8 April 2026 - "Daily Current Affairs" Updates

GS Paper-1: Art & Culture

⭐ Rongali Bihu

⭐ Why in News

Rongali Bihu celebrations have recently expanded across various parts of Assam.

⭐ About the Festival

• Rongali Bihu, also called Bohag Bihu, is one of the most important festivals of

Assam.

⭐ Seasonal Significance

• Marks the Assamese New Year.

• Celebrates the onset of the spring season.

⭐ Meaning of the Name

• The word Rongali comes from Rong, meaning joy, festivity, and celebration.

⭐ Cultural Importance

• Reflects the rich cultural heritage and traditions of Assamese society.

⭐ Traditional Attire

• Women wear traditional dress such as mekhela chador, made from:

• Muga silk

• Pat silk

• Cotton

⭐ Exchange of Gamocha

• People exchange gamocha (Bihuwaan), a traditional Assamese cloth.

• This act symbolises respect, affection, and social bonding.

GS Paper-3: Defence

⭐ INS Aridhaman

⭐ Why in News

India has recently commissioned INS Aridhaman, its third nuclear-powered ballistic

missile submarine (SSBN), into the Indian Navy.

⭐ Classification & Type

• India’s third indigenously built SSBN.

• Belongs to the Arihant-class submarines.

• SSBN stands for Submersible Ship Ballistic Nuclear.

⭐ Development & Construction

• Developed under the Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) programme.

• Constructed at the Ship Building Centre, Visakhapatnam.

⭐ Displacement

• Around 6,000 tonnes on the surface.

• Approximately 7,000 tonnes when submerged.

⭐ Reactor & Propulsion

• Powered by an 83 MW pressurised water reactor (PWR).

• Reactor developed by Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC).

⭐ Armament & Missile Capability

• Equipped with 8 vertical launch tubes, allowing higher missile capacity than earlier

submarines.

• Can carry K-15 (Sagarika) missiles

• Range: ~750 km

• Capable of launching K-4 missiles

• Range: up to ~3,500 km

• Provides credible nuclear deterrence and second-strike capability.

GS Paper-3: Economy / Governance

⭐ Kar Saathi

⭐ Why in News

The Income Tax Department has recently launched a new digital platform called Kar

Saathi.

⭐ About the Platform

• Kar Saathi is an AI-based chatbot

developed by the Income Tax Department.

• Acts as a virtual tax assistant accessible

via the official income tax portal.

⭐ Purpose

• Designed to provide round-the-clock

assistance to taxpayers.

• Helps in simplifying interactions with the tax system.

⭐ Objective

• Aims to ease taxpayer compliance under the Income-tax Act, 2025.

⭐ Integration

• Embedded within the new income tax portal as a digital assistant.

⭐ Key Functions

• Query Resolution

Provides answers to taxpayer queries in real time.

• Step-by-Step Guidance

Assists users in processes like filing income tax returns (ITR).

• Process Assistance

Helps navigate procedures and requirements efficiently.