8 April 2026

SEBI mandated optional T+0 (same-day) settlement for the top 500 listed securities by market capitalisation, effective April 1, 2026. The move follows the successful T+1 settlement implementation and aims to reduce counterparty risk, improve capital efficiency, and align Indian markets with global best practices.

Rajya Sabha passed the Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill enabling simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and State Assemblies with 189 votes in favour and 34 against. The Bill amends Articles 83, 85, 172, 174, and 356, and requires ratification by at least 15 state legislatures before Presidential assent.

India conducted a non-debris-generating anti-satellite (ASAT) demonstration using co-orbital rendezvous and proximity operations technology at 780 km altitude. Unlike the 2019 Mission Shakti which created orbital debris, the new approach uses a manoeuvrable satellite to demonstrate close approach and inspection capability without destruction.

Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs launched the National Urban Flood Management Programme covering 56 flood-prone cities with an outlay of Rs 12,500 crore. The programme mandates flood plain zoning, real-time storm water monitoring using IoT sensors, and construction of retention ponds and permeable pavements.

India and Japan signed a bilateral currency swap arrangement of $42 billion, the largest such agreement for India. The enhanced swap line will provide a backstop for exchange rate stability and supplement India's forex reserves. The agreement was signed during the India-Japan Annual Summit in New Delhi.

Survey of India completed the National Coastal Digital Elevation Model covering India's entire 7,516 km coastline at 1-metre resolution using LiDAR technology. The model will support climate adaptation planning, identifying areas vulnerable to sea-level rise, and enforcement of Coastal Regulation Zone norms.

A team at AIIMS New Delhi performed India's first fully robotic kidney transplant using the SSI Mantra surgical robotic system developed by SS Innovations. The 4-hour procedure was performed on a 38-year-old patient with end-stage renal disease, marking a milestone for indigenous surgical robotics.

MoES launched the Sustained Autonomous Marine Unmanned Distributed Research Array (SAMUDRA) deploying 500 autonomous Argo-class floats across the Indian Ocean. The network will profile temperature, salinity, and ocean currents up to 2,000 metres depth, enhancing monsoon prediction accuracy by 15-20%.

Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi assumed charge as the new Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee (CISC). He will oversee tri-service integration and support the Chief of Defence Staff in implementing theaterisation of India's armed forces.

CBI filed an FIR against three senior IAS officers and seven others in connection with alleged diversion of Rs 2,400 crore from the PM-KISAN scheme through fictitious beneficiary accounts. The investigation revealed that over 14 lakh ghost beneficiaries were created using forged Aadhaar-land record linkages across four states.