Current Affairs Quiz — 17 February 2026
Daily news by your exam, state and topic — each with a short summary, key facts and MCQs.
To what level did India and France elevate their relations on 17 February 2026?
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Correct answer: D — Special Global Strategic Partnership
PM Modi and President Macron agreed to elevate relations to a 'Special Global Strategic Partnership'.
In which city did PM Modi and President Macron jointly inaugurate the 2026 India–France Year of Innovation?
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Correct answer: B — Mumbai
The Year of Innovation was inaugurated in Mumbai on 17 February 2026.
Which new mechanism did India and France establish on 17 February 2026 to review the elevated partnership?
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Correct answer: D — An annual Foreign Ministers Comprehensive Dialogue
The leaders established an annual Foreign Ministers Comprehensive Dialogue to review bilateral cooperation and the Horizon 2047 Roadmap.
Consider the following statements about President Macron's February 2026 visit to India: 1. It was his fourth visit to India. 2. He invited PM Modi to the G7 Summit to be hosted by France in 2026. Which of the above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: C — Both 1 and 2
Both are correct as per the India–France Joint Statement of 17 February 2026.
Consider the following statements about India–France relations: 1. The India–France Strategic Partnership marked its 25th anniversary in 2023. 2. The Horizon 2047 Roadmap was adopted to mark the 25th anniversary of the Strategic Partnership. Which of the above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: C — Both 1 and 2
Both are correct. The Joint Statement notes that the two countries celebrated 25 years of the Strategic Partnership in 2023 and adopted the Horizon 2047 Roadmap on that occasion.
Which organisation announced on 17 February 2026 that it will develop 'Bee Corridors' along National Highways?
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Correct answer: A — National Highways Authority of India
NHAI announced the first-of-its-kind pollinator or Bee Corridors initiative along National Highways.
Consider the following statements about NHAI's Bee Corridors: 1. Plant species will be chosen for staggered flowering so that nectar and pollen are available through the year. 2. Dead wood and hollow trunks will be removed from the corridors. Which of the above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: A — 1 only
Only 1 is correct. NHAI said flowering weeds, dead wood and hollow trunks, which benefit pollinators, will be retained.
Who represented India at the swearing-in ceremony of Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in Dhaka on 17 February 2026?
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Correct answer: B — Om Birla
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla represented India and handed over PM Modi's letter inviting Rahman to visit India.
Tarique Rahman, who was sworn in on 17 February 2026, became the Prime Minister of which country?
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Correct answer: D — Bangladesh
Tarique Rahman was sworn in as Prime Minister of Bangladesh in Dhaka on 17 February 2026.
Where will the India–France National Centre of Excellence for Skilling in Aeronautics and Defence, announced on 17 February 2026, be set up?
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Correct answer: A — NSTI Kanpur
The NCoE will be at the National Skill Training Institute (NSTI), Kanpur, under PM-SETU.
PM-SETU, the scheme under which the Kanpur aeronautics skilling centre is being set up, stands for:
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Correct answer: B — Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs
PM-SETU is the Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs scheme of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
Which helpline number can farmers dial to use the Bharat-VISTAAR service launched on 17 February 2026?
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Correct answer: B — 155261
Farmers can dial 155261 to ask questions and get answers, including mandi prices.
Bharat-VISTAAR Phase 1 was launched on 17 February 2026 in which city?
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Correct answer: A — Jaipur
Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched Bharat-VISTAAR Phase 1 in Jaipur, Rajasthan, in the presence of CM Bhajanlal Sharma.
Consider the following statements about Bharat-VISTAAR: 1. Its full form is Virtually Integrated System to Access Agricultural Resources, and it was announced in the Union Budget 2026-27. 2. It is envisaged as a multilingual AI tool that integrates the AgriStack portals and the ICAR package on agricultural practices. Which of the above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: C — Both 1 and 2
Both are correct as per the Budget 2026-27 summary and the Ministry of Agriculture's launch release.
Bharat Electronics Limited and Safran signed an MoU on 17 February 2026 for a joint venture to manufacture which missiles in India?
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Correct answer: D — Hammer
BEL and Safran Electronics and Defence signed an MoU on a joint venture to manufacture Hammer missiles in India.
Consider the following statements about the 6th India–France Annual Defence Dialogue held on 17 February 2026: 1. It was held in Bengaluru. 2. The bilateral defence cooperation agreement was renewed for another 10 years. Which of the above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: C — Both 1 and 2
Both are correct. The dialogue was co-chaired in Bengaluru and the defence cooperation agreement was renewed for 10 years.
Where is the Tata Advanced Systems final assembly line for the Airbus H125 helicopter, inaugurated on 17 February 2026, located?
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Correct answer: A — Vemagal, Karnataka
The H125 final assembly line is at Vemagal, Karnataka. Vadodara hosts the C-295 final assembly line.
The H125, whose final assembly line was inaugurated in India on 17 February 2026, is a:
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Correct answer: B — Light utility helicopter
The Airbus H125 is a light utility helicopter.
Consider the following statements about the H125 final assembly line inaugurated on 17 February 2026: 1. It was inaugurated virtually from Mumbai by PM Modi and President Macron. 2. It is the first Tata–Airbus manufacturing collaboration in India. Which of the above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: A — 1 only
Only 1 is correct. The H125 line follows the earlier Tata–Airbus collaboration to manufacture the C-295 transport aircraft in India.
In the health AI initiatives launched by J. P. Nadda on 17 February 2026, what does SAHI stand for?
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Correct answer: B — Strategy for Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare for India
SAHI stands for Strategy for Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare for India.
BODH, launched by the Health Ministry on 17 February 2026, is a:
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Correct answer: C — Benchmarking Open Data Platform for Health AI
BODH is the Benchmarking Open Data Platform for Health AI.
What was the theme of the Manthan Meeting of Cooperation Ministers chaired by Amit Shah in Gandhinagar on 17 February 2026?
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Correct answer: D — Sahkar se Samriddhi
The Manthan Meeting was held under the theme 'Sahkar se Samriddhi'.
At the Manthan Meeting on 17 February 2026, Amit Shah said food grain storage capacity must rise about threefold. How much of this expansion did he say should come through the cooperative sector?
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Correct answer: A — Twofold
Shah said storage needs to increase nearly threefold, with twofold expansion to be undertaken by the cooperative sector.
How many GPUs did Ashwini Vaishnaw say India would add to its national AI compute on 17 February 2026?
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Correct answer: C — 20,000
India will add 20,000 GPUs beyond the existing 38,000 in the coming weeks.
As per the Electronics and IT Minister on 17 February 2026, how much AI investment is expected in India over the next two years?
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Correct answer: D — Over $200 billion
Vaishnaw said over $200 billion in AI investments is expected in the next two years.
Bharat Ratna Karpoori Thakur, to whom the Vice President paid tributes on his death anniversary on 17 February 2026, is popularly known as:
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Correct answer: B — Jan Nayak
The Vice President described Karpoori Thakur as a true 'Jan Nayak'.