World Current Affairs One-liners — All time

Wed, 18 Feb 2026

• French shipping major CMA CGM and Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) signed a contract in New Delhi on 18 February 2026 for six 1,700 TEU LNG-fuelled feeder container vessels to be built in Kochi, Kerala.
• The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) conducted a successful qualification level load test of the drogue parachute for the Gaganyaan programme at the Rail Track Rocket Sled facility of TBRL, Chandigarh, on 18 February 2026.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral talks with Pedro Sánchez, President of the Government of Spain, in New Delhi on 18 February 2026 during his official visit for the AI Impact Summit.
• Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed the 152nd birth anniversary celebrations of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur as chief guest in Nadia, West Bengal, on 18 February 2026.
• The Digital India BHASHINI Division launched VoicERA, an open-source, end-to-end voice AI stack, on the BHASHINI National Language Infrastructure at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi on 18 February 2026.
• The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) Sub-Committee on GRAP revoked all Stage-II actions across Delhi-NCR with immediate effect on 18 February 2026 as Delhi's air quality improved.
• Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi on 18 February 2026 that India had set the Guinness World Records title for the most pledges received for an AI responsibility campaign in 24 hours.
• New and Renewable Energy Minister Pralhad Joshi addressed the launch of the India–UK Offshore Wind Taskforce on 18 February 2026, in the presence of UK Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy.

Tue, 17 Feb 2026

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron elevated India–France relations to a 'Special Global Strategic Partnership' and jointly inaugurated the 2026 India–France Year of Innovation in Mumbai on 17 February 2026.
• The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) announced on 17 February 2026 a first-of-its-kind initiative to develop pollinator or 'Bee Corridors' along National Highways.
• Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla represented India at the swearing-in ceremony of the new Government of Bangladesh led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in Dhaka on 17 February 2026.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a National Centre of Excellence for Skilling in Aeronautics and Defence at the National Skill Training Institute (NSTI), Kanpur, with France, during the joint press statement with President Macron in Mumbai on 17 February 2026.
• Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched Phase 1 of the AI-based 'Bharat-VISTAAR' scheme for farmers in Jaipur, Rajasthan, on 17 February 2026.
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and French Armed Forces Minister Catherine Vautrin co-chaired the 6th India–France Annual Defence Dialogue in Bengaluru, Karnataka, on 17 February 2026.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron virtually inaugurated, from Mumbai, the Tata Advanced Systems final assembly line of the Airbus H125 light utility helicopter at Vemagal, Karnataka, on 17 February 2026.
• Health Minister J. P. Nadda launched two digital health initiatives, SAHI and BODH, at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi on 17 February 2026.
• Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah chaired a Manthan Meeting with the Cooperation Ministers of all States and Union Territories in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, on 17 February 2026, under the theme 'Sahkar se Samriddhi'.
• Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on 17 February 2026, the second day of the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, that India will add 20,000 GPUs to its existing 38,000 in the coming weeks.
• Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan paid floral tributes to Bharat Ratna Karpoori Thakur on his death anniversary at Uparashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi, on 17 February 2026.

Mon, 16 Feb 2026

• The India AI Impact Summit 2026 began at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, on 16 February 2026, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the India AI Impact Expo 2026 there the same day.
• President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the Centenary Celebration of the Ol Chiki script, organised by the Ministry of Culture, in New Delhi on 16 February 2026.
• Union Home Minister Amit Shah, along with members of the Committee of Parliament on Official Language, called on President Droupadi Murmu in New Delhi on 16 February 2026 and presented the Committee's 13th report.
• The Ministry of Commerce and Industry reported on 16 February 2026 that India's total exports of goods and services in April–January 2025-26 were an estimated US$ 720.76 billion, up 6.15% year on year.
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the Missile Integration facility at Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Bengaluru, Karnataka, on 16 February 2026, and flagged off the combat systems of the Akash 3rd and 4th Regiments.
• Krishna (Yard 18003), the first of three Cadet Training Ships being built for the Indian Navy, was launched at L&T's Kattupalli shipyard near Chennai, Tamil Nadu, on 16 February 2026.
• Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed the 79th Raising Day ceremony of the Delhi Police as chief guest in New Delhi on 16 February 2026.
• The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) issued a Statutory Direction on 16 February 2026 to the governments of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh for time-bound implementation of State Action Plans to prevent and eliminate wheat stubble burning in the 2026 harvesting season.
• The Indian Coast Guard (ICG), in coordination with the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), intercepted a speed boat carrying about 203 kg of a suspected crystalline narcotic in the Arabian Sea near the International Maritime Boundary Line in an overnight operation on 16 February 2026.
• The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation reported on 16 February 2026 that the labour force participation rate (LFPR) for persons aged 15 and above was 55.9% in January 2026, against 56.1% in December 2025.
• The annual rate of inflation based on the All India Wholesale Price Index (WPI) was 1.81% (provisional) for January 2026, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry reported on 16 February 2026.