Top news of the day: March 27, 2026

Lockdown in India rumours ‘completely false’, say Union Ministers

Amid speculation regarding lockdown rumours in India due to the West Asia crisis, Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri dismissed the claims, stating that there is “no proposal under consideration by the Government of India”.

Balendra Shah takes oath as Nepal’s Prime Minister

Balendra Shah, popularly known as Balen, on Friday (March 27, 2026) became Nepal’s new Prime Minister, the youngest in the country’s recent political history. The 35-year-old rapper-turned-politician was sworn in by President Ram Chandra Poudel at a ceremony at the presidential palace in Kathmandu, marking the end of the transition triggered by last September’s Gen Z protests, which overthrew the K.P. Sharma Oli government and installed an interim administration led by former Chief Justice Sushila Karki.

Government reduces excise on petrol, diesel by ₹10 per litre each to cushion pressure on OMCs

Seeking to cushion oil-marketing companies (OMCs) from the fiscal impact of skyrocketing benchmark oil prices amidst the escalating war in West Asia, the government, in an order dated March 26 (Thursday), reduced the Special Additional Excise Duty on petrol and diesel by ₹10 per litre each. This, in effect, has brought down the duty on petrol to ₹3 and on diesel to nil.

The Congress on Friday (March 27, 2026) claimed that the government’s excise cuts will not change prices for dealers and consumers, and that the relief exists only in the narrative, not in reality.

Omar Abdullah condemns Iran war, killing of Khamenei in J&K Assembly

Omar Abdullah, Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, on Friday condemned the “unjust and illegal war on Iran and the killing of Ali Khamenei by the U.S. and Israel” in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to play a constructive role to end it, as legislators from the ruling Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (NC) and the Opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flashed pictures of the slain Khamenei inside the House.

Tamil Nadu Assembly election 2026: Annamalai unhappy with constituencies allocated for BJP by AIADMK

Former BJP Tamil Nadu president K. Annamalai has conveyed to the party national leadership his “extreme” displeasure over the constituencies allocated for the national party by the AIADMK for the April 23 Tamil Nadu Assembly election.

Government to review windfall tax imposed on export of diesel and ATF on fortnightly basis: CBIC chief

CBIC Chairman Vivek Chaturvedi on Friday (March 27, 2026) said the government will review the special additional excise duty or windfall tax on diesel and ATF (Aviation Turbine Fuel) every fortnight.

SIT flooded with over 50 phone calls on Nashik ‘godman’ held for rape; complaints being verified

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) conducting a probe against rape accused and self-styled godman Ashok Kharat has received more than 50 calls in the last five days providing information or reporting crimes allegedly committed by him, officials said on Friday (March 27, 2026).

Coal scam: Delhi court acquits ex-MP Vijay Darda, his son and former coal secretary H.C. Gupta

A special court on Friday (March 27, 2026) acquitted former MP Vijay Darda, his son Devendra Darda and former coal secretary H.C. Gupta in a case related to coal block allocation after finding no evidence to support the charges of cheating, criminal conspiracy or misconduct.

Ukraine, Saudi Arabia agreed to key defence cooperation: Zelenskyy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, during his visit to Saudi Arabia on Friday (March 27, 2026), said the two countries have agreed to “an important arrangement” on defence cooperation

IDF chief warns of potential collapse due to manpower shortage: report

Israel Defence Forces (IDF) chief Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir told a security cabinet meeting that the military “is going to collapse in on itself” amid a growing manpower shortage, Israeli media reported. “I am raising 10 red flags in front of you. Right now, the IDF needs a conscription law, a reserve duty law, and a law to extend mandatory service,” Gen. Zamir told Ministers, according to a report Channel 13. “Before long, the IDF will not be ready for its routine missions and the reserve system will not last,” he said. The Times of Israel also reported his comments.