NDA Current Affairs | 13 Sep Exam
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January 2026 Current Affairs for NDA
Important National, International, Defence & Other Exam-Relevant Events
NDA Current Affairs • Monthly Revision • Exam-Focused
National Affairs
Q1. Who was awarded the Ashoka Chakra on the occasion of the 77th Republic Day (2026)? ★
A) Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla
B) Captain Arshdeep Singh Gill
C) Naib Subedar Doleshwar Subba
D) Group Captain Varun Singh
Answer: A) Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla
| Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla was awarded the Ashoka Chakra, India’s highest peacetime gallantry award.Three personnel were awarded the Kirti Chakra, India’s second-highest peacetime gallantry award.13 personnel received the Shaurya Chakra, including one posthumously. |
| Wartime Gallantry Awards | Peacetime Gallantry Awards | |
| 1 | Param Vir Chakra | Ashoka Chakra (AC) |
| 2 | Maha Vir Chakra | Kirti Chakra |
| 3 | Vir Chakra | Shaurya Chakra |
Q2. How many Padma Awards were announced for the year 2026?
A) 121
B) 126
C) 131
D) 135
Answer: C) 131
| Padma Vibhushan → Padma Bhushan → Padma Shri (descending order of precedence).5 Padma Vibhushan, 13 Padma Bhushan, 113 Padma Shri were announced.Announced on Republic Day and conferred by the President of India.19 women, 6 Foreigners/NRI/PIO/OCI, 16 posthumous awardees. |
Q3. Which contingent won the Best Marching Contingent award at the Republic Day Parade 2026? ★
A) Indian Army
B) Indian Air Force
C) Indian Navy
D) Assam Rifles
Answer: C) Indian Navy
| The Indian Navy won the Best Marching Contingent award among the three Services.Among CAPFs/Other Auxiliary Forces, the Delhi Police won the Best Marching Contingent award.Maharashtra won the Best State Tableau for its Ganeshotsav-themed presentation. ★The 77th Republic Day Parade celebrated the theme “150 Years of Vande Mataram.” ★The parade featured armed forces contingents, cultural performances, and state tableaux. |
Q4. The PANKHUDI Portal, launched recently, is an initiative of which ministry?
A) Ministry of Rural Development
B) Ministry of Women and Child Development
C) Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
D) Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Answer: B) Ministry of Women and Child Development
| The portal supports initiatives related to nutrition, health, ECCE (Early Childhood Care and Education), child welfare, and women’s empowerment. |
Q5. Kavach 4.0, recently launched by India, is primarily related to:
A) Railway safety and automatic train protection
B) Air defence and missile interception
C) Coastal surveillance and maritime security
D) Satellite-based navigation for aircraft
Answer: A) Railway safety and automatic train protection
| Kavach 4.0 is India’s Automatic Train Protection (ATP) System.It enables automatic speed control and enhances railway safety. |
Q6. India’s first Sleeper Vande Bharat Express, launched recently, connects which of the following stations?
A) New Delhi – Jammu Tawi
B) Chennai – Bengaluru
C) Howrah – Guwahati
D) Mumbai Central – Ahmedabad
Answer: C) Howrah – Guwahati
Q7. “Udai”, recently unveiled by UIDAI, is the mascot of which programme?
A) DigiLocker
B) Aadhaar
C) UMANG
D) Digital India
Answer: B) Aadhaar
Q8. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who visited India recently, is the President of which country?
A) Saudi Arabia
B) United Arab Emirates (UAE)
C) Indonesia
D) Malaysia
Answer: B) United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Q9. The rare “Sandalwood Leopard”, recently seen in the news, was discovered in which Indian state?
A) Kerala
B) Karnataka
C) Tamil Nadu
D) Andhra Pradesh
Answer: B) Karnataka
| The Sandalwood Leopard is an extremely rare colour variant of the Indian leopard.The discovery highlights the state’s rich genetic diversity and the importance of big cat conservation. |
Q10. India’s first fully paperless district court, inaugurated recently, is located in which district?
A) Kozhikode
B) Ernakulam
C) Wayanad
D) Kannur
Answer: C) Wayanad
| India’s first fully paperless district court was inaugurated at Kalpetta, Wayanad (Kerala).It was inaugurated virtually by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant.The court features AI-based judicial assistance tools and electronic court proceedings. |
Q11. India’s first open-sea Marine Fish Farming project, launched recently, is located in:
A) Kochi, Kerala
B) Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh
C) Sri Vijaya Puram, Andaman & Nicobar Islands
D) Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Answer: C) Sri Vijaya Puram, Andaman & Nicobar Islands
| The initiative aims to promote the Blue Economy and coastal livelihoods.It focuses on the sustainable development of marine aquaculture in open-sea conditions. |
International Affairs
Q12. The annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) is held every year at which of the following places? ★
A) Geneva, Switzerland
B) Zurich, Switzerland
C) Davos, Switzerland
D) Vienna, Austria
Answer: C) Davos, Switzerland
| Theme of WEF 2026: “A Spirit of Dialogue.” |
Q13. The recently launched “Board of Peace” Initiative is primarily related to the reconstruction and peace efforts in which region? ★★
A) Ukraine
B) Gaza
C) Syria
D) Sudan
Answer: B) Gaza
| The Board of Peace Initiative focuses on the reconstruction of Gaza.It was launched at Davos with the participation of 35+ countries.India adopted a cautious stance on the initiative.The initiative aims to support peacebuilding and post-conflict reconstruction in the Gaza region. |
Q14. Which country recently announced its withdrawal from the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and 66 other international organizations, treaties, and commissions?
A) Canada
B) United Kingdom
C) United States of America (USA)
D) Australia
Answer: C) United States of America (USA)
| The USA announced its withdrawal from 66 international organizations, treaties, and commissions.The withdrawal included the India–France-led International Solar Alliance (ISA).The decision was announced under the “America First” policy review.The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is jointly led by India and France. |
Q15. The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) declared the year 2026 as the International Year of:
A) Millets and Sustainable Agriculture
B) Rangelands and Pastoralists
C) Glaciers and Mountain Ecosystems
D) Camelids and Livestock Development
Answer: B) Rangelands and Pastoralists
| Rangelands cover about 50% of Earth’s land surface and support over 2 billion people and 50% of the world’s livestock. |
Q16. The world’s first legally binding High Seas Treaty, which came into force recently, aims to protect:
A) Polar regions beyond national jurisdiction
B) International waters beyond national jurisdiction
C) Inland freshwater ecosystems
D) Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of coastal states
Answer: B) International waters beyond national jurisdiction
| It is the world’s first legally binding treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ).The treaty establishes global rules to protect international waters (high seas).It entered into force after being ratified by over 60 countries. |
Q17. India recently introduced the e-B-4 Visa category primarily for nationals of which country?
A) Japan
B) China
C) South Korea
D) Vietnam
Answer: B) China
| e-B-4 (Productive Investment Business Visa) is a new electronic business visa category.It was introduced to facilitate business travel for Chinese nationals. |
Q18. Spain recently upgraded its relations with India to a Strategic Association and joined which of the following initiatives?
A) International Solar Alliance (ISA)
B) Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI)
C) Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI)
D) Global Biofuels Alliance (GBA)
Answer: B) Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI)
| Spain joined the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) during its Foreign Minister’s visit to India.The visit marked the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Spain. |
Q19. The Finke (Larapinta) River, recently in the news as the world’s oldest flowing river, is located in which country?
A) South Africa
B) Australia
C) Brazil
D) Canada
Answer: B) Australia
| Estimated to be 300–400 million years old.The river flows through the MacDonnell Ranges in the Northern Territory. |
Q20. Archaeologists recently discovered 2,000-year-old Kushan Empire coins and lapis lazuli fragments in which country?
A) Afghanistan
B) India
C) Pakistan
D) Uzbekistan
Answer: C) Pakistan
| The discovery was made at the Rori Mound near Taxila, Pakistan.Archaeologists unearthed 2,000-year-old Kushan Empire coins and lapis lazuli fragments.The findings highlight the region’s importance in early trade routes and historical links.The Kushan Empire was one of the major powers of Central and South Asia during the early centuries of the Common Era. |
Defence & Security
Q21. The Indian Navy recently announced the establishment of a new naval base (detachment) at Haldia, West Bengal on which river?
A) Mahanadi
B) Hooghly River
C) Brahmaputra River
D) Godavari River
Answer: B) Hooghly River
| The base aims to strengthen India’s operational presence and maritime surveillance in the Bay of Bengal.Around 100 naval personnel will be stationed at the facility. |
Q22. Sagar Maitri-VI, recently seen in the news, is primarily related to:
A) Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR)
B) Ocean research and maritime cooperation
C) Anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden
D) Coastal surveillance and maritime security
Answer: B) Ocean research and maritime cooperation
| Sagar Maitri-VI is a research vessel deployment mission of the Indian Navy.The mission promotes ocean research and maritime scientific cooperation.It covers countries including Oman, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Myanmar. |
Q23. The Indian Army declared the year 2026 as the: ★
A) Year of Jointness & Integration
B) Year of Indigenous Defence Technology
C) Year of Networking & Data Centricity
D) Year of Artificial Intelligence & Automation
Answer: C) Year of Networking & Data Centricity
Q24. ‘Radio Sangam’, recently seen in the news, is the first community radio station established along which of the following?
A) Line of Actual Control (LAC)
B) International Border (IB)
C) Line of Control (LoC)
D) McMahon Line
Answer: C) Line of Control (LoC)
| It was launched at Rajouri, Jammu & Kashmir.The initiative aims to promote public awareness, local culture, and strengthen trust between the Indian Army, civil administration, and border communities. |
Q25. The grand parade of the 78th Indian Army Day 2026 was held in which city? ★
A) New Delhi
B) Lucknow
C) Jaipur
D) Chandigarh
Answer: C) Jaipur
| The 78th Indian Army Day was celebrated on 15 January 2026.The grand parade was held at Jaipur, Rajasthan.It was the first Army Day parade held outside New Delhi and a military cantonment.The event featured over 30 contingents, including the newly raised Bhairav Battalion ★, with participation from the Nepal Army Band. |
Q26. SwaDeS, recently developed by DRDO, is a portable system designed for:
A) Battlefield surveillance
B) Seawater desalination and water purification
C) Drone detection and jamming
D) Portable missile guidance
Answer: B) Seawater desalination and water purification
| SwaDeS (SeaWater Desalination System) was developed by the Defence Laboratory, Jodhpur (DRDO).It is a portable water purification system available in manual and engine-operated variants. |
Q27. LR-AShM, recently developed by DRDO, is a:
A) Long-range surface-to-air missile
B) Long-range anti-ship hypersonic missile
C) Long-range ballistic missile defence system
D) Long-range anti-submarine missile
Answer: B) Long-range anti-ship hypersonic missile
| Developed by DRDO with a range of about 1,500 km.It can travel at hypersonic speeds (Mach 5+), providing a long-range anti-ship strike capability. |
Q28. The Indian Air Force recently commemorated the 25th anniversary of the maiden flight of which indigenously developed aircraft?
A) HAL Dhruv
B) LCA Tejas
C) HTT-40
D) AMCA
Answer: B) LCA Tejas
| The maiden flight of LCA Tejas took place on 4 January 2001.The Indian Air Force commemorated its 25th anniversary on 4 January 2026. |
Science, Space & Technology
Q29. The EOS-N1 satellite, recently seen in the news, was launched aboard which launch vehicle?
A) GSLV Mk III
B) SSLV-D2
C) PSLV-C62
D) LVM3-M5
Answer: C) PSLV-C62
| PSLV-C62 was the 64th mission of PSLV.It was launched on 12 January 2026 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.The primary payload was EOS-N1, an Earth observation satellite.The mission encountered an anomaly near the end of the PS3 (third stage), after which ISRO initiated a detailed analysis.The mission also carried 15 co-passenger satellites, including 7 developed by Dhruva Space. |
Q30. India’s first integrated private satellite manufacturing facility, recently in the news, is being established at which of the following places?
A) Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh
B) Bengaluru, Karnataka
C) Khoraj, Sanand, Gujarat
D) Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu
Answer: C) Khoraj, Sanand, Gujarat
Q31. AayuSAT, recently seen in the news, is India’s first demonstration mission for:
A) Space tourism
B) On-orbit satellite refuelling
C) Human spaceflight docking
D) Lunar sample return
Answer: B) On-orbit satellite refuelling
| AayuSAT is India’s first on-orbit satellite refuelling demonstrator.It was developed by OrbitAID Aerospace. |
Sports
Q32. Which team won its maiden Vijay Hazare Trophy title in the 2025–26 season? ★★
A) Karnataka
B) Mumbai
C) Saurashtra
D) Vidarbha
Answer: D) Vidarbha
| Vidarbha defeated Saurashtra in the final. |
Q33. Virat Kohli recently became the second-highest international run-scorer after surpassing which cricketer? ★
A) Ricky Ponting
B) Kumar Sangakkara
C) Jacques Kallis
D) Rahul Dravid
Answer: B) Kumar Sangakkara
| Only Sachin Tendulkar is ahead with 34,357 international runs.Kohli achieved the milestone against New Zealand in Vadodara. |
Q34. Alyssa Healy, who recently announced her retirement from international cricket, represented which country?
A) England
B) New Zealand
C) Australia
D) South Africa
Answer: C) Australia
Awards & Honours
Q35. Major Swathi Shantha Kumar, recently in the news, received the UN Secretary-General’s Award 2025 for her contribution in which country? ★★
A) Lebanon
B) Democratic Republic of the Congo
C) South Sudan
D) Sudan
Answer: C) South Sudan
| Major Swathi Shantha Kumar received the UN Secretary-General’s Award 2025.She was honoured for the “Equal Partners, Lasting Peace” project in South Sudan.The initiative supported around 5,000 women through female peacekeeper deployment.The award recognizes exceptional leadership, innovation, and commitment to UN values. |
Appointments
| Position | Name | Key Information |
| Director General of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) | Shatrujeet Singh Kapoor | It is one of India’s Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). ITBP guards the India–China border. Raised in 1962 following the India–China War. |
| Director General of Border Security Force (BSF) | Praveen Kumar | BSF was established on 1 December 1965. It is India’s primary border guarding force responsible mainly for the India–Pakistan and India–Bangladesh borders. |
| Director General of National Investigation Agency (NIA) | Rakesh Aggarwal | The NIA is India’s premier counter-terrorism investigation agency. Established under the NIA Act, 2008, following the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. |
| President of Uganda | Yoweri Museveni | |
| Prime Minister of Yemen | Shaea Muhsin Mohammed Al-Zindani |
Obituary
Q36. Manoj Kothari, who passed away recently, was associated with which sport?
A) Shooting
B) Cue Sports (Billiards)
C) Table Tennis
D) Snooker
Answer: B) Cue Sports (Billiards)
| Manoj Kothari was a former World Billiards Champion.He won the World Billiards Championship (1990) and the World Doubles Championship (1997).He was honoured with the Major Dhyan Chand Award (2005) and the IBSF Lifetime Achievement Award (2025). |
Q37. Davinder Singh Garcha, who passed away recently, was associated with which sport?
A) Wrestling
B) Hockey
C) Athletics
D) Kabaddi
Answer: B) Hockey
| Davinder Singh Garcha was a former Indian hockey player.He was a member of India’s gold medal-winning team at the 1980 Moscow Olympics.He was honoured with the Major Dhyan Chand Award (2021). |
Q38. Suresh Kalmadi, who passed away recently, was prominently associated with which field?
A) Indian Cinema
B) Politics and Sports Administration
C) Indian Judiciary
D) Journalism
Answer: B) Politics and Sports Administration
| He served as the President of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) from 1996 to 2012.Before entering politics, he served as a pilot in the Indian Air Force. |
Q39. Madhav Gadgil, who passed away recently, was primarily associated with which field?
A) Space Science
B) Ecology and Conservation
C) Economics
D) Archaeology
Answer: B) Ecology and Conservation
| Madhav Gadgil was a renowned ecologist, scholar, and conservationist.He is regarded as the father of modern Indian ecology.He was honoured with the Padma Shri (1981), Padma Bhushan (2006), Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement (2015), and the UN Champion of the Earth Award (2024). |
Q40. Mark Tully, who passed away recently, was primarily associated with which profession? ★
A) Economist
B) Veteran Journalist
C) Diplomat
D) Author
Answer: B) Veteran Journalist
| Mark Tully was a renowned veteran journalist and former BBC correspondent.He was widely known as the “Voice of India” for the BBC.He was honoured with the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan by the Government of India. |
Important Dates
Q41. DRDO Foundation Day is observed every year on:
A) 1 January
B) 15 January
C) 26 January
D) 28 February
Answer: A) 1 January
| 68th Foundation Day in 2026.DRDO functions under the Ministry of Defence. |
Q42. Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) is observed every year on:
A) 2 October
B) 9 January
C) 15 August
D) 26 November
Answer: B) 9 January
| It commemorates Mahatma Gandhi’s return to India from South Africa on 9 January 1915.PBD Conventions have been held biennially since 2015. |
Q43. Armed Forces Veterans’ Day is observed in India every year on:
A) 1 January
B) 9 January
C) 14 January
D) 15 January
Answer: C) 14 January
| Armed Forces Veterans’ Day is observed every year on 14 January.2026 marked the 10th Armed Forces Veterans’ Day.The day commemorates the retirement of Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa, India’s first Indian Commander-in-Chief, on 14 January 1953.It honours the service and sacrifices of veterans of the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force. |
Q44. National Startup Day is observed in India on:
A) 12 January
B) 15 January
C) 16 January
D) 26 January
Answer: C) 16 January
Q45. Parakram Diwas is observed every year to commemorate the birth anniversary of:
A) Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
B) Bhagat Singh
C) Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose
D) Chandrashekhar Azad
Answer: C) Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose
| Parakram Diwas is observed every year on 23 January.It commemorates the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.It honours Netaji’s contribution to India’s freedom struggle and inspires patriotism among citizens. |
Q46. National Girl Child Day is observed in India every year on:
A) 22 January
B) 24 January
C) 26 January
D) 11 October
Answer: B) 24 January
Q47. National Voters’ Day is observed every year in India on:
A) 24 January
B) 25 January
C) 26 January
D) 30 January
Answer: B) 25 January
| Foundation day of the Election Commission of India (ECI), established on 25 January 1950.The day aims to encourage voter registration, especially among young and first-time voters. |