# US -India relations

• American Deputy national security advisor for international economics Daleep singh visited Delhi on Thursday hours before Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov landed in India.
• Deputy NSA Daleep singh said that there will be consequences for any country, including India, that conducts local currency transactions through Russia’s central bank or constructs a payment mechanisn that subverts or circumvents the United States sanctions against Russia.
• Russian foreign minister Lavrov is due to meet prime minister Narendra modi and foreign minister S. Jaishankar on Friday.
• The bank of Russia, country’s central bank also met Reserve Bank of India officials to discuss alternative payment mechanisns.

# AFSPA

• The Union home ministry has considerably reduced the “disturbed areas” under Armed Forces special power act in Assam, Manipur and Nagaland.
• The order effective from April 1, would be applicable for six months.
• In Assam, the AFSPA was being removed completely from 23 districts and one district will be covered partially under it.

# Vanniyar quota

• The supreme Court on Thursday confirmed that the grant of 10.5% internal reservation to Vanniyakula Khastriya community violates the fundamental rights of equality, non – discrimination and equal opportunity of 115 other most backward communities and de – notified communities in Tamil nadu.
• A bench of Justices L. Nageswara Rao and BR Gavai held that the 10.5% held that the 10.5% reservation to a single community fron the total MBC quota of 20% in the state, leaving only 9.5% to 115 other communities, was without substantial basis.

# Tamil Nadu

• Tamil nadu chief minister MK stalin on Thursday met Prime minister Narendra modi and requested him to accord permission to the state to supply essential commodities and life saving drugs to the Srilankan tamils who have been severely affected by the economic crisis in the country.
• MK Stalin also requested to extend the period of GST compensation by at least two years beyond 2022.