21 March 2026

Lok Sabha passed the Digital Personal Data Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2026, introducing mandatory 72-hour data breach notification to the Data Protection Board of India and granting children above 14 the right to provide independent consent for non-sensitive data. The Bill amends the parent Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, and brings India's framework closer to GDPR standards.

The Reserve Bank of India released Balance of Payments data showing India's Current Account Deficit (CAD) narrowed to 0.8% of GDP in Q3 FY26, down from 1.4% in Q3 FY25, aided by a record ₹4.1 lakh crore services trade surplus and moderated merchandise import growth. Remittance inflows grew 8.3% year-on-year to USD 31.2 billion.

The Department of Science and Technology launched Phase II of the National Quantum Mission (NQM) with a ₹6,000 crore outlay, focusing on building 1000-qubit quantum computers by 2028, developing quantum communication networks, and setting up four quantum technology hubs across IIT campuses. NQM was originally approved by the Cabinet in 2023.

India and the UAE concluded negotiations on two additional chapters under the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) signed in 2022 — covering professional services mutual recognition and investment dispute settlement. Bilateral trade under CEPA reached USD 85 billion in 2025-26, exceeding the original USD 100 billion target ahead of schedule.

The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and Wildlife Institute of India expanded the Great Indian Bustard (GIB) Assisted Breeding Programme to three new districts in Rajasthan — Bikaner, Jaisalmer, and Barmer. The GIB is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs launched a technology-driven beneficiary survey for PMAY-Urban 2.0, using AI-assisted facial recognition and geo-tagged photograph verification to identify eligible households. PMAY-Urban 2.0, announced in Budget 2024-25, targets construction of 1 crore additional urban dwelling units for EWS/LIG categories.

The Chief Ministers of Assam and Meghalaya signed a joint declaration finalising boundary demarcation for the remaining six disputed areas covering 34.9 sq km, resolving a decades-long inter-state boundary dispute. The resolution follows the 2022 partial settlement of 12 areas and is implemented under Article 3 of the Constitution and the Assam Reorganisation Act, 1969.

The Indian Navy inducted the 15th P-8I Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft under the ongoing Boeing contract at INS Rajali, Arakkonam. P-8I aircraft are equipped with surface search radar, magnetic anomaly detection, and anti-submarine torpedoes. India's P-8I fleet monitors 2.4 million sq km of India's Exclusive Economic Zone.

The Forest Survey of India (FSI) released the India State of Forest Report 2026, showing total forest and tree cover at 8,27,357 sq km (25.17% of geographic area) — an increase of 1,540 sq km since 2023. Mizoram recorded the highest percentage of forest cover (86.27%), while Madhya Pradesh had the largest absolute forest area.

The Government of India appointed Shri Vikram Misri, former Foreign Secretary, as India's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. The appointment is significant given ongoing negotiations for the India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the post-Brexit reset of bilateral ties under the Technology Security Initiative signed in 2024.