Current Affairs One-liners — 19 February 2026

Thu, 19 Feb 2026

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the India AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, on 19 February 2026 and set out the M.A.N.A.V. vision for artificial intelligence.
• A study led by the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences (BSIP), Lucknow, using fossils from the Ashoka Coal Mine in Jharkhand's North Karanpura Basin, has reconstructed a Gondwanan ecosystem of about 300 million years ago, the Department of Science and Technology announced on 19 February 2026.
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the Indian Navy's multilateral Exercise MILAN 2026 at Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, on 19 February 2026, with navy chiefs and delegations from 74 countries.
• Researchers at the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS), Bengaluru, have developed a sulfur-vacancy-induced 1T-phase molybdenum disulfide (1T-MoS₂) cathode for aqueous zinc-ion batteries, the Department of Science and Technology announced on 19 February 2026.
• Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the New Delhi Frontier AI Impact Commitments at the opening ceremony of the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi on 19 February 2026.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi met the leaders of Greece, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Abu Dhabi in New Delhi on 19 February 2026, on the sidelines of the India AI Impact Summit, and welcomed Switzerland's initiative to host the next AI summit, to be followed by the UAE.
• The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) celebrated its 23rd Foundation Day in New Delhi on 19 February 2026, where Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram released the NCST Handbook.
• The Ministry of Civil Aviation said on 19 February 2026 that the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has downloaded the flight data recorder of the Learjet 45 (VT-SSK) that crashed at Baramati, Maharashtra, on 28 January 2026.
• Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan released Shashi Tharoor's book 'The Sage who Reimagined Hinduism: The Life, Lessons and Legacy of Sree Narayana Guru' at the India International Centre, New Delhi, on 19 February 2026.
• Ricky Andrew J. Syngkon, Lok Sabha MP from Shillong, Meghalaya, died on 19 February 2026 after a cardiac arrest, having collapsed while playing football on the outskirts of Shillong.
• President Droupadi Murmu received Estonian President Alar Karis at Rashtrapati Bhavan on 19 February 2026, on his first visit to India as President, for the India AI Impact Summit.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid homage to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on his Jayanti on 19 February 2026, calling him a visionary leader, exceptional administrator, strategic thinker and champion of Swarajya.