January Current Affairs PDF (Full Month of January)

Staying updated with current affairs is crucial for everyone preparing for competitive exams in India. Our current affairs of January 2026 aims to provide you with a comprehensive overview of the significant events and updates from this month. 

From global news to sports, and technology to entertainment, we cover all important areas to keep you well-informed. Additionally, we are offering a free January current affairs 2026 PDF download. 

This PDF is a convenient resource for those who prefer having all the information in one place. Whether you’re preparing for exams or just want to stay updated, our January 2026 current affairs PDF is a valuable tool. 

Highlights of January 2026 Current Affairs

• India achieved a major milestone in eye care with the successful use of 3D flex aqueous angiography combined with iStent implantation for glaucoma treatment at an Army Hospital in New Delhi.
• The procedure enables real-time, intraoperative visualisation of aqueous humour drainage pathways inside the eye.
• It helps surgeons precisely identify sites of outflow resistance, which are the primary cause of raised intraocular pressure in glaucoma.
• The technology uses a 3D operating microscope integrated with the Spectralis imaging system for high-resolution guidance during surgery.
• Integration with the iStent device allows targeted placement of a microscopic implant to improve aqueous outflow.
• The approach is part of Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery (MIGS), offering reduced tissue damage and faster recovery.
• Precision-based imaging increases the likelihood of better intraocular pressure control and long-term disease management.
• The technique lowers the risk of complications compared to conventional glaucoma surgeries.
• This advancement reflects India’s growing capability in adopting and executing cutting-edge ophthalmic technologies.
• The breakthrough is significant as glaucoma is often symptomless in early stages, making accurate diagnosis and targeted intervention crucial for preventing irreversible vision loss.
• Bulgaria has officially adopted the euro as its national currency, becoming the 21st member of the Eurozone.
• The move marks deeper economic integration with the European Union’s monetary framework.
• Bulgaria is located in Southeast Europe, within the strategically important Balkan Peninsula.
• Sofia is the capital and largest city, serving as the country’s political and economic centre.
• Bulgaria is a member of the European Union, strengthening its institutional and regulatory alignment with Europe.
• It shares its northern border with Romania, enhancing Danube-based trade and connectivity.
• To the south, Bulgaria borders Greece and Turkey, linking it to both the EU and West Asia.
• Its western neighbours are Serbia and North Macedonia, reflecting strong Balkan regional ties.
• Bulgaria has an eastern maritime boundary along the Black Sea, giving it strategic access to maritime trade routes.
• Euro adoption is expected to boost investor confidence, reduce transaction costs, and enhance financial stability in the country.
• Rani Velu Nachiyar (1730–1796) was one of the earliest Indian rulers to openly challenge British colonial power, decades before the Revolt of 1857.
• She was born into the Ramnad kingdom (present-day Ramanathapuram, Tamil Nadu) and was trained from a young age in warfare and statecraft.
• Unlike most women of her time, she received formal military training in horse riding, archery, Silambam, and Valari.
• After the British East India Company killed her husband, Muthuvaduganatha Thevar, she reorganised resistance rather than surrendering power.
• She formed a strong strategic alliance with Hyder Ali of Mysore, securing arms, training, and military support against the British.
• In 1780, she successfully recaptured Sivaganga from British control, marking one of the earliest Indian victories over the East India Company.
• She established the Udaiyaal Battalion, considered one of the world’s first organised all-women military units.
• Her trusted commander Kuyili carried out the first recorded suicide attack in Indian history by destroying a British ammunition depot.
• Rani Velu Nachiyar combined guerrilla warfare, diplomacy, and local support to weaken British dominance in the region.
• Her legacy symbolises early anti-colonial resistance, women’s leadership in warfare, and indigenous defiance against imperial rule.
• US air and military strikes around Caracas have reignited global debate on sovereignty, international law, and the legitimacy of unilateral interventions by major powers.
• The strikes are widely interpreted as a reassertion of the Monroe Doctrine, aimed at reinforcing US strategic dominance in Latin America while countering China’s growing economic and energy footprint in Venezuela.
• Venezuela’s vast oil, gas, and gold reserves make it a critical geopolitical and resource hub, intensifying great power competition in the region.
• The action is seen as a violation of the UN Charter, particularly Article 2(4), due to the absence of UNSC authorization or a clear self-defence justification.
• India’s direct impact remains limited because of reduced engagement with Venezuela after sanctions, while India continues to uphold principles of sovereignty, non-intervention, and multilateralism.
• The government’s relaxation of DSIR norms for deep-tech startups marks a significant step toward nurturing research-intensive innovation at an early stage.
• India’s emergence as the world’s largest rice producer and exporter strengthens food diplomacy, boosts farm incomes, and consolidates its dominance in global rice trade.
• The reunification and international exhibition of the Piprahwa relics underscore India’s emphasis on cultural restitution and the global relevance of Buddha’s ethical teachings.
• Sanctioning of multiple chip design projects under the DLI Scheme reflects India’s push for semiconductor self-reliance and deeper integration into global value chains.
• Tributes to Savitribai Phule and Somnath Temple, alongside advances in science, defence indigenisation, energy efficiency, and global governance, highlight India’s blend of civilisational continuity, technological progress, and strategic ambition.
• India has introduced a new e-Production Investment Business Visa (e-B-4) specifically for Chinese businessmen.
• The visa is designed to support manufacturing-linked investments and supply chain operations in India.
• It allows entry only for activity-specific business purposes, not for general employment.
• Permitted activities include installation and commissioning of machinery and equipment.
• Visa holders can conduct quality checks and undertake essential maintenance work.
• It also enables supply-chain development, including empanelling and coordinating with Indian vendors.
• The processing time for the e-B-4 visa is approximately 45–50 days.
• The maximum duration of stay under this visa is up to six months.
• The visa is issued through the digital e-Visa framework, improving ease of doing business.
• It reflects India’s calibrated economic engagement with China while maintaining regulatory oversight and security checks.
• Indian banks’ asset quality has strengthened sharply, with the Gross NPA ratio falling to about 2.1 percent by late 2025, the lowest level in decades, reflecting recovery from the twin balance sheet crisis of the previous decade.
• Strong regulatory reforms such as the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, SARFAESI Act, improved RBI supervision, and the use of Asset Reconstruction Companies have collectively restored credit discipline and reduced stressed assets.
• The Arctic is warming at more than twice the global average, with record-high surface air temperatures and accelerating phenomena such as Atlantification, greening of tundra, and permafrost thaw impacting ecosystems and indigenous livelihoods.
• Melting Arctic ice is reshaping global geopolitics by opening new shipping routes like the Northern Sea Route and increasing strategic competition, while platforms such as the Arctic Council remain crucial for cooperation and governance.
• India’s role in Arctic affairs is expanding through scientific research, observer status in the Arctic Council, the Himadri research station, and its Arctic Policy focused on climate and cryosphere studies.
• PRAGATI has emerged as a flagship example of technology-driven governance in India, enabling real-time monitoring of projects, high issue-resolution rates, and stronger Centre–State coordination.
• Long-pending infrastructure projects such as major rail links, bridges, and airports have been unlocked through PRAGATI’s accountability-driven and data-backed decision-making framework.
• NITI Aayog’s affordable housing framework proposes updated definitions, zoning reforms, transit-oriented development, rental housing policies, and mandatory EWS/LIG reservations to address urban housing shortages.
• India has strengthened energy security and refining capability with the commissioning of advanced residue upgradation and hydrocracking facilities, enabling cleaner fuel production and better use of heavy crude.
• Scientific and institutional advances, from understanding the Mpemba Effect through supercomputer simulations to new space instruments like ISRO’s Dust Experiment and initiatives by BIS, highlight India’s growing research, standards, and technological ecosystem.
• The Draft Pesticides Management Bill, 2025 proposes replacing the Insecticides Act, 1968 with a modern, science-based and digitally driven regulatory framework to address contemporary agricultural, health and environmental challenges.
• The Bill introduces stronger institutional mechanisms like the Central Pesticides Board and a fully digital registration and tracking system to improve transparency, curb counterfeit pesticides and streamline approvals.
• Provisions such as deemed registration for generic pesticides, poisoning surveillance, accredited testing laboratories and mandatory worker safety standards aim to balance ease of doing business with public health protection.
• The Union Government has relaxed norms for private and assisted afforestation on leased forest land by recognising afforestation and Assisted Natural Regeneration as forestry activities.
• As a result, compensatory afforestation and Net Present Value payments are waived for such activities, encouraging private participation and faster green cover expansion.
• Census 2027 has been formally initiated, with houselisting operations scheduled for 2026 and population enumeration in early 2027, marking India’s 16th decennial census.
• Census 2027 will be India’s first fully digital census and will include a historic nationwide caste enumeration along with innovations like self-enumeration portals and real-time monitoring systems.
• India has assumed the BRICS Chairmanship for 2026 and will host the 18th BRICS Summit, focusing on resilience, innovation, cooperation and environmental sustainability.
• The United States has announced withdrawal from participation and funding of 66 international organisations, potentially weakening multilateral cooperation on climate action, development and peacebuilding.
• Recent regulatory and institutional developments include concerns over unpaid TRAI penalties, the 125th anniversary of DGMS highlighting mine safety governance, and the commissioning of ICGS Samudra Pratap, India’s first indigenously designed pollution control vessel.
• India is pushing for AI models that are ethical, unbiased, transparent, and citizen-centric, ensuring technology supports inclusive development rather than deepening social or economic inequalities.
• Ethical AI in India stresses data privacy, fair competition, and protection of creators’ rights, rejecting exploitative practices such as training AI on copyrighted content without consent.
• Preventing bias in AI systems is a key priority, as algorithmic decisions in areas like credit, hiring, or welfare can otherwise reinforce historical gender and social discrimination.
• Transparency in AI is being promoted through explainable systems and open-source initiatives like AI4Bhārat, helping build public trust and accountability.
• AI is increasingly transforming governance by improving public service delivery, justice accessibility, climate resilience, healthcare, education, and disaster management.
• National initiatives such as BharatGen, India AI Governance Guidelines, and ANRF’s Mission AI aim to align advanced AI development with India’s linguistic diversity, policy needs, and social impact.
• The Swadesh Darshan Scheme and its revamped 2.0 version are strengthening tourism through sustainable, destination-centric development with strong community participation.
• District-Led Textiles Transformation seeks to convert high-potential and aspirational districts into globally competitive, employment-generating textile hubs, with special focus on MSMEs and tribal regions.
• Environmental thought leadership in India has been deeply influenced by figures like Madhav Gadgil, who championed community-based conservation and sustainable development frameworks.
• Infrastructure, housing, and economic resilience are being reinforced through initiatives like strategic hydropower projects, the SWAMIH housing fund, sports governance reforms, and UN-backed growth projections for India.
• DRDO successfully ground-tested a full-scale, actively cooled scramjet engine for over 12 minutes, marking a major milestone in India’s hypersonic cruise missile development.
• With this achievement, India joins an elite group of nations—USA, Russia, China, Australia, and France—capable of advanced scramjet engine testing.
• Scramjet engines enable sustained hypersonic flight (Mach 5+), offering lighter, fuel-efficient, air-breathing propulsion crucial for next-generation missiles.
• Hypersonic weapons provide strategic advantages due to their extreme speed, lower flight altitude than ballistic missiles, and ability to evade conventional air defense systems.
• The launch of Param Shakti, a 3.1 Petaflop supercomputer at IIT Madras, strengthens India’s academic and R&D capabilities under the National Supercomputing Mission.
• Built using indigenous C-DAC RUDRA servers and open-source software, Param Shakti boosts research in aerospace, climate modeling, materials science, and drug discovery.
• India has formally objected to China’s infrastructure activities in the Shaksgam Valley, citing sovereignty concerns over the strategically sensitive Trans-Karakoram Tract.
• The National IED Data Management System (NIDMS) enhances India’s counter-terrorism capacity through centralized data analysis and inter-agency coordination.
• Establishment of the National Environmental Standard Laboratory (NESL) positions India as a global leader in environmental metrology and air pollution monitoring standards.
• India’s first engagement with the Weimar Triangle (France, Germany, Poland) signals deeper diplomatic, security, and economic engagement with key European powers.
• ISRO’s PSLV-C62 mission failed to achieve precise Sun-Synchronous Orbit after an anomaly in the solid-fuel third stage disrupted the planned orbital injection of EOS-N1 and 15 co-passenger satellites.
• The mission marked the 64th flight of PSLV and the 9th dedicated commercial launch by NSIL, ISRO’s government-owned commercial arm established in 2019 to handle India’s space-based commercial activities.
• A special payload on the PSLV-C62 mission was Kestrel Initial Demonstrator, a Spanish re-entry vehicle prototype that was planned to separate from the main trajectory and splash down in the South Pacific.
• The Supreme Court urged the Union Government to consider adding a Romeo–Juliet clause in the POCSO Act to prevent criminalisation of consensual relationships between adolescents close in age.
• The Court observed that POCSO is frequently misused by families to oppose teenage relationships, leading to wrongful arrests and dilution of the law’s original child-protection purpose.
• China’s EAST nuclear fusion reactor achieved stable plasma at densities beyond the Greenwald limit, a major scientific breakthrough that brings controlled fusion energy closer to practical reality.
• India continues to contribute to fusion research through facilities like ADITYA and SST-1 at the Institute for Plasma Research and as a partner in the global ITER project in France.
• Global oceans absorbed a record 23 zettajoules of heat in 2025, pushing sea surface temperatures to about 0.5°C above the 1981–2010 average and intensifying marine heatwaves and extreme weather.
• ISRO moved closer to establishing the Bharatiya Antariksh Station by inviting industry participation for BAS-1 hardware, with the first module planned by 2028 and a full space station by 2035.
• India marked Swami Vivekananda’s birth anniversary on 12 January, remembering his role in spreading Indian spiritual thought globally and founding the Ramakrishna Mission to link spirituality with social service.
• India and Germany signed multiple agreements covering defence, trade, technology, mobility, education, and Indo-Pacific cooperation, marking 25 years of strategic partnership (2025) and ahead of 75 years of diplomatic relations in 2026.
• Defence cooperation was strengthened through a Joint Declaration of Intent on a Defence Industrial Cooperation Roadmap, participation in Indian military exercises, and the launch of a Track 1.5 foreign policy and security dialogue.
• Germany announced a visa-free transit facility for Indian passport holders, aimed at boosting business travel, academic exchange, and professional mobility between the two countries.
• The Union Government allocated ₹5,925 crore for coal and lignite exploration from FY 2026–27, while promoting cleaner coal through gasification, first-mile connectivity, renewable integration, and carbon management frameworks.
• India reiterated the strategic importance of the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) to diversify trade routes, reduce logistics costs and time, strengthen global value chain integration, and enhance geopolitical connectivity with Europe and West Asia.
• India’s fish production doubled from 95.79 lakh tonnes (FY 2013–14) to 197.75 lakh tonnes (FY 2024–25), driven by schemes like PM Matsya Sampada Yojana, aquaculture infrastructure funds, integrated aquaparks, and digital technologies.
• India is set to be invited to join Pax Silica, a U.S.-led initiative focused on secure and resilient global technology supply chains covering semiconductors, AI infrastructure, critical minerals, and advanced manufacturing.
• The National Sports Governance (National Sports Bodies) Rules, 2026 were notified, mandating inclusion of sportspersons of outstanding merit, enhanced women’s representation, independent election panels, and stricter disqualification norms.
• The Australia Group marked 40 years of operation as an informal export control regime to prevent proliferation of chemical and biological weapons, with India’s membership since 2018 strengthening its non-proliferation credentials.
• Key institutional developments included an Indian diplomat being appointed Chair of the UN Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters (2026–27), strengthened vocational regulation through NCVET, a PNGRB–Germany MoU on hydrogen regulation, and enhanced environmental coordination via the NIRANTAR platform.
• The Supreme Court of India delivered a split verdict in Centre for Public Interest Litigation v. Union of India (2026) on the constitutional validity of Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, which mandates prior government approval before investigating public servants.
• Justice P.S. Narasimha upheld Section 17A with safeguards, ruling that prior sanction should be granted by independent bodies such as the Lokpal or Lokayukta, while Justice B.V. Nagarathna struck it down as unconstitutional for violating Article 14 by creating unreasonable classification.
• The issue of Section 17A’s validity has been referred to the Chief Justice of India for constitution of a larger bench, keeping the legal position unsettled.
• The Supreme Court issued binding directions to strengthen implementation of Section 12(1)(c) of the Right to Education Act, 2009, mandating 25 percent reservation for EWS and disadvantaged children in unaided private schools.
• The Court directed Central and State Governments to frame rules under Section 38 of the RTE Act through a consultative process involving child rights commissions, and assigned monitoring and grievance redressal roles to NCPCR and SCPCRs.
• The 16th Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency concluded in Abu Dhabi with a strong call to accelerate the global renewable energy transition and bridge policy, finance, and technology gaps.
• The Renewable Energy and Jobs – Annual Review 2025 highlighted India’s growing role, with 1.3 million renewable energy jobs and top global rankings in solar PV and hydropower employment.
• The January 2026 Global Economic Prospects report by the World Bank revised India’s growth forecast upward to 7.2 percent for FY 2025–26, even as global trade growth is expected to slow sharply.
• The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority introduced operational guidelines for the NPS Vatsalya Scheme, 2025, expanding pension coverage to children and promoting early financial literacy and long-term savings.
• India’s passport ranking improved to 80th position in the Henley Passport Index 2026, while food prices entered deflation for the first time since 2014, reflecting easing supply-side pressures and changing inflation dynamics.
• The Startup India Initiative completed 10 years in January 2026, marking a decade of policy-driven support to entrepreneurship with DPIIT as the nodal agency and National Startup Day observed on 16 January.
• India has emerged as the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem, with over 2.09 lakh DPIIT-recognised startups and more than 120 unicorns valued collectively above $350 billion.
• Nearly 45 percent of recognised startups have at least one woman founder or director, and around half are based in Tier-II and Tier-III cities, highlighting inclusivity and regional spread.
• India became the global leader in the number of IPOs, while ranking third worldwide in IPO value, reflecting the growing depth and credibility of its capital markets.
• During the first nine months of the current financial year, 311 IPOs raised nearly ₹1.7 trillion, and the market capitalisation-to-GDP ratio crossed 130 percent, indicating strong investor confidence.
• The symbolic gifting of the Nobel Peace Prize medal by Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado to U.S. President Donald Trump reignited global debate on the symbolic versus legal meaning of international honours.
• Norwegian authorities clarified that Nobel Peace Prize honours are non-transferable, even though the physical medal or prize money may be gifted or donated by the laureate.
• The Presidents of the EU Council and the EU Commission being invited as Chief Guests for India’s 77th Republic Day underlined the strengthening strategic partnership between India and the European Union.
• IMD deployed 200 Automatic Weather Stations across major metros under Mission Mausam, reinforcing India’s urban weather monitoring and climate resilience capabilities.
• The December 2025 PLFS bulletin showed a rise in the Labour Force Participation Rate, signalling improved engagement in the labour market and supporting evidence of gradual employment recovery.
• The Supreme Court upheld the Lok Sabha Speaker’s authority to constitute an Inquiry Committee against a judge, even if a similar motion is rejected by the other House, reaffirming the independent functioning of both Houses of Parliament.
• The Constitution provides for removal of Supreme Court and High Court judges under Articles 124(4) and 218 on grounds of proven misbehaviour or incapacity, with the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968 laying down the procedure.
• Despite several attempts, no judge of the Supreme Court or High Court has been successfully removed in India to date, highlighting the high constitutional threshold for removal.
• The UN High Seas Treaty (BBNJ Agreement) has entered into force, establishing the first legally binding global framework for conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in ocean areas beyond national jurisdiction.
• The BBNJ Agreement rests on four pillars: regulation of marine genetic resources, creation of marine protected areas, mandatory environmental impact assessments, and capacity building with technology transfer for developing countries.
• India has signed the UN High Seas Treaty, but ratification is still pending, even as the agreement becomes operational with over 80 countries on board.
• The 18th India–Japan Strategic Dialogue emphasized economic security, supply chain resilience, and emerging technologies, including plans for a Japan–India private-sector dialogue and an AI strategic partnership.
• The dialogue reinforced India–Japan cooperation in critical minerals, semiconductors, defence, infrastructure development, and multilateral platforms such as the Quad and G20.
• The idea of a “Third Global Strategic Pole,” led by India with partners like the EU and Germany, aims to promote strategic autonomy, multipolarity, and rule-based global governance beyond a US–China binary.
• Recent domestic developments include the rollout of the RBI Integrated Ombudsman Scheme, 2026 for stronger consumer protection, renewed focus on parliamentary privileges through committee action, and India’s first state-funded BSL-4 laboratory to strengthen biosecurity preparedness.
• The Supreme Court issued interim directions to address the rising number of student suicides in higher educational institutions, based on recommendations of a National Task Force constituted in 2025.
• The Court highlighted that suicides are among the leading causes of death in the 15–29 age group, with around 13,000 student suicides reported in 2022, pointing to the scale of the crisis.
• Institutional deficits such as faculty shortages, weak grievance redressal systems, caste-based discrimination, and ragging were identified as major systemic contributors to student distress.
• Higher educational institutions were directed to mandatorily report every student suicide and submit annual data to regulatory authorities, with centralised maintenance of suicide data.
• The Supreme Court ordered that vacant posts of faculty and key administrators like Vice-Chancellors and Registrars be filled within four months to improve institutional accountability.
• India recorded a sharp rise in defence indigenisation, with indigenous defence production reaching ₹1.51 lakh crore and defence exports expanding to over 100 countries.
• The United States initiated the formation of a proposed ‘Board of Peace’ for Gaza as part of a broader international plan for post-conflict governance and reconstruction, backed by a UN Security Council resolution.
• India launched the second nationwide estimation of riverine and estuarine dolphins under Project Dolphin, expanding coverage to include the Irrawaddy dolphin.
• The European Union considered invoking its Anti-Coercion Instrument, a trade defence mechanism designed to counter economic pressure from non-EU countries.
• The Andhra Pradesh government proposed developing a satellite launching facility on Hope Island, raising concerns due to its location within the ecologically sensitive Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary.
• India and the UAE agreed to scale up their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with a target to more than double bilateral trade to over USD 200 billion by 2032, alongside new trade corridors such as Bharat Mart and virtual platforms.
• Both countries decided to explore cooperation in advanced civil nuclear technologies, including small modular reactors and nuclear safety frameworks, enabled by India’s SHANTI Act, 2025.
• India and the UAE proposed the concept of digital and data embassies to ensure data sovereignty and protection against cyber threats, disasters, and geopolitical disruptions.
• Collaboration in artificial intelligence and emerging technologies was strengthened through plans for a supercomputing cluster under India’s AI India Mission to boost joint research and high-performance computing.
• A long-term energy partnership was reinforced with a 10-year LNG supply agreement under which ADNOC Gas will supply 0.5 MTPA of LNG to HPCL, enhancing India’s energy security.
• India expanded its Carbon Credit Trading Scheme by notifying the Greenhouse Gases Emission Intensity Target Amendment Rules, 2025, bringing new sectors like petroleum refining, textiles, and petrochemicals under mandatory compliance.
• Under the revised carbon framework, 208 industrial units will be required to reduce emission intensity by 3–7 percent by 2026–27, with tradable carbon credit certificates and penalties for non-compliance.
• China’s population declined for the fourth consecutive year in 2025, highlighting a deepening demographic winter marked by low fertility, an ageing population, and rising economic and fiscal pressures.
• The Environmental Protection Fund Rules, 2026 were notified to ensure transparent, audited, and outcome-based utilisation of pollution penalties for environmental monitoring, remediation, and institutional strengthening.
• India launched the Responsible Nations Index to assess countries beyond GDP on ethical governance, social well-being, environmental stewardship, and global responsibility, ranking India 16th globally ahead of the US and China.
• Diego Garcia, a coral atoll in the central Indian Ocean and part of the Chagos Archipelago, has regained strategic attention after US President Donald Trump criticised the UK’s proposed return of the island to Mauritius due to concerns over a key US military base.
• Historically, the Chagos Archipelago was separated from Mauritius in 1965 by the UK, leading to the forced displacement of indigenous Chagossians to facilitate military use of Diego Garcia.
• International legal pressure has mounted on the UK following the 2019 ICJ advisory opinion declaring British administration unlawful and a UN General Assembly call for decolonisation through the return of Chagos to Mauritius.
• Under the UK–Mauritius agreement of May 2025, Mauritius is recognised as sovereign over the entire Chagos Archipelago, while the UK retains a 99-year lease over Diego Garcia to ensure continuity of UK–US military operations.
• Diego Garcia hosts a joint UK–US military base that functions as a forward operating hub for the US Navy and Air Force, supporting logistics, surveillance, and power projection across the Middle East, East Africa, and the Indo-Pacific.
• Global politics is increasingly marked by neo-royalism, characterised by personalised leadership and concentration of power in single leaders, weakening institutionalised and rule-based international decision-making.
• Alongside neo-royalism, neo-feudalism is emerging through the rise of private and transnational actors such as technology corporations that exercise quasi-sovereign influence over data, communication, and geopolitical narratives.
• The erosion of the rule-based international order is evident in the weakening of multilateral institutions, increased weaponisation of economic tools like sanctions and tariffs, and declining bureaucratic and legislative autonomy.
• Contemporary US foreign policy under Donald Trump has been likened to a “Donroe Doctrine,” echoing the Monroe Doctrine’s emphasis on regional dominance, unilateralism, and reduced tolerance for external powers in the Western Hemisphere.
• In India, initiatives such as One Station One Product, which has expanded to over 2,000 railway stations and empowered more than 1.32 lakh artisans by January 2026, and conservation measures like declaring Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary an Eco-Sensitive Zone, highlight efforts toward inclusive development and sustainable environmental governance.
• At the World Economic Forum 2026, India presented a five-layer, end-to-end AI strategy focused on application-led deployment, cost efficiency, indigenous capability, and sustainability.
• India’s AI approach prioritises real-world use cases such as governance, agriculture, and public services, with initiatives like Kisan e-Mitra and Bhashini demonstrating AI for public good.
• The strategy emphasises smaller, domain-specific AI models, with around 95 percent of current workloads handled by compact models that reduce compute costs and dependency on large GPU clusters.
• Indigenous semiconductor development is being strengthened through custom silicon and manufacturing in the 28nm–90nm range to support sectors such as EVs, railways, and industrial systems.
• Nearly USD 70 billion of confirmed investment is being rolled out to expand AI infrastructure, including data centres, cloud services, and compute capacity.
• Energy readiness for AI growth is being addressed through integration of clean energy and private participation in nuclear power under the Shakti Act to support data centres sustainably.
• At WEF 2026, the Canadian Prime Minister proposed the “Third Path” or Carney Doctrine, advocating middle-power–led, flexible multilateralism as an alternative to rigid bloc politics.
• The Third Path framework stresses value-based realism, cooperation among middle powers, and variable-geometry coalitions, aligning closely with India’s strategic autonomy and issue-based partnerships.
• A Pixxel-led consortium signed an agreement with IN-SPACe to build and operate India’s first privately run national Earth Observation satellite constellation under a public–private partnership model.
• Spain joined the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative, expanding European engagement in a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific and reinforcing issue-based multilateral cooperation.
• The United Nations Environment Programme State of Finance for Nature 2026 report highlights a severe global imbalance, with nature-negative finance at $7.3 trillion in 2023 compared to only $220 billion for nature-positive investments, making harmful flows nearly 30 times larger.
• The report estimates that annual investment in Nature-based Solutions must rise to $571 billion by 2030 to meet Rio Convention goals of limiting global warming to 1.5°C and halting biodiversity loss, requiring major redirection of public and private capital.
• India-linked initiatives such as the MISHTI Scheme for mangrove restoration and Amrit Dharohar for Ramsar wetland conservation are cited as examples of ecosystem-based climate action aligned with global biodiversity frameworks.
• The Military Quantum Mission Policy Framework, aligned with the National Quantum Mission, aims to integrate quantum communication, computing, sensing, and materials into India’s defence architecture through civil-military fusion.
• Defence applications of quantum technology include quantum key distribution for secure communications, quantum sensing for detecting stealth targets, GPS-independent quantum navigation, and post-quantum cryptography for cyber resilience.
• An expert report by the Commission for Air Quality Management identifies secondary particulate matter as the largest contributor to Delhi-NCR winter pollution, underscoring that chemical formation processes, not just direct emissions, drive air quality deterioration.
• The report notes that nearly two-thirds of Delhi’s PM2.5 pollution originates outside the city, with winter meteorology such as low wind speeds and atmospheric stagnation intensifying pollution episodes rather than sudden emission spikes.
• The G4 countries have proposed an expanded United Nations Security Council with 25–26 members, including six new permanent seats, to address under-representation of the Global South and persistent veto-related deadlocks in global security governance.
• NITI Aayog sectoral decarbonisation roadmaps for cement, aluminium, and MSMEs link industrial competitiveness with India’s climate targets, highlighting the need to cut emissions to meet NDCs and reduce exposure to carbon border measures like the EU’s CBAM.
• Digital and geopolitical developments include the launch of ECINET as a unified electoral management platform, the proposed Board of Peace for post-conflict governance, continued suspension of EU GSP trade benefits for India, deployment plans for Blue Origin’s TeraWave satellite network, and renewed focus on India’s strategic legacy during the commemoration of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
• The Reserve Bank of India State Finances 2025–26 report flags that India is at a demographic inflection point, with a median age of around 28 years and a historically high working-age population creating a narrow but critical growth window.
• The report highlights sharp inter-state demographic divergence, with states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh still enjoying a large demographic dividend, while Kerala and Tamil Nadu have already crossed the ageing threshold with a declining working-age population.
• Ageing states are facing rising fiscal stress due to a shrinking tax base and higher committed expenditure, with pensions alone accounting for nearly 30% of social sector spending in 2024–25 and debt-to-GSDP ratios remaining elevated.
• Youthful states risk a demographic disaster if education, skilling, and job creation fail to keep pace with population growth, underlining the urgency of front-loaded human capital investment.
• The report shows that states’ consolidated fiscal deficit rose to 3.3% of GDP in 2024–25, even as revenue expenditure declined and outstanding liabilities fell to 28% of GDP, indicating mixed fiscal signals.
• A joint report by NITI Aayog and TERI reveals that nearly 78% of India’s e-waste is handled by the informal sector, with very low recovery of critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, and nickel.
• The circular economy report warns that India generates about 6.19 million metric tonnes of e-waste annually, projected to rise to 14 MMT by 2030, while its recycling rate remains around 10%, far below global and EU averages.
• The World Economic Forum’s announcement of five new Fourth Industrial Revolution centres includes one in Andhra Pradesh, reinforcing India’s emergence as a global hub for AI, digital governance, and advanced manufacturing.
• The launch of the ACASA-India digital climate platform marks 15 years of the NICRA programme and aims to provide location-specific climate adaptation advisories to farmers, strengthening climate-resilient agriculture.
• The Global Investment Trends Monitor by UNCTAD reports a 73% surge in FDI inflows into India in 2025 to $47 billion, driven by strong services and manufacturing investments amid global “China+1” supply chain shifts.
• The United Nations Environment Programme State of Finance for Nature 2026 report highlights a severe global imbalance, with nature-negative finance at $7.3 trillion in 2023 compared to only $220 billion for nature-positive investments, making harmful flows nearly 30 times larger.
• The report estimates that annual investment in Nature-based Solutions must rise to $571 billion by 2030 to meet Rio Convention goals of limiting global warming to 1.5°C and halting biodiversity loss, requiring major redirection of public and private capital.
• India-linked initiatives such as the MISHTI Scheme for mangrove restoration and Amrit Dharohar for Ramsar wetland conservation are cited as examples of ecosystem-based climate action aligned with global biodiversity frameworks.
• The Military Quantum Mission Policy Framework, aligned with the National Quantum Mission, aims to integrate quantum communication, computing, sensing, and materials into India’s defence architecture through civil-military fusion.
• Defence applications of quantum technology include quantum key distribution for secure communications, quantum sensing for detecting stealth targets, GPS-independent quantum navigation, and post-quantum cryptography for cyber resilience.
• An expert report by the Commission for Air Quality Management identifies secondary particulate matter as the largest contributor to Delhi-NCR winter pollution, underscoring that chemical formation processes, not just direct emissions, drive air quality deterioration.
• The report notes that nearly two-thirds of Delhi’s PM2.5 pollution originates outside the city, with winter meteorology such as low wind speeds and atmospheric stagnation intensifying pollution episodes rather than sudden emission spikes.
• The G4 countries have proposed an expanded United Nations Security Council with 25–26 members, including six new permanent seats, to address under-representation of the Global South and persistent veto-related deadlocks in global security governance.
• NITI Aayog sectoral decarbonisation roadmaps for cement, aluminium, and MSMEs link industrial competitiveness with India’s climate targets, highlighting the need to cut emissions to meet NDCs and reduce exposure to carbon border measures like the EU’s CBAM.
• Digital and geopolitical developments include the launch of ECINET as a unified electoral management platform, the proposed Board of Peace for post-conflict governance, continued suspension of EU GSP trade benefits for India, deployment plans for Blue Origin’s TeraWave satellite network, and renewed focus on India’s strategic legacy during the commemoration of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
• A southward shift of the polar vortex, caused by weakening of the polar-front jet stream, has triggered extreme cold events in parts of the United States, illustrating how instability in the stratospheric and tropospheric polar vortex can allow Arctic air to spill into mid-latitudes.
• Arctic amplification, marked by faster warming of the Arctic compared to lower latitudes, is reducing the pole–mid-latitude temperature gradient and increasing the frequency of severe winter outbreaks and polar vortex disruptions in North America and Europe.
• Extremely cold polar conditions associated with a strong polar vortex enhance polar stratospheric cloud formation, accelerating ozone depletion processes, especially over Antarctica, while India remains largely unaffected directly, with only indirect links via western disturbances.
• India’s national cyber-response agency, CERT-In, handled around 30 lakh cyber incidents in 2025, reflecting the surge in ransomware, AI-enabled scams, phishing, and organised financial fraud amid rapid digitalisation.
• CERT-In’s role has expanded through initiatives such as Cyber Swachhta Kendra, National Cyber Coordination Centre, sectoral and state-level CSIRTs, and the Cyber Crisis Management Plan, strengthening India’s capacity for real-time cyber threat detection, coordination, and recovery.
• Constitutional debates around the Governor’s address have highlighted the distinction between Article 175, which gives discretionary power to address or message the legislature, and Article 176, which mandates an address outlining the elected government’s policies at the start of specified sessions.
• The Supreme Court judgment in Nabam Rebia (2016) reaffirmed that Governors must act on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers under Articles 175 and 176, reinforcing principles of federalism, executive accountability, and constitutional morality.
• The President approved 131 Padma Awards for 2026, underscoring the breadth of India’s civilian honours system, which recognises distinguished service across diverse fields while remaining non-titular under Article 18 of the Constitution.
• Seventy Armed Forces personnel received gallantry awards on Republic Day 2026, reflecting India’s structured system of wartime and peacetime honours, ranging from the Param Vir Chakra to the Ashoka Chakra, conferred by the President as Supreme Commander.
• The Border Roads Organisation’s successful high-altitude rescue and road restoration at Chatergala Pass in Jammu and Kashmir highlighted the strategic and civilian importance of BRO infrastructure, even as global health governance faced a setback with the United States completing its withdrawal from the World Health Organization.
• The India–EU partnership expanded beyond trade to include a Strategic Roadmap 2030, covering security, defence, critical technologies, clean energy, and research collaboration such as Horizon Europe.
• International Data Privacy Day highlighted the importance of Convention 108, the world’s first binding data protection treaty, as digitalisation intensifies risks to personal data globally.
• India’s digital footprint has expanded rapidly, with large-scale platforms like Aadhaar, DigiLocker, and UPI underscoring the urgency of robust data protection and cybersecurity investment.
• India and the European Union concluded their most comprehensive Free Trade Agreement, granting India preferential access to nearly 97% of EU tariff lines while protecting sensitive agricultural sectors through phased liberalisation.
• The Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 and DPDP Rules, 2025 together provide India with an operational data protection framework balancing individual rights and ease of compliance.
• At WEF 2026, India showcased leadership in renewable energy by achieving 50% non-fossil electricity capacity ahead of schedule, supported by falling solar tariffs and domestic manufacturing growth.
• Flagship initiatives such as PM Surya Ghar, PM-KUSUM, the National Green Hydrogen Mission, and international alliances strengthened India’s clean energy transition and global climate role.
• The UGC (Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations, 2026 aim to eliminate discrimination across universities while aligning with NEP 2020’s equity and inclusion goals.
• France approved legislation banning social media use for children under 15, reflecting rising global concern over mental health, addiction, cyberbullying, and online radicalisation among minors.
• Karnataka constituted a Gig Workers’ Welfare Board under a new law to ensure registration, social security, and welfare delivery for platform-based workers, while India also deepened cooperation with Euratom for peaceful nuclear energy.
• Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026 replace the 2016 rules, introduce circular economy principles and Extended Producer Responsibility, and will be fully operational from 1 April 2026 under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
• The new SWM framework mandates four-stream segregation at source, fixes clear criteria for bulk waste generators, enforces their direct responsibility, promotes RDF use, restricts landfilling, and introduces digital monitoring and environmental compensation for non-compliance.
• A global study warns that health impacts from plastic pollution may double between 2016 and 2040, with plastic production unlikely to peak before 2100 and global demand expected to double by 2050.
• Plastics across their lifecycle release pollutants linked to respiratory diseases, cancers, and endocrine disorders, while microplastics and nanoplastics have been detected in human tissues with emerging evidence of cellular and immune impacts.
• India is addressing plastic pollution through domestic measures such as bans on single-use plastics, Extended Producer Responsibility, plastic parks, and Swachh Bharat initiatives, alongside participation in global agreements and negotiations for a global plastics treaty.
• Scientific studies show that more than half of India’s major river deltas are sinking, with the Ganga–Brahmaputra among global hotspots and the Brahmani and Mahanadi deltas recording particularly high subsidence rates.
• Excessive groundwater extraction, land subsidence, and disruption of natural sediment supply due to dams and embankments are the main drivers of delta sinking, threatening densely populated and economically vital coastal regions.
• The government is strengthening monitoring and protection of vulnerable regions through integrated groundwater regulation, sustainable sediment management, and advanced technologies like InSAR for precise subsidence tracking.
• NITI Aayog’s Aspirational Districts Programme and Aspirational Blocks Programme are being accelerated through Sampoornata Abhiyan 2.0 to achieve saturation of key development indicators using real-time data and competitive federalism.
• Recent governance and strategic developments include the President’s address outlining policy priorities, extension of the Gita Mittal Committee’s tenure for humanitarian relief in Manipur, tribute to Lala Lajpat Rai’s nationalist legacy, and an India–Russia agreement to manufacture SJ-100 regional aircraft in India.
• Economic Survey 2025–26 projects India’s real GDP growth at 7.4% in FY26, reaffirming its position as the fastest-growing major economy with growth largely driven by domestic factors.
• The services sector remained the main growth anchor, expanding by about 9.1%, supported by strong performance in trade, transport, finance, and digital services.
• Private consumption emerged as the key demand-side driver, with PFCE rising to 61.5% of GDP, the highest share since 2012, reflecting resilient household demand.
• Investment momentum stayed stable as Gross Fixed Capital Formation grew by 7.8%, with investment levels sustained at around 30% of GDP.
• State governments faced rising fiscal stress, with their combined fiscal deficit increasing to 3.2% of GDP in FY25 due to welfare spending, infrastructure push, and revenue constraints.
• India improved debt sustainability by reducing its general government debt-to-GDP ratio by about 7.1 percentage points since 2020, indicating fiscal consolidation.
• The external sector strengthened as India remained the world’s largest remittance recipient at USD 135.4 billion and foreign exchange reserves rose to about USD 701.4 billion.
• Coking coal was declared a Critical and Strategic Mineral under the MMDR Act, 1957, to secure India’s steel sector and reduce heavy import dependence of nearly 95%.
• The Expert Group report on CPI base revision recommended CPI 2024 to better reflect changing consumption patterns and improve inflation measurement for policy use.
• Global and strategic developments highlighted nuclear energy’s role in decarbonization with capacity projected to reach 1,446 GWe by 2050, alongside scientific advances like rare red aurora sightings at Hanle Dark Sky Reserve and geopolitical actions such as the EU designating Iran’s IRGC as a terrorist organization.

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