25 March 2026

Gross direct tax collections (before refunds) exceeded ₹22 lakh crore in FY2025-26, surpassing the revised estimate by 3.2%, according to provisional data from the Income Tax Department. Corporate income tax contributed ₹10.4 lakh crore and personal income tax ₹11.6 lakh crore. The central board oversees direct tax under the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), functioning under the Ministry of Finance via the CBDT Act 1963.

The Union Cabinet approved the Ports, Shipping & Waterways Bill 2025, consolidating and replacing five colonial-era laws including the Major Port Trusts Act 1963, the Merchant Shipping Act 1958, and the Inland Vessels Act 1917. The Bill reconstitutes major ports as Board of Port Authorities with greater autonomy, mandates Green Port certification, and integrates inland waterways regulation under a unified framework.

Scientists at the CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST), Thiruvananthapuram, developed a bio-degradable thermal insulation material using jute nanofibers coated with silica aerogel. The material has 40% higher thermal resistance than glass wool and is 100% biodegradable, with applications in cold-chain logistics and building insulation. CSIR-NIIST is one of 37 CSIR labs under the Department of Scientific & Industrial Research.

India and the African Union signed a Framework Agreement on Climate-Resilient Agriculture on the sidelines of the AU Summit in Addis Ababa. The agreement covers sharing of drought-tolerant crop varieties developed by ICAR, digital agriculture platforms (Kisan-e-Mitra), and capacity building for 5,000 African agricultural scientists. India's engagement with Africa operates through the India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS) and the Bandung spirit of South-South cooperation.

The Indian Army successfully tested the Nagastra-II loitering munition (kamikaze drone) developed by Solar Industries' Economic Explosives Limited (EEL) at a high-altitude range in Ladakh. Nagastra-II has an operational range of 50 km, an endurance of 60 minutes, and warhead weight of 1.5 kg. It can be GPS-denied resistant and is designed for anti-armour missions. The Army has ordered 480 units under emergency procurement powers.

Ahead of Holi, the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) issued an advisory highlighting acute groundwater depletion in 16 states, with 18% of India's groundwater assessment units classified as "over-exploited". It urged celebration of dry or herbal Holi in water-stressed districts. India is the world's largest groundwater user, accounting for 25% of global extraction. The CGWB functions under the Ministry of Jal Shakti.

UIDAI reported that 140 crore Aadhaar numbers have been issued to residents of India, covering approximately 99% of the adult population. Mobile number seeding with Aadhaar reached 93%, enabling real-time authentication for over 900 million users. Aadhaar authentication transactions crossed 100 crore in a single month for the first time. UIDAI was established under the Aadhaar Act 2016 as a statutory authority under MeitY.

The Forest Survey of India (FSI) Biennial Report 2025 found that mangrove cover in the Sundarbans (India) has grown by 4.4% since 2019 to 4,992 sq km, attributed to stricter enforcement of the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) rules and joint India-Bangladesh conservation efforts. India has total mangrove cover of 4.99 million hectares, constituting 3% of the world's mangroves. Sundarbans is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a Ramsar Site.

India completed the repatriation of 297 antique objects from the United States under Project Pari (Project for Antiquities Repatriation and Investigation), including Chola bronzes, Gandhara sculptures, and 18th-century Tanjore paintings. Since 2014, India has repatriated 640 antiquities across 14 countries. India ratified the UNESCO Convention on Illicit Trafficking of Cultural Property (1970) in 1977.

The Ministry of Home Affairs announced the Padma Awards 2026, India's highest civilian honours. A total of 139 awardees were selected: 7 Padma Vibhushan, 19 Padma Bhushan, and 113 Padma Shri. Women constitute 30% of awardees — the highest ever proportion. The awards are announced on the eve of Republic Day (January 26) but formal investiture ceremonies are held in March–April at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Padma Awards were instituted in 1954.