NATIONAL UPDATES:
Government releases 32nd NeSDA Way Forward Monthly Report
for States/UTs: The Department of
Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances (DARPG) released the 32nd
edition of the NeSDA Way Forward report (December 2025), providing a
comprehensive overview of e-service delivery across States and Union
Territories.As per the report, 24,090 e-services are being delivered across
States/UTs, with the Local Governance & Utility Services sector accounting
for the highest share (8,656 services); additionally, 156 new e-services were
added in November 2025.21 States/UTs achieved over 90% saturation of 59
mandatory e-services, while portals such as Assam (Sewa Setu), J&K
(e-UNNAT), Karnataka (Seva Sindhu), Odisha (Odisha One), MP (MP e-Service),
Uttarakhand (Apuni Sarkar) and Kerala (e-Sevanam) provide 100% services.The
report highlights best practices from Central Government portals, city-level
digital platforms (notably Puducherry and Guwahati municipalities), and
presents AAKLAN parameter-wise insights on five assessment parameters for
State/UT Unified Service Delivery Portals.
Gujarat and Odisha Power Utilities Top This Year’s Performance
Rankings: Gujarat’s power
distribution utilities emerged as top performers in the 14th
Integrated Rating and Ranking Report by the Power Ministry, with four Gujarat
discoms in the top 10.Odisha’s private power utilities also ranked among the
best performers, highlighting strong performance in both public and private
sectors across the country.Out of 65 evaluated utilities, 31 were rated A+ or
A, including 44 state-owned discoms, 12 private discoms, and 11 power
departments, with several utilities from Punjab, UP, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, West
Bengal, Himachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra showing
improvement.The report pegged discoms’ accumulated losses at Rs. 6.47 trillion
and total borrowings at Rs. 7.26 trillion for FY 2024-25, showing a slight
reduction from Rs. 6.91 trillion losses and Rs. 7.58 trillion borrowings in FY
2023-24.
India Sends 7.5 Tonnes of Life-Saving Cancer Medicines to
Kabul as Part of Healthcare Cooperation: India delivered 7.5 tonnes of life-saving cancer
medicines to Kabul, reinforcing its humanitarian and healthcare
cooperation with Afghanistan.The medical assistance aims to support cancer
patients in Afghanistan and strengthen access to critical healthcare
supplies.The initiative follows a bilateral meeting in December between
Afghanistan’s Public Health Minister Mawlawi Noor Jalal Jalali and India’s
Health Minister JP Nadda to enhance healthcare cooperation between the two
countries.
Tata Communications Appoints Ganesh Lakshminarayanan as
MD and CEO-Designate: Tata
Communications has appointed Ganesh Lakshminarayanan as Managing
Director and Chief Executive Officer-Designate of Tata Communications
Limited.He brings over 30 years of international management experience, having
worked with multinational corporations, B2B start-ups, and Indian
enterprises.Prior to this role, he served as MD and Group Vice President for
ServiceNow India & SAARC, and earlier was CEO of Airtel Business and Airtel’s
Enterprise Business unit.
Arijit Basu Appointed Chairman of IndusInd Bank: Arijit Basu has been appointed as the new
Chairman of IndusInd Bank, effective January 31, 2026, succeeding
Sunil Mehta after completion of his tenure, with approval from the RBI.He
currently serves as an independent director on the boards of Prudential Plc,
Peerless Hospitex and Hospital Research Centre, and CleanMax Enviro Energy
Solutions.
Akashlabdhi
Advances India’s Inflatable Space Habitat Mission: India is edging closer to
a new milestone in human spaceflight as a Bengaluru-based startup prepares to
launch the country’s first inflatable space habitat. Akashlabdhi, incubated at
the Indian Institute of Science, has completed critical safety and validation
tests in Switzerland, paving the way for an in-orbit
demonstration of its habitat technology later this year. Conventional space
stations such as the International
Space Station have faced
long-standing challenges of cost, mass, and limited habitable volume.
Akashlabdhi’s inflatable habitat, named AntarikshHAB, is designed to address
these constraints. The concept allows a compact module to be launched and later
inflated in orbit, significantly increasing usable living space. The upcoming
mission will deploy a 70 cubic metre module, while the final planned
configuration aims for nearly 300 cubic metres, suitable for future human
missions in low Earth orbit.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
MSDE Signs Landmark MoU with World Economic Forum to
Strengthen India’s TVET and Skills Ecosystem: The Ministry of Skill Development and
Entrepreneurship (MSDE) signed a landmark MoU with the World Economic
Forum (WEF) to deepen cooperation in skill development, vocational education,
and training.The MoU aims to strengthen India’s Technical and Vocational
Education and Training (TVET) ecosystem by aligning skilling initiatives with industry
needs and global economic demands.Under the agreement, MSDE and WEF will launch
a Skills Accelerator in India, a multi-stakeholder platform to identify, scale,
and accelerate innovative skilling solutions and public–private
partnerships.The collaboration builds on momentum from India’s participation in
the 55th WEF Annual Meeting held in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland (January 2025),
marking a new phase in India–WEF cooperation.
India and Namibia Agree to Deepen Cooperation in Defence,
Critical Minerals, and Key Sectors: India and Namibia held the 5th round of
Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) on January 19–20 to
enhance collaboration in health, Digital Public Infrastructure,
agriculture, defence, and critical minerals.The meeting was co-chaired by Janesh
Kain (Joint Secretary, MEA) and Ambassador Charles Josob (Acting Head,
Namibia’s Ministry of International Relations and Trade) and conducted in a
cordial and friendly atmosphere.Both countries reviewed progress from recent
high-level exchanges and agreed to hold the next round of consultations in
Windhoek, Namibia, at a mutually convenient date to further strengthen
bilateral cooperation.
India Ranks 8th Among 11 Countries in AI Investment, WEF
Report Reveals: India
ranks 8th among 11 countries in terms of historical accumulated
investments in the artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem between 2010 and
2024, measured as a percentage of 2024 GDP.According to the World Economic
Forum (WEF) white paper “Rethinking AI Sovereignty”, India’s AI investments
since 2010 accounted for 1.2–1.8% of its 2024 GDP, lower than the US
(3.4–5.1%), Singapore (3.1–4.6%), South Korea (2.2–3.3%), and China
(1.7–2.6%).Countries performing below India include Europe (excluding the UK)
and Brazil, while those above include UAE, Japan, Canada, and the UK; globally,
most AI investments were concentrated in hardware by TSMC and UMC.
24 January – International Day of Education: International Day of Education is
observed annually on 24 January to recognise the role of education in
peace, development, and global progress.
Theme 2026 – The power of youth in co-creating
educationThe day was proclaimed by the United Nations in 2018 to highlight the
importance of inclusive, equitable, and quality education for all.
International
Data Privacy Day Highlights Digital Trust Imperative: International Data
Privacy Day, observed annually on 28 January, underscores the growing
importance of protecting personal data in an increasingly digital world. Also
known as Data Protection Day, it commemorates the signing of Convention 108 in
2006 by the Council of Europe, the world’s first legally binding international
treaty on data protection. The observance highlights the shared responsibility
of governments, digital platforms, and citizens in building a secure and
trusted digital ecosystem. India’s rapid digitalisation has transformed
governance and service delivery at an unprecedented scale. Digital public
infrastructure now underpins identity verification, payments, healthcare,
education, and citizen participation. Platforms such as Aadhaar, UPI, and MyGov have enhanced inclusion and
efficiency, while eSanjeevani has expanded access to healthcare through
large-scale telemedicine. This vast scale reinforces the need for strong
privacy and security safeguards to sustain public trust.
OTHER UPDATES:
DEFENCE
Bangladesh,
China Sign Deal to Produce UAVs Locally: Bangladesh has taken a significant step towards
strengthening its indigenous defence manufacturing base by signing an agreement
with China to establish a facility for the production and assembly of unmanned
aerial vehicles (UAVs). The move underscores Dhaka’s focus on technology
transfer, capacity-building, and long-term self-reliance in aerial surveillance
and defence platforms. The agreement was signed between the Bangladesh Air
Force and China Electronics Technology Group Corporation International at the
BAF headquarters in Dhaka Cantonment. The signing ceremony was attended by
senior military and diplomatic officials, including the Air Chief Marshal of
Bangladesh and the Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh. The deal marks a new phase
in bilateral defence cooperation between the two countries. Under the pact,
CETC will transfer critical technologies and provide technical assistance to
enable Bangladesh to independently manufacture UAVs in the future. The
agreement includes structured capacity-building measures aimed at developing
local expertise in design, assembly, and systems integration. Over time, the
facility is expected to reduce Bangladesh’s dependence on imports while
enhancing operational flexibility.
Indian
Navy Training Squadron Deepens Maritime Ties With Indonesia: India and Indonesia reinforced their maritime
partnership as the Indian Navy’s First Training Squadron concluded a successful
port call at Belawan, underscoring growing naval cooperation in the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia. The visit
aligned with India’s Act East Policy and the broader vision of
MAHASAGAR, aimed at strengthening regional maritime security and engagement.
The Indian Navy’s First Training Squadron (1TS), comprising INS Tir, INS Shardul, INS Sujata, and ICGS Sarathi, departed
Belawan on January 23 after a three-day port call. During the visit, Indian
naval personnel and trainees interacted extensively with the Indonesian Navy,
enhancing professional understanding and operational familiarity. Capt. Tijo K
Joseph, Senior Officer of 1TS, along with commanding officers of the squadron
ships, called on Rear Admiral Deny Septiana, Commander of Naval Area Command I
(Koarmada I). Discussions focused on shared maritime interests, regional
security challenges, and opportunities for deeper naval cooperation between the
two countries.
Israel
Shifts Focus To Disarming Hamas In Gaza: Israel has signalled a new phase in its
Gaza policy after the recovery of the last hostage held in the Palestinian
territory. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel’s priority would now be the complete
disarmament of Hamas and the demilitarisation of Gaza,
while reiterating opposition to the creation of a Palestinian state in the
enclave. Addressing a televised press conference, Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu said the return of the final hostage marked the end of the
first phase of Israel’s objectives in Gaza. He stated that Israel was now
focused on eliminating Hamas’s military capabilities, including
weapons stockpiles and underground tunnel networks. Netanyahu stressed that
Israel would retain long-term security control over Gaza and the occupied West
Bank to prevent future threats.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Indian Railways Deploys Humanoid Robot ‘ASC ARJUN’ at
Visakhapatnam Station to Enhance Passenger Safety: Indian Railways has deployed a humanoid
robot named ‘ASC ARJUN’ at Visakhapatnam Railway Station, marking a
first-of-its-kind initiative to enhance passenger safety, security, and service
delivery.ASC ARJUN has been fully designed and developed in Visakhapatnam using
home-grown technology, with a dedicated team working over a year to integrate
advanced systems into daily railway operations.The robot is equipped with Face
Recognition System (FRS) for intrusion detection, AI-based crowd monitoring,
real-time alerts to RPF control rooms, and can make automated announcements in
English, Hindi, and Telugu to guide passengers and improve safety awareness.
Digital India BHASHINI Division Signs MoU with Survey of
India for AI-Based Toponym Data Digitisation: Digital India BHASHINI Division (DIBD), MeitY,
signed an MoU with the Survey of India (SoI) to digitise, transcribe, and
standardise geographical place names (toponyms) using AI-based speech and
language technologies.The collaboration aims to create accurate, multilingual,
and standardised toponymic datasets aligned with the National Geospatial
Policy, 2022, covering over 16 lakh locations.BHASHINI’s speech-to-text and language
processing capabilities will convert audio recordings of place names into
structured digital text, supporting the Toponymy Database and integration into
national mapping systems.The initiative will enhance the National Geographical
Name Information System (NGNIS) by enabling efficient processing, validation,
and standardisation of toponymic data in local scripts, Devanagari, Roman, and
other formats, ensuring consistency across maps, digital platforms, and
governance systems.
BANKING AND FINANCE
RBI to Inject Over ₹2 Lakh Crore into Banking System
Through Liquidity Measures: RBI
announced liquidity measures to inject over ₹2 lakh crore (~$23
billion) into the banking system, using a mix of open market bond purchases,
foreign exchange swaps, and variable rate repo operations.On January 30,
2026, RBI will conduct a 90-day variable rate repo (VRR) of ₹25,000
crore, allowing banks to borrow funds at market-determined rates against
collateral.On February 4, 2026, the central bank will carry out a USD/INR
buy/sell swap auction of $10 billion with a tenor of three years, aimed at
injecting durable rupee liquidity.RBI will purchase government securities worth
₹1,00,000 crore through open market operations in February, in two tranches of
₹50,000 crore each on February 5 and February 12.
Payoneer India Receives RBI In-Principle Approval as
Cross-Border Payment Aggregator: Payoneer India, a subsidiary of Payoneer Global,
has received in-principle approval from the RBI to operate as a Payment
Aggregator – Cross Border (PA-CB), enabling it to facilitate cross-border
transactions for merchants.The approval comes as 19 entities are now fully
authorised with a PA-CB licence, while Payoneer’s global parent is a regulated
entity in countries including the US, UK, Europe, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore,
China, and Australia.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
Government Announces 131 Padma Awards for 2026: Padma Awards, among India’s highest civilian
honours, are conferred in three categories: Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and
Padma Shri.For 2026, the government announced 5 Padma Vibhushan, 13 Padma
Bhushan, and 113 Padma Shri awards.The list includes 19 women
awardees, 6 individuals from Foreigners/NRI/PIO/OCI category, and 16 posthumous
honours.
National Awards To Honour Model Youth Gram Sabha Winners: The Ministry of Panchayati Raj is set to recognise young champions of grassroots democracy through a National Award Ceremony for the Model Youth Gram Sabha (MYGS) initiative on 28 January 2026 in New Delhi. The event reflects a growing emphasis on civic education and youth participation in India’s democratic institutions. The ceremony is being jointly organised by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, the Ministry of Education (Department of School Education and Literacy), and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. Union Ministers of State S. P. Singh Baghel and Sukanta Majumdar will grace the occasion, along with senior officials from education and tribal institutions. The MYGS initiative has seen participation from over 28,000 students drawn from 619 Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas and 200 Eklavya Model Residential Schools across the country. Students engaged in simulated Gram Sabha and Gram Panchayat proceedings, gaining hands-on exposure to local governance and democratic decision-making.
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