February 2026 Current Affairs for NDA

Key Context

• The India AI Impact Summit 2026 was held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
• Theme: "Sarvajan Hitaya, Sarvajan Sukhaya" (Welfare for All, Happiness for All).

Key Context

• M – Moral and Ethical Systems
• A – Accountable Governance
• N – National Sovereignty (Data ownership rights)
• A – Accessible and Inclusive AI
• V – Valid and Legitimate AI Systems
• The framework was unveiled at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 to promote ethical, inclusive, and responsible AI governance.

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• The 16th Finance Commission retained the States' share at 41% of the divisible tax pool.
• Its recommendations will be applicable for the award period 2026–27 to 2030–31.
• The Chairman of the 16th Finance Commission is Dr. Arvind Panagariya.
• The Finance Commission is a constitutional body constituted under Article 280 of the Constitution by the President of India every five years or earlier.
• The Commission recommended introducing GDP contribution as a new criterion for tax devolution and ending revenue deficit grants.

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• The new office marks a shift from the colonial-era South Block.

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• The Union Cabinet approved the proposal to rename Kerala as "Keralam."
• The proposal is made under Article 3 of the Constitution of India.
• Under Article 3, Parliament has the power to alter the name, area, or boundaries of a State.
• Before introducing such a Bill in Parliament, President refers it to concerned State Legislature for expressing its views.

Key Context

• The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued guidelines stating that "Vande Mataram" should be sung in full (all six stanzas) before the National Anthem.
• Vande Mataram was written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in 1875.
• It was first published in the novel Anandamath (1882).
• The first two stanzas of Vande Mataram were adopted as the National Song of India on 24 January 1950.

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• India and Brazil are members of BRICS, G20, and IBSA.

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• India's active smartphone user base reached 740 million.
• India became the world's second-largest smartphone market, after China.
• The growth reflects rapid expansion in digital connectivity and smartphone adoption across the country.

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• Chhari-Dhand is located in Kutch district, Gujarat.
• It is an important seasonal wetland supporting a rich diversity of migratory birds.

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• White Revolution 2.0 is an initiative of the Ministry of Cooperation.
• It aims to increase milk procurement by 50% over the next five years.

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• The Pax Silica Coalition is a US-led initiative.
• It aims to strengthen semiconductor supply chains and cooperation in critical technologies.
• India joined the coalition to enhance resilience in semiconductor manufacturing and technology security.
• India joined the Pax Silica Coalition as its 12th member.
• The coalition also promotes collaboration in artificial intelligence (AI), critical minerals, and advanced technologies.

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• He was sentenced to life imprisonment over the 2024 martial law crisis.

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• PRAHAAR is India's National Counter-Terrorism Policy. It was launched by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
• The policy is based on seven pillars to strengthen India's counter-terrorism framework.
• It aims to improve prevention, intelligence sharing, coordination, response, and capacity building against terrorism.

Key Context

• Exercise KHANJAR-XIII is the 13th edition of the India–Kyrgyzstan joint military exercise.
• It was conducted at Missamari, Assam.
• The exercise focuses on counter-terrorism operations and enhancing interoperability between the two armies.

Key Context

• It was the largest-ever edition, with participation from 74 countries.
• Theme: "Camaraderie, Cooperation, Collaboration."
• MILAN Village was inaugurated during the exercise, highlighting India's growing role in multilateral naval cooperation.

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• 16th edition of the India–USA Joint Special Forces Exercise.
• It was conducted at the Special Forces Training School, Bakloh, Himachal Pradesh.

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• It was held at the Pokhran Field Firing Ranges.

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• Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) won the WPL 2026 title.
• Delhi Capitals (DC) finished as the runners-up.
• Smriti Mandhana won the Orange Cap for scoring the most runs.
• Sophie Devine won both the Purple Cap (most wickets) and the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.
• Nandini Sharma was named the Emerging Player of WPL 2026.

Key Context

• India won its 6th ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup title.
• India defeated England in the final.
• Vaibhav Suryavanshi scored a record 175 runs, powering India to victory.
• India is the most successful team in the history of the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup.

Key Context

• Men's Singles Champion: Carlos Alcaraz.
• Women's Singles Champion: Elena Rybakina.
• The Australian Open is played at Melbourne Park, Melbourne (Australia) on Hard Courts.
• The French Open (Roland Garros) is held in Paris, France on Clay Courts.
• Wimbledon Championships are held in London, England on Grass Courts.
• The US Open is held in New York City, USA on Hard Courts.

Key Context

• They featured 16 winter sports and 116 medal events.
• The Games were jointly hosted by Milan (Milano) and Cortina d'Ampezzo.
• Norway topped the medal tally at the Winter Olympics 2026 with a record 17 gold medals.
• Johannes Dale-Skjevdal won the men's 15-km biathlon mass start with a perfect 20/20 shooting record.

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• The Santosh Trophy is India's premier national football championship contested by state teams and government institutions.

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• "Boong" is a Manipuri-language film.
• It became the first Indian film to win the Best Children's & Family Film award at the 79th BAFTA Awards.
• The film was directed by Lakshmipriya Devi.

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• Bad Bunny won the Album of the Year award at the Grammy Awards 2026.
• Dalai Lama won a Grammy Award in 2026.

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• Abhinav Bindra completed his 8-year tenure (2018–2026) as the Vice-Chair of the IOC Athletes' Commission.
• He is India's first individual Olympic gold medallist. His IOC membership continues until 2028.

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• World Wetlands Day is observed every year on 2 February.
• Theme (2026): "Wetlands and Traditional Knowledge: Celebrating Cultural Heritage."
• The day marks the adoption of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands on 2 February 1971.
• It promotes the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands.

Key Context

• World Cancer Day is observed every year on 4 February. Theme (2026): "United by Unique."
• The campaign emphasizes people-centred cancer care, recognizing that every patient's experience is unique.
• The day is led by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) to raise awareness about cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment.

Key Context

• National Science Day is observed every year on 28 February to commemorate the discovery of the Raman Effect by Sir C.V. Raman in 1928.
• 2026 marked the 40th observance of National Science Day.