Current Affairs 21 January 2026

Politics

Overview of 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth Held in New Delhi • The Government of India hosted the 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC) from January 14 to 16, 2026, at the Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan in New Delhi, chaired by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. • Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the conference on January 15, 2026, alongside the 9th G20 Parliamentary Speakers’ (P20) Summit, which was held on the sidelines of CSPOC 2026. • The 2026 event witnessed the largest participation with 61 Speakers and Presiding Officers from 42 Commonwealth Countries and representatives of 4 semi-autonomous parliaments. • During the event, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla handed over the chairmanship of the 29th CSPOC to Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the UK House of Commons, with the next conference scheduled for London in 2028. • India hosted the conference for the fourth time, following previous editions in 1970–71, 1986, and 2010, reinforcing its commitment to strengthening democratic institutions across the Commonwealth.

International Affairs

Responsible Nations Index 2026: Singapore Leads, India Ranked at 16th Spot • Former President of India Ram Nath Kovind launched the inaugural edition of the Responsible Nations Index (RNI) in January 2026 at the Dr. Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi. • India secured the 16th position globally in the RNI 2026 with an overall score of 0.551513, ranking ahead of several European countries including France, Albania, and Poland. • Singapore topped the ranking among 154 countries with an overall score of 0.61945, followed by Switzerland (0.58692) in second place and Denmark (0.58372) in third place. • Among major economies, Japan was ranked 38th, the United States 66th, and China 68th, while India led among emerging and developing Asian economies. • The bottom three nations in the RNI 2026 were Central African Republic (154th, 0.35715), Syria (153rd, 0.37254), and South Sudan (152nd, 0.37389).

International Relations

Overview of Japan’s FM Toshimitsu Motegi 3-Day Visit to India from January 15 to 17, 2026 • Japan’s Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi undertook a 3-day official visit to India from January 15 to 17, 2026, to strengthen bilateral relations and strategic cooperation. • During his visit, Japanese FM Motegi took a ride on the Delhi Metro along with Japanese Ambassador to India Ono Keiichi, acknowledging Japan International Cooperation Agency’s (JICA) financial support to the Delhi Metro Project since Phase-I. • Union Minister S. Jaishankar and Japanese FM Motegi participated in the 18th India-Japan Strategic Dialogue held in New Delhi, focusing on economic security and regional cooperation. • Both countries launched the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Dialogue to be led by Foreign Ministers and agreed to convene the Joint Working Group (JWG) on critical minerals in early 2026. • India and Japan will convene a private security dialogue under the Economic Security initiative, with the second round of the Economic Security Dialogue scheduled for the first half of 2026.

Business & Economy

Overview of Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference 2026 Held in Rajkot, Gujarat • Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference (VGRC) 2026 for Kutch and Saurashtra Region in January 2026 at Marwadi University in Rajkot, Gujarat, held from January 11 to 15, 2026. • During the conference, 5,492 Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) worth Rs.5.78 lakh crores (approximately USD 70 billion) were signed to develop Saurashtra and Kutch regions as key economic engines aligned with Viksit Bharat @2047. • Reliance Industries committed to double its investment to Rs.7 lakh crores in Gujarat over the next five years, while Adani Group pledged Rs.1.50 lakh crore for a 37 Gigawatt Renewable Energy park in Mundra and Kutch. • Welspun Group announced an investment of Rs.5000 crores to establish the world’s largest pipeline manufacturing facility, and Jyoti CNC Industries committed Rs.10,000 crores for manufacturing, R&D, and skill development. • The conference featured Japan, South Korea, Rwanda, and Ukraine as partner countries, bringing together policymakers, industry leaders, investors, MSMEs, startups, artisans, academia, and international delegates.

Defence

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Inaugurates Ammunition Facility in Nagpur, Maharashtra • Union Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated a Medium Calibre Ammunition Manufacturing Facility at Solar Defence and Aerospace Limited (SDAL) in Nagpur, Maharashtra, in January 2026. • The new fully automated facility will manufacture 30 millimeter ammunition extensively used by the Indian Army and Indian Navy, reinforcing India’s push for self-reliance (Aatmanirbharta) in defence production. • During his visit, Union Minister Rajnath Singh reviewed the Pinaka Rocket manufacturing facility at the Solar Group and flagged off the first tranche of Guided Pinaka rockets exported to Armenia. • India’s domestic defence production has surged from Rs 46,425 crore in 2014 to a record approximately Rs 1.51 lakh crore in 2025-26, with more than Rs 33,000 crore contributed by the private sector. • India’s defence exports have risen sharply to Rs.24,000 crore from less than Rs.1,000 crore ten years ago, demonstrating significant progress in the defence manufacturing sector.

Defense

5th Edition of INS Sagardhwani Flagged Off for Sagar Maitri V (SM-5) Initiative • In January 2026, India’s oceanographic research vessel INS Sagardhwani, operated by the Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL) under DRDO, was flagged off from Southern Naval Command, Kochi, Kerala, for the fifth edition of the Sagar Maitri initiative. • The SM-5 initiative is aligned with India’s MAHASAGAR goal (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) and promotes scientific cooperation and ocean research in the Indian Ocean Rim. • The mission engages eight Indian Ocean Rim countries including Oman, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Myanmar for collaborative oceanographic studies. • INS Sagardhwani is a specialised Marine Acoustic Research Ship (MARS) designed and owned by DRDO’s NPOL, built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers, Kolkata, and commissioned in July 1994. • The objective of SM-5 is to collect oceanographic and acoustic data to enhance Underwater Domain Awareness (UDA) for the Indian Navy while strengthening scientific partnerships across the region.

Banking and Finance

RBI Recognises FEDAI as Self-Regulatory Organisation for Authorised Dealers • In January 2026, the Reserve Bank of India formally recognised the Foreign Exchange Dealers’ Association of India (FEDAI) as a Self-Regulatory Organisation (SRO) for all Authorised Dealers under the Omnibus Framework for Self-Regulatory Organisations. • As an SRO, FEDAI will frame standards, promote best practices, ensure ethical conduct, and monitor compliance among Authorised Dealers in the foreign exchange market. • The Omnibus SRO Framework aims to strengthen self-regulation, enhance accountability, ensure consistency, and reduce RBI’s regulatory burden across financial institutions. • RBI has granted FEDAI one year to align its governance and operations with Omnibus SRO requirements, including system upgrades and transparency enhancements. • FEDAI, established in 1958 and headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra, has been instrumental in governing conduct in India’s foreign exchange market for over six decades.

Banking and Finance

Canara Bank Partners with NBSL to Integrate UPI into its Payment App Canara ai1Pe • In January 2026, Canara Bank partnered with NPCI BHIM Services Limited (NBSL), a wholly owned subsidiary of NPCI, to integrate Unified Payments Interface (UPI) technology into its banking payments application Canara ai1Pe. • Under this collaboration, NBSL’s bank plugin technology has been integrated into the Canara ai1Pe app, enabling secure, compliant, and scalable UPI-based digital payments for both Canara Bank customers and non-customers. • Canara Bank becomes the first bank to implement NBSL’s plugin-based UPI solution, marking a significant milestone in India’s digital banking infrastructure. • The integration provides access to the latest UPI features from the BHIM Payments App, enhancing security and operational resilience while reducing costs of maintaining a standalone UPI platform. • This partnership strengthens Canara Bank’s digital payment ecosystem and reinforces NPCI’s commitment to expanding UPI adoption across banking institutions in India.

Economy

IMF Raises India’s Economic Growth Forecast to 7.3% in FY26 • In January 2026, the International Monetary Fund released its World Economic Outlook titled “Global Economy: Steady amid Divergent Forces”, upwardly revising India’s growth outlook for FY26 to 7.3% from 6.6% projected in October 2025. • The upward revision reflects stronger corporate earnings in Q3 and robust economic momentum in Q4, with IMF’s prediction marginally lower than India’s government projection of 7.4% for the same period. • The IMF projected that India’s growth would moderate to 6.4% in both FY27 and FY28, citing softening of cyclical and temporary factors affecting the economy. • India’s inflation is projected to approach the Reserve Bank of India’s target range of 2% to 6% after a significant drop in 2025, largely due to easing food prices. • Among emerging and developing Asian economies, India continues to lead, outpacing regional peers and contributing significantly to Asia’s projected 5.0% growth in 2026.

Transportation & Logistics

Air India and Singapore Airlines Sign Commercial Cooperation Agreement to Strengthen Partnership • In January 2026, Air India and Singapore Airlines signed a commercial cooperation framework agreement to deepen their long-standing partnership and explore joint business opportunities in Mumbai, Maharashtra. • The agreement was signed by Campbell Wilson, Managing Director and CEO of Air India, and Goh Choon Phong, CEO of Singapore Airlines, focusing on strengthening India-Singapore air connectivity. • Both airlines plan to offer integrated bookings, expanded route options, and improved connectivity through coordinated flight schedules, enabling passengers to travel across both airlines as a single, seamless journey. • The agreement envisages expanded collaboration in corporate travel programmes and gradual enhancement of frequent flyer privileges for Air India’s Maharaja Club and SIA’s KrisFlyer members beyond existing Star Alliance offerings. • Air India and SIA currently codeshare across 61 destinations in 20 countries and territories, with a major expansion in October 2024 adding 51 international and domestic destinations to their combined networks.

Government/Administrative Appointments

ACC Appoints New Directors General of NIA, BSF & ITBP • In January 2026, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved appointments of new Directors General for NIA, BSF, and ITBP following Ministry of Home Affairs’ proposal. • Rakesh Aggarwal, a 1994-batch IPS officer from Himachal Pradesh cadre, was appointed as Director General of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) until his superannuation on August 31, 2028. • Praveen Kumar, a 1993-batch IPS officer of West Bengal cadre, was appointed as Director General of the Border Security Force (BSF) until September 30, 2030, succeeding Daljit Singh Chawdhary. • Shatrujeet Singh Kapoor, a 1990-batch IPS officer of Haryana cadre and former DGP of Haryana, was appointed as Director General of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) until October 31, 2026. • These strategic appointments strengthen India’s internal security apparatus across counter-terrorism investigations, border management, and high-altitude security operations.

Politics

Yoweri Museveni Re-elected as President of Uganda for Seventh Term • In January 2026, Uganda’s Electoral Commission announced that 81-year-old incumbent President Yoweri Museveni of the National Resistance Movement won the presidential election with 71.65% of the vote, securing a seventh term. • Opposition leader Bobi Wine, a 43-year-old singer-turned-politician representing the National Unity Platform, received 24.72% of the vote in the 2026 presidential election. • Yoweri Museveni will serve a five-year term from 2026 to 2031, continuing his leadership that began in 1986 when he led a rebellion against dictator Idi Amin in 1979. • Museveni is recognized as one of the world’s longest-serving leaders and has received numerous international awards including Uganda’s highest military decoration Order of Katonga (2023) and the Global Peace Award (2018). • His continued presidency reinforces his position among Africa’s longest-serving leaders, with notable contributions to regional diplomacy and peace initiatives across the Great Lakes region.

Sports

India’s Olympic Medallist Vijender Singh Appointed as Member of ABCO • In January 2026, the Boxing Federation of India announced the appointment of India’s Olympic medallist and professional boxer Vijender Singh as a member of the Asian Boxing Council (ABCO). • Vijender Singh scripted history by winning India’s first Olympic Medal in Boxing with a bronze medal at the 2008 Olympic Games held in Beijing, China. • He won a bronze medal at the 2006 Asian Games held in Doha, Qatar, and a gold medal at the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, China, demonstrating consistent excellence in Asian competitions. • As a three-time Commonwealth Games medallist, he won silver at Melbourne CWG 2006, bronze at Delhi CWG 2010, and silver at Glasgow 2014, showcasing his dominance in Commonwealth boxing. • The Asian Boxing Council, established in 1985 and headquartered in Bangkok, Thailand, operates under the World Boxing Council (WBC) and plays a pivotal role in shaping competitive and developmental frameworks across Asian and Australasian regions.

Science and Technology

New Crustacean Genus Indiaphonte bijoyi Discovered in Lakshadweep • In January 2026, researchers from Cochin University of Science and Technology discovered Indiaphonte bijoyi, a new genus and species of microscopic harpacticoid copepod from the Kavaratti lagoon in Lakshadweep islands. • The discovery has been published in ‘Zootaxa’, a major international journal for animal taxonomy, marking a significant contribution to marine biodiversity research. • The newly discovered crustacean belongs to the family Laophontidae under the ‘Copepoda’ class and exhibits unique morphological features not matching any previously recorded genus. • The genus name ‘Indiaphonte’ honours India, while the species name ‘bijoyi’ pays tribute to S. Bijoy Nandan, Dean of Faculty of Marine Sciences at CUSAT and former Vice-Chancellor of Kannur University. • This tiny invertebrate animal measuring less than 1 millimeter has a semi-cylindrical, depressed body with antennae-like appendages at the front, with female body length ranging from 518 to 772 micrometres.

Health and Medicine

Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan Releases Hindi Edition of Autobiography ‘Palanivelu GUTS’ • In January 2026, Vice-President of India C. P. Radhakrishnan released the Hindi edition of ‘Palanivelu GUTS’, the autobiography of eminent surgeon Dr. C. Palanivelu, in New Delhi. • ‘Palanivelu GUTS’ is an autobiography first published in English in July 2024 by the GEM Foundation, chronicling the journey of Dr. C. Palanivelu from humble beginnings to becoming a pioneering surgeon. • The book showcases Dr. Palanivelu’s journey of innovation in laparoscopic and robotic surgery, demonstrating how discipline, hard work, and ethical conviction helped him overcome resistance and setbacks. • Dr. Palanivelu pioneered laparoscopic surgery in India by establishing the first centre in Coimbatore in 1991 and significantly advanced robotic surgery techniques in the country. • The autobiography highlights the theme of perseverance and medical innovation, inspiring future generations of medical professionals to pursue excellence despite challenges.

National Events

National Disaster Response Force Raising Day 2026 – January 19 • National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) Raising Day is observed annually across India on January 19 to commemorate the establishment of NDRF under the Ministry of Home Affairs, with January 19, 2026, marking the 21st NDRF Raising Day. • The NDRF was officially established on January 19, 2006, under Section 44 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, following a series of devastating natural disasters India experienced between 1990 and 2004. • The NDRF is India’s premier disaster response unit and the world’s largest force dedicated exclusively to disaster management, operating under the motto ‘Aapada Seva Sadaiv Sarvatra’ (Service to Humanity Always, Everywhere). • The force comprises approximately 16 battalions drawn from Central Armed Police Forces including BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP, SSB, and Assam Rifles, with each battalion having about 1,149 personnel organized into 18 specialized Search and Rescue teams. • On the 21st Raising Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Amit Shah extended greetings to NDRF personnel and paid tribute to martyrs, while NDRF organized a Blood Donation Camp at the NDRF Academy, Nagpur, highlighting its commitment to humanitarian service.