Daily Current Affairs: 15 February 2026

Sanjay Agarwal reappointed as MD & CEO of AU Small Finance Bank.

[AU Small Finance Bank]

Key Updates:

• Reserve Bank of India (RBI) approved Sanjay Agarwal’s reappointment as MD & CEO of AU Small Finance Bank for three years from 19 April 2026.
• AU Small Finance Bank’s board had approved his reappointment on 17 October 2025 and shareholders on 26 December 2025.
• Agarwal first became MD of AU Financiers on 14 February 2008 and MD & CEO of AU Small Finance Bank on 19 April 2017.
• This will be his third consecutive RBI-approved term after the bank’s conversion to a small finance bank.

Veteran Kannada filmmaker Joe Simon dies at 80.

Key Updates:

• Joe Simon died of a heart attack at the age of 80 while attending a meeting at the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) in Bengaluru.
• Simon directed popular Kannada films such as Sahasa Simha, Snehada Kadalalli, Simha Jodi, and Mr Vasu.
• He had served as the Vice President of the Kannada Film Directors Association.
• Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and Leader of Opposition R Ashoka paid tribute to his contributions to the Kannada film industry.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) raises banks’ M&A financing limit to 20% of tier-1 capital.

[Reserve Bank of India (RBI)]

Key Updates:

• Reserve Bank of India (RBI) allows banks to finance acquisitions up to 20% of their tier-1 capital, doubling the earlier draft cap of 10%.
• Aggregate capital market exposure (CME) of a bank must not exceed 40% of its eligible capital base on both solo and consolidated basis.
• Direct capital market exposure, comprising investment exposures, capped at 20% of eligible capital base on solo and consolidated basis.
• Banks can fund up to 75% of the acquisition value for both listed and unlisted entities.
• Debt-equity ratio of 3:1 required for the acquiring company together with the target on a consolidated basis.
• Acquisition must result in acquirer gaining control of the target through a single transaction or interconnected transactions completed within 12 months.
• Loan-to-value ratios set at 75% for mutual funds, 60% for loans against shares and NCDs, and 85% for debt mutual funds.
• Banks permitted to lend against government securities, sovereign gold bonds, loan against shares, NCDs, mutual funds, ETF units and InvITs.

Rajasthan Budget 2026–27 allocates ₹6,10,956 crore for infrastructure, social sector and governance reforms.

[Rajasthan]

Key Updates:

• Total budget outlay for 2026–27 is ₹6,10,956 crore, 41 per cent higher than 2023–24.
• Capital expenditure on infrastructure set at ₹53,978 crore, more than double the 2023–24 allocation.
• ₹4,000 crore earmarked for the VBG Ram Ji irrigation scheme.
• ₹32,000 crore proposed to bring Yamuna water to Shekhawati region.
• Work orders worth ₹26,000 crore issued under Ramjal Setu Link Project.
• ₹200 crore allocated for restoration of over 660 Shekhawati havelis and an ultra-luxury tourism zone planned in Khuri, Jaisalmer.
• Education allocation raised to ₹69,000 crore, up 35 per cent, including upgrade of 400 schools into CM Rise schools.
• Healthcare allocation stands at ₹32,526 crore, 53 per cent higher than 2023–24, with a 500-bed IPD tower at JK Lon Hospital, Jaipur and a 200-bed paediatric IPD at RUHS.
• Green Budget outlay is ₹33,476 crore, up 20.81 per cent.
• Under Kisan Samman Nidhi, ₹10,900 crore transferred via DBT to 76 lakh farmers.
• Mukhyamantri Nari Shakti Udyam Protsahan Yojana loan limit for women SHGs raised from ₹50 lakh to ₹1 crore and Lakhpati Didi limit from ₹1 lakh to ₹1.5 lakh.
• Over one lakh government jobs filled against a five-year target of four lakh; recruitment underway for 1.54 lakh posts and calendar issued for another one lakh.
• Rajasthan State Testing Agency to be set up for online competitive exams.

Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approves India’s first underwater road-cum-rail tunnel under Brahmaputra river

[Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA)]

Key Updates:

• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved India’s first underwater road-cum-rail tunnel to be built under the Brahmaputra river in Assam.
• The 33.7-km long project includes a 15.8-km twin tube tunnel under the river and will be developed at a cost of ₹18,662 crore in Engineering Procurement Construction (EPC) mode.
• The tunnel will connect Gohpur on NH-15 and Numaligarh on NH-715, reducing the distance between the two Assam cities from 240 km to 34 km and travel time from six hours to 20 minutes.
• The project alignment integrates with Rangia-Mukongselek Railway Section under Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) on Gohpur side and Furkating-Mariani loop line section under Tinsukia Division of NFR on Numaligarh side.
• The Cabinet also approved three Railways multi-tracking projects at a cost of ₹18,509 crore and three highway projects at a cost of ₹11,079 crore.

Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) on National Highway-37 in Moran, Assam

[Assam]

Key Updates:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed at the first Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) of the northeast at Moran on National Highway-37 in Dibrugarh district, Assam.
• The Rs 100-crore ELF is a 4.2-km reinforced stretch on the Moran Bypass and was inaugurated by the Prime Minister.
• The facility will serve as a strategic and multi-functional runway for Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter jets and transport aircraft.
• It is designed for both civil and military use and will act as an alternative to Dibrugarh airport during emergencies.
• Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Air Chief Marshal A P Singh attended the event.

Andhra Pradesh Assembly Launches AI-Facial Recognition System for MLA Attendance

[Andhra Pradesh]

Key Updates:

• The Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly has debuted an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based attendance system, becoming the first legislature in India to implement such technology.
• Speaker Ayyanna Patrudu introduced the AI facial recognition system which records the attendance of Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) only when they are seated in their designated places.
• The digital system is designed to prevent proxy attendance where members would previously sign the register and leave the House without participating in proceedings.
• Legislature Secretariat officials stated that members who fail to attend for a minimum of 60 days could face disqualification.
• The Business Advisory Committee (BAC) of the Andhra Pradesh Assembly has scheduled the state budget discussion for 14 March.
• The Parliament of India is reportedly considering the implementation of a similar digital attendance system.

Reliance Industries secures US licence to import Venezuelan crude oil

[Reliance Industries Limited, United States, Venezuela]

Key Updates:

• Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) received a US general licence to purchase Venezuelan crude oil directly without violating sanctions.
• The licence enables RIL to resume discounted heavy crude imports suited to its Jamnagar refinery configuration and optimise refining margins.
• RIL operates the world’s largest single-site refining complex at Jamnagar, Gujarat.
• RIL bought 2 million barrels from trader Vitol when Venezuelan oil flowed through traders this year.
• State-owned Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) jointly bought 2 million barrels: 1.5 million barrels for IOC’s Paradip refinery, Odisha, and 500,000 barrels for HPCL’s Visakhapatnam unit, Andhra Pradesh.
• Venezuelan crude grades from the Orinoco Belt are predominantly heavy and extra-heavy, trading at deep discounts.
• US President Donald Trump stated Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to stop buying Russian oil and purchase more from the US and possibly Venezuela after a US-India trade deal that led the US to drop 25 per cent tariffs on Indian goods.

Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley secures third consecutive term after Barbados Labor Party wins all 30 parliamentary seats

[Barbados]

Key Updates:

• Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley won a third consecutive term after her Barbados Labor Party captured all 30 seats in Parliament.
• The general election was held on Wednesday, with results announced by state-owned media.
• This marks the third occasion that the Barbados Labor Party alone secured every parliamentary seat.
• Mottley was challenged by Ralph Thorne of the Democratic Labor Party.
• Mottley expects Cabinet swearing-in on Monday and Parliament to reopen by the end of next week.
• Under Mottley, Barbados became a republic by cutting ties with Queen Elizabeth II in November 2021.
• United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio congratulated Mottley and pledged deeper cooperation against transnational crime.

Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) approves procurement of Air-Ships Based High-Altitude Pseudo-Satellite (AS-HAPS) for Indian Air Force

[Defence Acquisition Council (DAC)]

Key Updates:

• Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) granted Acceptance of Necessity to procure AS-HAPS for the Indian Air Force as part of a Rs 3.60 lakh crore capital acquisition package.
• AS-HAPS will provide persistent Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), Electronic Intelligence (ELINT), telecommunications, and remote sensing for military applications.
• The system is expected to cost approximately Rs 15,000 crore.
• National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) successfully tested a 23-kg scaled-down prototype at Challakere Aeronautical Test Range in Karnataka's Chitradurga district in February 2024.
• NAL's prototype flew for about eight and a half hours at an altitude of 3 km and achieved altitudes of 24,000 feet during pre-monsoon flight test campaigns.
• NAL is developing a full-scale HAPS with a 30-metre wingspan capable of flying at 23 km altitude for 90 hours by 2027.
• NewSpace Research and Technologies, a Bengaluru-based start-up, has flown a similar solar-powered UAV developed through the iDEX initiative of the Defence Ministry.
• Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has announced collaboration with a start-up to develop a futuristic HAPS.
• HAPS platforms have civilian applications including disaster management communications, 5G network extension to remote areas, precision agriculture, and environmental monitoring.

V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority (VOC Port) becomes India’s first Major Port to receive IGBC Platinum Rating

[V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority]

Key Updates:

• V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority (VOC Port) has become India’s first Major Port to receive the IGBC Platinum Rating from the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC).
• The rating was conferred on VOC Port’s Administration Building which integrates rooftop solar panels, high Solar Reflectance Index reflective roof coating, rainwater harvesting, IoT-enabled water meters and indoor air quality monitoring systems.
• The building operates 100% on renewable energy with 89% of electricity met through on-site solar power and the remaining 11% sourced from off-site renewable sources.
• Potable water usage has been reduced by 37% and all wastewater is treated in an on-site Sewage Treatment Plant for full reuse.
• VOC Port’s Hospital and CISF Barracks have received Shunya Plus certification while the Administrative Building and Guest House hold Shunya certification from the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE).
• The port maintains over 70% green cover and is aligned with Maritime India Vision 2030 and Harit Sagar – Green Port Guidelines.

Oil India Limited (OIL) bags FIPI Award 2025 as Oil & Gas Production Company of the Year

[Oil India Limited (OIL)]

Key Updates:

• Oil India Limited (OIL) received the FIPI Award 2025 in the ‘Oil & Gas Production Company of the Year’ (More than 1 MTOE) category.
• The award was presented by Petroleum & Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and Petroleum and Natural Gas Secretary Dr Neeraj Mittal.
• The ceremony was organised by the Federation of Indian Petroleum Industry (FIPI) at India Energy Week in Goa.
• OIL Chairman and Managing Director Dr Ranjit Rath accepted the award on behalf of the company.

Philippine Eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi) Classified as Critically Endangered

[Philippines]

Key Updates:

• The Philippine eagle, scientifically known as Pithecophaga jefferyi, is listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
• It is one of the largest raptors globally, with adults standing approximately one metre tall and possessing a wingspan of nearly two metres (6.5 feet).
• Fewer than 500 mature individuals are estimated to remain in the wild, primarily due to habitat loss, hunting, and forest degradation.
• The bird is an apex predator that feeds on monkeys, flying squirrels, civets, bats, snakes, birds, and reptiles.
• Its habitat is largely restricted to primary dipterocarp forests in the Philippines, with territories covering more than 100 square kilometres.
• The species has a slow breeding cycle, typically laying one egg every two years and reaching sexual maturity at age seven.
• Conservation efforts, including captive breeding programmes and protection laws, have been in place since the 1970s.

Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) study suggests Indus Valley Civilisation (IVC) is 8,000 years old

[Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Indus Valley Civilisation (IVC)]

Key Updates:

• Researchers from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and collaborating institutions have found evidence suggesting the Indus Valley Civilisation (IVC) may be approximately 8,000 years old.
• The study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, utilised radiocarbon dating on pottery fragments and animal remains from the Bhirrana site in northern India.
• The findings indicate that the roots of the IVC may stretch back further than the first Egyptian pharaohs and the Mesopotamian civilisation.
• At its peak, the IVC supported a population of over five million people and covered a territory extending from the Arabian Sea to the Ganges basin.
• Urban planning features identified at sites like Mohenjo-daro and Harappa include grid-pattern streets, covered drainage systems, and houses with access to wells and bathing areas.
• The civilisation demonstrated complex economic organisation through the use of standardised stone weights, copper and bronze tools, and dockyards.
• Evidence suggests the IVC adapted to weakening monsoon patterns by shifting from water-intensive wheat and barley to drought-resistant crops such as millets and rice.
• The IVC script found on intricately carved seals remains undeciphered despite decades of research.

NSSTA Celebrates 18th Foundation Day on 13 February 2026

[National Statistical Systems Training Academy]

Key Updates:

• The National Statistical Systems Training Academy (NSSTA) celebrated its 18th Foundation Day on 13 February 2026 at Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
• The theme for the 18th Foundation Day was Reimagining Capacity Building for Official Statistics to achieve vision of Viksit Bharat@2047.
• Union Minister Rao Inderjit Singh inaugurated the Digital Data Lab to strengthen digital capacity building and technology-enabled learning.
• Two journals titled AAROHAN and PRATIBIMB, prepared by the Indian Statistical Service (ISS) officer trainees of the 2024 and 2025 batches, were released.
• Dr. Saurabh Garg, Secretary of the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation (MoSPI), described data as the fifth factor of production alongside land, labour, capital, and technology.
• The United Nations Resident Commissioner (UNRC), Mr. Stefan Priesner, described statistics as the grammar of development.
• The event highlighted the restructuring of the ISS, which now deploys officers across 60 ministries to ensure data harmonisation and machine-readability.
• Ms. S. Radha Chauhan, Chairperson of the Capacity Building Commission (CBC), emphasised the need to scale human capacities to match the evolution of Agentic AI.
• A panel discussion on Communicating Statistics to the Policymakers and Public was moderated by the former Chief Statistician of India (CSI), Dr. T. C. A. Anant.
• Certificates of Appreciation were presented to top performers of the MoSPI in the iGOT Karmayogi courses.

NITI Aayog releases sixth edition of Trade Watch Quarterly in New Delhi

[NITI Aayog]

Key Updates:

• NITI Aayog launched the sixth edition of Trade Watch Quarterly covering Q2 FY 25-26 (July-September 2025) on 13 February 2026 in New Delhi.
• Services and merchandise exports grew ~8.5%, outpacing import growth in Q2 FY26.
• Electronics exports rose nearly fivefold to USD 42.1 billion between 2016 and 2024.
• India’s share in global electronics demand expanded at a CAGR of 17.2% from 2015-2024, against global growth of 4.4%.
• Electronics is now the second-largest item in India’s export basket.
• Union Budget allocated ₹40,000 crore under the Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme to strengthen domestic capabilities.
• E-commerce exports are projected to contribute 20-30% of India’s merchandise exports by 2030.