The Hindu Morning Digest: March 15, 2026

Trump urges world powers to secure Iran shipping lane

U.S. President Donald Trump urged other nations to help secure a vital shipping lane choked off by the war with Iran that showed no signs of slowing as strikes hit the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad and a major Emirati energy facility. “The United States of America has beaten and completely decimated Iran, both Militarily, Economically, and in every other way, but the Countries of the World that receive Oil through the Hormuz Strait must take care of that passage, and we will help — A LOT!” Trump said on social media.

Government bars PNG users from retaining or refilling LPG connections

Seeking to ensure a steady supply to domestic consumers exclusively availing liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) amid the impact on imports due to tensions in West Asia, the government mandated that individuals with a piped natural gas (PNG) connection will neither be allowed to obtain a new LPG connection nor retain an existing additional connection of liquefied petroleum gas. The amended supply order also bars them from obtaining any refill. Further, the order states that individuals having both LPG and natural gas connections at present “immediately surrender their domestic LPG connection”.

LPG crunch puts strain on mid-day meals for children at schools across India

Across India, many schools are scrambling to find alternative fuel sources to LPG, such as firewood and induction stoves for their mid-day meal programmes. Schools located in rural areas of States like Odisha and Telangana that already use firewood have been saved from the crisis owing to the shortage of LPG in light of the West Asia conflict. Many schools are cutting down on their daily menu, affecting the nutritional quality of the food being provided to the children.

Seven-member SIT formed to probe assassination attempt on NC chief Farooq Abdullah

Jammu and Kashmir Police have constituted a seven-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the recent assassination attempt on former Chief Minister and National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah during a marriage function. On Wednesday (March 11) night, Mr. Abdullah had a miraculous escape when a gunman opened fire on him after coming from behind while he was leaving a marriage function at Royal Park Banquet Hall in the Greater Kailash area.

Trump urges other nations to send ships to secure Strait of Hormuz

U.S. President Donald Trump urged other nations to send ships to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, the critical chokepoint for global oil supplies disrupted by the West Asia war. Mr. Trump, who has said the United States will soon start escorting tankers through the strait, posted on Truth Social that “Many countries, especially those who are affected by Iran’s attempted closure of the Hormuz Strait, will be sending War Ships, in conjunction with the United States of America, to keep the Strait open and safe.”

PM Modi accuses TMC of opposing SIR to shield ‘infiltrators’

Targeting the Trinamool Congress for “dangerous change of demography of most parts of West Bengal”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that Bengali Hindus were purposely being turned into minorities. The Prime Minister, addressing a public meeting at Kolkata’s Brigade Parade Grounds to mark the culmination of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s Parivartan Yatra that covered more than 250 of the 294 Assembly constituencies in the poll-bound State, repeatedly claimed that the countdown of the end of Trinamool Congress government has started, alleging that West Bengal’s ruling party does not even consider Hindus as their vote bank.

Kerala moderates stance on Sabarimala restriction on entry of women

The poll-bound State of Kerala, home to the famed Sabarimala temple, delicately moderated an earlier cast-iron stance in the Supreme Court of India in favour of the entry of women of menstrual age into the shrine. The State government, in written submissions filed before the Supreme Court, said a judicial review of whether the age-old restriction on entry for women between menarche and menopause was an essential religious practice must not be guided by either reason or sentiment alone.

Failure of atomic clock cripples ISRO’s NavIC system

The last atomic clock aboard the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)-1F satellite has failed, ISRO has said in a statement. This further weakens the country’s indigenous ‘GPS’ system, informally called NavIC. ISRO had earlier said that it would be launching at least three satellites by the end of 2026 to replace defunct and ageing satellites.

As Samriddhi Yatra ends in Bihar, Nitish promises more development

Ahead of the Rajya Sabha election on March 16, the third and last leg of the ‘Samriddhi Yatra’ launched by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar from Supaul ended in Sheikhpura, with the focus on the development of Bihar. Mr. Kumar ended the yatra by inaugurating and laying the foundation stones of 716 projects worth ₹480 crore in Begusarai and Sheikhpura.

Commercial LPG shortage slashes food delivery orders in Bengaluru, hits gig workers

Gig workers associated with food delivery platforms in Bengaluru said their incomes have fallen sharply, as the shortage of commercial LPG cylinders triggered by the ongoing West Asia crisis has forced several restaurants to temporarily shut down or scale back operations on online platforms.

11 Indian nationals charged in U.S. over visa fraud scheme

Eleven Indian nationals, living illegally in the U.S., have been charged with visa fraud for conspiring to carry out staged armed robberies of convenience shops, according to U.S. federal prosecutors. Authorities said the suspects are accused of organising fake robberies for the purpose of allowing the store clerks to falsely claim they were crime victims on immigration applications towards getting a Green Card.

AAP government drowned Punjab in corruption, drugs and crime: Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah accused the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Government in Punjab of pushing the State into a spiral of corruption, drugs, unemployment, debt, crime and religious conversions, and urged people to give the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) a chance in the 2027 Assembly election. Addressing the party’s ‘Badlav rally’ at Killi Chahlan village in Moga district, Mr. Shah asserted that the BJP would contest the 2027 election to form the government in the State. “Earlier, we used to come before you as a ‘younger brother’ and our government couldn’t have been formed. But in the 2027 Assembly election, the BJP will fight to form its own government.”

Sri Lanka repatriates remains of 84 Iranian sailors killed in U.S. torpedo strike

Sri Lanka has repatriated the remains of 84 Iranian sailors who were killed when their frigate was sunk by a U.S. submarine, an official said. Last week on Wednesday (March 4, 2026), Sri Lanka said it had recovered 84 bodies of Iranian sailors after the U.S. submarine attack sank the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena off Galle on the island’s southern coast. The ship was returning to Iran from Visakhapatnam, where it had participated in a naval fleet review exercise.

Iran says museums and historic sites damaged in war

Iran’s Cultural Heritage and Tourism Ministry said at least 56 museums and historic sites across the country have been damaged, as the Iran-Israel war entered its 15th day. In Tehran, U.S.-Israeli strikes damaged the UNESCO-listed Golestan Palace in the early days of the conflict, local media reported. The Ministry said Tehran has recorded the highest number of damaged monuments, with 19 suffering varying levels of harm.

Missile strikes a helipad inside U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad: Iraqi security officials

A missile struck a helipad inside the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad, two Iraqi security officials said. Associated Press footage showed a column of smoke rising over the embassy compound. The sprawling embassy complex, one of the largest U.S. diplomatic facilities in the world, has been repeatedly targeted by rockets and drones fired by Iran-aligned militias.

41 of 166 tiger deaths in country last year reported in Maharashtra

Of the 166 tiger deaths recorded in the country last year, 41 occurred in Maharashtra, the State Government informed the Legislative Council during the ongoing Budget session. Forest Minister Ganesh Naik said the State recorded 41 tiger deaths in 2025, according to data from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). He was responding to queries from members regarding recent tiger deaths reported from the Pench Tiger Reserve in Nagpur district.