1 Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 11th edition of the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 11th edition of the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi . Delivering the keynote address , President of Finland Alexander Stube said that developing and least developed countries will determine the future world order and India will have a key role in this. The 11th edition of the Raisina Dialogue, India’s flagship geopolitics and geo-economics conference, began in New Delhi on March 5. The three-day event will run from March 5 to 7 , 2026. It has been held annually since 2016. The conference, organised annually since 2016, is supported by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF). is organized by in collaboration with the Ministry of External Affairs . This year’s theme is “ Saṁskāra: Assertion, Accommodation, Advancement ,” which focuses on civilizational continuity, adaptation, and progress amid global challenges.
2 India-Finland renew MoU on environmental cooperation
An important step has been taken towards strengthening environmental cooperation between India and Finland . The two countries have . The two countries have renewed the Memorandum of Understanding on Environmental Cooperation signed in 2020 , further strengthening the partnership in the areas of pollution control, waste management, circular economy, and climate action . The renewed MoU will provide a structured framework for cooperation and exchange of best practices between the two countries. It will focus on areas such as prevention and control of air and water pollution, reclamation of contaminated soil, waste management, disposal of hazardous waste, waste-to-energy production, and recycling.
3 PM Modi holds bilateral talks with the President of Finland
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral talks with Finnish President Alexander Stubb at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Thursday and discussed strengthening bilateral relations. Several MoUs were signed between the two countries during the meeting. This will further strengthen trade, investment, and technological cooperation between India and Finland . The two countries are important partners in areas such as digital technology, infrastructure, and sustainability . Nokia’s mobile phone and telecom networks have connected millions of Indians. In collaboration with Finnish architects, India built the world’s highest railway bridge over the Chenab River. In partnership with Finland, the world’s largest Assam Bio Ethanol Private Limited (ABEPL) refinery was built in Numaligarh, Assam.
4 West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose resigns from his post
West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose has resigned from his post ahead of the upcoming assembly elections . Mr. Bose became the Governor of West Bengal in November 2022. Confirming his resignation, Mr. Bose said he served as Governor of West Bengal for three and a half years. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the Union Home Minister informed her that RN Ravi was being appointed Governor of West Bengal.
In a significant step towards strengthening collaborative efforts to improve nutrition and health outcomes , NITI Aayog and UNICEF India signed a Letter of Intent to support strategic interventions in aspirational districts and aspirational blocks . The Letter of Intent was signed by Mr. Rohit Kumar, Additional Secretary and Mission Director, Aspirational Districts and Blocks Programme, NITI Aayog, and Mr. Arjan de Wagt, Deputy Representative, UNICEF India. The collaboration aims to leverage the capabilities of both institutions to advance efforts to improve maternal and child nutrition outcomes in underserved areas . This partnership will promote multi-stakeholder engagement and strengthen implementation systems for nutrition and health interventions at the block level. UNICEF India, through the Impact4Nutrition (I4N) platform, will provide technical expertise and collaborate with businesses, public sector enterprises, and industry associations to direct CSR investments into nutrition-focused initiatives. This collaboration will focus on strengthening Anganwadi infrastructure, increasing nutrition literacy, improving utilization of ICDS services, and building the capacity of frontline workers.
Union Home and Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah formally unveiled the four digital tools for Census 2027 and the mascots “Pragati” (female) and “Vikas” (male) in New Delhi . The Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) has developed advanced digital platforms to facilitate census operations across the country. The Central Government issued the Gazette notification for Census 2027 on June 16, 2025, marking the formal start of the Census 2027 process. The two-phase Census 2027 is the world’s largest census exercise. For the first time, the census will be conducted digitally, and for the first time, the option of self-enumeration is also being offered. The mascots for Census 2027, “Pragati” (female enumerator) and “Vikas” (male enumerator), are presented as friendly and intuitive symbols. Additionally, “progress” and “development” symbolize the equal participation of women and men in fulfilling the resolve to make India a developed nation by 2047. Census 2027 will be India’s first census driven by digital devices. The four digital platforms soft-launched by Union Home and Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah are : House Listing Block Creator (HLBC) web application : This web-map application enables charge officers to technically create house listing blocks using satellite imagery, ensuring standardized geographic coverage across the country. HLO mobile application : This is a secure offline mobile application through which enumerators can collect and upload house listing data. Only enumerators registered on the CMMS portal can use it. This application facilitates data transmission directly from the field to the server, eliminating traditional paperwork. It is available on Android and iOS platforms and can be operated in 16 languages. Self-Enumeration (SE) Portal : For the first time, the option of self-enumeration is being offered. This is a secure web-based facility through which eligible respondents can enter their information online before the door-to-door survey. Upon successful registration, a unique Self-Enumeration ID (SE ID) will be issued. This SE ID will be shared with the enumerator, who can verify the information entered. Census Management and Monitoring System (CMMS) Portal : This is a centralized web-based digital platform through which planning, management, implementation, and monitoring of census-related activities will be carried out. State, district, and tehsil-level officials will be able to monitor progress and work status in real time through a unified dashboard.
7 India’s first river-based lighthouse to be built on the Brahmaputra River (North West-2)
India has taken a landmark step in the field of inland waterways navigation as Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) Sarbananda Sonowal laid the foundation stone of four river lighthouses on the banks of the Brahmaputra River . This is the first instance of installation of a lighthouse structure on an inland waterway in the country. The ceremony, held at Lachit Ghat in Guwahati , was jointly organised by the Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships (DGLL) and the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) under the aegis of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) . These four sites— Bogibeel in Dibrugarh district , Pandu in Kamrup (Metro) district , Silghat in Nagaon district (all located on the south bank of the river) , and Biswanath Ghat in Biswanath district (the only site on the north bank) —are located at strategic points on the Brahmaputra River (National Waterway-2) , one of India’s most important inland freight and passenger corridors. The total project cost of the four lighthouses is approximately ₹84 crore. Each lighthouse will be 20 meters high, have a geographical range of 14 nautical miles and an optical range of 8-10 nautical miles, and will be fully powered by solar energy.
8 Kerala Health Department launches MiHealth mobile application
The Kerala Health Department has launched the MiHealth mobile application , which will allow people to easily access information about nearby government health centers . Users can find information about hospitals within a 10-kilometer radius. Information about hospital services such as blood banks, radiology units, pharmacies, and paid wards is also available on the platform. The app also allows patients to book operation tickets and doctor appointments online at hospitals that have implemented the e-health system.
Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, unveiled the logo of India’s flagship sports initiative, the world’s first franchise-based road cycling league , named Cycling League of India . The upcoming league will have eight city- or region-based franchises , each comprising ten cyclists . The team will include two international riders , bringing global expertise and competitiveness. two junior cyclists , with the aim of nurturing emerging Indian talent and ensuring the long-term sustainability of the sport. The competitions will be held in three structured stages, culminating in a grand finale. These races will include diverse formats such as criterium races, team time trials, and mass start events, designed to provide strategic competition and exciting spectacle for spectators.
10 Former Rajya Sabha MP HK Dua passes away
Former Rajya Sabha MP Hari Krishna (H.K.) Dua passed away on March 4. He was 88 years old. H.K. Dua was the editor-in-chief of The Hindustan Times (1987-94) , The Indian Express (1994-96) , and The Tribune (2003-09) . Dua was also the media advisor to former PMs Atal Bihari Vajpayee and H.D. Deve Gowda . From 2001 to 2003, Dua also served as India’s ambassador to Denmark . In 2008, Dua was awarded the Padma Bhushan. In 2009, Dua was nominated to the Rajya Sabha, where he served until 2015.