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Chips to ships: PM Modi and President Lee Unveil vision to double trade, launch ‘digital bridge’ between India and South Korea
India and South Korea held a high-level bilateral summit to deepen their Special Strategic Partnership, agreeing to upgrade their bilateral trade pact to reach $50 billion in trade by 2030. The two nations launched a 'digital bridge' for cooperation in critical technologies, signed agreements on shipbuilding, and deepened strategic ties with South Korea joining key Indian-led international environmental and maritime initiatives.
Must ReadSouth Korean President reaches Delhi, key meeting with Modi today
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung's state visit to India marks the first such visit in eight years, focusing on expanding the bilateral framework across trade, technology, and strategic domains. Key agenda items include upgrading the existing bilateral trade pact to reach a $50 billion trade target by 2030, alongside deepening cooperation in semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and shipbuilding.
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Must ReadIndia’s core sector growth contracts 0.4% in March 2026 to lowest level since August 2024
India's core sector output contracted by 0.4% in March 2026, marking its lowest production level since August 2024, despite an overall cumulative growth of 2.6% for the 2025-26 financial year. The monthly decline was heavily driven by poor performance in fertilizers, crude oil, coal, and electricity, exacerbated by global energy supply chain disruptions in the Middle East.
Space traffic rises: Isro performed record 140 collision-avoidance manoeuvres in 2025
According to the Indian Space Situational Awareness Report 2025, the [Indian Space Research Organisation] executed a record 140 Collision Avoidance Manoeuvres (CAMs) to protect Indian satellites from space debris. This steep rise in orbital adjustments, which consume precious satellite fuel, highlights the escalating threat of space congestion for critical missions like [NISAR] and lunar orbiters.
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ImportantArmed Forces eye biogas, solar to cut fuel use amid West Asia crisis
The Indian Armed Forces are implementing extensive energy conservation measures to reduce reliance on imported fossil fuels amid geopolitical tensions in West Asia. These initiatives include optimizing logistics, transitioning to biogas for cooking, and deploying green energy infrastructure like solar-hydrogen microgrids in forward areas.
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ImportantRajnath to undertake 3-day visit to Germany; boosting defence, industrial ties main focus
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has embarked on a three-day visit to Germany to finalize a comprehensive bilateral defence industrial roadmap. The agreement establishes a framework for the co-development and co-production of military hardware, marking a significant upgrade from a traditional buyer-seller dynamic.
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Must ReadExpert Explains | ‘India’s fiscal federalism must be reimagined to ensure every vote carries equal weight’
The debate over India's political and fiscal federalism has intensified following the failure of the [131st Constitution Amendment Bill] in the [Lok Sabha]. The Bill sought to expand the lower house to 850 seats and carry out delimitation using recent census data, ending the freeze placed on state-wise seat allocations since 1976.
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Must ReadIran war: The fertiliser challenge India faces, and the possible way out
Geopolitical tensions and strikes involving Iran have disrupted the global supply of essential fertilizers and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), causing a steep hike in import prices of urea, DAP, and raw materials. This supply shock threatens India's domestic fertilizer production and availability for the upcoming Kharif and Rabi agricultural seasons, prompting a push for alternative solutions like fortified fertilizers and biostimulants.
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Must ReadWhy India believes a 3D glass semiconductor project is its most important chip bet
The Union government has approved a Rs 1,934 crore 3D glass chip packaging facility in Odisha under the [India Semiconductor Mission]. Led by US-based 3D Glass Solutions, this project shifts from traditional 2D silicon wafers to advanced 3D glass substrates, positioning India at the cutting edge of global semiconductor packaging and heterogeneous integration.
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ImportantDifferentiating welfare and development
The article highlights the frequent conflation of 'welfare' and 'development' in contemporary Indian political discourse and policymaking. While political campaigns often blur these concepts to appeal to voters, welfare focuses on immediate redistribution and poverty alleviation, whereas development targets long-term structural economic transformation.
Read on The HinduDive Into Study Notes![Illustration about Economy: The [India Meteorological Department] forecast a "below normal" southwest monsoon, potentially driven by the [El Nino] w](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstorage.googleapis.com%2Fprepdose-article-images%2Fdaily-read%2F2026-04-20%2Fahead-of-below-normal-monsoon-build-resilience-and-account-for-costs-9a1d8b29.png&w=1200&q=75)
ImportantAhead of ‘below-normal’ monsoon, build resilience and account for costs
The [India Meteorological Department] forecast a "below normal" southwest monsoon, potentially driven by the [El Nino] weather phenomenon. Despite expected agricultural supply shocks and geopolitical instability, India is buffered by massive stockpiles of wheat and rice in [Food Corporation of India] godowns, as well as high forex reserves and strategic petroleum capacities.
Read on Indian ExpressDive Into Study Notes![Illustration about Economy: India's retail inflation based on the [Consumer Price Index] stood at a seemingly comfortable 3.4% in March 2026. Howeve](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstorage.googleapis.com%2Fprepdose-article-images%2Fdaily-read%2F2026-04-20%2Fdeceptively-benign-on-retail-inflation-oil-import-dependency-1601e3da.png&w=1200&q=75)
ImportantDeceptively benign: On retail inflation, oil-import-dependency
India's retail inflation based on the [Consumer Price Index] stood at a seemingly comfortable 3.4% in March 2026. However, wholesale inflation surged to a 38-month high of 3.88%, exposing underlying macroeconomic vulnerabilities.
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ImportantFY27 capex growth of states pegged at 8–10%: report
A recent Careedge Ratings report projects that the capital expenditure of Indian states will slow down to 8-10% in FY27, a significant drop from the 17% growth expected in FY26. This moderation is primarily driven by tighter fiscal headroom, a widening revenue deficit, and the pressure of geopolitical conflicts on energy prices.
ImportantExpert Explains: What plagues India-Turkey relations, and why a reset may be of common interest
India and Turkey recently held their 12th round of Foreign Office Consultations in New Delhi, marking the first high-level diplomatic dialogue since ties froze in 2025. The freeze was primarily triggered by Turkey's vocal support for Pakistan during India's military campaign against cross-border terror camps.
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ImportantWest Bengal elections, politics and diplomacy: Why India’s foreign policy needs a federal front
The prolonged delay in signing the Teesta water-sharing agreement with Bangladesh, stalled since 2011 by West Bengal's opposition, highlights the growing friction between centralized foreign policy and state-level resource jurisdiction. The article argues that India must embrace 'federal diplomacy' by structurally integrating state governments into external affairs negotiations to achieve its geopolitical ambitions.
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ImportantEye on making Delhi hub for research, design, govt begins drafting semiconductor policy
The Delhi government has begun drafting a dedicated semiconductor policy to position the national capital as a hub for chip design, research, and advanced packaging. Instead of capital-intensive chip fabrication, the policy targets high-skill, low-capital segments like ATMP and OSAT, aligning with the broader [India Semiconductor Mission].
![Illustration about Polity & Governance: The [Delhi High Court] recently criticized the [Sentencing Review Board] for rejecting the premature release plea of San](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstorage.googleapis.com%2Fprepdose-article-images%2Fdaily-read%2F2026-04-20%2Fdelhi-hc-pulls-up-sentencing-review-board-in-mattoo-case-what-is-premature-release-27b54199.png&w=1200&q=75)
ImportantDelhi HC pulls up Sentencing Review Board in Mattoo case: What is premature release?
The [Delhi High Court] recently criticized the [Sentencing Review Board] for rejecting the premature release plea of Santosh Kumar Singh, who has served nearly 30 years in prison for the 1996 Mattoo case. The board denied remission citing public perception and the initial heinousness of the crime, prompting the court to emphasize that the executive must assess actual rehabilitation rather than bowing to public pressure.
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