Pharmaceuticals

Brazil and Nigeria Emerge as Key Markets for Indian Pharmaceutical Exports

• Indian pharmaceutical exports recorded a growth of 6.5 per cent, reaching $20.48 billion during the April-November 2025-26 period, reflecting the country’s strengthening position in the global medicines market and its reputation as the “pharmacy of the world.”
• Nigeria demonstrated exceptional performance as one of the fastest-growing markets, adding approximately $179 million in exports and contributing over 14 per cent to the total export growth, signaling Africa’s increasing dependence on affordable Indian generic medicines.
• Brazil also emerged as a significant market with strong demand, importing nearly $100 million worth of Indian pharmaceuticals, as Latin American countries seek cost-effective alternatives to expensive branded drugs from Western manufacturers.
• The United States maintained its position as the largest destination for Indian pharmaceutical exports, accounting for more than 31 per cent of total shipments, underscoring the robust regulatory acceptance and market penetration of Indian drug manufacturers in developed economies.
• The expansion into emerging markets like Brazil and Nigeria reflects the increasing global reliance on Indian generics, driven by expanding healthcare access, rising chronic disease burden, and government initiatives to provide affordable medicines to underserved populations worldwide.

Infrastructure Development

PM Modi Launches ₹6,957 Crore Kaziranga Elevated Corridor

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the ambitious ₹6,957 crore Kaziranga Elevated Corridor project in Assam on January 18, 2026, while also flagging off two Amrit Bharat Express trains, marking a significant milestone in the region’s infrastructure development.
• The 34.5-kilometer elevated corridor along National Highway-715 has been specially designed to allow safe wildlife movement beneath the road structure during annual flooding seasons, addressing the critical conflict between human transportation needs and wildlife conservation requirements.
• The project directly addresses the recurring problem of frequent animal deaths caused by heavy vehicular traffic passing through areas adjacent to Kaziranga National Park, which houses the world’s largest population of the endangered one-horned rhinoceros along with significant populations of tigers, elephants, and other species.
• The corridor represents a pioneering approach to balance conservation objectives with developmental imperatives by substantially reducing roadkill incidents while simultaneously improving regional connectivity, demonstrating how infrastructure can be designed with environmental sensitivity.
• Beyond conservation benefits, the elevated corridor is expected to boost tourism revenues, facilitate trade and commerce, generate substantial employment opportunities across eastern Assam during construction and operation phases, and significantly strengthen both long-distance rail and road infrastructure connectivity in the strategically important northeastern region.

Transportation & Infrastructure

India’s First Sleeper Vande Bharat Train Launched Between Kolkata and Guwahati

• India’s first sleeper variant of the Vande Bharat train was officially launched in January 2026, representing a significant technological advancement in Indian Railways’ modernization efforts and expanding the premium train service beyond day travel to overnight journeys.
• The train connects Howrah Junction in Kolkata with Guwahati in Assam, covering the distance in approximately 14 hours, and operates six days per week, providing a faster and more comfortable alternative to conventional overnight trains on this crucial route.
• The sleeper Vande Bharat was manufactured entirely in India as part of the Make in India initiative, and was ceremonially flagged off by Prime Minister Modi from Malda, along with other Amrit Bharat trains, showcasing the country’s growing indigenous railway manufacturing capabilities.
• The launch was accompanied by announcements of additional rail and road infrastructure projects worth ₹3,250 crore for the region, demonstrating the government’s integrated approach to developing comprehensive transportation networks in eastern India.
• The introduction of this service significantly improves connectivity between East and Northeast India, regions that have historically faced infrastructure deficits, while simultaneously boosting tourism potential, facilitating trade and commerce, and strengthening national integration through enhanced physical connectivity.

Environment

Second Range-Wide Dolphin Survey Launched Under Project Dolphin

• The second comprehensive range-wide Dolphin Survey was launched in January 2026 under the flagship Project Dolphin initiative, commencing from Bijnor in Uttar Pradesh, marking a significant step in aquatic biodiversity conservation efforts across India.
• The survey has been structured in two distinct phases, with the first phase covering the main stem of the Ganga River and the Indus River systems, while the second phase will focus on the Brahmaputra River and the ecologically sensitive Sundarbans delta region.
• The comprehensive survey aims to assess the population status, distribution patterns, habitat quality, and threats facing multiple dolphin species, including the endangered Gangetic river dolphin, Indus river dolphin, and the marine Irrawaddy dolphin found in coastal and brackish waters.
• The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change is conducting this extensive survey in collaboration with state forest departments, research institutions, and conservation organizations, employing standardized methodologies to ensure data comparability with the first survey.
• The data collected will be crucial for formulating evidence-based conservation planning, identifying critical habitats requiring protection, assessing the effectiveness of existing conservation measures, and developing targeted interventions to address specific threats facing different dolphin populations across their ranges.

Politics

PESA Act Implemented in Jharkhand After 25 Years

• Jharkhand has finally implemented the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act rules after an unprecedented delay of nearly 25 years since the Act’s passage in 1996, marking a potentially transformative moment for tribal self-governance and grassroots democracy in Scheduled Areas.
• The PESA rules apply comprehensively in 13 districts and partially in other districts with Scheduled Areas, granting Gram Sabhas unprecedented control over local natural resources, minor minerals, water bodies, traditional dispute resolution mechanisms, and the authority to impose fines up to ₹2,000 for violations.
• The implementation aims to empower Gram Sabhas as the primary institutions of local governance in tribal-dominated regions, strengthening customary practices, traditional decision-making systems, and community-based resource management that respects indigenous knowledge and cultural practices.
• While the state government has hailed the implementation as a historic achievement in empowering tribal communities, tribal leaders, activists, and civil society organizations have expressed concerns that continued district administration oversight and limited authority over major mineral resources and development project funds may significantly undermine the autonomy intended by PESA.
• Critics argue that without substantive financial devolution and genuine decision-making power over all natural resources and development projects affecting tribal lands, the implementation may remain symbolic rather than transformative, potentially diluting the spirit of PESA and perpetuating centralized governance structures that have historically marginalized tribal communities.

Business

MSME Ministry Approves New Technology Centres in Himachal Pradesh

• The Government of India has granted approval for establishing two new MSME Technology Centres in Himachal Pradesh, located at Pandoga in Una district and Parwanoo in Solan district, with each facility representing an investment of approximately ₹10 crore.
• These technology centres are designed to serve as comprehensive hubs for boosting industrial development, providing advanced skill training programs, facilitating technology upgradation, and generating substantial employment opportunities across the state’s MSME sector.
• The centres will offer technical support services including product design and development, quality testing facilities, production technology guidance, and entrepreneurship development programs tailored to local industrial requirements and market opportunities.
• This initiative is part of a broader nationwide expansion strategy of MSME Technology Centres aimed at strengthening regional industrial growth, enhancing productivity and competitiveness of small-scale manufacturers, and promoting economic self-reliance in accordance with the Atmanirbhar Bharat vision.
• Himachal Pradesh, with its growing pharmaceutical, engineering, and food processing sectors, is expected to significantly benefit from these technology centres through improved access to modern manufacturing techniques, quality standards compliance support, and skilled workforce development.

Culture and Religion

Spituk Gustor Festival Marks Spiritual New Beginning in Ladakh

• The two-day Spituk Gustor Festival commenced at the ancient Spituk Monastery in Ladakh, representing the first monastic festival of the year and symbolically marking the spiritual transition from one season to another in the Buddhist calendar.
• The festival features elaborate sacred masked Cham dances performed by monks in traditional costumes and masks, with each dance carrying profound symbolic meaning representing the destruction of negative energies, triumph of good over evil, and transmission of spiritual teachings through visual storytelling.
• The celebration provides devotees and pilgrims an important opportunity to seek blessings from revered lamas for health, prosperity, harmony, and spiritual protection for the coming year, while reaffirming their commitment to Buddhist principles and community values.
• As the inaugural monastic festival of the year, Spituk Gustor sets the ceremonial tone for subsequent religious celebrations throughout Ladakh, strengthens community bonds across villages and social groups, and serves as a powerful mechanism for preserving and transmitting Ladakh’s distinctive Buddhist heritage to younger generations.
• The festival has increasingly attracted cultural tourism, offering visitors from India and abroad unique insights into the region’s spiritual traditions, monastic life, and traditional practices, while generating economic benefits for local communities through hospitality services and handicraft sales.

Politics

Maharashtra Cabinet Approves ₹4,775 Crore Bembla River Irrigation Project

• The Maharashtra Cabinet has approved the substantial ₹4,775 crore Bembla River Irrigation Project in Yavatmal district, designed to bring 52,423 hectares of agricultural land under assured irrigation coverage, transforming farming prospects in this drought-prone region of Vidarbha.
• The project aims to significantly boost agricultural crop productivity, enable crop diversification from water-intensive to high-value crops, strengthen overall water security in the region, and reduce farmers’ dependence on erratic monsoon rainfall that has historically caused crop failures and agrarian distress.
• Beyond agricultural benefits, the irrigation project is expected to substantially enhance farmer incomes through multiple cropping seasons, generate considerable employment opportunities during the construction phase, and create lasting economic development through improved agricultural stability and prosperity.
• In a parallel decision, the Cabinet also approved the creation of MAHIMA (Maharashtra International Migration Authority), a new specialized agency dedicated to facilitating safe and legal overseas employment opportunities for skilled youth from Maharashtra, addressing unemployment while leveraging international labor market opportunities.
• MAHIMA is designed to reduce unemployment among educated youth, increase foreign remittances to the state economy, provide international exposure and skill enhancement opportunities for Maharashtra’s workforce, and establish systematic mechanisms for protecting migrant workers’ rights and welfare in foreign countries.

Business/Economy

Maruti Suzuki to Set Up Mega Car Plant in Gujarat

• Maruti Suzuki India Limited and the Gujarat Government have formally exchanged an investment commitment letter for establishing a massive ₹35,000 crore automobile manufacturing plant at Khoraj in Gujarat, spanning an expansive 1,750 acres and representing one of the largest automotive investments in recent Indian history.
• The ambitious project will be implemented in phases and will comprise four separate manufacturing units, with each unit designed to produce 2.5 lakh vehicles annually, ultimately achieving a combined production capacity of 10 lakh cars per year when fully operational around 2029.
• The mega plant is projected to create over 12,000 direct employment opportunities in manufacturing, engineering, quality control, and management functions, while generating an estimated 7.5 lakh indirect employment opportunities through extensive ancillary industries, component suppliers, logistics services, and MSME support ecosystem.
• This investment reinforces Gujarat’s position as India’s premier automobile manufacturing hub, joining existing facilities from Tata Motors, Ford, and other manufacturers, while significantly expanding Maruti Suzuki’s production capacity to meet growing domestic demand and export aspirations.
• The project is expected to catalyze comprehensive industrial development in the region, attract additional automotive component manufacturers, enhance technical skill development infrastructure, and substantially contribute to Gujarat’s industrial output and employment generation objectives.

Business/Economy

Davos 2026: Key Dates, Theme, Participants and Global Challenges in Focus

• The World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting in Davos 2026 is being held under the theme “A Spirit of Dialogue,” emphasizing the critical need for international cooperation and constructive engagement amid rising geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainties.
• The prestigious summit is attracting approximately 3,000 leaders representing over 130 countries, including heads of state, government ministers, central bank governors, CEOs of multinational corporations, international organization heads, civil society representatives, and thought leaders from academia and media.
• Key topics dominating the Davos agenda include navigating the global economic slowdown and potential recession risks, managing complex geopolitical conflicts and trade tensions, addressing climate change and sustainability challenges, governing artificial intelligence development, and promoting inclusive growth that reduces inequality.
• India is participating with a high-level delegation including government ministers and prominent business leaders, seeking to showcase its economic resilience, technological capabilities, and position as a stable growth engine amid global uncertainties while attracting foreign investment and partnerships.
• The summit, running through January 23, focuses on fostering multilateral cooperation, public-private partnerships for addressing global challenges, and creating frameworks for sustainable and inclusive economic development that balances growth imperatives with environmental protection and social equity considerations.

Environment

High Seas Treaty Comes into Force: New Global Rules to Protect Oceans

• The landmark High Seas Treaty officially entered into force in January 2026, establishing the first comprehensive international legal framework for protecting and sustainably managing ocean areas beyond national jurisdiction, which cover nearly half of Earth’s surface but have historically lacked adequate governance.
• The treaty empowers the international community to establish Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the high seas, designating zones where fishing, mining, and other extractive activities can be regulated or prohibited to allow ecosystem recovery and biodiversity conservation.
• Countries are now required to share marine scientific research data and findings, conduct mandatory Environmental Impact Assessments for any activities that may significantly affect high seas ecosystems, and ensure equitable access to marine genetic resources and benefits derived from their exploitation.
• The treaty addresses critical threats including overfishing that has depleted fish stocks, plastic and chemical pollution that creates oceanic dead zones, deep-sea mining proposals that threaten unexplored ecosystems, and climate change impacts including ocean acidification, warming, and deoxygenation.
• While adoption under the United Nations framework represents a diplomatic achievement, effective implementation faces significant challenges including securing adequate funding for monitoring and enforcement, resolving jurisdictional disputes, ensuring compliance from all nations including non-signatories, and achieving the global target of protecting 30 per cent of oceans by 2030.

Politics

Museveni Secures Seventh Term in Uganda As President

• Uganda’s presidential elections concluded with incumbent President Yoweri Museveni being declared the winner, securing his seventh consecutive term and extending his rule that began in 1986, making him one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders.
• The opposition, led by prominent challenger Bobi Wine (Robert Kyagulanyi), immediately rejected the election outcome, alleging widespread electoral fraud, voter intimidation, and systematic manipulation of the electoral process to favor the incumbent.
• Major technical failures of biometric voter verification machines were reported across numerous polling stations, forcing electoral officials to resort to manual voter registers, raising serious concerns about voter authentication and the integrity of the electoral roll.
• Bobi Wine and opposition parties urged supporters to engage in peaceful protests against the disputed results, while authorities responded with internet shutdowns and communications restrictions, a pattern seen in previous Ugandan elections to limit opposition mobilization and information flow.
• The election outcome has intensified political debate both domestically and internationally regarding democratic governance in Uganda, with concerns raised about political space restrictions, media freedom limitations, opposition harassment, and the absence of genuine democratic competition after nearly four decades of Museveni’s rule.

Natural Disasters

Tropical Storm Nokaen Raises Lahar Threat Near Philippines’ Mayon Volcano

• Tropical Storm Nokaen, designated as the first cyclone of 2026 in the Philippines, is currently moving near Luzon island with sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour and potentially dangerous gusts reaching up to 80 kilometers per hour, while bringing intense rainfall to the eastern coastal regions.
• Authorities have issued urgent warnings that heavy rainfall from the storm could trigger devastating lahars on the slopes of Mayon Volcano, where substantial quantities of loose volcanic deposits, ash, and pyroclastic materials from recent eruptions remain unstable and vulnerable to water-induced mobilization.
• Lahars are extremely dangerous fast-moving mudflows formed when volcanic materials mix with water from heavy rainfall or rapid snowmelt, capable of traveling at high speeds down river valleys and channels, carrying boulders, trees, and debris that can destroy everything in their path.
• These potential lahars pose severe threats to downstream communities, critical infrastructure including bridges and roads, agricultural lands, and coastal areas where debris flows may extend, with some flows potentially remaining thermally hot from recent volcanic activity, adding burn hazards to the impact risks.
• Emergency management authorities have intensified monitoring systems, pre-positioned evacuation resources, issued early warnings to vulnerable communities in river valleys below Mayon, and coordinated with local government units to implement contingency plans for rapid evacuation if lahar conditions develop.

Banking & Finance

ICICI Bank Reappoints Sandeep Bakhshi as MD & CEO Till 2028

• The Board of Directors of ICICI Bank has approved the reappointment of Sandeep Bakhshi as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer for an additional two-year term from October 4, 2026 to October 3, 2028, subject to obtaining necessary approvals from the Reserve Bank of India, shareholders, and other statutory authorities.
• Bakhshi, who has been leading ICICI Bank since October 2018, has been credited with significantly strengthening risk management controls, improving asset quality through reduction in non-performing assets, enhancing corporate governance standards, and restoring stakeholder confidence during a challenging period for the institution.
• Under his leadership, ICICI Bank has successfully navigated complex regulatory environments, economic uncertainties including the COVID-19 pandemic impact, and competitive pressures while ensuring balanced growth across retail, corporate, and digital banking segments with focus on sustainable profitability.
• The reappointment decision aligns with the Reserve Bank of India’s updated governance directions issued in 2025, which emphasize the importance of leadership continuity for institutional stability, strengthened accountability mechanisms, transparent succession planning, and enhanced board oversight of executive management.
• The continuity in leadership is expected to provide strategic stability as ICICI Bank pursues its growth objectives including digital transformation, expanding market share in key segments, managing the evolving regulatory landscape, and maintaining strong capital adequacy while delivering consistent returns to shareholders.

Banking & Finance

Banks Credit-to-Deposit Ratio Hits Record High: What 81.75% Means for India’s Banking System

• Indian banks’ credit-to-deposit (CD) ratio has reached an unprecedented high of 81.75 per cent, meaning that for every ₹100 deposited by customers, banks are lending out ₹81.75, representing the tightest liquidity position in the banking system in recent history.
• The elevated CD ratio reflects multiple factors including robust loan demand driven by economic growth and consumption, significantly slower deposit growth as customers seek alternative investment options with better returns, and relatively weaker deposit interest rates following recent policy rate cuts by the Reserve Bank of India.
• The tight liquidity situation is creating funding pressures for banks, potentially forcing them to increasingly rely on alternative funding sources such as bond market borrowings, certificates of deposit, inter-bank markets, and foreign currency borrowings to meet credit demand and maintain regulatory liquidity coverage ratios.
• While a high CD ratio indicates efficient utilization of banking resources and strong credit intermediation supporting economic activity, it also signals potential liquidity sensitivity, reduced buffer capacity to handle sudden deposit withdrawals or credit surges, and vulnerability to funding market disruptions.
• Banking sector stability requires balanced deposit mobilization strategies including competitive deposit rates, innovative savings products, and customer retention programs, while maintaining prudent credit growth aligned with deposit accretion to avoid excessive dependence on wholesale funding markets that can be volatile during stress periods.

Business/Economy

India’s Electronics Exports Cross $47 Billion in 2025

• India’s electronics exports crossed a record milestone of $47 billion in 2025, marking a significant achievement in the country’s manufacturing sector transformation and its growing integration into global electronics supply chains.
• Exports surged by an impressive 37 per cent compared to 2024 levels, with smartphones contributing nearly two-thirds of the total export value, driven largely by Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme-supported iPhone manufacturing by Apple’s contract manufacturers including Foxconn, Wistron, and Pegatron.
• Strong and consistent monthly export performance throughout the year, coupled with successful diversification into products like photovoltaic cells for solar panels, networking equipment, electronic components, LED products, and consumer electronics, demonstrates the deepening sophistication of India’s electronics manufacturing ecosystem.
• The export growth highlights India’s enhanced competitiveness in global markets, successful attraction of multinational manufacturing investment, development of component supplier ecosystems, improvement in product quality standards, and strategic positioning as an alternative manufacturing destination amid supply chain diversification trends.
• The government’s policy initiatives including the PLI scheme, electronics manufacturing clusters, infrastructure development, skill training programs, and ease of doing business reforms have been instrumental in catalyzing this export growth, positioning India to potentially reach $300 billion in electronics production by 2026 as per official targets.

Social Issues

Indian Railways Highest Honour for Chandana Sinha

• Indian Railways has conferred its highest institutional honor and recognition upon Railway Protection Force (RPF) officer Chandana Sinha for her exceptional and sustained work in preventing child trafficking on trains and at railway stations across the vast Indian railway network.
• Officer Sinha has personally rescued hundreds of vulnerable children who were being trafficked for exploitation, including forced labor, begging, sexual exploitation, and illegal adoption, through vigilant surveillance, behavioral pattern recognition, and coordinated intervention operations at critical railway junctions.
• Her pioneering efforts have included strengthening surveillance mechanisms at vulnerable stations, establishing coordination protocols with NGOs specializing in child protection, creating linkages with Child Welfare Committees and district authorities, and institutionalizing child-friendly response protocols within RPF standard operating procedures.
• The recognition emphasizes the critical humanitarian impact dimension alongside operational excellence, highlighting Indian Railways’ crucial and often underappreciated role in protecting minors in transit who are particularly vulnerable to trafficking networks that exploit the anonymity and mobility provided by the extensive rail system.
• Sinha’s work exemplifies how railways can promote social responsibility as a core institutional value beyond transportation services, contributing to national child protection objectives, and demonstrates the potential for security forces to play proactive roles in addressing social vulnerabilities within their operational domains.

Defense

India-Japan Coast Guards Hold Joint HNS Response Drill in Mumbai

• The Indian Coast Guard and Japan Coast Guard conducted a specialized joint exercise focused on Hazardous and Noxious Substances (HNS) response in Mumbai, aimed at enhancing bilateral maritime safety cooperation and developing coordinated response capabilities for chemical incidents at sea.
• The comprehensive drill was held onboard the Indian Coast Guard Ship Samudra Prahari and focused specifically on handling chemical spills in marine environments, including containment techniques, neutralization procedures, environmental impact mitigation, and coordinated multi-agency response protocols.
• Senior commanders from both coast guards reviewed and practiced coordinated response techniques, deployment of specialized equipment including chemical containment booms and neutralizing agents, communication protocols during emergencies, and interoperability of response systems between the two maritime agencies.
• Japan Coast Guard Commandant Yoshio Seguchi paid an official visit to the Indian Coast Guard’s Western Regional Headquarters in Mumbai, holding substantive discussions with Indian Coast Guard leadership on expanding maritime cooperation, sharing best practices, and addressing common regional maritime security challenges.
• The joint exercise strengthens the growing India-Japan maritime security partnership, enhances preparedness for chemical emergencies that pose significant environmental and health risks, and contributes to regional maritime safety architecture in the Indian Ocean and Asia-Pacific waters that witness substantial hazardous cargo transportation.

Sports

Vijender Singh Enters Asian Boxing Council As Member

• Indian boxing legend Vijender Singh has been inducted as a member of the Asian Boxing Council, marking his significant transition from elite competitive athlete to influential sports administrator with policymaking authority in Asian amateur boxing governance.
• The Olympic bronze medallist from the 2008 Beijing Games brings nearly two decades of exceptional international experience spanning amateur and professional boxing to his new administrative role, including insights into athlete development, competition management, and the evolving landscape of boxing across different formats.
• His induction is expected to enhance India’s influence and representation in regional sports administration, providing an authentic athlete’s perspective to policymaking processes, development strategy formulation, regulatory framework design, and athlete-focused governance reforms in Asian boxing.
• Vijender’s administrative role is anticipated to strengthen talent identification and development systems, improve competition standards and integrity, enhance coaching and technical official training programs, and promote strategic growth of boxing infrastructure and participation across the Asian continent.
• The move reflects a growing global trend of involving accomplished former athletes in sports governance, leveraging their experiential knowledge, credibility within athlete communities, and understanding of competitive realities to create more effective, athlete-centered policies and programs.

Cultural Event

Kokborok Day 2026: Tripuri Language Day – History, Significance, Celebrations

• Kokborok Day, also recognized as Tripuri Language Day, is observed annually on 19 January throughout Tripura to celebrate and promote the linguistic and cultural heritage of the Kokborok language, which is central to Tripuri tribal identity and traditions.
• In 2026, the observance marks the 48th anniversary of Kokborok’s official recognition as a state language of Tripura in 1979, achieved after sustained advocacy by tribal communities seeking linguistic rights and cultural preservation within India’s constitutional framework.
• Kokborok is a Tibeto-Burman language spoken primarily by the indigenous Tripuri community and related tribal groups in Tripura, with linguistic connections to other Northeast Indian and Southeast Asian language families, and forms the core medium for transmitting traditional knowledge, folklore, and cultural practices.
• The day highlights ongoing efforts to preserve and promote indigenous languages facing pressure from dominant languages, through initiatives including Kokborok medium education in schools, development of literary works and publications, standardization of scripts and grammar, and documentation of oral traditions.
• Celebrations include cultural programs showcasing traditional Tripuri music and dance, literary competitions and seminars on language development, recognition of contributors to Kokborok literature and education, and community events that strengthen ethnic identity while promoting linguistic diversity as a valuable component of India’s multicultural heritage.