National Affairs

India Celebrates 77th Republic Day on 26 January 2026

India celebrated its 77th Republic Day on January 26, 2026, marking the adoption of the Constitution in 1950. The ceremonial events took place at Kartavya Path in New Delhi, where President Droupadi Murmu unfurled the National Flag, followed by a 21-gun salute using 105-mm Light Field Guns.

• Theme: "150 Years of Vande Mataram".
• Chief Guests: For the first time, the top two leaders of the European Union—Antonio Costa (President of the European Council) and Ursula von der Leyen (President of the European Commission)—attended together as Chief Guests.
• Musical Milestone: Oscar-winning composer M.M. Keeravani composed a special musical piece to mark the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram.
• Parade Leadership: Commanded by Lt. Gen. Bhavnish Kumar (GOC, Delhi Area), with Maj. Gen. Navraj Dhillon serving as Second-in-Command.
• Hypersonic Arsenal Unveiled: DRDO showcased its first indigenous Long Range Anti-Ship Hypersonic Missile (LR-AShM), a hypersonic glide missile built for coastal defence.
• Bharat Parv & Beating Retreat: The Ministry of Tourism organized the 'Bharat Parv' festival at Red Fort (January 26–31). The celebrations formally concluded on January 29 with the traditional Beating Retreat ceremony at Vijay Chowk.

Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia Launches Multiple Developmental Projects in NER

Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia (MDoNER & Communications) launched key developmental initiatives across the North Eastern Region (NER) to stimulate economic growth and regional tourism.

• Matabari Tourism Circuit (Tripura): Laid the foundation stone for a ₹450 crore project at Narkel Kunja near Dumboor Lake. The circuit connects the Tripura Sundari Temple, Chabimura, and Dumboor Lake. MDoNER is contributing ₹276 crore of the layout.
• Agarwood Value Chain Development Scheme (AVCDS): Launched in North Fulkabari, Tripura, with an ₹80 crore outlay. It includes building two Central Processing Centres (CPCs)—one in Golaghat (Assam) and the other in Tripura.
• Bamboo Sector Projects (Assam): Unveiled two projects worth ₹82.5 crore in Guwahati to transform the region into a national hub for sustainable bamboo products. Executed by the NECBDC in collaboration with Amazon, Flipkart, and All Time Plastics.

MoPR Facilitates Panchayat Leaders and Launches Key Initiatives

During the Republic Day celebrations, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) honored around 240 elected Panchayat leaders (Sarpanches, Mukhiyas, Gram Pradhans) who achieved saturation in flagship Central schemes.

• Launch of PANCHAM: MoPR, in collaboration with UNICEF, launched the Panchayat Assistance & Messaging Chatbot (PANCHAM). It acts as a digital companion providing workflow guidance and establishes a direct digital link between the GoI and over 30 lakh elected representatives.
• PESA State Rankings (2024-25): Released the state implementation rankings for the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996.
  1. Maharashtra (1st Position)
  2. Madhya Pradesh (2nd Position)
  3. Himachal Pradesh (3rd Position)
• Key Publications Released: Unveiled the 17th Gramoday Sankalp magazine, the Compendium of Basic Statistics on PRIs – 2025, and an Expert Committee Report on Panchayat-level Service Delivery.

Government of Rajasthan Launches 'Raj-UNNATI'

Rajasthan has become the first Indian state to replicate the Union Government's PRAGATI framework at a regional level by launching Raj-UNNATI.

• Purpose: A state-level digital e-governance platform designed to track and monitor fast-track infrastructure projects and state/central schemes using real-time data integration.
• Objective: Aims to resolve long-pending administrative blocks, eliminate project delays, and streamline public grievance redressal.

BNHS Signs MoU with Jharkhand for Vulture Conservation

The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) signed a 5-year MoU with the Chief Wildlife Warden of Jharkhand to boost the population of critically endangered vultures.

• Target Species: Focuses on the Oriental White-backed Vulture and the Long-billed Vulture.
• Execution: Aims to upgrade the Vulture Conservation and Breeding Centre (VCBC) in Muta, near Ranchi. BNHS will transfer breeding stocks and provide technical/veterinary expertise, while the Jharkhand forest department manages ground operations.

International Affairs

UNEP Report: Harmful Investments Outpace Nature Protection by 30 to 1

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) published its 4th State of Finances for Nature report, subtitled "Nature in the Red – Powering the Trillion Dollar Nature Transition Economy".

• The 30:1 Imbalance: The report reveals that for every USD 1 invested in Nature-based Solutions (NbS), roughly USD 30 is spent on environmentally harmful activities, fueling a triple planetary crisis.
• Nature-Negative Capital: In 2023, global harmful spending hit USD 7.3 trillion (with the private sector contributing USD 4.9 trillion across energy, utilities, and manufacturing). This figure rose by 12% in 2024 to USD 5.5 trillion.
• NbS Funding Trends: Global NbS finance stood at USD 220 billion in 2023 (Public: USD 197 billion; Private: USD 23.4 billion). Asia led public spending at USD 93 billion, while North America saw the highest year-on-year increase at over 19%.
• The X-Curve: Introduced the Nature Transition X-Curve, a framework assisting policy makers in redirecting capital flows and sequencing sustainable policies.

Banking & Finance

World Bank Approves Massive Funding for Haryana and Bhutan

The World Bank approved technical and financial funding packages targeting vital water resources and renewable energy infrastructure:

• Jal Sanrakshit Haryana Project (₹5,700 crore): Phased funding (2026–2032) to make Haryana self-reliant in water. It outlines the restoration of the remaining 678 main canals and 1,196 minor canals over the next 5 years. It also allocates ₹900 crore to install micro-irrigation systems across 70,000 acres.
• Dorjilung Hydropower Project, Bhutan (USD 815 Million): A long-term package for a 1,125 MW plant executed via a Public-Private Partnership SPV. Tata Power Company Limited (TPCL) holds a 40% stake, and Bhutan’s Druk Green Power Corporation (DGPC) holds 60%. The package includes an IDA grant (USD 150 million), IDA credit (USD 150 million), and an IBRD enclave loan (USD 15 million).

Awards & Recognitions

Padma Awards 2026: President Approves 131 Confrerments

On the eve of Republic Day, the Ministry of Home Affairs announced the Padma Awards list for 2026. President Droupadi Murmu approved 131 awards, including 19 women, 6 individuals from the Foreigner/NRI/PIO/OCI category, and 16 posthumous awardees.

• Award Breakdown: 5 Padma Vibhushan, 13 Padma Bhushan, and 113 Padma Shri.
• State Leaders: Maharashtra secured the highest count (15), followed by Tamil Nadu (13), and Uttar Pradesh/West Bengal (11 each).

Appointments & Resignations

Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani Elected as President of OCA

Veteran Indian sports administrator Randhir Singh stepped down prematurely as the President of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) due to health reasons.

• The Successor: The OCA General Assembly in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, elected Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani (current President of the Qatar Olympic Committee) as the new chief.
• Note: Randhir Singh made history in September 2024 as the first Indian elected to the post for a full term, after serving as the acting chief since 2021.

Obituary

Veteran Journalist & Author Sir William Mark Tully Passes Away

Renowned broadcaster and the iconic "voice of India" for the BBC, Sir William Mark Tully, passed away at the age of 90 in New Delhi.

• Profile: Joined the BBC in 1965 and served as the New Delhi Bureau Chief for 22 years. He was knighted (KBE) by the UK government in 2002.
• Civilian Honors: Received the Padma Shri in 1992 and the Padma Bhushan in 2005 for his work in Literature and Education.
• Historical Coverage: Famously reported on major South Asian events: the 1971 Bangladesh War, the 1975–77 Emergency, Operation Blue Star, the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, and the assassinations of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi.
• Famous Books: Author of 'No Full Stops in India', 'India in Slow Motion', and 'The Heart of India'.

Former BCCI President Inderjit Singh Bindra Passes Away

Prominent sports administrator and retired IAS officer Inderjit Singh Bindra passed away at the age of 84.

• Cricket Administration: Served as the President of the Punjab Cricket Association (1978–2014) and BCCI President (1993–1996).
• Key Milestones: Played a monumental role in bringing the 1987 and 1996 ICC World Cups to the subcontinent. In 1994, he broke Doordarshan's broadcast monopoly by introducing international networks (ESPN, TWI) to Indian cricket marketing. The PCA stadium was renamed the IS Bindra Stadium in his honor in 2015.

Important Days at a Glance

State News

Madhya Pradesh Declares 2026 as the ‘Year of Agriculture’

During the 77th Republic Day address, MP Governor Mangubhai Patel declared 2026 as the ‘Year of Agriculture’ in Madhya Pradesh.

• Theme: “Prosperous Farmers, Prosperous State”.
• Focus Areas: Prioritizing tech transfers, natural farming techniques, direct income enhancement, better export setups, and digital transparency in marketing.
• Growth Indicator: The state's agricultural budget has expanded from ₹600 crore in FY 2002-03 to over ₹27,000 crore in FY 2024-25.