CURRENT AFFAIRS | MARCH 2026
CLAT Relevance
• India-US Interim Trade Agreement — tariff reductions and $500 billion purchase intent
• New START Treaty expiry — nuclear arms control
• Exercise KHANJAR — India-Kyrgyzstan joint military exercise
• India-Malaysia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership
• India-Seychelles, India-Greece defence cooperation
• CTF 154 — Indian Navy command of Combined Maritime Forces
• India-US Interim Trade Agreement — tariff reductions and $500 billion purchase intent
• New START Treaty expiry — nuclear arms control
• Exercise KHANJAR — India-Kyrgyzstan joint military exercise
• India-Malaysia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership
• India-Seychelles, India-Greece defence cooperation
• CTF 154 — Indian Navy command of Combined Maritime Forces
India-US Interim Trade Agreement
Key Facts — India-US Trade Deal
• Tariffs lowered from 50% to 18% (reciprocal 25% + penal 25% for Russian arms/crude)
• India to eliminate/reduce tariffs on US industrial goods, food, agricultural products (DDGs, sorghum, tree nuts, soybean oil, wine)
• Section 232 concession on aircraft parts
• India “intends” to buy $500 billion of US energy, aircraft, tech, precious metals over 5 years
• Tariffs lowered from 50% to 18% (reciprocal 25% + penal 25% for Russian arms/crude)
• India to eliminate/reduce tariffs on US industrial goods, food, agricultural products (DDGs, sorghum, tree nuts, soybean oil, wine)
• Section 232 concession on aircraft parts
• India “intends” to buy $500 billion of US energy, aircraft, tech, precious metals over 5 years
New START Treaty — Expired February 5, 2026
- New START = last US-Russia nuclear arms control treaty
- Limits: deployed strategic nuclear warheads and delivery systems
- History: START-I (1991, force 1994) → SORT (Treaty of Moscow) → New START
- No successor treaty in sight — raising global nuclear proliferation concerns
Defence Exercises & Partnerships
Exercise KHANJAR — India-Kyrgyzstan
Exercise KHANJAR Details:
– Edition: 13th
– Location: Misamari, Sonitpur, Assam
– Duration: 14 days
– Focus: Special Forces, urban warfare, counter-terrorism under UN mandate
– Frequency: Annual since 2011
– Edition: 13th
– Location: Misamari, Sonitpur, Assam
– Duration: 14 days
– Focus: Special Forces, urban warfare, counter-terrorism under UN mandate
– Frequency: Annual since 2011
BCIC — BRICS Centre for Industrial Competencies
- India joined BCIC in partnership with UNIDO
- One-stop support for manufacturing and MSME across BRICS nations
- Focus on Industry 4.0
Bilateral Relations Roundup
India-Malaysia
- PM Modi’s 3rd visit (Feb 7-8, 2026)
- Elevated to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (August 2024)
- Indian diaspora: 2.9 million (3rd largest globally), 2.75 million PIO
- Joint exercises: Harimau Shakti (Army), Samudra Laksamana (Navy), Udara Shakti (Air Force)
India-Seychelles
- President Dr Patrick Herminie — 6-day State visit (Feb 5-10)
- $175 million Special Economic Package ($125M rupee-denominated LoC + grant assistance)
- 7 MoUs: pharma, health, science, meteorology, culture, digital transformation, maritime research
India-Greece Defence Cooperation
- Joint Declaration of Intent + 5-year roadmap
- Bilateral Military Cooperation Plan 2026
- Defence Minister Rajnath Singh + Nikolaos-Georgios Dendias at Manekshaw Centre
CTF 154 — Indian Navy Command
- Commodore Milind M Mokashi takes command
- Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) — HQ in Bahrain, 46 nations
- Established May 2023
- 5 pillars: MDA, Law of Sea, Interdiction, Maritime Rescue, Leadership Development
Mnemonic — India-Malaysia Exercises (HSU):
H — Harimau Shakti (Army)
S — Samudra Laksamana (Navy)
U — Udara Shakti (Air Force)
H — Harimau Shakti (Army)
S — Samudra Laksamana (Navy)
U — Udara Shakti (Air Force)
CLAT Angle — International Relations
• Joint military exercises with country pairings are frequently tested
• Nuclear treaties (START, NPT, CTBT) are core GK for law entrances
• India-US trade dynamics directly impact CLAT current affairs section
• Bilateral visit outcomes (MoUs, partnerships) appear as factual MCQs
• Joint military exercises with country pairings are frequently tested
• Nuclear treaties (START, NPT, CTBT) are core GK for law entrances
• India-US trade dynamics directly impact CLAT current affairs section
• Bilateral visit outcomes (MoUs, partnerships) appear as factual MCQs
Source: UPSC Essentials, The Indian Express — March 2026
Practice Quiz
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Practice Quiz — 10 CLAT-Style Questions
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