National Affairs

India, Germany Announce EUR 20 Million Climate Resilience Initiative

In February 2026, Jochen Flasbarth, State Secretary at Germany’s Federal Ministry for Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMKUN), announced a new Large Grant for India worth up to EUR 20 million under the International Climate Initiative (IKI).

The announcement was made during the high-level climate dialogue titled “From Risk to Resilience: Advancing Adaptation Policy Pathways” at the German Embassy in New Delhi.

Priority Regions:

• Himalayas
• Island regions
• Western Ghats
• North-East India
• Lower Gangetic floodplains

Key Interventions:

• Forest restoration
• Biodiversity corridor connectivity
• Flood and erosion control
• Groundwater recharge
• Community-led natural resource management

NAP Support:
The initiative will also strengthen monitoring, evaluation and learning frameworks linked to India’s National Adaptation Plan (NAP).

Sarbananda Sonowal Inaugurates Three Inland Waterway Projects on NW-2 in Assam

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, inaugurated three major inland waterways infrastructure projects on National Waterway-2, the River Brahmaputra, in Dibrugarh, Assam, on February 26, 2026.

The projects aim to enhance logistics, trade, and riverine tourism in the North Eastern Region.

Projects Inaugurated:

Bogibeel Complex:
The Customs & Immigration Complex at Bogibeel is a modern tourist-cum-cargo terminal.

Facilities Include:

• Customs and immigration services
• IWAI administrative functions
• Arrival and departure halls
• Cargo storage
• Staff amenities
• Security systems

Dhubri Gateway:
The Customs & Immigration Complex at Dhubri will strengthen regulatory oversight and export-import operations.

Strategic Role:
Dhubri is expected to serve as a gateway for inland water transport and cross-border trade with:

• Bangladesh
• Bhutan

IWAI Heritage Building:
The renovated IWAI Heritage Building at Dibrugarh combines architectural restoration with upgraded operational infrastructure.

Significance:
It will support NW-2 administration and promote riverine tourism.

Tamil Nadu Launches First Dark Sky Park in Kolli Hills

Tamil Nadu Forest Minister R. S. Rajakannappan inaugurated the state’s first Dark Sky Park at Ariyur Shola Reserve Forest, Kolli Hills, in Namakkal district.

The initiative positions Tamil Nadu as a growing astro-tourism destination.

Cost:
₹1 crore

Infrastructure:

• Three advanced telescopes
• Solar-powered facilities

Observation Opportunities:
The park enables night-time viewing of:

• Stars
• Planets
• Milky Way
• Moon

Educational Role:
It promotes astronomy awareness and scientific literacy among:

• Students
• Researchers
• General public

Optimal Conditions:
The site has minimal artificial light within a 1.5 km radius, with natural terrain supporting dark-sky observation.

Operational Period:
The park operates from January 15 to June 15 and remains closed during the monsoon season.

India’s First Dark Sky Park:
Pench Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh became India’s first official Dark Sky Park in 2024 under the International Dark-Sky Places programme.

It is also Asia’s 5th internationally recognised Dark Sky Park.

Nitin Gadkari Launches Upgraded RAJMARG PRAVESH Portal

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, launched the upgraded RAJMARG PRAVESH Version 2.0 web portal on February 25, 2026.

The portal will simplify the process of obtaining No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for facilities and utilities along National Highways.

Online Permissions:
The upgraded portal allows online applications for permissions related to:

• Fuel stations
• Wayside amenities
• Private properties
• Rest area complexes
• Connecting roads
• Other facilities along National Highways

Utility Approvals:
The portal can also be used to seek approvals for laying:

• Water pipelines
• Gas pipelines
• Optical fibre cables
• Electrical lines
• Other utility services

Ease of Doing Business:
The portal has been developed to make the process:

• Simpler
• Faster
• Transparent
• Time-bound

Users:

• Citizens
• Entrepreneurs
• Shop owners
• Infrastructure companies
• Telecom firms
• Utility providers
• State and central agencies

JP Nadda to Head Reconstituted Hindi Advisory Committee in Chemicals & Fertilizers Ministry

The Government of India appointed Union Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, as the Chairman of the newly reconstituted Hindi Advisory Committee for the ministry.

Union Minister of State Anupriya Patel has been appointed as the Vice-Chairperson.

Key Functions:
The committee will review and recommend measures for the progressive use of Hindi in official administrative work of:

• Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers
• Subordinate offices

Composition:

• 15 nominated members
• 37 official members
• Chairperson
• Vice-Chairperson

Tenure:
The committee will have a standard tenure of 3 years, which may be extended under special circumstances.

IAF Southern Air Command Conducts Joint Maritime Exercise ‘Kalari Leap’

The Southern Air Command of the Indian Air Force successfully conducted Exercise Kalari Leap across the Lakshadweep and Minicoy archipelago in the Arabian Sea.

The exercise focused on joint maritime operations in complex environments.

Objective:
The exercise validated:

• Joint operational planning
• Rapid force projection
• Precision execution
• Maritime operational coordination

Participating Forces:

• Indian Air Force Southern Air Command
• Armed Forces Special Operations Division
• Indian Coast Guard

Key Operations:

• Airborne insertions
• Air-landed insertions
• Heliborne drills
• Amphibious drills
• Anti-ship strikes
• Search-and-rescue missions

IAF Assets Deployed:

• AN-32 transport aircraft
• Mi-17V5 helicopters
• Su-30MKI fighter jets

Indian Coast Guard Assets:

• Ships
• Gemini boats
• Dornier 228 aircraft

Special Forces Role:
AFSOD special forces participated in combat free-fall insertions and amphibious tasks.

IAF Conducts Exercise Vayushakti-26 at Pokhran Range

The Indian Air Force successfully conducted Exercise Vayushakti-26 at the Pokhran Field Firing Range in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.

The exercise showcased IAF’s combat readiness and its ability to conduct integrated air operations across the full spectrum of warfare.

Chief Guest:
President of India Droupadi Murmu attended the firepower demonstration as Chief Guest.

Other Dignitaries Present:

• Haribhau Kisanrao Bagde
• Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh
• Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu

Key Highlight:
For the first time, the exercise was conducted along a defined operational storyline, creating a simulated live combat theatre.

Operations Demonstrated:

• Offensive air strikes
• Air defence operations
• Special forces missions
• Humanitarian assistance missions

Aircraft Participated:
More than 130 aircraft participated in the day-and-night exercise.

Major Aircraft Included:

• Rafale
• Su-30 MKI
• Mirage-2000
• MiG-29
• Jaguar
• Hawk
• Mi-17
• C-130J
• C-295
• C-17
• ALH Dhruv
• LCH Prachand

Air Defence Operations:
Air defence engagements were conducted using airborne and ground-based systems.

Systems Used:

• Akash missile system
• Spyder missile system
• L-70 air defence gun
• M-777 system

Significance:
The exercise reflected the IAF’s role as a multi-domain integrated force and India’s first responder during emergencies.

International Affairs

PM Narendra Modi Visits Israel from February 26–27, 2026

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Israel from February 26 to 27, 2026, at the invitation of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

He was accompanied by a high-level delegation of senior ministers and officials.

Memorial Visit:
PM Modi visited the Yad Vashem Memorial in Jerusalem and paid tribute to Holocaust victims by:

• Laying a wreath
• Placing a commemorative stone

Knesset Address:
PM Modi became the first Indian Prime Minister to address the Knesset, the Israeli Parliament.

He also signed the Knesset Guestbook.

Medal of the Knesset:
After his address, PM Modi was conferred the Medal of the Knesset by Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana.

Key Highlight:
He became the first Indian Prime Minister to receive this honour.

Special Strategic Partnership:
During a joint press conference, PM Modi and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu announced the establishment of a Special Strategic Partnership for Peace, Innovation and Prosperity.

Focus Areas:

• Defence
• Security
• Cybersecurity
• Trade
• Technology

Agreements Signed:
India and Israel signed several agreements covering cooperation in:

• Geophysical exploration
• Maritime heritage
• Culture
• Digital payments
• Agriculture
• Artificial Intelligence
• Fisheries
• Financial regulation
• Labour mobility
• Education
• Arbitration
• Academia
• Cybersecurity
• Strategic initiatives

Banking & Finance

IIFL Home Finance Secures USD 300 Million Loan from ADB

IIFL Home Finance Limited secured a USD 300 million loan agreement with the Asian Development Bank on February 27, 2026.

The loan will expand access to affordable housing finance for lower-income borrowers, with a major focus on women in India.

Loan Breakup:

Parallel Loan Contributors:

• Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Japan
• Emirates NBD Bank, UAE
• Sampath Bank PLC, Sri Lanka
• Hatton National Bank PLC, Sri Lanka

Green Housing Focus:
At least 25% of the proceeds will finance green-certified affordable homes.

Purpose:
The loan will support:

• Affordable housing finance
• Women’s housing ownership
• Green construction
• Sustainable housing development

West Bengal Cabinet Approves ₹4,648 Crore ADB Projects for Education and ICDS

The West Bengal Cabinet, headed by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, approved two major development projects worth ₹4,648 crore in partnership with the Asian Development Bank.

The projects aim to strengthen:

• Secondary education
• Child nutrition infrastructure
• ICDS service delivery

Funding Pattern:

Significance:
The projects will improve educational infrastructure and child nutrition systems across West Bengal.

Jio Finance Launches AI-Backed Mobile App ‘Finsider’

Jio Finance Platform and Service Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Jio Financial Services Limited, launched the JioFinance app with Finsider in February 2026.

The app was introduced under an early access programme and uses Agentic AI and Neural Networks for hyper-personalised financial services.

About Finsider App:

Personalised Recommendations:
The app uses AI to provide recommendations based on each user’s financial profile and needs.

Dynamic Interface:
The app adjusts the user interface for each individual.

Key Highlight:
No two users see the same homepage, as it reflects their eligibility and financial intent.

Comprehensive Marketplace:
The platform offers:

• Loans
• Credit cards
• Insurance
• UPI
• Fixed deposits
• Digital gold
• Investment products
• Mutual funds
• Tax planning services
• Digital savings account

Rewards:
Early users can transact and earn JioPoints, which can be redeemed against offered benefits.

Central Bank of India Partners with Canara Robeco AMC for Mutual Fund Products

The Central Bank of India signed a Distribution Agreement with Canara Robeco Asset Management Company Limited on February 7, 2026.

The agreement will allow the bank to offer a wide range of Mutual Fund products to its customers.

Aim:
The collaboration aims to enhance wealth creation opportunities for:

• Retail customers
• Institutional clients

Enhanced Access:
Central Bank of India will distribute Canara Robeco AMC’s mutual fund schemes through:

• Bank branch network
• Digital channels

Product Categories:

• Equity funds
• Debt funds
• Hybrid funds

Regulatory Disclosure:
The agreement was disclosed under SEBI Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements Regulations, 2015.

About Canara Robeco AMC:

Gnani.ai and Razorpay Launch Agentic AI Platform for In-Call UPI Payments

Indian AI firm Gnani.ai and fintech company Razorpay launched an Agentic AI-powered collections platform on February 27, 2026.

The platform can complete UPI payments during live customer calls.

Integrations:
The platform connects Gnani.ai’s agentic AI systems directly with Razorpay’s Model Context Protocol server, an AI-native layer linked with Razorpay’s payment infrastructure.

Key Functions:

• Assesses customer payment intent
• Generates payment link
• Generates UPI collect request
• Tracks payment status
• Confirms payment during the same call

Supported Payments:

• One-time UPI payments
• Mandate-based recurring UPI payments

Upcoming Features:

• Card payment options
• Digital wallet options

Additional Features:

• Multiple Indian language support
• Secure transactions
• Compliance-focused payment processing

Sri Lanka’s First Blue Bond Dually Listed on NSE IX at GIFT City

Sri Lanka’s first Blue Bond, issued by DFCC Bank PLC, was dually listed on the NSE International Exchange at GIFT City, Gandhinagar, Gujarat.

Bond Size:
Sri Lankan Rupee 3 billion

Key Highlight:
This is the first blue bond admitted for trading within India’s International Financial Services Centre jurisdiction.

Facilitating MoU:
The dual listing was enabled through an MoU signed between:

• NSE IX
• Colombo Stock Exchange

Objective:
The listing aims to strengthen cross-border capital market cooperation and promote innovative financial products.

About Blue Bonds:
Blue bonds are a subset of green bonds that raise funds for:

• Marine conservation
• Responsible fisheries management
• Ocean-based economic development
• Aquatic environmental protection projects

Sarvam Partners with SBI Life to Deploy AI Tools Across Insurance Network

Indian AI startup Sarvam entered into a strategic partnership with SBI Life Insurance Company Limited to deploy AI tools across its nationwide insurance distribution network.

Aim:
The initiative aims to strengthen customer engagement and sales support through large-scale AI deployment.

Sarvam Platforms Used:

• Samvaad – Conversational AI platform
• Arya – Multi-agent orchestration layer

Key Role:

Samvaad:
Manages customer-facing conversations.

Arya:
Coordinates multiple AI systems in the background to execute tasks and workflows using enterprise data.

Expected Reach:

• Over 8 crore customers
• More than 3.5 lakh distributors

Significance:
The partnership will bring AI-led transformation to insurance distribution and customer service at national scale.

Science & Technology

DRDO Conducts Flight Trials of VSHORADS Missile System in Odisha

The Defence Research and Development Organisation, under the Ministry of Defence, successfully conducted three consecutive flight trials of the indigenously developed Very Short-Range Air Defence System.

The trials were conducted from the Integrated Test Range, Chandipur, off the coast of Odisha, on February 27, 2026.

About VSHORADS:
VSHORADS is a man-portable air defence missile system designed to neutralise low-altitude aerial threats.

Threats It Can Counter:

• Fighter aircraft
• Helicopters
• Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
• Drones

Purpose of Trials:
The tests revalidated the missile system’s ability to destroy high-speed aerial targets at different:

• Speeds
• Ranges
• Altitudes

Users:
The system is designed to meet operational needs of:

• Indian Army
• Indian Navy
• Indian Air Force

Interception:
The missiles successfully intercepted and destroyed targets simulating enemy aircraft in all three trials.

Data Recording:
Flight data was captured using:

• Telemetry systems
• Electro-optical tracking systems
• Radars at ITR Chandipur

Alignment:
The programme supports the Government of India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat vision.

Indian Navy Commissions ‘Dolphin Hunter’ INS Anjadip at Chennai Port

The Indian Navy commissioned INS Anjadip, the third of eight indigenously built Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft, at Chennai Port, Tamil Nadu, on February 28, 2026.

The vessel is nicknamed the ‘Dolphin Hunter’.

The commissioning ceremony was conducted by Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi, Chief of the Naval Staff.

About INS Anjadip:

Name:
The ship is named after Anjadip Island off Karwar, Karnataka, in the Arabian Sea.

Project:
INS Anjadip is the third ASW SWC under the Indian Navy’s coastal defence enhancement programme.

Previous Ships:

• INS Arnala
• INS Androth

Builder:
The vessel was built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers, Kolkata.

Indigenous Content:
Over 80% indigenous content, reflecting the Atmanirbhar Bharat vision.

Specifications:

Role:
INS Anjadip will enhance India’s:

• Anti-submarine warfare capability
• Coastal surveillance
• Littoral operations
• Shallow-water response capability

Obituary

Padma Shri Awardee and Ghoda Nacha Artist Utsav Charan Das Passes Away

Renowned Ghoda Nacha artist and Padma Shri awardee Utsav Charan Das passed away on February 26, 2026, at the age of 80 in Cuttack, Odisha.

He was born in 1946 in Mania, Orissa Province, British India, now part of Odisha.

Award:
He was conferred the Padma Shri in 2020 for his contribution to the field of art.

About Utsav Charan Das:

Profile:
He was a renowned folk artist from Odisha known for preserving and promoting Ghoda Nacha, the traditional dummy horse dance form.

Career:
His artistic career spanned more than six decades.

Performance Style:
His performances were known for:

• Energetic stage presence
• Strong narrative expression
• Authentic traditional costume
• Musical coordination

Mentorship:
In 1964, he established an institution to train students in Ghoda Nacha.

Contribution:
He mentored several young artists and promoted the art form through:

• Workshops
• Cultural programmes
• Village performances
• State cultural festivals

Important Days

National Science Day 2026 – February 28

National Science Day is observed every year across India on February 28 to commemorate the discovery of the Raman Effect by Sir C. V. Raman in 1928.

2026 Observance:
February 28, 2026 marked the 40th National Science Day.

Theme 2026:
“Women in Science: Catalysing Viksit Bharat”

Background:

Recommendation:
In 1986, the National Council for Science and Technology Communication recommended that February 28 be designated as National Science Day.

First Observance:
The first National Science Day was officially celebrated on February 28, 1987.

Purpose:
The day promotes:

• Scientific awareness
• Scientific temper
• Innovation
• Research culture
• Public engagement with science

National Event:
The Department of Science and Technology, under the Ministry of Science and Technology, hosted the national celebration at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.

Key Features of Event:

• Lectures by eminent scientists
• Science-policy dialogue
• Session chaired by the Principal Scientific Adviser

Important Days at a Glance