Current Affairs — January 2026
Daily news by your exam, state and topic — each with a short summary, key facts and MCQs.
Sat, 03 Jan 2026
PM Modi inaugurates 'The Light & the Lotus' exposition of the sacred Piprahwa relics
On 3 January 2026 at the Rai Pithora Cultural Complex, New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated 'The Light & the Lotus: Relics of the Awakened One', the first exposition in over a century to bring together the Piprahwa relics of the Buddha, including those repatriated in July 2025.
Savitribai Phule's 195th birth anniversary: Fadnavis lays foundation of ₹143 crore memorial at Naigaon
On 3 January 2026, Savitribai Phule's 195th birth anniversary, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis laid the foundation of a ₹143 crore memorial and women's training centre at her birthplace, Naigaon in Satara district.
Amit Shah opens ₹373 crore projects and new criminal laws exhibition in Sri Vijaya Puram
On 3 January 2026 in Sri Vijaya Puram, Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated nine projects and laid foundation stones for two, worth ₹373 crore, and opened an exhibition on the three new criminal laws.
Ashwini Vaishnaw inspects India's first Vande Bharat Sleeper train, to run Guwahati–Howrah
On 3 January 2026 at New Delhi Railway Station, Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw inspected India's first Vande Bharat Sleeper train, which will run between Guwahati and Howrah after completing trials and certification.
Vice-President inaugurates 9th Siddha Day in Chennai on the theme 'Siddha for Global Health'
On 3 January 2026 at Kalaivanar Arangam, Chennai, Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan inaugurated the 9th Siddha Day celebrations, themed 'Siddha for Global Health'.
Department of Fertilizers holds Chintan Shivir on balanced fertilizer use
On 3 January 2026 in New Delhi, the Department of Fertilizers held a day-long Chintan Shivir with Union Minister J. P. Nadda and MoS Anupriya Patel, focused on balanced fertilizer use and sustainable agriculture.
Paradip Port Authority marks 65th Port Foundation Day
On 3 January 2026 in Paradip, Odisha, the Paradip Port Authority marked its 65th Port Foundation Day with the 21st Paradip Marathon; Chairman P. L. Haranadh said it is now India's largest major port by rated capacity.
Army's Ajay Kumar wins 10m air pistol title at 68th National Shooting Championship
On 3 January 2026 at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range, New Delhi, Army shooter Ajay Kumar won the men's 10m air pistol gold at the 68th National Shooting Championship with 241.1, ahead of Shubham Bisla and Anmol Jain.
Nation pays tribute to Rani Velu Nachiyar, queen of Sivaganga, on her birth anniversary
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah paid tribute on 3 January 2026 to Rani Velu Nachiyar, the queen of Sivaganga who fought colonial rule, on her birth anniversary.
NTPC signs ₹23.16 crore CSR agreement with GCRI for radiotherapy upgrade at Siddhpur
On 3 January 2026 in Mumbai, NTPC's Western Region-I signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the Gujarat Cancer & Research Institute, sanctioning ₹23.16 crore of CSR funds for a Linear Accelerator at GCRI's Siddhpur Satellite Centre.
ECI invites citizens' suggestions on the ECINet app till 10 January
The Election Commission of India on 3 January 2026 invited citizens to download the ECINet app and send suggestions through it until 10 January 2026, ahead of the platform's official launch that month.
Fri, 02 Jan 2026
Government approves 22 proposals worth ₹41,863 crore in third tranche of ECMS
The Ministry of Electronics and IT on 2 January 2026 approved 22 more proposals under the Electronics Component Manufacturing Scheme, with projected investment of ₹41,863 crore and 33,791 direct jobs.
Export Promotion Mission rolls out interest subvention and collateral guarantee for MSME exporters
The Commerce Ministry on 2 January 2026 launched two interventions under the NIRYAT PROTSAHAN sub-scheme of the Export Promotion Mission: interest subvention on export credit and a CGTMSE-backed collateral guarantee for MSME exporters.
Bullet train project achieves first mountain tunnel breakthrough in Palghar, Maharashtra
The Mumbai–Ahmedabad bullet train project achieved the breakthrough of its first mountain tunnel in Maharashtra, the 1.5 km MT-5 in Palghar, Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on 2 January 2026.
PRAGATI has reviewed 3,300+ projects worth ₹85 lakh crore, says Cabinet Secretary
Cabinet Secretary T. V. Somanathan told the media in New Delhi on 2 January 2026 that the PRAGATI mechanism has reviewed over 3,300 projects worth more than ₹85 lakh crore and resolved 7,156 of 7,735 issues raised.
J. P. Nadda releases Indian Pharmacopoeia 2026, the 10th edition
On 2 January 2026 at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi, Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda released Indian Pharmacopoeia 2026, the 10th edition of India's official book of drug standards, with 121 new monographs.
CAQM flying squads inspect 105 units and sites in Nuh, Haryana
On 2 January 2026 in Nuh, Haryana, ten CAQM flying squads carried out 105 inspections of industrial units and construction sites, including 86 stone crushers, to check compliance with GRAP.
Sarbananda Sonowal visits Assam Book Fair at Khanapara, Guwahati
Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal visited the Assam Book Fair at Khanapara, Guwahati on 2 January 2026, calling book fairs 'pilgrimage sites of knowledge' and urging young people to read.
National Biodiversity Authority releases ₹45 lakh to Andhra Pradesh red sanders farmers under ABS
The National Biodiversity Authority on 2 January 2026 announced the release of ₹45 lakh in Access and Benefit Sharing money to red sanders farmers of Andhra Pradesh, taking India's cumulative ABS releases past ₹143.5 crore.
CAQM revokes GRAP Stage-III in Delhi-NCR as air quality improves
The CAQM's GRAP sub-committee revoked Stage-III of the Graded Response Action Plan in Delhi-NCR on 2 January 2026 after Delhi's AQI improved to 236 due to strong winds.
NHAI's Raajmarg Infra Investment Trust gets AAA (Stable) rating from CARE
NHAI-sponsored Raajmarg Infra Investment Trust received a AAA (Stable) rating for its long-term bank facilities from CARE Ratings, the Road Transport Ministry said on 2 January 2026.
Captive and commercial coal mines produce 19.48 MT in December 2025
Coal production from captive and commercial mines rose 5.75% year-on-year to 19.48 million tonnes in December 2025, the Ministry of Coal said on 2 January 2026.
Deadline for new applications under PLI Scheme for Textiles extended to 31 March 2026
The Ministry of Textiles on 2 January 2026 extended the deadline for fresh applications under the Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Textiles to 31 March 2026.
Thu, 01 Jan 2026
Odisha launches 'Sweekruti' umbrella scheme for transgender welfare
The Odisha government launched 'Sweekruti' on 1 January 2026, a rights-based umbrella scheme run by the SSEPD department for the education, livelihood, health and legal support of transgender persons.
NHAI discontinues KYV for new car FASTags issued from 1 February 2026
NHAI announced on 1 January 2026 that the Know Your Vehicle (KYV) process will be discontinued for all new car FASTags from 1 February 2026, with mandatory VAHAN-based validation before activation instead.
PFRDA allows banks to set up NPS pension funds; Dinesh Kumar Khara to chair NPS Trust
The PFRDA board approved in principle a framework letting Scheduled Commercial Banks set up pension funds to manage NPS, and appointed former SBI Chairman Dinesh Kumar Khara as Chairperson of the NPS Trust Board, the Finance Ministry said on 1 January 2026.
President Murmu launches #SkillTheNation AI Challenge; opens IGNOU centre at Rairangpur virtually
On 1 January 2026 at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre, President Droupadi Murmu launched the #SkillTheNation Challenge under MSDE's SOAR (Skilling for AI Readiness) initiative and virtually inaugurated the IGNOU Regional Centre and Skill Centre at Rairangpur, Odisha.
DRDO marks 68th Foundation Day; record ₹1.30 lakh crore of AoNs for DRDO systems in 2025
On its 68th Foundation Day on 1 January 2026, DRDO said 22 Acceptances of Necessity worth about ₹1.30 lakh crore were accorded in 2025 for DRDO-developed systems to be made by Indian industry, the highest in any single year.
Shivraj Chouhan explains VB-G RAM G Act at special Gram Sabha in Loni Budruk, Maharashtra
On 1 January 2026 at a special Gram Sabha in Loni Budruk, Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra, Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan outlined the Viksit Bharat – G RAM G Act, 2025, which guarantees 125 days of work.
Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor takes over as Vice Chief of the Air Staff
Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor took charge as Vice Chief of the Air Staff on 1 January 2026, as Air Marshals Tejinder Singh and Seethepalli Shrinivas took over South Western Air Command and Training Command.