NATIONAL NEWS

Budget Session of Parliament

• The Budget Session of Parliament started with the address of President Droupadi Murmu to the joint sitting of both Houses.
• The Budget Session of the Indian Parliament for 2026-27 officially commenced with President Droupadi Murmu delivering her customary address to a joint sitting of both Houses.
• President Murmu addressed the joint sitting of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, outlining the government's broad priorities and legislative agenda.

Minister-level policy dialogue on Jal Jeevan Mission

• Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti organized a Minister-level Policy Dialogue in New Delhi focused on the long-term Sustainable Operation and Maintenance (O&M) of rural piped water supply systems under Jal Jeevan Mission.

Mazor Highlights

STATE SPECIAL NEWS

Punjabi mandatory for major research outputs

• Punjab-based Guru Nanak Dev University in Amritsar has made Punjabi mandatory for major research outputs alongside English.

Punjab

Nagaland’s first Drone School

• Nagaland got its first Drone School and Drone Centre of Excellence at the Nagaland GIS and Remote Sensing Centre at Kohima.
• The facility was formally inaugurated by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio as part of the 77th Republic Day celebrations.

Karnataka constitutes Gig Workers’ Welfare Board

• The Karnataka government officially notified the constitution of the Karnataka Platform-Based Gig Workers Welfare Development Board which follows the enactment of the Karnataka Platform-Based Gig Workers (Social Security and Welfare) Act, 2025.
• The Board includes four representatives each from gig worker unions and aggregator platforms, with companies such as Zomato, Uber, Amazon, and Porter represented.
• Labour unions such as the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) and app-based transport and delivery worker unions are included.
• Both gig workers and aggregator platforms will now be required to register with the Board.

Karnataka

SUMMITS AND CONFERNCES

16th India-EU Summit

• The 16th India-EU Summit Co-chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, European Council President António Costa, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in New Delhi.

BOOKS AND AUTHORS

Book: "The Rise of the Hitman: The Rohit Sharma Story"

• The book "The Rise of the Hitman: The Rohit Sharma Story" was launched at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
• Senior cricket journalist R. Kaushik authored the biography, which was published by Rupa Publications.

ECONOMY & BANKING

India-EU Free Trade Agreement

• On January 27, 2026, India and the European Union (EU) officially sealed a historic Free Trade Agreement (FTA), ending nearly two decades of negotiations.
• Billed as the "Mother of all Deals," the pact creates a massive free trade zone encompassing 2 billion people and roughly 25% of global GDP.

Key Highlights of the Agreement

RBI & ESMA signed Memorandum of Understanding

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed a Memorandum of Understanding concerning cooperation and exchange of information related to Central Counterparties regulated and supervised by RBI.

Smart & integrated fishing harbour at Mayabunder

• The Government has approved a 200-crore-rupee project to develop a smart and integrated fishing harbour at Mayabunder in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands which will be fully funded by the Centre under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana.

Highlights

Ministry of Communications signed agreement with Stock Holding Services Limited

• The Department of Posts (under the Ministry of Communications) signed an agreement with Stock Holding Services Limited (SSL) to promote access to regulated capital market services for citizens across the country.

ART & CULTURE

Bharat Parv 2026

• The Ministry of Tourism organised Bharat Parv 2026 at the Red Fort in New Delhi showcasing India’s rich cultural, artistic, culinary, and spiritual traditions.
• The 2026 edition marks 150 years of "Vande Mataram," highlighting themes of national pride and civilisational heritage.

11th Ajanta-Ellora International Film Festival

• The 11th Ajanta-Ellora International Film Festival (AIFF) held in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (previously known as Aurangabad), Maharashtra, India.
• The festival started with the screening of the Spanish film, Siret.

Tawi Boating Festival

• The two-day Tawi Boating Festival held in Jammu to promote tourism and is open to the public free of charge.
• The festival, organized by Jammu Smart City Limited and the Jammu Municipal Corporation, aims to connect people with the new lake and test the operational feasibility of future, permanent recreational activities.

Shikshapatri Samaiya Mahotsav

• Union Home Minister Amit Shah attended the Shikshapatri Samaiya Mahotsav in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
• The festival was organized by the Shree Swaminarayan Mandir, Kalupur to celebrate the 200th anniversary (bicentenary) of the Shikshapatri, a sacred scripture written by Bhagwan Swaminarayan.

Travel & Adventure Show 2026

• The Consulate General of India in New York participated in the Travel & Adventure Show 2026 held in Manhattan.
• The pavilion also highlighted the One District One Product (ODOP) initiative, showcasing regional crafts and textiles.

8th century Telugu inscription discovered in Andhra Pradesh

• A Telugu inscription dating back to the 8th century CE has been discovered at Pitikayagulla village in Bestavaripeta mandal of Prakasam district, Andhra Pradesh, shedding light on the evolution of the Telugu language and early published works in the region.
• Experts believe such early records are vital for tracking the transition of Telugu from Prakrit influences into an independent literary and administrative language.
• According to ASI Director Dr. K. Muniratnam Reddy, the inscription dates to the period when the Renati kings ruled the Renadu region.

Andhra Pradesh

DEFENCE NEWS

Annual NCC PM Rally

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Annual NCC PM Rally at the Cariappa Parade Ground in New Delhi.
• The theme of this year’s rally is Rashtra Pratham – Kartavya Nishth Yuva.
• The NCC PM Rally will mark the grand culmination of the month-long NCC Republic Day Camp 2026. It witnessed the participation of two thousand 406 NCC cadets from across the country, including 898 girl cadets.

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