NEW DELHI DAILY - 27 MARCH 2026
Centre Denies Lockdown Rumors, Raises Commercial LPG Quota; Jaishankar Urges UNSC Reform at G7; Balen Shah Sworn In as Nepal's Youngest PM
U.S. official confirms India-U.S. trade deal nearing completion but gaps remain on pulse market access
U.S. official stated trade agreement with India not far off, but gaps persist around pulses market. India seeks to protect domestic pulse market while U.S. demands greater access.
Indian government raises commercial LPG allocation to 70 percent, prioritizes labor-intensive industries
Oil Secretary Neeraj Mittal directed additional LPG supply be prioritized for labor-intensive industries including steel, automobiles and textiles. Centre allocated 10 percent reform-based LPG quota to states.
PM Modi congratulates Balendra Shah on becoming Nepal's youngest Prime Minister following landslide victory
PM extended warm congratulations to Balendra Shah, 35, sworn in as Nepal's youngest Prime Minister after his RSP won landslide victory following September youth uprising.
DRIVING THE DAY
SUMMARY: Union Ministers Hardeep Singh Puri and Nirmala Sitharaman on 27 March dismissed social media rumors of an impending lockdown as "completely false," stating there is "no proposal under consideration" despite rising energy concerns amid the West Asia war, according to NDTV and News18. The government on 27 March raised commercial LPG allocation to states to 70 percent of pre-war levels, with priority for labor-intensive industries such as steel, automobiles, and textiles, Business Standard reported. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar emphasized the urgency of UN Security Council reforms and raised Global South concerns about energy, fertilizer, and food security at the G7 Foreign Ministers' meeting on 26 March, News18 reported. Nepal's Balendra Shah, 35, took the oath as the country's youngest prime minister on 27 March after his Rastriya Swatantra Party won a landslide in elections following a youth-led uprising that toppled the previous government in September 2025, according to The Hindu and LiveMint. Prime Minister Modi on 27 March extended "warm congratulations" to Shah, LiveMint reported.
