NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. VP C. P. Radhakrishnan Releases Hindi Edition of Dr.
C. Palanivelu’s Autobiography “Palanivelu GUTS”: Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan released
the Hindi edition of Dr. C. Palanivelu’s autobiography “Palanivelu
GUTS” in New Delhi.Dr C. Palanivelu is an eminent surgeon who recognised
the potential of laparoscopic surgery in the early 1990s and introduced it in
Coimbatore in 1991, setting up South India’s first laparoscopic surgery
centre.The Vice President described the book as an inspiring account of
courage, perseverance, and ethical innovation in medicine; the event was also
attended by Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh.
2. India Launches Responsible Nations Index to Assess
Ethical Governance and Global Responsibility: India launched the Responsible Nations
Index (RNI) at the Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi, under the
aegis of the World Intellectual Foundation (WIF).The RNI provides a global
framework to assess countries on ethical governance, social well-being,
environmental stewardship, and global responsibility.The Index is the result of
a three-year academic and policy research initiative, with key contributions
from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and Indian Institute of Management (IIM)
Mumbai.
3. An Expert Panel Discussion titled “From Human
Well-being to Global Stewardship:
Rethinking Responsibility, Prosperity and Peace in the 21st Century” was held,
chaired by N. K. Singh, Chairman of the 15th Finance Commission of
India.Responsible Nations Index 2026: Country-wise Scores and RanksUnion Cabinet Extends Atal Pension Yojana till 2030-31
and Approves Rs 5,000 Crore Equity Support for SIDBI to Boost MSMEs: The Union Cabinet approved the
continuation of the Atal Pension Yojana (APY) up to the financial year
2030-31, with government support for promotional, developmental activities
and gap funding to expand outreach among unorganised sector workers.APY,
launched on May 9, 2015, provides old-age income security, offering a
guaranteed minimum pension of Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000 per month starting at age
60, based on contributions; as of January 19, 2026, over 8.66 crore subscribers
are enrolled.
4. Union Cabinet Approves ₹5,000 Crore Equity Infusion
into SIDBI to Boost Credit for MSMEs: The Union Cabinet approved an equity
infusion of ₹5,000 crore into SIDBI to expand credit availability for
Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).The infusion will be made in three
tranches: ₹3,000 crore in 2025-26 and ₹1,000 crore each in 2026-27 and 2027-28,
based on the respective book values of the previous financial years.The capital
boost is expected to increase the number of MSME beneficiaries from 76.26 lakh
to 102 lakh by 2027-28, generating employment for approximately 1.12 crore
people. The additional equity will help SIDBI maintain a strong capital to
risk-weighted assets ratio (CRAR), ensuring credit ratings remain healthy and
allowing lending to MSMEs at competitive interest rates.
5. RBI Approves Re-appointment of Kaizad Bharucha as Deputy
MD of HDFC Bank for Three Years: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has
approved the re-appointment of Kaizad Bharucha as Whole-time Director
and Deputy Managing Director of HDFC Bank for a fresh three-year term starting
April 19, 2026.Kaizad Bharucha oversees key business verticals, strategy
execution, and risk management at HDFC Bank; the announcement was positively
received by markets, with the bank’s shares rising 0.38% on the BSE.
6. Deepinder Goyal to Step Down as Eternal Group CEO: Deepinder Goyal will step down as Founder
and Group CEO of Eternal, with Blinkit CEO Albinder Dhindsa set to
take over the role.
Goyal will continue on the company’s board of directors
as Vice Chairman, ensuring leadership continuity during the transition.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Donroe
Doctrine? How Trump’s Venezuela Operation Signals a Hard Reset of the Global
Order in 2026: The opening
days of 2026 delivered a jolt to the international system. In a swift,
unilateral operation, the United States abducted Venezuelan President
Nicolás Maduro and his wife, transferring them to U.S. custody on charges of
undermining American security. Framed by U.S. President Donald Trump as a
modern update of the 1823 Monroe Doctrine, the episode has been dubbed the
“Donroe Doctrine” — a muscular assertion that Washington alone guarantees order
in the Western
Hemisphere. The muted global response
has raised deeper questions about whether the post-1945 rules-based order is
quietly collapsing. As 2026 unfolded, U.S. airborne forces
carried out a rapid extraction of Venezuela’s
leadership, bypassing diplomatic and multilateral channels altogether. The
Trump administration justified the move as a security imperative, accusing the
Maduro regime of threatening U.S. vital interests.The operation was not
presented as an aberration, but as doctrine. Mr. Trump explicitly linked it to
the Monroe Doctrine, reiterating that the United States would
tolerate no extra-hemispheric interference in the Americas. What distinguishes
this episode from Cold War interventions is its brazenness: a sitting head of
state was seized and jailed without war, sanction, or international mandate.
2. International
Conference Examines Trade’s Role in Global Energy Transition: A two-day International Conference on
“Role of International Trade in Global Energy Transition” was organised at the
National Law University Odisha campus in Cuttack, bringing together jurists,
policymakers, academics, and international experts to deliberate on aligning
global trade rules with climate and sustainability goals. The event highlighted
the growing importance of trade law in facilitating a just and effective global
energy transition. The conference was organised by the Centre for Trade and
Investment Law in collaboration with the Centre for International Trade Law,
NLU Odisha. It was held under the aegis of the World Trade
Organization Chairs Programme at
the National Law University Odisha. The forum aimed to examine how
international trade can support clean energy transitions while addressing
developmental concerns. Justice Biraja Prasanna of the Odisha High Court
attended the conference as Chief Guest, while Professor N.L. Mitra participated
as Guest of Honour. The event also saw the presence of Ambassador Ujal Singh
Bhatia, former Chairperson of the WTO Appellate Body. Their participation
underscored the relevance of legal and institutional perspectives in shaping
trade responses to global energy challenges.
3. India
Ranks Sixth in Asia Manufacturing Index 2026: India has ranked sixth among 11 Asian economies in the
Asia Manufacturing Index (AMI) 2026, highlighting the need to strengthen its
manufacturing competitiveness amid intensifying regional competition. The index
evaluates the relative performance of major manufacturing hubs across Asia
using a detailed, multi-dimensional framework. Now in its third year, the Asia
Manufacturing Index is released by Dezan Shira & Associates, a pan-Asian
market entry advisory firm headquartered in Hong Kong. The AMI assesses
manufacturing competitiveness across eight key pillars and 43 sub-parameters,
including infrastructure, labour, market access, regulatory environment, and
supply chain resilience. The index is widely tracked by investors and
policymakers to understand shifts in Asia’s manufacturing landscape.
4. Search
Intensifies After Helicopter Disappears Near Mount Aso Volcano: Japanese authorities have
launched an extensive search operation after a sightseeing helicopter vanished
near one of the country’s most active volcanoes. The aircraft lost contact on
Tuesday while flying close to Mount Aso in Kumamoto Prefecture, triggering an
emergency response involving police and Japan’s Self-Defence Forces amid
hazardous volcanic conditions. According to police, the helicopter went missing
after reaching the summit area of Mount Aso, a highly active volcanic complex
in southwestern Japan. A police search helicopter later reported discovering
what appeared to be an aircraft near the first crater of Nakadake in Aso City.
Officials cautioned that the object has not yet been formally identified as the
missing helicopter and that further investigation of the site is planned.
OTHER UPDATES:
DEFENCE
1. Punjab Police Launches “Operation Parhar” to Dismantle
Gangster Networks Across the State: Punjab Police launched “Operation Parhar” to
dismantle organised gangster networks and work towards making the state
crime-free.The operation involved around 2,000 police teams with nearly 12,000
personnel conducting simultaneous raids across Punjab.To encourage public
participation, an Anti-Gangster Helpline (93946-93946) has been launched for
citizens to report criminal activities.
2. 23 January – Parakram Diwas: Parakram Diwas is observed on 23 January
every year to commemorate the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra
Bose.The day celebrates Netaji’s courage, leadership, and contribution to India’s
freedom struggle, especially through the Indian National Army (INA).
Government of India announced Parakram Diwas in 2021 to
inspire patriotism and national pride among citizens.
3. Why
the India–UAE Defence Talks Matter Amid a Fracturing Gulf Order: A brief, nearly two-hour
visit to New Delhi by UAE President and Abu Dhabi ruler Sheikh Mohamed bin
Zayed Al Nahyan — marked by a single meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi
— has produced outcomes with implications far beyond the headline economic announcements.
While the focus was on trade, energy and investment, the most consequential
signal was political-strategic: the intention to negotiate an India–UAE
“Strategic Defence Partnership”, a first for New Delhi with any Gulf country.
India and the UAE reaffirmed the depth of their economic partnership. The two
sides committed to doubling bilateral trade to $200 billion, announced a $3
billion LNG agreement, and confirmed fresh UAE investments, particularly
in Gujarat. These build on a rapidly expanding relationship: the
UAE is India’s third-largest trading partner, second-largest export
destination, seventh-largest foreign investor, and the first country to sign a
bilateral trade agreement with India in 2022.Yet the standout announcement was
strategic rather than commercial — a proposed framework for a defence
partnership, with details to be negotiated. Though still undefined, the very
idea marks a shift in India’s engagement with West Asia, traditionally cautious
and calibrated.
SPORTS
1. BCCI Inks ₹270 Crore Gemini Sponsorship Deal Ahead of
IPL 2026: BCCI signed a ₹270 crore
sponsorship deal with Google’s AI platform Gemini ahead of the IPL 2026
season, marking a major AI entry into Indian cricket.The deal comes after real
money gaming platforms like Dream11 were banned, forcing BCCI to find new
sponsors; Apollo Tyres later took over the jersey sponsorship for ₹579
crore.Tata Group continues as the IPL title sponsor, while the Gemini
partnership highlights the rising interest of AI and tech companies in India’s
biggest T20 league.
2. Surat’s
Yash Rashiya Wins Gold at Roll Ball World Cup 2025: Yash Anil Rashiya, a
20-year-old Roll Ball athlete from Surat, has emerged as one of India’s
brightest young sports talents after winning the gold medal at the 7th Roll
Ball World Cup 2025 in Dubai. Representing Team India, Rashiya played a
decisive role in the country’s title-winning campaign, marking a major
milestone for Indian Roll Ball on the global stage and bringing international
recognition to Surat’s growing sports ecosystem. Selected among 12 elite
players to represent India, Rashiya delivered consistent match-winning
performances throughout the tournament. During the league stage, he scored two
goals each against Saudi Arabia and Brazil. He followed this with two crucial
goals against Pakistan in the quarter-final, a vital goal
against Egypt in the semi-final, and the
match-winning goal in the final against Kenya. His contributions proved instrumental
in India clinching the Roll Ball World Cup title.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. Bharat Steel 2026 Summit to Focus on Sustainability
and Technological Transformation in Steel Sector: Bharat Steel 2026, a two-day international
conference-cum-exhibition, will be organised by the Ministry of Steel on
16–17 April 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.The summit will focus on global
steelmaking issues, including sustainability, supply chain resilience, and
technological transformation in the steel sector.India is the world’s
second-largest steel producer after China, and the government has set ambitious
targets of 300 million tonnes steel capacity by 2030 and 500 million tonnes by
2047.
2. The
Coming Copper Crunch: Why the Electric Vehicle Boom Is Running Into a Hard
Resource Wall: The global pivot to electric
vehicles (EVs) is often portrayed as a clean technological leap — quieter
roads, lower emissions, and freedom from fossil fuels. Yet beneath this
optimism lies a quieter constraint that could decisively shape the speed and
cost of the transition: copper. As EV adoption accelerates
worldwide, copper demand is rising at a pace that
mining supply systems are ill-prepared to match. What is unfolding is not
merely a market imbalance, but a structural resource challenge with economic,
geopolitical and climate consequences. Copper is indispensable to electrification. Every
electric vehicle relies on it — in batteries, motors, inverters, wiring
harnesses, and charging systems. Beyond vehicles, copper underpins the charging
infrastructure and power grids needed to support mass electrification.Over the
past decade, EVs have shifted from niche products to the fastest-growing
segment of the automotive industry. Global EV sales climbed from about 0.55
million units in 2015 to nearly 20 million units by 2025. In lockstep,
EV-related copper consumption surged from roughly 27,500 tonnes to over 1.28
million tonnes. This sharp rise reveals copper as the hidden backbone of the EV
revolution — a material without which electrification cannot proceed.
3. NASA
Astronaut Sunita Williams Retires After 27-Year Spaceflight Career: Sunita Williams, one of the most
accomplished astronauts in the history of human spaceflight, has retired from
the NASA after an extraordinary 27-year career. Her retirement, effective
December 27, 2025, follows a historic nine-month mission aboard the International
Space Station, marking the end of a
journey defined by endurance, leadership, and scientific excellence. Announcing
her retirement, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman described Williams as a
trailblazer who shaped the future of exploration through her leadership on the International
Space Station. He noted that her work
advanced science and technology critical to the Artemis programme and future
missions to Mars. Over nearly three decades, Williams emerged as one of NASA’s
most respected astronauts, setting benchmarks in long-duration spaceflight and
operational leadership.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. SAMPANN Pension Platform Integrated
with DigiLocker to Provide Paperless Access for Pensioners: The Office of the Principal Controller of
Communication Accounts (Pr CCA) Delhi has integrated SAMPANN (System
for Accounting and Management of Pension) pension platform with
DigiLocker, enabling digital access to pension documents for retirees under the
Department of Telecommunications.The integration allows pensioners to retrieve
key documents such as Pension Payment Orders (e‑PPOs), Gratuity Sanction
Orders, Communication Sanctions, and Form‑16 electronically, removing the need
for physical copies.Pensioners can access documents securely via DigiLocker
anytime using a smartphone or desktop, supporting services like banking,
medical reimbursements, and verification, ensuring convenience, transparency,
and paperless processing.The SAMPANN platform, inaugurated in 2018, digitises
the entire pension lifecycle, including case initiation, e‑PPO issuance,
disbursement, accounting, grievance redressal, and life certificate submission,
empowering pensioners to manage their records independently.
2. Canara Bank Becomes First to Integrate NBSL’s
Plugin-Based UPI Solution into Canara aiPe: Canara Bank has partnered with NPCI BHIM
Services Limited (NBSL) to integrate UPI services into its payment
application Canara aiPe.NBSL, a wholly owned subsidiary of National Payments
Corporation of India (NPCI), manages India’s digital payment
infrastructure.Canara Bank becomes the first bank to implement NBSL’s
plugin-based UPI solution, enhancing digital payment capabilities for its users.
3. Payoneer India Gets RBI In-Principle Approval to
Operate as Cross-Border Payment Aggregator: Payoneer India, a subsidiary of Payoneer Global,
has received in-principle approval from the Reserve Bank of India
(RBI) to operate as a Payment Aggregator – Cross Border (PA-CB).The PA-CB
licence enables Payoneer India to facilitate cross-border payment transactions
for merchants, including both inward (exports) and outward (imports) payments.
4. JPMorgan to Set Up Branch in GIFT City for Trading
Equities and Financial Instruments: JPMorgan Chase & Co. is setting up a
branch in Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) to trade
equities, derivatives, and other financial instruments, leveraging India’s
low-tax financial hub.The branch is being established by
JPMorgan Securities Plc, which has received a license from the International
Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA), GIFT City’s regulator.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
1. APO National Award Honours Bakul Limbasiya for Productivity Leadership: Bakul Limbasiya, founder of Bhathwari Technologies, has been conferred the APO National Award, recognising his outstanding contribution to productivity, innovation, and leadership in India. The award marks a significant milestone not only for Limbasiya but also for India’s fast-growing lab-grown diamond industry, which is gaining global strategic and economic importance. The APO National Award is instituted by the Asian Productivity Organization and administered in India by the National Productivity Council under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade. It is regarded as one of the highest national recognitions for advancing productivity and competitiveness across sectors. Past recipients include industrial and social leaders such as Anil Naik of Larsen & Toubro and Verghese Kurien, architect of India’s White Revolution, underscoring the award’s prestige.
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