Daily Current Affairs: 23 January 2026

Karunakaran Azhisur appointed country head of Guardian India

Key Updates:

• Karunakaran Azhisur has been appointed country head of Guardian India, the global capability centre for The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America.
• He will continue to serve as chief information officer (CIO) of Guardian India alongside his new role.
• He joined Guardian as CIO in November 2024.
• He will report to Michael Prestileo, chief strategy officer and chair of the Guardian India board.
• Guardian India operates centres in Chennai and Gurugram.

Bakul Limbasiya received APO National Award for pioneering contributions to lab-grown diamond sector

Key Updates:

• Bakul Limbasiya, founder of Bhathwari Technologies Pvt. Ltd. (BTPL), was conferred the APO National Award administered by the National Productivity Council (NPC) under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Government of India.
• He is credited with producing India’s first-ever lab-grown diamond in 2004 and has been associated with the industry since 1998.
• BTPL, based in Surat, is one of the world’s leading producers of lab-grown CVD diamond reactors and advanced technologies for lab-grown diamonds.

Parbati Giri remembered on birth centenary

Key Updates:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid homage to freedom fighter Parbati Giri on her birth centenary.
• Parbati Giri (born on 19 January 1926) was a freedom fighter and social reformer from Odisha, popularly known as the “Mother Teresa of Western Odisha”.
• She joined the freedom struggle at a young age, actively participating in the Individual Satyagraha and the Quit India Movement, and was imprisoned for her resistance.
• After Independence, she dedicated her life to social service, working for famine relief, tribal welfare, prison reforms, and leprosy eradication.
• On her 100th birth anniversary, her life of service, sacrifice, and Gandhian values is being remembered as an inspiration for future generations.

Deepinder Goyal resigned as Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Eternal

[Eternal Group]

Key Updates:

• Deepinder Goyal resigned from his position as the Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Eternal, the company that operates Zomato and Blinkit.
• Albinder Dhindsa was appointed as the new Group CEO of Eternal, succeeding Deepinder Goyal.
• Deepinder Goyal will transition to the role of Vice Chairman of the board of directors at Eternal, subject to shareholder approval.
• Albinder Dhindsa previously served as the leader of Blinkit and oversaw its journey from acquisition to breakeven.
• Deepinder Goyal’s unvested Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) will be returned to the company's ESOP pool as part of the leadership transition.
• Deepinder Goyal stated that his decision to step down was driven by a desire to pursue high-risk exploration and experimentation outside of a public company framework.

Ganesh Lakshminarayanan appointed CEO-designate of Tata Communications

[Tata Communications]

Key Updates:

• Ganesh Lakshminarayanan has been named CEO-designate of Tata Communications and will take over as Managing Director & CEO after regulatory approvals.
• He will succeed AS Lakshminarayanan, who is retiring on April 13, 2026.
• Ganesh previously served as Managing Director and Group Vice President for ServiceNow India & SAARC.
• Earlier, he was CEO of Airtel Business in India and led the enterprise business unit to 50% growth over three years.

Dezan Shira & Associates (DSA) Releases Asia Manufacturing Index (AMI) 2026

Key Updates:

• Dezan Shira & Associates (DSA) released the third edition of the Asia Manufacturing Index (AMI) 2026 on January 12, 2026.
• China retained the top position as Asia’s leading manufacturing economy for the third consecutive year.
• Malaysia climbed to second place in the AMI 2026, overtaking Vietnam in the rankings.
• Singapore advanced to fourth place, reinforcing its role in high-value and advanced manufacturing.
• India and Indonesia maintained their positions at sixth and seventh place, respectively.
• Thailand recorded an improvement in the index, moving from 10th to eighth place.
• Bangladesh ranked 11th among the 11 major Asian manufacturing economies analyzed in the report.
• The AMI 2026 introduced an archive and exact scores on a standardized 1–100 scale for every parameter.
• Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines experienced incremental ranking changes reflecting stable but competitive positions.
• Targeted industrial policy, infrastructure investment, and regulatory reform are narrowing performance gaps across Asian manufacturing economies.
• Manufacturing economies in the region increasingly compete across similar cost, scale, and capacity factors.

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

[Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI)]

Key Updates:

• 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.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issues operational guidelines for Export Credit Interest Subvention Scheme

[Reserve Bank of India (RBI)]

Key Updates:

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued operational guidance for the implementation of the Government of India’s Interest Subvention Scheme for pre- and post-shipment export credit.
• The scheme is introduced on a pilot basis under the Export Promotion Mission (EPM) – Niryat Prothsahan.
• The RBI directed all scheduled commercial banks (excluding regional rural banks), primary urban co-operative banks, state co-operative banks, and all-India financial institutions to extend the interest subvention.
• Lending institutions must adhere to operational instructions issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) through Trade Notices dated January 2, 2026, and January 16, 2026.
• The scheme aims to support exporters by reducing the interest burden on eligible export credit.
• The RBI circular, dated January 19, 2026, emphasizes that claims must be submitted according to prescribed procedures and existing regulatory instructions.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Issues Foreign Exchange Management (Guarantees) Regulations 2026

[Reserve Bank of India (RBI)]

Key Updates:

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has released the Foreign Exchange Management (Guarantees) Regulations, 2026, replacing the previous framework from 2000.
• The new principle-based regime expands the automatic route for cross-border guarantees, allowing transactions without prior approval if they meet FEMA borrowing and lending rules.
• Mandatory reporting of all guarantees must be submitted to authorized dealer banks on a quarterly basis within 15 days of the quarter end.
• The RBI has introduced a Late Submission Fee (LSF) for delayed reporting, calculated as ₹7,500 + 0.025% × amount involved × number of years of delay.
• A new reporting format, Form GRN, has been introduced to capture granular data including guarantee commissions, invocation details, and timelines for extinguishing liabilities.
• The regulations do not apply to guarantees issued under the Overseas Investment Regulations, 2022, or irrevocable payment commitments issued by custodian banks for Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs).

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) grants Payoneer India in-principle PA-CB approval

[Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Payoneer India]

Key Updates:

• Payoneer India has received in-principle approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to operate as a Payment Aggregator – Cross Border (PA-CB).
• The RBI has already fully authorised 19 entities with a PA-CB licence.
• Payoneer Global claims to support customers in more than 190 countries and territories.
• Over the trailing 12 months as of the third quarter of 2025, Payoneer Global served nearly two million active customers and processed over $80 billion in transaction volume.

National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) grants ZET TPAP licence for RuPay credit-card UPI payments.

[National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), RuPay]

Key Updates:

• ZET secured NPCI approval for a Third-Party Application Provider licence.
• ZET integrates UPI payments with credit card rewards using RuPay’s UPI-on-credit-card capability.
• ZET expects monthly UPI transactions via credit cards to reach about Rs 100 crore.
• ZET’s platform has around 10 lakh eligible users, nearly 75 percent of whom are first-time credit card users.
• ZET’s UPI ecosystem is powered by Juspay’s technology stack and enabled through a partnership with RBL Bank.

Odisha–Meghalaya MoU on Early Childhood Care and Development

[Odisha, Meghalaya]

Key Updates:

• Odisha and Meghalaya signed an MoU to strengthen Early Childhood Care, Education and Development through mutual learning and capacity building.
• The MoU covers nutrition, health, early learning, responsive caregiving, community engagement, and institutional capacity building.
• It provides for knowledge exchange, joint research, exposure visits, documentation of best practices, and capacity development of functionaries.

Draft National Electricity Policy (NEP) 2026 targets 2,000 kWh per capita consumption and 100 GW nuclear capacity

Key Updates:

• The Ministry of Power (MoP) launched the Draft National Electricity Policy (NEP) 2026 on Jan 21, 2026, to transform India’s power sector to meet the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.
• The Draft NEP 2026 sets a target of 2,000 kWh per capita electricity consumption by 2030, rising to over 4,000 kWh by 2047.
• The policy mandates a 45% reduction in emissions intensity by 2030 (vs 2005) and aims for net-zero emissions by 2070.
• The NEP 2026 promotes low-carbon pathways through large-scale renewable integration and nuclear expansion to 100 GW by 2047.
• By 2030, renewable energy sources will have equal scheduling and deviation rights as conventional sources like coal.
• The policy aims for single-digit Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses and mandates N-1 Redundancy for cities with over 10 lakh people by 2032.
• The NEP 2026 introduces functional unbundling of State Transmission Utilities (STUs) to create independent SLDCs and mandates that all power sector data must be stored in India.
• The MoP proposes exempting cross-subsidies for industries, railways, and metros to lower power costs and boost manufacturing competitiveness.

Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban: Lucknow achieves 100% scientific municipal solid-waste processing

Key Updates:

• Lucknow has become the first city in Uttar Pradesh to achieve 100 per cent scientific processing of municipal solid waste under Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban.
• The city now operates three waste-processing facilities, each with a capacity of 700 MT per day, collectively handling over 2,100 MT daily.
• Door-to-door waste-collection efficiency has reached 96.53 per cent and source-segregation levels have crossed 70 per cent.

Atal Pension Yojana extension ensures monthly pension for informal sector

Key Updates:

• The Union Cabinet approved the continuation of the Atal Pension Yojana (APY) till 2030-31.
• The scheme provides a guaranteed monthly pension of ₹1,000 to ₹5,000 from age 60 based on contributions.
• Government funding continues for outreach, development work and gap funding to keep the scheme financially viable.
• As of January 19, 2026, more than 8.66 crore people have enrolled under APY.

GeM–WTC Mumbai MoU to Boost MSME Inclusion in Public Procurement

[World Trade Center Mumbai]

Key Updates:

• GeM and MVIRDC World Trade Centre Mumbai signed an MoU to foster domestic and international collaboration in public procurement.
• The MoU aims to enhance GeM’s global positioning, promote knowledge exchange, and drive inclusive participation for MSMEs, startups, women entrepreneurs, and underrepresented suppliers.
• Joint initiatives include global procurement dialogues, capacity-building programs, supplier outreach, and research on AI in procurement, sustainability, and green practices.
• A Joint Working Group will oversee implementation, ensuring alignment with Government of India policies on public procurement, data security, and inclusivity.

BHASHINI–Survey of India MoU enables AI-driven creation of National Place Name Database covering over 16 lakh locations

[Survey of India]

Key Updates:

• The Digital India BHASHINI Division (DIBD) under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology signed an MoU with Survey of India to digitise, transcribe and standardise geographical place names using AI-based speech and language technologies.
• Survey of India, the national nodal agency for standardisation and maintenance of geographical names, will integrate BHASHINI’s speech-to-text and language processing capabilities to convert audio recordings into structured digital text for a validated Toponymy Database covering more than 16 lakh locations.
• The collaboration will support the National Geographical Name Information System by processing field-collected audio data into multiple scripts including local language scripts, Devanagari and Roman formats, ensuring consistency across national maps and governance platforms.

SAMPANN Portal Integrated with DigiLocker to Provide One-Click Digital Access to DoT Pensioners

[DigiLocker, Department of Telecommunications (DoT)]

Key Updates:

• The Office of the Principal Controller of Communication Accounts (Pr CCA), Delhi has integrated the System for Accounting and Management of Pension (SAMPANN) pension portal with DigiLocker.
• SAMPANN is a government-run digital platform designed to make pension services easier for Department of Telecommunications (DoT) retirees.
• The integration enables pensioners to access key documents such as e-Pension Payment Orders (e-PPOs), gratuity sanction orders, communication sanctions, and Form-16 online.
• The SAMPANN platform was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in December 2018.
• The platform is developed and managed by the Office of the Controller General of Communication Accounts and handles pension payments and related financial work online.
• The platform has digitised the entire pension lifecycle—from initiation and processing of cases to issuance of e-Pension Payment Orders, disbursement, accounting, reconciliation, financial reporting, audit facilitation, and grievance redressal.

Atal Vichal Agragami Assam scheme announces Rs 25,000 monthly financial assistance for research scholars

[Assam]

Key Updates:

• Under the 'Atal Vichal Agragami Assam scheme', the state government will provide monthly financial assistance of Rs 25,000 to research scholars.
• Divyang research scholars will receive enhanced support of Rs 40,000 per month.
• The scheme is scheduled to be formally launched on February 11, 2026.

India to launch over 50 spy satellites under Space-Based Surveillance-3 after border conflict surveillance gaps

Key Updates:

• India plans to launch over 50 spy satellites and add night-time imaging to enhance national security capabilities, people familiar with the matter said.
• India encountered surveillance blind spots during a border conflict last year with neighbour Pakistan.
• The Narendra Modi-led administration is looking to build ground stations overseas to relay information more quickly and comprehensively, said the people.
• These ground stations could be in the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Scandinavia, they said.
• Plans are underway to enhance satellites with synthetic aperture radar capable of capturing images in dark, cloudy conditions.
• Upgrades are being worked on to help transfer data from one satellite to another without relying on a ground station.
• The launch of the first 52 satellites under Space-Based Surveillance-3 is being fast-tracked.
• India plans to deploy as many as 150 new satellites to boost border security, Mint reported citing Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman V Narayanan.
• The estimated cost of placing 150 satellites is about Rs 26,000 crore ($2.8 billion).
• India has more than 100 satellites in orbit compared to just eight for Pakistan, according to spacecraft data tracker N2YO.com.
• India’s satellites are blind at night or in cloudy conditions, a lacuna highlighted during Operation Sindoor against Pakistan last year.
• China provided Pakistan with support during the fighting, helping Islamabad adjust its satellite coverage, a research group under India’s Ministry of Defence said last year.

India and Namibia hold Foreign Office Consultations and agree to deepen collaboration in defence and critical minerals

[Namibia]

Key Updates:

• Both sides agreed to further deepen bilateral ties in key areas such as health, Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), agriculture, defence and critical minerals.
• Discussions were also held on regional and international issues of mutual interest, including cooperation at the UN.
• The FOC was co-chaired by Janesh Kain, Joint Secretary (East & Southern Africa), Ministry of External Affairs and Ambassador Charles Josob, Acting Head of Department for Bilateral Relations and Cooperation, Ministry of International Relations and Trade, Namibia.

Israel and Azerbaijan accept invitation to join Trump’s Board of Peace

[Israel, Azerbaijan]

Key Updates:

• Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he has agreed to join the board.
• Azerbaijan foreign ministry stated: 'Azerbaijan, as always, is ready to actively contribute to international cooperation, peace, and stability.'
• Armenia has also joined the Trump-led peace board.
• India received an invitation letter dated January 16 from Trump inviting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to join the Board of Peace.
• Current members of the Board of Peace are: Israel, Azerbaijan, Armenia, United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Hungary, Argentina, Belarus.

Centre for Trade and Investment Law and National Law University Odisha Organize International Conference on Role of Trade in Global Energy Transition

[Odisha]

Key Updates:

• The Centre for Trade and Investment Law (CTIL), in collaboration with the Centre for International Trade Law, National Law University Odisha (NLUO), organised a two-day International Conference on the theme 'Role of International Trade in Global Energy Transition' at the National Law University Odisha campus in Cuttack, under the aegis of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Chairs Programme.
• Justice Biraja Prasanna, Odisha High Court, Prasanna Satapathy, attended as the Chief Guest, and Professor N.L. Mitra as the Guest of Honour.
• Ambassador Ujal Singh Bhatia, Former Chairperson, World Trade Organization Appellate Body, was present at the event.
• Discussions focused on the role of the multilateral trading system at the intersection of international trade and global energy transition.

Andhra Pradesh CM N. Chandrababu Naidu confirms new spaceport at Hope Island for private launch missions

[Andhra Pradesh]

Key Updates:

• The new spaceport at Hope Island is expected to primarily support private launch providers, adding to India’s expanding launch infrastructure.
• India will have three spaceports: the existing Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC-SHAR) at Sriharikota, the upcoming SSLV Launch Complex at Kulasekharapatnam, and the proposed Hope Island facility.
• The Hope Island spaceport is being planned with commercial launches in mind, complementing ISRO’s existing facilities.
• Launch sites closer to the equator benefit from Earth’s rotation, reducing fuel requirements for eastward launches.
• Launches into polar orbits from Sriharikota require a ‘dog-leg’ manoeuvre to avoid flying over Sri Lanka, costing energy—especially significant for smaller rockets like SSLV, Vikram-1, and Agnibaan.
• ISRO is building the SSLV launch complex at Kulasekharapatnam, expected to be ready by 2027, to focus on polar orbit missions and support both ISRO and private players.

NGT Orders Udupi DC and KUWSDB to Curb Sauparnika River Pollution

Key Updates:

• The National Green Tribunal (NGT) Southern Zone directed Udupi DC and Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board (KUWSDB) Chairman to file a detailed report on stopping wastewater flow into the Sauparnika River in Kollur.
• Commercial establishments—lodges and hotels around Sri Mookambika Temple—are allegedly discharging sewage and sullage water into the river, causing long-term contamination.
• Although the Underground Sewerage Scheme (UGSS) was completed in 2020 at a cost of Rs 19.97 crore, river contamination persists.
• NGT observed that the Udupi DC’s report filed on November 25, 2025, lacked specifics on waste volume, UGSS carrying capacity, required enhancements, estimated costs, and implementation timelines.
• Karnataka State Pollution Control Board has been instructed to identify violators and report enforcement actions taken.

NITI Aayog unveils sectoral roadmaps to decarbonise cement, aluminium and green-transition MSMEs

[NITI Aayog]

Key Updates:

• NITI Aayog has proposed setting up a National Project Management Agency (NPMA) and allocating 8-9% of the credit-guarantee fund value to help an estimated 69 million MSMEs in the country go green as India works towards becoming Net Zero by 2070.
• MSMEs alone have contributed 135 million tonnes of carbon emissions in 2022.
• The Aayog has called for supporting MSMEs in terms of technology upgradation, market access, and green transition to fulfil ‘Viksit Bharat’ goals by 2047.
• In a separate report on Roadmap for Cement Sector Decarbonisation, the Aayog has proposed increased usage of Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) from municipal solid waste for substituting thermal heating from coal.
• It has suggested increased usage of supplementary cementitious materials or clinker substitutes and scaling up Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) in the cement industry for capturing CO2 in process emission.
• By using these three solutions, the Indian cement sector may reduce 80-85% GHG emission by 2070.
• In a third report on Roadmap for Aluminium Sector Decarbonisation a three-stage process to reduce the sector’s carbon footprint.
• Aluminium production accounted for approximately 2.8% of India’s GHG emissions or 83 MTCO2 e in 2023, and without intervention, emissions could rise to 376 MTCO2 e by 2070.

India defeats Kenya to win Roll Ball World Cup 2025

Key Updates:

• India clinched the gold medal at the 7th Roll Ball World Cup 2025 in Dubai.
• Yash Anil Rashiya scored the match-winning goal in the final against Kenya.
• The tournament was held in Dubai.