This is the current affairs 20 March 2026. Here are questions and answers of daily current affairs for better preparation of competitive exams for government jobs.
1. According to the World Happiness Index 2026, what is India’s ranking among the happiest countries?
a. 116
b. 118
c. 126
d. 167
Answer: a. 116 (India was ranked 118th in 2025)
– The World Happiness Report 2026 is a United Nations-supported report
– It is released by the Wellbeing Research Centre (University of Oxford)
– It is prepared with the support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (UN SDSN)
– It ranks 147 countries
On what criteria is the ranking decided?
– Questions were prepared based on six parameters to measure happiness in these 147 countries
– Rankings are based on GDP per capita, healthy life expectancy, social support, freedom to make life choices, generosity, and perception of corruption
– By analyzing these aspects, the report presents a comprehensive picture of global happiness
India’s neighboring countries
– China: 65
– Nepal: 99
– Pakistan: 104
– Bangladesh: 127
– Myanmar: 129
– Afghanistan: 147 (last in the list)
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2. According to the World Happiness Report 2026, which is the happiest country in the world?
a. Denmark
b. India
c. Finland
d. Sweden
Answer: c. Finland
– Finland has secured the first position for the 9th consecutive time in the list of the happiest countries in the world
– Afghanistan ranked last (147th)
Top 10 countries in the index
1) Finland
2) Iceland
3) Denmark
4) Costa Rica
5) Sweden
6) Norway
7) Netherlands
8) Israel
9) Luxembourg
10) Switzerland
Finland
– Capital: Helsinki
– President: Alexander Stubb
– Prime Minister: Petteri Orpo
– Currency: Euro
– Population: 5.6 million
– Neighboring countries: Sweden, Norway, Russia
– Finland and Sweden are the 32nd and 31st members of NATO
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3. Which United Nations report concludes that social media is diminishing the happiness of young people?
a. World Development Report 2026
b. Human Development Report 2026
c. Global Risk Report 2026
d. World Happiness Report 2026
Answer: d. World Happiness Report 2026
Social media and happiness
– Excessive use of social media leads to a decline in well-being
– Greater impact on teenage girls
Is the digital age silently reducing the happiness of a generation?
– The World Happiness Report 2026 states that the negative relationship between happiness and widespread social media use is particularly concerning among teenage girls
– For example, 15-year-old girls who use social media for five or more hours show a decline in life satisfaction, whereas those who use it less do not show such a decline
– Researchers found that young people who use social media for less than one hour per day have the highest levels of happiness, even higher than those who do not use it at all
– The report highlights that in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, the outlook on life among people under 25 has declined significantly over the past decade
– Spending long hours on social media is suggested as a major reason for this trend
Regulation of social media globally
– Many countries are trying to implement stricter legal measures to enhance online safety for people under 16
– The report states that in December 2025, the Australian government increased the minimum age for 10 social media platforms from 13 to 16
– Other countries including Denmark, France, and Spain are also planning similar regulations
– The report expresses hope that the evidence presented will help policymakers evaluate such policies
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4. Name the world’s largest gas field where Iran’s retaliatory action—following an Israeli attack—sent shockwaves through the global gas and oil market.
a. Galkynysh Gas Field
b. Sakhalin Gas Field
c. South Pars Gas Field
d. Leviathan Gas Field
Answer: c. South Pars Gas Field
– South Pars is the world’s largest natural gas field, located in the Persian Gulf and shared with Qatar’s North Field
– It is the largest gas field in the world
– It contains enough gas to meet global energy demand for more than 13 years
– Tensions in this region directly impact the global energy market (especially LNG and crude oil)
What happened here?
– Israel attacked Iran’s South Pars gas field
– In response, Iran attacked Qatar’s LNG facility (Ras Laffan)
– Ras Laffan Industrial City supplies around 20% of the world’s LNG demand
– Iran also targeted refineries and oil fields in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE
– These attacks affected oil and gas production in several countries
– Qatar stated that 17% of its gas production has been halted and may take 1–2 years to restore
About South Pars Gas Field
– Shared by Iran and Qatar, spread over about 9,700 sq km under the Persian Gulf
– Contains about 1,800 trillion cubic feet of gas (~8% of global proven reserves)
– Enough to meet global energy demand for over 13 years
– Provides 70–75% of Iran’s gas production and around 80% of its electricity
Global impact
– Energy prices surged worldwide
– Even Trump reacted, stating that Israel did not consult him before the attack
Impact on India
– Qatar supplies over 47% of India’s LNG imports
– Direct impact on India’s energy and gas needs
– Qatar has long-term LNG agreements with India’s Petronet
– Disruptions at Ras Laffan could severely affect India’s gas supply
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5. Atanu Chakraborty, Chairman of which bank, resigned in March 2026, citing concerns regarding the bank’s individual values and ethics?
a. SBI
b. HSBC
c. ICICI
d. HDFC
Answer: d. HDFC
– Atanu Chakraborty, part-time Chairman and Independent Director of HDFC Bank, resigned on 18 March 2026 with immediate effect
– In his resignation letter, he wrote: “Over the past two years, I have observed certain events and practices within the bank that are not aligned with my personal values and ethics. This forms the basis of my decision.”
– After the letter became public, HDFC Bank shares fell by about 5%
– Reports suggested differences within the board regarding the bank’s functioning
– RBI approved K.K. Mistry as interim part-time Chairman for three months from 19 March
India’s second-largest bank
– HDFC Bank has a market capitalization of ₹12.97 lakh crore
RBI statement
– RBI stated that HDFC Bank is a Domestic Systemically Important Bank (D-SIB) with strong financial health, professional board governance, and a capable management team
– RBI added that no major concerns have been observed in its conduct or governance
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6. Which state government decided to make it mandatory to mark eggs with the production date and expiry date?
a. Maharashtra
b. Uttar Pradesh
c. Gujarat
d. Punjab
Answer: b. Uttar Pradesh
Egg expiry date rule in Uttar Pradesh
– From 1 April 2026, it has been made mandatory to mark each egg with the production (laying) date and expiry date
– Eggs without dates will be seized or declared “unfit for human consumption”
– Responsible departments: Animal Husbandry Department and Food Safety Department
Objective
– To provide fresh and safe food to consumers
– To curb the sale of old/fake eggs
– To increase transparency in the market
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7. When is Ordnance Factories’ Day celebrated?
a. 16 March
b. 17 March
c. 18 March
d. 19 March
Answer: c. 18 March
– India’s oldest ordnance factory is located in Cossipore, Kolkata
– Production began on 18 March 1802
– This day is observed for that reason
Note – The central government has dissolved the Ordnance Factory Board (Indian Ordnance Factories) and created seven new PSU companies
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8. The Prime Minister of which country, Denise Miralles, resigned in March 2026?
a. Chile
b. Peru
c. Colombia
d. Argentina
Answer: b. Peru
– Peru’s Prime Minister Denise Miralles resigned in March 2026
– Reason: Uncertainty over securing majority support in Parliament; she resigned before the mandatory confidence vote
– She was appointed Prime Minister in February 2026
– Earlier, interim President José Jerry was removed over corruption allegations and replaced by José María Balcázar
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9. The interim President of which country, José María Balcázar, appointed General Luis Enrique Arroyo as Prime Minister?
a. Chile
b. Peru
c. Bolivia
d. Argentina
Answer: b. Peru
– Interim President José María Balcázar appointed General Luis Enrique Arroyo as Prime Minister
– This followed the resignation of Denise Miralles
Role of Prime Minister in Peru
– Coordinates implementation of government policies
– Not the head of the executive; the President is the executive head
– Peru has seen 8 presidents in the last 10 years
Peru
– Capital: Lima
– Currency: Sol
– Neighboring countries: Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, Chile, Bolivia
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10. Whom has India appointed as its new ambassador to China?
a. Pradeep Verma
b. Rakesh Sharma
c. Ajay Vikram Singh
d. Vikram K. Doraiswami
Answer: d. Vikram K. Doraiswami
– He previously served as India’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom
– He replaced Pradeep Kumar Rawat, who was serving as India’s Ambassador to China
– Doraiswami has earlier served as India’s Ambassador to Bangladesh, South Korea, and Uzbekistan
Note – Vinay Mohan Kwatra is India’s Ambassador to the United States
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