Daily Current Affairs: 26 February 2026

Analysis for 26 February 2026

Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya delivers keynote at ESIC 75th Year of Service celebrations.

Key Updates:

Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister for Labour & Employment and Youth Affairs & Sports, delivered the keynote address at the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) 75th Year of Service celebrations held at Bharat Mandapam.
Ms. Vandana Gurnani, Secretary, Labour & Employment, stated that ESIC has emerged as a cornerstone of India’s social security architecture.
ESIC signed an MoU with the National Health Authority to converge the ESI Scheme with Ayushman Bharat–PM-JAY.
ESIC signed an MoU with the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) to strengthen quality assurance in laboratories.

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Rajnath Singh addresses 100th Common Foundation Course at LBSNAA (Start of December) ▼

Rajnath Singh, Defence Minister, addressed the valedictory ceremony of the 100th Common Foundation Course at Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Mussoorie.
He urged young civil servants to stay mission-ready for national security and highlighted Operation Sindoor as an example of civil–military fusion.
Singh emphasised that good governance and national security must move together to achieve Viksit Bharat by 2047.

Army Service Corps Day celebrated on 265th anniversary (Start of December) ▼

Army Service Corps Day marks the 265th anniversary of the Army Service Corps (ASC).
The ASC was established in 1760 and is one of the oldest and largest logistic arms of the Indian Army.
The celebration took place at ASC Centre & College, Bengaluru, the Alma Mater of the Corps.
Lt Gen JK Gera, Commandant, ASC Centre & College, led the wreath-laying ceremony at the War Memorial.
A separate wreath-laying ceremony was held at the Animal Transport Memorial to honour animals and their handlers.
The motto of the Army Service Corps is 'Seva Asmakam Dharma'.

Sahakar Sarathi Initiative Launches 13 New Services and Products for Cooperative Sector (Start of December) ▼

Union Home & Cooperation Minister Amit Shah launched over 13 new services and products under the ‘Sahakar Sarathi’ initiative.
New offerings include Digi KCC, Campaign Sarathi, Website Sarathi, Cooperative Governance Index, ePACS, the World’s Largest Grain Storage Application, Shiksha Sarathi and Sarathi Technology Forum.
The Ministry of Cooperation aims to establish a cooperative institution in every Panchayat, expand cooperative membership to more than 50 crore people and increase the sector’s contribution to GDP.

UNICEF Foundation Day 2025: December 11, Theme 'My Day, My Rights' (Mid of December) ▼

UNICEF Foundation Day is observed on December 11 every year.
The official theme for UNICEF Foundation Day 2025 is 'My Day, My Rights'.
UNICEF was established on December 11, 1946 to supply food, clothing, and medical care to children in post-World War II Europe.
UNICEF stands for the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, a name used until 1953.
UNICEF was founded in 1946 by Ludwik Rajchman.

Jose Maria Balcazar Appointed Interim President of Peru

[Peru]

Key Updates:

Peru’s Congress elected Jose Maria Balcazar as the interim president of the country, succeeding Jose Jeri following his removal from office.
Balcazar is an 83-year-old former judge and professor who represents the left-wing Peru Libre (Free Peru) party.
He secured the presidency by obtaining 60 votes out of 113 cast in the second round of voting in the Congress.
His interim tenure is scheduled to last for 53 days until the national elections are held on 12 April 2026.
Balcazar has been a member of the Congress since 2021 and previously served as a provisional member of the Supreme Court of Peru.
He becomes the ninth president of Peru in the last decade, a period marked by the impeachment of four presidents and the resignation of two others.
The National Board of Justice (CNM) had previously conducted disciplinary hearings regarding Balcazar’s judicial term on the high court’s bench.
The outgoing president, Jose Jeri, was impeached following allegations of influence-peddling and misconduct in a scandal known as Chifagate.

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Delcy Rodríguez sworn in as Venezuela’s interim President (Start of January) ▼

Delcy Rodríguez has been sworn in as interim president of Venezuela.
The swearing-in took place amid pro-Maduro national protests.
Nicolás Maduro and his wife were captured by the United States.

United States launches military strikes on Caracas and captures Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro (Start of January) ▼

United States launched large-scale military strikes on Caracas early Saturday and claimed to have captured President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
US President Donald Trump announced the operation on Truth Social, describing it as aimed at ending a 'narco-terrorist regime'.
US Special Forces seized Maduro and Flores, transported them via helicopter to a US Navy ship offshore, and then flew them to the United States.
Maduro is currently being held at a federal detention facility in New York and is expected to appear in court on charges including narco-terrorism conspiracy.
Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez appeared on state television to condemn the attack, while a Venezuelan court named her interim president.
Russia, China, Iran, and Cuba strongly condemned the US move as a violation of sovereignty.
UN Secretary-General called the action a 'dangerous precedent' and an emergency Security Council meeting was scheduled.

Jose Antonio Kast elected as 38th President of Chile (Mid of December) ▼

Jose Antonio Kast defeated Jeannette Jara in run-off to become Chile's 38th president.
Kast won nearly 58 percent of vote, marking third attempt and first successful bid.
Jeannette Jara conceded defeat on social media wishing success for Chile.

Nitin Nabin assumes charge as Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National Working President (Mid of December) ▼

Nitin Nabin succeeded Union Minister JP Nadda as the BJP National Working President.
He is the youngest BJP president ever and the first BJP president from Bihar and Eastern India.
Nabin is a five-time MLA and Minister of Road Construction in the Bihar Government.
He is the son of veteran BJP leader Navin Kishore Prasad Sinha.

Narendra Modi Conferred With Speaker of the Knesset Medal by Israel

[Israel]

Key Updates:

Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi was conferred with the Speaker of the Knesset Medal, which is the highest honour awarded by the Israeli parliament.
PM Modi is the first Indian Prime Minister to receive this distinction, which was presented during his address to the Knesset.
The medal was awarded in recognition of his leadership in strengthening strategic and bilateral relations between India and Israel.
During the two-day visit, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu proposed the building of an iron alliance between the two nations to counter extremist Islam.
PM Modi is among the few world leaders to hold top honours from both Israel and Palestine, having received the Grand Collar of the State of Palestine in 2018.
The Prime Minister also held meetings with Israeli President Isaac Herzog to discuss deepening cooperation in key strategic areas.

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India and Israel: Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Israel and address Knesset in February 2025 (End of February) ▼

Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi is scheduled to arrive in Israel on 25 February 2025 for a two-day official visit.
PM Modi is expected to address the Knesset (Israeli parliament) and hold meetings with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog.
Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana announced that former lawmakers will occupy opposition benches if current members boycott the address.
The Leader of Opposition (LOP) Yair Lapid has demanded that Supreme Court (SC) President Yitzhak Amit be invited to the session as per protocol.
The political dispute is linked to Israel's judicial overhaul controversy and Justice Minister Yariv Levin's refusal to recognise the authority of SC President Amit.

India and Israel sign MoU to deepen defence ties ahead of Prime Minister Modi's visit (End of February) ▼

An MoU was signed between India and Israel to deepen defence ties and strengthen ongoing joint activities, including future seminars and cooperative initiatives.
The International Defence Cooperation Directorate (SIBAT) within Israel's Ministry of Defense (IMOD) facilitated meetings between leading Indian and Israeli defence industries leading to the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
SIBAT in cooperation with the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM) and India's Ministry of Defence led a seminar and B2B meetings this week between leading Indian and Israeli defence companies.
The seminar was led by SIBAT Director, Brig. Gen. (Res.) Yair Kulas, and brought together small, medium and large Israeli and Indian defence companies for substantive engagements.
The event featured representatives from 30 Indian and 26 Israeli defence companies.
The Indian delegation was led by Ramesh K, Director General of SIDM, and included J P Singh, Ambassador of India to Israel, and Gp Capt. Vijay Patil, Defence Attache of India to Israel.
Prime Minister Modi would arrive on February 25 on a two-day visit to Israel.

Israel to award Israel Prize for Peace to United States President Donald Trump after Florida talks (End of December) ▼

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that US President Donald Trump will receive the Israel Prize for Peace, the country's highest civilian honour.
This marks the first time in 80 years the prize is awarded to a non-Israeli citizen and the first occasion the Peace category has been used.
The Israeli government amended the prize rules in July 2025 to allow foreign citizens to be eligible for the award.
Trump and Netanyahu discussed the second phase of the Gaza peace plan, including Hamas disarmament and issues related to the occupied West Bank.
Trump stated he is 'not concerned about anything that Israel is doing' and praised Israel for living up to the plan '100%'.
Netanyahu described the meeting as 'very, very productive' and emphasized strong cooperation between the two leaders.

Ethiopia confers The Great Honour Nishan of Ethiopia on Prime Minister Narendra Modi (Mid of December) ▼

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred with Ethiopia's highest award 'The Great Honour Nishan of Ethiopia' by his Ethiopian counterpart Abiy Ahmed Ali.
The award was conferred for his exceptional contribution towards strengthening India-Ethiopia partnership and for his visionary leadership as a global statesman.
Prime Minister Modi is the first global head of state/head of government to receive this award.

R. Nallakannu, Veteran Communist Party of India (CPI) Leader and Freedom Fighter, Passes Away at 101

[Communist Party of India (CPI)]

Key Updates:

Veteran Communist Party of India (CPI) leader and freedom fighter R. Nallakannu passed away at the age of 101 on 25 February 2026 at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
Born on 25 December 1925 in Srivaikuntam, he joined the CPI in 1944 and later served as the State Secretary of the party in Tamil Nadu for 13 years.
He was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1949 in the Nellai conspiracy case for organising a land for tillers agitation and was released in 1956.
The Government of Tamil Nadu conferred the Thagaisaal Tamilar (Scholarly Tamil) award upon him in 2022, which carried a cash prize of ₹15 lakh.
He received the Ambedkar Award for the year 2007 from the then Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi.
He donated the ₹15 lakh prize money from the Thagaisaal Tamilar award to the Chief Minister’s relief fund and returned a car and ₹1 crore gifted by party cadres to the CPI.
At the age of 95, he successfully argued a petition before the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court to secure a five-year ban on illegal sand mining in the Thamirabarani river.
His body was donated for medical research in accordance with his final wishes.

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Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Jayanti 2026 was observed as Parakram Diwas on January 23 (End of January) ▼

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Jayanti 2026 was observed on January 23, marking his 129th birth anniversary.
The day was celebrated as Parakram Diwas to honour Netaji’s courage, leadership and role in India’s freedom struggle.
Parakram Diwas commemorated Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, the iconic leader of the Indian National Army (INA).
The term Parakram, meaning valour, reflected Netaji’s fearless and revolutionary spirit.
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was born on January 23, 1897, in Cuttack, Odisha.
He had resigned from the Indian Civil Service to dedicate himself fully to the independence movement.
Netaji led the INA and founded the Forward Bloc to strengthen resistance against British rule.
The Government of India had designated January 23 as Parakram Diwas to honour his sacrifices.
Schools and colleges organised debates, essay writing and cultural programmes across the country.
Tributes were paid at Netaji’s statues and memorials, especially in Cuttack, Kolkata and Delhi.

Mani Shankar Mukherjee (Shankar) passes away at 92. (End of February) ▼

Mani Shankar Mukherjee, popularly known as Shankar, died at the age of 92 on Friday.
He was born in 1933 in Bongaon, North 24 Parganas district, West Bengal.
Shankar received the Sahitya Akademi Award in 2021.
Notable works include Chowrangi, Kato Ajanare, Simabuddha, Janaaranya, and Kumkum Prabhu.

Kannan Pattambi passes away at 62 (Start of January) ▼

Kannan Pattambi, Malayalam actor and production controller, died while undergoing treatment for a kidney-related ailment at a private hospital in Kozhikode, Kerala.
His elder brother Major Ravi confirmed the news through a Facebook post.
Pattambi worked extensively with Major Ravi and Mohanlal on films including Mission 90 Days, Pulimurugan, Kandahar, Karmayodha and Kurukshetra.
He acted in 23 films including Black, Vettam, Odiyan and 12th Man.

Kalyan Chatterjee passes away at 81; Veteran Bengali actor (Start of December) ▼

Kalyan Chatterjee passed away at the age of 81 after battling typhoid and age-related ailments.
He made his acting debut in the 1968 film 'Apanjan' and appeared in over 400 films.
Chatterjee was known for portraying the everyday Bengali man and worked with directors like Satyajit Ray and Sujoy Ghosh.
His notable films include 'Pratidwandi', 'Kahaani', 'Dhanyee Meye', 'Dui Prithibi', 'Sabuj Dwiper Raja', and 'Baishe Srabon'.
He also acted in Hindi films and web series like 'Tansener Tanpura'.

Jatinder Mehra, Vice Chairman of Essar's Metals & Mining Division and former RINL chief, passes away at 86.

[Essar]

Key Updates:

Jatinder Mehra died at the age of 86 while serving as Vice Chairman of the metals and mining division at Essar Group.
He had a career spanning more than six decades in India’s steel and metals sector.
Mehra was formerly the chief of Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL).
He played a key role in expanding Essar’s steelmaking capacity at Hazira and in developing the Paradip steel facility in Odisha.

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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.

Rituraj Sinha Managing Director of Tata Steel Utilities and Infrastructure Services Limited (UISL) passed away at 58 (Start of December) ▼

Rituraj Sinha was the Managing Director of Tata Steel Utilities and Infrastructure Services Limited (UISL).
He was pronounced dead on arrival at Tata Main Hospital.
Last rites will be held at Parvati Ghat.

Armed Forces Veterans' Day observed on January 14 (Mid of January) ▼

Armed Forces Veterans' Day is celebrated on January 14 every year.
The day marks the birth anniversary of the Late Field Marshal KM Cariappa, who retired on this day in 1953.
Field Marshal Cariappa was the First Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C) of the Indian Army.

Late T T Jagannathan awarded Padma Shri posthumously in trade and industry category. (End of January) ▼

Late T T Jagannathan, chairman emeritus of TTK Prestige Group, received the Padma Shri posthumously for his contributions to trade and industry.
He invented the GRS safety mechanism for pressure cookers and transformed TTK Prestige into a globally exported cookware brand.
Jagannathan served on the TTK Prestige board for 50 years and led the group to become debt-free.
He was a gold medallist from IIT Madras and held a PhD in operations from Cornell University, USA.
He authored the book 'Disrupt And Conquer - How TTK Prestige Became A Billion Dollar Company'.
Jagannathan passed away in October 2025 at the age of 77.

Hariharan Unveils Book and Album at 50 Glorious Years of Ghazal Singing Celebration

Key Updates:

Padma Shri Hariharan marked 50 years of ghazal singing at Mavlankar Auditorium in Delhi.
The book Ustad-e-Ghazal Hariharan, authored by Anand Kakkar, was launched during the event.
Hariharan released a new ghazal album at the celebration.
Doordarshan announced the ghazal-based reality show Sartaj-e-Ghazal to discover new talent.

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Geeta Patnaik Passes Away at 73 as Iconic Odia Singer (Mid of February) ▼

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.

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.

150th Shree Baba Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan begins with shehnai, dhrupad, sitar-cello jugalbandi and folk vocals in Jalandhar (End of December) ▼

The 150th Shree Baba Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan got off to a warm start with mangal dhwani of shehnai from grounds of the Shri Devi Talab Mandir here today.
Arrangements have been made to accommodate 2,000 people in a 90 by 180 feet pandal, at the Shree Devi Talab Mandir grounds in Jalandhar, for the sangeet sammelan.
A 15-feet monument featuring a sitar, veena and tabla has been constructed as a tribute to Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan completing its 150 years at Doaba Chowk, closest to Devi Talab Mandir.
The sammelan is dedicated to the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Shri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib and also to Banaras Gharana virtuoso Pt Chhannulal Mishra who passed away earlier this year.

Esther Lalduhawmi Hnamte Awarded Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar (End of December) ▼

Esther Lalduhawmi Hnamte from Mizoram was awarded the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar (PM Bal Puraskar) by President Droupadi Murmu in New Delhi.
She was recognized for her exceptional talent as a singing prodigy, particularly for her emotional performances of patriotic anthems such as “Maa Tujhe Salaam” and “Vande Mataram”.
Born on June 9, 2016, she began performing in local churches and gained widespread attention in October 2020 when a video of her singing “Vande Mataram” was shared by then-Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
She released a music video of the national anthem in August 2021, which was sponsored by the Assam Rifles and has since surpassed 47 million views.
She performed at the Ashtalakshmi Mahotsav in December and presented Prime Minister Modi with a “Poorvi” doll representing the Northeast.
She received the Young Achievers Award from Dalmia Cement Bharat Limited and became the face of an advertisement for the dairy cooperative Amul in 2021.
A documentary titled ‘A Star is Born’, chronicling her journey, won the Best Documentary Award (Silver) at the 2023 Northeast Film Festival.
Her accomplishments have been celebrated as an inspiration for a developed Bharat (Viksit Bharat), emphasizing the theme of unity in diversity.

Arvind KC appointed as OpenAI's chief people officer.

[OpenAI]

Key Updates:

Arvind KC has been appointed as the chief people officer of OpenAI.
He will oversee hiring, onboarding, employee development and performance management across OpenAI.
Arvind joins from Roblox where he served as chief people and systems officer.
He holds an MBA from Santa Clara University and a degree in chemical engineering from North Maharashtra University.
Arvind has over 25 years of experience working in tech companies including Facebook, Palantir Technologies and Google.
He replaces Julia Villagra who stepped down in August 2025 after less than six months in the role.
Arvind will be based in the San Francisco Bay Area where OpenAI is headquartered.

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OpenAI partners with Tata Group for 100 MW AI data centre in India, eyes 1 GW scale (End of February) ▼

OpenAI has partnered with Tata Group to secure 100 megawatts of AI-ready data centre capacity in India.
The capacity is planned to scale to 1 gigawatt over time.
OpenAI becomes the first customer of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) HyperVault data centre business.
The deal includes deploying ChatGPT Enterprise across Tata’s workforce.
The partnership falls under the OpenAI for India initiative.
India has more than 100 million weekly ChatGPT users according to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
TCS plans to roll out ChatGPT Enterprise to hundreds of thousands of its employees.
TCS will use OpenAI’s Codex tools to standardise AI-native software development.
Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran said the partnership will build state-of-the-art AI infrastructure in India.
TCS secured backing from TPG in November 2025 to develop AI-ready infrastructure under HyperVault.
HyperVault is backed by about ₹180 billion (about $2 billion) in planned investment.
TCS becomes the first organisation outside the United States to participate in OpenAI’s certification programmes.
OpenAI will open new offices in Mumbai and Bengaluru later this year.
The announcement was made during the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi.
OpenAI has partnered with Indian companies including Pine Labs, JioHotstar, Eternal, Cars24, HCLTech, PhonePe, CRED, and MakeMyTrip.

CA Prasanna Kumar D elected President of Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) for 2026–27, CA Mangesh Kinare elected Vice-President. (Mid of February) ▼

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) elected CA Prasanna Kumar D as its 74th President for the 2026–27 term.
CA Mangesh Pandurang Kinare was elected as Vice-President of ICAI for 2026–27.
Prasanna Kumar D served as Vice-President of ICAI during 2025–26.
He was a member of the ICAI Central Council in its 24th, 25th, and 26th Councils.
He chaired the Visakhapatnam Branch of ICAI in 2001–02 and the Southern India Regional Council in 2013–14.
As President, he will chair ICAI’s Executive, Finance, Disciplinary, and Examination Committees and serve as Editor in Chief of The Chartered Accountant journal.

Captain Rohit Rikhye appointed Head of Operations Control Centre (OCC) of IndiGo. (End of February) ▼

Captain Rohit Rikhye replaced Jason Herter as Head of Operations Control Centre (OCC) at IndiGo with immediate effect.
He will report to Chief Operating Officer (COO) Isidre Porqueras.
Rikhye has served IndiGo for over 11 years and was previously Chief Pilot -- Standards, QA & Ops Safety.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) imposed penalties totalling Rs 22 crore on IndiGo and directed dismissal of a senior vice-president after December flight disruptions.
The OCC oversees real-time flight operations including flight planning, tracking, dispatch, crew scheduling and rostering in compliance with regulatory requirements.

Google Appoints Amin Vahdat as Chief of AI Infrastructure (Mid of December) ▼

Alphabet's Google has appointed longtime executive Amin Vahdat as chief technologist for AI infrastructure.
Google designs its own tensor processing units, or TPUs.
The company ramps up spending on data centers and hardware to support artificial intelligence workloads.
Microsoft has invested heavily in data centers and partnerships with OpenAI.
Amazon is expanding its custom chip offerings for AWS.

Om Birla Constituted Parliamentary Friendship Groups with 64 Nations

Key Updates:

Lok Sabha (LS) Speaker Om Birla has constituted Parliamentary Friendship Groups with 64 countries to deepen dialogue and exchange best practices with international legislatures.
Each friendship group comprises 11 members, including representatives from both the LS and the Rajya Sabha (RS).
Indian National Congress (INC) leaders appointed to chair groups include Shashi Tharoor (France), P Chidambaram (Italy), K C Venugopal (Portugal), Manish Tewari (Australia), and Gaurav Gogoi (Philippines).
Other Opposition chairpersons include K Kanimozhi (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)) for Greece, Derek O’Brien (Trinamool Congress (TMC)) for Chile, Abhishek Banerjee (TMC) for Algeria, Arvind Sawant (Shiv Sena-UBT) for Morocco, and Supriya Sule (Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP)) for Singapore.
Additional Opposition leaders heading groups are Asaduddin Owaisi (All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM)) for Oman, Akhilesh Yadav (Samajwadi Party (SP)) for Japan, Ram Gopal Yadav (SP) for Egypt, Sanjay Singh (Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)) for Caribbean countries, and N K Premachandran (Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP)) for Madagascar.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders appointed as chairpersons include Ravi Shankar Prasad (United Kingdom (UK)), Baijayant Panda (United States of America (USA)), Nishikant Dubey (Russia), Anurag Thakur (European Union (EU) Parliament, Brussels), Rajiv Pratap Rudy (Switzerland), Bhartruhari Mahtab (Israel), Hema Malini (South Africa), Ashok Chavan (Argentina), Samik Bhattacharya (New Zealand), and Aparajita Sarangi (Tanzania).
Other group leaders include Shrikant Shinde (Shiv Sena) for Indonesia, Sanjay Jha (Janata Dal (United) (JD(U))) for Germany, M Thambidurai (All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK)) for Nigeria, and Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu (Telugu Desam Party (TDP)).
Members appointed to various groups include Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (Japan), Manickam Tagore (Indonesia), Gurjeet Singh Aujla (Italy), Hibi Eden (Singapore), Amrinder Singh Raja Warring (UK), Prashant Padole (Trinidad and Tobago), Dean Kuriakose (Saudi Arabia), C Kiran Kumar Reddy (South Korea), and S Venkatesan (Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M))) for Cuba.
The groups are intended to facilitate discussions on trade, technology, social policy, culture, and global challenges faced by democracies.

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Om Birla faces no-confidence motion as Lok Sabha Speaker. (Mid of February) ▼

Opposition moved a no-confidence motion against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on 10 February 2026.
Removal of Speaker requires a resolution passed by majority of all then members of Lok Sabha under Article 94(c).
Notice for removal must be in writing to Lok Sabha Secretary-General and needs at least 14 days’ notice.
Motion needs minimum 50 members to rise in favour for leave to be granted.
Previous no-confidence motions against Speakers occurred in December 1954, November 1966 and April 1987.
During consideration of removal, Speaker can speak and vote only in first instance, not in case of tie.

India and Germany to unveil defence and security roadmap during Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s first bilateral visit to India (Mid of January) ▼

India and Germany will unveil a defence and security roadmap that will strengthen the defence manufacturing network base in India.
German technology for India’s defence preparedness will be part of the bilateral conversation.
Chancellor Merz is accompanied by a 25-member delegation of CEOs, including top executives of a leading submarine manufacturer, signalling strong defence ties on the agenda.

Afghan Minister of Industry and Commerce Alhaj Nooruddin Azizi concludes successful India visit (End of November) ▼

Afghan Minister of Industry and Commerce Alhaj Nooruddin Azizi led a trade delegation to India from November 19-25.
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal termed the visit “a very successful one and productive one”.
Azizi held bilateral talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal.
India and Afghanistan announced initiation of an air-freight corridor on the Kabul-Delhi and Kabul-Amritsar sectors.
Both sides reactivated the Joint Working Group on Trade, Commerce and Investment and agreed to explore collaboration in mining and other high-value sectors.
Commercial representatives will be deputed to respective embassies and a joint chamber of commerce and industry will be institutionalised.

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.

Sagarika Chakraborty and Prof. Dr. Harpreet Kaur Establish IIRIS Chair of Infosec and Forensic Society

Key Updates:

Ms. Sagarika Chakraborty, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of IIRIS, and Prof. Dr. Harpreet Kaur, Vice Chancellor of National Law University (NLU), Jodhpur, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish the IIRIS Chair of Infosec and Forensic Society.
The IIRIS Chair is the first of its kind in India, aimed at creating a centre of excellence for research, innovation, and industry-academia collaboration in information security and forensic science.
The partnership includes the launch of a joint Certificate Programme on Cyber-Led Forensic Investigation and Diligence to build skills at the intersection of law, technology, and investigations.
The certificate programme is designed under the theme Bridging Legal Theory & Investigative Practice in the Digital Age to equip participants with competencies for professional practice.
IIRIS is a global risk, security, and intelligence firm with over a decade of operational experience in more than ten countries.
The collaboration focuses on skilling students at NLU Jodhpur in cyber-led forensic investigations to prepare them for future litigation and legal work.
The MoU was signed on February 24, 2026, in New Delhi, aligning with the university's focus on the interface between law and technology.

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Inter-Operable Criminal Justice System 2.0 (ICJS 2.0) Integration (Start of January) ▼

The Central Home Ministry has set a target of fully implementing ICJS 2.0 by 2026, under which states are required to integrate police, courts, prosecution, prisons, forensic, and fingerprint databases onto a single digital platform.
Uttarakhand has received 93.46 points in the ICJS 2.0 ranking released by the National Crime Records Bureau, securing the first position nationwide.
Through ICJS 2.0 implementation, key modules have been successfully integrated in all districts of Uttarakhand, enabling case diaries, charge sheets, digital evidence, and judicial processes to be coordinated on a single digital platform.

Indian Highways Management Company Limited (IHMCL) and National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) Partner for Highway Cybersecurity (Start of February) ▼

Indian Highways Management Company Limited (IHMCL) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) to strengthen cybersecurity and digital forensics for national highway infrastructure.
The collaboration provides technical guidance for establishing advanced laboratories dedicated to CCTV analysis, multimedia examination, and cyber forensics.
The partnership covers key highway technologies including Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) tolling, Advanced Traffic Management Systems (ATMS), and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR).
The agreement also focuses on Traffic Management Systems (TMS), Weigh-in-Motion (WIM) solutions, and the establishment of Security Operations Centre (SOC) services.
The MoU is valid for three years and involves joint research, development, and consultancy projects to improve institutional capacity and adopt global best practices.
The signing ceremony was attended by Santosh Kumar Yadav, Chairman of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), and Vishal Chauhan, Chairman and Managing Director of IHMCL.
The MoU was signed by A R Chitranshi, Chief Operating Officer of IHMCL, and Dr S O Junare, Campus Director of NFSU Gandhinagar.
The initiative is supported by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) to build a secure digital ecosystem for India’s expanding national highway network.

Coromandel International and IIT Madras Research Park sign MoU for Corporate Research Centre (Mid of January) ▼

Coromandel International Ltd signed an MoU with the IIT Madras Research Park to establish a Corporate Research Centre.
The centre will foster advanced collaboration in agriculture, sustainability and emerging technologies.
It will act as a hub for joint research programmes, technology incubation, talent development and international collaboration.

Indian Air Force Software Development Institute and IIT Madras sign MoU for indigenous airborne communication system (End of December) ▼

The IAF's Software Development Institute (SDI) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with IIT-Madras for the joint design and development of an indigenous digital communication system for airborne applications.
The MoU was signed by Air Vice Marshal R Guruhari, Commandant, SDI; Prof V Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras and Dr M J Shankar Raman, CEO, Pravartak Technologies Foundation.
The collaboration aims to develop advanced algorithms for networking and encryption critical for secure, reliable, and high-performance data exchange in dynamic airborne environments.
Key focus areas include advanced encryption protocols, secure data transmission, resilience against threats, scalability for airborne networks, and integration with existing defence systems.

Professor B Ravindran Appointed to United Nations (UN) Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence (AI)

[United Nations (UN)]

Key Updates:

Professor B Ravindran of the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) has been appointed to the United Nations (UN) Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The panel was established through a United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution in August 2025 to serve as a global scientific body assessing the impact of AI on societies.
Professor B Ravindran currently serves as the Head of the Wadhwani School of Data Science and AI and is the Founding Head of the Centre for Responsible Artificial Intelligence (CeRAI) at IIT Madras.
The appointment of the 40 leading experts to the panel was announced by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 held in Delhi.
Professor B Ravindran will represent India and the voice of the Global South on this international panel of experts.

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88 countries sign New Delhi Declaration on AI Impact at India AI Impact Summit (End of February) ▼

88 countries and international organisations, including the United States, China, France, Australia and the UK, signed the New Delhi Declaration on AI Impact on Friday.
The declaration was the key outcome document of the five-day India AI Impact Summit held in New Delhi.
Signatories endorsed a Charter for the Democratic Diffusion of AI to promote access to foundational AI resources and support locally relevant innovation.
The Global AI Impact Commons was noted as a voluntary platform to encourage adoption and scale-up of successful AI use cases across regions.
The Trusted AI Commons was endorsed as a collaborative platform consolidating technical resources, tools, benchmarks and best practices.
The declaration backed creation of an International Network of AI for Science Institutions to connect scientific communities and pool AI research capabilities.
Signatories endorsed voluntary guiding principles for reskilling in the age of AI and a playbook on AI workforce development.
Voluntary Guiding Principles on Resilient, Innovative, and Efficient Artificial Intelligence were also noted in the declaration.

India ranks 6th in Global AI Brain Race Report 2026; United States (US) leads (End of February) ▼

The Global AI Brain Race Report 2026, published by essayhumaniser.io, evaluated over 100 countries based on their Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities.
The United States (US) secured the first rank with a score of 82 out of 100, leading in AI Research and Development (R&D), economic integration, and infrastructure.
China ranked second with a score of 59 out of 100, supported by 107 top AI universities and strong R&D performance.
Singapore placed third with a score of 37 out of 100, followed by South Korea at fourth and the United Kingdom (UK) at fifth.
India ranked sixth globally with a score of 32 out of 100, driven by talent readiness (9.12/16.67) but constrained by infrastructure (0.65/16.67) and governance (0.11/5.56).
The evaluation framework combined eight factors: AI R&D, economic integration, infrastructure, talent readiness, governance, responsible AI, public opinion, and academic strength.

PM Modi Unveils MANAV Vision for Artificial Intelligence (AI) at Delhi Summit (Mid of February) ▼

Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the MANAV vision for Artificial Intelligence (AI) at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 held in New Delhi on 19 February 2026.
The MANAV vision stands for Moral and ethical systems, Accountable governance, National sovereignty, Accessible and inclusive, and Valid and legitimate.
Moral and ethical systems (M) signify that AI development should be based on ethical guidance.
Accountable governance (A) refers to the implementation of transparent rules and robust oversight.
National sovereignty (N) emphasizes data rights, specifically whose data, his right.
Accessible and inclusive (A) aims to ensure AI acts as a multiplier rather than a monopoly.
Valid and legitimate (V) ensures that AI systems are lawful and verifiable.

India hosts India AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam featuring eight-year-old Ranvir Sachdeva as youngest speaker (End of February) ▼

The India AI Impact Summit 2026 is being held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.
Eight-year-old coder Ranvir Sachdeva became the youngest keynote speaker to address the summit.
The keynote address covered the linkage of ancient Indian philosophies with modern Artificial Intelligence (AI), global approaches to AI development, and the application of a recently released Indian AI model.
Sachdeva met global technology leaders including Google Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sundar Pichai, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff.
He previously met United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres and International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin at the AI for Good Global Summit in Geneva.
He was recognised as the world’s youngest TEDx speaker at age six and won a gold medal as a Super Presenter in the 2022 Global Reading Challenge.
The coder developed a prototype rocket ship for Mars exploration which was recognised by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).
Sachdeva, who started coding at age three, met Apple CEO Tim Cook in 2023 during the launch of the Apple store in New Delhi.
He discussed his contribution to India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and his role in driving AI literacy.

Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approves raw jute Minimum Support Price (MSP) of ₹5,925 for 2026-27

Key Updates:

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has increased the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of raw jute by ₹275 to ₹5,925 per quintal for the 2026-27 marketing season.
The new MSP ensures a return of 61.8 per cent over the all-India weighted average cost of production.
The decision follows the Budget 2018-19 principle of fixing the MSP at a level of at least 1.5 times the all-India weighted average cost of production.
The Jute Corporation of India (JCI) will remain the central government nodal agency to undertake price support operations.
The MSP for raw jute has risen from ₹2,400 per quintal in 2014-15 to ₹5,925 per quintal in 2026-27, representing a 2.5-fold increase.
Total MSP payments to jute farmers reached ₹1,342 crore between 2014-15 and 2025-26, compared to ₹441 crore during the 2004-05 to 2013-14 period.
The CCEA meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was held at the new Prime Minister's Office (PMO) named Seva Teerth.

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Excise duty exemption on biogas-blended CNG to cut retailers' costs (Start of February) ▼

Union Budget FY27 exempts excise duty on the biogas/compressed biogas (CBG) component in blended CNG.
Currently both pure CNG and biogas-blended CNG attract 14% excise duty.
Biogas attracts 5% GST while natural gas is outside the GST framework.
Average share of CBG in CNG is around 1% nationally.
India currently sells about 250,000 kg of CBG per day under its CNG blending programme.
Budget earmarked Rs 9,200 crore for new Ujjwala gas connections next fiscal year against Rs 12,736 crore this fiscal year.
Budget deferred by two years the plan to impose an additional duty of Rs 2 per litre on unblended diesel to April 2028.

Nutrient-Based Subsidy Scheme Rabi 2025-26 rates approved with Rs 37,952 crore outlay (Start of January) ▼

The Nutrient-Based Subsidy (NBS) Scheme of the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers approved subsidy rates for Rabi 2025-26 effective from October 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026.
The tentative budget requirement for Rabi 2025-26 is approximately Rs 37,952 crore, about Rs 736 crore higher than the budgetary requirement for the Kharif 2025 season.
The approved rates cover Phosphatic and Potassic (P&K) fertilizers, including DAP and NPKS grades.

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.

Odisha Total Ban on Gutka and Tobacco/Nicotine Food Products (End of January) ▼

Odisha government ordered a complete ban on manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and consumption of gutka and all food products containing tobacco and nicotine.
The ban covers gutka, pan masala, zarda, khaini and similar chewable or flavoured/scented food products, packaged or unpackaged.
Cigarettes and bidis are excluded from the prohibition.
Violations will attract strict penal action under food safety law, including product seizure, licence cancellation and prosecution.

Asian Development Bank (ADB) signs USD 108 million debt financing with Aavas Financiers

[Asian Development Bank (ADB), Aavas Financiers]

Key Updates:

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has signed a senior secured debt financing package of up to USD 108 million (approximately ₹983 crore) with Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) Aavas Financiers.
The package includes USD 8 million in concessional debt financing through the Canadian Climate and Nature Fund for the Private Sector in Asia (CANPA).
The financing aims to expand access to affordable housing loans for lower-income households and business loans for Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) in underserved Indian states.
Under the agreement, at least 70 per cent of the ADB debt financing is earmarked for housing loans for lower-income borrowers.
A minimum of 50 per cent of the housing loans will be allocated to women property owners as sole or joint owners.
The remaining 30 per cent of the total financing will be onlent to MSMEs to support entrepreneurship and job creation.
The transaction includes up to USD 1,50,000 in technical assistance to build institutional capacity and boost market awareness of green housing solutions.
CANPA is a trust fund managed by ADB, established in 2024 with a commitment of 360 million Canadian dollars from the Canadian government.

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Musi River Development Project gets Rs 4,100 crore ADB in-principle loan (Start of January) ▼

Asian Development Bank (ADB) has in-principle agreed to extend Rs 4,100 crore (USD 500 million) to the Telangana Government for parts of phase-I of Musi River Development Project.
The state government has submitted a preliminary project report to the Ministry of Jal Shakti seeking Rs 3,188 crore under the National River Conservation Plan for the Musi river project.
The entire project is divided into five zones; the Detailed Project Report for Zone I is in progress and 21 km of the total 55 km in Zone-I is being undertaken by Musi Riverfront Development Corporation (MRDCL).

Asian Development Bank (ADB) commits USD 4.26 billion sovereign lending to India in 2025 (End of December) ▼

ADB committed USD 4.258 billion in sovereign lending to India in 2025.
Nearly 32 per cent of ADB's 16 newly committed projects focus on the human and social development sector.
26 per cent of the projects are in the energy sector, primarily advancing renewable energy.
Over 18 per cent of the projects are in urban development.
USD 846 million financing is allocated for PM-SETU, India's flagship skilling programme.
USD 650 million is provided to support PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana for rooftop solar adoption.
USD 775 million is committed for five urban projects in Assam, Kerala, Sikkim, and West Bengal.
USD 729 million is committed to expand regional rapid rail in Delhi-Meerut and metro networks in Chennai and Indore.
USD 460 million loan is provided to Maharashtra to modernise rural power infrastructure and improve solar electricity for irrigation.
USD 398.8 million loan is provided to Assam to modernise its healthcare and medical education systems.
Over USD 200 million in loans is provided to Meghalaya and Uttarakhand for ecotourism development.

Asian Development Bank (ADB) approves USD 448 million for Chennai Metro, Mizoram Healthcare, and Women-led MSME Finance. (Mid of December) ▼

ADB approved USD 240 million as the second tranche under the USD 780 million facility sanctioned in 2022 for Chennai Metro Expansion Phase 2.
Chennai Metro Phase 2 spans 118.9 km across Lines 3 (45.8 km), 4 (26.1 km), and 5 (47 km).
ADB sanctioned USD 108 million results-based loan to strengthen Mizoram’s public healthcare through the Mizoram Universal Health Care Scheme (MUHCS) offering Rs 5 lakh per family annually.
ADB provided USD 100 million to Five-Star Business Finance Limited for MSME credit access to over 400,000 women borrowers via 700+ branches.

Government of India and Asian Development Bank (ADB) sign loans worth over $2.2 billion (Mid of December) ▼

The Government of India and the Asian Development Bank signed agreements for five loans totaling over $2.2 billion.
Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded Industrial Training Institutes Programme receives $846 million.
Accelerating Affordable and Inclusive Rooftop Solar Systems Development Programme Subprogramme 1 receives $650 million.
Assam State Tertiary Health Care Augmentation Project ASTHA receives $398.8 million.
Chennai Metro Rail Investment Project Tranche 2 receives $240 million.
Integrated Ecotourism and Sustainable Agri-based Livelihood Development in Meghalaya Project receives $77 million.

Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB) recommends Hitesh Rameshchandra Joshi for CMD of General Insurance Corporation of India (GIC Re)

[Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB), General Insurance Corporation of India (GIC Re)]

Key Updates:

The Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB) has recommended Hitesh Rameshchandra Joshi for the position of Chairman-cum-Managing Director (CMD) of General Insurance Corporation of India (GIC Re).
The FSIB conducted an interface with five eligible candidates on 24 February 2026 before making the recommendation.
Hitesh Rameshchandra Joshi currently serves as the Executive Director with additional charge of CMD at GIC Re.
Joshi holds a postgraduate degree in Accountancy from Mumbai University and a Master’s Degree in Financial Management from the Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies.
He is a Fellow of the Insurance Institute of India.

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A.V. Girija Kumar appointed Chairman of IRDAI Reinsurance Advisory Committee. (End of January) ▼

A.V. Girija Kumar, former Chairman and Managing Director of Oriental Insurance Company Ltd., was appointed Chairman of the reconstituted Reinsurance Advisory Committee (RAC) by the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI).
The reconstituted RAC includes Praveen Vashishta, former CEO and Managing Director of Howden Insurance Brokers India Pvt. Ltd.; Roopam Asthana, former CEO of Liberty General Insurance; and T.L. Alamelu, former Whole-Time Member of IRDAI.
The committee has been constituted for a tenure of three years under Section 101B of the Insurance Act, 1938.
The Deputy General Manager (Reinsurance) at IRDAI will function as Secretary to the RAC.

Kota Ravi recommended as CMD of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). (End of January) ▼

The Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) recommended Shri Kota Ravi for the post of Chairman and Managing Director of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited during PESB Meeting No. 8/2026.
Shri Kota Ravi is currently serving as Director (Operations) at HAL.
The PESB recommendation will now be placed before the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) for final approval.

Air Marshal Tejbir Singh assumes charge as Director General Inspection & Safety (Start of December) ▼

Air Marshal Tejbir Singh has assumed charge as Director General Inspection & Safety at Air Headquarters of the Indian Air Force (IAF).
He takes over from Air Marshal Makarand Bhaskar Ranade, who superannuated on 30 November 2025.
Air Marshal Tejbir Singh is an alumnus of the Royal College of Defence Studies, UK.
Air Marshal Tejbir Singh has been awarded the Vayu Sena Medal 2010 and the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal 2018.

CA Usha Janakiraman appointed Executive Director of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) (Start of December) ▼

CA Usha Janakiraman appointed Executive Director of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) with effect from December 1, 2025.
Prior to the promotion, Usha Janakiraman served as Chief General Manager-in-Charge, Department of Regulation, Central Office, Mumbai.
Usha Janakiraman has experience of over three decades in the RBI in areas of regulation, external investment and operations, banking supervision, public debt management, currency management and other areas.
As Executive Director, Usha Janakiraman will look after the Department of Supervision (Risk, Analytics and Vulnerability Assessment).
Usha Janakiraman is a Chartered Accountant.

Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS) to Issue First Credits by October 2026

Key Updates:

The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) announced that India will issue its first carbon credits under the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS) in October 2026.
The scheme consists of two primary components: a mandatory compliance component covering 800 units in nine sectors and a voluntary offset component.
The BEE has already issued emission targets for approximately 490 units across seven sectors through notifications in October 2025 and January 2026.
The initial phase of the carbon trading operations will exclude the steel and fertiliser sectors, despite them being among the most polluting industries.
A dedicated portal for project registration and participation in the scheme is scheduled to be launched on 20 March 2026.
The Ministry of Power (MoP) is overseeing the draft scheme, which aligns with global designs such as the European Union Emissions Trading System (EU ETS).
The first cycle of targets for the 2025-26 financial year will conclude on 31 March 2026, followed by a seven-month period for verification, assessment, and issuance.
Trading of the issued carbon credits is expected to take place between November 2026 and January 2027.

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Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS) Expanded to Include 208 Additional Industrial Units (End of January) ▼

The Government of India notified Greenhouse Gas Emission Intensity (GEI) targets for 208 additional carbon-intensive industrial units on 13 January.
The notification brings petroleum refineries, petrochemicals, textiles, and secondary aluminium under the compliance mechanism of the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS).
The expansion increases the total number of obligated entities covered under the Indian carbon market framework to 490.
Previously, in October 2025, the government notified GEI targets for 282 entities in the aluminium, cement, chlor-alkali, and pulp & paper sectors.
The CCTS operates through two routes: a compliance mechanism for designated industries and an offset mechanism for voluntary projects by non-obligated entities.
Under the compliance mechanism, entities that exceed their prescribed GEI reduction targets are awarded Carbon Credit Certificates, which can be sold to entities that fall short of their goals.
The offset mechanism allows non-obligated entities to earn certificates through projects in renewables, energy efficiency, and afforestation.
The initiative is designed to support India’s national commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070.

Union Budget 2026 allocates Rs 20,000 crore for CCUS to decarbonise hard-to-abate sectors (Start of February) ▼

The Union Budget 2026 earmarks Rs 20,000 crore over five years for carbon capture utilisation and storage (CCUS) targeting power, steel, cement, refinery and chemicals sectors.
The scheme will also support emissions reduction in iron, chemicals, coal gasification and green hydrogen applications.
India’s annual carbon dioxide emissions are about 2.6 gigatonne per annum (gtpa), making it the third largest emitter after China and the US.
The NITI Aayog and MN Dastur & Co 2022 joint report states India needs a sustainable solution for sectors contributing 70 % of emissions.
The programme may be implemented in phases with the first phase spanning six years and some sub-schemes eligible for 100 % government funding.
Semi-commercial CCUS projects may be fully funded by the government while laboratory-scale projects could receive partial support.

Carbon Credit Trading Scheme expands coverage to refineries, textiles, petrochemicals and secondary aluminium (End of January) ▼

The government has widened the scope of the Indian carbon market by setting greenhouse gas emission intensity (GEI) targets for 208 more carbon-intensive industrial units.
A notification issued on 13 January brings petroleum refineries, petrochemicals, textiles and secondary aluminium under the compliance mechanism of the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS).
With this latest inclusion, a total of 490 obligated entities across the country’s most emission-intensive sectors are now covered under the compliance framework of the Indian carbon market.

India unveils first-of-its-kind R&D roadmap to deploy Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) for 2070 net-zero target (Start of December) ▼

India has launched the first of its kind R&D roadmap to enable the country's net-zero emission targets of 2070 through Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS).
The roadmap will leverage the government's Rs 1 lakh crore Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) funding pathways to accelerate CCUS development and deployment.
It will guide coordinated action, foster collaboration, and enable investments that accelerate technology deployment for reducing carbon footprints across hard-to-abate sectors such as cement, power and steel.
India early this year unveiled a pioneering national initiative of creating five Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) testbeds in the cement sector, forming a first of its kind research and innovation cluster to combat industrial carbon emissions.

NAMASTE Scheme distributes PPE kits, Ayushman Cards and sewing machines to sanitation workers in Pilibhit

Key Updates:

The National Action for Mechanized Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) Scheme awareness programme will be held on 26 February 2026 at Gandhi Prekshagrih, Gandhi Stadium, Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits and Ayushman Cards will be distributed to Sewer and Septic Tank Workers (SSWs) and waste pickers during the event.
Beneficiaries who completed skill development training will receive sewing machines to support livelihood and economic empowerment.
B.L. Verma, Minister of State for Social Justice & Empowerment (MoSJE), will grace the event.

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PM Modi hosts 9th edition of Pariksha Pe Charcha 2026. (Start of February) ▼

Pariksha Pe Charcha 2026, the 9th edition, was livestreamed on 6 February 2026 at 10 am.
PM Modi interacted with students, parents, and teachers across Devmogra, Coimbatore, Raipur, Guwahati, and his residence.
Over 4.5 crore students, 28 lakh teachers, and 6.15 lakh parents registered for PPC 2026.
The programme is part of the government’s Exam Warriors initiative to reduce exam anxiety.
The next telecast of PPC 2026 is scheduled for 9 February at 10 am on DD National, DD News, DD India, All India Radio, and online platforms.

Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) approves NPS Swasthya Pension Scheme pilot under regulatory sandbox. (End of January) ▼

The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) issued the circular on Tuesday.
The pilot NPS Swasthya Pension Scheme operates under the Regulatory Sandbox Framework as a proof of concept.
Subscribers can withdraw up to 25 per cent of their own contributions for medical expenses with no cap on the number of withdrawals.
A minimum accumulated corpus of Rs 50,000 is required before the first withdrawal.
Full premature exit with 100 per cent lump sum is allowed if inpatient medical expenses exceed 70 per cent of the total corpus in a single instance.
Subscribers above 40 years (excluding government sector) may transfer up to 30 per cent of contributions from their existing NPS common account to the Swasthya Pension Scheme account.
Pension funds (PFs) must obtain prior PFRDA approval and may partner with fintech firms, health benefit administrators (HBAs), or third-party administrators (TPAs).
The pilot runs for a limited period with a restricted subscriber base; unviability will allow corpus transfer back to the common NPS account.

PANCHAM Chatbot and Rural Governance Initiatives Launched by MoPR (End of January) ▼

The Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) will launch the PANCHAM – Panchayat Assistance and Messaging Chatbot, developed in collaboration with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).
MoPR will release the 17th issue of Gramoday Sankalp magazine and the Compendium of Basic Statistics on Panchayati Raj Institutions–2025.
The Ministry will introduce the Expert Committee Report on Service Delivery at the Panchayat Level and the PESA Performance and Implementation Rank Indicators.
Around 240 panchayat heads, including Sarpanches, Mukhiyas, and Gram Pradhans, will be felicitated for achieving saturation in flagship Central Government schemes.
The MoPR tableau for the Republic Day Parade 2026 is themed SVAMITVA Scheme: Aatmanirbhar Panchayat se Samriddh evam Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
Nearly 450 special guests, including heads of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and Rural Local Bodies (RLBs), will attend the Republic Day celebrations at Kartavya Path.
Prizes and certificates will be awarded to winners of the Know Your Constitution Quiz and Essay Competition organised as part of Constitution Day–2025.

Pariksha Pe Charcha 2026 Registrations Open on MyGov Portal (Start of December) ▼

Ministry of Education (MoE) announced the 9th edition of Pariksha Pe Charcha (PPC) to be held in January 2026.
Online MCQ-based competition for participant selection runs on MyGov portal from 1st December 2025 to 11th January 2026.
Students of Classes 6-12, teachers, and parents can register; all completers receive MyGov participation certificate.

RAJMARG PRAVESH Portal Upgrade Launched for Faster Highway NOCs

Key Updates:

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari launched the upgraded RAJMARG PRAVESH web portal to streamline issuance of No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for facilities along National Highways.
The portal provides single-window online applications for permissions covering fuel stations, wayside amenities, rest area complexes, private properties, connecting roads, and industrial access points.
It also facilitates utility permissions for water pipelines, gas pipelines, optical fibre cables, electrical transmission lines, and other infrastructure services along or across National Highways.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) redesigned the portal to ensure streamlined digital workflows, reduced approval timelines, improved transparency, and real-time application tracking.
The portal can be accessed at http://rajmargpravesh.morth.gov.in.

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Three-day Itkhori Mahotsav inaugurated in Chatra (End of February) ▼

State finance minister Radha Krishana Kishore inaugurated the three-day Rajkiya Itkhori Mahotsav in Chatra on Thursday.
Excise minister Yogendra Prasad and Chatra MP Kalicharan Singh were also present on the occasion.
The ministers launched the official website of Bhadrakali Temple and released a coffee table book.
The first day featured colourful cultural performances, including traditional folk dances.
Various cultural, spiritual and tourism-related activities have been lined up over the next two days.

Rashtrapati Bhavan colonial-era changes in 2024-26 (End of February) ▼

Edward Lutyens statue in Rashtrapati Bhavan central courtyard to be replaced by statue of C Rajagopalachari, India’s only Indian-born governor-general (1948-50).
Granth Kutir library inaugurated on 23 January 2026 with 2,300 books and manuscripts in 11 classical Indian languages, replacing works of Lord Curzon and William Hogarth.
Param Vir Dirgha gallery created in January 2026 displaying 21 portraits of Param Vir Chakra awardees, replacing portraits of British aides-de-camp.
Durbar Hall renamed Ganatantra Mandap and Ashok Hall renamed Ashok Mandap in July 2025 to remove colonial and anglicised connotations.
Mughal Gardens collectively renamed Amrit Udyan in January 2024, covering 15 acres inspired by Mughal gardens of Jammu and Kashmir and Taj Mahal.
Rajpath from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate renamed Kartavya Path in 2022 to symbolise shift from power icon to public ownership.

Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) Phase-IV to connect 25,000 habitations with ₹70,125 Crore Outlay (End of December) ▼

The Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) was launched on 25 December 2000 to ensure all-weather connectivity to previously unconnected rural habitations.
Under PMGSY Phase – IV (2024), a total road length of 62,500 kilometres is proposed to be constructed during the implementation period from FY 2024–25 to 2028–29, with an overall financial outlay of ₹70,125 crore.
Phase IV of the scheme aims to provide all-weather road connectivity to 25,000 unconnected rural habitations based on Census 2011 population criteria.
For the financial year 2025–26, the programme under the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) has been allocated ₹19,000 crore.
The Online Management, Monitoring, and Accounting System (OMMAS) enables real-time monitoring of all works under the PMGSY, ensuring physical and financial progress remains aligned with targets.
The Electronic Maintenance of PMGSY Roads (e-MARG) platform ensures systematic monitoring of road maintenance for a period of five years from the date of completion.
The Road Connectivity Project for Left Wing Extremism Affected Areas (RCPLWEA) covers 44 most severely affected districts across nine States including Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh.
A mandatory GPS-enabled Vehicle Tracking System (VTS) has been enforced since May 2022 on all vehicles and machinery deployed for PMGSY-III works to ensure transparency and quality standards.

PM Modi Inaugurates New Terminal at Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport (LGBIA) with ₹5,000 Crore Investment (End of December) ▼

"Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the new terminal at Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport (LGBIA), completing a rare, accelerated journey from concept to commissioning in under a year."
"The overall airport development represents an investment of Rs 5,000 crore, including Rs 1,000 crore earmarked for Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities."
"The terminal is designed to handle 13.1 million passengers annually by 2032."
"Assam is emerging as India’s eastern gateway under the Act East policy, with the bamboo-rich terminal symbolising strength, sustainability and the state’s growing role in powering Viksit Bharat."
"The project has been developed by Guwahati International Airport Limited, with operations led by Adani Airport Holdings Limited (AAHL)."
"Its inauguration today, with operations expected to commence by the end of February, underscores the pace at which India’s aviation infrastructure is now being conceived, built, tested and readied for live operations."

Delhi High Court: Right to perform last rites is part of dignity under Article 21

[Delhi High Court]

Key Updates:

The Delhi High Court (HC) ruled that the right to perform the last rites of a parent is an essential religious and moral duty and a component of the right to dignity under Article 21 of the Constitution of India.
The ruling was delivered by Justice Ravinder Dudeja in the case of Ajmer Singh alias Pinka v. The State of National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi.
The petition for emergency parole was filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India read with Section 528 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS).
The HC clarified that Rule 1212 of the Delhi Prison Rules, 2018, allows a convict to be released on parole for a maximum of eight weeks in a conviction year, with no single spell exceeding four weeks.
The petitioner in the case was convicted under Sections 376, 354B, and 506 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 66E of the Information Technology (IT) Act.
The Court emphasised that parole jurisprudence in India is humanitarian and reformist, aimed at maintaining family ties and social integration even in cases of grave convictions.
The HC observed that denying parole despite verified humanitarian grounds amounts to a mechanical application of rules and defeats the objective of correctional jurisprudence.

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Supreme Court ruling on Right to Passport and Personal Liberty on December 19, 2025 (End of December) ▼

The Supreme Court (SC) ruled that the right to travel abroad and the right to hold a passport are facets of personal liberty under Article 21 of the Constitution of India.
The judgment was delivered on December 19, 2025, by a bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Augustine George Masih.
The court held that any restriction on the right to travel must be fair, just, and reasonable, and must bear a rational nexus with a legitimate purpose.
The ruling clarified the application of Section 62f of the Passports Act and the notification GSR 570E regarding the renewal of passports for individuals with pending criminal cases.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) was the agency involved in a 2018 case in Jharkhand mentioned during the proceedings.
The court emphasized that a passport is a civil document and distinguished between the possession of a valid passport and the actual act of travelling abroad.

Supreme Court declines to entertain appeal against Madhya Pradesh HC order on VIP darshan at Ujjain Mahakaleshwar Temple (End of January) ▼

The Supreme Court (SC) declined to entertain an appeal challenging the Madhya Pradesh High Court’s dismissal of a petition against VIP entry into the garbhagriha of Shri Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh.
The three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and comprising Justices R Mahadevan and Joymalya Bagchi stated that in the presence of Mahakal, nobody is VIP.
The SC advised the petitioner to approach the relevant authority instead of the courts for decisions on temple entry rules.

Supreme Court upholds full arrears of disability pension for ex-servicemen without three-year limitation (Mid of February) ▼

The Supreme Court ruled that eligible ex-servicemen are entitled to full arrears of disability pension from the cut-off dates of 1 January 1996 or 1 January 2006.
The Court dismissed the central government's appeal and confirmed that disability pension is a recognition of sacrifice, not charity or executive largesse.
The Court held that pension is a deferred portion of compensation and a vested property right protected under Article 300A of the Constitution.
The central government had argued that arrears should be limited to three years under the Limitation Act, 1963, but the Court rejected this contention.

Allahabad HC clarifies wife’s degrees no ground to deny maintenance under Section 125 CrPC (Mid of January) ▼

Allahabad High Court ruled that a wife cannot be denied maintenance solely because she is highly educated or holds professional qualifications.
The court set aside the family court’s order that had rejected the woman’s maintenance plea on the basis of her educational background.
The High Court emphasized that potential to earn is not the same as actual earning, and many educated women are unable to work due to household responsibilities.
The case has been sent back to the Family Court in Bulandshahr to pass a fresh, well-reasoned order within one month.

Madhya Pradesh to extend Bhavantar scheme to mustard farmers, benefiting 80 lakh farmers

[Madhya Pradesh]

Key Updates:

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav announced the State Government’s plan to extend the Bhavantar Yojana to mustard farmers to cover the gap between market price and procurement price.
The proposal has been sent to the Union Government; the scheme currently benefits soybean farmers in Madhya Pradesh.
Mustard acreage rose 28% this year and estimated production is 15.71 lakh metric tonne.
Market price of mustard is ₹5,500–₹6,000 per quintal while Union Government procurement price is ₹6,200 per quintal.
Ladli Behna scheme, launched in March 2023, gives ₹1,500 monthly to women aged 21–60 years with annual family income below ₹2.5 lakh; 1,25,29,051 women currently receive the allowance.

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Bamanwas Kankar Organic Certification: Rajasthan’s First Fully Organic Village Body (Mid of January) ▼

Bamanwas Kankar panchayat in Rajasthan has become the first village body in the State to be certified as fully organic.
The transition to organic farming was supported by Cofarmin Federation of Organic Societies and Producer Companies (COFED), a group working in the areas of natural resource conservation, sustainable farming, and women’s empowerment.
The participants publicly took an oath to practise pesticide-free farming, organic cattle rearing, and environmentally-responsible land management during a ceremony on January 2.
The target beneficiaries include farmers and cattle owners across seven hamlets: "Bamanwas, Nangalhedi, Rah Ka Mala, Bhadana Ki Bhaal, Tolawas, Khariya Ki Dhani, and Bairawas."
By this year-end, we aim to convert 300 panchayats across the districts of Bikaner, Alwar, Kotputli–Behror, and Bhilwara into fully organic village bodies, according to COFED.

Madhya Pradesh Rolling Budget System: Three-Year Financial Planning (End of December) ▼

Madhya Pradesh is set to implement a rolling budget system, making it the first state in India to prepare a budget for three years ahead.
The state will draft indicative budget estimates for 2027-28 and 2028-29, marking Madhya Pradesh as the first Indian state to adopt a rolling budget approach.
The upcoming state budget for 2026-27 will be crafted to meet public expectations while embodying the democratic spirit.
The government engaged economists and field experts through a 'Budget Dialogue Programme' and received over 945 public suggestions.
The initiative aims to prioritize agriculture while boosting capital expenditure, aligning with the vision for a 'Developed India 2047.'

Pulse Self-Reliance Mission launched to make India world’s largest pulse exporter (Start of February) ▼

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched the nationwide Pulse Self-Reliance Mission at Sehore, Madhya Pradesh.
The mission mandates every state to prepare a customised regional roadmap for expanding pulse cultivation based on local needs.
Farmers will receive seed kits and Rs 10,000 per hectare support for model cultivation under a cluster-based approach.
Up to Rs 25 lakh subsidy per unit will be given to establish 1,000 dal mills across the country, including 55 in Madhya Pradesh.
Seed release ceremonies will now be held in states among farmers instead of Delhi.

PPP-Model Medical Colleges in Madhya Pradesh Tribal Districts (End of December) ▼

Madhya Pradesh to set up India’s first PPP-model medical colleges in Dhar and Betul tribal districts.
State government provides up to 25 acres of land on lease; private partners build academic and clinical infrastructure.
Associated district hospitals upgraded as per National Medical Commission norms while remaining under State administrative control.
Two more PPP colleges planned at Katni and Panna; foundation ceremonies for these to follow.
Chief Minister announces similar PPP medical colleges will also come up in Bhind, Morena, Khargone, Ashoknagar, Guna, Balaghat, Tikamgarh, Sidhi, and Shajapur districts.

Rajasthan Homestay Scheme 2026 launched to boost rural tourism and self-employment

[Rajasthan]

Key Updates:

The Government of Rajasthan launched the Rajasthan Homestay Scheme 2026 to strengthen rural and community-based tourism across the state.
The scheme allows local families to convert part of their homes into registered tourist accommodations offering affordable stays and authentic Rajasthani cultural experiences.
Online registration is available through the official Rajasthan Tourism portal.
The initiative targets villages and small towns to reduce overcrowding in Jaipur, Udaipur, and Jodhpur.
Support includes training on hospitality, hygiene, and tourism management, plus promotional assistance via Rajasthan Tourism campaigns and digital platforms.

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Banglar Yuva Sathi Scheme 2026: West Bengal to provide ₹1,500 monthly allowance to unemployed youth (End of February) ▼

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced the Banglar Yuva Sathi Scheme 2026 during the state interim budget to support unemployed youth.
The scheme provides a monthly allowance of ₹1,500 to educated but unemployed individuals to serve as transitional financial support during job hunting.
The official launch of the programme is scheduled for April 1, 2026, with applications accepted between February 15 and February 26, 2026.
Eligible applicants must be permanent residents of West Bengal, aged between 21 and 40 years, and have passed at least the Class 10 (Secondary) examination.
The Department of Youth Services and Sports (DYSS) will facilitate applications through local camps in every assembly constituency and the official website (wbsportsandyouth.gov.in).
Individuals receiving other state welfare financial assistance are ineligible, but scholarships like Aikyasree, Medhasree, Sikhasree, and the Swami Vivekananda Merit-cum-Scholarship are compatible.
Required documents include a Class 10 pass certificate, Aadhaar or Voter ID, proof of residence, bank account details, and a recent passport-sized photograph.

Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP) Phase 2 Launched with ₹6,839 Crore Outlay (End of February) ▼

Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched the second phase of the Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP) in a border village in the Cachar district of Assam.
The second phase of the programme has a total financial outlay of ₹6,839 crore and will be implemented until the financial year 2028-2029.
The VVP Phase 2 aims to cover 1,954 villages across Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.
A total of 140 villages located in Assam have been included for development under the second phase of the scheme.
The first phase of the VVP was launched in April 2023 at Kibithoo in Arunachal Pradesh, covering 662 villages in 19 districts along the northern border.
The programme focuses on comprehensive development through security-related initiatives, scheme saturation, and connectivity programmes to transform border villages into India’s first villages.

Delhi Lakhpati Bitiya Yojana replaces Ladli Yojana with ₹1 lakh support for girls’ education (Mid of February) ▼

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced Lakhpati Bitiya Yojana effective from 1 April 2026, replacing the 2008 Ladli Yojana.
The scheme deposits ₹56,000 in stages and with interest the corpus is projected to reach ₹1 lakh when the girl turns 21 or completes graduation/diploma, whichever is earlier.
Instalments: ₹11,000 at birth, ₹5,000 on admission to Classes 1, 6, 9, 10 and 12, and ₹20,000 after completing graduation or diploma.
Eligibility: girl must be born in Delhi, family must have resided in Delhi for at least three years, annual family income must not exceed ₹1 lakh, and only two daughters per family can receive benefits.
Beneficiaries pursuing graduation or diploma outside Delhi remain eligible for the final payout.
Pending Ladli Yojana dues are being cleared through a government campaign to identify unclaimed accounts.

Rajasthan Budget 2026–27 allocates ₹6,10,956 crore for infrastructure, social sector and governance reforms. (Mid of February) ▼

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

NCR States MoU for Road Dust Control to Cut PM10 Levels

[Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), School of Planning and Architecture (SPA)]

Key Updates:

Four MoUs signed on 24 February 2026 between Public Works/Urban Development Departments of Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, CSIR–Central Road Research Institute (CSIR-CRRI) and School of Planning and Architecture (SPA), New Delhi.
The agreements operationalise the Standard Framework for Paving and Greening of Urban Roads issued by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on 7 January 2025.
Total road length identified: Delhi ~10,099 km, Haryana ~10,133 km, Uttar Pradesh ~6,891 km, Rajasthan ~1,747 km.
Web-GIS-based Road Asset Management System (RAMS) will enable preventive maintenance and PCI-based evaluation using technologies like NSV, FWD, GPR and AVCC.
MoUs valid for three years with each state to designate a nodal agency and create a dedicated Paving and Greening Cell.

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

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.

Indian Highways Management Company Limited (IHMCL) and National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) Partner for Highway Cybersecurity (Start of February) ▼

Indian Highways Management Company Limited (IHMCL) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) to strengthen cybersecurity and digital forensics for national highway infrastructure.
The collaboration provides technical guidance for establishing advanced laboratories dedicated to CCTV analysis, multimedia examination, and cyber forensics.
The partnership covers key highway technologies including Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) tolling, Advanced Traffic Management Systems (ATMS), and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR).
The agreement also focuses on Traffic Management Systems (TMS), Weigh-in-Motion (WIM) solutions, and the establishment of Security Operations Centre (SOC) services.
The MoU is valid for three years and involves joint research, development, and consultancy projects to improve institutional capacity and adopt global best practices.
The signing ceremony was attended by Santosh Kumar Yadav, Chairman of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), and Vishal Chauhan, Chairman and Managing Director of IHMCL.
The MoU was signed by A R Chitranshi, Chief Operating Officer of IHMCL, and Dr S O Junare, Campus Director of NFSU Gandhinagar.
The initiative is supported by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) to build a secure digital ecosystem for India’s expanding national highway network.

Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference – Kutch and Saurashtra: 5,492 MoUs Worth Rs 5.78 Lakh Crore Signed (End of January) ▼

Cabinet Minister Shri Jitubhai Vaghani announced that 5,492 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) involving investments worth Rs 5.78 lakh crore were signed during the two-day Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference.
The state government has prepared a clear roadmap to develop Saurashtra and Kutch by 2047.
Initiatives such as Atmanirbhar Bharat, Startup India, and Make in India are being realized under the Prime Minister's leadership, directly benefiting Gujarat's entrepreneurs and industrial units.
Gujarat will become a hub for the semiconductor sector by 2027.

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) celebrates 68th Foundation Day with record AoN worth Rs 1.30 lakh crore (Start of January) ▼

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) celebrated its 68th Foundation Day on January 01, 2026.
22 Acceptance of Necessity accorded by Defence Acquisition Council & Services Procurement Board for DRDO systems worth approx. Rs 1.30 lakh crore to be manufactured by Indian Industries in 2025, highest in any single year in history.
11 contracts for acquisitions valued at Rs 26,000 crore signed with DRDO production partners.
Notable systems for which AoN accorded: Integrated Air Defence Weapon System (IADWS), Conventional Ballistic Missile System, Quick Reaction Surface to Air Missile System ‘Anant Shastra’, Long Range Air to Surface Supersonic Cruise Missile (LRASSCM), Integrated Drone Detection and Interdiction System (IDDIS) MK II, Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM) Astra Mk-II, Anti-Tank NAG Missile System (Tracked) Mk-2, Advanced Light Weight Torpedo, Processor-based Moored Mine – Next Generation (PBMM NG), Air-borne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) Mk-1A, Mountain Radars, Full Mission Simulator for Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk-1A.
Contracts signed for Nag Missile System, Ashwini Low Level Transportable Radar, Air Defence Fire Control Radar (ADFCR), Electronic Warfare Suite for Mi-17 V5 Helicopter, Area Denial Munition (ADM) Type-1, High Explosive Pre-Fragmented (HEPF) Mk-I (Enhanced) for Pinaka MLRS, Infantry Foot Bridge Floating, Wargaming System, Automatic Chemical Agent Detector & Alarm (ACADA), Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS).

Maritime Vision 2047: Rs 1,500 crore projects launched at VOC Port for green and digital modernisation.

[VOC Port, Tamil Nadu]

Key Updates:

Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated and laid foundation stones for projects worth more than Rs 1,500 crore at V. O. Chidambaranar Port Authority (VOC Port) in Tuticorin.
Projects span rail and road connectivity upgrades, power infrastructure enhancement, renewable energy integration including solar, wind, battery storage and green hydrogen production, advanced safety systems and digital platforms.
VOC Port became the first Indian port to produce and use green hydrogen on-site through a pilot project operational since late 2025, with commercial-scale development planned by 2029.
India’s first comprehensive Digital Twin platform for real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance and data-driven optimisation has been deployed at VOC Port.
From April 2025 to January 2026 cargo handling rose 6 per cent to 35.97 million tonnes and container volumes increased 9.4 per cent to more than 716,000 TEUs.

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

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

Shipbuilding Development Scheme (SDS) approved with ₹19,989 crore outlay (End of January) ▼

The Union Cabinet approved the ₹19,989 crore Shipbuilding Development Scheme (SDS) to create 3-4 greenfield shipbuilding clusters, one per state.
An equal joint venture between V O Chidambaram Port Authority and State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu Limited (SIPCOT) formed the first Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) named National Shipbuilding & Heavy Industries Park, Tamil Nadu (NSHIP, TN).
The SPV will develop a mega shipbuilding cluster at Thoothukudi on 2,000 acres with a 2 km waterfront, including 1,000 acres for shipyards and 1,000 acres for ancillary industries and common facilities.
Each cluster will target 1.2 million GT annual capacity, with at least one anchor yard of 0.5 million GT to be achieved within 10 years of commissioning.
The scheme provides 100 per cent capital grant for eligible components of approved greenfield clusters.

Dr Jitendra Singh inaugurates ₹32 crore CSIR–National Institute of Oceanography (CSIR-NIO) Shore-Based Regional Centre at Visakhapatnam. (Start of February) ▼

The CSIR–National Institute of Oceanography (CSIR-NIO) Shore-Based Regional Centre was inaugurated by Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh at Visakhapatnam.
The facility cost ₹32 crore and is located on 3.25 acres of a 4-acre campus at Yendada Village, Rushikonda.
Construction began in November 2024 and was completed by December 2025, executed by the Central Public Works Department (CPWD).
The built-up area is 4,550 square metres in a G+1 configuration.
Andhra Pradesh’s coastline exceeds 1,000 km, forming part of India’s nearly 11,000–12,000 km coastline.
The Eastern Coastal Margin is noted for hydrocarbons, seabed minerals, oil and natural gas potential due to heavy sediment deposits from Himalayan rivers.
CSIR-NIO collaborates with Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), Oil India and supports sectors including pharmaceuticals, ports, thermal power projects and fisheries.
The centre identifies potential fishing zones, promotes seaweed cultivation and predicts harmful algal blooms to aid livelihoods and public health.
The Visakhapatnam facility will serve as a hub for capacity building, skill training and nurturing startups for the marine sector.

Viksit Bharat, Viksit Ports: Union Minister flags off ₹235 crore port infrastructure and digital projects (Start of January) ▼

Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) Sarbananda Sonowal flagged off the projects during the “Viksit Bharat, Viksit Ports” programme in Chennai.
The Centre rolled out port infrastructure and digital governance projects worth ₹235 crore at Chennai Port Authority and Kamarajar Port Limited, aimed at improving safety, resilience and port operations ('The Centre on Thursday rolled out port infrastructure and digital governance projects worth ₹235 crore at Chennai Port Authority and Kamarajar Port Limited').
Of the total outlay, ₹129.36 crore has been allocated to projects at Chennai Port Authority, while ₹105.64 crore will support initiatives at Kamarajar Port Limited ('Of the total outlay, ₹129.36 crore has been allocated to projects at Chennai Port Authority, while ₹105.64 crore will support initiatives at Kamarajar Port Limited').
The MoPSW launched an e-port clearance portal aligned with the One Nation–One Port Process to allow online submission and issuance of port clearance certificates ('The minister also launched an e-port clearance portal aligned with the One Nation–One Port Process').
The MoPSW inaugurated the Enterprise Business System, a SAP-based digital platform developed at a cost of ₹45 crore to integrate finance, port operations, and human resources ('Sonowal also inaugurated the Enterprise Business System, a SAP-based digital platform developed at a cost of ₹45 crore').
The projects were officially announced on January 9, 2026, as part of efforts to modernise ports and improve ease of doing business ('Published On Jan 9, 2026 at 08:46 AM IST').

Mahila Khushhali Yojana launched for women engaged in agricultural activities with Rs 25 crore allocation in Jharkhand FY27 budget.

[Jharkhand]

Key Updates:

The Jharkhand government tabled a Rs 1,58,560 crore budget for FY 2026-27 in the assembly.
Finance Minister Radhishna Kishore announced the launch of the Mahila Khushhali Yojna for women farmers with an allocation of Rs 25 crore.
The budget for FY27 is higher than the previous year's Rs 1.45 lakh crore budget presented in 2025-26.
The state government plans to open 100 new CM schools of excellence in the next fiscal.

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Mahila Khushhali Yojna launched for women farmers in Jharkhand with ₹25 crore allocation. (End of February) ▼

Jharkhand Finance Minister Radhakrishna Kishore tabled a ₹1,58,560 crore budget for FY 2026-27.
The budget introduced the Mahila Khushhali Yojna for women engaged in agricultural activities with an allocation of ₹25 crore.
100 new CM schools of excellence will be opened in the next fiscal.

Tamil Nadu Interim Budget 2026-27 allocates Rs 2.55 lakh crore (End of February) ▼

Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Thangam Thenarasu presented a Rs 2,55,391 crore interim budget for 2026-27.
Rs 4,000 crore allocated for the DMK’s flagship scheme of free bus travel for women.
Education sector received the highest allocation of Rs 57,039 crore.
Urban development allocated Rs 35,773 crore and health department Rs 22,090 crore.
Transport Department allocated Rs 13,062 crore in the Interim Budget Estimates.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman increases capital expenditure to ₹12.2 lakh crore for Union Budget 2026 (Start of February) ▼

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has proposed to increase capital expenditure (capex) to ₹12.2 lakh crore for Financial Year (FY) 2026–27.
The proposed capex marks an increase from the ₹11.2 lakh crore earmarked for the current fiscal year.
Public capital expenditure has risen from ₹2 lakh crore in 2014–15 to the current Budget Estimate of ₹11.2 lakh crore for 2025–26.
Infrastructure development will focus on tier-2 and tier-3 cities with populations exceeding five lakh that have become growth centres.
The Indian economy is projected to grow at 7.4% in the current financial year with inflation expected at approximately 2%.
The fiscal deficit for the current year is estimated at 4.4% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
India recorded a GDP growth of 8.2% in the second quarter of FY26, following a 7.8% expansion in the April–June quarter.
Economic growth rates for the previous two financial years were recorded at 6.5% and 9.2% respectively.

Uttar Pradesh Budget 2026-27 allocates Rs 9.13 lakh crore with focus on education, urban growth (Mid of February) ▼

Uttar Pradesh finance minister Suresh Khanna presented a Rs 9,12,696.35 crore budget for 2026-27, registering a 12.2% rise over the previous year.
Capital expenditure accounts for 19.5% of the total outlay.
Fiscal deficit capped at 3% in line with the 16th Finance Commission's recommendations till 2030-31.
All primary schools to be upgraded into 'Smart Schools' under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan.
Rs 580 crore earmarked to establish girls' schools in blocks without Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas.
Nearly 50 lakh tablets and smartphones distributed under Swami Vivekananda Yuva Sashaktikaran Yojana.
Rs 3,500 crore allocated under Chief Minister's Urban Expansion and New City Promotion Scheme for planned urbanisation.

India hosts 7th All India Conference of Government Railway Police Chiefs at Vigyan Bhawan

Key Updates:

The 7th All India Conference of Government Railway Police Chiefs was held at Vigyan Bhawan.
The conference was organised by the Ministry of Railways (MoR).
The event focused on strengthening passenger and railway infrastructure security.
Key discussion areas included coordinated operations, speedy FIR registration and advanced surveillance technologies.

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India to host 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of Commonwealth (CSPOC) in January 2026 (Mid of January) ▼

42 of 56 Commonwealth countries have confirmed participation, marking the highest turnout in CSPOC history.
61 Speakers and Presiding Officers are expected to attend the conference hosted by the Parliament of India.
Pakistan will not participate; Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom are among the confirming nations.
Conference agenda focuses on the future of parliamentary democracy, including use of artificial intelligence and technology-driven legislative processes.
A web-based and mobile application is being developed to facilitate interaction between participating countries and their media.

5th National Conference of Chief Secretaries: Human Capital for Viksit Bharat (End of December) ▼

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair the fifth National Conference of Chief Secretaries from December 26 to December 28 in the national capital.
The conference theme is 'Human Capital for Viksit Bharat', focusing on leveraging India's demographic strengths for economic and social progress.
Key discussion pillars include education and schooling, health and wellness, economic hubs, and frontier technologies.

India hosts 86th All India Presiding Officers’ Conference in Lucknow (End of January) ▼

The 86th All India Presiding Officers’ Conference (AIPOC) began in Lucknow.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla flagged the declining duration of State Assembly sessions as a matter of concern.
Presiding Officers from Legislative Assemblies of 28 states, 3 Union Territories, and 6 Legislative Councils are participating.
Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel inaugurated the three-day conference.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent greetings highlighting the importance of debates and discussions in democracy.

National Conference of State Election Commissioners (SECs) to build synergy in electoral processes (Start of February) ▼

The Election Commission of India (ECI) will host a National Conference of the State Election Commissioners (SECs) on February 24, 2026.
The conference is being organised after a gap of over 25 years, with the previous meeting held in 1999.
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar will chair the event, joined by Election Commissioners (ECs) Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr. Vivek Joshi.
The conference will be attended by all SECs and the Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of all States and Union Territories (UTs).
The primary objective is to build synergy between the ECI and SECs regarding electoral processes and logistics within their respective legal frameworks.
State Election Commissions (SECs) are created under the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments for elections to Panchayats and Municipal Bodies.
Discussion topics include the recently launched ECINET digital platform, Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), and electoral laws on elector eligibility.

Japan to deploy surface-to-air missiles on Yonaguni island by March 2031

[Japan]

Key Updates:

Japan plans to deploy medium-range surface-to-air missiles to its remote western island of Yonaguni by March 2031.
Yonaguni island is located approximately 110 kilometres from the shores of Taiwan.
The Japanese-made missile system features a range of 50 kilometres, 360-degree capability, and the ability to track up to 100 targets simultaneously.
An electronic warfare unit designed to disrupt enemy communications and radar is scheduled for establishment on the island in fiscal year 2026.
The island currently hosts a coastal surveillance unit staffed by approximately 160 members of the Japan Self-Defence Force (JSDF).
Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi confirmed the deployment timeline following export curbs imposed by China on 20 Japanese entities.
The missile system is capable of engaging up to 12 targets at once and intercepting incoming aircraft and missiles.

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Iran unveils Khorramshahr-4 ballistic missile with 2,000 km range (Mid of February) ▼

Iran deployed the Khorramshahr-4 ballistic missile, also called Kheibar, inside underground missile cities.
The missile was publicly shown for the first time during the unveiling of a new missile city belonging to the Aerospace Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Khorramshahr-4 has a range of approximately 2,000 kilometres and can carry a 1,500-kilogram warhead.
The missile uses an Arvand engine with self-igniting fuel, enabling launch from mobile platforms in under 15 minutes.
It reaches speeds of about Mach 16 outside the atmosphere and Mach 8 inside it, with total flight time of 10 to 12 minutes.
The missile features mid-flight guidance and a manoeuvring warhead with tactical engines to improve terminal accuracy and counter electronic warfare.

India successfully test-fires nuclear-capable Agni-III ballistic missile from Odisha (Start of February) ▼

India successfully carried out a test launch of the Agni-III intermediate-range ballistic missile on 06 Feb 2026.
The missile was fired from the Integrated Test Range, Chandipur, Odisha.
The launch met all mission objectives and validated operational and technical parameters.
The test was conducted under the aegis of the Strategic Forces Command (SFC).

India conducts salvo launch of two Pralay quasi-ballistic missiles off Odisha coast (Start of January) ▼

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) conducted a salvo launch of two quasi-ballistic missiles, Pralay, off the coast of Odisha as part of user evaluation trials.
Both missiles followed the intended trajectory and met all flight objectives, as confirmed by tracking sensors deployed by the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur.
Pralay is an indigenously developed, solid-propellant quasi-ballistic missile employing state-of-the-art guidance and navigation systems to ensure high precision.
The missile is capable of carrying multiple types of warheads against a variety of targets and is slated for induction into the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force with a conventional warhead.
The system has been developed by Hyderabad-based DRDO facility Research Centre Imarat in collaboration with three Pune-based units — Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE), High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL), and Research and Development Establishment (Engineers) [R&DE].

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.

Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) to organise Him-CONNECT in New Delhi from 25th to 27th February 2026

[Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC)]

Key Updates:

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) is organising 'Him-CONNECT' as part of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS) in New Delhi.
The event, scheduled from 25th to 27th February 2026, aims to connect researchers in the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) with start-ups, investors, and policymakers.
More than 24 technologies, prototypes, and patents developed under the National Mission on Himalayan Studies (NMHS) will be showcased to over 100 start-ups and incubators.
Participating institutions include Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) at Guwahati, Roorkee, Jodhpur, Jammu, Ropar, and Mandi, and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) institutions CRRI and IHBT.
Other innovators represent Central Agricultural University (Imphal), National Institutes of Technology (NITs) at Silchar and Arunachal Pradesh, SKUAST-K, University of Kashmir, TERI-Guwahati, Kumaon University, and G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment (NIHE).
Key innovations on display include eco-friendly road construction, treated wastewater use for hydroponic farming, and conversion of sericulture waste into burn ointments.
The showcase also features low-cost mineralised water purifiers, pine needle-based wastewater treatment systems, decentralised wastewater reuse solutions, and yak milk cottage cheese processing technologies.
The platform focuses on critical sectors including water security, climate adaptation, waste-to-wealth, sustainable building, renewable energy, and nature-based livelihoods.
The NMHS has supported over 250 action-oriented initiatives in the IHR over the last decade to address conservation and sustainable management of natural resources.

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Free Online Coaching Initiative by Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MSJE) for 5,000 candidates annually (Start of February) ▼

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MSJE) signed an MoU with Physics Wallah (PW) Foundation to deliver free online coaching.
The scheme covers Civil Services Examination, Staff Selection Commission Examination and Banking Examinations.
5,000 Scheduled Caste, Other Backward Class and Pradhan Mantri CARES for Children Scheme beneficiaries will be selected each year through a merit-based online portal.
Selected candidates receive live and recorded classes, test series, previous year question papers, study material, mentorship, doubt-solving support and counselling.
The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has not signed any similar MoU for Scheduled Tribe students.

Coromandel International and IIT Madras Research Park sign MoU for Corporate Research Centre (Mid of January) ▼

Coromandel International Ltd signed an MoU with the IIT Madras Research Park to establish a Corporate Research Centre.
The centre will foster advanced collaboration in agriculture, sustainability and emerging technologies.
It will act as a hub for joint research programmes, technology incubation, talent development and international collaboration.

NASA Loses Contact with MAVEN Mars Orbiter (Mid of December) ▼

NASA has lost contact with the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) spacecraft after it passed behind Mars as seen from Earth.
MAVEN launched in November 2013 and entered Mars orbit in September 2014 to study the planet’s upper atmosphere and interactions with the solar wind.
The spacecraft serves as a communications relay, linking the Curiosity and Perseverance rovers with the Deep Space Network via its UHF antenna.
In 2022, MAVEN switched to an “all-stellar” navigation system to reduce reliance on its inertial measurement units (IMUs) that had experienced technical issues.

UMEED Portal gets Survey and Waqf Property Lease Modules for digital Waqf governance (Start of February) ▼

Ministry of Minority Affairs (MoMA) launched Survey Module and Waqf Property Lease Module on UMEED Central Portal.
Dr. Chandra Shekhar Kumar, Secretary of MoMA, inaugurated the modules in New Delhi.
Survey Module enables systematic digital recording and updating of Waqf property details.
Waqf Property Lease Management Module provides end-to-end monitoring of lease periods and amounts.
Initial UMEED portal was launched by Union Minister Kiren Rijiju in June 2025 under the 1995 Waqf Act.
Portal features geo-tagging, GIS mapping integration, and online grievance redressal.

India and Israel launch first round of FTA talks in New Delhi

[Israel]

Key Updates:

India and Israel began the first round of negotiations for a proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in New Delhi from 23 to 26 February 2026.
The talks follow the signing of the Terms of Reference (ToR) in November 2025 to formalise bilateral trade and economic cooperation.
Technical teams are discussing trade in goods and services, rules of origin, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, technical barriers to trade, customs procedures, trade facilitation and intellectual property rights.
Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal stated the negotiations coincide with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Israel on 25–26 February 2026.
India’s Chief Negotiator is Ajay Bhadoo, Additional Secretary in the Department of Commerce; Israel’s Chief Negotiator is Yifat Alon Perel, Senior Director (Trade Policy and Agreements).
Bilateral merchandise trade between India and Israel was USD 3.62 billion in FY 2024–25, traditionally dominated by diamonds, petroleum products and chemicals.
The two countries had earlier held eight rounds of talks for a similar agreement, with the last round in October 2021, before negotiations stalled.

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India and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to ink terms of reference on 5 February for starting FTA talks (Start of February) ▼

India and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) will sign terms of reference on 5 February to launch negotiations for a free trade agreement.
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal will preside over the signing ceremony.
GCC comprises Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain.
India already implemented a free trade pact with the UAE in May 2022.
India and Oman signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) on 18 December 2025.
Earlier negotiations between India and GCC were held in 2006 and 2008; third round deferred.
India's exports to GCC rose 1% to USD 57 billion in 2024-25.
India's imports from GCC rose 15.33% to USD 121.7 billion in 2024-25.
Bilateral trade reached USD 178.7 billion in 2024-25.
UAE was India's third-largest trading partner in 2024-25 with a trade deficit of USD 26.76 billion.
Saudi Arabia was India's fifth-largest trading partner with a trade deficit of USD 18.36 billion.
Qatar was India's 22nd-largest trading partner with a trade deficit of USD 10.78 billion.
Oman was India's 28th-largest trading partner with a trade deficit of USD 2.48 billion.
Kuwait was India's 29th-largest trading partner with a trade deficit of USD 6.35 billion.
Bahrain was India's 65th-largest trading partner with a trade deficit of USD 45.97 million.

India and Israel sign MoU to deepen defence ties ahead of Prime Minister Modi's visit (End of February) ▼

An MoU was signed between India and Israel to deepen defence ties and strengthen ongoing joint activities, including future seminars and cooperative initiatives.
The International Defence Cooperation Directorate (SIBAT) within Israel's Ministry of Defense (IMOD) facilitated meetings between leading Indian and Israeli defence industries leading to the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
SIBAT in cooperation with the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM) and India's Ministry of Defence led a seminar and B2B meetings this week between leading Indian and Israeli defence companies.
The seminar was led by SIBAT Director, Brig. Gen. (Res.) Yair Kulas, and brought together small, medium and large Israeli and Indian defence companies for substantive engagements.
The event featured representatives from 30 Indian and 26 Israeli defence companies.
The Indian delegation was led by Ramesh K, Director General of SIDM, and included J P Singh, Ambassador of India to Israel, and Gp Capt. Vijay Patil, Defence Attache of India to Israel.
Prime Minister Modi would arrive on February 25 on a two-day visit to Israel.

State Bank of India (SBI) facilitates rupee trade settlement with Israel (Start of January) ▼

State Bank of India (SBI) is the only Indian bank with a presence in Israel.
SBI Tel Aviv has all requisite approvals to facilitate settlement of exports and imports in Indian rupees.
Israel has been identified as a partner country under the RBI mechanism for rupee trade settlement.
SBI Tel Aviv is working to streamline rupee remittances for over 40,000 Indian workers in Israel.
SBI opened its Israel branch in 2007 and operates from the Diamond Exchange in Ramat Gan.

India and UAE to co-chair 2nd India-Arab Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi (End of January) ▼

The 2nd India-Arab Foreign Ministers’ Meeting will be held in New Delhi on Saturday, co-chaired by India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Foreign ministers of 20 Arab League member states and the Arab League Secretary-General will participate in the meeting.
The first India-Arab Foreign Ministers’ Meeting took place in Bahrain in 2016, and the current meeting occurs after a 10-year gap.
The 2016 meeting identified five priority cooperation verticals: economy, energy, education, media and culture.
Palestinian Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin urged increased Indian participation in Gaza reconstruction and continued support to UNRWA for Palestinian refugees.
India has supported Palestinian education through schools in the West Bank and higher education centres in Gaza, some of which were destroyed in the last two years.
The Gaza peace plan and regional peace and stability are expected agenda items at the meeting.

Indian Army conducts Exercise Agni Varsha in Pokhran

[Rajasthan]

Key Updates:

Exercise Agni Varsha was conducted by the Southern Command of the Indian Army in Pokhran deserts, Rajasthan.
The exercise featured unmanned aerial vehicles, counter-drone systems, precision strike rockets, modern artillery platforms and surveillance assets.
Foreign defence journalists from 25 countries witnessed the exercise.
The Integrated Manoeuvre Force comprised T-90 Main Battle Tanks, infantry combat vehicles, K-9 Vajra self-propelled howitzers, Sharang and Bofors artillery systems, rocket platforms, indigenous weapon systems, Apache attack helicopters and a range of surveillance and strike drones.

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India and United States commence 16th edition of Exercise Vajra Prahar 2026 in Himachal Pradesh (End of February) ▼

The 16th edition of the bilateral Special Forces exercise, Vajra Prahar 2026, is being conducted between the Indian Army and the United States (U.S.) Army.
The exercise is hosted at the Special Forces Training School (SFTS) in Bakloh, Himachal Pradesh.
The exercise is conducted annually to enhance interoperability, operational coordination, and the exchange of advanced tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs).
The 2026 edition focuses on counter-terrorism operations, precision strikes, intelligence-driven missions, and joint planning under simulated battlefield conditions.
The drill aims to strengthen the strategic partnership and enhance the capability of Special Forces to operate in diverse environments.

India and Japan Commence 7th Edition of Dharma Guardian Exercise in Uttarakhand (End of February) ▼

The 7th edition of the annual India–Japan Joint Military Exercise DHARMA GUARDIAN commenced at the Foreign Training Node, Chaubattia, in Uttarakhand.
The two-week exercise is scheduled to be conducted from 24 February to 9 March 2026.
The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) is represented in the exercise by 120 personnel from the 32nd Infantry Regiment.
The Indian Army contingent comprises 120 personnel drawn from the Ladakh Scouts.
The exercise is designed to enhance combined operational capabilities in semi-urban terrain and integrate modern military technologies.
Tactical activities include establishing a Temporary Operating Base (TOB) and developing an Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) grid.
Participating forces will conduct Mobile Vehicle Check Posts, Cordon and Search Operations, Heliborne Operations, and House Intervention Drills.
The exercise is conducted alternately in India and Japan as a key pillar of their Special Strategic and Global Partnership framework.

Indian Army and Indo-Tibetan Border Police conduct joint exercise Agni Pariksha in Arunachal Pradesh (Start of February) ▼

The Indian Army and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) conducted a six-day joint training exercise named Agni Pariksha from 19 to 24 January.
The exercise was held at Sigar in the East Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh to enhance inter-force combat synergy and operational integration.
Spearhead gunners under the Spear Corps led the training for personnel from infantry regiments and the ITBP.
The primary objective of the exercise was to familiarise non-artillery personnel with artillery procedures, coordination mechanisms, and the execution of firing missions.
Infantry and ITBP personnel were trained to independently conduct multiple artillery firing drills under the supervision of experienced gunners.
The initiative represents the first phase of a collaborative firepower training programme aimed at developing integrated combat capabilities for future battlefields.

Indian Air Force to demonstrate firepower in Exercise Vayushakti-26 at Pokhran on 27 February 2026 (Mid of February) ▼

Exercise Vayushakti-26 will be held at Pokhran Air-to-Ground Range, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan on 27 February 2026.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) will deploy 77 fighter aircraft, 43 helicopters and eight transport aircraft.
A total of 277 weapons and 12,000 kg of explosives will be used during day, dusk and night missions.
Platforms participating include Tejas, Rafale, Jaguar, Mirage-2000, Su-30MKI, MiG-29, Hawk, C-130J, C-295, C-17, Chetak, ALH MK-IV, Mi-17 IV, LCH, Apache, Chinook and Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA).
Advanced weapon systems such as Short Range Loitering Munitions (SRLM), Akash, SpyDer and Counter Unmanned Aerial Systems (CUAS) will be showcased.
The exercise reaffirms the IAF’s role in long-range precision targeting and multi-domain operations using indigenous platforms in line with ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’.

DBT-ISRO MoU pushes India into space biotechnology and space medicine.

Key Updates:

An MoU between the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has formally entered India into space biotechnology and space medicine.
Biotechnology experiments conducted in space missions include studies related to life sciences and muscle physiology.
The GenomeIndia Project has released whole genome sequencing data of 10,000 individuals from 99 diverse populations through the Indian Biological Data Centre.
India’s first human gene therapy trial for Severe Hemophilia A—supported by DBT and Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC)—achieved sustained Factor VIII production and reduced dependence on repeated infusions.

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BioAsia 2026 Concludes with Record 4500 Delegates and 4000 B2B Meetings (End of February) ▼

BioAsia 2026, the 23rd edition of Asia’s premier life sciences and health-tech forum, concluded in Hyderabad with over 4500 delegates and 4000 high-impact B2B meetings.
The event theme was ‘TechBio Unleashed: AI, Automation, and the Biology Revolution’.
More than 120 startups were shortlisted and 40+ most innovative startups exhibited solutions in MedTech, Medical Devices, BioPharma, Cell and Gene Therapy, AI and ML, Nutraceuticals, and Biomarkers.
BioAsia 2026 Innovation Awards were presented to Achala Health Services Private Limited, Exquinz Life Sciences Pvt Ltd, Helex, Natural Solutions & Nutraceuticals Pvt Ltd, and Sree Guravey Life Sciences OPC Pvt Ltd.
Achala Health Services Private Limited is building India’s first healthcare-focused Small Language Model (SLM) that automates hospital workflows and integrates with EMR, LIMS, RIS, HIS, and pharmacy data.
Exquinz Life Sciences Pvt Ltd integrates next-generation digital vaccine vial monitors with AI-enabled authentication and real-time tracking to predict residual vaccine shelf-life and reduce wastage.
Helex develops non-viral gene therapies for renal diseases using a proprietary kidney-targeting lipid nanoparticle to restore PKD1 gene expression for Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD).
Natural Solutions & Nutraceuticals Pvt Ltd offers Virulina, a triple-action herbal product targeting respiratory viruses, with patent-protected antiviral, immunomodulatory, and anti-inflammatory properties.
Sree Guravey Life Sciences OPC Pvt Ltd develops BioMap Markers for biopsy procedures that are ultrasonography-sensitive, biocompatible, non-calcified, and metal-free to ensure accurate placement and diagnostic outcomes.

Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) and CrisprBits Sign LoI to Establish Centre of Excellence for CRISPR Innovation and Translation (CoE-CIT) (End of December) ▼

The Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bengaluru an autonomous institute of Department of Science and Technology (DST) and CRISPRBITS Private Limited (CrisprBits) based in Delhi... have announced the signing of a Letter of Intent (LOI) to jointly establish the CoE-CIT.
The CoE-CIT is envisioned to bridge the bench to bed gap leading and have therapeutic impact by combining JNCASR’s strengths in fundamental biomedical sciences with CrisprBits’ expertise in applied gene-editing and translational platforms.
The CoE-CIT is a dedicated hub to harness cutting-edge CRISPR technologies to facilitate translation of scientific discoveries in a laboratory into real-world clinical applications.
The CoE will serve as a replicable national model for academic–industry partnerships to strengthen India’s biotechnology and innovation ecosystem.
Synergizing the mutual strengths in genetics, molecular and chemical biology, and computational biology, this unique partnership will open a new route to impact society and national missions.

National Health Authority (NHA) Organises Federated Intelligence Hackathon at IIT Kanpur (End of January) ▼

The National Health Authority (NHA), in collaboration with the ICMR–National Institute for Research in Digital Health and Data Science (ICMR-NIRDHDS) and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, organised the Federated Intelligence Hackathon for Healthcare.
The national-level initiative was held at the IIT Kanpur campus to advance secure and scalable Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions for India's healthcare ecosystem.
The event featured a Hackathon Week from 19 to 23 January 2026, followed by a two-day on-site programme beginning on 23 January 2026.
The hackathon received a total of 191 registrations, comprising 76 individual participants and 115 teams from health-tech start-ups, clinicians, and researchers.
The competition carries a total prize pool of ₹12 lakh, with winners announced during the valedictory sessions on 24 January 2026.
The programme integrated NHA’s digital health governance through the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) with the clinical research expertise of ICMR-NIRDHDS.
Technical sessions covered Health Technology Assessment (HTA), traditional machine learning, and AI use cases in ophthalmology, bone age detection, and computational pathology.
Participating organisations and experts included representatives from NITI Aayog, Samsung India, Google Health AI, CoRover.ai, ArtPark@IISc, and the Wadhwani Foundation.

BioAsia 2026 begins in Hyderabad with record 4,000 delegates (Mid of February) ▼

BioAsia 2026, Asia's premier life sciences and health-tech forum, commenced in Hyderabad on 17 February 2026.
The two-day event drew over 4,000 delegates and more than 500 companies, marking its largest edition to date.
Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy inaugurated the forum at 9:30 am on 17 February at HITEX Hall 4.
The 2026 edition theme is 'TechBio Unleashed: AI, Automation & the Biology Revolution'.
The exhibition footprint expanded to 9,000 square metres, up from 7,000 square metres in 2025.
175+ exhibitors span pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medtech, digital health and advanced manufacturing.
Startup Pavilion hosted 40 emerging startups, Innovation Pavilion featured 16 exhibitors, and 22 MSME exhibitors participated.
Keynote speakers included Prof. Bruce Levine (University of Pennsylvania), Dr. Howard Y. Chang (Amgen) and Pushmeet Kohli (Google DeepMind).
Global firms Novartis, Eli Lilly, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Sanofi, MSD and Miltenyi Biotec, alongside Indian leaders Dr. Reddy's Laboratories and Biocon Biologics, featured prominently.

MeitY launches Blockchain India Challenge to build permissioned blockchain platforms for transparent governance

Key Updates:

The Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) launched the Blockchain India Challenge on 23 February 2026 at MeitY headquarters in New Delhi.
The initiative is implemented by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) with MeitY’s support.
The Challenge targets DPIIT-recognised startups to co-create with government departments ten blockchain use cases across ten categories: e-procurement, supply chain management, public distribution systems, education, healthcare, agriculture, power, IoT-enabled governance, land records, and sustainability.
Startups will receive stage-wise financial support to develop deployable permissioned blockchain solutions that ensure transparency, auditability, and tamper-proof record management.
Applications are open through the official C-DAC portal with guidelines on eligibility, intellectual property rights, and use-case collaboration frameworks.

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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.

Special Campaign 5.0 Assessment Report & CPGRAMS Annual Report Released (End of December) ▼

The Assessment Report of Special Campaign 5.0 and the Annual Report of CPGRAMS were released by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.
Special Campaign 5.0 institutionalised Swachhata and reduced pendency across government offices, generating over Rs 4100 crores through systematic disposal of scrap and e-waste.
CPGRAMS report highlights the Government’s focus on responsive, technology-enabled and time-bound grievance redressal.

India adopts OECD Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework CARF (Mid of January) ▼

India’s move toward adopting the OECD Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework CARF, slated for implementation from April 1, 2027.
India reasserted its position as the world’s largest market for crypto adoption.
India joined global crypto elite, ranks among top 10 in transactional use.

India unveils first AI governance guidelines ahead of AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi (Mid of February) ▼

The Government of India unveiled the nation's first comprehensive Artificial Intelligence (AI) governance guidelines to manage risks while promoting innovation.
The framework is anchored in seven broad principles or sutras: trust, people first, innovation over restraint, fairness and equity, accountability, understandable by design, and safety, resilience, and sustainability.
The guidelines outline the development and usage of AI across key sectors including healthcare, education, agriculture, finance, and governance.
The government proposed the establishment of three new national institutions: an AI governance group, a technology and policy expert committee, and an AI safety institute.
The five-day AI Impact Summit 2026 is scheduled to commence in New Delhi on 16 February 2026.
The framework emphasises reliance on existing legal structures such as Information Technology (IT) rules, data protection laws, and criminal statutes instead of a standalone AI law.
The Delhi declaration is expected to be considered for adoption during the summit to position India as a global voice in responsible AI governance aligned with Viksit Bharat 2047.
High-risk AI applications affecting safety, rights, or livelihoods are required to follow stronger safeguards and maintain human oversight under the new guidelines.

TTD installs Rs 25 crore French e-tongue and e-nose systems to test Tirupati prasadam ghee quality.

Key Updates:

Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) is establishing an ultra-modern food testing laboratory equipped with French-manufactured e-tongue and e-nose systems at a cost of Rs 25 crore.
The e-tongue analyses taste patterns with high precision to detect subtle deterioration or adulteration in ghee and other raw materials.
The e-nose evaluates aroma profiles to identify impurities or defects by replicating human sensory functions.
The specialised instruments, worth around Rs 3.5 crore, are made in France and can detect microscopic variations in taste and smell not identifiable through conventional testing.
The laboratory will test about 60 types of raw materials used in Srivari prasadam, including ghee, cashew nuts, raisins, almonds, Bengal gram, sugar, cardamom, turmeric, and chilli powder.
It will also examine prasadam, drinking water, and food samples for pesticide residues (up to 200 types), heavy metals, microbial contamination, antibiotics, and other harmful substances.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has sanctioned Rs 23 crore for the project.
The 12,000 sq ft facility is being set up in a renovated two-storey building at the flour mill premises in Tirumala, with renovation work having begun in July last year.
The laboratory will operate through specialised microbiology, chemistry, and sensory analysis divisions and will house about 50 advanced testing instruments.
Around 40 personnel from the health department and TTD will be deployed to ensure smooth operations.

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Advanced food testing laboratory with French e-tongue and e-nose technology to be established in Tirumala (End of February) ▼

The Andhra Pradesh state government is installing advanced e-tongue and e-nose machines worth ₹3.5 crore at a new food testing laboratory in Tirumala.
These high-precision instruments, manufactured in France, replicate human sensory functions to scientifically analyse taste and aroma profiles and detect microscopic adulteration.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) sanctioned ₹23 crore for the establishment of the 12,000 sq ft laboratory.
The facility will test approximately 60 varieties of raw materials, including ghee, cashew nuts, raisins, almonds, Bengal gram, sugar, cardamom, turmeric, and chilli powder.
The laboratory will operate through microbiology, chemistry, and sensory analysis divisions to detect up to 200 types of pesticide residues, heavy metals, and antibiotics.
A total of 40 personnel will be jointly deployed by the health department and the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) to operate the facility.

Tata Consumer Products Limited (TCPL) formalises technology transfer from Council of Scientific & Industrial Research - National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (CSIR-NIIST) to advance science-backed food and beverage innovations. (End of February) ▼

Tata Consumer Products Limited (TCPL) formalised the transfer of indigenously developed food and nutrition-focused technologies from Council of Scientific & Industrial Research - National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (CSIR-NIIST) on 19 February 2026 in Bangalore, Karnataka.
CSIR-NIIST's advanced formulation technology for nutritionally enhanced 'Smarter Rice' delivers higher protein content, lower glycaemic index, and improved micronutrient availability.
CSIR-NIIST's indigenous coffee crema technology enhances crema stability and improves the sensory experience of brewed coffee.
Tata Consumer Products and CSIR-NIIST will jointly undertake sponsored research to develop low-sodium salt formulations that enable sodium reduction without compromising flavour.
Tata Consumer Products has a consolidated annual turnover of Rs. 17,618 Crs and reaches over 275 million households in India.

National Arogya Fair 2026 to promote Ayush medicine systems and farmer livelihoods (End of February) ▼

President Droupadi Murmu will inaugurate the National Arogya Fair 2026 at Visava Maidan of Sant Gajanan Maharaj Sansthan in Shegaon, Buldhana, Maharashtra on February 25.
The fair is organised by the Ministry of Ayush (MoA) in collaboration with All India Ayurvedic Congress from February 25 to 28.
Free health check-ups, consultations and medicines will be provided across Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa and Homoeopathy systems.
Farmers from Buldhana district will be encouraged to adopt agroforestry and medicinal plant cultivation for sustainable income.
A special programme on 'Ayurvedic Farming, Production and Marketing' is scheduled on February 27 at 3 pm at Visava premises.

Mizoram Ginger & Dry Broomstick Procurement Scheme (Mid of January) ▼

Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma announced the state's procurement of ginger and dry broomsticks from farmers under a government initiative starting February 2.
The scheme offers support prices for crops such as ginger, turmeric, and paddy to improve economic conditions in the agrarian community.
A ginger processing unit was inaugurated in Sairang to enhance the region's positioning as the 'ginger capital of India', a title granted by NITI Aayog.

National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) sets Guinness World Record for most viewers of AI in healthcare live stream

[National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS)]

Key Updates:

The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) achieved a Guinness World Record for the most viewers of an AI in healthcare lesson live stream on YouTube.
The live stream peaked at 17,999 concurrent viewers, all registered medical practitioners.
The six-month national online training programme comprises 20 modules curated by faculty from Harvard and IIM Lucknow.
NBEMS offers the module free of charge, aligning with India's digital innovation goals in healthcare.

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India launches world’s first doctor-led AI healthcare ecosystem iLive Connect (Start of February) ▼

iLive Connect is the world’s first doctor-led, AI-powered healthcare ecosystem providing 24/7 home medical monitoring.
Developed by cardiothoracic surgeon Dr Rahul Chandola and senior interventional cardiologist Dr Viveka Kumar.
System uses FDA- and CE-approved wearable biosensor patch on chest and wristband to track two-lead ECG, heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, body temperature, blood pressure trends, physical activity, and heart rate variability.
Data transmitted to secure cloud platform monitored round-the-clock by specialised doctors at central medical command centre.
Doctors alert patient and family within two minutes at first sign of harmful physiological change and provide immediate medical guidance.
10-week observational study of 410 patients showed 76% reduction in hospital readmissions with early detection of cardiac, metabolic, and post-discharge complications.
Technology especially beneficial for senior citizens, high-risk patients, elderly living alone, and recently discharged patients.

India sets Guinness World Record with 250,946 AI responsibility pledges in 24 hours at AI Impact Summit 2026 (Mid of February) ▼

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the Guinness World Records title for 'Most pledges received for an AI responsibility campaign in 24 hours' with 250,946 valid pledges during February 16-17.
The announcement was made at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
The nationwide AI Responsibility Pledge campaign was launched under the IndiaAI Mission in collaboration with Intel India on February 16.
Citizens pledged through the portal aipledge.indiaai.gov.in to commit to ethical, inclusive, and responsible use of Artificial Intelligence.
Participants received a digital badge and access to AI learning pathways after completing the pledge.
The campaign exceeded its initial target of 5,000 pledges.

SAHI and BODH initiatives launched to integrate ethical AI into India’s health system (Mid of February) ▼

Union Health Minister JP Nadda launched the Strategy for Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare for India (SAHI) and the Benchmarking Open Data Platform for Health AI (BODH) at Bharat Mandapam during the India AI Impact Summit 2026 Day 2.
SAHI serves as a national guideline for responsible AI adoption in healthcare, covering governance, data management, validation and monitoring of AI tools.
BODH was developed by IIT Kanpur in collaboration with the National Health Authority (NHA) and operates under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission to evaluate and benchmark AI models using privacy-preserving techniques.
The summit features over 20 Heads of State, 60 ministers and hundreds of global AI experts, with an AI Expo hosting 300+ exhibition pavilions and 600+ startups across 70,000 square metres at Bharat Mandapam.
Organisers expect more than 2.5 lakh visitors during the five-day event.

Microsoft Store Awards 2025 spotlight AI, productivity and creativity apps (Start of December) ▼

Perplexity’s Windows app uses native voice dictation, multi-modal AI search and enterprise IT policies.
ChatGPT for Windows adds an Alt + Space companion window, direct file/image uploads and privacy-first enterprise controls.
Moon Technolabs’ Invoice Maker & Estimate Creator offers customizable templates, real-time cash-flow analytics and multi-channel sharing.
Manus autonomously runs Python, JavaScript or Bash scripts in a sandboxed Windows environment while exposing a live control interface.
n-Track Studio turns Windows PCs into unlimited-track recording studios with AI tools and cross-platform project sync.
Moises Live performs real-time AI audio separation system-wide, leveraging Copilot+ NPUs for local, latency-free processing.
ngrok provides secure tunneling integrated with Windows Defender and runs as a background service for developer workflows.
Scratch 3 supports offline editing and hardware extensions like micro:bit and LEGO for classroom robotics projects.
Castle Craft delivers scalable, family-friendly strategy gameplay with dynamic resource merging across Windows devices.
Notion on Windows integrates taskbar pinning, offline access and template-driven automation for project management.

National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management, Kundli (NIFTEM-K) to host ANVESH–2026 to position India at the centre of global food dialogue

[National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM-K)]

Key Updates:

NIFTEM-K, an Institute of National Importance under the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI), will host the International Conference on Advanced Next Generation Vision for Emerging and Sustainable Healthy Foods (ANVESH–2026) from 26–28 February 2026.
The conference will convene global experts from over 25 countries and is expected to host more than 1,000 delegates from academia, industry, and government.
The Government of India has invested approximately ₹15,000 crore in the food processing ecosystem over the past four to five years.
MoFPI has set a target to increase the processing of India’s agricultural produce from the current 12–13 percent to 25 percent within the next five years.
The food processing sector has recorded a steady Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of around 7 percent over the past decade, with processed food exports doubling in the same period.
Annual post-harvest losses in India are estimated at nearly ₹1.10 lakh crore, and the conference will highlight the food as medicine paradigm for preventive healthcare.
The event will feature over 50 exhibitors: startups, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), and beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro food processing Enterprises (PMFME) scheme.
Participating global institutions are Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), McGill University, Wageningen University & Research, the Volcani Institute, and The University of Queensland.
The conference will address emerging themes: digital compliance frameworks, food safety and traceability, alternative proteins, nutraceuticals, waste management, circular economy approaches, and agri-food entrepreneurship.
Key speakers proposed for the event are Union Minister for MoFPI Chirag Paswan, National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog Member Ramesh Chand, MoFPI Secretary Avinash Joshi, and NIFTEM-K Director Harinder Singh Oberoi.

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India named Country of the Year at BIOFACH 2026 in Germany (Mid of February) ▼

India has been designated as the Country of the Year at BIOFACH 2026, the world’s leading trade fair for organic products, to be held from February 10 to 13 in Nuremberg, Germany.
The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) is organising India’s participation with a 1,074 square metre India Pavilion featuring 67 co-exhibitors.
The pavilion will showcase organic rice, oilseeds, herbs, spices, pulses, cashew, ginger, turmeric, large cardamom, cinnamon, mango puree, and essential oils.
Exhibitors from 20 states and Union Territories including Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Arunachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Uttarakhand are participating.
Five GI-tagged rice varieties—Indrayani, Navara, Gobindbhog, Red, and Chak Hao (Black rice)—will be served to highlight India’s heritage rice varieties.
Live sampling of aromatic biryani prepared using premium organic basmati rice and spices will be organised at the India Pavilion.

National Arogya Fair 2026 to promote Ayush medicine systems and farmer livelihoods (End of February) ▼

President Droupadi Murmu will inaugurate the National Arogya Fair 2026 at Visava Maidan of Sant Gajanan Maharaj Sansthan in Shegaon, Buldhana, Maharashtra on February 25.
The fair is organised by the Ministry of Ayush (MoA) in collaboration with All India Ayurvedic Congress from February 25 to 28.
Free health check-ups, consultations and medicines will be provided across Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa and Homoeopathy systems.
Farmers from Buldhana district will be encouraged to adopt agroforestry and medicinal plant cultivation for sustainable income.
A special programme on 'Ayurvedic Farming, Production and Marketing' is scheduled on February 27 at 3 pm at Visava premises.

Northeast India Organic Week inaugurated on November 29, 2025 (Start of December) ▼

The first Northeast India Organic Week was inaugurated on November 29, 2025.
The event was organised in partnership with the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), the Union Commerce Ministry and IFOAM-Organics Asia.
Delegates and buyers from 13 countries attended Meghalaya’s inaugural Northeast India Organic Week.
Meghalaya Agriculture Commissioner and Secretary is Dr Vijay Kumar D.
Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) chairman is Abhishek Dev.
IFOAM-Organics Asia executive director is Jennifer Chang.
Meghalaya Chief Minister is Conrad K Sangma.
Meghalaya is the second fastest growing state behind Tamil Nadu.
Lakadong turmeric has up to 13 per cent curcumin content.
A new ginger processing unit worth Rs 25 crore has been set up as the largest organic spice processing facility in the Northeast.
The eighth edition of the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) was highlighted.
The ‘Green Meghalaya’ initiative focuses on ongoing climate action efforts.
GI-tagged Khasi mandarins have made inroads into Gulf markets through the Lulu Group.

India Achieves Historic Record of 357 Million Tonnes Foodgrain Production (Start of December) ▼

India produced 357 million tonnes of foodgrains.
India's foodgrain production increased by 100 million tonnes compared to 10 years ago.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the Natural Farming Exhibition in Coimbatore.
The South India Natural Farming Summit promotes sustainable, eco-friendly, and chemical-free agricultural practices.
The Summit focuses on regenerative farming as a climate-smart and economically sustainable model.
The Summit showcases innovations in organic inputs, agro-processing, eco-friendly packaging, and indigenous technologies.

Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve records 57 unique fishing cats in first scientific assessment.

[Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve]

Key Updates:

Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve recorded 57 unique fishing cats in its first scientific assessment.
The fishing cat is listed as globally vulnerable and protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
The assessment was conducted by Kaziranga’s Tiger Cell in collaboration with scientist Tiasa Adhya of the Fishing Cat Project using camera-trap images from previous All India Tiger Estimation exercises.
The findings were released on Fishing Cat Day.
The study sets a baseline for monitoring lesser-studied species beyond Kaziranga’s Big Five—Great Indian One-Horned Rhinoceros, Royal Bengal Tiger, Asian Elephant, Asiatic Wild Buffalo, and Eastern Swamp Deer.

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Government of India (GoI) doubles fish production and creates 74.66 lakh jobs in a decade. (Mid of January) ▼

India’s fish production surged 106 percent to 197.75 lakh tonnes in FY 2024–25 from 95.79 lakh tonnes in FY 2013–14.
Average aquaculture productivity improved to 4.77 tonnes per hectare.
India is now the world’s second-largest fish producer and leads in shrimp production and exports.
Seafood exports reached 16.98 lakh tonnes worth Rs 62,408 crore in 2023–24.
Government approved projects worth Rs 32,723 crore under PMMSY, PMMKSSY, FIDF and Blue Revolution since 2014–15, with total investments of Rs 38,572 crore.
74.66 lakh direct and indirect jobs created under various fisheries schemes since 2014–15.
34.71 lakh fishers covered under group accident insurance.
4.49 lakh Kisan Credit Cards worth Rs 3,569.60 crore issued to fishers.
4.33 lakh fisher families receive nutritional support during lean fishing periods.

Rare Clouded Leopard Sighted in Kakoi Reserve Forest (RF) Highlights Conservation of Smaller Habitats (End of December) ▼

The Clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) is a vulnerable and Schedule I–protected species.
The species was sighted at the Kakoi Reserve Forest (RF) located in the eastern Himalayan foothills of Assam.
The sighting was recorded during a routine camera-trap exercise.
The presence of the species highlights the vital role smaller reserve forests play in the conservation of threatened carnivores.
A Siberian tigress was spotted with five cubs in China.
Forest officials in Panchkula have deployed drones for rescue teams following an alert over a leopard sighting.
A rare red fox appeared near Pangong Tso, leading an IFS officer to flag conservation concerns.
The Nature Conservancy is restoring habitat for a rare moth and other prairie species.

Gujarat regains Tiger State status after 33 years as NTCA confirms tiger presence in Ratanmahal sanctuary (End of December) ▼

The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) confirmed the presence of a tiger in the Ratanmahal Wildlife Sanctuary in central Gujarat.
Forest officials detected pugmarks of a tiger in the Pipalgota Round of the Kanjeta Range in the sanctuary.
Analysis of camera trap data revealed an image of a tiger captured at 2:40 am.
The NTCA included Gujarat in the national Tiger Census and suggested steps to strengthen the ecosystem.
The Gujarat Forest Department has increased the number of camera traps and is ensuring availability of water, prey base, security, and fire prevention.
Prey base species such as antelopes and spotted deer were released in the area during the monsoon.
Forest department officials will be trained in conservation and breeding of tigers.
Attempts are on to bring a female tiger to increase the tiger population in the region.
Gujarat has become the only state in India to host three big cat species — lion, tiger and leopard — simultaneously.

Seafood poisoning at Vizhinjam restaurant linked to tetrodotoxin in fish roe

[Vizhinjam]

Key Updates:

Food safety authorities suspect tetrodotoxin (TTX), a potent marine neurotoxin, contaminated seafood served at a Vizhinjam restaurant.
All hospitalised patients had consumed fish roe, pinpointed as the likely source of the toxin.
Three members of a six-member family fell seriously ill after eating seafood on the night of February 16, with two deaths reported within hours.
A total of seven acute illness cases were reported, including two patients admitted to Government Medical College hospital, Thiruvananthapuram, and one each to two private hospitals.
Tetrodotoxin is heat-stable, has no known antidote, and ingestion can lead to fatal paralysis.
The fish roe served on February 16 was sourced from Muttom in Tamil Nadu on February 15 and comprised multiple species.
Chemical analysis results of internal samples from the deceased are awaited to confirm the cause of death.

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Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) study finds fat-based liquid reduces Celphos poisoning mortality (Start of February) ▼

A study led by the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) has identified Intravenous Lipid Emulsion (ILE) as a treatment that can reduce the death rate of aluminum phosphide (Celphos) poisoning by 40%.
The research, published in the European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences, involved a randomised pilot clinical trial with 98 adult patients.
Aluminum phosphide is a grain fumigant that releases lethal phosphine gas upon ingestion and currently carries a 70% mortality rate with no known specific antidote.
The ILE treatment acts as a lipid sink, functioning like a sponge to soak up fat-soluble toxins in the bloodstream before they prevent cells from using oxygen.
The trial results showed that the mortality rate dropped from 62% in the standard care group to 22.9% in the group receiving the lipid emulsion.
In critical cases where patients were in shock, the survival rate rose from 0% in standard care to 50% in the lipid group.
For victims who consumed highly toxic fresh tablets, the survival rate reached 71.4% with ILE compared to 0% under standard care.
Survival for patients with heart muscle damage increased from 3.1% to 64.3% with the addition of the lipid emulsion.
The treatment uses a 20% lipid emulsion, which is a standard, cost-effective medical product that can be administered by physicians at primary care centres.

Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) discovers two new polychaete worm species in Bay of Bengal (Start of February) ▼

Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) researchers identified two new marine worm species, Namalycastis solenotognatha and Nereis dhritiae, in Digha and Bankiput regions of Purba Medinipur, West Bengal.
Namalycastis solenotognatha inhabits sulfide-rich, foul-smelling mudflats and decomposing mangrove wood, and possesses a channeled jaw structure with multiple pulp-cavity canals.
Nereis dhritiae was found inside wooden dock piles on sandy beaches submerged at high tide and is named after ZSI’s first woman director Dhriti Banerjee.
Both species tolerate heavy human activity and industrial pollution, highlighting their resilience and potential as bioindicators for monitoring coastal health.

India to host World Seafood Congress 2026 in Chennai (Start of February) ▼

Chennai will host the World Seafood Congress (WSC) 2026, marking India’s first time hosting the biennial forum.
The Congress is jointly organised by the International Association of Fish Inspectors (IAFI), PDA Ventures, and the National Fisheries Development Board, Hyderabad.
Co-organisers include the Department of Fisheries with support from the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, the Ministry of Earth Sciences, and NITI Aayog – Government of India.
Technical partners are the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and WorldFish.
Supporting industry bodies include Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), Seafood Exporters Association of India (SEAI), Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME), Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), Foundation for Aquaculture Innovation & Technology Transfer (FAITT), Indian Marine Ingredients Association (IMIA), and National Institute of Fisheries Post Harvest Technology and Training (NIFPHATT).
The inaugural session will feature addresses from Dr Manuel Barange (FAO), Mr Alejandro Rivera Rojas (UNIDO), Dr Jörn O Schmidt (WorldFish), Dr K N Raghavan (SEAI), Mr G Pawan Kumar (SEAI), Mr Dodda Venkata Swamy (MPEDA), and Dr Ian Goulding (IAFI).
Keynote address titled 'Netting Aqua Potentials for Nutrition Security and Economic Prosperity' will be delivered by Dr Tarun Shridhar, Former Secretary of Fisheries and Chairman of the WSC 2026 International Advisory Committee.
The Congress agenda includes plenary sessions, expert panels, technical workshops, and thematic discussions on sustainable seafood trade, inspection standards, market access, and inclusive growth.
The WSC 2026 exhibition will showcase innovations in processing, packaging, quality control, logistics, certification, digital systems, and cold-chain solutions.
Winners of the 2026 Peter Howgate Award are Ms Harini Ravi from the National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship, India, and Ms Riza Jane Banicod from the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Republic of the Philippines.

India launches first open-sea marine fish farming project in Andaman Sea (Mid of January) ▼

The pilot project focuses on the open-sea cultivation of marine finfish and seaweed under natural ocean conditions, combining scientific innovation with livelihood generation.
The project is being implemented through a collaborative effort involving the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India, its technical arm the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), and the Union Territory Administration of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Under the marine flora component, seaweed seeds were handed over to local fishing communities to encourage deep-water seaweed cultivation in the open sea.
Under the marine fauna component, finfish seeds were provided for cage-based farming, using NIOT-developed open-sea cages specifically designed to operate in natural oceanic environments.

NIM and JIM&WS Joint Team Summits Mt. Aconcagua in Argentina

[Argentina]

Key Updates:

A six-member joint team from the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM), Uttarkashi and the Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering & Winter Sports (JIM&WS), Pahalgam successfully summited Mt. Aconcagua in Argentina on February 22, 2026.
Mt. Aconcagua is the highest peak in South America and the second-highest peak in the world outside of Asia.
The team was led by Col Hem Chandra Singh, Principal of NIM and JIM&WS, and was ceremonially flagged off by Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh on February 5, 2026.
The team reached the summit at 14:10 hours after completing acclimatisation at Bonete Peak (5,050m).
The expedition members included Capt G Santhosh Kumar, Shri Deep Bahadur Sahi, Shri Vinod Gusai, Nb Sub Bhupinder Singh, and Hav Ramesh Kumar.

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Rajnath Singh flagged off joint NIM-JIM&WS expedition to Mount Aconcagua. (Start of February) ▼

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh flagged off the joint expedition to Mount Aconcagua, Argentina, on 5 February 2026.
The expedition is organised by Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM), Uttarkashi, and Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering & Winter Sports (JIM&WS), Pahalgam.
Mount Aconcagua, at 6,961 metres, is the highest peak in South America and the tallest mountain outside Asia.
The six-member instructor team includes Col Hem Chandra Singh, Capt G Santhosh Kumar, and Deep Bahadur Sahi.
The expedition commenced on 6 February 2026 and is scheduled to conclude by the end of February 2026.

Kabak Yano summits Mount Aconcagua in Argentina (Start of February) ▼

Indian mountaineer Kabak Yano from Arunachal Pradesh successfully summited Mount Aconcagua in Argentina.
Mount Aconcagua is the highest peak in South America and the Western Hemisphere at 22,831 feet above sea level.
The summit was part of her 7-Summit Mountaineering Expedition flagged off on 28th July last year by Arunachal Pradesh Governor Lieutenant General K.T. Parnaik (Retd).
Arunachal Pradesh Governor congratulated 27-year-old Yano on her achievement, praising her as an inspiration to the state's youth.

Aritra Roy summited Mt. Aconcagua in HAL-sponsored solo expedition. (Mid of January) ▼

Aritra Roy is a HAL-sponsored Indian mountaineer.
He summited Mt. Aconcagua, the highest mountain outside Asia, standing at 6,967.15 metres above mean sea level.
The solo expedition was fully sponsored by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
Roy reached the summit on January 7, 2026, at 2:00 PM local time.
He completed a 44-kilometre trek and faced temperatures plunging to minus 40 degrees Celsius, snowstorms and blizzards.
HAL Chairman and Managing Director Dr D K Sunil congratulated Roy on the achievement.
Roy dedicated the summit to those who aspire to dream big and pursue their goals with perseverance.

Fatima Abdulrahman Al Awadhi reached the summit of Mount Vinson (Start of January) ▼

Emirati mountaineer Fatima Abdulrahman Al Awadhi reached the summit of Mount Vinson, the highest peak in Antarctica, on 6 January 2026.
At the age of 18, she became the youngest and first Arab to reach the summit of the 4,892-metre peak.
This ascent marks the third major peak in her quest to conquer the Seven Summits and achieve the Explorer’s Grand Slam.
The expedition was sponsored by Palms Sports and Dar Al Takaful Finance.
Al Awadhi previously became the youngest Emirati to reach the summit of Mount Elbrus, Europe’s highest peak, on 6 July 2025.
She is currently a university student majoring in Economics.

Tomas Martin Etcheverry clinches maiden ATP title at Rio Open

[Argentina]

Key Updates:

Tomas Martin Etcheverry defeated Alejandro Tabilo 3-6, 7-6(3), 6-4 to win his first ATP Tour title at the Rio Open.
The Rio Open is an ATP 500 event held in Rio de Janeiro.
Etcheverry rose 18 places to No. 33 in the ATP Live Rankings after the victory.
Brazilian pair Joao Fonseca and Felipe Melo won the men’s doubles title, defeating Constantin Frantzen and Robin Haase 4-6, 6-3, 10-8.

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Stefanos Sakellaridis defeats Oliver Crawford to win Delhi Open (End of February) ▼

Greek tennis player Stefanos Sakellaridis secured his first Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Challenger singles title by defeating Oliver Crawford in the Delhi Open final.
The final match lasted over three hours and concluded with a score of 7-5, 5-6, 7-66 in favour of Sakellaridis.
Sakellaridis earned 75 ATP ranking points and USD 17,000 for the victory, while Crawford received 44 points and USD 9,600.
The doubles title was claimed by the pair of Siddhanth Banthia from India and Alexander Donski from Bulgaria.
The tournament victory propelled Sakellaridis to a career-high ranking in the ATP standings.
The event was held in New Delhi, India.

Carlos Alcaraz conquers Australian Open 2026 to complete career Grand Slam (Start of February) ▼

Carlos Alcaraz defeated Novak Djokovic 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5 to win the Australian Open 2026 men’s singles title.
The final was played at Melbourne Park on 1 February 2026.
At 22 years and 272 days, Alcaraz became the youngest man to complete the career Grand Slam, surpassing Rafael Nadal’s 2004 record of 24 years and 101 days.
This victory gave Alcaraz his seventh Grand Slam title: two each at the French Open, Wimbledon, US Open, and now the Australian Open.
Djokovic, aged 38, remained on 24 Grand Slam titles after his first-ever runner-up finish at the Australian Open.
Alcaraz extended his ATP rankings lead to 3,350 points following the win.

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.

Novak Djokovic beats Pedro Martinez to set new all-time record at Australian Open (Start of February) ▼

Novak Djokovic defeated Pedro Martinez 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 in the first round at Rod Laver Arena.
The match marked Djokovic's 81st men's Grand Slam main draw appearance, equalling the all-time record held by Roger Federer and Feliciano Lopez.
Djokovic became the first male player to win 100 or more matches at three separate Grand Slam events: French Open (101), Wimbledon (102), and Australian Open (100).
He now has the chance to surpass Federer's record of 102 Australian Open wins and become the first man to reach 400 Grand Slam match wins overall.