM), allocating ₹6,003 crore over five years to develop quantum computers with 50–1000 physical qubits, quantum communication networks across 2,000 km, and quantum sensing devices. The mission is administered by the Department of Science and Technology and four Thematic Hubs will be set up at premier academic institutions.

The Reserve Bank of India released its annual Report on Currency and Finance 2025-26, dedicated to green finance and climate risk. The report recommends a sovereign green bond framework, mandatory climate-related disclosures for scheduled commercial banks, and a carbon pricing corridor of ₹500–2,000 per tonne of CO2 to meet India's NDC targets.

India hosted the 18th ASEAN-India Summit in New Delhi, adopting the 'ASEAN-India Vision 2030 for Peace and Prosperity'. Key outcomes included a digital connectivity framework, a revised ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement, and a joint maritime security dialogue mechanism. India pledged USD 500 million for ASEAN's digital infrastructure under the Act East Policy.

The Geographical Indications of Goods (Amendment) Act, 2026 received Presidential assent, amending the GI of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999. Key changes include a GI appellate board, mandatory online filing, enhanced penalties for GI infringement, and facilitation of international GI reciprocity agreements under TRIPS obligations.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change notified the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Amendment Rules, 2026, expanding the list of ecologically sensitive wetlands to include 47 new sites and mandating Wetland Health Cards for all Ramsar sites. India now has 89 Ramsar sites, the highest in Asia. District-level Wetland Committees are to be constituted within 6 months.

DRDO successfully demonstrated Surakhsha-II, a high-energy laser-based Directed Energy Weapon (DEW) capable of neutralising drone swarms and low-altitude aerial threats at ranges up to 5 km. The system is developed by the Centre for High Energy Systems and Sciences (CHESS), Hyderabad, and will be integrated with Indian Army air defence units.

The PM Street Vendor's AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) scheme crossed 1 crore active beneficiaries as the government launched the third loan cycle offering working capital loans up to ₹50,000 at 7% interest with digital transaction incentives. The scheme is implemented by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and integrates UPI-linked credit scoring for street vendors.

ISRO conducted a 200-second ground qualification test of the upgraded CE-20 cryogenic engine at the Mahendragiri Propulsion Complex. The upgraded engine delivers 22 tonnes of thrust and will be used in the LVM3 rocket for commercial satellite launches under the NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) commercial arm. This enhances India's heavy-lift launch market competitiveness.

The Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner launched the Digital Enumeration Pilot for Census 2026 across 10 states, using mobile app-based data collection linked to Aadhaar with biometric de-duplication. The pilot is the largest digital census trial globally and will feed into the Population Register update. Caste enumeration will be conducted simultaneously.

India submitted a revised nomination dossier to UNESCO for extending the Western Ghats World Heritage Site to include 14 additional forest patches across Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala. The extended site would cover 2.5 lakh sq km. The Gadgil Committee recommendations on ecological sensitivity formed the basis for the nomination boundaries.