Current Affairs One-liners — January 2026

Fri, 16 Jan 2026

• Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan explained the features of the proposed Seed Act 2026 on 16 January 2026, including nationwide seed traceability and penalties of up to ₹30 lakh for substandard seeds.
• On National Startup Day, 16 January 2026, PM Narendra Modi addressed a programme at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, marking ten years of the Startup India initiative.
• Ponduru Khadi, a hand-woven cotton fabric from Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh, has been granted the Geographical Indication (GI) tag in favour of KVIC, the MSME Ministry said on 16 January 2026.
• The 6th ASEAN–India Digital Ministers' (ADGMIN) Meeting, held virtually on 16 January 2026 with the theme 'Adaptive ASEAN: From Connectivity to Connected Intelligence', approved the ASEAN–India Digital Work Plan 2026.
• The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) extended Duty Drawback, RoDTEP and RoSCTL benefits to exports made through the postal mode in electronic form with effect from 15 January 2026.
• India and Germany signed a Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI) on Telecommunications Cooperation during German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's visit to India on 12–13 January 2026, the Communications Ministry said on 16 January.
• Praveen Vashista, a 1991-batch IPS officer of the Bihar cadre, took oath as Vigilance Commissioner in the Central Vigilance Commission on 16 January 2026.
• The Union Government released ₹15.20 crore of Fifteenth Finance Commission untied grants for rural local bodies in Mizoram, benefiting all 808 eligible Village Councils, the Panchayati Raj Ministry said on 16 January 2026.
• CAQM's GRAP sub-committee invoked Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan across the entire NCR on 16 January 2026 after Delhi's AQI rose from 343 to 354.
• The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation invited nominations for the Sukhatme National Award in Statistics 2026 on 16 January 2026; the award will be presented on Statistics Day, 29 June 2026.
• PM Narendra Modi paid homage to the poet-saint Thiruvalluvar on Thiruvalluvar Day, 16 January 2026, and urged everyone to read the Tirukkural.

Thu, 15 Jan 2026

• The Indian Army celebrated its 78th Army Day at Jaipur, Rajasthan, on 15 January 2026, holding the parade on Mahal Road, the first time it was conducted outside an army cantonment.
• PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC) in the Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan, New Delhi, on 15 January 2026.
• The Madhya Pradesh Regional AI Impact Conference 2026 concluded in Bhopal on 15 January 2026 with MoUs with BHASHINI and IndiaAI Mission and the launch of the Madhya Pradesh SpaceTech Policy 2026.
• India and Israel signed a Joint Ministerial Declaration of Intent on fisheries and aquaculture on 14 January 2026 during Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh's visit to Israel, the Fisheries Ministry said on 15 January.
• The PLFS Monthly Bulletin for December 2025, released by MoSPI on 15 January 2026, showed female labour force participation at a yearly high of 35.3% and the overall unemployment rate at 4.8%.
• The Ministry of Coal executed Coal Mine Development and Production Agreements with Damodar Valley Corporation for the Dhulia North, Mandakini B and Pirpainti Barahat blocks on 15 January 2026.
• At the India Meteorological Department's 151st Foundation Day on 15 January 2026, Union Minister Jitendra Singh announced 50 Automatic Weather Stations each for Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Pune in 2026.
• Scientists of the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences, Lucknow, reconstructed about 4,500 years of climate and monsoon history from sediments of Kondagai Lake near Sivaganga, Tamil Nadu, the Science Ministry said on 15 January 2026.
• NITI Aayog released a report titled 'Achieving Efficiencies in MSME Sector through Convergence of Schemes' on 15 January 2026, recommending streamlined schemes and a centralised digital portal for MSMEs.
• India's total exports of goods and services for April–December 2025 are estimated at US$634.26 billion, 4.33% higher than a year earlier, according to Commerce Ministry data released on 15 January 2026.
• The Union Government released ₹643.50 lakh as the first instalment of XV Finance Commission untied grants for 2025-26 to rural local bodies in Sikkim, the Panchayati Raj Ministry said on 15 January 2026.

Wed, 14 Jan 2026

• NITI Aayog released the fourth edition of the Export Preparedness Index (EPI 2024) on 14 January 2026, assessing the export readiness of States and UTs across four pillars, 13 sub-pillars and 70 indicators.
• The Indian Naval Sailing Vessel Kaundinya, a traditionally built stitched sail ship, reached Muscat, Oman, on 14 January 2026 after completing its maiden voyage from Porbandar.
• The Department of Financial Services launched Paripoorna Mediclaim Ayush Bima, an optional health insurance plan for CGHS beneficiaries with sum insured of ₹10 lakh or ₹20 lakh, on 14 January 2026.
• The 10th Defence Forces Veterans' Day was observed across India on 14 January 2026, with Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh attending the main celebration at the Manekshaw Centre, Delhi Cantt.
• President Droupadi Murmu accepted credentials from US Ambassador Sergio Gor, Austrian Ambassador Dr Robert Zischg and Trinidad and Tobago High Commissioner Chandradath Singh at Rashtrapati Bhavan on 14 January 2026.
• Annual inflation based on the All India Wholesale Price Index (WPI) was 0.83% (provisional) in December 2025, up from −0.32% in November, the Commerce Ministry said on 14 January 2026.
• Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav inaugurated the National Conference on Eco-restoration of the Aravalli Landscape in New Delhi on 14 January 2026 and said 6.45 million hectares of degraded Aravalli land has been identified under the Aravalli Green Wall Project.
• Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Paatil inaugurated aquatic biodiversity initiatives under the Namami Gange Mission at the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, on 14 January 2026, including an Aqua Life Conservation Monitoring Centre and a Dolphin Rescue Ambulance.