National News

Seva Teerth and Kartavya Bhavan Complex Unveiled

• Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi unveiled the name of the newly developed government building complex as “Seva Teerth.”
• The naming reflects the government’s emphasis on citizen-centric governance, duty-driven administration and service-oriented public institutions. The complex includes Kartavya Bhavan-1 & 2, aligning with the broader symbolic transformation initiated through renaming Rajpath as Kartavya Path.

The conceptual philosophy behind “Seva Teerth” draws from:

• Public service as sacred duty
• Administrative accountability
• Duty-based governance model

The initiative fits within the larger narrative of institutional reform and administrative modernization under the “Amrit Kaal” vision.

Jal Jeevan Mission National Training Conducted

• With more than 81% of rural households now covered under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), the programme is transitioning from infrastructure creation to standardized operation, maintenance and monitoring of rural piped water supply systems.
• In this context, the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti conducted a National-Level Training of Master Trainers on 12 February 2026 at SCOPE Complex, New Delhi.

Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM)

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

NSF Announces AI-ENGAGE Awards to Modernise Agriculture

• The United States National Science Foundation (NSF) announced the first set of awards under a Quad-backed initiative aimed at using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to modernise agriculture across the United States and the Indo-Pacific region.
• The programme, titled “Advancing Innovations for Empowering NextGen Agriculture (AI-ENGAGE)”, seeks to integrate AI-based solutions into agricultural practices to enhance productivity, climate resilience and food security.
• The initiative reflects growing technological cooperation among Quad nations in emerging sectors such as AI and smart agriculture.

UNICEF Report Highlights Surge in Child Recruitment in Haiti

• A new UNICEF report stated that recruitment of children by armed groups in Haiti tripled in the past year amid worsening poverty and gang violence.
• The report highlighted that around 1.4 million people have been displaced, marking a severe humanitarian crisis in the Caribbean nation.
• The findings underscore concerns regarding child protection, internal displacement and state instability.

Iran Marks 1979 Islamic Revolution Anniversary Amid Tensions

• Iran commemorated the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, during which the monarchy was replaced by an Islamic Republic.
• The anniversary events occurred amid heightened geopolitical tensions between Iran, the United States and Israel.
• Iranian leaders used the occasion to reaffirm national sovereignty and resistance against foreign influence.

Britain Pledges Air Defence Support to Ukraine

• The United Kingdom pledged hundreds of millions of dollars in air defence assistance to Ukraine to protect its energy and power infrastructure from Russian attacks.
• Approximately $200 million will support a NATO-backed scheme to procure American weapons for Ukraine.
• The assistance forms part of continued Western military support to Ukraine.

Russia Blocks WhatsApp Over Compliance Issues

• Russia blocked WhatsApp for allegedly failing to comply with domestic legislation.
• Authorities urged users to switch to a domestic messaging platform called “Max.”
• The development reflects increasing digital sovereignty measures and control over foreign tech platforms.

Pakistan Launched Earth Observation Satellite EO-2

• Pakistan successfully launched its second indigenous Earth Observation Satellite (EO-2) from China’s Yangjiang Seashore Launch Centre.
• The satellite is intended to enhance high-resolution imaging and earth observation capabilities for development planning and security.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Radio Day 2026

• World Radio Day, observed annually on February 13 commemorates the establishment of United Nations Radio in 1946.
• The theme of World Radio Day 2026 is “Radio and Artificial Intelligence: AI is a tool, not a voice.”
• The first Community Radio Station was inaugurated on February 1, 2004 by Bharat Ratna Shri Lal Krishna Advani.
• Ram Singh Bouddh from Amroha, Uttar Pradesh, known as the “Radio Man of India,” was recognised by Guinness World Records in 2025 for owning the world’s largest collection of 1,257 radios.

REPORTS, RANKS AND INDICES

NITI Frontier Tech Hub Roadmap Report ‘Reimagination Ahead’ Launched

Union Minister of Commerce & Industry Shri Piyush Goyal launched the NITI Frontier Tech Hub’s roadmap titled “Reimagination Ahead” in New Delhi.

The report outlines India’s strategic roadmap in frontier technologies including:

• Artificial Intelligence
• Quantum Computing
• Semiconductor ecosystem
• Advanced manufacturing
• Deep tech innovation

The roadmap aims to position India as a global technology innovation hub and accelerate digital transformation.

The initiative complements India’s broader industrial and innovation ecosystem under Make in India, Digital India and Semiconductor Mission.

NITI AAYOG

ECONOMY & BANKING

CBIC Conducts Interactive Session with Trade Stakeholders in Mumbai

• The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) organised an interactive session at the New Custom House, Mumbai, with representatives of trade associations, exporters, importers, customs brokers and logistics service providers.

Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs

RBI revised draft norms for the Kisan Credit Card (KCC)

• The Reserve Bank of India has issued revised draft norms for the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme, proposing inclusion of expenses on agri-tech initiatives such as soil testing, weather forecasting and organic certification within eligible farm loan components.

Key proposed changes

• Inclusion of Agri-Tech Expenses: Costs for soil testing, real-time weather forecasting, and organic certification are now eligible under the 20% additional provision normally reserved for the repair and maintenance of farm assets.
• Standardized Crop Cycles: To bring uniformity, the RBI has defined short-duration crops as having a 12-month cycle and long-duration crops as having an 18-month cycle.
• Extended Tenure: The overall validity and tenure of KCC loans have been extended from five to six years to better align with longer crop production timelines.
• Collateral Waiver: The draft proposes waiving collateral and margin requirements for agricultural and allied loans up to ₹2 lakh per borrower.
• Flexible Limits for Marginal Farmers: A flexible credit limit of ₹10,000 to ₹50,000 has been proposed for marginal farmers holding up to one hectare of land.

RBI Proposes Guidelines Against Harsh Loan Recovery Practices

The Reserve Bank of India issued draft guidelines to restrain banks and recovery agents from using abusive or coercive methods in loan recovery.

Proposed restrictions include:

• Prohibition of threatening language.
• No inappropriate social media messages.
• No excessive calls or calls beyond prescribed hours.

The move aims to protect borrower rights and ensure ethical recovery practices.

I&B Ministry Moves to Establish Content Creation Labs

• The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (I&B) organised a high-level stakeholder consultation workshop at the National Media Centre, New Delhi, to operationalise the setting up of Content Creation Labs through the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT).
• The initiative aims to establish such labs in 15,000 schools and 500 colleges across India to promote digital creativity and skill development in emerging media sectors.
• This initiative is a key component of India’s ‘Orange Economy’ vision, which focuses on strengthening creative industries and positioning India as a global hub for the Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) sector.

NPCI International Enables UPI-Based QR Payments in Malaysia

• NPCI International Payments Ltd. (NIPL) signed an agreement with Payments Network Malaysia (PayNet) to enable QR-based cross-border payments.
• Indian travellers in Malaysia can now use UPI apps at DuitNow QR acceptance points.
• The agreement enhances digital payment interoperability and financial connectivity.

Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process Workshop

• Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya National Academy of Social Security (PDUNASS) in New Delhi conducted a half-day workshop on the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP) under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), 2016.
• The program targeted leadership and key decision-makers within the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) to enhance institutional understanding of legal and administrative issues related to insolvency.
• Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), 2016

GSI Next Generation Digital Portal

• Union Minister Shri G. Kishan Reddy unveiled the Geological Survey of India’s (GSI) Next Generation Digital Portal which is a cloud-based platform using AI and machine learning to make mineral data easier to find and analyze.
• He also launched the 2nd tranche of auction of Exploration Licence (EL) blocks in New Delhi, marking another significant step towards strengthening India’s mineral exploration ecosystem.

Geological Survey of India

Indian Railways infrastructure projects

• Indian Railways has recently greenlit several significant infrastructure projects across various states to modernize the network and enhance regional connectivity.
• Third Line Construction:
• Aunrihar – Varanasi City (UP): A 31.36 km third line costing ₹497.07 crore to manage high-volume passenger and freight traffic.
• Damrughutu – Bokaro Steel City (Jharkhand): Addition of third and fourth lines to boost capacity in the Energy, Mineral, and Cement Corridor.

Line Doubling:

• Ringas – Sikar (Rajasthan): Doubling of a 50.06 km section at ₹470.34 crore to improve line speeds and reliability for pilgrimage sites like Khatu Shyamji.
• Alappuzha – Ambalapuzha (Kerala): A 12.66 km project costing ₹324.16 crore to remove a critical single-line bottleneck.
• Irugur – Podanur (Tamil Nadu): A 10.77 km vital link for the Chennai–Thiruvananthapuram corridor, costing ₹277.42 crore.

Indian Railways

PERSON IN NEWS

Sanjay Sharma Passes Away

• Sanjay Sharma, Head of Motorsport and Corporate Communications at JK Tyres, passed away at 61.
• He played a key role in developing Indian motorsport and supporting careers of Formula One drivers Narain Karthikeyan and Karun Chandhok.
• He was widely known in motorsport circles as “Hardy.”

ART & CULTURE

Maha Shivaratri Brahmotsavams

• In Andhra Pradesh, the Maha Shivaratri Brahmotsavams celebrated with great devotion and grandeur at the Sri Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple in Srisailam.

ENVIRONMENT + SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Ministry of Earth Sciences Signed MoU with Puducherry

• Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) and the Department of Science, Technology and Environment of the Government of Puducherry signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in New Delhi.
• This agreement establishes a comprehensive five-year framework to advance marine research, infrastructure development, and blue economy initiatives within the Union Territory.

ICMR Study Finds 6-Month All-Oral Regimen More Effective for MDR/RR-TB

An economic evaluation published in the Indian Journal of Medical Research has found that shorter, six-month all-oral treatment regimens for multidrug-resistant and rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis (MDR/RR-TB) are more cost-effective and yield better health outcomes compared to the longer regimens currently in use in India.

Supreme Court Allows Metalling of Road Through Rajaji National Park

• The Supreme Court modified its earlier stay order and allowed metalling of the 11.5 km Laldhang-Chillarkhal road in Uttarakhand.
• However, it prohibited commercial vehicle movement in a 4.5 km ecologically sensitive stretch that forms a wildlife corridor between Rajaji Tiger Reserve and Jim Corbett Tiger Reserve.
• The decision balances ecological protection with local connectivity needs.

DEFENCE NEWS

MoD Signs ₹2,312 Crore Contract with HAL for Dornier Aircraft

• The Ministry of Defence signed a contract worth ₹2,312 crore with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Transport Aircraft Division, Kanpur, for acquisition of eight Dornier 228 aircraft for the Indian Coast Guard.
• The procurement falls under the Buy (Indian) category of Defence Acquisition Procedure.

The aircraft will:

• Enhance maritime surveillance capability
• Strengthen coastal security
• Support search and rescue operations

This strengthens indigenous defence manufacturing capacity.

Defence Acquisition Council Approves ₹3.60 Lakh Crore Proposals

• The Defence Acquisition Council accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for capital acquisition proposals worth ₹3.60 lakh crore.

For the Indian Air Force:

• Multi Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA – Rafale)
• Advanced Combat Missiles
• Air-Ship Based High Altitude Pseudo Satellite (AS-HAPS)

AS-HAPS enhances persistent high-altitude surveillance and communication capabilities.

The approvals aim to boost domestic defence production and technological self-reliance.

DEFENCE STRUCTURE

Emergency Landing Facility

• The Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) on the Moran bypass in Dibrugarh, Assam, is the first highway-based airstrip in Northeast India.
• It is Situated on National Highway 127 (formerly NH-37) between Dibrugarh and Moran.
• Positioned near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and Myanmar border, it provides an alternative runway if nearby airbases like Chabua Air Force Station or Dibrugarh Airport are compromised.
• Engineered to support landing and take-off for fighter jets (up to 40 tonnes) like Rafale and Sukhoi, and large transport aircraft (up to 74 tonnes) like the C-130J Super Hercules.

SPORTS

India's biggest-ever margin of victory in T20 World Cup

• In the 2026 Men's T20 World Cup, India defeated Namibia by 93 runs at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.
• It is specifically India's biggest-ever margin of victory in the tournament, surpassing their 90-run win over England in 2012.
• The overall tournament record for the biggest victory by runs remains held by Sri Lanka, who defeated Kenya by 172 runs in 2007.

Khelo Delhi-Delhi Khel MahaKumbh

• Khelo Delhi-Delhi Khel MahaKumbh was Inaugurated by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta.
• Khelo Delhi-Delhi Khel MahaKumbh is a month-long sports festival designed to transform the national capital into a premier sporting hub.

Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar set new world record

• Two-time Olympian Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar set a new world record en route to winning the gold medal in the men's 50 metre rifle 3 positions event at the Asian Shooting