National News

Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Campaign Completes 11 Years of Implementation

• The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 22, 2015, in Panipat, Haryana, completed 11 years of successful implementation on January 22, 2026, focusing on protecting, educating, and empowering girl children across India.
• The centrally sponsored scheme operates under the Sambal vertical of Mission Shakti with 100% central government funding across all districts, originally initiated as a joint effort by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and Ministry of Education, later expanding collaboration to include the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Ministry of Minority Affairs.
• The scheme has achieved significant progress in improving the Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB), which increased from 918 in 2014-15 to 930 in 2023-24 at the national level, demonstrating the effectiveness of interventions addressing gender-biased sex-selective elimination and promoting survival and protection of girl children.
• The Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) for girls at the secondary level (Classes 9-10) witnessed substantial improvement, rising from 75.51% in 2014-15 to 78.0% in 2023-24, with the UDISE report further confirming an increase to 80.2% in 2024-25, reflecting enhanced educational opportunities for girls nationwide.

National News

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Undertakes Multi-Sectoral Development Visit to Kerala

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, on January 23, 2026, to inaugurate and lay foundation stones for multiple infrastructure and development projects spanning railways, financial inclusion, scientific research, healthcare, and postal services sectors.
• In a major boost to rail connectivity, the Prime Minister flagged off four new trains including three Amrit Bharat Express trains on routes covering Nagercoil-Mangaluru (705 km), Thiruvananthapuram-Tambaram (768 km), and Thiruvananthapuram-Charlapalli (1,488 km), along with a 23 km passenger train service between Thrissur and Guruvayur in Kerala.
• PM Modi launched the Pradhan Mantri Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) Credit Card, a UPI-linked interest-free revolving credit facility designed to provide easier and quicker financial access to street vendors, hawkers, and participants in the urban informal sector, while simultaneously disbursing PM SVANidhi loans to one lakh beneficiaries to mark a significant expansion in financial inclusion efforts.
• Foundation stones were laid for a CSIR-NIIST Innovation, Technology & Entrepreneurship Hub and a modern Radiosurgery Centre at the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST) in Thiruvananthapuram, alongside the inauguration of the new Poojappura Head Post Office offering comprehensive citizen services including postal, banking, insurance, and digital services.

Summit and Conference News

Election Commission of India Hosts Inaugural International Democracy Conference in New Delhi

• The Election Commission of India (ECI) organized the India International Conference on Democracy and Election Management (IICDEM 2026) at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, from January 21-23, 2026, under the theme “Democracy for an inclusive, peaceful, resilient, and sustainable world,” bringing together heads of election management bodies from across the globe.
• Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, welcomed international delegates at the inaugural reception, with the conference organized by the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM) established in 2011 and now operating from a full-fledged campus in Dwarka, Delhi.
• During the three-day conference, the ECI launched ECINET (Election Commission of India Network), a comprehensive digital platform providing voter registration, Know Your Candidate (KYC) services, e-Voter ID card downloads, and Book-a-Call facilities with Booth Level Officers, developed in English and all 22 scheduled Indian languages with special provisions for Divyang citizens and access to election-related learning materials.
• India and Namibia signed a Memorandum of Understanding on election management on the sidelines of the conference, while the event concluded on January 23, 2026, with the unanimous adoption of the ‘Delhi Declaration 2026,’ committing election management bodies to collaborate on five key pillars: purity of electoral rolls, conduct of elections, research and publications, use of technology, and training and capacity building.

National News

Government Selects Five Companies Under Fourth Round of Production Linked Incentive Scheme for White Goods

• The Ministry of Commerce & Industry announced in January 2026 the selection of five companies—including Kirloskar Pneumatic, Indo Asia Copper, and Godrej & Boyce Manufacturing—in the fourth round of the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for white goods manufacturing, encompassing air conditioners and LED lights, with committed investments totaling Rs 863 crore.
• These provisionally selected companies, chosen from 13 applications received in the fourth round, are expected to achieve combined production worth Rs 8,337.24 crore and create 1,799 additional direct employment opportunities by Financial Year 2027-28, contributing to the manufacturing ecosystem for critical components.
• Key investment commitments include Kirloskar Pneumatic (Rs 320 crore), Indo Asia Copper Limited (Rs 258.97 crore), Kyron Technology (Rs 175 crore), Godrej & Boyce Manufacturing Company (Rs 58.69 crore), and Pranav Vikas (India) Pvt. Ltd. (Rs 50 crore), focused on manufacturing essential components for air conditioners and LED lights.
• With this fourth round, a total of 85 companies selected under the PLI scheme for white goods are expected to attract cumulative investments worth Rs 11,198 crore, leading to combined production of Rs 1,90,050 crore over the scheme period, while manufacturing key AC components like compressors, copper tubes, control assemblies, and heat exchangers, and LED components including chip packaging, light management systems, and metalized films.

National News

Third Inland Waterways Development Council Meeting Reviews Sector Progress and Approves Major Projects

• Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, chaired the third meeting of the Inland Waterways Development Council (IWDC 3.0) in Kochi, Kerala, on January 23, 2026, to review progress in the inland water transport sector and outline a future roadmap focused on green mobility, multimodal logistics, and river-led economic development.
• IWDC 3.0 consolidated Centre-State coordination, reviewing progress since IWDC 1.0 (2024) and 2.0 (2025), while accelerating inland waterways development across cargo transport, passenger services, river cruises, green vessels, and digital navigation infrastructure, with projects approved worth over Rs 1,500 crore and foundation stones laid for projects exceeding Rs 150 crore.
• The meeting approved Rs 465 crore for procurement of critical assets including vessels, 20 pontoons, 8 Quick Pontoon Opening Mechanisms (QPOMs), 12 dredgers, 3 tug-barge units, 5 survey vessels, and 4 Roll-on/Roll-off Passenger (Ro-Pax) jetties to enhance navigability, safety, and year-round operations on inland waterways, along with river cruise jetties in Kerala, Gujarat, Karnataka, Odisha, and Telangana.
• India currently has 111 National Waterways spread across 23 states and 4 Union Territories, with 32 operational for cargo and passenger transport, all developed, maintained, and regulated by the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.

Science and Technology News

Indian Railways Deploys First Humanoid Robot at Visakhapatnam Railway Station

• Indian Railways deployed its first humanoid robot, named ‘ASC ARJUN’, at Visakhapatnam Railway Station, East Coast Railway, Andhra Pradesh, in January 2026, to enhance passenger safety, station security, and operational efficiency under the supervision of the Railway Protection Force (RPF), unveiled by Inspector General RPF Alok Bohra and Divisional Railway Manager Lalit Bohra.
• The humanoid robot, developed indigenously in Visakhapatnam over one year using domestic technology, supports RPF operations during peak hours and incorporates advanced security features including a Face Recognition System (FRS) with real-time Internet of Things (IoT) alerts to RPF control rooms for detecting intruders and maintaining security protocols.
• ASC ARJUN employs Artificial Intelligence-based monitoring for crowd management, delivering automated announcements in English, Hindi, and Telugu, performing friendly gestures and interactive guidance for passengers, while providing real-time situational awareness through an integrated dashboard to optimize passenger density management and enhance overall safety.
• The robot conducts semi-autonomous 24x7 platform patrols with obstacle avoidance capabilities, detects fire and smoke for instant alerts, and optimizes manpower deployment while enhancing passenger convenience through indigenous technology, representing a significant advancement in railway station management and security infrastructure.

Defence News

Indian Army and Indian Institute of Science Partner to Develop Indigenous AI Defense System

• The Indian Army signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, Karnataka, on January 23, 2026, to jointly develop a fully indigenous Artificial Intelligence system aimed at addressing emerging challenges in digital information warfare and modern combat operations.
• The collaborative system will be created through joint research, innovation, and field-oriented testing processes, ensuring alignment with the operational requirements of the armed forces while combining the Indian Army’s extensive operational experience with IISc’s academic expertise and Indian industry support.
• The partnership reflects the Indian Army’s commitment to technological self-reliance in line with the Atmanirbhar Bharat vision, focusing on developing indigenous defense capabilities that can address contemporary security challenges in the digital domain and enhance India’s defense preparedness through homegrown solutions.
• The AI system development initiative represents a strategic convergence of military operational knowledge, academic research excellence, and industrial manufacturing capabilities, positioning India to strengthen its defense technology ecosystem and reduce dependence on foreign defense systems while building cutting-edge indigenous capabilities for future warfare scenarios.

National News

President Droupadi Murmu Inaugurates Granth Kutir Cultural and Literary Space at Rashtrapati Bhavan

• President of India Droupadi Murmu inaugurated “Granth Kutir,” a cultural and literary space, at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi in January 2026, housing approximately 2,300 books and around 50 rare manuscripts, including handwritten works on traditional materials such as palm leaves, paper, bark, and cloth.
• Granth Kutir has been developed to showcase and preserve India’s rich intellectual heritage preserved in classical languages including Tamil, Sanskrit, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, Odia, Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese, and Bengali, representing the diverse linguistic and cultural traditions of the Indian subcontinent.
• The collection encompasses a wide scope of Indian intellectual traditions including epics and devotional literature, philosophy and linguistics, history and governance, science and mathematics, and the Constitution of India, providing comprehensive representation of India’s scholarly and cultural legacy across millennia.
• The Granth Kutir initiative aligns with the Gyan Bharatam Mission, a Central Sector Scheme under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, demonstrating the nation’s commitment to preserving, promoting, and making accessible India’s classical literary heritage and ancient knowledge systems to current and future generations.

Summit and Conference News

World Economic Forum Holds 56th Annual Meeting in Davos Under Theme of Dialogue

• The 56th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) was held from January 19 to 23, 2026, in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, under the theme “A Spirit of Dialogue,” witnessing participation from approximately 3,000 leaders from 130 countries, including 400 top political leaders, 65 heads of state and government, a majority of G7 leaders, around 830 CEOs and Chairs, and nearly 80 tech unicorn founders and innovators.
• Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and Ministry of Railways led the Indian delegation, while WEF released the Chief Economists’ Outlook report indicating that 53% of chief economists expect global economic conditions to weaken in 2026, though this represents an improvement from 72% in September 2025.
• During the meeting, WEF launched an AI Adoption Report titled “Proof Over Promise: Insights on Real-World AI adoption from 2025 MINDS Organization” in collaboration with Accenture, with Tech Mahindra Limited included in WEF’s list of organizations recognized for making AI work in the real world as part of the MINDS programme.
• A WEF white paper revealed India ranked 8th out of 11 countries in AI investments as a share of GDP (2010-2024), with investments estimated at 1.2%-1.8% of its 2024 GDP, while the USA topped the list followed by Singapore, South Korea, and China; the forum also decided to establish five new Centres for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR), and US President Donald J. Trump signed the founding charter of the Board of Peace initiative alongside representatives from approximately 19 countries.

International News

United States Formally Withdraws from World Health Organization After 78-Year Membership

• The United States of America formally withdrew from the World Health Organization (WHO) on January 22, 2026, ending its 78-year membership following criticism of WHO’s COVID-19 response, bureaucratic inefficiencies, and perceived failures, completing a one-year notification process initiated by President Donald J. Trump through Executive Order 14155 signed on January 20, 2025.
• All US funding and staffing for WHO ended on January 22, 2026, including annual dues of USD 111 million and average voluntary contributions of USD 570 million, with the United States accounting for approximately 18% of WHO’s total funding from the organization’s 2024-2025 budget estimated at USD 6.8 billion.
• The United States shifted its global health strategy from multilateral engagement through WHO to bilateral partnerships with individual countries, focusing on disease surveillance, pandemic preparedness, and preventing health threats from reaching American shores through direct country-to-country health cooperation agreements.
• The withdrawal represents a significant restructuring of global health governance and funding mechanisms, potentially impacting WHO’s operational capacity and forcing the organization to seek alternative funding sources while the US pursues independent health security initiatives through bilateral frameworks rather than multilateral institutional engagement.

Banking and Finance News

Buyforex Receives In-Principle Payment Service Provider Authorization at GIFT IFSC

• EbixCash World Money, a subsidiary of Eraaya Lifespaces Limited, announced in January 2026 that its wholly-owned entity Buyforex received in-principle approval for Payment Service Provider (PSP) authorization from the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) at Gujarat International Finance Tec-City International Financial Services Centre (GIFT-IFSC).
• Buyforex became the first Authorised Dealer Category-II (AD-II) licensed group entity to achieve this milestone, with the approval allowing the company to undertake four regulated payment services: account issuance, e-money issuance, merchant acquisition, and cross-border fund transfers within the GIFT IFSC framework.
• The PSP authorization strengthens the EbixCash Group’s payments footprint and supports India’s vision of establishing GIFT IFSC as a global cross-border payments hub, enabling Buyforex to operate as a regulated PSP and deliver secure, compliant, and scalable payment solutions to international merchants and financial institutions.
• The authorization represents a significant advancement in India’s international financial services capabilities, positioning GIFT IFSC as a competitive jurisdiction for payment services while enabling domestic companies to expand their international payment processing capabilities under a robust regulatory framework that ensures security, compliance, and operational scalability.

International News

Foreign Direct Investment Inflows to India Surge 73 Percent to USD 47 Billion in 2025

• The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) released the latest edition of the Global Investment Trends Monitor report in January 2026, revealing that Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows to India surged by 73% to USD 47 billion in 2025, driven mainly by large investments in services sectors such as Information Technology and Research & Development, along with manufacturing supported by policies integrating India into global supply chains.
• The report disclosed that global FDI reached USD 1.61 trillion in 2025, marking a 14% increase compared to USD 1.4 trillion recorded in 2024, with over USD 140 billion of the global increase driven by global financial centres led by the United Kingdom, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and Ireland, while excluding these conduit flows would result in only about 5% growth in global FDI.
• Developed economies saw FDI inflows increase by 43% to USD 728 billion, driven by Europe and financial hubs, with the European Union registering a 56% increase supported by large cross-border acquisitions and rebounds in major economies like Germany, France, and Italy, representing a significant shift in investment patterns toward established economic centers.
• In contrast, FDI inflows to developing economies decreased by 2% to an estimated USD 877 billion (accounting for 55% of global flows), while three-quarters of the Least Developed economies witnessed stagnant or declining inflows, highlighting growing investment disparity between developed financial centers and emerging economies, with India’s strong performance representing an exception to the broader developing economy trend.

Awards and Recognitions News

Dr. Chandrakant Lahariya Becomes First Indian to Receive Wiley Research Heroes Award

• Dr. Chandrakant Lahariya, a former staff member of the World Health Organisation, was awarded the Wiley Research Heroes Prize 2025 in the category “Impact Beyond Academia” in January 2026, becoming the first and only Indian to receive this prestigious recognition, chosen as one of five global winners from over 2,000 nominations worldwide.
• Dr. Lahariya was selected for his outstanding research contributions that have had direct impact on public policy and societal welfare, with the Wiley Research Heroes Prize representing international recognition honoring researchers whose work is inclusive, innovative, and creates real-world impact beyond traditional academic outputs.
• The other four winners of the Wiley Research Heroes Prize 2025 include Dr. Katie Brooker from Australia, Professor Trevor Charles from Canada, Professor Deborah Esan from Nigeria, and Dr. Maria Elena Indelicato from Portugal, each receiving global recognition and a monetary award of approximately USD 2,000.
• The award specifically recognizes research excellence that transcends conventional academic metrics, focusing on researchers who bridge the gap between scholarly work and practical societal applications, demonstrating how scientific research can directly influence policy decisions, improve public health outcomes, and create measurable positive change in communities and populations beyond academic institutions.

Awards and Recognitions News

Sikkim Police Receives President’s Police Colour Award as 15th State Honored

• The Ministry of Home Affairs announced in January 2026 that Sikkim Police has been conferred the President’s Police Colour Award (Nishaan), one of India’s highest police honors, for outstanding service, professionalism, and dedication, making Sikkim the 15th state and 3rd in the North East to receive this prestigious recognition, with the announcement made by Director General of Police Akshay Sachdeva and Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang.
• The President’s Police Colour award includes a ceremonially decorated flag measuring 3 feet 9 inches × 3 feet with a 2-inch golden fringe and a special insignia to be worn on the left sleeve by all personnel, representing a collective honor for all approximately 6,500 serving and retired personnel of the Sikkim Police force.
• The flag and insignia will be formally presented in Sikkim during a Colour Presentation Parade (Alankaran Parade) led by a Superintendent of Police or Commandant, following protocols and coordination with the Ministry of Home Affairs, with only the President of India, Prime Minister, or Union Minister of Home Affairs authorized to confer this distinguished award.
• Previous recipients of the President’s Police Colour include Madhya Pradesh (1950), Uttar Pradesh (1952), Delhi Police (1954), Maharashtra (1961), Punjab (1992), Jammu & Kashmir (2003), Tamil Nadu (2009), Tripura (2011), Assam (2014), Gujarat (2019), Himachal Pradesh (2019), and Haryana (2022), representing a select group of state police forces recognized for exceptional service to the nation.

Appointments and Resignations News

Arijit Basu Appointed as Part-Time Chairman of IndusInd Bank for Three-Year Term

• Arijit Basu was appointed as Additional Director (Non-Executive Independent Director) and Part-time Chairman of IndusInd Bank for a three-year term effective from January 31, 2026, succeeding Sunil Mehta, who stepped down as Part-time Chairman and Director on January 30, 2026.
• Basu is a veteran Indian banker with decades of experience in the financial services sector who previously served as Chairman of HDB Financial Services Ltd, a non-banking financial subsidiary of HDFC Bank, resigning from that position to assume his new role at IndusInd Bank, and earlier retired as a Board Member and Managing Director of State Bank of India.
• He previously served as Managing Director & CEO of SBI Life Insurance Company Limited, demonstrating extensive leadership experience across banking, insurance, and non-banking financial services sectors, bringing comprehensive expertise in financial sector management to his new position at IndusInd Bank.
• Basu currently serves as an Independent Director on the boards of Prudential Plc, Peerless Hospitex, Hospital Research Centre Ltd, and CleanMax Enviro Energy Solutions Ltd, while also functioning as a senior advisor to Ares Management Corporation and serving as a member of the advisory board of Razorpay Inc, maintaining diverse board-level engagements across international and domestic financial services organizations.

Books and Authors News

Chief of Army Staff Launches Book on Operation Sindoor and India’s Strategic Response

• Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi launched the book titled ‘Red Lines Redrawn: Operation Sindoor and India’s New Normal’ on January 22, 2026, at the India International Centre in New Delhi, published by Konark Publishers Private Limited and co-authored by Major General Bipin Bakshi (Retired), Air Marshal Rajesh Kumar (Retired), Ambassador Anil Trigunayat (Retired), and Brigadier Akhelesh Bhargava (Retired).
• The book provides a comprehensive, multi-domain account of ‘Operation Sindoor,’ detailing India’s decisive response to Pakistan-sponsored terrorism during the 88-hour military campaign launched in May 2025 as a direct response to the Pahalgam terrorist attack that occurred on April 22, 2025, marking a significant shift in India’s counterterrorism strategy.
• The publication underscores the integration of land, air, sea, cyber, and diplomatic domains during Operation Sindoor, showcasing how coordinated planning and joint execution across military services and government agencies can achieve decisive outcomes in modern warfare scenarios involving asymmetric threats.
• The book represents a detailed strategic analysis of how India redefined its operational red lines and response protocols to terrorism, providing insights into multi-domain military operations, inter-service coordination, and the integration of diplomatic efforts with kinetic military action in responding to cross-border terrorism threats.

Important Days News

National Girl Child Day Observed Across India on January 24

• National Girl Child Day (NGCD) was observed annually across India on January 24, 2026, marking the 19th observance since its establishment in 2008 by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, with the day dedicated to raising awareness about the rights, education, health, safety, and empowerment of girl children while addressing challenges such as gender discrimination, child marriage, and female foeticide.
• Mission Shakti, launched in 2022 as an integrated umbrella scheme (2021-26) of the Ministry of Women and Child Development advancing women’s safety, security, and empowerment through Sambal and Samarthya sub-schemes, received Rs 3,150 crore in the Union Budget 2025-26, demonstrating continued government commitment to girl child welfare and women’s empowerment initiatives.
• Samagra Shiksha, an integrated school education scheme launched in 2018 by the Ministry of Education covering the entire spectrum from pre-school to Class XII, and Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV), a residential school scheme providing schooling and hostel facilities for girls aged 10-18 years from disadvantaged groups, represent key educational initiatives supporting girl child education across India.
• NAVYA (Nurturing Aspirations through Vocational Training for Young Adolescent Girls), launched on June 24, 2025, represents a joint Ministry of Women and Child Development-Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship initiative training 3,850 girls across 27 districts under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana 4.0 in non-traditional sectors to promote independence and challenge gender stereotypes.

Important Days News

International Day of Education Highlights Youth Role in Co-Creating Education Systems

• The United Nations’ International Day of Education (IDE) was observed globally on January 24, 2026, marking the 8th annual observance since its establishment, highlighting the importance of education in promoting peace and sustainable development under the 2026 theme “The Power of Youth in Co-Creating Education,” emphasizing young people as key agents of change in shaping inclusive and equitable quality education systems.
• The United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution A/RES/73/25 on December 3, 2018, declaring January 24 as International Day of Education, with the resolution co-authored by Nigeria along with 58 other UN Member States, and the inaugural observance held on January 24, 2019, recognizing education as essential to achieving all 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
• The IDE 2026 global event was held on January 23, 2026, at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France, where UNESCO released the Global Education Monitoring 2026 Youth Report “Lead with youth” assessing student and youth participation in education legislation and policymaking in collaboration with the UN Youth Office, while introducing a new cohort of the SDG4 Youth & Student Network.
• Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights guarantees the right to education, while the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child calls for higher education accessibility, yet approximately 250 million children and youth remain out of school and 763 million adults cannot read or write, demonstrating serious violations of the right to education and urgent need for comprehensive education reform globally.