National News

Department of Fisheries Approves Smart and Integrated Fishing Harbour in Andaman & Nicobar Islands

• The Department of Fisheries under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying approved the development of a Smart and Integrated Fishing Harbour at Mayabunder in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands in January 2026, with a total project outlay of Rs.199.24 crore under 100% Central Financial Assistance through the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY).
• The harbour is designed under the Blue Port Initiative and leverages the islands’ Exclusive Economic Zone of 6 lakh square kilometers with an estimated 60,000 metric tonnes of tuna and tuna-like species, featuring capacity for 430 fishing vessels and an annual fish landing capacity of 9,900 tonnes while integrating IoT-enabled systems, digital traceability, and energy-efficient infrastructure to combat Unreported and Unregulated fishing.
• India’s fisheries sector has demonstrated significant growth with production rising from 96 lakh tonnes in 2013-14 to 197.75 lakh tonnes in 2024-25, supported by public investment exceeding Rs.39,000 crore and PMMSY support of Rs.5,573.02 lakh in the islands.
• The project aligns with India’s ambitious seafood export targets, building on current exports worth Rs.62,408 crore to nearly 130 countries, with the goal of reaching Rs.1 lakh crore in exports by 2030-31, while the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying is led by Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh from Munger constituency in Bihar.

Rank and Reports News

NITI Aayog Releases Three Comprehensive Reports on Enhancing Circular Economy in India

• NITI Aayog released three major reports on enhancing circular economy in End-of-Life Vehicles (ELVs), Waste Tyres, and E-waste and Lithium-ion Batteries in India during January 2026 at the International Material Recycling Conference organized by the Material Recycling Association of India in Jaipur, Rajasthan.
• The report on ELVs projects that the number of end-of-life vehicles in India will nearly double from 23 million in 2025 to approximately 50 million by 2030, with particular concern about older Bharat Stage-I vehicles that emit up to 8 times more pollutants compared to BS-VI standard vehicles, highlighting the urgent need for proper vehicle recycling infrastructure.
• The waste tyres report reveals that India, as the world’s third-largest producer and consumer of tyres, generates nearly 1.5 to 2 million tonnes of waste tyres annually, outlining key challenges and opportunities in managing End-of-Life Tyres to accelerate India’s circular economy goals.
• The third report on E-waste and Lithium-ion Batteries, developed in collaboration with The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), projects that India’s electronic waste will surge from 6.19 million metric tonnes to 14 million metric tonnes by 2030, with an annual economic value of Rs.51,000 crore, of which 60% is extractable but existing recovery systems capture only 18% of this potential.

Banking and Finance News

PFRDA Constitutes SAARG Committee for Comprehensive National Pension System Review

• The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority constituted a high-level Strategic Asset Allocation and Risk Governance (SAARG) Committee in January 2026, chaired by Narayan Ramachandran, former Country Head and CEO of Morgan Stanley India, to undertake a comprehensive review and modernization of the investment framework under the National Pension System.
• The 10-member committee includes eminent experts from capital markets, asset management, and securities law, featuring notable members such as Ananth Narayan (Former Whole Time Member, SEBI), Devina Mehra (Founder & CMD, First Global), Kalpen Parekh (MD and CEO, DSP Mutual Fund), Prashant Jain (CIO, 3P Investment Managers), and Rajeev Thakkar (CIO, PPFAS Asset Management), among others, with an Executive Director from PFRDA as a member.
• The committee’s mandate includes benchmarking the NPS investment framework against leading global pension systems, reviewing strategic asset allocation, evaluating new asset classes including Alternative Investment Funds, optimizing portfolio diversification for long-term growth, and strengthening accountability through enhanced performance benchmarking and risk management measures.
• SAARG aims to enhance governance structures, expand subscriber investment choice through lifecycle and target-date funds with active and passive strategies, integrate Environmental Social Governance and climate-related risks into investment decisions, and submit comprehensive recommendations to PFRDA within nine months to support long-term retirement wealth creation.

Banking and Finance News

Department of Posts Partners with Stock Holding Services Limited for Capital Market Access

• The Department of Posts under the Ministry of Communications signed a strategic agreement with Stock Holding Services Limited on January 27, 2026, at Dak Bhawan in New Delhi to expand regulated capital market services across India through the extensive India Post network, enabling citizens to participate in organized financial markets.
• Under this partnership, India Post will provide access to SSL’s digital investment services including opening of Dematerialized and trading accounts, Mutual Fund investments, participation in Initial Public Offerings, and other authorized investment products, facilitated through digital onboarding links, QR codes, and selected post office outlets across the country.
• The collaboration will focus on conducting investor education and awareness programs in partnership with SSL, specifically targeting first-time investors and underserved populations in rural and semi-urban areas to promote financial literacy and responsible investment practices.
• This initiative leverages India Post’s widespread network presence to democratize access to capital markets, bringing sophisticated financial services to previously underserved regions and supporting the government’s financial inclusion objectives.

National News

NITI Aayog and NIIT Foundation Partner to Advance Digital Literacy in Aspirational Blocks

• NITI Aayog signed a Statement of Intent with NIIT Foundation in January 2026 to advance digital literacy, financial inclusion, and skill development across Aspirational Blocks, with the agreement formalized in the presence of BVR Subrahmanyam, CEO of NITI Aayog, and Rohit Kumar, Additional Secretary and Mission Director of Aspirational Districts and Aspirational Blocks Programme.
• The initiative aims to achieve 100% block coverage, reaching approximately 1.2 lakh beneficiaries with at least 40% women participation, focusing on training individuals in basic and advanced digital skills to access online platforms, government services, and digital tools while promoting financial inclusion and vocational training.
• The program emphasizes providing employability skills and community-based learning programs to enhance income opportunities for individuals in underserved communities, with particular attention to promoting awareness of banking, insurance, and other financial services.
• NIIT Foundation will manage the programme implementation by deploying trained mobilisers and trainers while enhancing the skills of local community facilitators to ensure sustainable capacity building at the grassroots level across Aspirational Blocks.

Defence News

Adani Defence Signs Strategic MoU with Brazil’s Embraer for Aircraft Manufacturing in India

• Adani Defence & Aerospace, the flagship company of Adani Enterprises Limited, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Embraer, the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer, on January 27, 2026, in New Delhi to explore the development of an aircraft manufacturing and aviation services ecosystem in India.
• The MoU focuses on collaboration in aircraft manufacturing, particularly establishing a Final Assembly Line for aircraft in India which will be the first of three in the country and Embraer’s first aircraft production facility in Asia, along with Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul services, training, supply chain development, and lifecycle support.
• This partnership aims to advance India’s Regional Transport Aircraft programme, supporting the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative for self-reliance in defense and aerospace manufacturing while promoting regional air connectivity under the Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) scheme.
• The Final Assembly Line represents a significant milestone in India’s aviation and defense manufacturing capabilities, enabling domestic production of commercial aircraft and reducing dependence on imports while creating high-skilled employment opportunities in the aerospace sector.

Banking and Finance News

GAIL Partners with K LINE and J M Baxi for Strategic Equity Stake in LNG Shipping Company

• GAIL (India) Limited signed a term sheet on January 28, 2026, for equity participation in a ship-owning company established in Singapore, partnering with J M Baxi Marine Services and Japan’s Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K LINE), with the agreement signed in the presence of Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri at the India Energy Week 2026 held in Goa.
• The equity deal concerns a Liquefied Natural Gas carrier currently under construction at Samsung Heavy Industries in South Korea, utilizing advanced shipbuilding technology, with the vessel slated for delivery in 2027 to operate under a long-term charter agreement with GAIL.
• GAIL will invest through its wholly owned subsidiary, GAIL Global International Financial Services Centre Limited based in GIFT City, Gujarat, subject to regulatory approvals including clearance from the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management.
• This strategic partnership strengthens India’s LNG transportation capabilities and ensures secure energy supply chains, aligning with the country’s growing natural gas requirements and the government’s push to increase the share of natural gas in India’s energy mix.

Awards and Recognitions News

President Droupadi Murmu Approves Jeevan Raksha Padak Series of Awards 2025

• President Droupadi Murmu approved the conferment of the Jeevan Raksha Padak Series of Awards-2025 on January 26, 2026, recognizing 30 individuals for their courage and selfless life-saving acts across three categories: Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak (6 recipients), Uttam Jeevan Raksha Padak (6 recipients), and Jeevan Raksha Padak (18 recipients), with 6 awards conferred posthumously.
• The Jeevan Raksha Padak Series was established in 1961 to honour life-saving acts of courage, with Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak recognizing exceptional courage under very great danger to the rescuer, Uttam Jeevan Raksha Padak for courage in situations of great danger, and Jeevan Raksha Padak for courage in circumstances of grave bodily injury.
• The awards include a medal, certificate signed by the Union Minister of Home Affairs, and one-time monetary allowances of Rs.2 lakh for Sarvottam, Rs.1.5 lakh for Uttam, and Rs.1 lakh for Jeevan Raksha Padak, with presentation typically conducted by state/Union Territories governments or the respective ministry/department.
• The 2026 award distribution included Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak recipients from Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and the Ministry of Defence; Uttam Jeevan Raksha Padak recipients from NCT Delhi, Jammu & Kashmir, Kerala, Mizoram, and the Ministry of Defence; and Jeevan Raksha Padak recipients from Andhra Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Maharashtra, Mizoram, Punjab, and the Border Roads Organisation.

Awards and Recognitions News

President Murmu Approves Gallantry Awards 2026 for Armed Forces and Central Armed Police Forces

• President Droupadi Murmu approved Gallantry Awards 2026 for 70 Armed Forces and Central Armed Police Forces personnel, including 6 posthumous honours, in recognition of exceptional courage and sacrifice on the eve of the 77th Republic Day in January 2026, comprising 17 peacetime gallantry decorations including one Ashoka Chakra, three Kirti Chakras, and 13 Shaurya Chakras.
• Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla from the Indian Air Force received the Ashoka Chakra, India’s highest peacetime gallantry award, after scripting history by becoming the first Indian to set foot on the International Space Station as part of the Axiom-4 Mission, making him only the second Indian in space after Rakesh Sharma who flew aboard a Russian Soyuz in 1984.
• Three Kirti Chakra recipients include Major Arshdeep Singh from 1 Assam Rifles, Naib Subedar Doleshwar Subba from 2 Para (Special Forces), and Group Captain Prashanth Balakrishnan Nair, one of four astronauts trained for India’s first human spaceflight mission Gaganyaan, while two women Indian Navy officers, Lieutenant Commander Dilna K. and Lieutenant Commander Roopa A, were conferred with the Shaurya Chakra.
• Additional honours included 1 Bar to Sena Medal (Gallantry), 44 Sena Medals (Gallantry) with five posthumous awards, 6 Nao Sena Medals (Gallantry), and 2 Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry), demonstrating the comprehensive recognition of bravery across all three armed forces services.
• The President also approved 301 military decorations to Armed Forces and other personnel, including 30 Param Vishisht Seva Medals, 4 Uttam Yudh Seva Medals, 56 Ati Vishisht Seva Medals, 9 Yudh Seva Medals, two distinguished Bars to Sena Medal, 43 distinguished Sena Medals, 8 distinguished Nao Sena Medals, 14 distinguished Vayu Sena Medals, and 135 Vishisht Seva Medals.

Science and Technology News

Microsoft Unveils Second-Generation Maia 200 In-House AI Chip

• Microsoft introduced the second generation of its in-house artificial intelligence processor named Maia 200 in January 2026, along with a new suite of AI-focused software tools, strengthening its push to build an integrated AI ecosystem and reducing dependence on third-party chip manufacturers.
• The Maia 200 AI chip is manufactured by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company using advanced 3-nanometer process technology and incorporates high-bandwidth memory, building upon Microsoft’s first Maia chip originally introduced in 2023 with significant technological enhancements.
• The chip is now operational at a Microsoft data center in Iowa marking its first live deployment, with expansion plans underway to additional facilities, while offering improvements in higher compute capability, increased memory bandwidth, and better energy efficiency for faster and more cost-effective AI workloads.
• This development represents Microsoft’s strategic move to develop proprietary AI infrastructure, enabling the company to optimize performance for its AI services including Azure cloud computing and generative AI applications while potentially reducing costs associated with purchasing chips from external vendors.

Obituary News

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar Passes Away in Aircraft Crash

• Ajit Pawar, Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra and chief of the Nationalist Congress Party, passed away on January 28, 2026, at the age of 66 in a Learjet 45 aircraft (VT-SSK) crash at Baramati Airport in Pune, Maharashtra, marking the tragic end of a political career spanning over three decades.
• Born on July 22, 1959, in Deolali Pravara in Ahmednagar district, Ajit Pawar began his public career in 1982 when elected to the board of a sugar cooperative, assumed chairmanship of the Pune District Cooperative Bank in 1991 for 16 years, and was elected as a Member of Parliament to the Lok Sabha from Baramati in 1991 before focusing on state-level politics.
• He won the Baramati Assembly seat in 1991 and represented it continuously for over three decades, securing his eighth consecutive victory in November 2024, becoming one of the longest-serving Deputy Chief Ministers of Maharashtra by serving in that position six separate times between 2010 and 2026 under different Chief Ministers including Prithviraj Chavan, Uddhav Thackeray, Devendra Fadnavis, and Eknath Shinde.
• Throughout his political career, Ajit Pawar held several crucial ministerial portfolios including Minister of State for Agriculture & Power (1991-1992), Minister of Finance, Planning & Energy (2010-2014), and Minister of Finance & Planning (2019-2026), while becoming chief of the NCP faction in February 2024 after the party split, following recognition of his group by the Election Commission.

Important Days News

International Day of Clean Energy 2026 Observed Globally on January 26

• The United Nations’ International Day of Clean Energy was observed annually on January 26 across the globe to promote awareness and inspire action toward a fair, inclusive transition to clean energy for the benefit of both people and planet, with January 26, 2026, marking the third celebration under the theme “Clean Energy for People and Planet.”
• The UN General Assembly declared the International Day of Clean Energy through resolution A/77/327 on January 26, 2023, to accelerate the global transition to clean and sustainable energy, with the first observance taking place on January 26, 2024.
• The date coincides with the establishment of the International Renewable Energy Agency on January 26, 2009, which supports global renewable energy transitions through data, policy guidance, and international cooperation, with January 26, 2026, marking the 17th anniversary of IRENA’s founding.
• The International Renewable Energy Agency, headquartered in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, and led by Director-General Francesco La Camera, serves as the primary intergovernmental organization supporting countries in their transition to sustainable energy and promoting the widespread adoption of renewable energy technologies worldwide.

Important Days News

International Customs Day 2026 Recognizes Critical Role of Customs Administrations

• International Customs Day is observed worldwide annually on January 26 to recognize the crucial role played by customs administrations and officials in ensuring security, facilitating compliant trade, and combating smuggling, with January 26, 2026, marking 73 years since the first meeting of the Customs Cooperation Council in Brussels, Belgium, in 1953.
• The theme for 2026, “Customs protecting society through vigilance and commitment,” emphasizes the protective function of customs organizations in safeguarding societies while maintaining efficient trade flows across international borders.
• The Customs Cooperation Council decided in 1983 to celebrate International Customs Day to mark the 30th anniversary of its establishment with participation from 17 member countries, with the first ICD celebrated in Brussels on January 26, 1983.
• The Customs Cooperation Council was established in 1952 as an intergovernmental organization with its inaugural session held on January 26, 1953, was renamed the World Customs Organization in 1994, expanded its membership to 183 countries collectively handling about 98% of global trade, and currently works with 186 member states.

State News

Assam Launches Mukhya Mantrir Eti Koli Duti Paat Scheme for Tea Garden Workers

• Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma launched the Mukhya Mantrir Eti Koli Duti Paat Scheme in January 2026 at Doomdooma in Tinsukia district to honour the contribution of tea garden workers on the completion of 200 years of Assam’s tea industry, providing one-time financial assistance of Rs.5,000 to more than six lakh tea garden workers.
• The scheme covers over 6 lakh permanent and casual tea garden workers across 836 tea gardens in 27 districts and 73 Assembly constituencies, with the Government of Assam providing comprehensive financial welfare through direct benefit transfers exceeding Rs.300 crore, Rs.15,000 nutritional wage compensation for pregnant tea workers, and an additional Rs.8,000 to Orunodoi beneficiaries in tea garden areas to be distributed in February 2026.
• The initiative includes establishing mobile crèches, toilets, and medical units to ensure childcare, health, hygiene, and dignity at worksites, while residential land titles (pattas) will be granted to workers living in labour lines starting from February 2026, addressing long-standing land rights issues for tea community members.
• Additional welfare measures include expanding school and professional opportunities through existing and new educational institutions, increased MBBS reservations, job quotas and self-employment support for tea communities, community infrastructure development, and promotion of Jhumoir dance to strengthen tea community cultural identity across Assam.