Daily Current Affairs: 17 February 2026

Analysis for 17 February 2026

David J. Farber, Grandfather of the Internet, Died at 91

[United States]

Key Updates:

David J. Farber, a computer science professor widely known as the grandfather of the internet, died of heart failure on 7 February at the age of 91 in Tokyo, Japan.
He had been teaching at Keio University in Japan since 2018 and previously conducted foundational networking research at Bell Laboratories starting in the mid-1950s.
Farber mentored Jonathan Postel, who helped define the Internet Protocol (IP), and Paul Mockapetris, who assisted in designing the Domain Name System (DNS).
In 1977, he co-authored a research paper with Paul Baran that anticipated the development of digital communication tools like email and messaging.

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Scott Adams, creator of 'Dilbert' comic strip, died at 68 after prostate cancer battle. (Mid of January) ▼

Scott Adams, the author and cartoonist of the widely popular 'Dilbert' comic strip, has died at 68 after battling prostate cancer.
Adams' ex-wife, Shelly Miles, confirmed Adams' death during a livestream on the 'Real Coffee with Scott Adams' show.
Adams shared in May that he was diagnosed with prostate cancer that had spread to his bones.
During a New Year's Day broadcast of 'Real Coffee with Scott Adams,' Adams revealed that his chances of recovery were 'essentially zero.'
Adams' comic strip 'Dilbert' was first published in 1989 and earned him the National Cartoonists Society's Reuben Award in 1997.
By 2013, 'Dilbert' was reportedly featured in 2,000 newspapers in 65 countries and translated into 25 languages.
In 2023, numerous newspapers, including the USA TODAY Network, stopped running 'Dilbert' after Adams made racist comments labeling Black people a 'hate group.'
Adams later relaunched the comic strip as a webcomic on Locals under the name 'Daily Dilbert Reborn.'
Adams published several books including 'God's Debris,' 'The Religion War,' 'How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big,' 'Loserthink,' and 'Reframe Your Brain.'
In his final message, Adams wrote that he accepted Jesus Christ as his lord and savior and hoped for entry into heaven.

Safer Internet Day observed on 10 February 2026 with theme Smart Tech, Safe Choices (Mid of February) ▼

Safer Internet Day is observed globally on the second Tuesday of February, which falls on 10 February in 2026.
The theme for Safer Internet Day 2026 is Smart Tech, Safe Choices: Exploring the Safe and Responsible Use of AI.
The initiative began in 2004 under the European Union (EU) SafeBorders project and was later adopted by the Insafe network in 2005.
Safer Internet Day is currently observed in more than 160 countries and territories across the world.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) will organise the India AI Impact Summit 2026 from 15 to 20 February in New Delhi.
The Information Security Education and Awareness (ISEA) project will conduct a large-scale awareness campaign involving workshops and public awareness drives.

Frank Gehry, World-renowned Canadian-American Architect and Designer, Died (Start of December) ▼

Frank Gehry, a world-renowned Canadian-American architect and designer, died at the age of 96 after a short respiratory illness.
He was awarded the Pritzker Prize, which is described as the field’s top honour in architecture.
His other honours included the Royal Institute of British Architects gold medal, the Americans for the Arts lifetime achievement award, and the Companion of the Order of Canada.
Among his many masterpieces were the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain; The Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles; and Berlin’s DZ Bank Building.
He also designed an expansion of Facebook’s Northern California headquarters.
Gehry founded the architectural firm Gehry Partners LLP in 1962.
He designed the InterActiveCorp (IAC) Building in New York City and the New York By Gehry building.
He joined the faculty of the University of Southern California as a professor of architecture and also taught at Yale and Columbia University.
Born Ephraim Owen Goldberg in Toronto on February 28, 1929, he later became a US citizen and changed his name.
The Gehry-designed Guggenheim Museum in Abu Dhabi is expected to be completed in 2026.

Google Gemini tops India’s 2025 search chart as AI tools dominate queries (Start of December) ▼

Google Gemini grabbed the top overall search spot, reflecting the country’s use of AI tools like DeepSeek and Perplexity.
AI trends Gemini “Nano Banana” and X’s Grok took the internet by surprise.
Operation Sindoor, Pehelgam attack and questions like “What is ceasefire” garnered high engagement.

Ayesha Karim won Veergatha 5.0 Super 100 title.

Key Updates:

Ayesha Karim, Class IV student of Sarala Birla Gyan Jyoti, Amingaon, Guwahati, secured place in Veergatha 5.0 Super 100 winners.
She created a sketch depicting Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, Ashok Chakra, during 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.
She is the only student from Assam in five years to win this competition.
Ministry of Defence (MoD) gave her cash award, medal, certificate and invitation to 77th Republic Day Parade at Kartavya Path on 26 January.
Veergatha Project is annual flagship initiative of Government of India to inspire school students to honour bravery of armed forces through essays, poems, paintings and creative forms.

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Devika Sihag storms into maiden BWF Super 300 final at Thailand Masters 2026 (Start of February) ▼

Devika Sihag defeated fifth-seeded Huang Yu-Hsun 22-20, 21-13 in the women’s singles semifinal of the Thailand Masters 2026 in Bangkok.
The 20-year-old unseeded Indian will face Malaysia’s Goh Jin Wei in the summit clash.
The tournament carries a prize purse of USD 250,000.

India U-17 blanks Bangladesh 4-0 to win SAFF U-19 Women's Championship (Start of February) ▼

India's U-17 women's team defeated Bangladesh 4-0 in the SAFF U-19 Women's Championship final at Pokhara.
Captain Julan Nongmaithem scored in the 42nd minute to give India the lead.
Elizabed Lakra converted a 63rd-minute penalty to double India's advantage.
Pearl Fernandes added the third goal in the 68th minute after dispossessing the goalkeeper.
Substitute Anwita Raghuraman completed the scoring in the 83rd minute.
India had earlier lost 0-2 to Bangladesh in the round-robin stage of the tournament.

Shafali Verma wins ICC Women's Player of the Month for November (Mid of December) ▼

Shafali Verma scored 87 off 78 balls in the Women's World Cup final against South Africa.
India posted 298 for 7 and won the final by 52 runs in Navi Mumbai.
Shafali shared a 104-run opening stand with Smriti Mandhana.
Simon Harmer claimed the ICC Men's Player of the Month award for his 17-wicket haul in South Africa's 2-0 Test series win over India.

Simon Harmer and Shafali Verma named ICC Players of the Month for November 2025 (Mid of December) ▼

South Africa’s Simon Harmer claimed 17 wickets in the two-Test series against India.
Harmer returned figures of four for 30 and four for 21 in Kolkata, and three for 64 and six for 37 in Guwahati.
India’s Shafali Verma scored 87 from 78 deliveries and took two wickets in the Women’s World Cup final against South Africa.
India won the Women’s World Cup for the first time, with Verma earning Player of the Match in the final.

Geeta Patnaik Passes Away at 73 as Iconic Odia Singer

[Odisha]

Key Updates:

Renowned Odia vocalist Geeta Patnaik passed away at the age of 73 while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Cuttack, Odisha.
The singer had been hospitalised after suffering a brain stroke and was declared brain dead on Sunday.
Her musical career spanned over five decades, during which she became one of the most influential voices in the Odia music industry.
She was widely recognised for her frequent collaborations with the legendary Odia singer Akshaya Mohanty.
One of her most notable contributions to Odia cinema was lending her voice to the popular song Phur Kina Udigala Bani from the film Jajabar.
Condolences were expressed by Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) chief Naveen Patnaik.

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Abhijit Majumdar dies at 54 (End of January) ▼

Abhijit Majumdar, Odia composer-singer, died at the age of 54 while undergoing treatment at AIIMS Bhubaneswar.
He was admitted to AIIMS Bhubaneswar on September 4 last year with hypertension, hypothyroidism and chronic liver disease.
He suffered a cardiac arrest at 7.43 am and was declared dead at 9.02 am.
His mortal remains will be taken to his home in Cuttack for last rites.

SP Venkatesh Passes Away as Veteran Music Director (Start of February) ▼

Veteran music director SP Venkatesh passed away at the age of 70 at his residence in Chennai following a cardiac arrest.
He began his film career in 1971 as a guitarist and later served as an assistant music director in Kannada cinema in 1975.
He made his debut as an independent artist in 1981 with the Telugu film Prema Yuddham.
He won the Kerala State Film Award for best music director in 1993 for the films Paithrukam and Janam.
His notable works in Malayalam cinema include Rajavinte Makan, Kilukkam, Minnaram, Johnnie Walker, Dhruvam, Valsalyam, Sphadikam, Mannar Mathai Speaking, and Manthrikam.
He was also known for his background scores in films such as Devasuram, Mahayanam, No. 20 Madras Mail, Appu, Sopanam, and Highway.

Prashant Tamang Passed Away As Indian Idol Season 3 Winner (Mid of January) ▼

Prashant Tamang, the winner of Indian Idol Season 3, passed away at the age of 43 due to a suspected cardiac arrest in Delhi.
He served as a constable in the Kolkata Police and was a member of the police band before winning the national singing competition in 2007.
He was a significant figure in the Gorkhaland movement in Darjeeling, West Bengal, and was supported by the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) and the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM).
He debuted in the Nepali film industry with the movie Gorkha Paltan in 2010 and later starred in Nishani (2014) and the series Pataal Lok Season 2.
Known as 'Pahad Ka Gaurav' (Pride of the Hills), he released his winning music album titled Dhanyavaad in 2007 which featured the song Bir Gorkhali.
He was declared dead at the Mata Chanan Devi Hospital in Delhi and is survived by his mother, two sisters, and wife Geeta Thapa.

Ranjana Sharma Bordoloi passed away at 80. (End of December) ▼

Ranjana Sharma Bordoloi was a veteran Assamese actress.
She starred in popular Assamese films such as ‘Dr Bezbarua’ (1969), ‘Kokadeuta Nati aru Hati’ (1983), ‘Maniram Dewan’ (1964), ‘Morom Trishna’ (1968), ‘Loti-Ghoti’ (1966), ‘Pratidhwani’ (1964), ‘Ratanlal’ (1975), and ‘Sonmai’ (1977).
She passed away in Dibrugarh.

Union Cabinet approves Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0 with ₹10,000 crore corpus.

Key Updates:

The Union Cabinet approved the second edition of the Startup India Fund of Funds (FoF) with Rs. 10,000 crore (US$ 1.2 billion).
The FoF aims to provide patient capital to deep technology companies, technology-driven innovative manufacturing ventures, and early-stage growth enterprises.
The scheme adopts a sectoral and stage-focused investment approach to improve efficient capital deployment across business stages.
Startup India initiative, launched in 2016, has increased recognised startups from a few hundred to over 2 lakh.
The Fund expects to catalyse private investments, create jobs, and support India’s position as a global innovation hub.

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Startup India programme widened to include deep-tech firms and cooperative societies (Start of February) ▼

Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) notified revised norms expanding Startup India eligibility.
General startups now recognised up to 10 years from incorporation with annual turnover not exceeding ₹200 crore.
Deep-tech startups eligible for 20 years from incorporation with turnover cap raised to ₹300 crore.
Multi-state and state-registered cooperative societies included as eligible entities under the framework.
Entity formed by splitting or reconstruction of an existing business cannot qualify as a startup.
Deep-tech startup must focus on new scientific or engineering knowledge, incur high R&D expenditure, and create significant novel intellectual property.
Recognised startups gain access to government funding schemes, tax exemptions and regulatory relief.
India has recognised more than 200,000 startups since Startup India launch in 2016.

EPFO Single-Window Service Centres Revamp (End of December) ▼

Union Minister for Labour and Employment and Youth Affairs and Sports, Mansukh Mandaviya, announced that EPFO offices will be revamped into modern, technology-enabled, single-window service centres.
All upcoming and several existing EPFO offices will be redesigned on the lines of passport seva kendras, allowing citizens to resolve any EPF-related issue at any regional office nationwide.
EPFO will undertake mission-mode KYC verification and launch a dedicated digital platform for simplified claim filing and faster settlements.
Claims up to ₹5 lakh are now settled automatically and withdrawals of up to 75 percent of EPF balances have been eased.
EPFO will introduce EPF Suvidha Providers—authorised facilitators to assist members in accessing benefits and resolving grievances.

Union Finance Minister (FM) Nirmala Sitharaman presents Union Budget 2026 (Start of February) ▼

Union Finance Minister (FM) Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2026 on 1 February 2026.
State Bank of India (SBI) opened a Global Trade Finance Centre (GTFC) in Kolkata to strengthen its trade and international banking operations.
Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ajay Kumar Srivastava stated the budget provides a roadmap for Viksit Bharat by balancing industrial scaling with job creation.
Heritage Foods Ltd Executive Director Brahmani Nara described the budget as a landmark step for strengthening the dairy and livestock ecosystem in India.
Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV) Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Alexander Schoen noted the budget places manufacturing, infrastructure, and supply-chain resilience at the centre of economic policy.
The Indian space sector is exploring derived demand for products and services from the defence sector following the FY27 budget proposals.

Union Cabinet clears ₹5,000 crore equity infusion into Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) to boost MSME credit. (End of January) ▼

The equity capital will be infused by the Department of Financial Services (DFS) in a phased manner over three years.
Of the total amount, ₹3,000 crore will be infused in FY26 at a book value of ₹568.65 per share as on March 31, 2025.
The remaining ₹2,000 crore will be infused in two equal tranches of ₹1,000 crore each in FY27 and FY28 at the book value as on March 31 of the respective preceding financial years.
The number of MSMEs receiving financial assistance is projected to rise from 76.26 lakh at the end of FY25 to about 1.02 crore by the end of FY28.
The additional MSMEs supported by SIDBI are estimated to generate employment for about 1.12 crore people by the end of FY28.
The equity infusion will help SIDBI maintain a Capital to Risk-weighted Assets Ratio (CRAR) above 10.5 per cent even under high-stress scenarios and above 14.5 per cent under Pillar 1 and Pillar 2 norms over the next three years.

Amit Shah launches CBDC-enabled PDS in Gujarat to digitise ration distribution.

[Gujarat]

Key Updates:

Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC)-enabled Public Distribution System (PDS) in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
Shah stated that India now accounts for half of the world’s digital transactions.
The new system aims to make ration distribution more transparent and efficient.

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Gujarat Government and Starlink Sign Letter of Intent (LoI) for High-Speed Internet Connectivity (Mid of February) ▼

The Gujarat Government signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) with Starlink Satellite Communications Private Limited (Starlink), a subsidiary of SpaceX, to enhance digital connectivity in remote and underserved areas.
The LoI was exchanged in Gandhinagar by Industries Commissioner P. Swaroop and Head of Starlink India Prabhakar Jayakumar in the presence of Chief Minister (CM) Bhupendra Patel.
The initiative aims to provide high-speed satellite-based internet in remote, border, and tribal areas, specifically targeting Aspirational Districts such as Narmada and Dahod.
A pilot project under the agreement plans to connect Common Service Centres (CSCs), e-Governance facilities, government schools, district disaster management control rooms, ports, and wildlife sanctuary areas.
The LoI covers strengthening connectivity in Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) industrial parks, highway safety systems, maritime operations, and coastal police activities.
The partnership will facilitate smart connectivity for education in state schools and tele-medicine services at Primary Health Centres (PHCs).
A joint working group consisting of Starlink and state government officials will be formed to ensure the effective implementation of the LoI.

Bank of Baroda (BoB) Obtains RBI Approval for Standalone Primary Dealership Subsidiary (Mid of January) ▼

Bank of Baroda (BoB) received in-principle approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to transfer its existing bank primary dealer authorization to a proposed wholly-owned subsidiary.
The new subsidiary will undertake Standalone Primary Dealer (SPD) business to enhance liquidity and price discovery in the government securities (G-Sec) market.
The RBI introduced the Primary Dealers (PDs) system in 1995 to strengthen G-Sec market infrastructure and underwriting capabilities.
Commercial banks were permitted to conduct PD business departmentally starting from the 2006-07 period.
The Indian banking sector currently features 7 Standalone Primary Dealers and 14 Bank Primary Dealers.
Current Bank PDs include BoB, Canara Bank, Union Bank of India, and IDBI Bank.

Ravi Shankar Chhabi Appointed Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) (End of January) ▼

Ravi Shankar Chhabi was appointed as the DIG in the CRPF following an order issued on January 19, 2026.
He is a 2007-batch Regular Recruit (RR) officer of the Indian Police Service (IPS) belonging to the Uttar Pradesh cadre.
Prior to this appointment, he served as the DIG of Public Grievances at the Director General of Police (DGP) Headquarters in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.
He performed duties as a Police Observer for the 1-Baramulla Parliamentary Constituency during the 2024 General Elections.
His previous assignments include serving as the DIG of Prison Administration and Reforms and as the Superintendent of Police (SP) for the Women Power Line 1090.

HDFC Bank integrates Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) into SmartGateway (Start of January) ▼

HDFC Bank has integrated the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) into its online merchant payment platform, SmartGateway.
The integration enables merchants to accept payments via the Digital Rupee at zero transaction cost.
The Digital Rupee is offered as a secure and sovereign-backed digital payment option alongside existing modes such as Unified Payments Interface (UPI), cards, and net banking.
The enhancement allows customers to access an instant and secure digital payment experience within the HDFC Bank checkout ecosystem.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) levies penalties totalling Rs 1.35 crore on three banks and two NBFCs

[Reserve Bank of India (RBI)]

Key Updates:

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposed penalties totalling Rs 1.35 crore on CSB Bank (Rs 63.60 lakh), Bank of Maharashtra (Rs 32.50 lakh), DCB Bank (Rs 29.60 lakh), IIFL Finance (Rs 5.30 lakh) and Navi Finserv (Rs 3.80 lakh).
CSB Bank was penalised for non-compliance with directions on ‘Scope of activities to be undertaken of Business Correspondents (BCs)’ and ‘Customer Service in Banks’ and for failure to classify certain accounts as non-performing assets on restructuring.
Bank of Maharashtra was penalised for non-compliance with directions on ‘Credit information reporting in respect of Self Help Group members’ and ‘Know Your Customer’, including not reporting Self Help Group member level data to Credit Information Companies and not identifying Beneficial Owners in certain accounts.
DCB Bank was penalised for non-compliance with directions on loans against pledge of gold ornaments and jewellery for non-agricultural end uses by failing to maintain the prescribed loan-to-value ratio in certain non-agricultural gold loan accounts.
IIFL Finance was penalised for non-compliance with directions on ‘Asset Classification’ by entering into an arrangement with BCs for activities outside the permitted scope and levying charges in savings bank accounts without ensuring prior customer awareness.
Navi Finserv was penalised for non-compliance with directions on ‘Recovery Agents’ by contacting customers after 7:00 p.m. and before 8:00 a.m. for recovery of overdue loans and not following due protocol while sending messages to customers.

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Reserve Bank of India (RBI) cancels registration of 35 NBFCs and accepts surrender from 16 others. (Start of January) ▼

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) cancelled the Certificate of Registration of 35 NBFCs including Satya Prakash Capital Investment Limited and Sunlife Securities Private Limited for regulatory non-compliance.
The cancellations were effective between December 9, 2025, and December 31, 2025, under Section 45-IA(6) of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934.
The affected companies are no longer permitted to carry out the business of non-banking financial institutions.
16 NBFCs voluntarily surrendered their Certificate of Registration to RBI leading to its cancellation for reasons including exit from NBFC business, meeting criteria for unregistered Core Investment Companies (CICs), and ceasing to be a legal entity due to merger, amalgamation, dissolution, or voluntary strike-off.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) slaps ₹61.95 lakh fine on Kotak Mahindra Bank. (End of December) ▼

RBI imposed the penalty for non-compliance with norms on Basic Savings Bank Deposit (BSBD) account, business correspondents, and credit information companies.
Kotak Mahindra Bank opened additional BSBD accounts for customers who already held such accounts.
The bank engaged business correspondents for activities outside the permitted scope.
The lender furnished inaccurate borrower information to credit information companies.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposes Rs 99.30 lakh penalty on Jammu and Kashmir Bank (Start of December) ▼

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposed a fine of Rs 99.30 lakh on Jammu and Kashmir Bank.
The penalty was for failing to comply with directions regarding grievance handling, customer communication, KYC verification, and the transfer of unclaimed deposits.
The fines were based on the statutory inspection of the bank's financial position as of March 2024.
The inspection found that certain complaints were not escalated to the Internal Ombudsman.
The bank did not send final resolution letters to customers after closing complaints.
The bank was not using face-verification technology for video-based customer identification.
The bank was not verifying customers' financial information furnished at the time of onboarding.
There was a delay in the transfer of eligible unclaimed deposits to the Depositor Education and Awareness Fund.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) slaps Rs 91 lakh penalty on HDFC Bank (Start of December) ▼

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposed a penalty of Rs 91 lakh on HDFC Bank.
The penalty was for violating certain provisions of the Banking Regulation Act and non-compliance with certain directions.
Deficiencies included those related to Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements.
Non-compliance also pertained to ‘Interest Rate on Advances’ and ‘Guidelines on Managing Risks and Code of Conduct in Outsourcing of Financial Services by banks’.
A Statutory Inspection for Supervisory Evaluation of HDFC Bank was conducted with reference to its financial position as on March 31, 2024.
HDFC Bank adopted multiple benchmarks within the same loan category.
HDFC Bank outsourced the function of determining compliance with KYC norms of certain customers to its outsourcing agents.
A wholly-owned subsidiary of HDFC Bank undertook business not permissible under Section 6 of the Banking Regulation (BR) Act.

DBS Bank and Visa pilot Visa Intelligent Commerce for AI agent-initiated payments in Asia Pacific.

[DBS Bank, Visa, Asia Pacific]

Key Updates:

DBS Bank is the first issuer in Asia Pacific to pilot Visa Intelligent Commerce (VIC) for agent-initiated payments.
VIC uses integrated APIs and Visa’s secure infrastructure to enable consent-driven payments by AI agents on behalf of consumers.
Close to 77% of Singapore residents use generative AI tools such as chatbots in daily life.
Eight in ten Singapore consumers rely on AI assistance when shopping online.
DBS and Visa demonstrated AI-powered agents completing food and beverage transactions using DBS/POSB credit and debit cards.
Future trials will explore agentic commerce in online shopping and travel bookings.
DBS is validating AI-ready credentials, advanced authentication, and intent-driven transaction controls for agent-led commerce.

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The Banker names DBS Global Bank of the Year 2025 (Mid of December) ▼

DBS has been named Global Bank of the Year 2025 by The Banker.
This marks DBS's third win in the Global Bank of the Year category.
DBS also secured Asia Bank of the Year, Singapore Bank of the Year, Investment Bank of the Year – Asia, and Investment Bank of the Year for Financial Institutions Group.
The awards were decided from submissions by 294 banks globally.
The Banker highlighted DBS's investment in AI to protect customers from financial scams and its commitment to training staff on new technology.
DBS's work on smart contracts designed to deliver faster, smoother payments across jurisdictions impressed the judging committee.
DBS's approach to applying AI, machine learning, and digital infrastructure across operations and customer services was a key factor in the assessment.
DBS recently crossed $100 billion in market capitalisation in 2024, becoming the first Singapore-listed company to do so.
For FY24, DBS recorded 11% growth in net profit and 11% growth in Tier-1 capital.
DBS's return on equity was 18%, cost-to-income ratio was 39.9%, and non-performing loan ratio was 1.1% for FY24.

IDFC FIRST Bank launches Zero-Forex Diamond Reserve Credit Card for international travelers. (Start of January) ▼

IDFC FIRST Bank introduces the Zero-Forex Diamond Reserve Credit Card with zero foreign exchange markup on international transactions.
The card offers reward points on travel and regular spending, with higher earn rates on hotel and flight bookings made through the bank’s platform.
Cardholders receive airport lounge access in India and overseas, complimentary golf sessions, selected hotel stay offers, and entertainment-related discounts.
Travel-related insurance covers include baggage loss, flight delays, trip cancellation, accident insurance, personal accident, and air accident cover.
Reward points carry lifetime validity with no cap on accumulation and flexible redemption across online purchases.
Annual fee is ₹3,000 plus GST, with a waiver from the second year for customers meeting a specified annual spending threshold.
The card is available through digital channels for eligible customers.

Bank of Baroda (BoB) Obtains RBI Approval for Standalone Primary Dealership Subsidiary (Mid of January) ▼

Bank of Baroda (BoB) received in-principle approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to transfer its existing bank primary dealer authorization to a proposed wholly-owned subsidiary.
The new subsidiary will undertake Standalone Primary Dealer (SPD) business to enhance liquidity and price discovery in the government securities (G-Sec) market.
The RBI introduced the Primary Dealers (PDs) system in 1995 to strengthen G-Sec market infrastructure and underwriting capabilities.
Commercial banks were permitted to conduct PD business departmentally starting from the 2006-07 period.
The Indian banking sector currently features 7 Standalone Primary Dealers and 14 Bank Primary Dealers.
Current Bank PDs include BoB, Canara Bank, Union Bank of India, and IDBI Bank.

PayU receives RBI authorisation to operate as payment aggregator for online, offline and cross-border transactions (Mid of November) ▼

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 Systems (PSS) Act.
The approval enables PayU to offer secure, compliant, and seamless payment acceptance, settlement and cross-border solutions for merchants across channels.
This development strengthens PayU's position as a full-stack digital payments provider, empowering businesses with reliable and seamless experiences across online, offline and cross-border touchpoints.

Seva Teerth complex becomes new permanent PMO hub, freeing North & South Blocks for Yuge Yugeen Bharat National Museum

Key Updates:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially inaugurated the Seva Teerth complex.
Seva Teerth now houses the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the Cabinet Secretariat, and the National Security Council Secretariat.
The relocation date was chosen to coincide with the 95th anniversary of New Delhi being declared the capital.
North and South Blocks are being transformed into the Yuge Yugeen Bharat National Museum, set to be the world’s largest museum at 1.55 lakh square metres.
The museum will display 80,000–100,000 artefacts across 30 galleries and over 950 rooms.
India has partnered with France Muséums Développement for technical expertise in conservation and visitor experience.
The first glimpse gallery, showcasing 100 key artefacts, is scheduled to open by December 2026.
The fully operational museum expects nearly 10 million visitors annually within the next three years.

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Bihar to get first power museum announced on December 11, 2025 (Mid of December) ▼

Bihar is all set to get country’s first-ever power museum.
The museum will be developed on the 3-acre campus of the decommissioned Karbigahiya Thermal Power Station in Patna.
The museum is envisioned not only to preserve Bihar's rich power-sector heritage but also to boost tourism and serve as a centre for educational and industrial research.
Advisor to the chief minister of Bihar and director general of Bihar Museum Anjani Kumar Singh reviewed the complete project plan.

J&K to kick off first-ever limestone block auction on November 24 (End of November) ▼

Jammu & Kashmir will conduct its maiden auction of seven limestone blocks under the MMDR Act's post-2015 reforms.
The Centre intervened to speed up the process and open new mineral blocks.
The initiative is expected to generate jobs, boost state revenues, support industrial expansion, and create new economic opportunities for local communities.
The Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir will host its first-ever auction of limestone mineral blocks on November 24 in Jammu.
The launch event will be led by Union Coal & Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy, alongside the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir.
Seven limestone blocks spanning roughly 314 hectares have been identified across Anantnag, Rajouri, and Poonch districts.
These deposits fall under United Nations Framework Classification (UNFC) G3 Prospecting and G4 Reconnaissance exploration categories.
These deposits hold considerable potential for high-quality limestone, a raw material critical for cement, construction, and several industrial applications.
The auction is being carried out under subsections 4 and 5 of Section 11 of the MMDR Act.
This provision allows the Central Government to step in when states or UTs face procedural constraints in conducting auctions.
This mechanism highlights the principle of “cooperative federalism” in speeding up mineral sector reforms.
The Ministry of Mines has emphasised that the auction will follow a transparent, technology-enabled, and competitive process, aligned with national environmental safeguards to promote sustainable mining practices.

National Council of Science Museums (NCSM) Won Two PRSI National Awards 2025 (Mid of December) ▼

The National Council of Science Museums (NCSM), operating under the Ministry of Culture, was honored with two PRSI National Awards 2025 by the Public Relations Society of India (PRSI).
NCSM received the awards in the categories of 'Best Use of Social Media in a Corporate Campaign' for the Har Ghar Museum initiative and 'Special/Prestige Publication Category' for the Waste to Art publication.
The awards were presented during the 47th All India Public Relations Conference held from December 13 to 15, 2025, in Dehradun, Uttarakhand.
The theme of the conference was “Empowering Growth, Preserving Roots – The PR Vision for 2047”.
Shri Rajib Nath, Director (Hqrs.) of NCSM, and Shri Satyajit N. Singh, Public Relations Officer of NCSM, received the awards on behalf of the organization.
The award-winning Waste to Art initiative involved repurposing over 1,250 kg of waste, including metal scrap and discarded electronics, into art installations and science exhibits.
The Har Ghar Museum campaign achieved significant digital outreach, recording over 10 million views across platforms and engaging more than 1 million individuals.

Droupadi Murmu Inaugurates Granth Kutir Library at Rashtrapati Bhavan (End of January) ▼

President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated Granth Kutir, a library housing 2,300 books and manuscripts at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
The library features reading material in 11 Indian classical languages: Tamil, Sanskrit, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, Odia, Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese, and Bengali.
The collection includes approximately 50 manuscripts handwritten on traditional materials such as palm leaf, paper, bark, and cloth.
The initiative aligns with the Gyan Bharatam Mission of the Union government to preserve, digitise, and disseminate India’s manuscript heritage.
The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) provided professional expertise for the conservation, documentation, and display of the manuscripts.
The library replaces colonial-era works, including the speeches of Lord Curzon and works of William Hogarth, which have been relocated within the estate.
The Rashtrapati Bhavan recently established Param Vir Dirgha, a gallery featuring portraits of 21 Param Vir Chakra awardees to replace portraits of British Aide-De-Camps.

PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana offers 40% subsidy and Rs 75,000 crore outlay for rooftop solar

Key Updates:

PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana (PM Surya Ghar) provides up to 40% subsidy for households installing rooftop solar panels.
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has sanctioned over Rs 16,000 crore in subsidies and solarised more than 2.8 million households in two years.
The scheme has a total budget allocation of Rs 75,000 crore to support 10 million homes.
National Solar Portal operates as India’s unified digital platform for solar permits and subsidy tracking.
Residential solar loans under the scheme are classified as priority-sector lending with attractive interest rates.
Households installing rooftop solar through SolarSquare have cut monthly electricity bills by up to 90%.
Key growth states include Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Rajasthan, with rising demand in Tier-II cities such as Nagpur, Bhopal, Jabalpur, and Gwalior.

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Gujarat becomes India’s renewable energy powerhouse with 42.583 GW installed capacity (Start of February) ▼

Gujarat accounts for 16.5 % of India’s total renewable energy with an installed capacity of 42.583 GW.
The state leads India in wind power capacity at 14,820.94 MW and in rooftop solar with over 11 lakh installations generating 6,412.80 MW.
Gujarat ranks second in total solar power capacity at 25,529.40 MW.
Major solar parks in Gujarat include Charanka (749 MW), Radhanesda (700 MW), and Dholera (300 MW).
Khavda Renewable Energy Park in Gujarat is planned to be the world’s largest at 37.35 GW, with 11.33 GW already achieved.
Under PM-KUSUM, 12,700 standalone solar water pumps have been installed in Gujarat.
Gujarat targets 105 GW renewable energy capacity by 2030.

PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana enables Gujarat to cross 5 lakh rooftop solar installations with 1,879 MW capacity (End of December) ▼

Gujarat has installed over 5 lakh rooftop solar systems under PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojna, achieving 1,879 MW aggregate capacity.
Residential consumers have availed subsidies worth Rs 3,778 crore under the scheme.
Subsidy rates: Rs 30,000 per kW up to 2 kW, Rs 18,000 per kW above 2 kW up to 3 kW, and maximum Rs 78,000 for systems above 3 kW.
State provides Rs 2,950 assistance towards regulatory charges for systems up to 6 kW and waives network strengthening charges for the same category.
No net metering agreement required, no load limit for residential solar installations, no banking charges on residential consumers, and households can sell surplus electricity.

Odisha Cabinet approves Tata Power Renewable Energy Limited (TPREL) solar manufacturing facility (Mid of January) ▼

The state cabinet cleared a proposal by Tata Power Renewable Energy Limited (TPREL) to establish an integrated solar manufacturing facility in the Tata special economic zone (SEZ) in Ganjam district.
Planned in two phases, the facility will have a production capacity of 10 GW ingot-wafer and 5 GW solar cell manufacturing, making it the first upstream solar manufacturing unit of its kind in the state.
Beyond direct employment, the project is expected to catalyse ancillary industries in glass, chemicals, packaging, logistics and precision machinery, generating additional livelihood opportunities for MSMEs.
The facility is expected to strengthen the upstream solar value chain in Odisha, reduce dependence on imports of critical solar components, and support India’s target of achieving 100 GW domestic solar module manufacturing capacity by 2030.

Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar Muft Bijlee Yojana (PMSG: MBY): Uttar Pradesh crosses 1 GW residential rooftop solar capacity (End of November) ▼

Uttar Pradesh becomes the third state after Gujarat and Maharashtra to surpass 1 GW of residential rooftop solar capacity under PMSG: MBY.
Central subsidy disbursed ₹1,999.26 crore and state subsidy about ₹600 crore to reduce consumer financial burden.
UP provides ₹15,000 per kW up to 2 kW and total subsidy of ₹1.08 lakh for 3 kW systems, including Centre’s share.
Subsidy payback period in UP is 20 months for 3 kW, lower than the national average of 30 months.
Beneficiary households receive up to 300 units of free electricity monthly, cutting monthly bills by ₹800-1,500 in rural and ₹1,500-2,500 in urban areas.
Scheme has created about 50,000 employment opportunities as registered vendors rose from 81 to 4,200.

Urban Challenge Fund approved with Rs 1 lakh crore Central assistance

Key Updates:

Union Cabinet approved Rs 1 lakh crore Urban Challenge Fund to support urban infrastructure projects over five years.
Cities must raise at least 50% of project cost from market through municipal bonds, bank loans, and public-private partnerships.
Fund provides 25% Central assistance for projects where 50% cost is market-raised, covering projects worth Rs 4 lakh crore.
Operational period is 2025-26 to 2030-31, extendable up to 2033-34.
Projects identified via challenge-based framework covering urban mobility, water supply, sewerage, and legacy infrastructure retrofitting.
Credit repayment guarantee scheme of Rs 5,000 crore approved for north-east/hilly states and cities below 1 lakh population, offering Central guarantee up to Rs 7 crore or 70% of loan amount for first-time borrowers.
Administrative control of projects remains with state governments and urban local bodies.

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Department of Posts (DoP) and National Stock Exchange of India (NSE) partner to expand mutual fund access (Mid of February) ▼

The Department of Posts (DoP) and the National Stock Exchange of India (NSE) have signed a pact to expand mutual fund access through the NSE MF Invest platform.
The partnership leverages the network of over 1.64 lakh post offices and the zero-cost NSE MF Invest platform to provide mutual fund products.
The initiative will be rolled out in a phased manner, with the first phase focusing on Do-It-Yourself (DIY) investments with small, flexible amounts.
The second phase will expand to the full mutual fund ecosystem, offering access to all open-ended schemes across 55 Asset Management Companies (AMCs).
The second phase also includes goal-based investing, portfolio analytics, vernacular support, and enhanced advisory services.
The initiative aims to bridge the gap in mutual fund penetration, which remains low at approximately 10 per cent of Indian households.
The mutual fund industry in India has recorded Assets Under Management (AUM) surpassing ₹81 lakh crore with strong Systematic Investment Plan (SIP) inflows.

Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) grants in-principle approval to Ashika Group to sponsor Ashika Mutual Fund. (Start of January) ▼

Ashika Group has received in-principle approval from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to act as sponsor and set up Ashika Mutual Fund.
The approval allows the company to proceed with establishing an Asset Management Company (AMC) and preparing for the launch of mutual fund schemes, subject to fulfilling SEBI’s final registration requirements and conditions.
Ashika Group’s financial services portfolio includes retail and institutional broking, investment banking, research advisory, global family office services, alternative asset management and private equity.
The Group has a retail broking client base exceeding 125,000 and a presence across more than 20 states.

Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) grants NCDEX in-principle nod for mutual fund platform. (Mid of December) ▼

National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange Ltd (NCDEX) has received in-principle approval from Sebi to launch a mutual fund transaction platform.
The platform will allow investors to subscribe to and redeem mutual fund units, with clearing and settlement handled by National Commodity Clearing Ltd (NCCL), a wholly owned NCDEX subsidiary.
NCDEX aims to expand financial inclusion through low-denomination systematic investment plans (SIPs) targeting rural and semi-urban areas.
The mutual fund platform could be rolled out faster than equity trading systems as it operates independently of stock trading infrastructure.

Budget 2026–27 Mega Infra Push: Seven High-Speed Rail Corridors, City Economic Regions and Rs 10,000 Cr SME Growth Fund (Start of February) ▼

Capital expenditure for 2026–27 raised to Rs 12.2 lakh crore.
Seven new high-speed rail corridors announced: Mumbai-Pune, Pune-Hyderabad, Hyderabad-Bengaluru, Hyderabad-Chennai, Chennai-Bengaluru, Delhi-Varanasi and Varanasi-Siliguri.
City Economic Regions to get Rs 5,000 crore per region over five years.
New Dedicated Freight Corridor to link Dankuni in the East with Surat in the West.
20 National Waterways to be operationalised in five years, starting with NW-5 in Odisha connecting Talcher, Angul, Kalinga Nagar to Paradeep and Dhamra ports.
Infrastructure Risk Guarantee Fund to provide partial credit guarantees to lenders for private developers.
Rs 10,000 crore SME Growth Fund launched to incentivise small and medium enterprises based on select criteria.
Self-Reliant India Fund topped up with Rs 2,000 crore to support micro enterprises.
Three dedicated Chemical Parks to be established with central support to States.
Rare Earth Corridors to be set up in Odisha, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu for mining, processing, research and manufacturing.
Mega Textile Parks to be developed in challenge mode, including focus on technical textiles.
Ship repair ecosystem for inland waterways to be set up at Varanasi and Patna.
Coastal Cargo Promotion Scheme to raise share of inland waterways and coastal shipping from 6 % to 12 % by 2047.
Seaplane Viability Gap Funding Scheme introduced to support seaplane operations.

PM Modi Inaugurates Infrastructure Projects Worth ₹5,450 Crore in Assam

[Assam]

Key Updates:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated multiple infrastructure projects in Assam worth over ₹5,450 crore to enhance connectivity, digital infrastructure, and urban mobility.
The Prime Minister inaugurated the Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu, a 2.86-km-long, six-lane extradosed Prestressed Concrete (PSC) bridge over the Brahmaputra River in Guwahati.
The Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu was constructed at an approximate cost of ₹3,030 crore and is the first extradosed bridge in Northeast India.
The bridge incorporates base isolation technology using friction pendulum bearings and a Bridge Health Monitoring System (BHMS) for real-time condition monitoring.
The Northeast’s first Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) was inaugurated on the Moran Bypass in Dibrugarh district, developed in coordination with the Indian Air Force (IAF).
The ELF is a 4.2-km-long reinforced concrete stretch designed to handle fighter aircraft up to 40 tonnes and transport aircraft up to 74 tonnes.
The facility serves as a strategic alternative to Dibrugarh Airport and the Chabua Air Force Station, strengthening military infrastructure near the India-China border.

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Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) on National Highway-37 in Moran, Assam (Mid of February) ▼

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.

BRO rescue operation in Jammu and Kashmir (End of January) ▼

The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) rescued 60 people, including 40 soldiers, stranded due to heavy snowfall in Doda district, Jammu and Kashmir.
Operating under Project Sampark, the BRO cleared 38 km of snow-covered road at Chatergala Pass, enabling safe evacuation by January 25.
The BRO also undertook snow clearance in Rajouri district, restoring vital road connectivity within hours.

Vande Bharat Sleeper Express Launch Enhances Overnight Rail Connectivity (Mid of January) ▼

Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off India’s first Vande Bharat Sleeper train from Malda Town railway station in West Bengal.
The train will operate on the Howrah–Guwahati (Kamakhya) route and is expected to cut travel time by up to six hours.
Developed by BEML using ICF technology, the train includes catering services in the fare for all classes.

Swasth Seema Abhiyan: Uttarakhand govt & ITBP sign MoU to strengthen health services in 108 border villages (End of January) ▼

Uttarakhand government and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) signed an MoU under the first phase of Swasth Seema Abhiyan to provide integrated primary health services in 108 border villages of Pithoragarh, Chamoli and Uttarkashi districts.
ITBP will provide qualified doctors, paramedical staff, medical examination rooms, telemedicine facilities and conduct regular visits to border villages as per a fixed schedule.
ITBP will maintain beneficiaries' Medical Health Cards and manage equipment, medicines and consumables.
State government will provide demographic data of villages, initial medical equipment and ensure continuous supply of medicines every six months based on consumption.
State government will handle emergency evacuation, telecommunication support, equipment ownership and necessary replacements.

PM Rahat Scheme: Cashless Treatment up to ₹1.5 Lakh for Road Accident Victims

Key Updates:

The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) announced the Pradhan Mantri Rahat Road Accident Victim Hospitalization and Assured Treatment (PM Rahat) Scheme.
Eligible road accident victims on any category of road can avail of cashless treatment up to ₹1.5 lakh for seven days from the accident date.
Victims or good samaritans may dial 112 to obtain details of the nearest designated hospital and request ambulance assistance.
Stabilisation treatment is provided for a maximum of 24 hours in non-life-threatening instances and up to 48 hours in life-threatening cases, subject to police validation.
Reimbursements to hospitals will be made through the Motor Vehicle Accident Fund (MVAF), with the State Health Agency (SHA) paying accepted claims within 10 days.
The government will use budgetary allocations to pay for treatment in hit-and-run and uninsured vehicle instances.
The scheme integrates the Electronic Detailed Accident Report (eDAR) platform of the MoRTH with the Transaction Management System (TMS 2.0) of the National Health Authority (NHA).
The Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) offers accidental death or total disability cover of ₹2 lakh and partial disability cover of ₹1 lakh for an annual premium of ₹20.

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PM RAHAT scheme approved; Lakhpati Didis target doubled to six crore by 2029 (Mid of February) ▼

Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the PM RAHAT scheme immediately after shifting to the newly inaugurated Seva Teerth complex in New Delhi.
The government doubled the target for Lakhpati Didis to six crore by 2029.
The decisions focused on women, youth, farmers and vulnerable citizens to reflect the spirit of 'Seva' or service.

Mukhya Mantrir Eti Koli Duti Paat Scheme: ₹300 crore one-time assistance of ₹5,000 each to 6 lakh tea garden workers. (End of January) ▼

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma launched the Mukhya Mantrir Eti Koli Duti Paat Scheme at Doomdooma in Tinsukia district.
The scheme will disburse over ₹300 crore as a one-time financial assistance of ₹5,000 each to more than six lakh permanent and casual tea garden workers.
The benefit covers 836 tea gardens across 27 districts and 73 legislative assembly constituencies in Assam.
Budgetary allocation has been made to ensure successful implementation of the scheme.
The launch fulfills an election promise of the present Assam government.

Rashtra Prerna Sthal Memorial Inauguration (End of December) ▼

The memorial features 65-feet-tall bronze statues of Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, and Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Developed over 65 acres at an estimated cost of ₹230 crore in Lucknow.
A modern museum showcasing the lives, ideas, and contributions of national leaders is part of the complex.

Mukhya Mantri Sehat Yojna launched with ₹10 lakh annual health cover (End of January) ▼

Punjab government launched Mukhya Mantri Sehat Yojna on 24 January 2026 in Mohali.
The scheme provides health insurance cover up to ₹10 lakh per year to three crore residents from 65 lakh families.
Over 900 government and private hospitals in Punjab and Chandigarh are empanelled under the scheme.
Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema stated Punjab is the first state to offer ₹10 lakh health insurance coverage.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann inaugurated the scheme.

Kerala Government approves Graphene Policy for Industrial Research and Production

[Kerala]

Key Updates:

The Kerala government approved a graphene policy to establish the state as a hub for the research and production of the carbon-based material.
The policy aims to promote the application of graphene technology across industrial sectors by creating a startup ecosystem and fostering global partnerships.
The cabinet approved the Kerala Advocates Welfare Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2026, to enhance financial security for legal practitioners.
The amendment increases the maximum aggregate limit for termination of practice and post-death benefits from ₹10 lakh to ₹20 lakh.
Financial assistance for major surgeries and cancer treatment under the welfare fund will be increased from ₹1 lakh to ₹2 lakh.

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Kerala Urban Policy: First comprehensive state-level urban roadmap for 2050 (Mid of February) ▼

Kerala became the first state in India to frame a comprehensive Urban Policy, approved by the state cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
The Nava Kerala Urban Policy envisions Kerala in 2050 as 'a continuous network of climate-smart cities and towns, ensuring scientific planning and good governance.'
The Kerala Urban Policy Commission, constituted in December 2023, submitted its report to the Chief Minister in March 2025.
The policy projects Kerala to be nearly 80 per cent urbanised by 2050 with decentralised urban growth between the high ranges and the coastal belt.
Key thematic areas of the policy include reforms in laws and institutional systems, capacity building, people-centric services, infrastructure development, and spatial and strategic planning.

Finance Minister (FM) Nirmala Sitharaman proposes ₹20,000 crore for CCUS and customs duty relief in Union Budget 2026-27 (Start of February) ▼

The Union Budget 2026-27 proposes an outlay of ₹20,000 crore over the next five years to support Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) technologies.
The CCUS funding aims to scale up projects and improve technology readiness across five industrial sectors: power, steel, cement, refineries, and chemicals.
The basic customs duty exemption on capital goods used for manufacturing lithium-ion cells is extended to cover energy storage systems.
The existing customs duty exemption on the import of goods required for nuclear power projects is extended until the year 2035.
The customs duty exemption for nuclear power is expanded to cover all nuclear power plants, irrespective of their capacity.
A basic customs duty exemption is proposed on the import of sodium antimonate for use in the manufacture of solar glass.
The Budget proposes a basic customs duty exemption on the import of capital goods required for processing critical minerals in India.
The entire value of biogas will be excluded while calculating the central excise duty payable on biogas-blended Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).
The Finance Minister (FM) proposed to restructure the Power Finance Corporation (PFC) and Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) to improve efficiency.
The mineral-rich states of Odisha, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu will be supported to establish dedicated Rare Earth Corridors for mining and processing.

Rare Earth Corridors Scheme: Government support for mining, processing and manufacturing of critical minerals in coastal states (Start of February) ▼

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced government backing for rare earth corridors in Odisha, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu in Budget 2026 on February 1.
The corridors will integrate mining, processing, research and manufacturing of critical minerals.
Beach sand deposits in these coastal states contain 13.15 million tonne monazite with 7.23 million tonne in-situ rare earth elements oxide and 1.18 million tonne thorium oxide as on January 29, 2026, according to Department of Atomic Energy data.
A scheme for rare earth permanent magnets launched in November 2025 provides an early framework for downstream manufacturing.

Tamil Nadu Urban Greening Policy 2026 mandates 15% green cover in ULBs (Start of February) ▼

Tamil Nadu government released its first Urban Greening Policy 2026 to integrate trees, urban forests, parks, wetlands and blue-green infrastructure into city planning.
Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) must strive to maintain at least 15% of their total municipal area under green cover.
Funding will be mobilised through convergence of existing schemes such as AMRUT, Smart Cities Mission and the Green Tamil Nadu Mission.
A state-level Urban Greening Coordination Committee chaired by the Chief Secretary will ensure convergence among departments.
The Municipal Administration and Water Supply department will set up a dedicated urban forest wing for greening initiatives.
ULBs are encouraged to adopt the 3-30-300 Urban Green Liveability Guideline and improve city biodiversity index scorecards (Singapore Index).
Urban local bodies may explore levying a green fee linked to building permissions and development approvals.

India to host India-AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi from February 16 to 20

Key Updates:

India is scheduled to host the India-AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi from February 16 to 20, 2026.
The Summit is organised under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and is built around three foundational Sutras: People, Planet, and Progress.
The event will see participation from ministerial-level delegations representing over 45 countries and the United Nations (UN) Secretary General.
Confirmed attendees from Europe include President Emmanuel Macron (France), President Pedro Sanchez Perez-Castejon (Spain), Prime Minister Petteri Orpo (Finland), Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis (Greece), Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic (Croatia), President Alar Karis (Estonia), President Peter Pellegrini (Slovakia), President Aleksandar Vucic (Serbia), President Guy Parmelin (Switzerland), Prime Minister Dick Schoof (Netherlands), and Hereditary Prince Alois (Liechtenstein).
Leaders from the Americas and Asia-Pacific attending include President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (Brazil), Vice President Edmand Lara Montano (Bolivia), Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo (Guyana), Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay (Bhutan), President Anura Kumara Disanayaka (Sri Lanka), and Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov (Kazakhstan).
Participants from Africa, the Indian Ocean, and the Middle East include Prime Minister Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam (Mauritius), Vice President Sebastien Pillay (Seychelles), and Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (United Arab Emirates).

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India hosts first BRICS Sherpas’ meet of its chairship in New Delhi (Mid of February) ▼

The first meeting of BRICS Sherpas and Sous Sherpas under India’s Chairship was held from 9-10 February 2026 in New Delhi.
Secretary (Economic Relations) Sudhakar Dalela, India’s BRICS Sherpa, chaired the meeting, supported by Joint Secretary (Multilateral Economic Relations) Shambhu L Hakki, India’s BRICS Sous Sherpa.
BRICS Sherpas and senior officials from Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and UAE participated in the meeting.
India presented its 2026 Chairship priorities under the theme 'Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability'.
Ministries outlined proposed activities in health, agriculture, labour and employment, disaster risk reduction, environment, climate change, energy, innovation, ICT, security and counter-terrorism, economic and financial domains.
Presentations on people-centric initiatives included sports, youth connect, cultural engagements, BRICS Academic Forum, BRICS Think Tank Council, BRICS Civil Forum, BRICS Business Council and BRICS Women’s Business Alliance.
BRICS Members and Partner countries appreciated India’s theme and priorities and shared perspectives on advancing resilience, innovation, cooperation, sustainability and a people-centric approach.
Delegates visited the National Crafts Museum & Hastakala Academy and Akshardham Temple during the meeting.

G20 Summit Concludes in South Africa on November 23, 2025; India Proposes Key Global Initiatives (End of November) ▼

The G20 Summit, hosted for the first time on African soil, took place in Johannesburg, South Africa, from November 21 to 23.
The 2025 summit opened under the theme 'Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability'.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed a new G20 initiative to tackle the drug-terror nexus and create a global healthcare response team.
India also proposed a G20 Open Satellite Data Partnership whereby data can be made more accessible for countries of the Global South.
India put forward a G20 Critical Minerals Circularity Initiative to promote recycling, urban mining, and second-life batteries.
Prime Minister Modi announced an Australia-Canada-India Technology and Innovation (ACITI) Partnership to deepen collaboration in emerging technologies, support diversification of supply chains, clean energy, and mass adoption of AI.
The G20 comprises 19 countries plus the European Union and the African Union, and accounts for 85 percent of the world's GDP and two-thirds of its population.
The United States boycotted the event due to a diplomatic rift with the host country.

Odisha hosts Black Swan Summit India on AI, FinTech, and InsurTech (Start of February) ▼

The Black Swan Summit India, a two-day conference on AI, FinTech, and InsurTech, commenced.
President Droupadi Murmu and Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi are expected to participate.
The summit is organised by the Odisha government and GFTN.
Visha Dev, additional chief secretary of the electronics and information technology department, stated Odisha aims to establish Bhubaneswar as a key centre for AI-driven financial technologies.
The summit aligns with the state's commitment to contribute to 'Viksit Bharat' through technology-led governance and digital infrastructure.
Over 1,700 delegates from 24 countries and nearly 100 speakers across five continents are attending the summit.

PM Modi unveils six G20 initiatives blending ancient wisdom with AI for a resilient, inclusive world (End of November) ▼

PM Modi proposed six initiatives: G20 Global Traditional Knowledge Repository, G20-Africa Skills Multiplier Initiative, G20 Global Healthcare Response Team, G20 Initiative on Countering the Drug-Terror Nexus, G20 Open Satellite Data Partnership, and G20 Critical Minerals Circularity Initiative.
"First among them is the creation of a G20 Global Traditional Knowledge Repository. India has a rich history in this regard. This will help us pass on our collective wisdom to further good health and well-being."
"The proposed Africa Skills Multiplier Initiative aims to train one million certified trainers across Africa in the next decade."
"We are stronger when we work together in the face of health emergencies and natural disasters. Our effort should be to create teams of trained medical experts from fellow G20 nations who are ready for rapid deployment in case of any emergencies."
"Let us weaken the wretched drug-terror economy!"
"Proposed the setting up of a G20 Open Satellite Data Partnership whereby satellite data and analysis from G20 space agencies can be made more accessible for countries of the Global South."
"India is fully committed to sustainability and clean energy, which is why we propose a G20 Critical Minerals Circularity Initiative to promote recycling, urban mining, second-life batteries and related innovations."
"India's approach to AI is based on the three pillars of: Equitable access, Population-scale skilling, Responsible deployment."
"India will host the AI Impact Summit in February 2026, guided by the theme Sarvajana Hitaya, Sarvajana Sukhaya."

US conducts first airlift of Valar Atomics' Ward microreactor from California to Utah

[United States]

Key Updates:

The US Departments of Energy and Defense airlifted a fuel-free Ward microreactor from March Air Force Base, California to Hill Air Force Base, Utah aboard a C-17 cargo aircraft.
The reactor, developed by California-based Valar Atomics, is slightly larger than a minivan and can generate up to 5 megawatts of electricity, enough to power 5,000 homes.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Michael Duffey accompanied the reactor on the flight.
The demonstration aims to validate rapid deployment of nuclear power for military and civilian use, with the reactor scheduled to begin operating at 100 kilowatts in July and peak at 250 kilowatts this year.
Valar Atomics plans to start test power sales in 2027 and reach full commercial operations in 2028.
The Energy Department targets three microreactors to achieve criticality by July 4.
Fuel for the reactor will be transported from the Nevada National Security Site to the San Rafael facility.
Critics, including Edwin Lyman of the Union of Concerned Scientists, question the economic viability and radioactive waste management of microreactors.

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Niigata Local Government Approves Restart of Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant (End of December) ▼

The partial restart of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant, the world’s largest nuclear power facility, received approval in a vote by the Niigata local government.
Kashiwazaki-Kariwa is the first plant to be operated by Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO) since the 2011 Fukushima disaster.
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) estimates that reactivating the first of seven reactors could boost the electricity supply to the Tokyo area by 2 percent.
Japan spent 10.7 trillion yen ($68bn) last year on imported liquefied natural gas and coal, representing one-tenth of its total import costs.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has backed the reopening of nuclear facilities to strengthen energy security and reduce reliance on fossil fuels that contribute to climate change.

China building world’s first floating artificial island designed to withstand nuclear blasts (End of November) ▼

China is constructing what researchers say will be the world’s first mobile, floating artificial island built to survive a nuclear explosion.
The platform is a 78,000-tonne semi-submersible, described by Chinese scientists as a “far-sea floating mobile island”.
It is designed to support long-term deep-sea research and is expected to enter service in 2028.
The structure will accommodate up to 238 people for about four months without needing supplies.
The island measures 138 metres long and 85 metres wide, with a twin-hull structure that can operate in rough seas and withstand extremely strong typhoons.
Its nuclear-resistant structure uses a “sandwich” panel made from metamaterials, designed to turn a sudden shockwave into a slower, controlled compression.
The facility is listed as a national scientific infrastructure project under China’s 14th five-year plan, with specifications referring to a Chinese military standard for nuclear protection.

North Korea conducts long-range strategic cruise missile drill under Kim Jong Un (End of December) ▼

Kim Jong Un oversaw a long-range strategic cruise missile launching drill, state media KCNA reported.
The cruise missiles flew along their preset orbit above the sea west of the Korean Peninsula and accurately hit their targets.
Kim described the missile test as 'just a responsible exercise' given that the country 'is facing various security threats.'
Kim urged 'unlimited and sustained' development of the country's nuclear weapons forces.
State media photos showed Kim inspecting a nearly completed 8,700-ton hull at a shipyard, indicating progress on North Korea's first nuclear-powered submarine.
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung is expected to seek China's cooperation on addressing Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions during his planned visit to China.
Japan, South Korea, and the United States have conducted expanded joint air drills, including US B-52 bombers flying with Japanese fighter jets over the Sea of Japan.

India's Nuclear Power Generation Capacity to Reach 21,880 MW by 2032 (Start of December) ▼

India's nuclear power generation capacity is set to rise from the current 8,780 megawatt (MW) to 9,480 MW by the end of the current financial year 2025-26, 13,480 MW by 2029-30 and 21,880 MW by 2031-32.
Three 700 MW Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) units — RAPS-8 (700 MW) at Rawatbhata in Rajasthan and GHAVP-1 & 2 (two units of 700 MW each) at Gorakhpur in Haryana — are presently under construction.
Ten reactors of 700 MW each are at various stages of pre-project activities — two each at Kaiga in Karnataka, Chutka in Madhya Pradesh and Gorakhpur in Haryana, and four at Mahi Banswara in Rajasthan.
Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) has initiated design and development works on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs).
BARC is developing the 200 MWe Bharat Small Modular Reactor (BSMR-200), 55 MWe Small Modular Reactor (SMR-55) and an up to 5 MW thermal high-temperature gas-cooled reactor meant for hydrogen generation.
BSMR-200 and SMR-55 can be deployed as captive power plants for energy-intensive industries such as aluminium, steel and metal, repurposing retiring fossil fuel-based power plants and for providing energy for remote as well as off-grid locations.
Hydrogen produced from high-temperature gas-cooled reactors can be utilised as a clean fuel in the transport sector and in process industries.
The Nuclear Energy Mission envisages reaching 100 gigawatt nuclear power capacity by 2047.

Denmark archaeologists uncover 2,000-year-old Iron Age temple and fortified settlement at Hedegaard.

[Denmark]

Key Updates:

The temple, dated around 0 AD, measures roughly 15 by 16 metres and features a colonnade of strong posts around an inner clay-and-plank structure with a southern entrance.
Inside the temple archaeologists found a raised 2x2 metre hearth with stamped and linear patterns, interpreted as a ritual feature rather than for cooking.
The larger fortified settlement includes workshops, elite residences and defensive palisades, indicating a major political, religious and economic centre.
Initial discovery occurred in 1986 when archaeologist Orla Madsen uncovered a rich weapon burial ground; large-scale excavations resumed in 2016 under Museum Midtjylland and revealed the full complex by 2023.
The defensive works are viewed as a response to the Roman Empire’s northern expansion reaching the River Elbe, demonstrating strategic planning and technical knowledge.

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Researchers identify 5,300-year-old metal bow drill in Egypt as earliest rotary tool (Mid of February) ▼

Researchers from Newcastle University and the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna identified a tool from a Predynastic cemetery in Badari, Upper Egypt, as the oldest known metal drill in the country.
The artifact dates to the late fourth millennium BCE and measures 63 millimetres in length with a weight of approximately 1.5 grams.
Portable X-ray fluorescence analysis revealed the tool is composed of a copper alloy containing arsenic, nickel, silver, and lead to increase hardness.
Microscopic inspection of the tip showed fine parallel lines and rounded edges, confirming its function as a rotary tool rather than a piercing instrument.
The presence of dried leather coils on the shaft indicates the tool was part of a bow drill system where a cord was used to spin the shaft.

Wisconsin Historical Society (WHS) identifies sixteen ancient dugout canoes in Lake Mendota (Mid of January) ▼

Sixteen submerged dugout canoes have been identified on the lakebed, and radiocarbon dating indicates the oldest may be approximately 5,200 years old.
Researchers report that the youngest canoe in the set appears to be around 700 years old, while the oldest reaches back more than five millennia.
Researchers have noted that about half of the canoes were made from red or white oak.
The Wisconsin Historical Society’s (WHS) current explanation centers on tyloses, a biological structure that can form inside certain hardwoods.
Tyloses can block water movement within the wood, making it less permeable and more resistant to moisture penetration.
But if wood sinks and becomes buried under sediment in low-oxygen conditions, decay slows dramatically.
Some reporting connected to the discovery notes that net sinkers were found in association with some of the canoes, supporting the idea that at least part of the activity involved fishing.
Researchers have stated that the canoes were found in two distinct groupings on the lakebed.

2,000-year-old Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions discovered inside Egypt’s Valley of the Kings royal tombs (Mid of February) ▼

Approximately 30 Tamil-Brahmi and Prakrit inscriptions dated to 2,000 years ago were documented inside six rock-cut royal tombs in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings.
The inscriptions were recorded by Professor Ingo Strauch of the University of Lausanne and Professor Charlotte Schmid of the French School of Asian Studies.
The name ‘Cikai Korran’ appears in eight locations, with one inscription reading ‘Cikai Korran vara kanta’ meaning ‘Cikai Korran came and saw’.
The discovery confirms that ancient Tamil traders travelled beyond Egyptian port cities and visited inland heritage sites during the early historic period.
The findings were presented on 11 February at the International Conference on Tamil Epigraphy organised by the Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology in Chennai.
Tamil Nadu accounts for nearly 30,000 documented inscriptions in India, providing an unbroken historical record from the 6th century BCE.

Norway film ‘Safe House’ awarded ICFT-Unesco Gandhi Medal on November 29, 2025 (End of November) ▼

The Norwegian film ‘Safe House’ won the ICFT-Unesco Gandhi Medal.
The ICFT-Unesco Gandhi Medal was instituted in collaboration with the International Council for Film, Television, and Audiovisual Communication (ICFT) and Unesco.
This award honours films that reflect ideals of tolerance, intercultural dialogue, and culture of peace.
Eirik Svensson, a Norwegian filmmaker, is the director of ‘Safe House’.
‘Safe House’ world premiered as the opening feature of the 48th Göteborg Film Festival 2025.
At the 48th Göteborg Film Festival 2025, ‘Safe House’ won the Audience Dragon Award for Best Nordic Film.
At the 56th Iffi, ‘Safe House’ was commended for its 'outstanding contribution to cinema that promotes peace, non-violence, and intercultural dialogue'.

Government unveils India’s first AI governance guidelines ahead of AI Impact Summit 2026

Key Updates:

India released its first comprehensive AI governance guidelines on Sunday, opting for a principle-based framework over a new law.
The framework is anchored in seven principles: trust as foundation, people first, innovation over restraint, fairness and equity, accountability, understandable by design, and safety, resilience and sustainability.
Guidelines apply to AI development and use across healthcare, education, agriculture, finance and governance sectors.
Existing laws such as IT rules, data protection laws and criminal statutes will cover AI-related risks instead of a standalone AI law.
New proposed institutions include an AI governance group for inter-ministerial coordination, a technology and policy expert committee for expert inputs, and an AI safety institute for testing standards and risk assessment.
Developers and deployers must publish transparency reports, disclose AI-generated content, provide grievance redressal, and cooperate with regulators.
High-risk AI applications affecting safety, rights or livelihoods must follow stronger safeguards and human oversight.
The five-day AI Impact Summit 2026 begins on Monday, positioning India as a global voice for responsible and inclusive AI governance aligned with ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’.

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India launches Bharat Bodhan AI Conclave-2026 (Mid of February) ▼

Union Minister for Education Dharmendra Pradhan launched the two-day Bharat Bodhan AI Conclave-2026 in New Delhi.
The conclave focuses on four verticals: AI for school education, AI for higher education, AI for skilling and workforce readiness, and AI research and deep technology.
It aims to integrate AI in education at scale and develop the ‘Bharat EduAI Stack’ by bringing together academia, industry, policymakers, start-ups, innovators, scientific leadership and the skilling ecosystem.
Pradhan stated that India’s AI will be inclusive by design, interoperable by architecture and sovereign by capability.
Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Lucknow introduced a series of new Artificial Intelligence programmes during the event.
An MoU was exchanged between Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay and Columbia University to establish a Centre of AI for manufacturing at IIT Bombay.
On 11 February, Pradhan chaired a roundtable with founders of 10 new-age Indian start-ups using AI in education at IIT Delhi to discuss alignment with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

India Ranks 3rd in Stanford University Global AI Vibrancy Ranking 2025 (Mid of February) ▼

India secured the 3rd position in the Global AI Vibrancy Ranking 2025 published by Stanford University.
The Artificial Intelligence (AI) market in India expanded from USD 2.97 billion in 2020 to USD 7.63 billion in 2024, with a projected growth to USD 131.31 billion by 2032 at a CAGR of 42.2%.
According to the National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM) AI Adoption Index, 87% of Indian enterprises were actively using AI solutions as of December 2025.
India recorded 100.29 crore internet connections in June 2025 and possesses the world’s second-largest 5G subscriber base with over 400 million users.
The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has recognised more than 2,00,000 startups across the country.
India leads the world in AI talent acquisition with an annual hiring rate of approximately 33% and was the second-largest contributor to GitHub AI projects globally in 2024, accounting for 19.9% of projects.
The relative penetration of AI skills in India is 2.5 times greater than the global average across the same set of occupations.
Major AI job hubs in India include Bangalore (11% share), Hyderabad (9.57%), Pune (6.95%), and Chennai (6.62%).
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) oversees the National Program on Artificial Intelligence, which rests on four pillars: National Center on AI, Data Management Office, Skilling in AI, and Responsible AI.
The Skilling for AI Readiness (SOAR) initiative, delivered in partnership with Microsoft, HCL Technologies, and NASSCOM, enrolled 1.34 lakh students and teachers as of December 2025.
India improved its position by four slots to reach the 45th rank in the Network Readiness Index (NRI) 2025 report prepared by the Portulans Institute.
The BHASHINI initiative, leveraging AI for over 36 languages, has recorded more than 1.2 million mobile app downloads to break communication barriers in the digital economy.

Google commits $8 million to India’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) ecosystem (Mid of December) ▼

Google on Tuesday announced fresh collaborations and funding commitments worth $8 million to strengthen India’s artificial intelligence ecosystem.
Research funding will go to TANUH at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru for non-communicable disease treatment.
The Airawat Research Foundation at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur will receive funding for AI-driven urban governance.
Google is working with the National Health Authority (NHA) to use AI to convert millions of unstructured medical records into the international FHIR standard.
Google announced a $2 million founding contribution to set up an Indic Language Technologies Research Hub at IIT Bombay.
Google said it is partnering with ReNew Energy on a 150 MW solar project in Rajasthan, extending its push to power AI growth with clean energy and support India’s non-fossil fuel goals.
The company said it would provide $400,000 to support collaborations using its MedGemma models to build India-specific health foundation models.
Google announced separate Google.org funding of $2 million to develop Garuda, an AI language model for agriculture.

India Internet Governance Forum 2025 convenes in New Delhi to shape inclusive and AI-driven Digital India (End of November) ▼

The fifth edition of the India Internet Governance Forum (IIGF 2025) will convene on 27–28 November in New Delhi.
The forum is organised as India's national chapter of the UN Internet Governance Forum and operates on a multistakeholder model.
Union Minister of State for Electronics & Information Technology and Commerce and Industry, Jitin Prasada, will inaugurate the event as Chief Guest.
The theme for IIGF 2025 is 'Advancing Internet Governance for an Inclusive and Sustainable Viksit Bharat'.
The three sub-themes are: Inclusive Digital Future, Digital Infrastructure for Resilient and Sustainable Growth, and AI for People, Planet and Progress.
The event will be held across two venues: India Habitat Centre on day one and India International Centre on day two.
IIGF 2025 will feature four panel discussions and twelve workshops covering data governance, cybersecurity, AI ethics, and digital inclusion.

BIRAC–RDI Fund: ₹2,000 crore national call announced to scale high-impact biotechnology innovations

[Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC)]

Key Updates:

Union Minister Jitendra Singh announced the first national call for the BIRAC–RDI Fund, a ₹2,000 crore financing window under the ₹1 lakh crore Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) initiative.
The Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) is appointed as the second-level fund manager and will deploy the amount over up to five years.
The fund will support technologies from TRL-4 to TRL-9 through equity, convertible instruments and long-term debt.
Phase-1 submissions for eligible startups, SMEs and industry partners close on 31 March 2026.
India’s biotechnology startups expanded from around 50 in 2014 to more than 11,000 today.
The bioeconomy grew from about $8 billion in 2014 to $165.7 billion in 2024, targeting $300 billion by 2030 and $1 trillion by 2047.
Biotechnology experiments using domestically developed kits are being conducted in space for plant and life sciences research.

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IIT Madras and Unicorn India Ventures launch Rs 600-crore deeptech fund with Rs 400-crore greenshoe option (Start of February) ▼

IIT Madras and Unicorn India Ventures have launched the IITM Unicorn Frontier Fund I with a corpus of Rs 600 crore and an additional Rs 400 crore greenshoe option.
The fund will invest Rs 8-10 crore each in over 25 early-stage, IP-led deeptech startups.
Target sectors include robotics, space technology, defence tech, semiconductors, and medical technology.
Most investments will target startups at Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 3-4, with some follow-on backing up to TRL 7-9.
The 10-year fund, with a two-year extension option, will deploy around 60% of the corpus for initial portfolio and 40% for follow-on rounds.
A large portion of investments will focus on startups emerging from the IIT Madras ecosystem, including those incubated at the IIT Madras Research Park and the IIT Madras Incubation Cell.

1 Bio: First Bioprocess Design Hub to Boost Biologics Innovation (End of November) ▼

1 Bio has been established by the Telangana government through Telangana Lifesciences and Telangana Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TGIIC) in partnership with the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and Thermo Fisher Scientific.
The public-private partnership project saw the Telangana government facilitate an investment of Rs 150 crore in infrastructure, while Thermo Fisher Scientific contributed Rs 90 crore for the bioprocess design centre and its co-located customer experience centre.
The 1 Bio hub is expected to attract another Rs 500 crore in private investment from its tenant companies and generate over 500 highly skilled jobs.
These facilities will provide end-to-end process development and pilot scale validation, enabling startups and established companies to cut down on capital investment and accelerate development.

Union Finance Minister (FM) Nirmala Sitharaman presents Union Budget 2026 (Start of February) ▼

Union Finance Minister (FM) Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2026 on 1 February 2026.
State Bank of India (SBI) opened a Global Trade Finance Centre (GTFC) in Kolkata to strengthen its trade and international banking operations.
Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ajay Kumar Srivastava stated the budget provides a roadmap for Viksit Bharat by balancing industrial scaling with job creation.
Heritage Foods Ltd Executive Director Brahmani Nara described the budget as a landmark step for strengthening the dairy and livestock ecosystem in India.
Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV) Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Alexander Schoen noted the budget places manufacturing, infrastructure, and supply-chain resilience at the centre of economic policy.
The Indian space sector is exploring derived demand for products and services from the defence sector following the FY27 budget proposals.

S Jaishankar inaugurates IITM Global Research Foundation (Start of January) ▼

S Jaishankar launched the IITM Global Research Foundation, positioning Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) as the world’s first multinational university.
He inaugurated the IITM Festival Fortnight, including the Open House, Shaastra technical festival, and Saarang cultural festival.
IIT Madras signed memoranda of understanding with partners in the United States (US), United Kingdom (UK), Germany, Dubai, Asia-Pacific, and under the India-for-Global initiative.

Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) and Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU) sign Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for telecom and cybersecurity collaboration

[Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU)]

Key Updates:

The Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) and Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU), Gandhinagar, signed the MoU on February 13, 2026, for collaboration in the telecom and cybersecurity domains.
The Ministry of Communication informed that C-DOT will establish an Innovation-cum-Experience Centre at the RRU campus to spearhead research and technology development.
The collaboration focuses on critical domains including Cybersecurity, Quantum Technologies, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Internet of Things (IoT), Machine-to-Machine (M2M) solutions, 5G networks, and Mission Critical Services.
The initiative includes training, capacity-building, and skilling programmes to create an industry-ready workforce.
Dr Rajkumar Upadhyay, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of C-DOT, highlighted that the MoU aims for self-reliant innovation in telecom and cybersecurity.

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India and European Union (EU) Sign Administrative Arrangement on Advanced Electronic Signatures on 27 January 2026 (Start of February) ▼

India and the EU signed an Administrative Arrangement on Advanced Electronic Signatures and Seals on 27 January 2026 to enable secure cross-border digital transactions.
The agreement was formalised between the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and the Directorate-General for Communication Networks, Content and Technology (DG CONNECT) of the European Commission.
Implementation on the Indian side will be managed by MeitY through the Controller of Certifying Authorities (CCA) under the framework of the Information Technology Act, 2000.
The arrangement establishes a structured framework for cooperation on the interoperability of electronic signatures, electronic seals, and Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) systems.
Both parties intend to link their trusted lists of recognised service providers to facilitate the validation of digital signatures and seals issued in India and the EU.
The pact is designed to benefit Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and exporters by reducing transaction costs, time, and verification efforts in cross-border trade.

Pro Tem Security Certification Scheme Extension, TSTL Fee Reduction, and ITSAR ONT Simplification Announced (End of December) ▼

Department of Telecommunications (DoT) through National Centre for Communication Security (NCCS) extends Pro Tem Security Certification Scheme for two years from 01-01-2026.
NCCS reduces Telecom Security Testing Laboratory (TSTL) designation application fee by more than 50%, with complete waiver for Central/State Government testing agencies, IITs, and 50% concession for Indian Startups, MSEs, and women-owned enterprises.
NCCS simplifies Indian Telecom Security Assurance Requirement (ITSAR) certification for Optical Network Terminator (ONT) devices by grouping customized variants under a single certification, cutting testing cases tenfold.

GSV–DRDO MoU targets indigenous smart defence tech in logistics, chip design & cryptography (Mid of November) ▼

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 validation of logistics plans” and “Improving supply chain resilience for defence operations”
Indigenous chip design & hardware security: “Indigenous chip design for defence applications” and “Secure hardware solutions for critical systems”
Advanced cryptographic R&D: “Homomorphic encryption for secure computation” and “Blockchain-based encryption for tamper-proof defence communication systems”
Human-capacity building: “Train young researchers, scientists, and military logisticians” through workshops, conferences and research exchanges

Defence Research and Development Organisation and Rashtriya Raksha University sign MoU to strengthen defence and security collaboration (End of December) ▼

Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) and Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to foster collaboration in research, education, training and technology support for defence & internal security.
The MoU was inked by Distinguished Scientist & Director General (Production Coordination & Services Interaction) Chandrika Kaushik and Vice Chancellor, RRU Prof Bimal N Patel in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at South Block, New Delhi.
The collaboration aims to strengthen India's self-reliance in defence and internal security technologies in line with the national vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
Under the MoU, joint research projects, PhD & fellowship programmes and specialised training & capacity-building programmes for security forces will be undertaken.

India adds record 52.5 GW power capacity in first 10 months of FY26

Key Updates:

India added 52,537 MW (52.5 GW) of power generation capacity from all sources in April 2025–January 2026, raising total installed capacity to 520.6 GW as of January 2026.
Over 75% of the new capacity came from renewable energy sources, while the remainder was from thermal sources.
Renewable capacity additions comprised 39.7 GW, including 35 GW of solar and 4.6 GW of wind power.
Large hydro projects contributed 3.4 GW, thermal sources 8.8 GW, and nuclear 700 MW during FY 2025-26.
Fossil fuel-based capacity totals 248.5 GW and non-fossil fuel capacity stands at 272 GW.
Projects under construction include 158 GW of renewable, 39.6 GW of thermal, 13 GW of hydro-electric, and 6.6 GW of nuclear capacity.
Contracts for 22.9 GW of coal- and lignite-based projects have been awarded, with another 24 GW in planning stages; 48.8 GW of renewable, 4.3 GW of hydro-electric, and 7 GW of nuclear projects are also under planning.

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Gujarat becomes India’s renewable energy powerhouse with 42.583 GW installed capacity (Start of February) ▼

Gujarat accounts for 16.5 % of India’s total renewable energy with an installed capacity of 42.583 GW.
The state leads India in wind power capacity at 14,820.94 MW and in rooftop solar with over 11 lakh installations generating 6,412.80 MW.
Gujarat ranks second in total solar power capacity at 25,529.40 MW.
Major solar parks in Gujarat include Charanka (749 MW), Radhanesda (700 MW), and Dholera (300 MW).
Khavda Renewable Energy Park in Gujarat is planned to be the world’s largest at 37.35 GW, with 11.33 GW already achieved.
Under PM-KUSUM, 12,700 standalone solar water pumps have been installed in Gujarat.
Gujarat targets 105 GW renewable energy capacity by 2030.

NITI Aayog Unveils ASSET Blueprint for Andhra Pradesh Clean Energy Hub by 2035 with ₹7.5 Lakh Crore Investment (Start of February) ▼

National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog) unveiled a draft blueprint under the Accelerating Sustainable State Energy Transition (ASSET) platform to transform Andhra Pradesh into a top renewable energy hub by 2035.
The plan proposes a total sectoral investment of ₹7.5 lakh crore, comprising ₹3.3 - ₹3.4 lakh crore for the state energy transition and ₹4 - ₹4.2 lakh crore for a renewable energy export hub.
Private players are expected to contribute 90% of the total investment, which is projected to create 5-6 lakh new jobs.
For domestic needs, the state aims to add 35 Gigawatt (GW) of solar, 12 GW of wind, and 55-60 Gigawatt-hour (GWh) of storage capacity by 2035.
The export-oriented capacity targets include 30 GW of solar, 25-30 GW of wind, and 10-12 GW of pumped storage projects for national supply.
Infrastructure investments include ₹65,000-₹70,000 crore for transmission modernisation through green corridors and High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) lines, plus ₹40,000 crore for distribution networks.
NITI Aayog estimates power purchase costs will fall to ₹3.90 - ₹4 per unit, while supply costs will be maintained below ₹6 per unit.
The blueprint is scheduled for finalisation by March 2026, with implementation beginning in mid-March 2026 under the monitoring of a dedicated Energy War Room.

Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) Announces Record 266.78 GW Clean Energy Capacity (Mid of January) ▼

India marked a record-breaking year in its clean energy journey in 2025, with non-fossil fuel installed capacity rising to 266.78 GW, Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) Shri Pralhad Joshi said.
Solar power led the expansion, with installed capacity increasing from 97.86 GW in 2024 to 135.81 GW in 2025, registering a growth of 38.8 per cent.
Wind energy capacity also witnessed steady growth, rising from 48.16 GW to 54.51 GW, marking an increase of 13.2 per cent.
Bioenergy installed capacity reached 11.61 GW, including 0.55 GW from waste-to-energy off-grid projects, reflecting steady progress in clean fuel generation and waste management.
Small hydro power capacity increased to 5.16 GW, supporting decentralised and region-specific renewable energy development.
Large hydro power capacity stood at 50.91 GW, including 7,175.6 MW of pumped storage, strengthening grid stability and renewable energy integration.
The progress strengthens India’s pathway towards energy security, climate responsibility and a self-reliant green economy, while moving steadily towards the national target of 500 GW of non-fossil energy capacity by 2030.
The Minister added that MNRE will continue to work closely with States and stakeholders to further accelerate renewable energy deployment across the country.

ASSET (Accelerating Sustainable State Energy Transition) platform aims to make Andhra Pradesh a top-three renewable energy hub by 2035. (Start of February) ▼

NITI Aayog unveiled a draft blueprint under the ASSET platform to transform Andhra Pradesh into one of India’s top three renewable energy hubs by 2035.
The plan envisages total sectoral investments of Rs 7.5 lakh crore, with 90% expected from private players and the creation of 5-6 lakh new jobs.
Andhra Pradesh targets adding 35 GW solar, 12 GW wind, and 55-60 GWh storage capacity for domestic needs, plus 30 GW solar, 25-30 GW wind, and 10-12 GW pumped storage for national exports by 2035.
Power purchase costs are estimated to fall to Rs 3.90 - Rs 4 per unit, with supply costs kept below Rs 6 per unit, benefiting households, farmers, and industries.
Infrastructure upgrades include Rs 65,000-Rs 70,000 crore for transmission modernisation and Rs 40,000 crore for strengthening distribution networks.
The blueprint will be finalised by March 2026 and implementation is expected to begin mid-March, monitored by a dedicated ‘Energy War Room’.

du and Datawave Networks invest in Singapore-India-Gulf subsea cable system

[du, UAE]

Key Updates:

UAE-based telecom operator du has partnered with Cyprus-based Datawave Networks to invest in the Singapore-India-Gulf (SING) subsea cable system.
The SING cable will connect six strategic landing points: Kalba (UAE), Muscat (Oman), Mumbai and Chennai (India), Kedah (Malaysia), and Singapore.
The system will feature 16 fibre pairs and support tens of terabits per second of data capacity.
Industry estimates suggest the cable could go live by 2030.

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Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and The Boring Company to build Dubai Loop (Start of February) ▼

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) signed an agreement with The Boring Company during the World Governments Summit 2026 to develop the Dubai Loop underground transport system.
The Dubai Loop is an express underground network using electric vehicles in dedicated tunnels to provide high-speed, point-to-point travel without intermediate stops.
The pilot phase of the project covers a 6.4 km route with four stations, linking the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) area with the Dubai Mall and the Burj Khalifa zone.
The full network is planned to expand to 22.5 km with 19 stations, stretching toward the Dubai World Trade Centre and Business Bay.
The tunnels will have a diameter of 3.6 metres and are constructed using high-speed boring methods to minimise surface disruption and costs compared to traditional metro systems.
The pilot route is estimated to cost 154 million US Dollars and handle 13,000 passengers daily, while the full system is priced at 545 million US Dollars with a capacity of 30,000 passengers daily.
Dubai will become the second location globally, after California, to adopt this specific tunnel transport model.
Safety features include 24-hour communication with an operations control centre, emergency exits, fire detection, ventilation systems, and camera coverage.

MoES-Puducherry MoU to boost Blue Economy and marine research (Mid of February) ▼

The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) and the Department of Science, Technology and Environment, Government of Puducherry, signed an MoU to strengthen marine research, coastal resilience and Blue Economy initiatives in the Union Territory.
The MoU outlines cooperation across six strategic pillars: sustainable marine fisheries, offshore wind energy, desalination technologies, ocean climate advisory and real-time monitoring, permanent coastal management, and marine spatial planning.
The agreement will remain in effect for five years and includes designated Nodal Officers, Joint Working Groups, and annual progress reviews.

Goa Government signs MoU with Starlink to boost digital connectivity and disaster resilience (End of January) ▼

Department of Information Technology, Electronics & Communications (DITE&C), Government of Goa, signed an MoU with Starlink Satellite Communications Private Limited on 21 January 2026 in Panaji.
The MoU was signed in the presence of Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant and Minister for Information Technology, Electronics & Communications Rohan Khaunte.
Starlink India was represented by Prabhakar Jayakumar, Head of Starlink India.
The collaboration will explore digital connectivity, disaster resilience and smart governance solutions across Goa.
Starlink will pilot satellite broadband in areas with limited terrestrial networks, including select government schools, healthcare facilities and disaster management centres.
The partnership aims to enhance emergency preparedness, build capacity through training and explore affordable tariff structures for socially beneficial use cases.

Nokia modernises RailTel’s NLD and metro optical transport networks (End of November) ▼

Nokia has upgraded RailTel’s DWDM national long-distance network nationwide.
RailTel’s Carrier-Grade NAT and metro optical transport network have been deployed across India.
The enhanced network uses Nokia’s 1830 Photonic Service Switch and advanced transponder technology to increase transport capacity while minimising cost per bit.
Nokia’s 7750 Service Router with integrated BNG and CG-NAT functionality supports enterprise-grade high-speed traffic and ISP services.

NewSpace India Limited (Nsil) partners with GalaxEye to distribute private satellite data for first time

[NewSpace India Limited (Nsil)]

Key Updates:

NewSpace India Limited (Nsil) signed a channel partnership with Bengaluru-based space start-up GalaxEye to resell high-resolution OptoSAR data.
GalaxEye’s first satellite "Drishti" is scheduled for launch on 25 February 2026 aboard a SpaceX mission.
Drishti weighs 160 kg and is claimed to be India’s largest privately built commercial satellite.
GalaxEye plans a 10-satellite constellation to be deployed over the next four years, all covered under the Nsil agreement.
Drishti carries proprietary "SyncFused OptoSAR" technology combining optical and synthetic aperture radar data on a single platform.
The satellite will provide 1.5-metre resolution imagery with a global revisit time of seven to ten days.
Nsil will market both raw data and downstream products to government agencies and commercial clients.

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ISRO to Launch GISAT-1A Earth Observation Satellite via GSLV Mk II (Start of February) ▼

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is scheduled to launch the GISAT-1A (EOS-05) earth observing satellite on 20 February 2026.
The mission will be launched using the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark II (GSLV Mk II), which is a fourth-generation three-stage vehicle.
The GSLV Mk II rocket features four liquid strap-ons and an indigenously developed Cryogenic Upper Stage (CUS) as its third stage.
The satellite is designed to operate from a Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO) to facilitate continuous observation of the Indian sub-continent.
The GISAT-1A mission aims to provide quick monitoring of natural hazards and disaster management.
The launch will be conducted from the Second Launch Pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), formerly known as the Sriharikota Range (SHAR), in Andhra Pradesh.
Since January 2014, the GSLV Mk II vehicle has achieved four consecutive successful launches.
ISRO is headquartered in Bangalore and functions as the space agency of the Government of India.

Viasat and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) to modernise Indian Navy’s satcom infra with Ka-band systems (Mid of January) ▼

Viasat and BSNL will deploy Ka-band satellite systems for the Indian Navy as part of a satellite communications equipment upgrade programme.
The programme will enable the Indian Navy to transition toward a multi-band, multi-constellation satcom strategy, leveraging BSNL’s gateway earth station and Viasat’s global satellite network.
The upgrade combines the resilience of L-band with the power of high-throughput Ka-band, providing enhanced connectivity for mission-critical operations.

SpaceX Falcon 9 launches second-generation Italian COSMO-SkyMed CSG-FM3 satellite (Start of January) ▼

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California and deployed COSMO-SkyMed CSG-FM3 into a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 618 kilometers.
COSMO-SkyMed is a dual-use synthetic aperture radar (SAR) system operating in low Earth orbit, supporting civilian and military applications including natural-disaster monitoring under all weather conditions, day and night.
CSG-FM3, with a launch mass of about 2,207 kilograms and a deployed span of 16.66 meters, features a new antenna that ‘is more flexible and efficient, allowing a single pass to observe multiple areas and respond to multiple user requests at the same time.’
The satellite carries a new laser reflector array that ‘enables millimeter-level accuracy in georeferencing SAR imagery.’
Thales Alenia Space builds the satellites and handles the overall mission, Telespazio develops the ground segment and manages civilian operations, e-GEOS distributes commercial data, and Leonardo supplies additional onboard technologies; the Italian Ministry of Defense manages security and defense signal processing.

ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan Inaugurates Ananth Technologies' Centre of Excellence in Navigation (Start of December) ▼

Private companies entering work of building navigation systems for spacecraft and defence supports Viksit Bharat 2047.
Navigation systems are highly complex and critical which ISRO alone could not develop.
Ananth Technologies has entered navigation field in Thiruvananthapuram.
Ananth Technologies works closely with ISRO, DRDO, and BrahMos.
Centre of Excellence in Navigation aims to achieve full strategic autonomy for India in Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) technologies.
India has been heavily reliant on imported navigation technology for space missions and missile and defence systems.
Gaganyaan mission has completed 8,000 tests including propulsion hot tests, simulations, structural tests, and acoustic tests.
Gaganyaan in final stages of software development and simulation with 2027 target and three unmanned missions before manned.
ISRO to launch first private PSLV-N1 in this financial year.
ISRO preparing for BlueBird mission.

Lucas Pinheiro Braathen wins Olympic giant slalom gold for Brazil

[Brazil]

Key Updates:

Lucas Pinheiro Braathen claimed gold in the men’s giant slalom at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics held at Stelvio Alpine Skiing Centre on 14 February 2026.
He recorded a two-run combined time of 2 minutes 25 seconds.
He beat defending champion Marco Odermatt of Switzerland by 0.58 seconds; Loic Meillard of Switzerland took bronze.
This victory marks South America’s first-ever medal at a Winter Games and Brazil’s first Winter Olympics gold.

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Germany wins FIH Junior Hockey World Cup 2025 (Mid of December) ▼

Germany won the FIH Junior Hockey World Cup 2025.
Germany defeated Spain with a 3-2 win in the tie-breaker after a 1-1 stalemate in regulation time.
The final match was held at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium in Chennai.
Germany won the FIH Junior World Cup for a record-extending eighth time.

Ueli Kestenholz Died as Olympic Snowboard Medalist (Mid of January) ▼

Ueli Kestenholz, a Swiss snowboarder and Olympic bronze medalist, passed away at the age of 50.
He won the bronze medal in the snowboard giant slalom at the 1998 Nagano Olympics, which was the debut event for the sport.
He was a two-time snowboardcross champion at the X-Games and competed in two additional Winter Games during his career.
The Swiss ski federation confirmed he died after being trapped in an avalanche in the Lötschental valley of Valais canton.
The incident occurred at an altitude of 2,400 meters while he was snowboarding with a friend.

Milano Cortina 2026 hosts Winter Olympics from 6 February (Start of February) ▼

The 2026 Winter Olympics, officially known as Milano Cortina 2026, will take place from 6 February to 22 February 2026.
The opening ceremony of the Games is scheduled to be held in Milan.
Ski mountaineering will make its debut as a new sport at this edition of the Winter Olympics.
Benin, Guinea-Bissau, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will be making their first-ever appearances at the Winter Olympics.
India will be represented by two athletes: Arif Mohammad Khan in Alpine Skiing and Stanzin Lundup in Cross-Country Skiing.
Both Indian athletes are scheduled to begin their respective campaigns on 7 February 2026.
Viacom18 holds the official broadcasting rights for the Games in India, with live streaming on JioCinema and television coverage on Sports18.
Ice hockey will return in full form with the participation of National Hockey League (NHL) players.
The 16 disciplines featured are Alpine Skiing, Biathlon, Bobsleigh, Cross-Country Skiing, Curling, Figure Skating, Freestyle Skiing, Ice Hockey, Luge, Nordic Combined, Short Track Speed Skating, Skeleton, Ski Jumping, Ski Mountaineering, Snowboarding, and Speed Skating.

Duplantis & McLaughlin-Levrone named world athletes of year (Start of December) ▼

Armand Duplantis and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone were crowned world athletes of the year at the World Athletics Awards in Monaco.
Sweden's Duplantis set four new pole vault world records in 2025, becoming the first human to clear the 6.30m barrier at the World Championships in Tokyo.
Duplantis was undefeated in 16 competitions in 2025, winning world titles both indoors and outdoors, and a fifth consecutive Diamond League crown.
McLaughlin-Levrone went undefeated through 2025 in both the 400m and 400m hurdles.
McLaughlin-Levrone became 400m world champion in Tokyo, running 47.78 seconds, which was the second fastest time in history and broke the 42-year-old championship record.
Duplantis won the athlete of the year prize for men's field.
McLaughlin-Levrone won the athlete of the year prize for women's track.
Australian Nicola Olyslagers, who won world high jump titles both indoors and outdoors, was named women's field athlete of the year.
Kenya's world 800m champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi won the men's track prize.
Spain's Maria Perez, who won world titles in both the 20km race walk and the 35km race walk, and London Marathon and Berlin Marathon winner Sabastian Sawe won the out of stadium awards.

Rashid Khan becomes first bowler to reach 700 T20 wickets

[Afghanistan]

Key Updates:

Afghan leg-spinner Rashid Khan became the first player in cricket history to reach the milestone of 700 wickets in T20 cricket.
He achieved the landmark during an International Cricket Council (ICC) T20 World Cup match against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Delhi.
Rashid Khan is the highest wicket-taker in T20 Internationals (T20Is) with 191 victims, followed by Tim Southee (164) and Ish Sodhi (162).
In the overall T20 wicket-takers list, Dwayne Bravo holds the second position with 631 wickets, while Sunil Narine is third with 613 wickets.
He was the first Afghan player to join the Indian Premier League (IPL), winning the title with Gujarat Titans (GT) in 2022.
Rashid Khan holds the records for being the youngest player to top the ICC One Day International (ODI) bowling rankings and the fastest to reach 100 ODI wickets.
His domestic career includes winning the Big Bash League (BBL) title with Adelaide Strikers in 2018.

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Virat Kohli overtakes Kumar Sangakkara to become second-highest run-scorer in international cricket (Mid of January) ▼

Virat Kohli overtook Kumar Sangakkara’s tally of 28,016 runs to become the second-highest run-scorer in international cricket.
Kohli achieved the feat in his 624th innings during the first ODI between India and New Zealand in Vadodara.
Sachin Tendulkar remains the highest run-scorer with 34,357 runs in 782 innings.
Kohli has scored 28,068 runs in international cricket so far.
Kohli struck a half-century in the match, marking his seventh-straight score of fifty or more in List A cricket.

Sonam Yeshey of Bhutan records first T20 8-wicket haul against Myanmar (End of December) ▼

Sonam Yeshey became the first player in T20 history, across international and domestic cricket, to take eight wickets in a single match.
The 22-year-old left-arm spinner achieved record-breaking figures of 8/7 from four overs during the third T20I against Myanmar.
The match was held at Gelephu Mindfulness City on December 26, 2025.
Bhutan successfully defended a total of 127/9 by dismissing Myanmar for 45 runs.
Yeshey surpassed the previous T20I records of seven-wicket hauls held by Syazrul Idrus of Malaysia and Ali Dawood of Bahrain.
The spinner has taken a total of 12 wickets in the series so far, bringing his career tally to 37 wickets in 34 T20Is.

Sunil Narine becomes first cricketer to take 600 T20 wickets (Start of December) ▼

Sunil Narine became the first bowler to claim 600 wickets in competitive T20 cricket.
He achieved this milestone during a World ILT20 game for his franchise Abu Dhabi Knight Riders against Sharjah Warriorz.
Narine reached the landmark by claiming the wicket of Tom Abell.
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders presented Narine with a special edition jersey featuring the number 600 to commemorate his unprecedented feat.

Jasprit Bumrah becomes first Indian to take 100 wickets in all three formats (Mid of December) ▼

Jasprit Bumrah has become the country’s first bowler to complete 100 wickets in Tests, ODIs, and T20Is.
He reached the milestone during the first T20I against South Africa at Barabati Stadium, Cuttack.
India defeated South Africa by 101 runs; India scored 175/6 and South Africa were all out for 74.

Magnus Carlsen defeats Fabiano Caruana to win FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship

[Norway, United States]

Key Updates:

Magnus Carlsen won the Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE) Freestyle Chess World Championship after defeating Fabiano Caruana in a four-game finale.
The tournament was held in the seaside town of Weissenhaus, Germany.
This victory marks the 21st world championship title for Magnus Carlsen, adding to his five classical, six rapid, and nine blitz world titles.
Magnus Carlsen won the third game of the final after Fabiano Caruana committed a blunder on the 31st move while in a winning position.
Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan secured third place by defeating German grandmaster Vincent Keymer.
Hans Niemann claimed fifth place in the tournament by defeating India's Arjun Erigaisi with a score of 2–0.
Levon Aronian took seventh place after winning an Armageddon match against Javokhir Sindarov of Uzbekistan.

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Arjun Erigaisi beats Magnus Carlsen in Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Finals (Start of December) ▼

Arjun Erigaisi beat Magnus Carlsen in the round-robin stage of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Finals.
The Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Finals are taking place at the Grootbos Private Nature Reserve in South Africa.
Javokhir Sindarov finished as the top player in the round-robin stage with 5.5 points.
Levon Aronian was the second-place player in the round-robin stage with 5 points.
Arjun Erigaisi finished third in the round-robin stage with 4.5 points after seven rounds.

Magnus Carlsen wins inaugural Esports World Cup 2025 chess title (Start of February) ▼

The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) confirmed chess as one of 16 competitive titles for the first-ever Esports Nations Cup 2026 (ENC).
The ENC is scheduled to be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from 2 November to 29 November 2026.
The chess tournament will feature 128 players and take place from 2 November to 8 November 2026.
Qualification for the event includes 64 players from Champions Chess Tour (CCT) rankings, 56 from online regional tournaments, and 8 Wildcard invitations.
The tournament format consists of 16 groups of eight players, leading to a 64-player knockout playoff using a Rapid 10+0 time control.
Regional qualifiers will be managed by Chess(dot)com in June 2026 across eight zones, including Middle East + India + Central Asia.
Magnus Carlsen won the first Esports World Cup chess title in 2025 representing Team Liquid.

Magnus Carlsen wins FIDE World Rapid Chess Championship 2025 (End of December) ▼

Magnus Carlsen won the International Chess Federation (FIDE) World Rapid Chess Championship 2025 held in Doha.
Carlsen finished the tournament with a score of 10.5/13 points to claim his sixth World Rapid title.
Russian Grandmaster Vladislav Artemiev finished as the runner-up with 9.5 points.
India’s Arjun Erigaisi secured the bronze medal with 9.5 points, becoming the second Indian GM to medal in the championship after Viswanathan Anand.
In the women’s section, Aleksandra Goryachkina won the FIDE Women’s World Rapid Chess Championship, while Zhu Jiner took silver and Koneru Humpy earned bronze.

Volodar Murzin defends FIDE World Rapid title; Magnus Carlsen & Ian Nepomniachtchi share FIDE World Blitz crown (Start of January) ▼

Volodar Murzin emerged as the World Rapid champion in 2024 after beating Alexander Grischuk.
Magnus Carlsen and Ian Nepomniachtchi were the joint World Blitz champions.
The 2025 championships are hosted at Qatar University’s Sports and Events Complex in Doha.
Each of the Rapid and Blitz sections carries a €350,000 prize fund, with the winner taking home €70,000.

India's first national cow culture museum to open in Uttar Pradesh's Mathura

[Uttar Pradesh]

Key Updates:

Uttar Pradesh Braj Teerth Vikas Parishad will establish the national cow culture museum at Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Veterinary Science University in Mathura.
The museum will display approximately 100 digital and symbolic models of cattle including all major breeds and endangered species.
An exhibition dedicated to cow milk and its products will present scientific, nutritional, and Ayurvedic benefits using modern techniques.
A dairy parlour will offer visitors pure dairy products on the museum premises.
The project follows directives of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and aims to elevate the identity of the Braj region.

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ICAR registers high-yield synthetic cattle breeds Karan Fries and Vrindavani to boost dairy output (Mid of January) ▼

The Indian government has officially registered two high-yielding synthetic cattle breeds, Karan Fries and Vrindavani, capable of producing more than 3,000 kg of milk during a standard 10-month lactation period.
Karan Fries was developed by the National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI) as a cross between the indigenous Tharparkar cow and the Holstein-Friesian bull.
Vrindavani was developed by the ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) using Holstein-Friesian, Brown Swiss, and Jersey breeds with the indigenous Hariana cattle.
These synthetic breeds have been engineered to maintain high milk production while successfully adapting to India’s challenging subtropical climate.

Bihar to get first power museum announced on December 11, 2025 (Mid of December) ▼

Bihar is all set to get country’s first-ever power museum.
The museum will be developed on the 3-acre campus of the decommissioned Karbigahiya Thermal Power Station in Patna.
The museum is envisioned not only to preserve Bihar's rich power-sector heritage but also to boost tourism and serve as a centre for educational and industrial research.
Advisor to the chief minister of Bihar and director general of Bihar Museum Anjani Kumar Singh reviewed the complete project plan.

Alwar to Host NCR’s First Biological Park with 400 Wild Animals, 81 Species (End of January) ▼

The biological park will cover the region from Kati Ghati to Jaisamand and be built on 100 hectares, with 30% developed as a zoo and 70% as green space.
A high-tech animal rescue centre modelled on Gir National Park and a modern veterinary hospital will be established within the park.
The park will display over 400 wild animals of 81 species, including giraffes from Africa, seven tiger species, lions and cheetahs, alongside lion, tiger and herbivore safaris.
A butterfly park showcasing various butterfly species will also be created inside the biological park.

National Milk Day observed on November 26 (End of November) ▼

National Milk Day is celebrated on November 26 to commemorate the birth anniversary of Dr Verghese Kurien who is known as the ‘Father of the White Revolution in India.’
The decision to commemorate Dr. Verghese Kurien’s birthday was taken collectively by The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), the Indian Dairy Association (IDA), and 22 state-level milk federations.
NDDB had launched “Operation Flood" on January 13, 1970, to make India self-sufficient in milk production.

International Childhood Cancer Day observed on 15 February with the theme Demonstrating Impact

[United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)]

Key Updates:

International Childhood Cancer Day (ICCD) is observed globally on 15 February every year to raise awareness about childhood cancer and support survivors and their families.
The theme for the year 2026 is Demonstrating Impact, which highlights the accomplishments of the global community in overcoming obstacles and reducing inequities.
The day was first recognised in 2002 and was organised by the International Confederation of Childhood Cancer Parents Organisations (ICCCPO) in partnership with other global organisations.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), approximately 400,000 infants and adolescents aged 0 to 19 years are diagnosed with cancer annually.
Common types of childhood cancers include leukaemias, brain tumours, lymphomas, and solid tumours such as neuroblastoma and Wilms tumour.
Key warning signs in children include persistent fever, unexpected weight loss, painless lumps or swelling, excessive fatigue, regular headaches, and eye abnormalities like a white glow in the pupil.
Other symptoms to monitor include chronic joint or bone pain, excessive sweating, and significant bruising or spontaneous bleeding on the skin.

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World Day of War Orphans observed on 6 January (Start of January) ▼

World Day of War Orphans is observed annually on 6 January to show the struggles experienced by children who lost their parents during war or armed conflicts.
The day was launched by the French organisation SOS Enfants en Détresse to draw international attention to children who lose parental care because of wars and armed conflicts.
Historical accounts show that the Second World War left millions of children orphaned across Europe, with Poland and Yugoslavia alone reporting about 300,000 and 200,000 orphans, respectively.

World Cancer Day 2026 observed on February 4 with theme 'United by Unique' (Start of February) ▼

World Cancer Day is observed on February 4 every year.
The theme for World Cancer Day 2026 is 'United by Unique'.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) reported an estimated 20 million new cancer cases and 9.7 million cancer-related deaths globally in 2022.
India reported over 15 lakh cancer cases in 2024, up from 13.5 lakh in 2019.
Cancer cases in India rose from 13.9 lakh in 2020 to 14.2 lakh in 2021, 14.6 lakh in 2022, and 14.9 lakh in 2023.

World Cervical Cancer Elimination Day observed as countries accelerate action (Mid of November) ▼

November 17 marks the first World Cervical Cancer Elimination Day – mandated by the World Health Assembly.
The Day supports the core pillars of the WHO’s global elimination strategy: vaccinating 90% of girls against human papillomavirus (HPV), screening 70% of women, and treating 90% of those with pre-cancer and invasive cancer.
Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and its partners estimate that the ambitious goal to reach 86 million girls by the end of 2025 has been met.

World Day for Preventing and Healing from Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse observed on November 18 (End of November) ▼

The World Day for the Prevention of and Healing from Child Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Violence is marked every year on November 18.
This observance was established in 2022 by the UN General Assembly.
On November 7, 2022, the UN General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/77/8, officially designating November 18 as the World Day.
The observance aims to raise awareness of child sexual abuse, strengthen global action, and support survivors in their journey toward healing and justice.
The theme for the 2025 commemoration is “Strengthening the Protection of Children Against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse Through Evidence-Based Policy Making.”

PM Modi inaugurates and flags off projects worth Rs 5,450 crore in Assam

[Assam]

Key Updates:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Assam and launched development projects worth over Rs 5,450 crore aimed at improving connectivity, digital infrastructure, higher education, and urban mobility in the North-East.
He landed at the Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) on the Moran Bypass in Dibrugarh, the first such dual-use facility in the North-East, developed with the Indian Air Force (IAF) to handle fighter aircraft up to 40 tonnes and transport aircraft up to 74 tonnes.
PM Modi inspected the newly built Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu, a six-lane extradosed PSC bridge across the Brahmaputra, constructed at a cost of approximately Rs 3,030 crore, reducing travel time between Guwahati and North Guwahati to seven minutes.
He inaugurated the National Data Centre for the North-Eastern Region at Amingaon in Kamrup district, with a sanctioned load of 8.5 MW and average rack capacity of 10 kW, to host mission-critical government applications and serve as a Disaster Recovery centre.
PM Modi inaugurated the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Guwahati, adding to higher education infrastructure in the North-East.
He flagged off 225 electric buses under the PM-eBus Sewa Scheme, with 100 for Guwahati, 50 each for Nagpur and Bhavnagar, and 25 for Chandigarh, expected to benefit over 50 lakh citizens.

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PM Modi’s first-ever State Visit to Ethiopia (Mid of December) ▼

PM Modi will arrive in Ethiopia on Tuesday for his first-ever State Visit to the African nation.
The visit is held at the invitation of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali.
Modi will address a Joint Session of the Ethiopian Parliament and meet members of the Indian diaspora.
Addis Ababa is hosting an Indian Prime Minister for the first time since 2011.

Narendra Modi pledges global recognition for Assam's culture (Mid of January) ▼

Narendra Modi declared his commitment to ensuring Assam’s cultural heritage receives global recognition.
Modi attended the Bagurumba Dwhou event in Guwahati and praised the Bagurumba dance as a living celebration of Bodo traditions.
He accused previous Congress governments of neglecting Bodoland and encouraging illegal infiltration for vote bank politics.
Modi highlighted the transformation of Assam under BJP governance, attributing peace to the Bodo Peace Accord.

PM Modi Assam Visit on Dec 20-21 to Inaugurate Projects Worth Rs 15,600 Crore (End of December) ▼

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate and lay foundation stone of projects worth around Rs 15,600 crore in Assam on Saturday and Sunday.
The New Terminal Building of Lokapriya Gopinath Bardoloi International Airport in Guwahati will be inaugurated, designed to handle up to 1.3 crore passengers annually.
PM Modi will perform Bhoomipujan for Ammonia-Urea Fertilizer Project of Assam Valley Fertilizer and Chemical Company Limited at Namrup in Dibrugarh.
The Ammonia-Urea Fertilizer Project is stated to be built with an estimated investment of over Rs. 10,600 crore.

PM Modi launches projects worth over ₹11,000 crore in West Bengal and Assam (Mid of January) ▼

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit West Bengal and Assam to inaugurate, lay foundation stones and flag off rail, road, port and inland water transport projects worth more than ₹11,000 crore.
The projects include India’s first Vande Bharat Sleeper Train between Howrah and Guwahati, new Amrit Bharat Express services, highway works and port-linked infrastructure.
In West Bengal, projects worth more than ₹3,250 crore include a new rail line between Balurghat and Hili, freight maintenance facilities at New Jalpaiguri, and rail electrification works on the New Coochbehar–Bamanhat and New Coochbehar–Boxirhat sections.
In Assam, the ₹6,950-crore Kaziranga Elevated Corridor Project involves four-laning of the Kaliabor–Numaligarh section of NH-715, including a 35 km elevated wildlife corridor through Kaziranga National Park.