Monday, Jan 12
Daily current affairs for 12 January 2026 with exam-focused key facts, connected news context, and revision notes for UPSC, SSC, banking and government exams.
Today at a glance
[Italy]
Key Updates:
Samir V Kamat delivered the main address at DRDO Bhawan on the organisation’s 68th Foundation Day. He highlighted that 22 Acceptances of Necessity were approved by the Defence Acquisition Council and the Services…
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred with Ethiopia's highest award 'The Great Honour Nishan of Ethiopia' by his Ethiopian counterpart Abiy Ahmed Ali. The award was conferred for his exceptional contribution towards…
Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Antonio Tajani, arrived in New Delhi on Wednesday for his second visit to India this year. He will meet External Affairs…
Italy's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani is on a three-day visit to India. The visit aims to further reinvigorate the economic partnership between the two countries.
[Meghalaya]
Key Updates:
A Muhamed Mustaque was sworn in as the Chief Justice of the Sikkim High Court. Governor Om Prakash Mathur administered the oath of office at Lok Bhawan.
Anu Garg has been appointed as the Chief Secretary of Odisha, becoming the first woman to hold the post. She succeeds Manoj Ahuja, who superannuated on December 31.
Anu Garg, a 1991-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, was appointed as the first woman Chief Secretary of Odisha. She will replace Manoj Ahuja following his superannuation on December 31.
The Meghalaya cabinet approved the amendment to the Meghalaya Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act, 2006. This amendment permits the state to increase its fiscal deficit ceiling from 3% to 3.5% of GSDP…
[Australia]
Key Updates:
Colonel Prateek Roy of the Indian Army was awarded the Geddes Gavel Award. He received the award on completion of the Defence Strategic and Studies Course at Australian Defence College.
CSIR-NIIST Principal Scientist Dr Achu Chandran won Category 1 for his ‘Nano Electricity Generator’ research. NTPC R&D wing NETRA bagged Category 2 for advancing ‘Green Use of Coal Technologies’.
President Droupadi Murmu presented the annual ‘Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar’ (RVP) to distinguished scientists from diverse fields at a special function at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Under the second edition of the Puraskar, 24…
C.V. Raman Jayanti is celebrated every year on November 7, his birth anniversary, to inspire young minds to explore the wonders of science and innovation. He was the first Asian and first non-white scientist to win the…
[Kerala]
Key Updates:
A Muhamed Mustaque was sworn in as the Chief Justice of the Sikkim High Court. Governor Om Prakash Mathur administered the oath of office at Lok Bhawan.
President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday appointed Justice Surya Kant as the 53rd Chief Justice of India. Justice Kant, who is likely to take oath on November 24, will succeed CJI B R Gavai, who is due to retire on November…
Justice Mahesh Sharadchandra Sonak was appointed as the chief justice of the Jharkhand High Court. He will assume charge after incumbent Chief Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan demits office on attaining the age of 62 years.
Justice Surya Kant took oath as India's 53rd Chief Justice at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, succeeding Justice B R Gavai. He is known for landmark rulings on issues such as Article 370, gender equality, free speech, and…
[Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Bank of Baroda]
Key Updates:
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) granted approval through a letter dated December 15 for HDFC Bank and its group entities to hold up to 9.50% of the paid-up share capital or voting rights of IndusInd Bank. The approval…
Bank of Baroda (BoB) received the 'Best Bank in India' title from The Banker, a Financial Times publication, at the 2025 Asia-Pacific awards. BoB operates phygital branches that allow customers to obtain statements…
Bank of Baroda and SIDBI signed an MoU 'to jointly enhance credit flow to small businesses and startups' and will 'provide joint finance for micro, small and medium enterprises'. RBL Bank launched two premium credit…
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) final guidelines allow banks and their group entities to continue overlapping lending activities, preventing restructuring for 12 large bank groups. The draft guidelines would have…
[Reserve Bank of India (RBI)]
Key Updates:
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has granted final authorisation to Bengaluru-based Skydo to operate as a Payment Aggregator–Cross Border (PA-CB). The license enables the company to offer cross-border payment services to…
Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas oversees the Direct Benefit Transfer of LPG (DBTL)-PAHAL Scheme operational since January 2015. Common LPG Database Platform (CLDP) introduced to identify and block duplicate…
PayGlocal has received final authorisation from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to operate as a Payment Aggregator – Cross Border – Inward & Outward (PA-CB-I&O). The latest authorisation follows the company’s Payment…
PayU has received authorisation from the Reserve Bank of India to operate as a payment aggregator across online, offline and cross-border transactions, including both inward and outward, under the Payment and Settlement…
[India Post Payments Bank (IPPB)]
Key Updates:
Donald Trump’s social-media company is getting into the prediction markets business. Trump Media & Technology Group Corp. plans to make prediction contracts available on its Truth Social network.
PNB MetLife India Insurance Company Limited (PNB MetLife) launched the PNB MetLife DigiProtect Term Plan (UIN-117N141V01) in collaboration with Policybazaar. The product is an individual non-linked, non-participating…
LIC and YES Bank have entered into a strategic bancassurance partnership enabling YES Bank customers to access LIC’s comprehensive range of life insurance products through the Bank’s extensive branch network and digital…
FITT, IIT Delhi in collaboration with IDFC FIRST Bank announced the launch of a new cohort under the IGNITE Program to support high-potential startups working across climate tech, clean energy, healthcare, agri-tech…
[Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI)]
Key Updates:
The UN has raised India's 2026 GDP growth projection to 6.6% from the earlier 6.4%. India's GDP is forecast to grow 6.7% in 2027.
Fitch Ratings raised India’s FY26 GDP growth forecast to 7.4% from 6.9%. GDP growth is expected to slow to 6.4% in FY27.
Asian Development Bank (ADB) raised India’s growth forecast for FY26 to 7.2 per cent from 6.5 per cent. The upgrade for India is 0.7 percentage points.
India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) forecasts real GDP growth of 6.9% in FY27. Ind-Ra expects retail inflation to average 3.8% in FY27.
Key Updates:
Jay Shah was honored with the 'Transformational Leader Of The Year' award at the NDTV Indian Of The Year 2025 event. He served as the secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) from 2019 to 2024.
Vibha Chahal was appointed as the Director of the Food and Public Distribution Department. Shubha Sarma took additional charge as the Principal Secretary of the Water Resources Department in Odisha.
The festival will feature poets from thirteen countries presenting works in sixteen different languages. The event reinforces the festival’s spirit of global poetic exchange as stated in the article.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair the fifth National Conference of Chief Secretaries from December 26 to December 28 in the national capital. The conference theme is 'Human Capital for Viksit Bharat', focusing on…
Key Updates:
The two-day National Textiles Ministers’ Conference commenced in Guwahati, Assam, organised by the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India. Theme of the Conference: “India’s Textiles: Weaving Growth, Heritage &…
The Ministry of Textiles (MoT) and the National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (NICDC) conducted a stakeholder consultation for three upcoming PM Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel (PM MITRA) Parks…
India handed over three Quick Impact Projects (QIPs) dedicated to the socio-economic benefit of the people in the Mandalay Region of Myanmar. A flexible rapier loom, an Indian-made high-tech weaving machine, was…
The Ministry of Textiles (MoT) is organizing a national conference to deliberate on a coordinated national strategy for positioning India as a global textiles manufacturing hub. The MoT deliberations align with the…
[Karnataka]
Key Updates:
The Union Women and Child Development Minister Annpurna Devi launched 'Pankhudi', a portal to facilitate contributions by individuals, NGOs and corporates to government initiatives for early childhood care and women…
Karnataka government has readied the Karnataka Wellbeing Leave Bill 2025 a first of its kind legislation on the subject. The proposed bill provides menstrual leave not only for working women in the formal sector but also…
The Karnataka government tabled the Karnataka Hate Speech and Hate Crimes (Prevention) Bill, 2025, in the legislative assembly. The bill proposes stringent punishment for those indulging in hate speeches, considering it…
Karnataka has become the first state in India to approve 12 days of paid menstrual leave annually for women employees. This progressive policy is applicable to both government and private sectors, granting one day of…
Key Updates:
The 10th edition of the India-Indonesia joint special forces exercise 'Garuda Shakti' is being conducted from December 3-12 at the Special Forces Training School, Bakloh, in Himachal Pradesh. The Indian contingent is…
Exercise Name: Mitra Shakti (11th edition) Location: Belagavi, Karnataka
Exercise Brahmashira held in Rann and Creek Sector as part of Tri-Service Exercise Trishul Participants: Indian Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, BSF, civil administration
The fifth edition of the joint military exercise 'Harimau Shakti' is being held at Mahajan Field Firing Range from December 5-18. The Indian contingent is represented mainly by troops from the Dogra Regiment.
[Indian Army, Larsen & Toubro (L&T)]
Key Updates:
Tata Advanced Systems has been awarded a supply order to support the Indian Army's 510 Advance Base Workshop (ABW) in the overhaul cum upgradation of in-service first-generation Pinaka Multiple Launch Rocket Systems…
NIBE has secured a domestic defence contract worth Rs 292.69 crore from the Indian Army under the Ministry of Defence, Government of India. The order involves the manufacturing and supply of ground equipment…
The Indian Army successfully inducted tanks, artillery guns, and engineering equipment into the Kashmir Valley using a Military Special Train. The operation involved seamless transportation of heavy assets from the Jammu…
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Monday successfully conducted the maiden flight test of the Pinaka Long Range Guided Rocket (LRGR 120) at the Integrated Test Range in Odisha's Chandipur. The…
[Indian Army]
Key Updates:
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) celebrated its 68th Foundation Day on January 01, 2026. 22 Acceptance of Necessity accorded by Defence Acquisition Council & Services Procurement Board for DRDO…
The Indian Army declared 2026 as the 'Year of Networking & Data Centricity' to boost connectivity, real-time decision-making, and combat effectiveness. Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi stated that jointness, self-reliance…
The Indian Army successfully inducted tanks, artillery guns, and engineering equipment into the Kashmir Valley using a Military Special Train. The operation involved seamless transportation of heavy assets from the Jammu…
MoU signed on 17 November 2025 in New Delhi between Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya (GSV) and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Joint focus on Defence Logistics Management: “Modelling, simulation, and…
Key Updates:
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) celebrated its 68th Foundation Day on January 01, 2026. 22 Acceptance of Necessity accorded by Defence Acquisition Council & Services Procurement Board for DRDO…
NIBE has secured a domestic defence contract worth Rs 292.69 crore from the Indian Army under the Ministry of Defence, Government of India. The order involves the manufacturing and supply of ground equipment…
Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has entered into a strategic partnership with US-headquartered General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) for manufacturing MALE RPAS in India. The partnership aims to produce Medium…
CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories (CSIR-NAL) developed the Hansa-3 NG as India's first all-composite airframe two-seater trainer aircraft for PPL and CPL training. Industry partner M/s Pioneer Clean Amps is setting up…
Key Updates:
The Rajasthan Regional AI Impact Conference 2026 will be held in Jaipur on January 6. The conference will focus on the role of artificial intelligence in governance, economic growth, innovation and public service…
Odisha is hosting a two-day Regional AI Impact Summit 2025 in Bhubaneswar organised by the Electronics and Information Technology Department, Government of Odisha. The summit focuses on scalable public AI solutions…
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami inaugurated the 47th All India Public Relations Conference-2025 held at Hotel Emerald Grand on Sahastradhara Road in Dehradun. The conference is organized by the Public…
The summit is themed 'Empowering Rural Innovation for Global Change'. It will be held across three cities: Hyderabad (20-21 Nov 2025), Gandhinagar (5-6 Dec 2025), and New Delhi (Feb 2026).
[Indonesia]
Key Updates:
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) report likens AI situation to the 'Great Divergence' of the industrial revolution. AI can lift productivity, spark new industries, and help latecomers catch up.
Indonesian authorities have escalated the alert level for Mount Bur Ni Telong volcano, located in the western Aceh province, following heightened volcanic activity. The stratovolcano, standing at 2,624 meters, has shown…
GhostPairing allows cybercriminals to take complete control of WhatsApp accounts without requiring passwords or SIM swaps. The attack tricks users into granting an attacker’s browser access as an additional trusted and…
Coupang became aware of the unauthorised access of personal data of about 4,500 customer accounts. Some 33.7 million customer accounts - all in South Korea - were likely exposed.
[Bharat Forge (BF)]
Key Updates:
Sagar Defence Engineering Pvt. Ltd has been allotted 29.58 acres of land at the Juvvaladinne Fishing Harbour in Bogolu Mandal, SPSR Nellore district, Andhra Pradesh, for setting up the world’s first autonomous maritime…
The AI system can operate scientific instruments, make decisions during experiments, and analyse data without human involvement. AILA was trained to operate an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM), a highly sensitive instrument…
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Directorate General of Training (DGT) under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) and Autodesk. The collaboration aims to advance…
The platform, MStarTM Global AI Connect, will form a national digital backbone linking schools with mentors, incubators, research institutions, accelerators and industry. It will support virtual Atal Tinkering Labs and…
[Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)]
Key Updates:
Technology: domestically developed ultra-lightweight miniature turbojet engine manufactured primarily by 3D printing Institution: Aero Engine Corporation of China (AECC)
ISRO successfully carried out a static ground test of an improved version of the third stage of its Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV). The test was conducted at the Solid Motor Static Test Facility at the Satish…
ISRO successfully demonstrated the boot-strap mode start test of the CE20 Cryogenic engine. The CE20 engine powers the upper stage of the Launch Vehicle Mark -3 (LVM3) rocket.
CSIR–National Aerospace Laboratories (CSIR-NAL) hosted the IISF 2025 curtain-raiser under the JIGYASA Programme. Students toured the Flight simulator facility to learn aircraft control and simulation-based engineering.
[Arunachal Pradesh]
Key Updates:
Galaxy frogs (Melanobatrachus indicus) live exclusively under rotten logs in Kerala’s Western Ghats. The species is listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
A team of scientists has discovered a new species of tiny toadlet in the cloud forests of Brazil's Serra do Quiriri mountain range. This bright orange frog measures just 8.9-13.4 mm in length, making it one of the…
Species: Malabar gliding frog (Rhacophorus malabaricus) – "Known as the Malabar gliding frog, this vivid green amphibian" Location: Western Ghats, India – "High in the misty forests of the Western Ghats in India"
A comprehensive five-year study by scientists at the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) led to the discovery of 13 new amphibian species across Northeast India. The study was based on extensive sampling across 81…
Key Updates:
Department of Science & Technology (DST) secretary Prof Abhay Karandikar virtually inaugurated India’s National Hub for Quantum Communication at Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras). The hub has been…
Google's Willow quantum processor has achieved the world’s first verifiable quantum advantage. This milestone was published in Nature on October 22, 2025.
The Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) signed an MoU with the Andhra Pradesh government to join the Amaravati Quantum Valley (AQV) initiative. C-DOT will set up a Centre of Excellence focused on quantum…
India’s first extensive Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) network, spanning over 500 kilometers, was successfully demonstrated. The network was unveiled by QNu Labs Pvt. Ltd., a Bengaluru-based quantum technology startup.
Key Updates:
The Sports Ministry (SM) announced that the "Central Government has appointed 1st January, 2026 as the date on which the provisions" of the National Sports Governance Act shall partially come into force. The Act paves…
India is set to host its first-ever Silver-Level Continental Tour event next year in Bhubaneswar, the Athletics Federation of India announced on Tuesday. The Silver-Level event will be held on August 22 at the Kalinga…
PM Modi inaugurated the 72nd National Volleyball Championship in Uttar Pradesh via video conferencing. The tournament is being held in Varanasi with 58 teams participating.
The 72nd Senior National Volleyball Championship (Men and Women) will be held at Dr Sampurnanand Sports Stadium in Sigra from January 4 to 11. The official mascots for the national competition are 'Nandu', inspired by…
[Kerala]
Key Updates:
The Government has declared the Parvati-Arga Bird Sanctuary of Uttar Pradesh as an Eco sensitive zone. Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Kirti Vardhan Singh, said that through this initiative…
The 8th Namdapha Butterfly Festival is set to take place at Namdapha National Park & Tiger Reserve from November 26-28. This event celebrates the region's rich biodiversity, featuring over 500 butterfly species.
Kerala has launched the International Spice Routes Heritage Network, a global platform to boost cultural tourism and research by leveraging its historic maritime trade. The initiative signals a strategic push to…
Six new species of dragonflies and damselflies (odonates) were found in Silent Valley National Park. The discovery occurred during an odonate survey held from October 10 to 12.
Key Updates:
World Hindi Day 2026 will be observed on January 10. The date marks the anniversary of the first World Hindi Conference, held in Nagpur in 1975.
Children’s Day, or Bal Diwas, is observed in India every year on November 14. The day commemorates the birth anniversary of Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first Prime Minister, who was fondly known as Chacha Nehru.
Minorities Rights Day in India is observed every year on 18 December. The day is meant to preserve, protect and promote the rights of minority communities.
National Cadet Corps (NCC) celebrates its 78th raising day on November 23, 2025. NCC was officially formed after the National Cadet Corps Act was passed on April 16, 1948, and operations began on July 15, 1948.
Key Updates:
Vijay Diwas is observed on December 16 to commemorate India's victory in the 1971 War. A 20-member Bangladesh delegation, including two serving officers of Bangladesh Army and eight Mukti Yoddhas, will attend the Vijay…
Army Service Corps Day marks the 265th anniversary of the Army Service Corps (ASC). The ASC was established in 1760 and is one of the oldest and largest logistic arms of the Indian Army.
Bhupendra Patel, Chief Minister of Gujarat, flagged off the 152-kilometre Rashtriya Ekta Yatra from Karamsad to Kevadia. The foot march commemorates Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s 150th birth anniversary and will culminate…
The Assam government launched 'Sainik Tujhe Salaam' to honour Armed Forces veterans above the age of 90, Veer Naris, and Veer Mothers. The state is home to around 41,968 ex-servicemen and 10,361 Veer Naris.
Key Updates:
The Department of Posts under the Ministry of Communications will discontinue selected outward international letter mail services starting January 1 to keep in line with Universal Postal Union (UPU)'s decisions.…
Southern Railway for the first time would operate ‘coast-to-coast’ parcel express train service across Tamil Nadu and Kerala. This initiative, a first of its kind by the Indian Railways, marks a significant step toward…
The Department of Posts (India Post) inaugurated Jammu & Kashmir’s first “Gen Z Post Office” at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Vijaypur campus on December 17, 2025. The initiative aims to transform…
India Post inaugurated Kerala’s first 'Gen-Z' post office extension counter at CMS College Kottayam. The counter was inaugurated on December 8, 2025.
[United States]
Key Updates:
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that US President Donald Trump will receive the Israel Prize for Peace, the country's highest civilian honour. This marks the first time in 80 years the prize is…
Chile supports India's aspiration of being a permanent member of the Security Council because we believe this body should better reflect the realities of today. India can be a stabilising factor, an established factor…
Donald Trump was the winner of the inaugural "FIFA Peace Prize," which the soccer organization awarded during its World Cup draw in Washington. The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) announced the…
Peru has severed diplomatic relations with Mexico. The severance occurred after Peru accused Mexico of granting asylum to a former Peruvian prime minister who is on trial over an alleged coup attempt in 2022.
Key Updates:
Seventeen Paliyar families from Shanmugam Parai Paliyarkudi village in Periyammapatti panchayat, Palani taluk, Dindigul district, submitted a petition to the Dindigul Collector. The Paliyar are a forest-dependent nomadic…
The state govt has decided to name several roads in the city after US President Donald Trump, Ratan Tata, Google, Microsoft, Wipro, among others. The road along the United States consulate general in Hyderabad is set to…
Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan expressed gratitude for a commercial tower in Dubai being named 'Shahrukhz' The tower is developed by Danube Properties and will feature a statue of the actor at the entrance in his…
The new complex housing the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) shall be called ‘Seva Teerth’ to reflect the spirit of service rather than ‘power’. Earlier called ‘Executive Enclave’ under the Central Visa Redevelopment…
[United States]
Key Updates:
Turkey's Kizilelma aircraft, developed by Baykar, achieved a historic milestone by accurately targeting a jet-powered drone with a Gokdogan missile. The test was guided by radar information during trials in the Sinop…
Syria’s government declared a ceasefire in Aleppo following three days of intense clashes with Kurdish fighters. The truce took effect at 3 am local time (midnight GMT).
The U.S. military launched retaliatory strikes on Friday against dozens of ISIS targets in Syria. More than 70 ISIS targets were struck using over 100 munitions from fighter jets, attack helicopters and rocket artillery.
The United States carried out strikes on Islamic State militants in north-west Nigeria after President Donald Trump said the group had been attacking Christian communities. The strikes took place in Sokoto state in…
Key Updates:
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu attended the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the 'Sarok Festival of the Aka Hrusso' community at Bana in Bichom district, marking 50 years of the festival as a symbol of…
IIT Delhi is the top-ranked Indian institution in the QS Sustainability Rankings 2026, slipping to rank 205 from last year’s 171. No Indian institute entered the global top 200 in the 2026 rankings.
IIT Madras launched the IITM Global Research Foundation aimed at positioning the institute as the world’s first multinational university. The initiative will operate through four pillars: technology transfer to global…
NITI Aayog proposes allowing foreign higher education institutions to set up campuses in Indian institutions under the ‘campus within a campus’ model with a sunset clause of 10 years. It calls for easing regulations for…