This is the current affairs of 4 & 5 March 2026. Here are questions and answers of daily current affairs for better preparation of competitive exams for government jobs.
1. Alexander Stubb, President of which country, is the chief guest of Raisina Dialogue 2026?
a. Germany
b. France
c. Finland
d. Australia
Answer: c. Finland
– India and Finland share cordial, friendly, and multidimensional relations based on shared democratic values.
– Finland is an important partner of India in the European Union and the Nordic region.
– The visit of President Stubb, following the recent visit of Prime Minister of the Republic of Finland Petteri Orpo to India in February 2026 for the AI Impact Summit, reflects the shared commitment of both countries to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in various fields and deepen people-to-people ties.
————–
2. What is the theme of Raisina Dialogue 2026?
a. Kalachakra: People, Peace and Planet
b. Chaturanga: Conflict, Contest, Cooperate, Create
c. Provocation, Uncertainty, Turbulence – Lighthouse in Turbulent Times
d. Sanskar – Assertion, Accommodation, Advancement
Answer: d. Sanskar – Assertion, Accommodation, Advancement
– Raisina Dialogue is an annual conference on geopolitics and geo-economics.
– Its objective is to address the most challenging issues facing the world.
– The conference is held in New Delhi.
– It brings together participants from political, business, media, and civil society backgrounds from across the world.
– The New Delhi-based think tank Observer Research Foundation hosts the conference in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs.
Raisina Dialogue 2026
– First edition: 2016
– Edition in 2026: 11th
– Inauguration: 5 March 2026
– By: Prime Minister Narendra Modi
– Dates: 5–7 March (three-day event)
– Chief Guest: President of Finland, Dr. Alexander Stubb
– Theme for 2026: “Sanskar – Assertion, Accommodation, Advancement”
—————
3. The Iranian warship ‘IRIS Dena’, returning from which Indian multinational exercise, was attacked and sunk in the sea by the US Navy?
a. Malabar
b. SIMBEX
c. Sea Dragon
d. Milan
Answer: d. Milan
– On the fifth day of the US-Israel and Iran war, the US attacked and sank the Iranian warship IRIS Dena near Sri Lanka while it was returning from India.
– US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that an American submarine in the Indian Ocean targeted the Iranian ship with a torpedo and sank it.
– The Sri Lankan Navy rescued 32 injured sailors and admitted them to hospitals. Reports suggest that 83 sailors died.
– Around 180 sailors were on board the ship. Search and rescue operations were conducted to find the missing people.
– The Iranian warship was returning after participating in the Milan 2026 International Fleet Review held in Visakhapatnam, India, in February 2026.
– Sri Lankan authorities said that a distress message was sent around 6–7 PM on 4 March 2026 (Indian time). The ship was about 40 nautical miles (around 75 km) from the southern Sri Lankan city of Galle.
– The US released a video of the attack on the Iranian warship. Sri Lanka provided full assistance to rescue trapped sailors and others.
First torpedo attack since the Second World War
– US War Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that for the first time since World War II, the US Navy used a torpedo to sink an Iranian ship.
Questions raised over the attack
– The recent attack near the Sri Lankan coast has raised questions about the legality of military attacks in international waters.
– Military attacks in international waters are generally prohibited under international law because Article 88 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) reserves international waters for “peaceful purposes.”
– Although international maritime law comes under UNCLOS, considered the constitution of the oceans, the United States is not a party to it.
—————
4. The Central Government has made it mandatory to sell petrol with what percentage of ethanol and what Research Octane Number (RON) across the country from April 2026?
a. 10% ethanol and 55 RON
b. 20% ethanol and 95 RON
c. 30% ethanol and 99 RON
d. 40% ethanol and 100 RON
Answer: b. 20% ethanol and 95 RON
– The central government has made it mandatory to sell ethanol-blended petrol from 1 April 2026.
– Petrol must contain up to 20% ethanol with a minimum Research Octane Number (RON) of 95.
– The order applies to all states and union territories in the country. Its aim is to reduce crude imports, cut emissions, and increase farmers’ income by boosting demand for ethanol produced from crops.
– The Petroleum Ministry issued a notification on 17 February.
– Earlier, in June 2022, India achieved the target of blending 10% ethanol in petrol.
– Now the government has advanced the target of 20% ethanol blending from 2030 to 2025-26.
– The Oil Ministry estimates that replacing a portion of petrol with ethanol since 2014-15 has saved more than ₹1.40 lakh crore in foreign exchange.
What is Ethanol-blended E20 petrol?
– E20 petrol contains 20% ethanol and 80% petrol.
– Ethanol is produced from sources such as sugarcane, maize, and other grains.
– It is a renewable fuel produced domestically.
– It burns cleaner compared to regular petrol.
– A minimum Research Octane Number (RON) of 95 has been introduced to prevent engine damage.
– RON indicates a fuel’s ability to resist knocking or premature ignition inside the engine.
– Knocking occurs when fuel burns irregularly.
– It produces a pinging sound and reduces engine performance. Mechanical damage may occur over time.
– A higher RON rating means the fuel can better resist knocking.
– Ethanol naturally has an octane rating of about 108 RON.
– Blending 20% ethanol improves resistance to knocking.
Research Octane Number
– Research Octane Number (RON) is a standard used to measure petrol’s ability to resist knocking. In simple terms, it indicates how smoothly and controllably fuel burns in the engine.
– Higher RON → less knocking → better engine performance.
—————
5. Eminent sociologist T. K. Oommen passed away on 26 February 2026. Which award did he receive?
a. V.K.R.V. Rao Award
b. Padma Bhushan
c. G. S. Ghurye Award
d. All of the above
Answer: d. All of the above
– The 88-year-old T. K. Oommen was Professor Emeritus at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).
– He gave a new direction to Indian sociology.
– He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2008.
His major areas of study included:
– Social movements and social change
– Political sociology
– State and ethnicity
– Occupational structure and social theory
– Pluralism and civil society
– One of his important works was based on the Bhoodan movement led by Vinoba Bhave.
– His doctoral research titled “Charisma, Stability and Change: An Analysis of the Bhoodan Gramdan Movement in India” brought him recognition.
Positions held
– Former President of the International Sociological Association
– Former President of the Indian Sociological Society
– Member of the Sachar Committee (which studied the socio-economic condition of Muslims in India)
– Chairman of the advisory committee of the Gujarat Harmony Project after the 2002 communal violence.
—————-
6. Name the then President and CEO of the World Economic Forum (WEF) who had to resign after his name appeared in the Epstein Files.
a. Tim Cook
b. Børge Brende
c. Dr. Michael Leiters
d. Anil Soni
Answer: b. Børge Brende
– Børge Brende was the President and CEO of the World Economic Forum (WEF). He is a Norwegian politician and diplomat.
– He announced his resignation on 26 February 2026.
– Brende had been leading the WEF since 2017.
– Alois Zwinggi was given the responsibility as interim President and CEO.
– Documents from the US Department of Justice revealed that Brende had three business dinners with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and had also communicated with him through emails and text messages.
– After these revelations, WEF started an independent investigation into Brende’s past contacts, following which he resigned.
– WEF Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
—————
7. Who has been elected as the National President of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)?
a. Supriya Sule
b. Sunetra Pawar
c. Praful Patel
d. Rohit Pawar
Answer: b. Sunetra Pawar
– The decision was announced on 26 February 2026 during the party’s National Executive meeting.
– Sunetra Pawar is the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra.
– She is the wife of the late Ajit Pawar.
– Ajit Pawar died in a plane crash in Baramati, Pune district, on 28 January. At that time, he was the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra.
————–
8. Which Tiger Reserve in India has the highest population of Fishing Cat in the freshwater floodplain ecosystem?
a. Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary
b. Valmiki Tiger Reserve
c. Pilibhit Tiger Reserve
d. Kaziranga Tiger Reserve
Answer: d. Kaziranga Tiger Reserve
– According to the first scientific survey conducted in February 2026, 57 Fishing Cats were recorded in Kaziranga Tiger Reserve, Assam.
– After this, 35 were recorded in Kishanpur Tiger Sanctuary (Uttar Pradesh), 51 in Dudhwa, 14–17 in Pilibhit Tiger Reserve, and 12–14 in Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary.
– In Bihar, 6–7 Fishing Cats were found in Valmiki Tiger Reserve.
– Fishing Cats mainly inhabit wetlands and are considered an endangered species.
– The species, protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, was identified using camera-trap images from the All India Tiger Estimation data.
In estuarine habitats (West Bengal)
– In marshy and mangrove ecosystems, the largest stronghold is Sundarbans Tiger Reserve in West Bengal.
– The estimated population of Fishing Cats there is 385.
– After that comes Chilika Lagoon in Odisha (341) and Bhitarkanika Tiger Reserve in the same state with a population between 83–115.
– Coringa Tiger Reserve in Andhra Pradesh has around 95–100.
—————
9. When is World Hearing Day celebrated by WHO?
a. 2 March
b. 3 March
c. 4 March
d. 6 March
Answer: b. 3 March
Theme for 2026
– From communities to classrooms: hearing care for all children
– The day is observed to raise awareness about hearing loss worldwide.
– WHO first observed International Ear Care Day in 2007.
– In 2016, the name was changed to World Hearing Day.
How many people may suffer hearing loss worldwide?
– The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that by 2050, about 2.5 billion people worldwide may experience hearing loss, and more than 700 million of them will require treatment.
– In India, around 63 million people (6.3% of the population) suffer from significant hearing impairment.
WHO
– Established: 7 April 1948
– Director-General: Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
– Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
—————
10. When is World Wildlife Day celebrated?
a. 2 March
b. 3 March
c. 4 March
d. 5 March
Answer: b. 3 March
Theme for 2026
– Medicinal and Aromatic Plants: Conserving Health, Heritage and Livelihoods
– It is celebrated every year on 3 March to raise awareness about the world’s wild animals and plants.
– The day was proposed by Thailand and recognized by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 2013.
World Wildlife Fund
– Headquarters: Gland, Switzerland
– Established: 29 April 1961
PDF Download: Click here
