NATIONAL AFFAIRS

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s Official Visit to India (Jan 12–13, 2026)

The Federal Chancellor of Germany, Friedrich Merz, undertook a landmark two-day official visit to India marking his first official visit to both India and the Asian region. The visit coincided with the 25th anniversary of the India–Germany Strategic Partnership.

Key Highlights of the Visit:

• Gujarat Leg: Visited Sabarmati Ashram with PM Narendra Modi. The duo also inaugurated the International Kite Festival 2026 at the Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad.
• Business Collaboration: Attended the high-level India-Germany CEO Forum in Ahmedabad and held a bilateral meet in Gandhinagar.
• Karnataka Leg: Arrived in Bengaluru and visited the Centre for Nano Science and Engineering (CeNSE) at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and the Bosch Campus in Adugodi to review hydrogen-powered solutions.
• Major Agreements: A total of 19 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) and Joint Declarations were signed.

Major Policy Announcement: Germany announced visa-free transit for Indian passport holders, established a Track 1.5 Foreign Policy and Security Dialogue, and adopted the Work Plan of the India-Germany Digital Dialogue (2025-2027).

NITI Aayog Releases 4th Export Preparedness Index (EPI) 2024

NITI Aayog CEO B.V.R. Subrahmanyam released the 4th edition of the Export Preparedness Index (EPI) 2024 in New Delhi. The index evaluates the export readiness and ecosystem performance of Indian states to support India's target of USD 1 trillion in merchandise exports by 2030.

Top Performing States Across Categories:

• Structure: Built upon 4 pillars, 13 sub-pillars, and 70 indicators.
• Classification: Groups states into Leaders, Challengers, or Aspirers to foster competitive federalism.

India Unveils Logo, Theme, and Website for BRICS Chairship 2026

External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar officially launched the branding elements for India's BRICS Chairship 2026 in New Delhi. India officially steers the group from January 1 to December 31, 2026, marking the 20th anniversary of BRICS.

• Theme: "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability" (aligned with PM Modi's "Humanity First" vision).
• The Logo: Inspired by the lotus flower blending tradition with modernity. It features a central "Namaste" gesture symbolizing harmonious collaboration, surrounded by multi-colored petals representing member nations.
• Official Website: brics2026.gov.in

Union Home Minister Amit Shah Launches Rs 629+ Crore Projects in Gujarat

Union Minister Amit Shah launched a wave of civic, sports, and tech infrastructure upgrades across Mansa and Ahmedabad in Gujarat.

• Sports Infrastructure: Inaugurated a Rs 267 crore sports complex in Mansa, paving the path for infrastructure capable of supporting the upcoming 2036 Olympic Games bid.
• Health & Tech Firsts: Laid the foundation stone for India’s first high-tech Bio Safety Level-4 (BSL-4) laboratory at the Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre (GBRC), Gandhinagar, costing Rs 362 crore.
• Pharma Excellence: Laid the foundation stone for the Pharma Academy for Global Excellence (PAGE) near Sanand, marking 25 years of the Indian Pharma Alliance (IPA).

Quick National Bulletins:

• Australia's UNSW Bengaluru Campus: The University of New South Wales (UNSW) signed an MoU with Karnataka to set up a brand-new campus at Manyata Tech Park, Bengaluru, operational by August 2026. It will offer UG courses in commerce, media, computer science, and data science.
• ICAR & NDDB Dairy Partnership: The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) partnered with the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) to fuel multidisciplinary research tackling climate resilience and boosting milk productivity.
• Sovereign AI Park in Chennai: Tamil Nadu partnered with Sarvam AI to set up India's first full-stack Sovereign AI Park in Chennai with an investment of Rs 10,000 crore, generating 1,000+ deep-tech jobs.
• 'Inspiring Innovators' Skilling Initiative: The Ministry of I&B, alongside the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) and Netflix, launched "Inspiring Innovators – Naye Bharat Ki Nayi Pehchaan" to showcase social-impact startups through student-made animated short films.
• IIT Mandi Catalyst Satellite Centre: Galgotias University (Greater Noida, UP) inaugurated this advanced incubation centre to accelerate deep-tech startups.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Henley Passport Index 2026: Singapore Tops, India Climbs to 80th

The global consultancy firm Henley & Partners released its 2026 global passport rankings.

• India's Position: Ranked 80th (up from 85th in 2025), granting Indian citizens visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 55 destinations (tied with Algeria and Niger).
• Global Leader: Singapore retained its spot as the world's most powerful passport for the third consecutive time, giving access to 192 visa-free destinations.
• Runners Up: Japan and South Korea tied for 2nd place (188 destinations).
• Weakest Passport: Afghanistan sat at the bottom (Rank 104) with access to only 24 destinations.

BANKING & FINANCE

PFRDA Appoints M. S. Sahoo Committee for Assured NPS Payouts

The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) constituted a high-level 15-member expert committee headed by Dr. M. S. Sahoo (former Chairperson of IBBI).

• Objective: Formulate a robust regulatory framework to facilitate legally enforceable, market-based assured payouts under the National Pension System (NPS), moving towards fixing vulnerabilities in the current annuity model.

Karnataka Bank Integrates with Khajane-2 via Net Banking

Following necessary clearances from the RBI, Karnataka Bank has integrated its net banking features into the State Government's Khajane-2 Integrated Financial Management System (IFMS). This enables direct, seamless e-receipt processing and digital payments of state taxes and civic fees for citizens.

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

World Bank's GEP Report: India's FY26 GDP Forecast Raised to 7.2%

The World Bank released its January 2026 Global Economic Prospects (GEP) report, bringing good news for the Indian economy.

• FY26 Growth Projection: Revised upward to 7.2% (from 6.3% predicted earlier), credited to resilient domestic consumer demand and robust rural income recovery.
• FY27 & FY28 Outlook: Expected to moderate slightly to 6.5% in FY27 due to potential global trade/tariff shifts, before picking back up to 6.6% in FY28.
• Inflation: India's headline inflation is projected to successfully converge toward the RBI’s 4% target.
• Global Growth: Projected to hover at 2.6% for CY26.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

Major Swathi Shantha Kumar Wins UN Secretary-General’s Award 2025

Indian Army Officer Major Swathi Shantha Kumar (Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers) won the prestigious UN Secretary-General’s Award 2025 under the Gender Category.

• The Project: Recognized for her project "Equal Partners, Lasting Peace" executed during her deployment under the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), which drastically improved community outreach and trust with women in conflict zones.

IMPORTANT DAYS

10th Armed Forces Veterans’ Day – January 14, 2026

India celebrated the 10th Armed Forces Veterans’ Day on January 14, 2026, to honor the sacrifices of military veterans.

• Significance of the Date: Commemorates January 14, 1953, the day Field Marshal K. M. Cariappa (the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army) officially retired from service.
• National Event: Led by Defense Minister Rajnath Singh at the Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi.

STATE NEWS

Karnataka Launches ‘Gruha Lakshmi Digital Marketing’ Portal

The Department of Women and Child Development (DWCD), Government of Karnataka, expanded its landmark cash-transfer scheme at the Karmani Utsav–2026.

• What is it? Launch of gruhalakshmidigital.org, a state-backed e-commerce portal helping women entrepreneurs sell clothing, handicrafts, and local food items globally.
• The Root Scheme: It serves as an extension to the Gruha Lakshmi Scheme, which distributes Rs 2,000 per month to women heads of households.

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