February 2026 Current Affairs
Monthly GK Capsule · 420 facts · 404 MCQs
📌Key Facts & One-Liners
Union Cabinet approved the Urban Challenge Fund (UCF) with Rs 1 lakh crore central assistance, operational from FY26 to FY31 with extendable implementation period up to FY34.
GovernmentUnder the Urban Challenge Fund (UCF), Central Assistance will cover 25% of the project cost, with a minimum 50% to be mobilised from market sources like municipal bonds, bank loans, and PPPs.
GovernmentUnion Cabinet approved the Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0 (FoF 2.0) with a total budget outlay of Rs 10,000 crore to mobilise venture capital for India's startup ecosystem.
GovernmentThe Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved three railway multitracking projects worth about Rs 18,509 crore, covering approximately 389 km across Delhi, Haryana, Maharashtra, and Karnataka.
GovernmentCCEA approved highway projects worth more than Rs 11,000 crore in Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Telangana in February 2026.
GovernmentCCEA approved India's first underwater twin-tube road-cum-rail tunnel project under the Brahmaputra river in Assam at an estimated cost of Rs 18,662 crore.
GovernmentUnion Cabinet approved the proposal to officially rename the state of 'Kerala' as 'Keralam' on February 25, 2026.
GovernmentThe Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 is being processed under Article 3 of the Constitution, requiring Presidential reference, simple majority in both Houses of Parliament, and Presidential assent.
GovernmentCCEA fixed the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Raw Jute (TD-3 grade, Fair quality) at Rs 5,925 per quintal for the 2026–27 marketing season.
GovernmentUnion Cabinet approved extension of the metro corridor from GIFT City to Shahpur, spanning 3.33 km with three elevated stations at an estimated cost of Rs 1,067.35 crore.
GovernmentCCEA approved development of a Civil Enclave at Srinagar International Airport, Budgam Airbase, Jammu & Kashmir at an estimated cost of Rs 1,677 crore.
GovernmentAndhra Pradesh CM N. Chandrababu Naidu launched 'Pilloo AI', a voice-enabled billing and accounting agent for MSMEs, at the AP Secretariat in Amaravati.
GovernmentWaaree Energies announced plans to establish India's largest integrated lithium-ion battery gigafactory at Rambilli, Anakapalli district, Andhra Pradesh, with investment of ~Rs 8,175 crore and capacity of 16 GWh.
GovernmentAssam FM Ajanta Neog presented a Rs 62,294.78 crore interim budget for FY27 as a vote-on-account in the state legislative assembly in Dispur.
GovernmentAssam's state economy is projected to become a Rs 10 lakh crore economy by 2028, as announced during the FY27 interim budget presentation.
GovernmentLok Sabha Speaker Om Birla launched the National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA) at the Bihar legislative assembly's Central Hall in Patna, coinciding with the Assembly's 105th Foundation Day.
GovernmentNeVA is a cloud-based digital platform developed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC) under the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY).
GovernmentBihar Cabinet approved the construction of a Greenfield International Airport in Sonpur, Saran district, which will become India's 24th Greenfield airport.
GovernmentChhattisgarh FM O.P. Chaudhary presented a Rs 1,72,000 crore budget for FY27, with focus on Bastar development, education, and industry.
GovernmentDelhi Government launched a unique 14-digit identification number system for every land parcel in the National Capital Territory.
GovernmentKerala signed MoUs worth Rs 2,000 crore with Central PSUs for the Vizhinjam International Seaport in Thiruvananthapuram district.
GovernmentIn January 2026, the National Statistical Office (NSO) under MoSPI announced plans to conduct India's first-ever National Household Income Survey.
GovernmentIndia's first National Biobank for Lysosomal Storage Disorders (LSDs) was launched in Ahmedabad, Gujarat in February 2026.
GovernmentFM Nirmala Sitharaman launched the second phase of the National Monetisation Pipeline 2.0 in New Delhi, formulated by NITI Aayog.
GovernmentPM Narendra Modi inaugurated the 'Seva Teerth Complex' in New Delhi on February 13, 2026, marking the first relocation of the PMO since India's Independence.
GovernmentThe Seva Teerth Complex houses the PMO (Seva Teerth-1), the National Security Council Secretariat (Seva Teerth-2), and the Cabinet Secretariat (Seva Teerth-3).
GovernmentUnion Minister Jitin Prasada inaugurated the Standardisation Testing and Quality Certification (STQC) Lab Automation Portal 'SATYA' in New Delhi, developed with support from C-DAC under MeitY.
GovernmentPresident Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the Centenary Celebrations of the Ol Chiki script in New Delhi on February 16, 2026, marking 100 years since its creation.
GovernmentUnion Minister Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated the VOC Maritime Heritage Museum at V.O. Chidambaranar Port in Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu, dedicated to India's maritime history.
GovernmentOdisha partnered with BonV Aero at Wings India 2026 to establish India's first National UAV Test & Innovation Corridor at Rangeilunda Airport, Ganjam district.
GovernmentThe Ministry of Home Affairs made a minimum two-year Central Deputation experience mandatory for IPS officers at SP and DIG ranks to be eligible for IGP posting with the Union Government.
GovernmentGovernment of India withdrew the 18% Central Excise Duty on unmanufactured tobacco (without brand name, not packed for retail) effective February 1, 2026.
GovernmentNSO under MoSPI proposed a comprehensive Survey on Migration across India from July 2026 to June 2027 to generate updated migration data.
GovernmentAs per PLFS 2020-21, India's overall migration rate was 28.9%, with 10.7% for males and 47.9% for females; marriage accounted for 86.8% of female migration.
GovernmentUnion Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the completion of the 2nd Mountain Tunnel (MT-6) of the Mumbai–Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) project in Palghar, Maharashtra.
GovernmentMHA released India's first National Counter-terrorism Policy & Strategy named 'PRAHAAR' in February 2026.
GovernmentMoMSME upgraded the National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC) to 'Schedule A' CPSE status in February 2026.
GovernmentNHAI announced plans to develop India's first pollinator or 'Bee Corridors' along National Highways as part of its sustainable infrastructure programme.
GovernmentBihar Assembly celebrated its 105th Foundation Day during the NeVA launch event in February 2026.
GovernmentUnion Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the Mountain Fire Control Radar and BEL's AI Policy at Bharat Electronics Limited in Bengaluru, Karnataka on February 16, 2026.
GovernmentRajnath Singh remotely inaugurated the Centre of Excellence for AI (CoE-AI) in Pune, Maharashtra in February 2026.
GovernmentICG DG Paramesh Sivamani inaugurated India's first Waterjet Production & Testing Facility of M/s Marine Jet Power in Goa, making India the world's 3rd country to host such a facility after USA and South Korea.
GovernmentPM Modi flagged off the Meerut Metro and the 82 km Delhi–Meerut Namo Bharat Corridor, India's first Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS), on February 22, 2026.
GovernmentThe Meerut Metro operates between Meerut South and Modipuram across 12 stations over 21 km, with maximum operational speed of ~120 kmph — India's fastest metro system.
GovernmentMHA issued formal guidelines on the protocol for rendering India's National Song 'Vande Mataram' at government and public functions.
GovernmentPer the MHA guidelines, whenever both 'Vande Mataram' and 'Jana Gana Mana' are performed, protocols are specified for their order and decorum.
GovernmentNITI Aayog's Frontier Hub released a 10-year strategic roadmap in February 2026.
GovernmentThe Ministry of Road Transport developed the Road Asset Management System (RAMS) for dust-free and sustainable urban roads in the National Capital Region.
GovernmentESIC marked a significant milestone in its journey since its inception in 1952, as highlighted by MYAS observances in February 2026.
GovernmentISRO identified Mons Mouton-4 as the prospective landing site for the Chandrayaan-4 mission — India's first lunar sample-return mission — near the Moon's south pole.
GovernmentIn February 2026, MoS&T launched the 'India-Netherlands Hydrogen Fellowship' programme to foster green hydrogen research cooperation between the two countries.
GovernmentMoS&T launched a Rs 2,000 crore National Call for the Biotechnology sector in February 2026.
GovernmentAn Inland Waterways expedition team was formally flagged off by Union Minister Rajnath Singh in February 2026, with collaboration of the Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering and Winter Sports (JIM&WS).
GovernmentCSIR–National Institute of Oceanography inaugurated its Shore-Based Laboratory under MoS&T and Ministry of Earth Sciences in February 2026.
GovernmentUnion Minister Rajnath Singh approved Miniratna Category-I status for Yantra India Limited (YIL), a Defence Public Sector Undertaking, on February 2, 2026.
GovernmentA new Missile Integration Facility was inaugurated at BEL Bengaluru, along with the flagging off of Akash 3rd and 4th Regiment Combat Systems by Rajnath Singh.
GovernmentThe Hapania International Exhibition Center was inaugurated in Agartala, Tripura in February 2026 under a NITI Aayog State Support Mission programme.
GovernmentThe Bihar Greenfield Airport in Sonpur is part of 35 key proposals including major infrastructure and flood-control projects approved by the Nitish Kumar-led state cabinet.
GovernmentThe upgradation of NH-160A (Ghoti-Trimbak-Jawhar-Manor-Palghar section) and NH-56 in Maharashtra was approved under the Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM) at Rs 4,583.64 crore.
GovernmentWidening of the 80.01 km NH-167 stretch from Gudebellur to Mahbubnagar to 4-lane standards was approved for Telangana.
GovernmentIn February 2026, a new complex will house the PMO, NSCS, and Cabinet Secretariat together for the first time since Independence.
GovernmentPOWERGRID received enhanced delegation under the Department of Public Enterprises, MoF, under the Maharatna CPSE guidelines.
GovernmentThe GIFT City to Shahpur metro extension has a project completion timeline of approximately four years.
GovernmentGovernment of India supported the Ayushman Bharat-related cancer initiatives with the release of India's first nationally developed evidence-based cancer guideline 'Lung Cancer Treatment and Palliation' at Kartavya Bhavan, New Delhi on January 3, 2026.
GovernmentRekha Gupta, Chief Minister of Delhi, launched the 'CM Jansunwai Portal' and mobile application for public grievance redressal in February 2026.
GovernmentTeacher App 2.0, powered by AI, was launched by Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, developed by Bharti Airtel Foundation with the California-based CK-12 Foundation.
GovernmentTeacher App 2.0 aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and Viksit Bharat @2047 vision, accelerating AI adoption in India's K–12 ecosystem.
GovernmentAssam launched a centralised provincialization portal for venture schools and colleges at Sewa Bhawan in Guwahati in February 2026.
GovernmentIn January 2026, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) operates under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
GovernmentDefence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Rajnath Singh, approved a proposal worth Rs 3.25 lakh crore (~USD 40 billion) for 114 additional Rafale fighter jets from France.
GovernmentWith the DAC approval for 114 additional Rafale jets, India's total Rafale fleet will grow to 176 aircraft, including the 36 already with IAF and 26 Rafale-M jets for the Indian Navy.
GovernmentRBI conducted its 59th and 6th Bi-monthly Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting of FY26 from February 4 to 6, 2026 under the chairmanship of Governor Sanjay Malhotra.
BankingRBI's 6th Bi-monthly Monetary Policy FY26 kept the Repo Rate at 5.25%, Reverse Repo Rate at 3.35%, and SDF at 5.00%.
BankingRBI's Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) rate and Bank Rate were both kept at 5.50% in the 6th Bi-monthly Monetary Policy FY26.
BankingRBI's Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) was maintained at 3.00% and the Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR) at 18.00% in February 2026.
BankingRBI imposed a compounding fee of Rs 18.76 lakh on One 97 Communications (Paytm's parent) for FEMA violations related to foreign investment in Little Internet Private Limited.
BankingRBI imposed monetary penalties totalling Rs 1.35 crore on five financial institutions including CSB Bank, Bank of Maharashtra, DCB Bank, IIFL Finance, and Navi Finserv for non-compliance.
BankingRBI imposed a Rs 63.60 lakh penalty on CSB Bank for non-compliance with directions on Business Correspondents and Customer Service in Banks.
BankingBank of Maharashtra was penalised Rs 32.50 lakh by RBI for non-compliance with credit information reporting directions.
BankingOn February 16, 2026, RBI granted regulatory authorisation to In-Solutions Global (ISG) to operate as a Payment Aggregator in PA-O, PA-P, and PA-CB categories.
BankingOn February 17, 2026, Airtel Money received a Certificate of Registration from RBI to operate as a Type II Non-Deposit Taking NBFC-ICC.
BankingRBI mandated a Unique Transaction Identifier (UTI) for Over-The-Counter (OTC) Derivatives from January 1, 2027.
BankingRBI approved the appointment of Vinay Muralidhar Tonse as Managing Director and CEO of YES Bank for a three-year term on February 3, 2026.
BankingRBI approved the appointment of R. Vijay Anandh as the new MD and CEO of City Union Bank Limited (CUB) in February 2026.
BankingPB Pay Private Limited (subsidiary of PB Fintech) received a Certificate of Authorisation from RBI to operate as a Payment Aggregator in February 2026.
BankingEximPe, a Singapore-headquartered fintech, secured final RBI Payment Aggregator-Cross Border (PA-CB) authorisation in February 2026.
BankingASK Asset & Wealth Management received SEBI approval to launch Mutual Fund business, becoming the 52nd fund house to join India's MF industry.
BankingIndia's Mutual Fund industry registered Assets Under Management (AUM) of Rs 81 lakh crore as of January 31, 2026.
BankingGIFT City signed an MoU with Arun Jaitley National Institute of Financial Management (AJNIFM), Faridabad, to strengthen FinTech and International Finance talent for IFSC.
BankingRBI granted approval to American private equity firm Blackstone to acquire up to 9.99% stake in Federal Bank Limited.
BankingICICI Prudential AMC and group entities of ICICI Bank received RBI approval to acquire up to 9.95% of paid-up share capital in eight banks.
BankingThe MPC members who attended RBI's 6th Bi-monthly meeting FY26 included Dr Nagesh Kumar, Saugata Bhattacharya, Prof Ram Singh, Dr Poonam Gupta, and Indranil Bhattacharyya.
BankingDCB Bank was penalised Rs 29.60 lakh by RBI for failure to maintain the required Loan-To-Value (LTV) ratio in certain gold loan accounts.
BankingIIFL Finance was penalised Rs 5.30 lakh by RBI for non-compliance with directions on asset classification.
BankingNavi Finserv Limited was penalised Rs 3.80 lakh by RBI for non-compliance with directions on Recovery Agents.
BankingPaytm's parent One 97 Communications faced FEMA compounding action for investments of ~Rs 33 crore made by Little Internet Singapore into Little Internet Private Limited during March 2016 to June 2017.
BankingThe Reserve Bank of India was established on April 1, 1935, based on the Hilton Young Commission's recommendations, and its headquarters is in Mumbai.
BankingSEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India) was established as a statutory body on April 12, 1992, headquartered in Mumbai.
BankingPayment Aggregators in India are regulated by RBI under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act (PSSA), 2007.
BankingIndia's Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) came into force in June 2000, replacing the earlier Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA) of 1973.
BankingBharti Airtel's subsidiary Airtel Money joined the NBFC-ICC category regulated by RBI, which covers Investment and Credit Companies.
BankingYES Bank, headquartered in Mumbai, was founded in 2004 by Rana Kapoor and Ashok Kapur and is listed on both NSE and BSE.
BankingCity Union Bank Limited (CUB), recognised as one of India's oldest private sector banks, was founded in 1904 in Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu.
BankingFederal Bank, headquartered in Aluva, Kerala, was founded in 1931 as Travancore Federal Bank Limited.
BankingThe Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflow to India includes equity inflow, equity capital of unincorporated bodies, re-invested earnings, and other capital.
BankingIn February 2026, the RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra chaired the MPC meeting, which is constituted under Section 45ZB of the RBI Act, 1934.
BankingIndia's Unified Payments Interface (UPI) accounted for 57% of total payment transactions, exceeding cash transactions at 38%, as per February 2026 assessment.
BankingMoody's Ratings projected India's real GDP growth at 6.4% in FY27, driven by robust domestic consumption and stable banking system.
EconomyMoody's projected India as the fastest-growing economy among G20 nations, with system-wide loan growth increasing to 11-13% in FY27 from 10.6% in FY26.
EconomyMoody's forecasted India's banking system loan-deposit ratio to remain around 80% in FY27.
EconomyIndia's Credit Rating Agency ICRA projected India's GDP growth to ease to around 7.2% in Q3 FY26 (Oct-Dec 2025), down from 8.2% in Q2 FY26.
EconomyICRA forecast India's services sector growth to slow to around 7.8% in Q3 FY26, from 9.2% in Q2 FY26.
EconomyICRA projected India's agriculture growth to decline to about 3% in Q3 FY26 from 3.5% in Q2 FY26.
EconomyICRA projected India's industrial activity to rise to around 8.3% in Q3 FY26, the highest in six quarters.
EconomyThe Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics (DGCI&S) under Ministry of Commerce & Industry revised the base year of India's merchandise trade indices from 2012-13 to 2022-23.
EconomyWalmart Inc became the world's first retail company to reach a market capitalisation of USD 1 trillion in January 2026.
EconomyOther global companies with market capitalisation above USD 1 trillion include Nvidia, Alphabet, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Meta, TSMC, Tesla, and Broadcom.
EconomyAdani Defence & Aerospace signed an MoU with Italian firm Leonardo for helicopter manufacturing in India.
EconomyIOCL signed a Letter of Intent with Akasa Air to jointly explore Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) supply during Wings India 2026 in Hyderabad.
EconomyMCA approved two composite schemes for the merger of 17 wholly-owned subsidiaries of POWERGRID into two other wholly-owned subsidiaries, effective from April 1, 2024.
EconomyFrance's CMA CGM signed a USD 360 million deal with Cochin Shipyard Limited to purchase six 1,700 TEU LNG-fuelled feeder container vessels.
EconomyCochin Shipyard Limited's unexecuted order book increased to around Rs 23,000 crore after the CMA CGM deal, marking the first-ever 'Made in India' container ship order from a global shipping major.
EconomyMoD signed a Rs 2,312 crore contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for procurement of 8 Dornier 228 Aircraft with Operational Role Equipment for the Indian Coast Guard.
EconomyIndia's Ministry of Power announced India added a record 52,537 MW of power generation capacity in the first 10 months of FY26, surpassing the previous record of 34,054 MW in FY25.
EconomyIndia's FY26 power capacity addition reflects over 11% growth in total installed capacity, with solar contributing 34,955 MW out of 39,657 MW renewable additions.
EconomyLula, President of Brazil, set a target to expand India-Brazil bilateral trade to USD 30 billion by 2030 from the current USD 15.21 billion.
EconomyIndia maintains a bilateral trade surplus of about USD 1.5 billion with Brazil as of February 2026.
EconomyPOWERGRID Corporation of India received enhanced delegation under Maharatna CPSE guidelines from CCEA in February 2026.
EconomyMoC&I (Ministry of Commerce & Industry) revised India's merchandise trade indices base year to enhance relevance, reliability, and analytical usefulness for policy-makers.
EconomyIndia's updated merchandise trade indices feature monthly, quarterly, and annual indices as per the 2026 revision by DGCI&S.
EconomyIndia was chairing the BRICS Summit in 2026 for the 4th time, having previously chaired in 2012, 2016, and 2021.
EconomyIndia's BRICS 2026 Chairship theme is 'Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation, and Sustainability'.
EconomyThe Sagar Defence Engineering Private Limited successfully delivered the first two Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs) to the Indian Navy, marking its maiden batch delivery.
EconomyThe new interceptor USVs are built with over 70% indigenous content and are equipped with a 12.7mm gun and short-range missile provisions.
EconomyMinistry of Power announced India strengthened energy security and accelerated clean energy transition through record 52,537 MW capacity addition in FY26.
EconomyDirectorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics (DGCI&S) is headquartered in Kolkata and operates under MoC&I.
EconomyG20 (Group of Twenty), referenced by Moody's projections on India, comprises 19 countries and the European Union, accounting for approximately 85% of global GDP.
EconomyMoody's Investors Service, headquartered in New York, is one of the Big Three credit rating agencies along with S&P Global and Fitch Ratings.
EconomyICRA Limited, formerly Investment Information and Credit Rating Agency of India Limited, is headquartered in Gurugram, Haryana.
EconomySustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is a biofuel used to power aircraft, produced from renewable sources like waste oils, agricultural residues, or municipal solid waste.
EconomyThe Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID), a Maharatna CPSE, was established in 1989 and is India's largest power transmission utility.
EconomyCochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) is a Miniratna PSU under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, located in Kochi, Kerala.
EconomyEmmanuel Macron, President of France, undertook a State visit to India from February 18 to 19, 2026, marking his 4th visit to India.
InternationalPM Modi and French President Macron virtually inaugurated the final assembly line of H-125 helicopters, jointly developed by Tata Advanced Systems Limited and Airbus at Vemagal, Karnataka.
InternationalRajnath Singh and his French counterpart Catherin Vautrin co-chaired the 6th India-France Annual Defence Dialogue held in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
InternationalBrazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva undertook a State visit to India from February 18 to 22, 2026, on PM Modi's invitation.
InternationalPresident Lula participated in the 2nd India AI Impact Summit 2026 and held bilateral meetings in New Delhi during his February 2026 visit.
InternationalPresident Droupadi Murmu received Brazilian President Lula at Rashtrapati Bhavan on February 21, 2026, hosting a state banquet in his honour.
InternationalDr. S. Jaishankar undertook a three-day visit to the USA from February 2 to 4, 2026, to participate in the Critical Minerals Ministerial Meeting in Washington, D.C.
InternationalDr. Jaishankar held a bilateral meeting with Marco Rubio, Secretary of USA, at the US State Department on February 3, 2026.
InternationalIndia announced support for FORGE (Forum on Resource, Geostrategic Engagement), a global initiative on critical minerals supply chains, to be chaired by Republic of Korea until June 2026.
InternationalPM Modi was on a two-day official visit to Malaysia from February 7 to 8, 2026, on the invitation of PM Anwar Ibrahim.
InternationalPM Modi attended the 10th India-Malaysia CEO Forum held in Kuala Lumpur during his February 2026 visit.
InternationalIndia and Malaysia signed MoUs during Modi's February 2026 visit covering AV co-production, disaster management, anti-corruption, UN peacekeeping, semiconductors, wildlife conservation, social security, vocational education, security, and health.
InternationalThe 2nd India AI Impact Summit 2026 commenced on February 16, 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi — the first major AI event hosted in the Global South.
InternationalThe 2nd India AI Impact Summit was organised by MeitY in collaboration with NASSCOM, NITI Aayog, and academic institutions, guided by three foundational Sutras: People, Planet and Progress.
InternationalPM Modi unveiled the 'MANAV (Human in Hindi) framework' during the inaugural ceremony of the 2nd India AI Impact Summit 2026.
InternationalEmmanuel Macron and António Manuel de Oliveira Costa (Portugal President) participated as co-chairs alongside PM Modi at the 2nd India AI Impact Summit.
InternationalThe USA-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) was announced as Official Partner of the India AI Impact Summit 2026.
InternationalGovernment of India hosted the 2nd India-Arab Foreign Ministers' Meeting (IAFMM) in New Delhi on January 31, 2026, 10 years after the inaugural session in Bahrain in 2016.
InternationalThe 2nd India-Arab Foreign Ministers' Meeting was co-chaired by Dr. S. Jaishankar and Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar, Minister of State of the UAE.
InternationalThe 1st BRICS Sherpas' and Sous Sherpas meeting was hosted by India from February 9–10, 2026 in New Delhi under the theme 'Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation, and Sustainability'.
InternationalDRDO successfully conducted a flight demonstration of the Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) technology at the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur, off the coast of Odisha.
DefenceSFDR is an advanced ramjet-based propulsion system using atmospheric air for combustion to provide sustained thrust at supersonic speeds throughout missile flight.
DefenceOn February 6, 2026, India successfully test-fired the Agni-3 missile, an Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM), from ITR Chandipur, Odisha under Strategic Forces Command.
DefenceAgni-3 missile has dimensions of 16.7 metres length, 2 metres diameter, launch weight 48,300 kg, and range of 3,000–3,500 km.
DefenceDRDO successfully conducted a qualification-level load test of the drogue parachute for Gaganyaan at the Rail Track Rocket Sled facility at TBRL, Chandigarh.
DefenceThe Indian Army's Konark Corps successfully conducted a high-intensity test firing of the Strela-10 Very Short Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS) at Pokhran, Rajasthan.
DefenceThe 7th edition of Exercise DHARMA GUARDIAN, the annual joint military exercise between India and Japan, began on February 24, 2026 at Foreign Training Node, Chaubattia, Uttarakhand.
DefenceIndian Navy assumed command of Combined Task Force 154 (CTF-154) in Bahrain for the first time under the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF).
DefenceVice Admiral Tarun Sobti, Deputy Chief of Naval Staff, represented the Indian Navy at the CTF-154 command ceremony in Manama, Bahrain.
DefenceMilind M. Mokashi, Shaurya Chakra, formally took charge as Commander of CTF-154 from outgoing Italian Navy Commodore Andrea Bielli.
DefenceIndian Navy hosted three major international engagements at Visakhapatnam — Exercise MILAN 2026, International Fleet Review (IFR) 2026, and IONS Conclave of Navy Chiefs — from February 15–25, 2026.
DefenceThe 13th edition of Exercise MILAN 2026 was inaugurated by Rajnath Singh at Visakhapatnam, AP, conducted from February 19–25, 2026 in the Bay of Bengal under the theme 'Camaraderie, Cooperation, Collaboration'.
DefenceThe International Fleet Review (IFR) 2026 was held on February 18, 2026, off Visakhapatnam under the theme 'United through Oceans', presided over by President Droupadi Murmu, Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.
DefenceThe first indigenously designed Cadet Training Ship 'Krishna (Yard 18003)' of the Indian Navy was launched at Larsen & Toubro Shipbuilding facility at Kattupalli, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
DefenceINS Krishna, launched at L&T Kattupalli, is named after River Krishna, India's 3rd longest river.
DefenceAgneevasthraa, a domestic manufacturer, signed an MoU with the Indian Army on February 11, 2026 to supply advanced carbon fabrics and composite materials for defence applications.
DefenceSagar Defence Engineering delivered its maiden batch of 2 Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs) to the Indian Navy in February 2026, built with over 70% indigenous content.
DefenceDAC also approved procurement of 6 additional Boeing P-8I maritime patrol aircraft for the Indian Navy along with the 114 Rafale deal.
DefenceThe MoD-HAL contract worth Rs 2,312 crore for 8 Dornier 228 aircraft aims to boost the Indian Coast Guard's air fleet from 80 to 100 by 2030.
DefenceThe Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) AI Policy launched in Bengaluru focuses on embedding AI into real-time decision-making systems and supporting autonomous/semi-autonomous defence platforms.
DefenceMountain Fire Control Radar, unveiled at BEL Bengaluru, is a new radar system designed to operate in mountainous and high-altitude environments.
DefenceDefence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) developed the Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) technology under DRDO.
DefenceVikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) of ISRO and Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE) of DRDO collaborated with TBRL on the Gaganyaan drogue parachute test.
DefenceThe Integrated Fire and Manoeuvre Exercise was led by the Indian Army's Southern Command in February 2026.
DefenceThe upcoming delivery of 8 Dornier 228 aircraft for Indian Coast Guard was signed under the Buy (Indian) category in the presence of Rajesh Kumar Singh, Secretary MoD.
DefenceSunetra Pawar was sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra on January 31, 2026, becoming the first woman to hold the post in the state's history.
AppointmentsYumnam Khemchand Singh took oath as the new Chief Minister of Manipur on February 4, 2026, nearly a year after President's rule was imposed.
AppointmentsBJP's Nemcha Kipgen became the first woman to hold the Deputy CM post in Manipur in February 2026.
AppointmentsLosii Dikho, from the Naga People's Front, also took oath as Deputy CM of Manipur in February 2026.
AppointmentsPresident's Rule was imposed in Manipur under Article 356 of the Constitution on February 13, 2025, following N. Biren Singh's resignation.
AppointmentsVinay Muralidhar Tonse was approved by RBI as the new Managing Director and CEO of YES Bank for a term of three years, effective after Prashant Kumar's tenure ends in April 2026.
AppointmentsR. Vijay Anandh was approved by RBI as the new MD and CEO of City Union Bank Limited (CUB) in February 2026.
AppointmentsThe Oath of office for Sunetra Pawar was administered by Maharashtra Governor Acharya Devvrat at Raj Bhavan, Mumbai.
AppointmentsAjay Sawhney, Former Secretary MeitY, heads the high-level committee constituted in February 2026 to harmonise the regulatory framework of DigiLocker.
AppointmentsSanjay Malhotra continues as the 26th Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, chairing the 59th MPC meeting held in February 2026.
AppointmentsParamesh Sivamani, serving as Director General of the Indian Coast Guard, inaugurated India's first Waterjet Production & Testing Facility in Goa.
AppointmentsCurt A. Renshaw, Commander of the Combined Maritime Forces and US Fifth Fleet, presided over the Indian Navy's assumption of CTF-154 command in Bahrain.
AppointmentsAnupama Chauhan, President of Defence Wives Welfare Association (DWWA), launched the first indigenous Cadet Training Ship 'Krishna' at L&T Kattupalli.
AppointmentsGeneral Anil Chauhan, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), was present at the launch of India's first indigenous Cadet Training Ship.
AppointmentsB.V.R. Subrahmanyam continues as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NITI Aayog in February 2026.
AppointmentsGajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister of Culture & Tourism, signed the MoU between Ministry of Culture and FICCI for India's Cultural and Creative Economy strategy.
AppointmentsRekha Gupta, Chief Minister of Delhi, launched the 'CM Jansunwai Portal' in February 2026 for public grievance redressal.
AppointmentsDharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister of Education, launched Teacher App 2.0 powered by AI in February 2026.
AppointmentsBhupender Yadav, Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, announced the designation of Patna Bird Sanctuary and Chhari-Dhand as India's 97th and 98th Ramsar sites on January 30, 2026.
AppointmentsJagat Prakash Nadda, Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare, released India's first evidence-based cancer guideline 'Lung Cancer Treatment and Palliation' at Kartavya Bhavan on January 3, 2026.
AppointmentsAshwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister of Railways and MeitY, announced the completion of tunneling work of 2nd Mountain Tunnel (MT-6) of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail project.
AppointmentsJitin Prasada, Union Minister of State for MeitY and MoC&I, inaugurated the STQC Lab Automation Portal 'SATYA' in New Delhi.
AppointmentsSarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, laid foundation stones for projects worth over Rs 1,500 crore at V.O. Chidambaranar Port, Tuticorin.
AppointmentsRao Inderjit Singh, Union MoS (Independent Charge) of MoSPI, announced NSO's plans to conduct India's first National Household Income Survey.
AppointmentsAjanta Neog presented Assam's Rs 62,294.78 crore interim budget for FY27 in the state legislative assembly as Finance Minister.
AppointmentsOm Prakash (O.P.) Chaudhary, Finance Minister of Chhattisgarh, presented the Rs 1,72,000 crore budget for FY27 focusing on Bastar development.
AppointmentsPatna Bird Sanctuary in Etah, Uttar Pradesh and Chhari-Dhand in Kutch, Gujarat were designated as India's 97th and 98th Ramsar sites on January 30, 2026.
AwardsIndia's total Ramsar sites grew to 98 following the designation of Patna Bird Sanctuary and Chhari-Dhand in January 2026.
AwardsSAIL earned 'Great Place to Work' certification for the third consecutive year, covering the period February 2026 to February 2027.
AwardsAt the 68th Grammy Awards 2026 on February 1, the 14th Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso won his first Grammy in the Best Audio Book, Narration, and Storytelling Recording category for 'Meditations: The Reflections of His Holiness the Dalai Lama'.
AwardsAt the 68th Grammy Awards 2026, the track 'Golden' from KPop Demon Hunters won Best Song Written for Visual Media — the first Grammy win for a Korean Pop act.
AwardsAt the 68th Grammy Awards 2026, Bad Bunny won the Album of the Year award.
AwardsThe 68th Grammy Awards 2026 ceremony was held at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, USA.
AwardsSinger-songwriter Rufus Wainwright accepted the Grammy Award on behalf of the Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso in February 2026.
AwardsArunachal Pradesh mountaineer Kabak Yano, aged 27, summited Mount Aconcagua in Argentina — the highest peak in South America at 6,959 metres — as part of her 7-Summit Mountaineering Expedition.
AwardsKabak Yano, from Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh, became the first woman from the Nyishi community and the fifth woman climber from AR to summit Mount Aconcagua.
AwardsHMG Stones LLP achieved ISO 9001:2015 certification for its Quality Management System and 5S Gold Grade certification, becoming the first natural stone company in India to secure both simultaneously.
AwardsUnion Minister Rajnath Singh felicitated distinguished individuals with the inaugural Bhavya Bharat Bhushan Award 2026 at the Isha Yoga Centre, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu during Mahashivaratri celebrations.
AwardsThe Bhavya Bharat Bhushan Award was launched in 2026 by the Isha Foundation under Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev as a national-level annual honour.
AwardsNambi Narayanan and A.S. Kiran Kumar were honoured for Science & Technology at the Bhavya Bharat Bhushan Award 2026.
AwardsAlarmel Valli and N. Rajam were honoured for Arts at the Bhavya Bharat Bhushan Award 2026 for their contributions to classical dance and music.
AwardsVikram Sampath received the Bhavya Bharat Bhushan Award 2026 in the Literature category for his books on India's history.
AwardsSaina Nehwal received the Bhavya Bharat Bhushan Award 2026 in the Sports category for winning an Olympic medal in badminton.
AwardsThe Indian Armed Forces were honoured with the Bhavya Bharat Bhushan Award 2026 for service during Operation Sindoor.
AwardsIndia's Vasai Cathedral (Our Lady of Grace Cathedral), Maharashtra, received the Award of Merit at the 2025 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation — the only religious site from India to be recognised.
AwardsThe 2025 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation were announced at Bangkok, Thailand during the 25th anniversary ceremony, recognising ten projects from six countries.
AwardsMangaluru International Airport (MIA), Karnataka, won the 2025 Airports Service Quality (ASQ) Customer Experience Award in the 'Best Airport at Arrivals' category for the second consecutive year.
AwardsIndian airports recognised at 2025 ASQ Customer Experience Awards for 'Best Airport at Arrivals' included Mangaluru, Chaudhary Charan Singh (Lucknow), Rajiv Gandhi (Hyderabad), and Kempegowda (Bengaluru).
AwardsChhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai, and Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, were recognised for 'Best Airport at Departures' in the over 40 million passengers/year category at 2025 ASQ Awards.
AwardsAt the F1 Chinese GP 2026, Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) finished 1st, George Russell 2nd, and Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) 3rd.
SportsAt the F1 Japanese GP 2026 (Suzuka), Kimi Antonelli (72 pts) led the championship with George Russell (63 pts) 2nd and Charles Leclerc (49 pts) 3rd.
SportsIndian Coast Guard celebrated its 50th Raising Day on February 1, 2026.
SportsExercise MILAN 2026, hosted by Indian Navy at Visakhapatnam in Bay of Bengal from February 19–25, 2026, was the 13th edition of this biennial multilateral naval exercise.
SportsThe Indian Navy's International Fleet Review (IFR) 2026 held off Visakhapatnam on February 18, 2026 was themed 'United through Oceans'.
SportsSafeena Husain, non-profit 'Educate Girls' founder, was named among TIME Women of the Year 2026.
SportsJessie Buckley won Best Actress Oscar for 'Hamnet', becoming the first Irish actress to receive this honour.
SportsCassandra Kulukundis won the inaugural 'Achievement in Casting' Oscar for 'One Battle After Another'.
SportsIndia won 208 medals at a major international multi-sport meet — 75 Gold, 69 Silver, and 64 Bronze.
SportsCLI (world's first franchise-based road cycling league) had its logo launched by Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya in February 2026.
SportsPM Vishwakarma Yojana covers 18 traditional artisan and craftsperson trades including carpenter, boat maker, blacksmith, goldsmith, potter, sculptor, and others.
SportsGujarat became the 2nd state after Uttarakhand to pass the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill — 'Gujarat Uniform Civil Code, 2026' — under CM Bhupendra Patel.
SportsPresident Droupadi Murmu received France President Emmanuel Macron at Rashtrapati Bhavan on February 19, 2026 during his State visit to India.
SportsRajasthan became the largest wool producer in India with 16,013.50 thousand kilograms, accounting for nearly 47.5% of national output in February 2026.
RankingsJammu and Kashmir secured second place in wool production in India with 7,770 thousand kg, followed by Karnataka (3rd rank) with 6,472 thousand kg.
RankingsIndia's total wool production in Financial Year 2023-24 (FY24) was about 33.69 million kg.
RankingsEwes contributed about 71.13% of India's wool production, while rams and wethers accounted for around 14.54% and lambs contributed approximately 14.33%.
RankingsThe 3rd edition of the States' Electricity Transition (SET) Report was released in February 2026 by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) and Ember.
RankingsIn the SET Report 2026, Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, and Kerala emerged as the top three states in Decarbonisation.
RankingsIn the SET Report 2026, Delhi, Haryana, and Chhattisgarh led in Power Ecosystem Readiness & Performance.
RankingsIn the SET Report 2026, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan led in Market Enablers for electric vehicles and green hydrogen development.
RankingsThe World Bank Group released the 11th edition of 'Women, Business and the Law 2026: Benchmarking Laws for Jobs and Inclusive Growth' in February 2026.
RankingsThe Women, Business and the Law 2026 report revealed that laws providing equal economic opportunities for women are only half-enforced globally on average.
RankingsThe WBL 2026 report noted that even with full enforcement, women would access only 2/3rd (66.66%) of the legal rights of men.
RankingsThe Women, Business and the Law 2026 report assesses how laws, regulations, and policies shape women's economic opportunities across 190 economies.
RankingsIndia added a record 52,537 MW of power generation capacity in the first 10 months of FY26 — over 11% growth in total installed capacity.
RankingsOf India's 52,537 MW FY26 power addition, 39,657 MW (75.5%) came from renewable sources — solar contributed 34,955 MW, wind 4,613 MW.
RankingsAccording to the World Tourism Barometer January 2026, international tourist arrivals reached an estimated 1.52 billion in 2025 — about a 4% increase from 2024.
RankingsThe Report on Analysis of Incentive Scheme for RuPay Debit Card and low-value BHIM-UPI P2M transactions was released during the Chintan Shivir held at Coorg, Karnataka from February 13–14, 2026.
RankingsUPI emerged as the most preferred mode of transaction accounting for 57% of total payment transactions, exceeding cash transactions at 38%, per February 2026 report.
RankingsPresident Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the Centenary Celebrations of the Ol Chiki script in New Delhi on February 16, 2026, organised by the Ministry of Culture.
CultureThe Ol Chiki script, created by Pandit Raghunath Murmu, is a powerful symbol of Santal identity and is recognised in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution through the 92nd Constitutional Amendment, 2003.
CultureBefore the Ol Chiki script, the Santhali language was written in Roman, Devanagari, Odia, Bengali and other local scripts in India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Mauritius.
CultureThe VOC Maritime Heritage Museum at Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu, was inaugurated in February 2026 as an institution dedicated to India's maritime history and the contributions of freedom fighter V.O. Chidambaranar.
CultureThe Ministry of Culture signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) to develop a national strategy for India's Cultural and Creative Economy.
CultureUnion Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Minister of Culture & Tourism, signed the Culture-FICCI MoU to make culture a foundation of economic prosperity and secure a better future for artists and artisans.
CultureMHA issued formal guidelines in February 2026 on the official protocol for rendering India's National Song 'Vande Mataram' at government and public functions.
CultureIndian Premier League (IPL) and the BCCI operations continued in early 2026 under the Board of Control for Cricket in India.
SportsExercise MILAN 2026 themed 'Camaraderie, Cooperation, Collaboration' saw participation from multiple friendly foreign navies at Visakhapatnam.
SportsKimi Antonelli of Mercedes led the F1 championship standings after the Japanese GP 2026 with 72 points.
SportsLewis Hamilton finished 3rd in the F1 Chinese GP 2026 while racing for Ferrari — his new team since 2025.
SportsIndia hosted the 9th IONS Conclave of Navy Chiefs at Visakhapatnam in February 2026 as part of the Indian Navy's international engagements.
SportsThe Indian Navy formally led Combined Task Force 154 (CTF-154) for the first time, marking India's expanding role in multinational maritime training.
SportsUttarakhand ranked 1st in the Implementation of ICJS 2.0 (Interoperable Criminal Justice System) with a score of 93.46 in February 2026.
RankingsPunjab ranked last (lowest) in the ICJS 2.0 implementation rankings with a score of 12.4 in February 2026.
RankingsIndia hit a record 3,428 billionaires in Forbes' 40th Annual World's Billionaires List 2026.
RankingsPakistan ranked 1st globally in the Global Terrorism Index 2026 (8.574), with 2025 witnessing 1,139 deaths and 1,045 incidents.
RankingsAccording to SIPRI 2021–25 global arms import rankings, Ukraine was 1st (9.7% share), India 2nd (8.2%), and Saudi Arabia 3rd (6.8%).
RankingsISRO identified Mons Mouton-4 (MM-4) as the prospective landing site for the Chandrayaan-4 mission at approximately 84.289° south latitude and 32.808° east longitude near the Moon's south pole.
ScienceThe Space Applications Centre (SAC) evaluated high-resolution multi-view datasets from the Orbiter High Resolution Camera (OHRC) onboard Chandrayaan-2 to assess hazards for the Chandrayaan-4 landing site.
ScienceChandrayaan-4 is designed to be India's first lunar sample-return mission with a touchdown zone in the Mons Mouton region.
ScienceIn February 2026, 17-year-old Aditya Pandya from Gujarat became India's youngest male analog astronaut after completing a lunar habitat simulation mission organised by AAKA Space Studio.
ScienceThe Aditya Pandya analog astronaut mission took place from February 1 to 8, 2026, at Dholavira, Kutch, Gujarat.
ScienceIn February 2026, IN-SPACe selected three Indian private startups — Astrome Technologies, Azista Industries, and Dhruva Space — to develop indigenous small satellite bus platforms under its 'Satellite Bus as a Service' initiative.
ScienceDigantra Industries (Bengaluru) signed a partnership agreement with Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA), Singapore, on February 3, 2026 to co-develop tools for protecting satellites from space debris collisions.
ScienceOn February 4, 2026, BEML signed a Tripartite Master Research Agreement (MRA) with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru and Foundation for Science, Innovation and Development (FSID) for advanced R&D.
ScienceIndia's first National Biobank for Lysosomal Storage Disorders (LSDs) was launched in Ahmedabad, Gujarat in February 2026 by the Government of India.
ScienceThe Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) under DRDO developed the Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) technology.
ScienceThe drogue parachute for Gaganyaan was tested at the Rail Track Rocket Sled (RTRS) facility at Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory (TBRL), Chandigarh.
ScienceVikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) of ISRO and Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE) of DRDO collaborated on the Gaganyaan drogue parachute qualification test.
ScienceThe Ministry of Science & Technology (MoS&T) launched the India-Netherlands Hydrogen Fellowship programme in February 2026.
ScienceMoS&T launched a Rs 2,000 crore national call for the Biotechnology sector in February 2026.
ScienceIn February 2026, the Shore-Based Laboratory of CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) was inaugurated under MoS&T and Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES).
ScienceUnion MoS Jitin Prasada inaugurated the Standardisation Testing and Quality Certification (STQC) Lab Automation Portal 'SATYA' in New Delhi in February 2026.
TechnologySATYA portal was developed with technical support from the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) under MeitY and advances the 'Digital India' vision.
TechnologyMeitY constituted a high-level committee in February 2026 to harmonise the regulatory framework of DigiLocker, headed by Ajay Sawhney, Former Secretary, MeitY.
TechnologyMeitY also launched the Blockchain India Challenge in February 2026 to promote startup-driven blockchain solutions for digital governance.
TechnologyThe Blockchain India Challenge offers a total prize pool of Rs 8.80 crore across three stages: Prototype Stage, Minimum Viable Product Stage, and Deployment Stage.
TechnologyTop performers across 10 Use Case Categories of the Blockchain India Challenge can win the ultimate prize of Rs 50 lakh per category.
TechnologyUnion Minister Dharmendra Pradhan launched Teacher App 2.0, powered by Artificial Intelligence, developed by Bharti Airtel Foundation in collaboration with California-based CK-12 Foundation.
TechnologyTeacher App 2.0 accelerates AI adoption in India's K-12 (Kindergarten to Class 12) education ecosystem, aligned with NEP 2020 and Viksit Bharat @2047.
TechnologyDelhi CM Rekha Gupta launched the 'CM Jansunwai Portal' and mobile application in February 2026 to strengthen public grievance redressal.
TechnologyThe Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) announced a collaboration with Google on February 26, 2026, to display authorised Aadhaar Centres on Google Maps.
TechnologyUIDAI's Google Maps integration will cover more than 60,000 Aadhaar Centres, including Aadhaar Seva Kendras (ASKs) across India, rolled out in phases.
TechnologyThe H-125 helicopters final assembly line inaugurated by PM Modi and Macron in Vemagal, Karnataka is a joint development by TASL (Tata Advanced Systems Limited) and Airbus.
TechnologyThe 2nd India AI Impact Summit 2026 was the first major Artificial Intelligence event hosted in the Global South, held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
TechnologyKempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru (BLR Airport) signed an MoU with Frankfurt Airport (FRA), Germany on February 25, 2026 to strengthen air cargo connectivity between India and Europe.
TechnologyThe Air Cargo India 2026 event was held from February 25–27, 2026 at the Jio World Convention Centre, Mumbai, Maharashtra.
TechnologyThe Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL)'s AI Policy launched in Bengaluru focuses on embedding AI into real-time decision-making systems and enhancing data analytics, threat prediction, and early-warning tools.
TechnologyThe Mountain Fire Control Radar developed by BEL is a new radar system designed to operate effectively in mountainous and high-altitude environments.
TechnologyThe National Quantum Mission (NQM) supported a new quantum project unveiled in February 2026 aimed at advancing India's quantum technology capabilities.
TechnologyISRO's Mons Mouton-4 Chandrayaan-4 landing site was identified using the Orbiter High Resolution Camera (OHRC) onboard Chandrayaan-2.
TechnologyIn February 2026, researchers from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) discovered two new marine worm species (polychaetes) — Nereidids — in the Digha and Bankiput regions of Purba Medinipur in West Bengal.
EnvironmentThe new marine worm species discovery was published in a study titled 'Description of Two New Species of Nereidids (Annelida: Neredidae) from West Bengal, India, Bay of Bengal'.
EnvironmentNereididae is part of the marine polychaete worm family, commonly known as ragworms or clam worms, discovered by ZSI in February 2026.
EnvironmentResearchers discovered a new dragonfly species named Lyriothemis keralensis in the low-lying coastal areas of Kerala in February 2026.
EnvironmentNHAI announced plans to develop India's first pollinator or 'Bee Corridors' along National Highways as part of its sustainable infrastructure programme in February 2026.
EnvironmentPatna Bird Sanctuary (Etah, UP) was designated as India's 97th Ramsar site on January 30, 2026, under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.
EnvironmentChhari-Dhand (Kutch, Gujarat) was designated as India's 98th Ramsar site on January 30, 2026, by Union Minister Bhupender Yadav.
EnvironmentIndia added 39,657 MW of renewable power capacity in the first 10 months of FY26 — contributing 75.5% of total capacity additions.
EnvironmentOf India's renewable additions in FY26, solar contributed 34,955 MW and wind contributed 4,613 MW — making India one of the fastest-growing solar markets globally.
EnvironmentThe 3rd edition of the States' Electricity Transition (SET) Report 2026 was jointly released by IEEFA and Ember in February 2026.
EnvironmentIn the SET Report 2026, Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, and Kerala emerged as top states in Decarbonisation.
EnvironmentThe World Wetlands Day 2026 theme was 'Wetlands and Traditional Knowledge: Celebrating Cultural Heritage', observed on February 2, 2026.
EnvironmentThe Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, commemorated on World Wetlands Day, celebrated its 55th anniversary on February 2, 2026, with the convention originally signed on February 2, 1971.
EnvironmentOverview of PM Modi's visit to Meerut, UP on February 22, 2026: he flagged off the Meerut Metro and 82 km Delhi–Meerut Namo Bharat Corridor and developmental projects worth ~Rs 12,930 crore.
InternationalThe Delhi–Meerut Namo Bharat Corridor, India's first Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS), spans 82 km — flagged off by PM Modi on February 22, 2026.
InternationalThe Meerut Metro corridor, inaugurated by PM Modi, operates 21 km between Meerut South and Modipuram across 12 stations with a maximum operational speed of ~120 kmph.
InternationalKetan Merchant (CFO of Fino Payments Bank) was approved by RBI as interim CEO for a maximum period of 4 months under Banking Regulation Act 1949, in February 2026.
AppointmentsHDFC ERGO is a Joint Venture between HDFC Limited and ERGO International AG.
AppointmentsAfter K.V. Ramana Murty's appointment, SEBI has its full complement of 4 Whole-Time Members (WTMs) in February 2026.
AppointmentsRBI approved Keki Mistry as interim Part-time Chairman of HDFC Bank for 3 months with immediate effect from February 19, 2026.
AppointmentsJose Joseph Kattoor (former ED of RBI) was appointed as Non-Executive Part-Time Chairman (Independent Director) of South Indian Bank for 3 years by RBI approval in February 2026.
AppointmentsSadhvi Niranjan Jyoti succeeded Hansraj Gangaram Ahir as NCBC Chairperson (term ended 18 March 2026).
AppointmentsAyatollah Ali Khamenei died in a joint USA-Israel airstrike, leading to the appointment of Ayatollah Alireza Arafi as Iran's Interim Supreme Leader on 1 March 2026.
AppointmentsJose Antonio Kast Rist, founder of Republican Party of Chile, was sworn in as the 38th President of Chile and received the Piocha de O'Higgins — a traditional symbol of the Chilean presidency — from outgoing President Gabriel Boric Font.
AppointmentsCity Union Bank (CUB) appointed Indian cricketer Ravindrasinh Anirudhsinh Jadeja (Ravindra Jadeja) as its brand ambassador for 2 years in February 2026.
AppointmentsBCCI presented Naman Awards 2026 in New Delhi to honour Indian cricketers.
AppointmentsStuti Pradhan from Sikkim was selected to represent India at the World Youth Parliament (WYP) in February 2026, uniting delegates from South Korea, UAE, Kuwait, Thailand, and others.
AppointmentsKiran Umesh Mahalle joined as Member of the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC), succeeding Bhuvan Bhushan Kamal, whose tenure ended on 9 March 2026.
AppointmentsIn February 2026, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) constituted a high-level committee to harmonise DigiLocker's regulatory framework, headed by Ajay Sawhney.
GovernmentThe MeitY-appointed DigiLocker committee includes legal experts, technology specialists, and industry representatives, reviewing the regulatory framework in February 2026.
GovernmentIndia's Ministry of Culture signed an MoU with FICCI to develop a comprehensive national strategy for India's Cultural and Creative Economy (CCE), signed by Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.
GovernmentUIDAI collaborated with Google to display over 60,000 authorised Aadhaar Centres on Google Maps across India, to be rolled out in phases from February 2026.
GovernmentThe 2nd phase of the National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP 2.0) was formulated by NITI Aayog and launched by FM Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi.
GovernmentBEML signed a Tripartite Master Research Agreement (MRA) with IISc Bengaluru and FSID, focusing on aerospace, defence, rail, metro, mining, maritime, green technologies, and advanced manufacturing.
GovernmentThe MeitY Blockchain India Challenge progresses through three stages: Prototype Stage (Rs 1.5 lakh each for up to 40 participants), MVP Stage (Rs 4 lakh each for up to 30 participants), and Deployment Stage (Rs 10 lakh each for up to 20 participants).
GovernmentThe Union Cabinet in February 2026 approved enhanced delegation to POWERGRID under the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE), MoF, for Maharatna CPSE guidelines.
GovernmentIndia won the ICC U19 Women's T20 World Cup 2026 title in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia — defeating South Africa in the final.
SportsEngland's captain Heather Knight announced her retirement from international cricket after 15 years in February 2026.
SportsIndia's Pranavi Urs won her maiden Ladies European Tour (LET) title at the Magical Kenya Ladies Open 2026.
SportsIndia's Shubhankar Sharma finished tied-13th at the Magical Kenya Open 2026 (DP World Tour event).
SportsIndian archer Aditi Swami won Gold in Women's Compound at the Archery World Cup 2026 Stage 1 held in Florida, USA.
SportsIndian shooter Rudrankksh Patil won Gold in 10m Air Rifle Men at the ISSF World Cup 2026 held in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
SportsPV Sindhu reached the final of the German Open Super 300 badminton tournament in February 2026, losing to An Se-young of South Korea.
SportsSumit Nagal won the ATP Challenger Chennai Open 2026 singles title on home soil.
SportsIndian boxer Lovlina Borgohain won Gold in the 75kg category at the Strandja Memorial Boxing Tournament 2026 in Sofia, Bulgaria.
SportsIndian wrestler Bajrang Punia won Gold in the 65kg freestyle category at the Zagreb Open Ranking Series 2026.
SportsIndian weightlifter Mirabai Chanu set a new Commonwealth record at the Asian Weightlifting Championships 2026 in the 49kg category.
SportsNeeraj Chopra opened his 2026 season by winning Gold at the Doha Diamond League with a throw of 89.27 metres.
SportsIndia's football team climbed to 98th in the FIFA World Rankings released in February 2026 — its best position in 5 years.
SportsIndia's Sunil Chhetri scored his 95th international goal at a friendly match in February 2026 — the 4th-highest among active male footballers.
SportsThe Ranji Trophy 2025–26 final was won by Mumbai, claiming its 43rd title — the most by any team in Ranji history.
SportsAnil Ambani appointed Rashmi Thakur as CEO of Reliance Communications' Consumer Business Division in February 2026.
AppointmentsAshish Chauhan continues as Managing Director and CEO of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) of India in February 2026.
AppointmentsNishant Kumar Verma was appointed Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh in February 2026.
AppointmentsFriedrich Merz was sworn in as the 10th Chancellor of Germany after the CDU/CSU alliance won the 2025 federal election.
AppointmentsMark Carney was sworn in as Canada's 24th Prime Minister after Justin Trudeau's resignation in March 2025.
AppointmentsClaudia Sheinbaum continues as the 66th President of Mexico — her tenure beginning October 2024 as Mexico's first woman President.
AppointmentsAntónio Guterres continues as the 9th Secretary-General of the United Nations, serving his second five-year term ending December 2026.
AppointmentsEmine Erdoğan was nominated as UNEP Goodwill Ambassador in February 2026 for her work on climate and environmental causes.
AppointmentsKarnataka government appointed cricketer Rahul Dravid as the Brand Ambassador of 'Karnataka Lokayukta'.
AppointmentsShah Rukh Khan was named Brand Ambassador for UNICEF India's 'Education for Every Child' campaign in February 2026.
AppointmentsShabana Azmi was conferred with the 'Gwangju International Peace Award' in February 2026 in Gwangju, South Korea.
AwardsIndian mathematician Manjul Bhargava was awarded the 2026 Wolf Prize in Mathematics for his contributions to number theory.
AwardsThe Param Yodha Award 2026 was conferred posthumously on Captain Anshuman Singh by President Droupadi Murmu on Republic Day eve.
AwardsDr. Dhriti Banerjee, former Director of the Zoological Survey of India, was honoured with the International Women in Science Award 2026.
AwardsNaatu Naatu lyricist Chandrabose received the Padma Shri 2026 for his contribution to Telugu cinema and literature.
AwardsUstad Zakir Hussain was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna 2026 — announced by the Government of India in February.
AwardsIIT Madras was recognised as India's No.1 institution for the 7th consecutive year in NIRF Rankings announced in February 2026.
AwardsSunita Narain, Director-General of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), received the 'Champions of the Earth' Lifetime Achievement Award 2026 from UNEP.
AwardsThe Indian Army inducted the indigenously developed Nag Mark-2 anti-tank guided missile for regiment-level deployment in February 2026.
DefenceThe Indian Air Force's Tejas Mk-1A aircraft began operational induction in February 2026, with 12 aircraft delivered by HAL.
DefenceDRDO successfully test-fired the Akash-NG (New Generation) air defence missile off the coast of Odisha in February 2026.
DefenceExercise Sea Vigil 2026, the national-level coastal defence exercise of India, was conducted across its 11,098 km coastline in February 2026.
DefenceINS Arnala, the first Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC) designed by GRSE, was commissioned into the Indian Navy in February 2026.
DefenceIndia and France signed an Inter-Governmental Agreement for the purchase of 26 Rafale-M jets for the Indian Navy in February 2026.
DefenceThe Indian Army commissioned its first all-women Border Observation Post 'Tara' along the LoC in Jammu & Kashmir in February 2026.
DefenceDRDO's Astra Mk-II beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile completed user trials from a Sukhoi-30MKI fighter in February 2026.
DefenceLt. General Upendra Dwivedi continues as the 30th Chief of the Indian Army after assuming charge on June 30, 2024.
DefenceIndia and UAE signed an MoU for a comprehensive Food Security Corridor at the 2nd India-UAE Economic Partnership Summit 2026.
InternationalIndia and Saudi Arabia signed agreements worth USD 100 billion during PM Modi's visit to Riyadh in February 2026.
InternationalThe 58th Munich Security Conference 2026 was attended by Dr. S. Jaishankar — who highlighted India's 'Viksit Bharat @2047' vision.
InternationalIndia hosted the Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting 2026 in New Delhi, attended by foreign ministers of USA, Japan, and Australia.
InternationalThe SCO Council of Heads of Government Meeting 2026 was chaired by India virtually in February 2026.
InternationalIndia signed an MoU with Qatar for Cultural Exchange Programme 2026-30 during Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani's visit.
InternationalThe India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC) held its 2nd Ministerial Meeting in New Delhi in February 2026.
InternationalIndia and Sri Lanka agreed to implement the Katchatheevu-area fishermen protocol during Minister Vikram Misri's Colombo visit in February 2026.
InternationalPM Modi visited Bhutan for the 2nd time in his current term in February 2026 — launching the Gelephu Mindfulness City project jointly with PM Tshering Tobgay.
InternationalIndia took over the Presidency of the G20 Development Ministers' track for 2026 at the G20 Sherpa Meeting held in Riyadh.
InternationalThe Indian Navy's Project 15B (Visakhapatnam-class) destroyer INS Surat was commissioned by Rajnath Singh in February 2026.
DefenceThe BrahMos Aerospace delivered the 1,000th BrahMos supersonic cruise missile to the Indian Armed Forces in a ceremony in February 2026.
DefenceAmitabh Bachchan received the Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award 2026 for his contribution to Indian cinema at a ceremony in Mumbai.
AwardsThe 96th Academy Awards (Oscars 2026) saw India's 'Laapataa Ladies' nominated in the Best International Feature Film category.
AwardsFilmmaker Shekhar Kapur was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2026.
AwardsIndian-American astronaut Sunita Williams received the NASA Distinguished Service Medal 2026 for her long-duration spaceflight missions.
AwardsHockey India's Manpreet Singh received the 'FIH Player of the Year Award 2025-26' — becoming the second Indian to win this honour after PR Sreejesh.
AwardsDr. Tessy Thomas, former DRDO Director and 'Missile Woman of India', received the IEEE Founders Medal 2026 in recognition of her contribution to missile technology.
AwardsSajjan Jindal was elected as the President of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) for FY27 in February 2026.
AppointmentsDevika Rani (Neuberg Diagnostics) was named among India's Top 50 Women Leaders 2026 by Business Today.
AppointmentsR. Madhavan was appointed Chairman of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) by the Government of India in February 2026.
AppointmentsIndia and Indonesia signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) during Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto's state visit in February 2026.
InternationalThe G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting 2026 in Rome invited India as a special guest — Dr. S. Jaishankar attended.
InternationalThe Hockey India League (HIL) 2026 final was won by Delhi SG Pipers, defeating Kalinga Lancers 4-3 in a shoot-out.
Sports✏️Practice MCQs
What is the total central assistance approved by the Union Cabinet under the Urban Challenge Fund (UCF) in February 2026?
Correct Answer: C. Rs 1 lakh crore
The Union Cabinet, chaired by PM Narendra Modi, approved the UCF with Rs 1 lakh crore central assistance. The fund is operational from FY26 to FY31, extendable up to FY34. The Union Cabinet is the senior decision-making body of the Government of India, constituted under Article 75 of the Constitution.
Under the Urban Challenge Fund (UCF), Central Assistance will cover what percentage of the project cost?
Correct Answer: C. 25%
Central Assistance covers 25% of the project cost under UCF, with a minimum 50% to be mobilised from market sources including municipal bonds, bank loans, and Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs). UCF is aimed at bolstering urban infrastructure financing in India.
What is the total budget outlay of the Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0 (FoF 2.0) approved in February 2026?
Correct Answer: C. Rs 10,000 crore
FoF 2.0 was approved with a total budget outlay of Rs 10,000 crore to mobilise venture capital for India's startup ecosystem. The original Startup India initiative was launched on January 16, 2016 by PM Narendra Modi.
The three railway multitracking projects approved by CCEA in February 2026 span approximately how many kilometres across four states?
Correct Answer: C. 389 km
CCEA approved three multitracking projects worth about Rs 18,509 crore, covering approximately 389 km across Delhi, Haryana, Maharashtra, and Karnataka, targeted for completion by FY31. CCEA is chaired by the Prime Minister.
In which three states did the CCEA approve highway projects worth more than Rs 11,000 crore in February 2026?
Correct Answer: B. Maharashtra, Gujarat, Telangana
CCEA approved highway projects in Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Telangana. These included key NH upgrades under Hybrid Annuity Mode. National Highways in India are managed by NHAI, established in 1988 under the NHAI Act.
Under which river did CCEA approve India's first underwater twin-tube road-cum-rail tunnel project?
Correct Answer: C. Brahmaputra
The tunnel will be constructed under the Brahmaputra river in Assam at an estimated cost of Rs 18,662 crore. Brahmaputra is India's only river with male gender name and originates from Mansarovar Lake in Tibet.
Under which Constitutional Article is the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 being processed?
Correct Answer: B. Article 3
Article 3 of the Constitution deals with formation of new states and alteration of areas, boundaries, or names of existing states. It requires Presidential reference to the State Legislature, simple majority in both Houses of Parliament, and Presidential assent.
What is the MSP of Raw Jute (TD-3 grade, Fair quality) fixed by CCEA for the 2026–27 marketing season?
Correct Answer: C. Rs 5,925 per quintal
CCEA fixed MSP at Rs 5,925 per quintal. MSP (Minimum Support Price) is announced annually by the Government of India on recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP), which operates under the Ministry of Agriculture.
The approved GIFT City to Shahpur metro corridor extension in Gujarat has how many elevated stations?
Correct Answer: B. 3
The 3.33 km corridor extension has 3 elevated stations at an estimated cost of Rs 1,067.35 crore. GIFT City (Gujarat International Finance Tec-City) is India's first operational smart city and International Financial Services Centre (IFSC).
The Civil Enclave at Srinagar International Airport approved by CCEA is located at which airbase?
Correct Answer: B. Budgam Airbase
The Civil Enclave at Srinagar International Airport is at Budgam Airbase, J&K, with estimated cost of Rs 1,677 crore. Srinagar is the summer capital of Jammu & Kashmir UT, formed on October 31, 2019.
Who launched 'Pilloo AI', a voice-enabled billing and accounting agent for MSMEs, at the AP Secretariat in February 2026?
Correct Answer: B. N. Chandrababu Naidu
AP CM N. Chandrababu Naidu launched Pilloo AI at Amaravati. Amaravati is the de jure capital of Andhra Pradesh. TDP (Telugu Desam Party), founded by N.T. Rama Rao in 1982, is led by Naidu.
Waaree Energies plans to establish India's largest lithium-ion battery gigafactory at Rambilli in which AP district?
Correct Answer: B. Anakapalli
The gigafactory will be set up at Rambilli in Anakapalli district, AP, with investment of ~Rs 8,175 crore (USD 890 million) and production capacity of around 16 GWh. Waaree Energies is India's largest solar PV manufacturer.
Assam FM Ajanta Neog presented an interim budget of approximately how much for FY27?
Correct Answer: B. Rs 62,295 crore
FM Ajanta Neog presented Rs 62,294.78 crore interim budget as vote-on-account in Dispur. Assam was formed on January 26, 1950, and Dispur has been its capital since 1973. Assam is known as the gateway to the Seven Sister states of NE India.
By which year is Assam's economy projected to become a Rs 10 lakh crore economy, as highlighted in the FY27 interim budget?
Correct Answer: C. 2028
Assam's economy is projected to become a Rs 10 lakh crore economy by 2028. The state has one of India's largest tea industries and contributes significantly to crude oil and natural gas production from Digboi, Asia's oldest oil refinery (established 1901).
Who launched the National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA) at the Bihar legislative assembly in February 2026?
Correct Answer: B. Om Birla
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla launched NeVA at the Central Hall of Bihar Assembly in Patna. The Lok Sabha, the Lower House of the Parliament, has a maximum strength of 552 as per Article 81 of the Constitution.
NeVA (National e-Vidhan Application) has been developed by which organisation?
Correct Answer: C. National Informatics Centre (NIC)
NeVA is a cloud-based digital platform developed by NIC, which works under MeitY. NIC was established in 1976 and provides ICT infrastructure to Central and State Governments. MeitY was formed as a separate ministry in 2016.
The Greenfield International Airport approved by Bihar Cabinet at Sonpur will be which numbered Greenfield airport in India?
Correct Answer: C. 24th
The Sonpur airport will be India's 24th Greenfield airport. Sonpur is in Saran district, Bihar, famous for the annual Sonpur Mela (Asia's largest cattle fair) held in Kartik Purnima. Bihar was formed on March 22, 1912.
Who is the Finance Minister of Chhattisgarh who presented the Rs 1,72,000 crore budget for FY27?
Correct Answer: C. O.P. Chaudhary
Chhattisgarh FM Om Prakash (O.P.) Chaudhary presented the FY27 budget with focus on Bastar development, education, and industry. Chhattisgarh was carved out of Madhya Pradesh on November 1, 2000 as India's 26th state. Capital: Raipur.
Which state signed MoUs worth Rs 2,000 crore with Central PSUs for development of Vizhinjam International Seaport?
Correct Answer: A. Kerala
Kerala signed MoUs in February 2026 for the Vizhinjam International Seaport in Thiruvananthapuram district. Vizhinjam is India's first deep-water transhipment container port, developed by Adani Ports. Kerala capital: Thiruvananthapuram; formation: November 1, 1956.
India's first-ever National Household Income Survey was announced by which organisation under MoSPI?
Correct Answer: B. NSO
The National Statistical Office (NSO) under MoSPI announced the survey. NSO was formed in 2019 by merging the Central Statistics Office (CSO) and National Sample Survey Office (NSSO). Chief Statistician of India heads the NSO.
India's first National Biobank for which category of diseases was launched in Ahmedabad, Gujarat in February 2026?
Correct Answer: C. Lysosomal Storage Disorders (LSDs)
India's first government-supported National Biobank for Lysosomal Storage Disorders (LSDs) was launched in Ahmedabad. LSDs are a group of ~50 rare inherited metabolic disorders caused by enzyme deficiencies in lysosomes. Gujarat was formed on May 1, 1960.
Who launched the National Monetisation Pipeline 2.0 (second phase) in New Delhi in February 2026?
Correct Answer: C. Nirmala Sitharaman
FM Nirmala Sitharaman launched NMP 2.0. It was formulated by NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India), established on January 1, 2015, replacing the Planning Commission. NITI Aayog's Chairperson is the Prime Minister.
The 'Seva Teerth Complex' inaugurated by PM Modi in New Delhi houses which three offices?
Correct Answer: B. PMO, NSCS, Cabinet Secretariat
Seva Teerth Complex houses the PMO (Seva Teerth-1), National Security Council Secretariat — NSCS (Seva Teerth-2), and Cabinet Secretariat (Seva Teerth-3). This marks the first relocation of PMO since Independence. NSCS is the apex body on national security matters, headed by NSA.
The STQC Lab Automation Portal inaugurated by Union MoS Jitin Prasada in New Delhi is named what?
Correct Answer: B. SATYA
Jitin Prasada inaugurated the Standardisation Testing and Quality Certification (STQC) Lab Automation Portal 'SATYA'. It was developed with technical support from the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), established in 1988 under MeitY.
President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the Centenary Celebrations of which script in New Delhi on February 16, 2026?
Correct Answer: B. Ol Chiki
President Murmu inaugurated the Centenary Celebrations of the Ol Chiki script, marking 100 years since its creation. Ol Chiki is used for the Santhali language, recognised in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution. It was created by Pandit Raghunath Murmu in 1925.
The VOC Maritime Heritage Museum inaugurated in Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu, is named after which freedom fighter?
Correct Answer: B. V.O. Chidambaranar
The museum is dedicated to V.O. Chidambaranar (Va. Oo. Chi.), a Tamil freedom fighter and leader of the Swadeshi Steam Navigation Company (founded 1906). Tuticorin (Thoothukudi), Tamil Nadu, is a major port city on the Gulf of Mannar coast.
Odisha is establishing India's first National UAV Test & Innovation Corridor at which airport?
Correct Answer: C. Rangeilunda Airport
India's first National UAV Test & Innovation Corridor is being established at Rangeilunda Airport, Ganjam district, Odisha, in partnership with BonV Aero. Wings India 2026 is held in Hyderabad, Telangana. Odisha was formed on April 1, 1936; capital: Bhubaneswar.
The minimum Central Deputation experience made mandatory by MHA for IPS officers to become eligible for IGP posting is:
Correct Answer: B. 2 years
MHA revised guidelines to make a minimum 2-year Central Deputation experience mandatory for IPS officers at SP and DIG ranks. The Indian Police Service (IPS) is one of the three All India Services, along with IAS and IFoS, established under the All India Services Act, 1951.
What excise duty rate was withdrawn by GoI on unmanufactured tobacco effective February 1, 2026?
Correct Answer: C. 18%
GoI withdrew the 18% Central Excise Duty on unmanufactured tobacco without brand name and not packed for retail. Excise duty on cigarettes continues unchanged. Central Excise comes under CBIC (Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs).
NSO's comprehensive Survey on Migration is proposed to be conducted from which period?
Correct Answer: C. July 2026 to June 2027
NSO under MoSPI will conduct the survey from July 2026 to June 2027. As per PLFS 2020-21, India's overall migration rate was 28.9%. PLFS was launched in 2017 and replaced the earlier quinquennial employment-unemployment surveys of NSSO.
As per PLFS 2020-21, what percentage of female migration in India was due to marriage?
Correct Answer: C. 86.8%
86.8% of female migration was due to marriage; 22.8% of male migration was due to employment. Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) is India's flagship labour statistics survey conducted by NSO. MoSPI stands for Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.
The 2nd Mountain Tunnel (MT-6) whose breakthrough was announced by Ashwini Vaishnaw is part of which high-speed rail project?
Correct Answer: C. Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR)
The MT-6 tunnel in Palghar, Maharashtra, is part of MAHSR. MAHSR is India's first bullet train project, being developed with technical and financial assistance from Japan (JICA), using Shinkansen technology. Distance: ~508 km.
India's first National Counter-terrorism Policy & Strategy released by MHA in February 2026 is named:
Correct Answer: B. PRAHAAR
MHA released 'PRAHAAR'. The Ministry of Home Affairs is headed by the Union Home Minister (currently Amit Shah); the MHA oversees internal security, borders, and central armed police forces like CRPF, BSF, CISF, SSB, and ITBP.
MoMSME upgraded the National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC) to which CPSE category in February 2026?
Correct Answer: C. Schedule A
NSIC was upgraded to Schedule A CPSE status. CPSEs (Central Public Sector Enterprises) are classified as Maharatna, Navratna, Miniratna Cat-I/II, and by Schedule A/B/C/D. As of 2025, India had 13 Maharatna CPSEs. NSIC was established in 1955.
NHAI announced plans to develop India's first 'Bee Corridors' along what infrastructure?
Correct Answer: B. National Highways
NHAI will develop pollinator or Bee Corridors along National Highways as part of sustainable infrastructure. NHAI (National Highways Authority of India) was established in 1988 under the NHAI Act and operates under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
Rajnath Singh inaugurated the Mountain Fire Control Radar and BEL's AI Policy at which city?
Correct Answer: B. Bengaluru
Rajnath Singh inaugurated them at Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) in Bengaluru, Karnataka. BEL is a Navratna PSU under the Ministry of Defence, established in 1954 and headquartered in Bengaluru. It specialises in defence electronics.
India became the world's 3rd country to host a Waterjet Production & Testing Facility after which two countries?
Correct Answer: B. USA and South Korea
India became the 3rd country after USA and South Korea. The facility in Goa was inaugurated by ICG DG Paramesh Sivamani. Indian Coast Guard was established on February 1, 1977, and functions under the Ministry of Defence. Goa became India's 25th state on May 30, 1987.
The 82 km Delhi–Meerut Namo Bharat Corridor flagged off by PM Modi is India's first what?
Correct Answer: B. Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS)
India's first Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS). RRTS is being developed by the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC), a joint venture of Centre and NCR state governments. Meerut Metro reaches a max speed of ~120 kmph.
ISRO identified Mons Mouton-4 (MM-4) as the prospective landing site for which lunar mission?
Correct Answer: B. Chandrayaan-4
MM-4 near the Moon's south pole was identified as the landing site for Chandrayaan-4, India's first lunar sample-return mission. ISRO was established on August 15, 1969; headquartered in Bengaluru. Chandrayaan-3 made India the first country to land near the lunar south pole on August 23, 2023.
The 'India-Netherlands Hydrogen Fellowship' programme was launched by which Union ministry in February 2026?
Correct Answer: B. Ministry of Science & Technology (MoS&T)
The Ministry of Science & Technology (MoS&T) launched it. India's National Green Hydrogen Mission was approved in January 2023 with an outlay of Rs 19,744 crore, targeting 5 MMT of green hydrogen production annually by 2030.
Rajnath Singh approved Miniratna Category-I status for which Defence PSU on February 2, 2026?
Correct Answer: B. Yantra India Limited (YIL)
Yantra India Limited (YIL), a Defence PSU, was granted Miniratna Category-I status. Miniratna Category-I PSEs must have made profits in the last three years continuously, with pre-tax profit of Rs 30 crore or more in at least one year.
The Drogue parachute successfully tested by DRDO at Chandigarh is intended for which mission?
Correct Answer: C. Gaganyaan
The parachute was tested for Gaganyaan, India's 1st human spaceflight mission. Testing happened at Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory (TBRL), Chandigarh. DRDO was established in 1958 and is headquartered in New Delhi. Chairman of DRDO: Secretary, DDR&D.
The new complex housing PMO, NSCS, and Cabinet Secretariat together marks what historic first since Independence?
Correct Answer: B. First PMO relocation
This marked the first relocation of PMO since Independence. Before this, PMO was located in South Block, which also houses MEA and MoD. The PMO is headed by the Principal Secretary to the PM.
Teacher App 2.0, launched by Dharmendra Pradhan, was developed by Bharti Airtel Foundation in collaboration with which foundation?
Correct Answer: B. CK-12 Foundation
Developed in collaboration with the California-based CK-12 Foundation, a global nonprofit. Teacher App 2.0 aligns with NEP 2020 and Viksit Bharat @2047. NEP 2020 replaced the 1986 NEP and aims for a 50% GER in higher education by 2035.
The 'CM Jansunwai Portal' for public grievance redressal was launched by the Chief Minister of which state/UT in February 2026?
Correct Answer: B. Delhi
Delhi CM Rekha Gupta launched the portal and mobile app. Delhi became a Union Territory in 1956 and gained special status as the National Capital Territory (NCT) through the 69th Constitutional Amendment in 1991.
The Hapania International Exhibition Center inaugurated in February 2026 is located in which state capital?
Correct Answer: B. Agartala
It was inaugurated in Agartala, Tripura, under a NITI Aayog State Support Mission programme. Tripura was the 22nd state to join Indian Union on January 21, 1972. Its capital is Agartala.
The widening of the 80.01 km NH-167 stretch to 4-lane standards was approved in which state?
Correct Answer: C. Telangana
The NH-167 stretch from Gudebellur to Mahbubnagar in Telangana was approved. Telangana was carved out of Andhra Pradesh on June 2, 2014, becoming India's 29th state; its capital is Hyderabad.
Who was the CAG-related NSO head under MoSPI who announced India's first National Household Income Survey plans?
Correct Answer: A. Rao Inderjit Singh
MoS (IC) Rao Inderjit Singh, MoSPI, made the announcement. MoSPI was formed in 1999 by merging the Department of Statistics and Department of Programme Implementation. It is the nodal ministry for national statistics.
The Centre of Excellence for AI (CoE-AI) was remotely inaugurated by Rajnath Singh in which city?
Correct Answer: C. Pune
CoE-AI was remotely inaugurated in Pune, Maharashtra. Pune, known as the 'Oxford of the East', is a major IT and defence R&D hub hosting institutions like DRDO's ARDE, NCL, and C-DAC HQ. Maharashtra was formed on May 1, 1960.
The Road Asset Management System (RAMS) is being developed for dust-free urban roads in which region?
Correct Answer: B. National Capital Region (NCR)
RAMS was developed for NCR under the Ministry of Road Transport at Indira Paryavaran Bhawan, New Delhi. NCR was constituted under the National Capital Region Planning Board Act, 1985, and covers parts of Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan.
MSP announcements in India are made based on recommendations of which commission?
Correct Answer: C. Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP)
CACP, under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, recommends MSPs. It was established in 1965 as the Agricultural Prices Commission (APC) and renamed CACP in 1985. CACP currently recommends MSPs for 22 crops.
Airtel Money, approved by RBI to operate as Type-II NBFC-ND, is a subsidiary of which company?
Correct Answer: B. Bharti Airtel
Airtel Money is a subsidiary of Bharti Airtel. RBI granted the Certificate of Registration (CoR) for Type II NBFC-ND (Investment and Credit Company). NBFCs are regulated by RBI under the RBI Act, 1934.
The JIM&WS institute that collaborated with Uttarakhand on an expedition flagged off by Rajnath Singh is located at:
Correct Answer: B. Pahalgam, J&K
Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering and Winter Sports (JIM&WS) is at Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir. It is one of the five mountaineering institutes in India under the Ministry of Defence. Others include NIM (Uttarkashi), HMI (Darjeeling), ABVIMAS (Manali), and NIMAS (Arunachal).
The Shore-Based Laboratory of CSIR-NIO inaugurated in February 2026 is under which ministries?
Correct Answer: B. MoS&T and MoES
The lab is under MoS&T and Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES). CSIR (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research) was established in 1942 and is India's largest R&D organisation, with 37 labs including NIO (National Institute of Oceanography, Goa, est. 1966).
The 13th edition of Exercise MILAN 2026, hosted by the Indian Navy, was conducted in which bay?
Correct Answer: B. Bay of Bengal
Exercise MILAN 2026 was conducted at Visakhapatnam from 19–25 February in the Bay of Bengal, a biennial multilateral naval exercise. Indian Navy was established in 1612 as East India Company's Marine. Current Chief: Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi.
India's 24th Greenfield airport is being developed in which district of Bihar?
Correct Answer: C. Saran
The Greenfield International Airport at Sonpur is in Saran district of Bihar. Saran is famous for Sonpur Mela. Patna, Bihar's capital, hosts Jayaprakash Narayan International Airport. Bihar was formed on March 22, 1912.
Rajnath Singh flagged off which regiment combat systems at BEL Bengaluru?
Correct Answer: B. Akash 3rd & 4th Regiment
He flagged off Akash 3rd and 4th Regiment Combat Systems. Akash is a Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) developed by DRDO with a range of 25–45 km. It was inducted into the Indian Air Force in 2014. BEL manufactures it.
The Centenary of Ol Chiki script marks 100 years since its creation by which educator?
Correct Answer: B. Raghunath Murmu
Ol Chiki was created by Pandit Raghunath Murmu in 1925 for the Santhali language. Before Ol Chiki, Santhali was written in Roman, Devanagari, Odia, Bengali and other scripts. Santhali is recognised in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution (added via 92nd Amendment, 2003).
The Chhattisgarh FY27 budget presented by O.P. Chaudhary had special focus on development of which region?
Correct Answer: B. Bastar
The budget focused on Bastar development, education, and industry. Bastar is a tribal-dominated division in southern Chhattisgarh known for its unique tribal culture. Chhattisgarh was formed on November 1, 2000 as India's 26th state.
The NITI Aayog Frontier Hub that released a 10-year strategic roadmap in February 2026 operates under which government body?
Correct Answer: C. NITI Aayog
The Frontier Hub operates directly under NITI Aayog. NITI Aayog was set up on January 1, 2015, replacing the 64-year-old Planning Commission. The CEO is B.V.R. Subrahmanyam (as of early 2026). Vice Chairperson leads the day-to-day work.
What is the duration of the Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0 operational period as approved?
Correct Answer: C. FY26 to FY34
FoF 2.0 is operational from FY26 to FY31, extendable up to FY34. Startup India was launched on January 16, 2016. To be recognised as a startup under the scheme, an entity must be less than 10 years old with turnover less than Rs 100 crore.
The 105th Foundation Day of Bihar Assembly coincided with the launch of which digital platform?
Correct Answer: B. NeVA
Bihar Assembly's 105th Foundation Day coincided with NeVA launch. NeVA is part of the 'One Nation, One Application' mission under the Digital India programme. Digital India was launched by PM Modi on July 1, 2015.
The National Biobank for LSDs was launched in Ahmedabad, which is in which state?
Correct Answer: B. Gujarat
Ahmedabad is in Gujarat. Gujarat was formed on May 1, 1960, after separation from Bombay State. Capital: Gandhinagar. Ahmedabad is Gujarat's largest city. LSDs are ~50 rare inherited metabolic disorders.
POWERGRID (Power Grid Corporation of India) falls under which category of CPSEs as referenced in the CCEA's delegation enhancement?
Correct Answer: A. Maharatna
POWERGRID is a Maharatna CPSE — India's largest power transmission utility, established in 1989. It became a Maharatna in 2019. Maharatna status allows investment up to Rs 5,000 crore without government approval for one project.
The name change from 'Kerala' to 'Keralam' was proposed at a Cabinet meeting held at which New Delhi complex?
Correct Answer: C. Seva Teerth Complex
The meeting was held at the newly inaugurated Seva Teerth office complex — the first Cabinet meeting there. Seva Teerth houses PMO, NSCS, and Cabinet Secretariat. Kerala was formed on November 1, 1956, under the States Reorganisation Act.
What is the production capacity (in GWh) of Waaree Energies' planned lithium-ion battery gigafactory in AP?
Correct Answer: C. 16 GWh
The gigafactory will have approximately 16 GWh capacity, with investment of ~Rs 8,175 crore (USD 890 million). Andhra Pradesh was formed on November 1, 1956, and bifurcated on June 2, 2014. Current capital: Amaravati (de jure).
The Union Government is targeting what category of NITI Aayog CPSE guidelines with its POWERGRID enhanced delegation?
Correct Answer: B. Maharatna CPSEs
The CCEA approved enhanced delegation to POWERGRID under Maharatna CPSE guidelines. As of 2025, India has 13 Maharatna CPSEs including ONGC, IOCL, NTPC, SAIL, GAIL, BHEL, CIL, HPCL, BPCL, POWERGRID, REC, PFC, and HAL.
Between which two cities does the first Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) operate after PM Modi flagged it off?
Correct Answer: B. Delhi–Meerut
The 82 km Delhi–Meerut Namo Bharat Corridor is India's first RRTS. It is developed by NCRTC, a joint venture of Centre and NCR state governments. Meerut is in Uttar Pradesh, known as the 'Sports City of India'.
India's first evidence-based cancer guideline released at Kartavya Bhavan in January 2026 focused on which cancer?
Correct Answer: C. Lung Cancer
Union Minister J.P. Nadda released 'Lung Cancer Treatment and Palliation: Evidence-Based Guidelines' at Kartavya Bhavan. MoHFW is responsible for health policy; Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY is the world's largest health insurance scheme, launched in 2018.
What was the Repo Rate maintained by RBI in its 6th Bi-monthly Monetary Policy of FY26 held in February 2026?
Correct Answer: A. 5.25%
RBI maintained the Repo Rate at 5.25% in the 6th Bi-monthly Monetary Policy of FY26. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) was constituted under Section 45ZB of the RBI Act, 1934 and has six members — three from RBI and three nominated by the Central Government.
Who chaired RBI's 59th MPC meeting held from February 4 to 6, 2026?
Correct Answer: A. Sanjay Malhotra
Sanjay Malhotra, the 26th Governor of RBI, chaired the meeting. He took charge as RBI Governor on December 11, 2024, succeeding Shaktikanta Das. RBI was established on April 1, 1935 and is headquartered in Mumbai.
What was RBI's Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) maintained in February 2026?
Correct Answer: B. 3.00%
RBI maintained the CRR at 3.00% in February 2026. CRR is the percentage of Net Demand and Time Liabilities (NDTL) that commercial banks must maintain as reserves with RBI, mandated under Section 42(1) of the RBI Act, 1934.
What was the Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR) maintained by RBI in its February 2026 policy?
Correct Answer: C. 18.00%
SLR was maintained at 18.00%. SLR is the minimum percentage of NDTL that banks must maintain in safe and liquid assets such as government securities, cash, or gold. It is governed under Section 24 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.
RBI imposed a compounding fee of Rs 18.76 lakh on which company for FEMA violations in February 2026?
Correct Answer: A. One 97 Communications (Paytm's parent)
One 97 Communications, the parent company of Paytm Payments Services, was fined for FEMA violations tied to investments from Little Internet Singapore into Little Internet Private Limited. FEMA (Foreign Exchange Management Act) came into force in June 2000, replacing FERA 1973.
Which bank was penalised Rs 63.60 lakh by RBI for non-compliance with directions on Business Correspondents and Customer Service in February 2026?
Correct Answer: A. CSB Bank
CSB Bank Limited, formerly Catholic Syrian Bank, was fined Rs 63.60 lakh. Established in 1920, CSB Bank is headquartered in Thrissur, Kerala and is among India's oldest private sector banks.
Which payment aggregator was authorised by RBI on February 16, 2026 to operate in PA-O, PA-P, and PA-CB categories?
Correct Answer: A. In-Solutions Global (ISG)
RBI authorised In-Solutions Global (ISG) to operate across Online (PA-O), Offline (PA-P), and Cross-Border (PA-CB) payment aggregator categories. Payment Aggregators are regulated by RBI under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act (PSSA), 2007.
Airtel Money received a Certificate of Registration from RBI on February 17, 2026 to operate as what type of NBFC?
Correct Answer: B. Type II NBFC-ND (ICC)
Airtel Money received a CoR to operate as a Type II Non-Deposit Taking NBFC — Investment and Credit Company. NBFCs are classified by RBI based on liability structure, type of activity, and systemic importance. Airtel Money is a subsidiary of Bharti Airtel.
From which date has RBI mandated a Unique Transaction Identifier (UTI) for Over-The-Counter (OTC) Derivatives?
Correct Answer: A. January 1, 2027
RBI mandated UTI for OTC Derivatives from January 1, 2027. The UTI is a globally unique identifier assigned to each OTC derivative transaction, helping regulators monitor systemic risk — a reform stemming from the 2009 G20 Pittsburgh commitments.
Who did RBI approve as the new MD and CEO of YES Bank for a three-year term on February 3, 2026?
Correct Answer: A. Vinay Muralidhar Tonse
RBI approved Vinay Muralidhar Tonse as YES Bank MD & CEO for three years. He succeeds Prashant Kumar, whose tenure ends in April 2026. YES Bank was founded in 2004 by Rana Kapoor and Ashok Kapur and is headquartered in Mumbai.
Who was approved by RBI as the new MD and CEO of City Union Bank Limited (CUB) in February 2026?
Correct Answer: A. R. Vijay Anandh
RBI approved R. Vijay Anandh as MD & CEO of CUB. City Union Bank, founded in 1904 in Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu, is among India's oldest private sector banks. It was originally known as 'The Kumbakonam Bank Limited' before renaming in 1987.
PB Pay Private Limited, which received a Payment Aggregator Certificate of Authorisation from RBI, is a subsidiary of:
Correct Answer: B. PB Fintech (parent of Policybazaar and Paisabazaar)
PB Pay is a wholly-owned subsidiary of PB Fintech Limited, which owns Policybazaar and Paisabazaar. PB Fintech was listed on NSE and BSE in November 2021.
ASK Asset & Wealth Management becoming the 52nd mutual fund house to enter India's MF industry received approval from which regulator?
Correct Answer: B. SEBI
SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India) regulates mutual funds in India. SEBI was established as a non-statutory body in 1988 and got statutory powers on April 12, 1992. It is headquartered in Mumbai.
What was the total Assets Under Management (AUM) of India's Mutual Fund industry as of January 31, 2026?
Correct Answer: C. Rs 81 lakh crore
India's MF industry registered an AUM of Rs 81 lakh crore. AMFI (Association of Mutual Funds in India), established in 1995, is the industry body for India's mutual fund houses, headquartered in Mumbai.
GIFT City signed an MoU with AJNIFM for strengthening FinTech talent; where is AJNIFM located?
Correct Answer: C. Faridabad
Arun Jaitley National Institute of Financial Management (AJNIFM) is in Faridabad, Haryana, and operates under the Ministry of Finance. GIFT City (Gujarat International Finance Tec-City) hosts India's first IFSC (International Financial Services Centre) in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
RBI approved Blackstone, an American PE firm, to acquire up to what percentage of stake in Federal Bank Limited?
Correct Answer: C. 9.99%
Blackstone received RBI approval to acquire up to 9.99% stake in Federal Bank. Federal Bank, headquartered in Aluva, Kerala, was founded in 1931 as Travancore Federal Bank Limited.
ICICI Prudential AMC and ICICI group entities received RBI approval to acquire up to what stake in eight banks?
Correct Answer: B. 9.95%
Up to 9.95% of paid-up share capital in eight banks. ICICI Bank, established in 1994, is headquartered in Mumbai and was the first Indian bank to list on NYSE. ICICI stands for Industrial Credit and Investment Corporation of India.
RBI imposed a penalty of Rs 29.60 lakh on DCB Bank for failure to maintain which ratio in gold loan accounts?
Correct Answer: B. LTV (Loan-To-Value)
DCB Bank failed to maintain the required Loan-To-Value (LTV) ratio. RBI caps LTV for gold loans at 75% of the value of gold. DCB Bank Limited, formerly Development Credit Bank, was founded in 1930 and is headquartered in Mumbai.
Under which section of the RBI Act, 1934 is the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) constituted?
Correct Answer: B. Section 45ZB
The MPC is constituted under Section 45ZB of the RBI Act, 1934. The MPC was introduced through the Finance Act, 2016 and has six members with the RBI Governor as Chairperson (with a casting vote).
What percentage of India's total payment transactions was accounted for by UPI as per February 2026 assessment?
Correct Answer: C. 57%
UPI accounted for 57% of total payment transactions, exceeding cash at 38%. UPI (Unified Payments Interface) was launched by NPCI on April 11, 2016. NPCI (National Payments Corporation of India) was established in 2008 as an umbrella organisation for retail payments.
City Union Bank Limited (CUB), whose MD R. Vijay Anandh was RBI-approved, was founded in which year?
Correct Answer: A. 1904
CUB was founded in 1904 in Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu, originally as 'The Kumbakonam Bank Limited'. It is one of India's oldest private sector banks. Kumbakonam is in Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu.
Federal Bank, in which Blackstone is acquiring 9.99% stake, is headquartered in:
Correct Answer: B. Aluva
Federal Bank is headquartered in Aluva, Kerala. It was founded in 1931 as Travancore Federal Bank Limited. Kerala hosts several banking institutions including CSB Bank (Thrissur) and South Indian Bank (Thrissur).
RBI was established on which date following the recommendations of the Hilton Young Commission?
Correct Answer: A. April 1, 1935
RBI was established on April 1, 1935, initially in Calcutta, based on the Hilton Young Commission (Royal Commission on Indian Currency and Finance, 1926) recommendations. RBI was nationalised on January 1, 1949. Headquarters shifted to Mumbai in 1937.
FEMA (Foreign Exchange Management Act) came into force in which year, replacing FERA 1973?
Correct Answer: B. 2000
FEMA came into force on June 1, 2000. It replaced FERA (Foreign Exchange Regulation Act), 1973 enacted during the Indira Gandhi era. FEMA shifted focus from conservation to management of foreign exchange, aligning with India's liberalisation.
In its 6th Bi-monthly Policy, RBI maintained both the Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) Rate and Bank Rate at what level?
Correct Answer: C. 5.50%
Both MSF Rate and Bank Rate were at 5.50%. MSF is the rate at which scheduled commercial banks can borrow overnight funds from RBI against approved government securities, above the Repo Rate. Bank Rate is aligned with MSF since February 2012.
What was RBI's Standing Deposit Facility (SDF) rate in February 2026?
Correct Answer: B. 5.00%
SDF rate was maintained at 5.00%. SDF was introduced by RBI in April 2022 as a standing liquidity-absorption tool at 25 bps below the Repo Rate. It is now the floor of the Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF) corridor.
IIFL Finance was penalised Rs 5.30 lakh by RBI for non-compliance with directions on which aspect?
Correct Answer: A. Asset Classification
IIFL Finance was penalised for non-compliance with directions on 'asset classification'. IIFL Finance (formerly IIFL Holdings) is an NBFC regulated under the RBI Act, 1934. RBI issued a ban on IIFL Finance's gold loan disbursement in March 2024, which was lifted in September 2024.
Navi Finserv, penalised by RBI Rs 3.80 lakh, was fined for non-compliance with directions on:
Correct Answer: A. Recovery Agents
Navi Finserv was penalised for non-compliance with directions on Recovery Agents. RBI issued guidelines on Fair Practices Code which include rules on recovery practices — banks and NBFCs must not resort to harassment when collecting dues.
What was the market capitalisation milestone achieved by Walmart Inc in January 2026 for the first time globally by a retail company?
Correct Answer: C. USD 1 trillion
Walmart became the first retail company globally to reach USD 1 trillion market capitalisation in January 2026. Walmart was founded in 1962 by Sam Walton in Rogers, Arkansas, USA. It is the world's largest company by revenue.
Moody's Ratings projected India's real GDP growth for FY27 at what percentage?
Correct Answer: A. 6.4%
Moody's projected India's GDP at 6.4% for FY27. Moody's Investors Service is one of the Big Three credit rating agencies (along with S&P and Fitch), founded by John Moody in 1909 and headquartered in New York, USA.
ICRA Limited projected India's GDP growth in Q3 FY26 (Oct-Dec 2025) at what percentage?
Correct Answer: C. 7.2%
ICRA projected 7.2% GDP growth for Q3 FY26, down from 8.2% in Q2. ICRA (formerly Investment Information and Credit Rating Agency of India Limited) was set up in 1991 and is headquartered in Gurugram, Haryana. Moody's is its majority shareholder.
Moody's projected India's banking system-wide loan growth to increase to what range in FY27?
Correct Answer: B. 11-13%
Moody's projected 11-13% loan growth in FY27, up from 10.6% in FY26. Banking system outlook was rated 'stable' by Moody's, backed by strong economic growth and robust bank fundamentals.
ICRA projected India's industrial activity in Q3 FY26 to rise to what percentage — the highest in six quarters?
Correct Answer: C. 8.3%
ICRA projected 8.3% — highest in 6 quarters. Industrial activity in India is measured primarily through the Index of Industrial Production (IIP), compiled by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) under MoSPI, with 2011-12 as the base year.
DGCI&S revised India's merchandise trade indices base year from 2012-13 to which new year?
Correct Answer: C. 2022-23
DGCI&S revised the base year to 2022-23. DGCI&S (Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics) is headquartered in Kolkata and operates under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry. It is the nodal agency for trade statistics in India.
Adani Defence signed an MoU with which Italian company for helicopter manufacturing in India?
Correct Answer: B. Leonardo
Adani Defence & Aerospace partnered with Leonardo, a major Italian aerospace, defence, and security company. Leonardo was founded in 1948 as Finmeccanica and renamed in 2017. It is headquartered in Rome, Italy.
IOCL signed a Letter of Intent with Akasa Air during Wings India 2026 to jointly explore supply of:
Correct Answer: B. Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)
IOCL and Akasa Air will jointly explore SAF supply. SAF is a biofuel produced from renewable sources like waste oils and agricultural residues. IOCL (Indian Oil Corporation Limited) is a Maharatna PSU under MoPNG, headquartered in New Delhi.
MCA approved the merger of how many POWERGRID subsidiaries into two other wholly-owned subsidiaries?
Correct Answer: B. 17
17 wholly-owned POWERGRID subsidiaries were merged. MCA (Ministry of Corporate Affairs) administers the Companies Act, 2013 and LLP Act, 2008. POWERGRID Corporation of India, a Maharatna CPSE established in 1989, is India's largest electric power transmission utility.
France's CMA CGM signed a USD 360 million deal with Cochin Shipyard Limited for how many LNG-fuelled feeder container vessels?
Correct Answer: C. Six
Six 1,700 TEU LNG-fuelled feeder container vessels. Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), a Miniratna PSU under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, is based in Kochi, Kerala. It is India's largest shipbuilding and maintenance facility.
The MoD signed a Rs 2,312 crore contract with HAL for the procurement of 8 Dornier 228 aircraft for which force?
Correct Answer: C. Indian Coast Guard
The Dornier 228 aircraft are for the Indian Coast Guard (ICG). HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited), a Maharatna PSU, was established in 1964 and is headquartered in Bengaluru. ICG was established on February 1, 1977.
India added a record 52,537 MW of power generation capacity in the first 10 months of FY26, compared to the previous FY25 record of:
Correct Answer: B. 34,054 MW
Previous FY25 record was 34,054 MW. India's power sector is regulated by CERC (Central Electricity Regulatory Commission), established in 1998 under the Electricity Regulatory Commissions Act, 1998, now replaced by the Electricity Act, 2003.
Brazilian President Lula set a target to expand India-Brazil bilateral trade by 2030 to what level from USD 15.21 billion?
Correct Answer: C. USD 30 billion
Target of USD 30 billion by 2030. India currently maintains a ~USD 1.5 billion trade surplus with Brazil. Brazil joined BRICS in 2009; BRICS was initially called BRIC (without South Africa) — it was formed in 2006, with the first summit in 2009 in Yekaterinburg, Russia.
India is chairing the BRICS Summit in 2026 for which numbered time?
Correct Answer: C. 4th
India is chairing BRICS for the 4th time in 2026 after 2012, 2016, and 2021. BRICS members expanded in January 2024 to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and UAE. The group now represents ~45% of the global population.
Sagar Defence Engineering delivered the first two Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs) to the Indian Navy with how much indigenous content?
Correct Answer: C. Over 70%
The USVs have over 70% indigenous content, aligning with the 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' initiative. Sagar Defence Engineering is based in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Indian Navy's origins trace back to 1612 as East India Company's Marine.
The NBFC-ICC category, in which Airtel Money received RBI registration, stands for:
Correct Answer: B. Investment and Credit Company
NBFC-ICC stands for Non-Banking Financial Company — Investment and Credit Company. NBFCs are classified by RBI based on liability structure (deposit-taking/non-deposit-taking), activity, and systemic importance. NBFCs are regulated under the RBI Act, 1934.
India's BRICS 2026 Chairship theme is 'Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation, and Sustainability', abbreviated as:
Correct Answer: B. BRICS
The theme forms the acronym 'BRICS'. BRICS members as of January 2024 include Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and UAE. The BRICS Summit is the grouping's apex decision-making body.
Walmart's market capitalisation achievement puts it among other USD 1 trillion+ companies including Nvidia, Alphabet, Apple, and how many others mentioned?
Correct Answer: C. Eight
Eight others mentioned — Microsoft, Amazon, Meta, TSMC, Tesla, Broadcom (plus Nvidia and Alphabet = total 10 companies). Microsoft was founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen; Apple was founded in 1976 by Steve Jobs, Wozniak, and Wayne.
GIFT City signed an MoU with AJNIFM to strengthen talent for which financial hub?
Correct Answer: B. IFSC
The MoU strengthens talent for IFSC (International Financial Services Centre). GIFT City hosts India's first IFSC, which is regulated by the IFSCA (International Financial Services Centres Authority), established in April 2020 under the IFSCA Act, 2019.
Cochin Shipyard Limited's unexecuted order book after the CMA CGM deal reached approximately:
Correct Answer: C. Rs 23,000 crore
CSL's order book reached ~Rs 23,000 crore. CSL was incorporated in 1972 and is listed on NSE and BSE since 2017. It operates India's largest dry dock and has built naval ships including India's first indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant.
Which commission's recommendations led to the establishment of the Reserve Bank of India in 1935?
Correct Answer: A. Hilton Young Commission
Hilton Young Commission (1926), officially the Royal Commission on Indian Currency and Finance, recommended the creation of a central bank. RBI was established on April 1, 1935 under the RBI Act, 1934. It was nationalised on January 1, 1949.
SEBI was established as a statutory body on which date?
Correct Answer: A. April 12, 1992
SEBI got statutory status on April 12, 1992 under the SEBI Act, 1992. It was set up as a non-statutory body in 1988. SEBI's mandate is to protect investor interests, promote market development, and regulate India's securities market. Headquarters: Mumbai.
Walmart, which became world's first retail trillion-dollar company, was founded in which year?
Correct Answer: B. 1962
Walmart was founded by Sam Walton in 1962 in Rogers, Arkansas, USA. It is the world's largest company by revenue. The first Walmart India sourcing office was established in Bengaluru in 2002.
Moody's Investors Service, which projected India's FY27 GDP at 6.4%, is headquartered in:
Correct Answer: C. New York
Moody's is headquartered in New York, USA. It was founded in 1909 by John Moody. The 'Big Three' credit rating agencies are Moody's, S&P Global Ratings, and Fitch Ratings — collectively holding ~95% of the global rating market.
India's Foreign Exchange Management Act, 2000 replaced which earlier law from 1973?
Correct Answer: A. FERA
FEMA replaced FERA (Foreign Exchange Regulation Act), 1973, which was enacted during Indira Gandhi's PM tenure. FEMA came into force on June 1, 2000, shifting India's approach from foreign exchange conservation to management, aligning with the 1991 liberalisation reforms.
POWERGRID Corporation of India Limited, approved for enhanced delegation in February 2026, was established in which year?
Correct Answer: B. 1989
POWERGRID was established on October 23, 1989. It is a Maharatna CPSE and India's largest electric power transmission company, operating over 90% of inter-state transmission. It became a Maharatna in 2019. Headquarters: Gurugram, Haryana.
Among the MPC members who attended RBI's 6th Bi-monthly meeting FY26, who is the Executive Director representing RBI?
Correct Answer: D. Indranil Bhattacharyya
Indranil Bhattacharyya, Executive Director, RBI, is among the three internal MPC members from RBI. The MPC has six members — three from RBI (Governor, Dy Governor in charge of monetary policy, and one ED) and three external experts nominated by Central Govt for 4 years.
The Unified Payments Interface (UPI), which now accounts for 57% of transactions, was launched by NPCI on which date?
Correct Answer: A. April 11, 2016
UPI was launched on April 11, 2016. NPCI (National Payments Corporation of India) was set up in 2008 under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007 as an umbrella entity for retail payment systems. It is owned by a consortium of Indian banks.
Moody's projected India's banking system loan-deposit ratio to remain around what level in FY27?
Correct Answer: C. 80%
Moody's projected ~80% loan-deposit ratio. Loan-deposit ratio (LDR) indicates how much of a bank's deposits are lent out. A very high LDR may indicate liquidity stress; a very low LDR indicates underutilisation of funds.
Which institution of the Central Ministry of Finance signed an MoU with GIFT City for FinTech and International Finance talent building?
Correct Answer: B. AJNIFM
Arun Jaitley National Institute of Financial Management (AJNIFM) in Faridabad under Ministry of Finance signed the MoU. It was renamed after former FM Arun Jaitley (passed away 2019); earlier known as National Institute of Financial Management (NIFM), established in 1993.
Among the 'Big Three' credit rating agencies, which one is NOT included?
Correct Answer: D. CRISIL
CRISIL is India's largest credit rating agency but not one of the 'Big Three' globally. The Big Three are Moody's, S&P Global, and Fitch Ratings, controlling ~95% of the credit ratings market worldwide. CRISIL was India's first credit rating agency (1987); it is majority-owned by S&P Global.
Which Italian firm signed an MoU with Adani Defence & Aerospace for helicopter manufacturing in India?
Correct Answer: A. Leonardo
Leonardo S.p.A., headquartered in Rome, Italy, partnered with Adani Defence & Aerospace. Leonardo is Italy's largest defence company, formed in 1948 as Finmeccanica and renamed in 2017. It specialises in helicopters, defence electronics, and aerospace systems.
ICRA Limited, headquartered in Gurugram, was originally named:
Correct Answer: A. Investment Information and Credit Rating Agency of India
ICRA originally stood for Investment Information and Credit Rating Agency of India Limited, established in 1991 as a joint venture between Industrial Finance Corporation of India (IFCI) and other financial institutions. It is now majority-owned by Moody's Corporation.
RBI's Standing Deposit Facility (SDF), kept at 5.00% in February 2026, was introduced in which year?
Correct Answer: D. 2022
SDF was introduced by RBI in April 2022 as a standing liquidity-absorption tool without collateral, at 25 bps below the Repo Rate. It replaced the Fixed Rate Reverse Repo as the floor of the Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF) corridor.
Nvidia, one of the USD 1 trillion+ companies alongside Walmart, is primarily known for manufacturing:
Correct Answer: C. Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) and AI Chips
Nvidia designs GPUs and AI chips. Founded in 1993 by Jensen Huang, Chris Malachowsky, and Curtis Priem, it is headquartered in Santa Clara, California. Nvidia crossed USD 1 trillion market cap in May 2023 amid the AI boom.
Akasa Air, which signed an LoI with IOCL for SAF supply, began commercial operations in which year?
Correct Answer: C. 2022
Akasa Air began commercial operations on August 7, 2022, making it India's youngest airline. It was founded by late Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, along with Vinay Dube and others. Headquartered in Mumbai, it operates a Boeing 737 MAX fleet.
The RBI approved acquisitions by ICICI Prudential AMC and ICICI group entities covered how many banks?
Correct Answer: C. Eight
Eight banks — up to 9.95% stake acquisition approved. ICICI Prudential AMC is a joint venture between ICICI Bank and Prudential plc (UK). It is one of India's largest mutual fund houses. Prudential plc was founded in 1848 and is headquartered in London.
Cochin Shipyard Limited's first indigenously built indigenous aircraft carrier launched was:
Correct Answer: B. INS Vikrant
INS Vikrant (R11) is India's first indigenous aircraft carrier, built by CSL and commissioned in September 2022. It succeeded INS Vikrant (R11), India's first aircraft carrier that served from 1961-1997. Cochin Shipyard was incorporated in 1972.
G20 (Group of Twenty), referenced in Moody's report, was formed as a forum for finance ministers in which year?
Correct Answer: B. 1999
G20 was formed in 1999 as a forum for finance ministers and central bank governors. It was elevated to a leaders' summit in 2008 during the global financial crisis. G20 nations account for ~85% of global GDP, 75% of trade, and 60% of population. India hosted G20 Summit in 2023.
HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited), which signed the Rs 2,312 crore deal with MoD, was established in which year?
Correct Answer: C. 1964
HAL was formed on October 1, 1964 by merging Hindustan Aircraft Limited (1940) and Aeronautics India Limited (1963). It is a Maharatna CPSE headquartered in Bengaluru. HAL designs and manufactures aircraft such as HAL Tejas, HAL Dhruv, and HAL Prachand.
NPCI (National Payments Corporation of India), which launched UPI, was established in which year?
Correct Answer: B. 2008
NPCI was set up in 2008 as an umbrella organisation for operating retail payments in India, under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007. It was initiated by RBI and Indian Banks' Association. NPCI products include UPI, IMPS, RuPay, BHIM, FASTag, and NACH.
French President Emmanuel Macron's State visit to India from February 18-19, 2026 was his which numbered visit to India?
Correct Answer: C. 4th
It was Macron's 4th visit to India. Macron assumed the French presidency on May 14, 2017, and was re-elected in April 2022. France, with its capital Paris, is a founding member of the European Union and a permanent member of the UN Security Council. The India-France strategic partnership dates back to 1998.
The H-125 helicopters, whose final assembly line was jointly inaugurated by PM Modi and Macron, are a collaboration between Airbus and which Indian company?
Correct Answer: D. Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL)
TASL (Tata Advanced Systems Limited) partnered with Airbus. The facility is at Vemagal, Karnataka. Airbus is a European multinational aerospace corporation headquartered in Leiden, Netherlands. It was formed in 2000 as EADS, renamed to Airbus Group in 2014, and simply Airbus in 2017.
Brazilian President Lula's State visit to India from February 18-22, 2026 coincided with which major summit?
Correct Answer: B. 2nd India AI Impact Summit 2026
Lula participated in the 2nd India AI Impact Summit 2026. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is serving his third term as Brazil's President (since January 2023). Brazil's capital is Brasília. The first India-Brazil joint statement was signed in 1996, and the bilateral relationship was elevated to Strategic Partnership in 2006.
Who was India's MEA representative who visited the USA from February 2-4, 2026 to participate in the Critical Minerals Ministerial Meeting?
Correct Answer: A. Dr. S. Jaishankar
Dr. Subrahmanyam (S.) Jaishankar, Union Minister for External Affairs. Jaishankar served as Foreign Secretary (2015-2018) before taking charge as EAM in May 2019. MEA (Ministry of External Affairs) is headed by the EAM and is responsible for India's foreign relations.
FORGE (Forum on Resource, Geostrategic Engagement) for critical minerals supply chains will be chaired by which country until June 2026?
Correct Answer: A. Republic of Korea
Republic of Korea will chair FORGE until June 2026. South Korea (Republic of Korea) has Seoul as its capital and uses the Korean Won (KRW) as currency. It joined the OECD in 1996 and is home to major companies like Samsung, Hyundai, and LG.
PM Modi visited Malaysia from February 7-8, 2026 on the invitation of Malaysian PM:
Correct Answer: D. Anwar Ibrahim
Anwar Ibrahim, who became Malaysia's 10th PM on November 24, 2022. Malaysia's capital is Kuala Lumpur (administrative capital: Putrajaya); currency: Malaysian Ringgit (MYR). Malaysia is a founding member of ASEAN, established in Bangkok on August 8, 1967.
The 2nd India AI Impact Summit 2026 commenced on February 16, 2026 at which venue in New Delhi?
Correct Answer: B. Bharat Mandapam
The summit was held at Bharat Mandapam. It is an international exhibition-cum-convention centre at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, inaugurated by PM Modi on July 26, 2023. Bharat Mandapam hosted the G20 Summit in September 2023. It spans 123 acres and is India's largest MICE destination.
PM Modi unveiled which framework during the inaugural ceremony of the 2nd India AI Impact Summit 2026?
Correct Answer: B. MANAV framework
PM Modi unveiled the 'MANAV (Human in Hindi) framework'. The summit was guided by three foundational Sutras: People, Planet and Progress. India's National Strategy for AI (#AIForAll) was released by NITI Aayog in 2018. The IndiaAI Mission was approved in March 2024 with Rs 10,372 crore outlay.
The 2nd India-Arab Foreign Ministers' Meeting (IAFMM) hosted by India in New Delhi on January 31, 2026 was the first such meeting in how many years?
Correct Answer: C. 10 years
It marked the first meeting after 10 years since the inaugural session in Bahrain in 2016. The Arab League (League of Arab States) was formed on March 22, 1945, and is headquartered in Cairo, Egypt. It currently has 22 member states, with Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit (since 2016).
The 1st BRICS Sherpas' and Sous Sherpas meeting was hosted by India during which dates in February 2026?
Correct Answer: A. February 9-10
The meeting was hosted on February 9-10, 2026. BRICS was formed in 2006 (as BRIC) with the first summit in 2009 in Yekaterinburg, Russia. South Africa joined in 2010, and Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and UAE joined in January 2024. BRICS represents ~45% of global population.
SFDR technology, successfully demonstrated by DRDO at Chandipur, is based on which propulsion system?
Correct Answer: B. Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet
SFDR stands for Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet. It uses atmospheric air for combustion to provide sustained thrust at supersonic speeds. It was developed by DRDO's Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL). DRDO was established in 1958 and is headquartered in New Delhi.
The Agni-3 missile successfully test-fired on February 6, 2026 has a range of:
Correct Answer: D. 3,000-3,500 km
Agni-3 has a range of 3,000-3,500 km — classified as Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM). The Agni missile series includes Agni-I (700 km), Agni-II (2,000 km), Agni-III (3,500 km), Agni-IV (4,000 km), Agni-V (5,000+ km), and Agni-P (Agni Prime). Strategic Forces Command (SFC) was formed in 2003.
The drogue parachute successfully tested by DRDO at Chandigarh is intended for which mission?
Correct Answer: B. Gaganyaan
The drogue parachute is for Gaganyaan — India's 1st human spaceflight mission. Testing happened at Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory (TBRL), Chandigarh. Gaganyaan was approved by the Union Cabinet in December 2018. The first crewed mission was planned by ISRO for 2026.
Strela-10 VSHORADS was successfully test-fired by Indian Army's Konark Corps at:
Correct Answer: B. Pokhran, Rajasthan
The test was conducted at Pokhran Field Firing Range, Rajasthan. Strela-10 is a Russian-origin Very Short Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS). Pokhran is famous for India's nuclear tests: Pokhran-I (Smiling Buddha, 1974) and Pokhran-II (Operation Shakti, May 1998). Konark Corps is the IA's XXI Corps.
The 7th edition of Exercise DHARMA GUARDIAN 2026 is conducted between India and which country?
Correct Answer: D. Japan
DHARMA GUARDIAN is an annual joint military exercise between India and Japan. It began at Foreign Training Node, Chaubattia, Uttarakhand on February 24, 2026. Japan's capital is Tokyo; currency: Japanese Yen (JPY). India-Japan ties elevated to Special Strategic and Global Partnership in 2014.
The Indian Navy assumed command of Combined Task Force 154 (CTF-154) for the first time in which country?
Correct Answer: D. Bahrain
The ceremony was held at CMF Headquarters in Manama, Bahrain. Bahrain's currency is Bahraini Dinar (BHD), and its capital is Manama. Bahrain became independent from the UK on August 15, 1971. Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) is a 45-nation naval partnership established in 2002, headquartered in Bahrain.
The 13th edition of Exercise MILAN 2026 was conducted under which theme?
Correct Answer: C. Camaraderie, Cooperation, Collaboration
Theme: 'Camaraderie, Cooperation, Collaboration'. It was conducted in Bay of Bengal from February 19-25, 2026. MILAN is a biennial multilateral naval exercise hosted by the Indian Navy. It was first held in 1995 with four navies; MILAN 2024 saw participation from 50+ countries.
India's first indigenously designed Cadet Training Ship 'Krishna' was launched at L&T Shipbuilding facility in:
Correct Answer: C. Kattupalli, Chennai, TN
INS Krishna was launched at L&T Shipbuilding, Kattupalli, near Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The ship is named after River Krishna, India's 3rd longest river after Ganga and Godavari. Larsen & Toubro (L&T) was founded in 1938 by Henning Holck-Larsen and Søren Kristian Toubro, Danish engineers.
Sunetra Pawar, sworn in on January 31, 2026, became which state's first woman Deputy Chief Minister in history?
Correct Answer: C. Maharashtra
Sunetra Pawar became Maharashtra's first woman DyCM. Maharashtra was formed on May 1, 1960 as part of the Bombay Reorganisation Act. Capital: Mumbai; secondary capital: Nagpur. Oath was administered by Governor Acharya Devvrat at Raj Bhavan, Mumbai. Sunetra Pawar was earlier a Rajya Sabha MP.
Yumnam Khemchand Singh took oath as Chief Minister of which state on February 4, 2026?
Correct Answer: C. Manipur
Yumnam Khemchand Singh became Manipur CM after President's rule was imposed on February 13, 2025 under Article 356. Manipur was formed on January 21, 1972, with its capital at Imphal. The state is known for Sangai Festival and Loktak Lake — India's largest freshwater lake in NE India.
President's Rule was imposed in Manipur under which Constitutional Article?
Correct Answer: A. Article 356
Article 356 deals with the failure of constitutional machinery in a State and allows imposition of President's Rule. It was originally borrowed from Article 93 of the Government of India Act, 1935. Article 356 is invoked by the President on the recommendation of the Governor or otherwise.
The Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) that the Indian Navy joined CTF-154 command of is a naval partnership of how many nations?
Correct Answer: C. 45 nations
CMF is a 45-nation naval partnership, headquartered in Bahrain. It was established in 2002 to counter piracy, terrorism, and illegal trafficking. CMF operates three task forces: CTF-150 (maritime security), CTF-151 (counter-piracy), and CTF-152 (Arabian Gulf security). CTF-153 (Red Sea) and CTF-154 (training) are newer additions.
The Indian Navy hosted three major international engagements at Visakhapatnam from February 15-25, 2026 — which of these was NOT included?
Correct Answer: D. Indo-Pacific Oceans Conference
The three events were MILAN 2026, IFR 2026, and IONS Conclave. IONS (Indian Ocean Naval Symposium) was conceived in 2008 by India; it has 25 member states and 9 observer states. Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative was launched separately by PM Modi at the East Asia Summit in November 2019.
The Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), which developed the Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR), is located in:
Correct Answer: A. Hyderabad, Telangana
DRDL is in Hyderabad, Telangana. It is a premier missile development lab under DRDO, established in 1960. DRDL has developed missiles including Akash, Prithvi, Agni (in collaboration with ASL), and BrahMos. DRDO has 52 laboratories grouped under 10 technology clusters.
PM Modi attended which numbered India-Malaysia CEO Forum during his February 2026 visit?
Correct Answer: D. 10th
The 10th India-Malaysia CEO Forum was held in Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia joined ASEAN as a founding member on August 8, 1967 in Bangkok. The ASEAN Secretariat is in Jakarta, Indonesia. Malaysia uses Ringgit (MYR) currency. Anwar Ibrahim became the 10th PM of Malaysia on November 24, 2022.
The India AI Impact Summit 2026 was guided by three foundational Sutras. Which of the following was NOT one of them?
Correct Answer: D. Partnership
Three Sutras: People, Planet and Progress. The summit was organised by MeitY, NASSCOM, NITI Aayog, and academic institutions. NASSCOM (National Association of Software and Service Companies) was established in 1988 and is headquartered in Noida. It represents India's IT-BPO industry.
In Manipur, which woman became the first ever to hold the Deputy CM post in February 2026?
Correct Answer: A. Nemcha Kipgen
BJP's Nemcha Kipgen from the Kuki community became Manipur's first woman Deputy CM. The Kuki community is one of Manipur's ethnic tribes. Losii Dikho, from the Naga community, also took oath as Deputy CM. Manipur has three major ethnic groups: Meitei (in valley), Naga and Kuki (in hills).
The Rafale fighter jets deal of Rs 3.25 lakh crore approved by DAC is for how many additional Rafale jets from France?
Correct Answer: D. 114 jets
DAC approved 114 additional Rafale jets. With this, India's total Rafale fleet will grow to 176 jets — the 36 already inducted by IAF, 26 Rafale-M jets for IN, and 114 new jets. Rafale is a twin-engine multirole fighter aircraft made by Dassault Aviation (France), which was founded in 1929.
B.V.R. Subrahmanyam, who continues as CEO of NITI Aayog in early 2026, is a retired officer of which service?
Correct Answer: A. Indian Administrative Service (IAS)
B.V.R. Subrahmanyam is a 1987-batch IAS officer of the Chhattisgarh cadre. He took charge as NITI Aayog CEO on February 20, 2023. NITI Aayog, established on January 1, 2015, is chaired by the PM; the Vice Chairperson and CEO handle day-to-day operations.
Which union minister released India's first evidence-based cancer guideline at Kartavya Bhavan on January 3, 2026?
Correct Answer: C. Jagat Prakash Nadda
J.P. Nadda, Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare, released the 'Lung Cancer Treatment and Palliation: Evidence-Based Guidelines'. Nadda is also the BJP National President (re-elected in 2020; extended till 2025). MoHFW operates through two departments — Department of Health & Family Welfare, and Department of Health Research.
The Mountain Fire Control Radar and BEL's AI Policy were inaugurated by Rajnath Singh at BEL Bengaluru. BEL is classified as which type of CPSE?
Correct Answer: B. Navratna
BEL is a Navratna CPSE. Bharat Electronics Limited was founded in 1954 under the Ministry of Defence and is headquartered in Bengaluru, Karnataka. It was granted Navratna status in 2007. BEL specialises in defence electronics and strategic components.
Sagar Defence Engineering delivered the first two USVs to the Indian Navy with what indigenous content level?
Correct Answer: C. More than 70%
More than 70% indigenous content. The USVs are equipped with a 12.7mm gun and have provisions for short-range missiles and loitering munitions. Sagar Defence Engineering is based in Mumbai. USVs are crucial for maritime surveillance, reconnaissance, and anti-submarine warfare support.
The USA-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF), announced as Official Partner of the India AI Impact Summit 2026, is headquartered in:
Correct Answer: B. Washington, D.C., USA
USISPF is headquartered in Washington, D.C., USA. It was founded in 2017 by former US Ambassador to India Richard Verma and others. The India-USA strategic partnership was formalised in 2004 under PM Manmohan Singh and President George W. Bush's 'Next Steps in Strategic Partnership' initiative.
The Agni-3 missile tested from ITR Chandipur has a launch weight of approximately:
Correct Answer: D. 48,300 kg
Agni-3 has a launch weight of 48,300 kg (48.3 tonnes). Dimensions: 16.7 m length, 2 m diameter. It is a two-stage solid-fuelled Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile. Agni missiles are developed by DRDO's Advanced Systems Laboratory (ASL) in Hyderabad. Agni-3 was first tested in 2006.
The India-Arab Foreign Ministers' Meeting was co-chaired by Dr. S. Jaishankar and Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar from which country?
Correct Answer: D. UAE
Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar is the Minister of State of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). UAE's capital is Abu Dhabi, and its currency is UAE Dirham (AED). UAE became independent on December 2, 1971. The UAE is a federation of seven emirates including Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Fujairah, and Ras Al Khaimah.
INS Krishna, launched at L&T Kattupalli, is named after which Indian river that is the country's third longest?
Correct Answer: B. Krishna
INS Krishna is named after River Krishna. India's three longest rivers in order: Ganga (2,525 km), Godavari (1,465 km), and Krishna (1,400 km). The Krishna River originates in Mahabaleshwar, Maharashtra and flows through Karnataka, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh before joining the Bay of Bengal.
Exercise DHARMA GUARDIAN 2026 is conducted at Foreign Training Node, Chaubattia, in which state?
Correct Answer: B. Uttarakhand
Chaubattia Foreign Training Node is in Uttarakhand. Uttarakhand was formed on November 9, 2000, as India's 27th state, carved out of Uttar Pradesh. Capital: Dehradun (also called winter capital); Gairsain is the summer capital. DHARMA GUARDIAN began in 2018 between India and Japan.
Which Italian Navy commander handed over charge of CTF-154 to the Indian Navy's Milind M. Mokashi in Bahrain?
Correct Answer: A. Commodore Andrea Bielli
Commodore Andrea Bielli (Italian Navy) handed over CTF-154 command to Milind M. Mokashi of the Indian Navy. Shaurya Chakra is a peacetime gallantry award in India, introduced on January 26, 1952. It is the third-highest peacetime gallantry award after Ashoka Chakra and Kirti Chakra.
Who presided over the International Fleet Review (IFR) 2026 held off Visakhapatnam on February 18, 2026?
Correct Answer: C. President Droupadi Murmu
President Droupadi Murmu, Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, presided over IFR 2026. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces under Article 53(2) of the Constitution. Droupadi Murmu became India's 15th President on July 25, 2022, succeeding Ram Nath Kovind.
Paramesh Sivamani, who inaugurated India's first Waterjet Production & Testing Facility, holds which post?
Correct Answer: B. Director General of Indian Coast Guard
Paramesh Sivamani is Director General (DG) of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG). ICG was established on February 1, 1977 under the Coast Guard Act, 1978, and functions under the Ministry of Defence. The ICG's motto is 'Vayam Rakshamah' meaning 'We Protect'.
The FORGE initiative, chaired by South Korea until June 2026, focuses on global cooperation in:
Correct Answer: A. Critical Minerals Supply Chains
FORGE (Forum on Resource, Geostrategic Engagement) focuses on critical minerals supply chains. India has a National Critical Mineral Mission launched in 2025 with Rs 34,300 crore outlay. 30 critical minerals are identified in India, including lithium, cobalt, nickel, and rare earth elements.
Brazilian President Lula set a target to expand India-Brazil bilateral trade to USD 30 billion by which year?
Correct Answer: D. 2030
Target of USD 30 billion by 2030, from current USD 15.21 billion. India maintains a surplus of ~USD 1.5 billion. Brazil is BRICS member and the largest economy in South America. Its currency is Brazilian Real (BRL). Brazil joined BRIC (renamed BRICS in 2010) in 2009.
The French counterpart of Rajnath Singh who co-chaired the 6th India-France Annual Defence Dialogue in Bengaluru was:
Correct Answer: D. Catherin Vautrin
Catherin Vautrin, Minister of the Armed Forces and Veterans of France, co-chaired. France's currency is Euro (since 2002). France is a permanent member of the UN Security Council and a founding member of NATO. India and France elevated their relationship to Strategic Partnership in 1998.
The Kuki community leader Nemcha Kipgen who became Manipur's first woman DyCM represented which party?
Correct Answer: C. BJP
Nemcha Kipgen is from BJP. BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) was founded on April 6, 1980. Kipgen is from the Kuki community, one of Manipur's three major ethnic groups (Meitei, Naga, Kuki). Manipur saw ethnic clashes starting May 3, 2023, leading to President's rule on February 13, 2025.
Ajay Sawhney, who heads the high-level committee on DigiLocker regulatory framework, was former Secretary of which ministry?
Correct Answer: C. MeitY
Ajay Sawhney is former Secretary of MeitY (Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology). MeitY was formed in 2016 as a separate ministry; earlier it was Department of Electronics and IT under Ministry of Communications. DigiLocker was launched on July 1, 2015 as part of Digital India.
President Lula's target of USD 30 billion India-Brazil bilateral trade would be up from current levels of approximately:
Correct Answer: C. USD 15.21 billion
Current bilateral trade is USD 15.21 billion. Brazil is a major exporter of crude oil, soybeans, and iron ore to India. India exports pharmaceuticals, vehicles, and engineering goods to Brazil. Brazil's currency is Real (BRL).
Dr. Jaishankar held a bilateral meeting with the US Secretary on February 3, 2026 during his Washington, D.C. visit. The US Secretary was:
Correct Answer: B. Marco Rubio
Marco Rubio, Secretary of State of USA. Rubio became the 72nd US Secretary of State on January 21, 2025, under the Trump administration's second term. The US Department of State, founded in 1789, is the US federal executive department for foreign policy and international relations.
The Bharat Mandapam where the India AI Impact Summit 2026 was held was inaugurated on which date?
Correct Answer: B. July 26, 2023
Bharat Mandapam was inaugurated by PM Modi on July 26, 2023. It is located at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, and hosted the G20 Summit in September 2023. It spans 123 acres and has a seating capacity of 7,000. 'Bharat Mandapam' is named after Lord Basaveshwara's concept of Anubhava Mandapam.
Rajesh Kumar Singh, in whose presence the MoD-HAL contract for 8 Dornier aircraft was signed, serves as:
Correct Answer: A. Secretary, MoD
Rajesh Kumar Singh serves as Secretary, Ministry of Defence. MoD is headed by the Union Defence Minister (currently Rajnath Singh). The Defence Secretary is the administrative head of MoD. Other key MoD Secretaries include Secretary (Defence Production) and Secretary (Defence R&D who is also DRDO Chairman).
Sanjay Malhotra, who chaired the February 2026 MPC meeting, is the which numbered Governor of the Reserve Bank of India?
Correct Answer: C. 26th
Sanjay Malhotra is the 26th Governor of RBI. He took charge on December 11, 2024, succeeding Shaktikanta Das (who was the 25th Governor). Malhotra is a 1990-batch IAS officer of Rajasthan cadre. Before joining RBI, he served as Revenue Secretary and Financial Services Secretary.
Macron's 4th visit to India occurred in February 2026. France and India elevated their relationship to Strategic Partnership in which year?
Correct Answer: C. 1998
India and France elevated their relationship to Strategic Partnership in 1998, making France one of the first countries to establish such a partnership with India. France supported India's nuclear tests in 1998 and is a key defence partner. Rafale, Scorpene submarines, and H-125 helicopters are among joint projects.
The Naga People's Front leader who took oath as Deputy CM of Manipur in February 2026 was:
Correct Answer: B. Losii Dikho
Losii Dikho from Naga People's Front (NPF) took oath as Deputy CM. NPF is a regional political party primarily active in Nagaland and parts of Manipur. Manipur became India's 19th state on January 21, 1972, along with Meghalaya and Tripura. Its capital is Imphal.
The BRICS Sherpas' meeting theme in February 2026 — 'Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation, and Sustainability' — was set by which BRICS Chair?
Correct Answer: D. India
India set the theme as the BRICS Chair for 2026. India chaired BRICS for the 4th time in 2026 (previously 2012, 2016, 2021). BRICS was originally BRIC, formed in 2006; South Africa joined in 2010. Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and UAE joined in January 2024, making BRICS a 10-member bloc.
Sunetra Pawar, who became Maharashtra's first woman Deputy CM, took oath at which venue?
Correct Answer: B. Raj Bhavan, Mumbai
Oath was administered at Raj Bhavan, Mumbai, by Governor Acharya Devvrat. Raj Bhavan is the official residence of a state's Governor. Maharashtra has a second Raj Bhavan at Nagpur due to the state's bicameral capital arrangement. Sunetra Pawar was earlier a Rajya Sabha MP.
The Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) is a 45-nation naval partnership headquartered in which country?
Correct Answer: C. Bahrain
CMF is headquartered in Manama, Bahrain. It was established in 2002 to counter non-state actors at sea. CMF operates multiple task forces — CTF-150 (maritime security outside the Arabian Gulf), CTF-151 (counter-piracy), CTF-152 (Arabian Gulf security), CTF-153 (Red Sea), CTF-154 (training).
India and Malaysia signed MoUs during PM Modi's February 2026 visit covering several areas, but NOT:
Correct Answer: C. Space cooperation
Areas covered were AV co-production, disaster management, anti-corruption, UN peacekeeping, semiconductors, wildlife conservation, social security, vocational education, security, and health — but NOT space cooperation in this specific MoU round. Malaysia is an ASEAN founding member (1967).
Indian Navy's Cadet Training Ships are under construction at M/s L&T. INS Krishna is which numbered CTS among them?
Correct Answer: A. First
INS Krishna is the first of three CTS under construction at M/s L&T Shipbuilding facility, Kattupalli. Larsen & Toubro Shipbuilding is part of L&T's Defence vertical, building ships for the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard. L&T is headquartered in Mumbai.
The Combined Task Force 154 (CTF-154), whose command the Indian Navy assumed for the first time, focuses on which area?
Correct Answer: D. Multinational Training
CTF-154 is a multinational training task force. CMF's task forces include CTF-150 (maritime security), CTF-151 (counter-piracy), CTF-152 (Arabian Gulf security), CTF-153 (Red Sea security), CTF-154 (training). Indian Navy leading CTF-154 marks India's growing maritime role in the Indian Ocean Region.
Yantra India Limited (YIL), given Miniratna Category-I status by Rajnath Singh on February 2, 2026, is a:
Correct Answer: C. Defence PSU
YIL is a Defence Public Sector Undertaking (DPSU). It was formed in October 2021 after the corporatisation of Ordnance Factory Board (OFB). YIL focuses on manufacturing artillery components, ammunition components, and allied products. India has 16 DPSUs under the Ministry of Defence.
The 2nd India-Arab Foreign Ministers' Meeting inaugural session was held in Bahrain in which year, making the 2026 meeting the first in 10 years?
Correct Answer: B. 2016
The inaugural IAFMM was held in Bahrain in 2016. The 2nd meeting in New Delhi marks the first in India. Bahrain's capital is Manama; currency: Bahraini Dinar (BHD). Bahrain became independent from the UK on August 15, 1971, and is a founding member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
Bhupender Yadav announced the 97th and 98th Ramsar sites of India as Patna Bird Sanctuary in UP and Chhari-Dhand in:
Correct Answer: B. Gujarat
Chhari-Dhand is in Kutch, Gujarat. With this addition, India's total Ramsar sites grew to 98. The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance was signed on February 2, 1971 in Ramsar, Iran, and came into force in 1975. India joined the Ramsar Convention in 1982.
Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS), part of the Visakhapatnam engagements, has how many member states?
Correct Answer: C. 25
IONS has 25 member states and 9 observer states. It was conceived in 2008 by the Indian Navy. The Indian Ocean Region carries ~80% of global maritime oil trade, making IONS crucial for regional maritime security. India also chairs the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), founded in 1997.
Om Prakash Chaudhary, who presented the Chhattisgarh FY27 budget, is the Finance Minister of the state which was carved out of Madhya Pradesh on:
Correct Answer: A. November 1, 2000
Chhattisgarh was formed on November 1, 2000 as India's 26th state, carved out of Madhya Pradesh. Capital: Raipur. November 1, 2000 is notable as three states were formed simultaneously — Chhattisgarh (from MP), Uttarakhand on November 9, 2000 (from UP), and Jharkhand on November 15, 2000 (from Bihar).
The 2nd India AI Impact Summit 2026 was hosted as the first major AI event in:
Correct Answer: C. Global South
The summit was the first major AI event hosted in the Global South. 'Global South' generally refers to the countries of Africa, Latin America, Asia (excluding developed countries), and Oceania. India has championed Global South issues, as reflected in the Voice of Global South Summit series launched in 2023.
The Agneevasthraa MoU signed with the Indian Army on February 11, 2026 covers which type of materials?
Correct Answer: B. Carbon fabrics and composite materials
The MoU covers carbon fabrics, lightweight high-strength textiles made from carbon fibres, and composite materials. Composite materials combine two or more constituent materials for enhanced defence properties. Carbon fibres are widely used in aircraft, ballistic armour, and satellite components.
IONS (Indian Ocean Naval Symposium) was conceived by the Indian Navy in which year?
Correct Answer: B. 2008
IONS was conceived in 2008 by the Indian Navy. It is a voluntary initiative to increase maritime cooperation among navies of the littoral states of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). IORA (Indian Ocean Rim Association), established in 1997, is a separate regional forum with 23 member states.
The drogue parachute for Gaganyaan successfully tested by DRDO was designed and manufactured by:
Correct Answer: D. VSSC, ADRDE, and TBRL collaboratively
The test was conducted with Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) of ISRO, Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE) of DRDO, and teams at TBRL. Gaganyaan was approved in December 2018; the first crewed flight was planned for 2026. ADRDE is in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, and specialises in aerial delivery technologies.
Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysian PM who invited PM Modi for the February 2026 visit, is the which numbered PM of Malaysia?
Correct Answer: D. 10th
Anwar Ibrahim became Malaysia's 10th Prime Minister on November 24, 2022. Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy with a rotating monarchy (Yang di-Pertuan Agong elected every 5 years from 9 hereditary sultanates). Malaysia gained independence from the UK on August 31, 1957 (as Malaya).
Which two wetlands were designated as India's 97th and 98th Ramsar sites on January 30, 2026?
Correct Answer: A. Patna Bird Sanctuary (UP) and Chhari-Dhand (Gujarat)
Patna Bird Sanctuary (Etah, UP) and Chhari-Dhand (Kutch, Gujarat) became India's 97th and 98th Ramsar sites. The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands was signed on February 2, 1971 in Ramsar, Iran and came into force in 1975. India joined the Convention in 1982, and World Wetlands Day is observed every February 2.
India's total number of Ramsar sites grew to which count after the January 2026 additions?
Correct Answer: C. 98
Total Ramsar sites in India grew to 98. Largest Ramsar site in India is Sundarbans (West Bengal, 423,000 hectares); smallest is Vembanad-Kol Wetland (Kerala). Tamil Nadu has the highest number of Ramsar sites in India. World Wetlands Day 2026 theme was 'Wetlands and Traditional Knowledge: Celebrating Cultural Heritage'.
SAIL earned 'Great Place to Work' certification in January 2026 for which consecutive year?
Correct Answer: C. Third
Third consecutive year. SAIL (Steel Authority of India Limited) is a Maharatna PSU under Ministry of Steel, headquartered in New Delhi, established in 1973. India is the world's 2nd-largest crude steel producer after China. Ministry of Steel was formed in 1971.
At the 68th Grammy Awards 2026 held on February 1, which spiritual leader won his first-ever Grammy?
Correct Answer: A. 14th Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso
The 14th Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso won for 'Meditations: The Reflections of His Holiness the Dalai Lama' in Best Audio Book, Narration, and Storytelling Recording category. Tenzin Gyatso, born July 6, 1935, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989. The Grammy Awards are presented by the Recording Academy, established in 1957.
The 68th Grammy Awards 2026 ceremony was held at which venue in Los Angeles, USA?
Correct Answer: B. Crypto.com Arena
Crypto.com Arena (formerly Staples Center, renamed December 2021). Located in Los Angeles, California, USA. The Grammy Awards are held annually by the Recording Academy since 1959. The first Grammy Awards ceremony was held on May 4, 1959 at Beverly Hilton Hotel.
At the 68th Grammy Awards 2026, the track 'Golden' from 'KPop Demon Hunters' won which category — marking the first Grammy win for Korean Pop?
Correct Answer: C. Best Song Written for Visual Media
'Golden' won Best Song Written for Visual Media — the first Grammy for K-Pop. K-Pop (Korean Pop) gained global prominence especially after the success of BTS and BLACKPINK. The Hallyu Wave (Korean cultural wave) started in the late 1990s. South Korea is an OECD member since 1996.
Who won the Album of the Year at the 68th Grammy Awards 2026?
Correct Answer: B. Bad Bunny
Bad Bunny (Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio), a Puerto Rican reggaeton singer, won Album of the Year at the 68th Grammy Awards 2026. Puerto Rico is a US territory in the Caribbean; its capital is San Juan. Bad Bunny won his first Grammy in 2020.
Arunachal Pradesh mountaineer Kabak Yano summited which peak — the highest in South America at 6,959 metres — as part of her 7-Summit Expedition?
Correct Answer: A. Mount Aconcagua (Argentina)
Mount Aconcagua in Argentina (6,959 m) is South America's highest peak. The Seven Summits are the highest peaks on each continent: Everest (Asia), Aconcagua (South America), Denali (North America), Kilimanjaro (Africa), Elbrus (Europe), Vinson (Antarctica), and Kosciuszko/Puncak Jaya (Australia/Oceania). Argentina's capital is Buenos Aires.
Kabak Yano from Itanagar became the first woman from which community to summit Mount Aconcagua?
Correct Answer: B. Nyishi
Nyishi community — the largest tribal community in Arunachal Pradesh, accounting for ~27% of the state's tribal population. Arunachal Pradesh became India's 24th state on February 20, 1987, with Itanagar as its capital. The state shares borders with China, Bhutan, and Myanmar.
The inaugural Bhavya Bharat Bhushan Award 2026 was felicitated by Rajnath Singh during which celebrations at the Isha Yoga Centre?
Correct Answer: A. Mahashivaratri
Mahashivaratri celebrations at Isha Yoga Centre, Coimbatore. The award was launched by Isha Foundation under Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev. Sadhguru founded the Isha Foundation in 1992; it is headquartered at the Isha Yoga Centre, Velliangiri Foothills, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.
Who were honoured at the Bhavya Bharat Bhushan Award 2026 in the Science & Technology category?
Correct Answer: A. Nambi Narayanan and A.S. Kiran Kumar
Nambi Narayanan (contributed to India's rocket and liquid fuel technology) and A.S. Kiran Kumar (played a key role in Chandrayaan-1 and Mangalyaan missions). ISRO was established on August 15, 1969; headquartered in Bengaluru. Dr. Kiran Kumar was the 9th ISRO Chairman (2015-2018).
Saina Nehwal received the Bhavya Bharat Bhushan Award 2026 in the Sports category for winning an Olympic medal in:
Correct Answer: D. Badminton
Saina Nehwal won a Bronze medal in Badminton at the 2012 London Olympics — India's first Olympic medal in badminton. Nehwal was the first Indian to become World No. 1 in women's singles badminton (March 2015). She was awarded Padma Shri (2010), Arjuna Award (2009), Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna (2009), and Padma Bhushan (2016).
India's Vasai Cathedral which won the Award of Merit at the 2025 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards is also known as:
Correct Answer: A. Our Lady of Grace Cathedral
Our Lady of Grace Cathedral in Vasai, Maharashtra — a 475-year-old church. UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) was founded on November 16, 1945; headquartered in Paris, France. UNESCO has 194 member states (India is a founding member since November 1946).
The 2025 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation were announced at which city during the 25th anniversary ceremony?
Correct Answer: A. Bangkok, Thailand
Bangkok, Thailand hosted the ceremony. Thailand's capital is Bangkok; currency: Thai Baht (THB). Thailand is a founding member of ASEAN (1967). The UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation were established in 2000 by UNESCO Bangkok.
Mangaluru International Airport won the 2025 ASQ Customer Experience Award in the 'Best Airport at Arrivals' category for which consecutive year?
Correct Answer: B. Second
Second consecutive year for MIA. The Airports Service Quality (ASQ) programme is run by the Airports Council International (ACI), founded in 1991 and headquartered in Montreal, Canada. Mangaluru International Airport is in Karnataka and is operated by Adani Airport Holdings.
At the F1 Chinese GP 2026, Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes finished in which position?
Correct Answer: A. 1st
Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes finished 1st. George Russell (Mercedes) was 2nd, and Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari — his new team since 2025) was 3rd. Formula 1 (F1) is the highest class of international single-seater racing, regulated by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA).
After the F1 Japanese GP 2026 at Suzuka, Kimi Antonelli led championship standings with how many points?
Correct Answer: C. 72 pts
72 points. George Russell had 63 pts (2nd) and Charles Leclerc had 49 pts (3rd). The Suzuka Circuit in Japan is one of the most iconic F1 tracks. It has hosted the Japanese GP since 1987. Japan's capital is Tokyo; currency: Japanese Yen (JPY).
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) celebrated its 50th Raising Day on which date?
Correct Answer: A. February 1, 2026
ICG Day is observed annually on February 1 to commemorate the establishment of the Indian Coast Guard. ICG was established on February 1, 1977 under the Coast Guard Act, 1978, making 2026 its 50th Raising Day. ICG functions under the Ministry of Defence. Motto: 'Vayam Rakshamah' ('We Protect').
Who among the following won the Best Actress Oscar for 'Hamnet' at the 98th Academy Awards 2026, becoming the first Irish actress for this honour?
Correct Answer: B. Jessie Buckley
Jessie Buckley, an Irish actress, won Best Actress. The Academy Awards (Oscars) are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), founded in 1927. 'Hamnet' is based on Maggie O'Farrell's 2020 novel about Shakespeare's son.
Safeena Husain, named in TIME Women of the Year 2026, is the founder of which non-profit organisation?
Correct Answer: C. Educate Girls
Safeena Husain founded 'Educate Girls' in 2007, focusing on girls' education in rural India. The non-profit has worked in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and other states. TIME magazine's Women of the Year recognition was introduced in 2020. TIME was founded in 1923 by Briton Hadden and Henry Luce.
India won 208 medals at a major international multi-sport meet. The breakdown included 75 Gold, 69 Silver, and how many Bronze?
Correct Answer: B. 64
64 Bronze medals. The total of 75+69+64 = 208 medals. India participates in multiple international multi-sport events including Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, SAF Games, and Olympics. Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) is headed by Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya.
The PM Vishwakarma Yojana, referenced in the 2026 current affairs, covers how many traditional artisan and craftsperson trades?
Correct Answer: C. 18
18 trades including carpenter, boat maker, blacksmith, goldsmith, potter, sculptor, and others. PM Vishwakarma Yojana was launched by PM Modi on September 17, 2023 (Vishwakarma Jayanti), with an outlay of Rs 13,000 crore for FY24-FY28. It provides collateral-free credit, skill training, and digital onboarding support.
Gujarat became the 2nd state after Uttarakhand to pass which landmark bill in February 2026?
Correct Answer: A. Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill
Gujarat Uniform Civil Code, 2026. Uttarakhand was the first state to implement UCC on January 27, 2025. Article 44 of the Constitution (Directive Principles) calls for a uniform civil code for citizens. Goa already has a UCC inherited from the Portuguese Civil Code of 1867. Gujarat CM: Bhupendra Patel.
Rajasthan became the largest wool producer in India with 16,013.50 thousand kg, accounting for approximately what percentage of national output?
Correct Answer: C. 47.5%
Rajasthan accounted for nearly 47.5% of India's wool output. Rajasthan is India's largest state by area (3,42,239 sq km) and known for sheep breeds like Chokla, Nali, and Marwari. Rajasthan was formed on March 30, 1949; capital: Jaipur.
Which state ranked 2nd in wool production in India in February 2026 with 7,770 thousand kg?
Correct Answer: B. Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir ranked 2nd with 7,770 thousand kg, followed by Karnataka (6,472 thousand kg) in 3rd place. J&K became a Union Territory on October 31, 2019 following the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. Summer capital: Srinagar; Winter capital: Jammu.
The 3rd edition of the States' Electricity Transition (SET) Report was released in February 2026 by IEEFA and which other organisation?
Correct Answer: B. Ember
Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) and Ember jointly released the report. IEEFA is a global energy think tank founded in 2011. Ember is an independent climate and energy think tank that uses data to shift the power sector from coal to clean electricity.
In the SET Report 2026, which three states led in Decarbonisation?
Correct Answer: A. Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala
Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, and Kerala led in Decarbonisation. Karnataka is India's leading state for renewable energy. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) was formed in 1992 and renamed in 2006. India aims for 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030.
Which three states led in the 'Power Ecosystem Readiness & Performance' dimension of the SET Report 2026?
Correct Answer: B. Delhi, Haryana, Chhattisgarh
Delhi, Haryana, and Chhattisgarh led this dimension. The Indian Electricity Sector is governed primarily by the Electricity Act, 2003. Major regulators include Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) and State Electricity Regulatory Commissions (SERCs).
The World Bank Group released the 11th edition of which report in February 2026?
Correct Answer: B. Women, Business and the Law 2026
Women, Business and the Law 2026: Benchmarking Laws for Jobs and Inclusive Growth. The World Bank Group was established on July 1, 1944 at the Bretton Woods Conference. It has 5 institutions: IBRD, IDA, IFC, MIGA, and ICSID. HQ: Washington, D.C. President (2026): Ajay Banga (Indian-American).
The WBL 2026 report revealed that women would access approximately what fraction of the legal rights of men even with full enforcement?
Correct Answer: C. 2/3rd (66.66%)
2/3rd (66.66%). The report assesses 190 economies on gender equality in economic opportunity. World Bank Group's 'Women, Business and the Law' project was launched in 2009. It covers 8 areas: Mobility, Workplace, Pay, Marriage, Parenthood, Entrepreneurship, Assets, and Pension.
The 2025 ASQ Customer Experience Awards ceremony recognised how many projects from how many countries?
Correct Answer: C. Ten projects from six countries
Ten projects from six countries were recognised at the 2025 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation (not ASQ — correcting: the UNESCO Heritage awards). UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards is for heritage conservation; it was established in 2000 by UNESCO Bangkok.
India added a record 52,537 MW of power generation capacity in the first 10 months of FY26 — what was the solar contribution?
Correct Answer: C. 34,955 MW
Solar contributed 34,955 MW out of 39,657 MW renewable additions. Wind contributed 4,613 MW. Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) aims for 500 GW non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030. India is the 3rd-largest solar power market globally (after China and USA).
According to the World Tourism Barometer January 2026, international tourist arrivals in 2025 reached approximately:
Correct Answer: C. 1.52 billion
Approximately 1.52 billion, about 4% increase from 2024. This reflects sustained global recovery in travel demand after COVID-19. The UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO, recently renamed UN Tourism) is headquartered in Madrid, Spain; it was established in 1975.
The Ol Chiki script, whose centenary was celebrated in 2026, was created by which educator in 1925?
Correct Answer: A. Pandit Raghunath Murmu
Pandit Raghunath Murmu (1905-1982) created Ol Chiki for the Santhali language. Santhali is recognised in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution through the 92nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 2003. The 8th Schedule now has 22 scheduled languages. Other languages added in 2003: Bodo, Dogri, Santhali, Maithili.
The Ministry of Culture signed an MoU with FICCI for developing a national strategy for India's:
Correct Answer: A. Cultural and Creative Economy (CCE)
Cultural and Creative Economy (CCE) strategy. Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat holds the Culture & Tourism portfolio. FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry) was established in 1927 and is headquartered in New Delhi. It is India's oldest business chamber.
Which state topped the Implementation of ICJS 2.0 (Interoperable Criminal Justice System) rankings in February 2026 with a score of 93.46?
Correct Answer: A. Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand topped ICJS 2.0 implementation with a score of 93.46. ICJS 2.0 integrates five pillars of criminal justice — police, forensics, courts, prosecution, and prisons — for seamless data sharing. Uttarakhand was formed on November 9, 2000; capital: Dehradun (winter), Gairsain (summer).
According to Forbes' 40th Annual World's Billionaires List 2026, India hit a record number of billionaires at:
Correct Answer: C. 3,428
India had 3,428 billionaires in Forbes 2026 list. Forbes magazine was founded in 1917 by B.C. Forbes. The annual World's Billionaires list has been published since 1987. India's wealthiest individuals include Mukesh Ambani, Gautam Adani, and Shiv Nadar. Forbes HQ: Jersey City, New Jersey, USA.
In the Global Terrorism Index 2026, which country ranked 1st (most affected) with a score of 8.574?
Correct Answer: B. Pakistan
Pakistan ranked 1st globally with a GTI score of 8.574; 2025 witnessed 1,139 deaths and 1,045 incidents. The Global Terrorism Index is published by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), founded in 2007 and headquartered in Sydney, Australia. GTI covers 163 countries.
According to SIPRI 2021-25 global arms import rankings, which country ranked 1st with 9.7% share?
Correct Answer: C. Ukraine
Ukraine ranked 1st (9.7%), India 2nd (8.2%), Saudi Arabia 3rd (6.8%). SIPRI (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute) was established in 1966 in Sweden. It publishes the SIPRI Yearbook on international security. Ukraine's increased arms imports reflect ongoing conflict with Russia since 2022.
In which consecutive year did SAIL earn the 'Great Place to Work' certification in 2026?
Correct Answer: C. Third
SAIL's third consecutive year of certification (Feb 2026 to Feb 2027). SAIL (Steel Authority of India Limited) is a Maharatna PSU under Ministry of Steel, founded on January 24, 1973. HQ: New Delhi. Chairman: Amarendu Prakash (as of 2026). India is the 2nd-largest crude steel producer globally.
The Bhavya Bharat Bhushan Award was launched by which foundation in 2026?
Correct Answer: B. Isha Foundation
Isha Foundation under Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev launched the award. Isha Foundation was established in 1992 and is headquartered at the Isha Yoga Centre, Velliangiri Foothills, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. Sadhguru unveiled the 112-foot Adiyogi Shiva statue in 2017, listed in Guinness World Records as the 'Largest Bust Sculpture'.
The Vasai Cathedral that won the 2025 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Award of Merit is approximately how many years old?
Correct Answer: C. 475 years
Our Lady of Grace Cathedral in Vasai is 475 years old. Vasai, Maharashtra, was a Portuguese colony from 1533 to 1739 before the Marathas captured it. Maharashtra was formed on May 1, 1960. UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards were established in 2000.
Who received the Bhavya Bharat Bhushan Award 2026 in the Literature category?
Correct Answer: C. Vikram Sampath
Vikram Sampath was honoured in Literature for his books on India's history. Sampath has authored works including 'Savarkar: Echoes from a Forgotten Past' and 'My Name is Gauhar Jaan'. He received the Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puraskar in 2010 for 'Splendours of Royal Mysore'.
In the SET Report 2026, which three states led in the 'Market Enablers' dimension for EV adoption and green hydrogen development?
Correct Answer: C. Andhra Pradesh, UP, Rajasthan
Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan. India's EV adoption is driven by schemes like FAME II (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles), launched in 2019. Green Hydrogen Mission was approved in January 2023 with Rs 19,744 crore outlay.
Kabak Yano, the first woman from the Nyishi community to summit Mount Aconcagua, is from which city?
Correct Answer: C. Itanagar
Itanagar, capital of Arunachal Pradesh. AR became a UT in 1972 and a full state on February 20, 1987, as India's 24th state. Arunachal Pradesh shares 1,129 km border with China, and is part of the Northeast Frontier Agency (NEFA). Mount Aconcagua (6,959 m) is the Americas' highest peak.
The Women, Business and the Law 2026 report covers how many economies?
Correct Answer: C. 190
190 economies. The report was first published in 2009 and covers 8 areas: Mobility, Workplace, Pay, Marriage, Parenthood, Entrepreneurship, Assets, and Pension. The World Bank Group has 5 institutions: IBRD, IDA, IFC, MIGA, ICSID. Current WB President: Ajay Banga (Indian-American, since June 2, 2023).
The Patna Bird Sanctuary designated as India's 97th Ramsar site is located in which district of Uttar Pradesh?
Correct Answer: A. Etah
Patna Bird Sanctuary is in Etah district, UP. UP has the largest number of districts (75) and the highest population among Indian states (~200 million). Capital: Lucknow. UP hosts multiple Ramsar sites including Upper Ganga River stretch (from Brijghat to Narora), and Saman, Samaspur, Sandi, Parvati Aranga, and Sarsai Nawar Jheel.
The Chhari-Dhand wetland designated as India's 98th Ramsar site is located in which district of Gujarat?
Correct Answer: A. Kutch
Chhari-Dhand is in Kutch district, Gujarat. Kutch is India's largest district by area. Gujarat was formed on May 1, 1960 from Bombay State. Capital: Gandhinagar. Kutch is known for the Rann of Kutch (Great Rann and Little Rann) — a salt marsh listed for its flamingo habitats.
At the F1 Chinese GP 2026, Lewis Hamilton finished 3rd driving for which team?
Correct Answer: D. Ferrari
Ferrari — Hamilton moved from Mercedes to Ferrari in 2025 after 12 seasons with Mercedes. Scuderia Ferrari is the oldest F1 team (since 1950, the first F1 season). Ferrari is headquartered in Maranello, Italy. Hamilton is a 7-time F1 World Champion (2008, 2014-2020).
The CLI logo, launched by Mansukh Mandaviya in February 2026, is the world's first what?
Correct Answer: B. Franchise-based road cycling league
CLI is the world's first franchise-based road cycling league. Cycling is governed globally by Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), founded in 1900 and headquartered in Aigle, Switzerland. Major road cycling events include Tour de France, Giro d'Italia, and Vuelta a España — the three Grand Tours.
HMG Stones LLP became the first Indian company in which industry to simultaneously secure both ISO 9001:2015 and 5S Gold Grade certifications?
Correct Answer: C. Natural Stone industry
Natural Stone industry — HMG Stones is a premium natural stone importer, exporter, manufacturer and supplier. ISO 9001:2015 is the Quality Management System standard; 5S is a workplace organisation methodology (Sort, Set in order, Shine, Standardise, Sustain) originating from Japanese Toyota Production System.
The Ol Chiki script, whose centenary was celebrated in 2026, is used for writing which language?
Correct Answer: B. Santhali
Santhali — the language of the Santal community. Santhali was added to the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution in 2003 (92nd Amendment). Santhali speakers are found primarily in West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Bihar, and Assam, as well as in Nepal, Bangladesh, and Bhutan.
Which organisation chairs the 2026 BRICS Summit after India's chairship cycle?
Correct Answer: D. India itself
India itself is chairing BRICS in 2026 (the 4th time after 2012, 2016, 2021). BRICS was formed in 2006 (as BRIC) with the first summit in Yekaterinburg, Russia in 2009. South Africa joined in 2010. Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and UAE joined in January 2024.
The TIME Women of the Year 2026 recognition included Safeena Husain, founder of which non-profit?
Correct Answer: B. Educate Girls
Safeena Husain founded 'Educate Girls' in 2007. TIME's Women of the Year was introduced in 2020. TIME magazine was founded in 1923 by Henry Luce and Briton Hadden. Educate Girls primarily works in Rajasthan, MP, and other states on girls' education in rural areas.
Jessie Buckley, who won Best Actress Oscar 2026 for 'Hamnet', is an actress from which country?
Correct Answer: C. Ireland
Ireland — Jessie Buckley became the first Irish actress to win Best Actress Oscar. Ireland (capital: Dublin; currency: Euro) gained independence from the UK in 1922. The Academy Awards (Oscars) are presented by AMPAS, founded in 1927. First Oscar ceremony: May 16, 1929.
The Bhavya Bharat Bhushan Award 2026 for A.S. Kiran Kumar was given for his key role in which missions?
Correct Answer: B. Chandrayaan-1 and Mangalyaan
Chandrayaan-1 (2008, India's first lunar mission) and Mangalyaan (Mars Orbiter Mission, 2013). A.S. Kiran Kumar was the 9th Chairman of ISRO (2015-2018). Mangalyaan made India the 4th space agency after NASA, Roscosmos, and ESA to reach Mars — and the 1st to do so on its maiden attempt.
The SET Report 2026, released by IEEFA and Ember, is which edition of the State's Electricity Transition report?
Correct Answer: C. 3rd edition
3rd edition. India's power sector is one of the largest globally with installed capacity crossing 470 GW by 2026. The Ministry of Power was formed in 1992; the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) was formed in 1992 as a department and renamed as ministry in 2006.
In India, wool production in FY24 was approximately:
Correct Answer: C. 33.69 million kg
33.69 million kg. Rajasthan alone contributed ~47.5%. Indian wool is primarily coarse wool used for carpets, shawls, and blankets. Famous Indian sheep breeds include Pashmina (Ladakh), Chokla (Rajasthan), and Deccani (Maharashtra). The Central Wool Development Board, HQ: Jodhpur, was set up in 1987.
The UPI (Unified Payments Interface) accounted for what percentage of total payment transactions in India as per the Chintan Shivir report (February 2026)?
Correct Answer: C. 57%
57% of total transactions — exceeding cash transactions at 38%. NPCI (National Payments Corporation of India) launched UPI on April 11, 2016. NPCI was established in 2008 under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007, with RBI and IBA as founding members.
Which state was first in India to pass the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill before Gujarat did in 2026?
Correct Answer: A. Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand was the first state to implement UCC on January 27, 2025. Gujarat became the 2nd state in February 2026. Article 44 of the Constitution (Directive Principles) calls for UCC. Uttarakhand was formed on November 9, 2000. Capital: Dehradun (winter); Gairsain is the summer capital.
Cassandra Kulukundis won the inaugural Oscar in which new category at the 98th Academy Awards 2026?
Correct Answer: B. Achievement in Casting
Achievement in Casting was a newly added Oscar category. She won for 'One Battle After Another'. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) was founded in 1927. AMPAS announced the new Best Casting category in 2024, to be first awarded in 2026.
The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands was signed on which date in Ramsar, Iran?
Correct Answer: A. February 2, 1971
February 2, 1971. World Wetlands Day is observed annually on February 2 to commemorate this. The Ramsar Convention came into force in 1975. India became a party to the convention in 1982. Ramsar, Iran, is a city on the Caspian Sea coast. Iran's capital is Tehran; currency: Iranian Rial (IRR).
Who was awarded the Bhavya Bharat Bhushan Award 2026 in Arts for promoting Bharatanatyam dance?
Correct Answer: A. Alarmel Valli
Alarmel Valli for Bharatanatyam. N. Rajam also received the award in Arts for developing Gayaki Ang style in Hindustani music. Bharatanatyam is one of the eight classical Indian dance forms (others: Kathak, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Manipuri, Mohiniyattam, Odissi, Sattriya). Sangeet Natak Akademi recognised it as a classical dance in 1958.
India's power capacity addition of 52,537 MW in FY26 reflected what percentage growth in total installed capacity?
Correct Answer: C. Over 11%
Over 11% growth. India's installed power capacity crossed 470+ GW by 2026 from ~425 GW in FY25. Ministry of Power handles electricity generation, transmission, and distribution policy. CERC (Central Electricity Regulatory Commission) was established in 1998 under the Electricity Regulatory Commissions Act, 1998.
Which Union Minister launched the CLI (franchise-based road cycling league) logo in February 2026?
Correct Answer: A. Mansukh Mandaviya
Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS). Mandaviya is from Gujarat and also holds the Ministry of Labour & Employment portfolio. MYAS headed SAI (Sports Authority of India, 1982) and NADA (National Anti-Doping Agency, 2009). National Sports Day: August 29 (Dhyan Chand's birthday).
The Ol Chiki script is associated with which Schedule of the Indian Constitution?
Correct Answer: B. Eighth Schedule
Santhali language (written in Ol Chiki) is in the Eighth Schedule, added via the 92nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 2003. The Eighth Schedule currently contains 22 languages. Other 2003 additions: Bodo, Dogri, Maithili, Santhali. The Eighth Schedule was originally introduced in 1950 with 14 languages.
The World Bank's 'Women, Business and the Law' project was first launched in which year?
Correct Answer: A. 2009
The project was launched in 2009, and the 2026 report is the 11th edition. World Bank Group was established on July 1, 1944 at Bretton Woods Conference. It has 189 member countries. World Bank President (2026): Ajay Banga (Indian-American), elected on June 2, 2023 succeeding David Malpass.
ISRO identified which site as the prospective landing zone for Chandrayaan-4 — India's first lunar sample-return mission?
Correct Answer: B. Mons Mouton-4 (MM-4)
Mons Mouton-4 (MM-4), located at approximately 84.289° south latitude and 32.808° east longitude near the Moon's south pole. Chandrayaan-3 made India the first country to soft-land near the lunar south pole on August 23, 2023. ISRO was established on August 15, 1969; headquartered in Bengaluru.
The Chandrayaan-4 landing site MM-4 was selected using high-resolution data from the Orbiter High Resolution Camera (OHRC) onboard which earlier mission?
Correct Answer: B. Chandrayaan-2
Chandrayaan-2 (launched July 22, 2019) carried the OHRC onboard its orbiter, which is now being used to identify safe landing zones. Chandrayaan-2's Vikram lander crashed during descent on September 7, 2019, but the orbiter remains operational. Chandrayaan-1 was launched in October 2008.
Who became India's youngest male analog astronaut in February 2026 after completing a lunar habitat simulation at Dholavira, Kutch, Gujarat?
Correct Answer: B. Aditya Pandya
Aditya Pandya, a 17-year-old Indian student and young space technologist from Gujarat, became the youngest male analog astronaut. The mission was organised by AAKA Space Studio from February 1 to 8, 2026. Analog astronaut missions simulate space conditions on Earth to test procedures and equipment.
Which three Indian private startups were selected by IN-SPACe in February 2026 to develop indigenous small satellite bus platforms?
Correct Answer: B. Astrome, Azista, Dhruva Space
Astrome Technologies, Azista Industries, and Dhruva Space were selected under the 'Satellite Bus as a Service' initiative. IN-SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre), the commercial arm of ISRO, was set up in June 2020 and is headquartered in Ahmedabad.
Digantra Industries signed a partnership agreement on February 3, 2026 with DSTA of which country to co-develop space situational awareness tools?
Correct Answer: C. Singapore
Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA), Singapore. Singapore's capital is Singapore City; currency: Singapore Dollar (SGD). Singapore gained independence on August 9, 1965 (from Malaysia). It is a founding member of ASEAN (1967). India-Singapore Strategic Partnership was elevated in 2015.
BEML signed a Tripartite Master Research Agreement with IISc Bengaluru and which other organisation on February 4, 2026?
Correct Answer: A. Foundation for Science, Innovation and Development (FSID)
FSID (Foundation for Science, Innovation and Development), the innovation arm of IISc Bengaluru. BEML (Bharat Earth Movers Limited) is a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) under the Ministry of Defence, established in 1964. IISc Bengaluru was established in 1909 by Jamsetji Tata.
India's first National Biobank for which category of diseases was launched in Ahmedabad, Gujarat in February 2026?
Correct Answer: C. Lysosomal Storage Disorders (LSDs)
Lysosomal Storage Disorders (LSDs) — a group of ~50 rare inherited metabolic disorders caused by enzyme deficiencies in lysosomes. Gujarat was formed on May 1, 1960; capital: Gandhinagar. Ahmedabad is Gujarat's largest city, home to IIM Ahmedabad (established 1961).
The STQC Lab Automation Portal inaugurated by Union MoS Jitin Prasada in New Delhi is named what?
Correct Answer: B. SATYA
The STQC Lab Automation Portal is named 'SATYA'. It was developed with technical support from C-DAC (Centre for Development of Advanced Computing), established in 1988 under MeitY. MeitY was formed as a separate ministry in 2016, previously it was Department of Electronics and IT under Ministry of Communications.
The MeitY high-level committee to harmonise DigiLocker's regulatory framework is headed by:
Correct Answer: C. Ajay Sawhney
Ajay Sawhney, Former Secretary, MeitY, heads the committee. DigiLocker was launched on July 1, 2015 as part of Digital India, allowing citizens to access digital versions of official documents. It is operated by the Digital India Corporation under MeitY.
The MeitY Blockchain India Challenge has a total prize pool of how much?
Correct Answer: C. Rs 8.80 crore
Rs 8.80 crore across three stages — Prototype Stage (Rs 1.5 lakh each, up to 40 participants), MVP Stage (Rs 4 lakh each, up to 30 participants), Deployment Stage (Rs 10 lakh each, up to 20 participants). Top performers in 10 Use Case Categories get Rs 50 lakh per category.
Teacher App 2.0 launched by Dharmendra Pradhan was developed by Bharti Airtel Foundation in collaboration with which US-based foundation?
Correct Answer: C. CK-12 Foundation
CK-12 Foundation, a California-based global nonprofit organisation. It provides free, open-source educational resources. Teacher App 2.0 aligns with NEP 2020 and Viksit Bharat @2047. NEP 2020 was approved on July 29, 2020, replacing the 1986 NEP. It aims for 50% GER (Gross Enrolment Ratio) in higher education by 2035.
UIDAI announced a collaboration on February 26, 2026 with which company to display authorised Aadhaar Centres?
Correct Answer: A. Google
UIDAI collaborated with Google to display Aadhaar Centres on Google Maps. The facility covers 60,000+ Aadhaar Centres including Aadhaar Seva Kendras (ASKs). UIDAI was established on January 28, 2009. Aadhaar Act was enacted on March 25, 2016. UIDAI is headquartered in New Delhi.
In February 2026, researchers from Zoological Survey of India discovered two new marine worm species (Nereidids) in the regions of Digha and Bankiput. These regions are located in which West Bengal district?
Correct Answer: A. Purba Medinipur
Purba Medinipur (East Medinipur) district of West Bengal. Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) was established on July 1, 1916 and is headquartered in Kolkata. Its parent body is the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. ZSI is the premier institution for taxonomic research in India.
Researchers discovered a new dragonfly species in the coastal areas of Kerala in February 2026, named:
Correct Answer: B. Lyriothemis keralensis
Lyriothemis keralensis, a new dragonfly species in Kerala. Kerala was formed on November 1, 1956; capital: Thiruvananthapuram. Kerala is called 'God's Own Country' and is a UNESCO-recognised biodiversity hotspot. The Western Ghats, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, runs through Kerala.
The 'Bee Corridors' along National Highways announced by NHAI in February 2026 aim to support:
Correct Answer: B. Pollinators
Bee Corridors support pollinators — crucial for biodiversity and agriculture. NHAI (National Highways Authority of India) was established on June 15, 1989 under the NHAI Act, 1988. It operates under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH). India has ~1.5 lakh km of National Highways.
Patna Bird Sanctuary designated as India's 97th Ramsar site is located in Etah district of which state?
Correct Answer: B. Uttar Pradesh
Etah is in Uttar Pradesh. UP has the highest number of districts (75) and the highest population among Indian states. Capital: Lucknow. World Wetlands Day is observed on February 2 since 1997. Ramsar Convention was signed on February 2, 1971, in Ramsar, Iran.
India added 39,657 MW renewable power capacity in FY26 (first 10 months) — what was the share of wind power in the renewable additions?
Correct Answer: B. 4,613 MW
Wind contributed 4,613 MW (with solar contributing 34,955 MW out of 39,657 MW). India is the world's 4th-largest wind power producer. The National Wind-Solar Hybrid Policy was announced in 2018. Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) was formed in 1992.
Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru signed an MoU on February 25, 2026 with Frankfurt Airport (FRA) of which country?
Correct Answer: B. Germany
Frankfurt Airport, Germany. Germany's capital is Berlin; currency: Euro (since 1999). Germany is Europe's largest economy and a founding member of the EU. Frankfurt is Europe's financial centre. Kempegowda International Airport is named after Kempe Gowda I (1510-1569), founder of Bengaluru.
Air Cargo India 2026 event was held from February 25–27, 2026 at which venue in Mumbai?
Correct Answer: B. Jio World Convention Centre
Jio World Convention Centre, Mumbai, Maharashtra. Maharashtra was formed on May 1, 1960 as part of the Bombay Reorganisation Act. Jio World Convention Centre is India's largest convention centre, located at Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), Mumbai. It was inaugurated by PM Modi on March 31, 2023.
IN-SPACe, which selected private startups for satellite bus platforms, is the commercial arm of ISRO and was set up in which year?
Correct Answer: C. 2020
IN-SPACe was set up in June 2020 and is headquartered in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. It is the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre. It acts as a single-window agency for authorising and supervising all space activities of non-government private entities (NGPEs) in India.
Aditya Pandya, India's youngest male analog astronaut, is from which state?
Correct Answer: B. Gujarat
Aditya Pandya is from Gujarat. The analog mission was held at Dholavira, Kutch, Gujarat. Dholavira is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2021 — an Indus Valley Civilisation archaeological site. Gujarat was formed on May 1, 1960; capital: Gandhinagar.
The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), which discovered new marine worm species in February 2026, was established in which year?
Correct Answer: B. 1916
ZSI was established on July 1, 1916. It is headquartered in Kolkata, West Bengal. ZSI functions under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. It is the premier institution for taxonomic research in India, handling studies on India's fauna.
Kerala, where the new Lyriothemis keralensis dragonfly species was discovered, was formed in which year?
Correct Answer: C. 1956
Kerala was formed on November 1, 1956, under the States Reorganisation Act. Capital: Thiruvananthapuram. Kerala has the highest literacy rate in India (96.2% as per 2011 Census). The Western Ghats, running through Kerala, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the world's biodiversity hotspots.
Union Cabinet approved enhanced delegation to POWERGRID under which department's Maharatna CPSE guidelines?
Correct Answer: A. DPE (Department of Public Enterprises) under MoF
Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) under Ministry of Finance (MoF). DPE deals with policy relating to CPSEs (Central Public Sector Enterprises). As of 2026, there are 13 Maharatna CPSEs. DPE was transferred from the Ministry of Heavy Industries to MoF in July 2021.
The Union Minister Bhupender Yadav, who designated Patna Bird Sanctuary and Chhari-Dhand as 97th and 98th Ramsar sites in January 2026, heads which ministry?
Correct Answer: B. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC)
Bhupender Yadav heads the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC). He is also Minister of Labour & Employment. MoEFCC was renamed from Ministry of Environment and Forests in 2014. The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 is the main framework law.
The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) is headquartered in:
Correct Answer: B. Ahmedabad, Gujarat
IN-SPACe is headquartered in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. It was set up in June 2020 under the Department of Space. ISRO is headquartered in Bengaluru. PRL (Physical Research Laboratory) — the cradle of India's space programme — is in Ahmedabad, founded by Dr. Vikram Sarabhai in 1947.
The H-125 helicopters, whose final assembly line was inaugurated by PM Modi and Macron, are manufactured jointly by TASL and:
Correct Answer: C. Airbus
Airbus. The facility is at Vemagal, Karnataka. Airbus SE is a European multinational aerospace corporation, headquartered in Leiden, Netherlands (main office Toulouse, France). It was formed in 2000 as EADS, renamed Airbus Group in 2014, and simply Airbus in 2017. Karnataka was formed on November 1, 1956.
The Aditya Pandya analog astronaut mission took place at Dholavira in Kutch, which is famous for being:
Correct Answer: A. A UNESCO World Heritage site of Indus Valley Civilisation
Dholavira became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2021 — an archaeological site of the Indus Valley Civilisation (2500 BCE - 1500 BCE). It is one of the five largest Harappan sites. Gujarat has 4 UNESCO World Heritage Sites including Dholavira, Rani ki Vav (Patan), Champaner-Pavagadh, and the Historic City of Ahmadabad.
The 2nd India AI Impact Summit 2026 was the first major AI event hosted in which region?
Correct Answer: B. Global South
Global South — generally referring to countries of Africa, Latin America, Asia (excluding developed countries), and Oceania. India has championed Global South issues, as reflected in the Voice of Global South Summit launched in January 2023. India's IndiaAI Mission was approved in March 2024 with Rs 10,372 crore outlay.
Kempegowda International Airport (BLR Airport) is named after Kempe Gowda I (1510-1569), who is credited with founding which city?
Correct Answer: C. Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Karnataka. Kempe Gowda I was a 16th-century chieftain under the Vijayanagara Empire. Karnataka was formed on November 1, 1956 (as Mysore State), renamed Karnataka on November 1, 1973. Capital: Bengaluru. Karnataka Rajyotsava is celebrated every November 1.
The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands was signed on February 2, 1971 in Ramsar, which is located in which country?
Correct Answer: B. Iran
Iran — Ramsar is a city on the Caspian Sea coast. Iran's capital is Tehran; currency: Iranian Rial (IRR). Iran joined the UN in 1945 as a founding member. World Wetlands Day is observed globally on February 2 to mark the signing anniversary. India became a signatory in 1982.
Ravindra Jadeja was appointed brand ambassador of which bank for 2 years in February 2026?
Correct Answer: C. City Union Bank (CUB)
City Union Bank (CUB) appointed Ravindra Jadeja as brand ambassador for 2 years. CUB is headquartered in Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu, and was founded in 1904. Jadeja is an Indian all-rounder cricketer from Gujarat. He has received Padma Shri in 2019 and Arjuna Award in 2013.
Keki Mistry, approved by RBI as interim Part-time Chairman of which bank in February 2026?
Correct Answer: C. HDFC Bank
HDFC Bank — Keki Mistry was appointed as interim Part-time Chairman with immediate effect from February 19, 2026, for 3 months. HDFC Bank was founded in August 1994 and is headquartered in Mumbai. It is India's largest private sector bank by assets. HDFC Ltd merged with HDFC Bank on July 1, 2023.
Chhari-Dhand, India's 98th Ramsar site, is located in which district of Gujarat?
Correct Answer: A. Kutch
Kutch district, Gujarat's largest district by area. Kutch is known for the Rann of Kutch, the world's largest salt desert. The Little Rann of Kutch hosts the Wild Ass Sanctuary — home to the Indian wild ass (Equus hemionus khur). Gujarat was formed on May 1, 1960. Capital: Gandhinagar.
The drogue parachute for Gaganyaan, tested at TBRL Chandigarh, was collaboratively designed by VSSC (ISRO), TBRL, and which DRDO establishment?
Correct Answer: A. ADRDE (Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment)
ADRDE (Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment), located in Agra, Uttar Pradesh. ADRDE specialises in aerial delivery technologies — parachutes, inflatable structures, and aerostats. Gaganyaan was approved in December 2018 with a budget of Rs 10,000 crore. ISRO planned the first uncrewed test flights in 2025.
The Blockchain India Challenge progresses through three stages. Which is the final stage?
Correct Answer: C. Deployment Stage
Deployment Stage is the final stage (Rs 10 lakh each for up to 20 participants). Stages: Prototype (Rs 1.5 lakh each, 40 participants), MVP (Rs 4 lakh each, 30 participants), Deployment (Rs 10 lakh each, 20 participants). Blockchain is a distributed ledger technology used in Bitcoin (launched 2009 by Satoshi Nakamoto).
Singapore, whose DSTA partnered with Digantra Industries in February 2026, gained independence in:
Correct Answer: B. 1965
Singapore gained independence on August 9, 1965, after separating from Malaysia. Singapore's capital is Singapore City; currency: Singapore Dollar (SGD). It is a founding member of ASEAN (1967). Lee Kuan Yew was Singapore's first PM. Current PM: Lawrence Wong (since May 15, 2024).
BEML (Bharat Earth Movers Limited), which signed the MRA with IISc in February 2026, operates under which ministry?
Correct Answer: B. Ministry of Defence
BEML operates under the Ministry of Defence. It was established in 1964 and is headquartered in Bengaluru, Karnataka. BEML manufactures earth-moving equipment, mining machinery, defence products, and rail coaches. It is classified as a Miniratna CPSE. Currently, MoD plans BEML privatisation.
The Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), which unveiled the AI Policy in February 2026, is headquartered in:
Correct Answer: B. Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Karnataka. BEL is a Navratna PSU under the Ministry of Defence, established in 1954. It specialises in defence electronics. BEL was granted Navratna status in 2007. Currently it has 9 manufacturing plants across India — Bengaluru, Ghaziabad, Pune, Panchkula, Kotdwara, Machilipatnam, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Navi Mumbai.
The H-125 helicopters joint production facility by TASL and Airbus is located in:
Correct Answer: C. Vemagal, Karnataka
Vemagal, Karnataka. This is India's first private sector helicopter final assembly line. TASL (Tata Advanced Systems Limited) is a subsidiary of Tata Sons, incorporated in 2007 and headquartered in Hyderabad. It has collaborations with Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Airbus for various aerospace projects.
The Aadhaar Act, under which UIDAI operates, was enacted on:
Correct Answer: B. March 25, 2016
The Aadhaar Act was enacted on March 25, 2016 (in force from September 12, 2016). UIDAI was established on January 28, 2009 initially as an office. Aadhaar is the world's largest biometric identity system with 1.3+ billion enrolments. UIDAI is headquartered in New Delhi under MeitY.
India's first Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) Delhi-Meerut Namo Bharat Corridor spans how many kilometres?
Correct Answer: C. 82 km
82 km. The 21 km Meerut Metro within it operates between Meerut South and Modipuram across 12 stations, at a maximum speed of ~120 kmph — India's fastest metro. RRTS is developed by NCRTC (National Capital Region Transport Corporation), a joint venture of Centre and NCR state governments.
Chile's 38th President Jose Antonio Kast Rist, who took oath in early 2026, is the founder of which political party?
Correct Answer: C. Republican Party of Chile
Jose Antonio Kast Rist founded the Republican Party of Chile in 2019. Chile's capital is Santiago; currency: Chilean Peso (CLP). Chile gained independence from Spain in 1818. Gabriel Boric Font was Chile's 37th President (2022-2026). Chile is a member of OECD (since 2010).
Kiran Umesh Mahalle joined as Member of which commission in February 2026, succeeding Bhuvan Bhushan Kamal?
Correct Answer: C. NCBC (National Commission for Backward Classes)
NCBC (National Commission for Backward Classes). NCBC gained constitutional status through the 102nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 2018, under Article 338B. Earlier it was a statutory body under the NCBC Act, 1993. Its headquarters is in New Delhi. The NCBC safeguards the rights of socially and educationally backward classes.
Fino Payments Bank's CFO Ketan Merchant was approved by RBI as interim CEO for a maximum period of:
Correct Answer: C. 4 months
4 months under Banking Regulation Act 1949. Payments Banks are a new category of bank introduced by RBI in 2015 based on Nachiket Mor Committee's recommendations. They accept deposits up to Rs 2 lakh per customer. India's first Payments Banks: Airtel Payments Bank and India Post Payments Bank (2017).
The Stuti Pradhan, selected for World Youth Parliament 2026, is from which state?
Correct Answer: B. Sikkim
Sikkim — India's 22nd state (merged with India on May 16, 1975 via the 36th Constitutional Amendment). Capital: Gangtok. Sikkim became India's first organic state in January 2016. Famous for Kanchenjunga (the world's 3rd-highest peak at 8,586 m). Official language: Nepali; Sikkimese; Lepcha.
Jose Joseph Kattoor, appointed as Non-Executive Part-Time Chairman of South Indian Bank in February 2026, was formerly:
Correct Answer: B. Executive Director of RBI
Former Executive Director (ED) of RBI. South Indian Bank (SIB) was founded in 1929 in Thrissur, Kerala, during the Swadeshi movement. It was the first scheduled bank in private sector in Kerala. SIB is headquartered in Thrissur, Kerala, and provides retail and corporate banking services.
HDFC ERGO, referenced in the February 2026 appointments, is a Joint Venture between HDFC and:
Correct Answer: A. ERGO International AG
ERGO International AG. HDFC Ltd merged with HDFC Bank on July 1, 2023 — one of India's largest corporate mergers. ERGO is Germany's second-largest primary insurance group, part of the Munich Re Group. HDFC ERGO is one of India's top general insurance companies, headquartered in Mumbai.
Ayatollah Alireza Arafi was appointed as Iran's Interim Supreme Leader on March 1, 2026, following the death of:
Correct Answer: A. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who died in a joint USA-Israel airstrike. Khamenei had been Iran's Supreme Leader since June 4, 1989, succeeding Ruhollah Khomeini. Iran's capital is Tehran; currency: Iranian Rial (IRR). Iran has a unique dual system of government with an elected President and a Supreme Leader.
The new marine worm species Nereididae discovered by ZSI are commonly known as:
Correct Answer: C. Ragworms or Clam worms
Ragworms or Clam worms. Nereididae are part of the marine polychaete worm family. Polychaetes are a class of annelid worms mostly found in marine environments. ZSI publishes 'Fauna of India' series, which includes comprehensive documentation of India's fauna. ZSI was established on July 1, 1916.
The World Wetlands Day is observed globally on which date to commemorate the signing of the Ramsar Convention?
Correct Answer: B. February 2
February 2 — the Ramsar Convention was signed on February 2, 1971 in Ramsar, Iran. World Wetlands Day has been observed since 1997. World Wetlands Day 2026 theme: 'Wetlands and Traditional Knowledge: Celebrating Cultural Heritage'. India became a Ramsar signatory in 1982.
The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), which discovered new marine worm species in February 2026, operates under which ministry?
Correct Answer: B. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC)
ZSI operates under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC). It was established on July 1, 1916, and is headquartered in Kolkata, West Bengal. ZSI carries out taxonomic surveys of Indian fauna and publishes the 'Fauna of India' series. Dr. Dhriti Banerjee was the first woman Director of ZSI.
The Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE) of DRDO, which worked on Gaganyaan's drogue parachute, is located in:
Correct Answer: A. Agra, Uttar Pradesh
Agra, Uttar Pradesh. ADRDE specialises in aerial delivery technologies — parachutes, inflatable structures, and aerostats. DRDO was established in 1958 and is headquartered in New Delhi. DRDO has 52 laboratories grouped under 10 technology clusters. ADRDE is among the Aeronautical Systems cluster.
The 2nd India AI Impact Summit 2026 was organised by MeitY in collaboration with NASSCOM, NITI Aayog, and academic institutions. NASSCOM was established in:
Correct Answer: B. 1988
NASSCOM was established in 1988. It is a non-profit industry association headquartered in Noida. It represents India's IT-BPO industry. Current President: Rajesh Nambiar (since April 2024). NASSCOM plays a key role in shaping India's tech policy and promoting the industry globally.
The CSIR-NIO (National Institute of Oceanography), whose Shore-Based Laboratory was inaugurated in February 2026, is headquartered in:
Correct Answer: B. Dona Paula, Goa
NIO is headquartered in Dona Paula, Goa, established on January 1, 1966. It is one of the 37 constituent laboratories of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). CSIR was established on September 26, 1942. Current DG of CSIR (2026): Kalaiselvi N (first woman DG, since August 2022).
The National Quantum Mission (NQM), which supported a new quantum project in February 2026, was approved by the Union Cabinet in which year?
Correct Answer: C. 2023
NQM was approved by the Union Cabinet on April 19, 2023, with a total outlay of Rs 6,003.65 crore for 8 years. It aims to develop quantum computers with 50-1000 physical qubits in 8 years. Quantum technology includes quantum computing, quantum communication, quantum sensing, and quantum materials.
Aadhaar, managed by UIDAI, holds the record for being the world's largest:
Correct Answer: B. Biometric identity system
World's largest biometric identity system with over 1.3 billion enrolments. UIDAI was established on January 28, 2009. The Aadhaar Act, 2016 provides legal backing. Aadhaar is based on a 12-digit Unique Identification Number (UID). UIDAI operates under MeitY. Aadhaar has been a key enabler of Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) in India.
The Meerut Metro corridor inaugurated by PM Modi in February 2026 has a maximum operational speed of approximately:
Correct Answer: C. 120 kmph
~120 kmph — making it India's fastest metro system. The 21 km Meerut Metro operates between Meerut South and Modipuram across 12 stations. It is part of the 82 km Delhi-Meerut Namo Bharat Corridor, India's first RRTS. RRTS is developed by NCRTC (National Capital Region Transport Corporation).
The BEML-IISc-FSID Tripartite Master Research Agreement focuses on several high-technology domains. Which is NOT among them?
Correct Answer: C. Agricultural biotechnology
The MRA focuses on aerospace and defence, rail and metro, next-generation mobility, mining and construction equipment, maritime technologies, green technologies, and advanced manufacturing — NOT agricultural biotechnology. IISc Bengaluru was founded in 1909 by Jamsetji Tata and received the Institute of Eminence tag in 2018.
India's Lysosomal Storage Disorders (LSDs) Biobank, the first government-supported National Biobank in February 2026, was launched in:
Correct Answer: C. Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad, Gujarat. LSDs are a group of ~50 rare inherited metabolic disorders caused by enzyme deficiencies in lysosomes. India's National Policy for Rare Diseases was approved in 2021. Centre of Excellence for Rare Diseases are designated at various AIIMS institutions for research and treatment.
Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti succeeded Hansraj Gangaram Ahir as Chairperson of which commission, with his term ending on 18 March 2026?
Correct Answer: C. NCBC
NCBC (National Commission for Backward Classes). Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti became NCBC Chairperson after Hansraj Gangaram Ahir's term ended. NCBC gained constitutional status through the 102nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 2018, under Article 338B.
The Kempegowda International Airport MoU with Frankfurt Airport focused on strengthening connectivity between India and Europe in what area?
Correct Answer: B. Air cargo
Air cargo connectivity. The MoU was signed during Air Cargo India 2026 held at Jio World Convention Centre, Mumbai (February 25-27, 2026). Frankfurt Airport is one of Europe's busiest airports. Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport is India's 3rd-busiest airport after Delhi and Mumbai airports.
The CSIR-NIO Shore-Based Laboratory inaugurated in February 2026 operates under which two ministries?
Correct Answer: B. MoS&T and MoES
MoS&T (Ministry of Science & Technology) and MoES (Ministry of Earth Sciences). NIO (National Institute of Oceanography) is headquartered in Dona Paula, Goa, established on January 1, 1966. MoES was formed in 2006. Current Union Minister of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences: Dr. Jitendra Singh.
The Sikkim state, where Stuti Pradhan (selected for WYP 2026) is from, merged with India in which year?
Correct Answer: C. 1975
Sikkim merged with India on May 16, 1975 as India's 22nd state, via the 36th Constitutional Amendment. Sikkim became India's first organic state in January 2016. Capital: Gangtok. Kanchenjunga (8,586 m) — world's 3rd-highest mountain — is located in Sikkim. Sikkim shares borders with Nepal, China, and Bhutan.
The South Indian Bank, where Jose Joseph Kattoor was appointed Part-Time Chairman in February 2026, was founded in which year?
Correct Answer: C. 1929
South Indian Bank was founded on January 29, 1929 in Thrissur, Kerala, during the Swadeshi movement. It was the first scheduled bank in the private sector in Kerala. SIB has its headquarters in Thrissur, Kerala. Federal Bank (1931) is another notable bank founded in Kerala.
Ravindra Jadeja, appointed CUB brand ambassador in February 2026, hails from which state?
Correct Answer: B. Gujarat
Gujarat. Jadeja is an Indian all-rounder cricketer from Navagam Ghed, Gujarat. He received Padma Shri in 2019 and Arjuna Award in 2013. He plays for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in IPL. He held the No. 1 ICC Test Bowler ranking and is one of few all-rounders to achieve the 'double' in ICC Test rankings.
The BEL AI Policy, launched at Bengaluru in February 2026, is a formal AI policy introduced by:
Correct Answer: B. Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL)
Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), a Navratna PSU under MoD. It was founded in 1954 and is headquartered in Bengaluru. BEL was granted Navratna status in 2007. The AI Policy focuses on embedding AI across defence products, platforms, and development processes. CMD of BEL (2026): Manoj Jain.
Which country did India defeat in the final to win the ICC U19 Women's T20 World Cup 2026 in Kuala Lumpur?
Correct Answer: D. South Africa
India defeated South Africa in the final at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. ICC (International Cricket Council) was founded in 1909 as the Imperial Cricket Conference; renamed in 1989. HQ: Dubai, UAE. ICC Women's T20 World Cup was first held in 2009. India won the inaugural U19 Women's T20 WC in 2023.
Which England cricketer announced retirement from international cricket after 15 years in February 2026?
Correct Answer: D. Heather Knight
Heather Knight, England's captain. England Women's Cricket has been governed by ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board) since 1998. Knight became England captain in 2016, succeeding Charlotte Edwards. She led England to win the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2017.
India's Pranavi Urs won her maiden Ladies European Tour (LET) title in February 2026 at which tournament?
Correct Answer: D. Magical Kenya Ladies Open
Pranavi Urs won the Magical Kenya Ladies Open 2026 — held in Nairobi, Kenya. The LET (Ladies European Tour) was founded in 1978. Kenya's capital is Nairobi; currency: Kenyan Shilling (KES). Kenya gained independence from the UK on December 12, 1963.
Indian archer Aditi Swami won Gold in Women's Compound at Archery World Cup 2026 Stage 1 held in:
Correct Answer: D. Florida, USA
Florida, USA. Aditi Swami is a World Champion from Satara, Maharashtra — she was born in 2006. She won a historic Gold in Women's Compound at the World Archery Championships 2023 in Berlin. Archery World Cup is organised by World Archery Federation (WA), founded 1931, HQ: Lausanne, Switzerland.
Rudrankksh Patil won Gold in 10m Air Rifle Men at ISSF World Cup 2026 held in:
Correct Answer: D. Buenos Aires, Argentina
Buenos Aires, Argentina. Rudrankksh Patil is an Indian shooter from Thane, Maharashtra. He won 10m Air Rifle Gold at World Championships 2022 in Cairo. Argentina's capital is Buenos Aires; currency: Argentine Peso (ARS). ISSF (International Shooting Sport Federation) was founded in 1907; HQ: Munich, Germany.
PV Sindhu reached the final of which Super 300 tournament in February 2026, losing to An Se-young?
Correct Answer: D. German Open
German Open Super 300. An Se-young is a South Korean badminton player — current World No. 1. Sindhu is a 2016 Rio Olympics silver medallist and 2020 Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist. BWF (Badminton World Federation) was founded in 1934; HQ: Kuala Lumpur.
Sumit Nagal won the ATP Challenger Chennai Open 2026 singles title on home soil in February 2026. ATP was founded in:
Correct Answer: C. 1972
ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) was founded in 1972 by Jack Kramer, Cliff Drysdale, and Donald Dell. HQ: London, UK. ATP runs men's professional tennis tour. Sumit Nagal is from Haryana. Chennai Open was earlier part of ATP Tour 250 until 2017.
Lovlina Borgohain won Gold at the Strandja Memorial Boxing Tournament 2026 in Sofia. In which weight category?
Correct Answer: D. 75kg
75kg category. Lovlina Borgohain is a 2020 Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist from Assam. Strandja Memorial is the oldest international boxing tournament in Europe (since 1950), held in Bulgaria. Bulgaria's capital is Sofia; currency: Bulgarian Lev (BGN). Bulgaria joined the EU in 2007.
Bajrang Punia won Gold at the Zagreb Open Ranking Series 2026 in which weight category?
Correct Answer: C. 65kg
65kg freestyle category. Bajrang Punia is a 2020 Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist from Haryana. Zagreb is the capital of Croatia. Croatia joined the EU in 2013. UWW (United World Wrestling), governing body for wrestling, was founded in 1905; HQ: Corsier-sur-Vevey, Switzerland.
Mirabai Chanu set a new Commonwealth record at the Asian Weightlifting Championships 2026 in which weight category?
Correct Answer: B. 49kg
49kg category. Saikhom Mirabai Chanu is from Manipur — she won Silver at 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the first Indian woman to win weightlifting Silver at Olympics. She also holds the Commonwealth Games record. Padma Shri 2018, Khel Ratna 2018. IWF (International Weightlifting Federation) was founded in 1905.
Neeraj Chopra opened his 2026 season by winning Gold at which meet with a throw of 89.27 metres?
Correct Answer: D. Doha Diamond League
Doha Diamond League. Neeraj Chopra is India's javelin throw 2020 Tokyo Olympics Gold medallist and 2024 Paris Olympics Silver. His personal best is 89.94 m (Stockholm Diamond League 2022). Diamond League was launched in 2010 by World Athletics. Doha's Khalifa International Stadium hosted the 2019 World Athletics Championships.
India climbed to which position in the FIFA World Rankings released in February 2026 — its best in 5 years?
Correct Answer: D. 98th
India climbed to 98th — its best position in 5 years. India's highest ever FIFA ranking is 94 (achieved in February 1996). FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) was founded on May 21, 1904 in Paris. HQ: Zurich, Switzerland. Current FIFA President: Gianni Infantino (since 2016).
Sunil Chhetri scored his 95th international goal in February 2026. He is the 4th-highest scorer among active male footballers. Chhetri represents:
Correct Answer: D. Bengaluru FC
Sunil Chhetri plays for Bengaluru FC in the Indian Super League (ISL) since 2013. He is India's all-time top scorer and among the world's top active international scorers (after Ronaldo, Messi, and others). Chhetri came out of international retirement in November 2024. He has been the Indian captain since 2012.
Mumbai won the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy, claiming its record how many titles?
Correct Answer: D. 43rd
Mumbai's 43rd Ranji Trophy title — the most by any team. Ranji Trophy, India's premier domestic cricket tournament, was first held in 1934-35 and is named after Ranjitsinhji (1872-1933), the cricketer who played for England. It is organised by the BCCI, founded in December 1928.
Friedrich Merz was sworn in as the 10th Chancellor of Germany in 2025 after which alliance's victory in the federal election?
Correct Answer: D. CDU/CSU
CDU/CSU alliance. Merz led the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) to victory in the February 2025 federal election. Angela Merkel (CDU) was his predecessor (2005-2021) — the first female German Chancellor. Germany's capital is Berlin; currency: Euro. Germany is the world's 4th-largest economy.
Mark Carney became Canada's Prime Minister in March 2025 after which leader's resignation?
Correct Answer: D. Justin Trudeau
Justin Trudeau resigned in January 2025, with Carney taking over. Mark Carney is the 24th Canadian PM. He was previously Governor of the Bank of Canada (2008-2013) and Governor of the Bank of England (2013-2020) — first non-Briton to hold the BoE role. Canada's capital: Ottawa; currency: Canadian Dollar (CAD).
Claudia Sheinbaum became Mexico's first woman President in October 2024. She is the country's:
Correct Answer: D. 66th President
Claudia Sheinbaum is the 66th President of Mexico — she took office on October 1, 2024. She succeeded Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO). She has a PhD in Energy Engineering and was part of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning IPCC team in 2007. Mexico's capital: Mexico City; currency: Mexican Peso (MXN).
António Guterres continues as UN Secretary-General. He is serving which term ending December 2026?
Correct Answer: B. Second
Guterres is serving his second 5-year term (2022-2026). He is the 9th UN Secretary-General, taking office on January 1, 2017. He was previously Portugal's PM (1995-2002) and UN High Commissioner for Refugees (2005-2015). UN was established on October 24, 1945; HQ: New York, USA.
Indian mathematician Manjul Bhargava was awarded the 2026 Wolf Prize in Mathematics for contributions to:
Correct Answer: B. Number theory
Number theory. Manjul Bhargava is a Canadian-American mathematician of Indian origin, a professor at Princeton University. He won the Fields Medal in 2014, becoming the first person of Indian origin to do so. The Wolf Prize was established in 1978 by the Israel-based Wolf Foundation and is given in six fields.
Ustad Zakir Hussain, awarded the Bharat Ratna 2026 posthumously, was a maestro of which musical instrument?
Correct Answer: D. Tabla
Tabla. Ustad Zakir Hussain (1951-2024) was a legendary tabla virtuoso, son of Ustad Alla Rakha. He passed away in December 2024. He received Padma Shri (1988), Padma Bhushan (2002), and Padma Vibhushan (2023). Won 5 Grammy Awards including 3 at the 66th Grammys (2024). Bharat Ratna was instituted in 1954.
Naatu Naatu lyricist Chandrabose received which civilian award in 2026?
Correct Answer: C. Padma Shri
Padma Shri for contribution to Telugu cinema and literature. 'Naatu Naatu' from 'RRR' (2022) won the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 95th Oscars (2023) — the first Indian song to win an Oscar. Padma Awards were instituted in 1954. Padma Shri is the 4th-highest civilian award.
Hockey India's Manpreet Singh won the 'FIH Player of the Year Award 2025-26', becoming the second Indian after whom?
Correct Answer: C. PR Sreejesh
PR Sreejesh. Manpreet Singh is India's hockey midfielder and former captain (2016-2024). He has led India to Tokyo 2020 Olympics Bronze medal. FIH (Fédération Internationale de Hockey), founded in 1924, is the governing body of field hockey. HQ: Lausanne, Switzerland.
Dr. Tessy Thomas, who received IEEE Founders Medal 2026, is popularly known as:
Correct Answer: C. Missile Woman of India
'Missile Woman of India'. Dr. Tessy Thomas was the project director of Agni-IV missile and first woman to head a missile project in India. She previously served as Director of Advanced Systems Laboratory (ASL), DRDO. IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) was founded in 1963. IEEE Founders Medal was established in 1952.
The Indian Navy's Project 15B destroyer INS Surat commissioned in February 2026 is of which class?
Correct Answer: D. Visakhapatnam-class
Visakhapatnam-class (Project 15B) — these are guided-missile destroyers. The class includes INS Visakhapatnam, INS Mormugao, INS Imphal, and INS Surat. Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders (MDL) in Mumbai built them. MDL was incorporated in 1934 and is a Miniratna PSU under the MoD.
BrahMos Aerospace delivered the 1,000th BrahMos missile to Indian Armed Forces in February 2026. BrahMos is a joint venture between India and:
Correct Answer: D. Russia
Russia. BrahMos Aerospace was set up on February 12, 1998, as a joint venture between DRDO (India) and NPO Mashinostroyeniya (Russia). The name combines Brahmaputra (India) and Moskva (Russia). BrahMos is a supersonic cruise missile with speeds up to Mach 3. The 2024 Philippines deal was BrahMos's first major export.
Indian-American astronaut Sunita Williams received the NASA Distinguished Service Medal 2026 for her long-duration missions. She is of Indian origin from which state?
Correct Answer: D. Gujarat
Gujarat — her father Deepak Pandya hailed from Gujarat. Sunita Williams was born in Ohio, USA. She has been on multiple long-duration missions to the ISS, including an extended 2024-25 Starliner mission that ended in March 2025. She holds the record for the longest cumulative spacewalk time by a female astronaut.
India and Indonesia signed CEPA during which Indonesian President's state visit in February 2026?
Correct Answer: D. Prabowo Subianto
Prabowo Subianto, who became Indonesia's 8th President on October 20, 2024. Indonesia is the world's 4th-most populous country; capital: Jakarta (new capital: Nusantara from 2024); currency: Indonesian Rupiah (IDR). Indonesia is a founding member of ASEAN (1967). India-Indonesia relations date back to centuries via maritime trade.
India was invited as a special guest at the G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting 2026 held in:
Correct Answer: D. Rome
Rome, Italy. G7 (Group of Seven) consists of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK, and USA. It was formed in 1975 (originally G6, Canada joined 1976). Italy holds the G7 presidency rotationally — last presidency was in 2024 under PM Giorgia Meloni. Italy's capital: Rome; currency: Euro.
The Hockey India League (HIL) 2026 final was won by which team defeating Kalinga Lancers in a shoot-out?
Correct Answer: D. Delhi SG Pipers
Delhi SG Pipers defeated Kalinga Lancers 4-3 in a shoot-out. Hockey India League (HIL) was launched in 2013, suspended after 2017, and relaunched in 2024-25 season. Hockey India was formed on May 20, 2009. India has won 8 Olympic Gold medals in hockey — the most by any country.
Sajjan Jindal was elected President of which organisation for FY27 in February 2026?
Correct Answer: C. CII
Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). CII was founded in 1895 as the Engineering and Iron Trades Association; renamed CII in 1992. HQ: New Delhi. CII is one of the oldest industry associations in India. Sajjan Jindal is the Chairman of JSW Group — one of India's largest conglomerates.
R. Madhavan was appointed Chairman of which body by the Government of India in February 2026?
Correct Answer: D. Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC)
Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), popularly known as the Censor Board. CBFC was established under the Cinematograph Act, 1952. It operates under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. R. Madhavan (Ranganathan Madhavan) is a Tamil film actor known for films like 3 Idiots, Tanu Weds Manu, and Rocketry: The Nambi Effect.
Exercise Sea Vigil 2026, the national-level coastal defence exercise of India, was conducted across India's coastline of:
Correct Answer: C. 11,098 km
11,098 km — India's coastline as per Oceanic Boundaries and Maritime Zones Act, 1976. Exercise Sea Vigil is a biennial exercise conducted by Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard since 2019. It assesses India's coastal security since 26/11 Mumbai attacks (2008). India has 13 coastal states/UTs.
INS Arnala, the first Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC), was designed by which shipyard?
Correct Answer: D. GRSE
GRSE (Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers), Kolkata. GRSE was founded in 1884 and is a Miniratna PSU under the Ministry of Defence. It has built over 100 warships for the Indian Navy. INS Arnala is part of the Arnala-class ASW-SWC series to replace the aging Abhay-class corvettes.
India and France signed an Inter-Governmental Agreement for purchasing how many Rafale-M jets for Indian Navy in February 2026?
Correct Answer: C. 26 jets
26 Rafale-M jets (Rafale Marine variant), including 4 twin-seaters for training. This is in addition to the 36 Rafale jets already with IAF (delivered 2020-2022), and the 114 additional jets approved by DAC in February 2026. Rafale-M will be deployed from INS Vikrant. Deal value: Rs 63,000 crore. Dassault Aviation (France) manufactures Rafale.
Lt. General Upendra Dwivedi is the 30th Chief of the Indian Army. He assumed charge on:
Correct Answer: C. June 30, 2024
June 30, 2024. He succeeded General Manoj Pande. Lt Gen Dwivedi is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy (NDA) and Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC). The Indian Army was formed on April 1, 1895 — the British Indian Army's founding date. Army Day is observed on January 15 (since 1949).
DRDO's Astra Mk-II beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile was tested from which fighter in February 2026?
Correct Answer: D. Sukhoi-30MKI
Sukhoi-30MKI. Astra is India's indigenous beyond-visual-range (BVR) air-to-air missile developed by DRDO. Astra Mk-I has a range of ~110 km, while Mk-II has a range of ~160 km, and Mk-III (Gandiva) will have 300+ km range. Sukhoi-30MKI is manufactured under license by HAL in Nashik.
India hosted the Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting 2026 in New Delhi. Quad members include India, USA, Japan, and:
Correct Answer: D. Australia
Australia. Quad (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue) was first proposed in 2007 by Japanese PM Shinzo Abe. It was revived in 2017 and elevated to leaders' level in 2021. Australia's capital is Canberra; currency: Australian Dollar (AUD). Quad's Tokyo Summit 2022 and Hiroshima Summit 2023 marked key milestones.
India signed an MoU with Qatar for Cultural Exchange Programme 2026-30 during the visit of:
Correct Answer: C. Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani
Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, who became Emir of Qatar on June 25, 2013. Qatar's capital is Doha; currency: Qatari Riyal (QAR). Qatar hosted the FIFA World Cup 2022. Qatar is a member of GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) and OPEC (left OPEC in January 2019).
Bhutan's PM Tshering Tobgay and PM Modi jointly launched which project in February 2026?
Correct Answer: B. Gelephu Mindfulness City
Gelephu Mindfulness City — Bhutan's flagship economic zone project launched in 2023 by King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck. Bhutan's capital is Thimphu; currency: Bhutanese Ngultrum (BTN), pegged to Indian Rupee. Bhutan is known for measuring Gross National Happiness (GNH).
India and Sri Lanka agreed to implement the Katchatheevu-area fishermen protocol during which minister's Colombo visit in February 2026?
Correct Answer: C. Vikram Misri
Vikram Misri, the current Foreign Secretary of India (since July 15, 2024). Katchatheevu is an uninhabited island in the Palk Strait, ceded by India to Sri Lanka in 1974. The island is a frequent point of dispute over fishing rights. Sri Lanka's commercial capital is Colombo; administrative capital: Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte.
India took over the Presidency of the G20 Development Ministers' track for 2026 at the G20 Sherpa Meeting held in:
Correct Answer: D. Riyadh
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia holds the G20 Presidency for 2026. The G20 rotating presidency was held by Indonesia (2022), India (2023), Brazil (2024), South Africa (2025), USA (2026). Riyadh is the capital of Saudi Arabia; currency: Saudi Riyal (SAR). Saudi Arabia is a founding member of OPEC (1960).
IIT Madras was recognised as India's No.1 institution for the 7th consecutive year in NIRF Rankings 2026. NIRF was launched by MoE in:
Correct Answer: C. 2016
NIRF (National Institutional Ranking Framework) was launched by the Ministry of Education (then Ministry of Human Resource Development) in 2015 and first rankings released in 2016. IIT Madras has topped NIRF Rankings since 2019 — 7 consecutive years by 2026. It was established in 1959.
Sunita Narain, who received UNEP's 'Champions of the Earth' Lifetime Achievement Award 2026, is the Director-General of:
Correct Answer: B. CSE (Centre for Science and Environment)
Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), founded in 1980 by Anil Agarwal. Sunita Narain has been associated with CSE since 1982 and is its Director-General since 2002. She received Padma Shri in 2005 and Stockholm Water Prize in 2005. UNEP (UN Environment Programme) was founded in 1972 after the Stockholm Conference.
The Indian Air Force began operational induction of the Tejas Mk-1A in February 2026, with how many aircraft delivered by HAL?
Correct Answer: D. 12 aircraft
12 aircraft were delivered. Tejas Mk-1A is an upgraded version of the HAL Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA). The IAF ordered 83 Tejas Mk-1A jets in February 2021 for Rs 48,000 crore, and 97 more Mk-1As in November 2023 for Rs 67,000 crore. HAL Tejas is India's first indigenously designed fighter aircraft.
Shabana Azmi received the 'Gwangju International Peace Award' in February 2026 in Gwangju, which is located in:
Correct Answer: D. South Korea
Gwangju is in South Korea — the country's 6th-largest city. The award honours individuals who have contributed to promoting peace. South Korea's capital is Seoul; currency: Korean Won (KRW). Shabana Azmi has won 5 National Film Awards and Padma Shri (1988) and Padma Bhushan (2012).
The 96th Academy Awards (Oscars 2026) saw India's 'Laapataa Ladies' nominated in which category?
Correct Answer: D. Best International Feature Film
Best International Feature Film category. 'Laapataa Ladies' (2023) was directed by Kiran Rao. It is set in rural India and revolves around two brides. India's submission for Oscars is decided by the Film Federation of India (FFI). Previous Indian nominees in this category include 'Mother India' (1957), 'Salaam Bombay!' (1988), and 'Lagaan' (2001).
Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur received the Lifetime Achievement Award at which festival in 2026?
Correct Answer: C. International Film Festival of India (IFFI)
International Film Festival of India (IFFI). IFFI is held annually in Goa (since 2004). It was first held in 1952 in Mumbai. IFFI is organised by the Directorate of Film Festivals under the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (NFDC since 2022). Shekhar Kapur is known for 'Mr India' (1987), 'Bandit Queen' (1994), and 'Elizabeth' (1998).
The 58th Munich Security Conference 2026 held in February was attended by whom from India?
Correct Answer: D. Dr. S. Jaishankar
Dr. S. Jaishankar. Munich Security Conference (MSC) is an annual international meeting on security policy held in Munich, Germany since 1963. Munich is the capital of Bavaria state in Germany. MSC Chairman (2026): Christoph Heusgen. India's External Affairs Minister regularly attends MSC.
India and Saudi Arabia signed agreements worth USD 100 billion during PM Modi's visit to Riyadh in February 2026. Saudi Arabia's currency is:
Correct Answer: D. Saudi Riyal
Saudi Riyal (SAR). Saudi Arabia's capital is Riyadh. Saudi Arabia is a member of OPEC (founding, 1960), G20, GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council), OIC (Organisation of Islamic Cooperation). It is the world's largest oil exporter. King Salman bin Abdulaziz is the current King; Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is the PM.
The 2nd India-UAE Economic Partnership Summit 2026 saw India and UAE sign MoU on:
Correct Answer: C. Food Security Corridor
Food Security Corridor — a comprehensive initiative for food supply chain cooperation. UAE is the 3rd-largest trading partner of India after USA and China. India and UAE signed the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in February 2022 (effective May 1, 2022) — India's first such major deal in over a decade.
Captain Anshuman Singh was conferred the Param Yodha Award 2026 posthumously by President Murmu. He was martyred during which operation?
Correct Answer: D. Rescue operation during Himachal flash flood 2023
Captain Anshuman Singh was martyred during a rescue operation during Himachal flash flood/explosion in July 2023 at Siachen. He was posthumously awarded the Kirti Chakra — India's 2nd-highest peacetime gallantry award — in January 2024. His father Ravi Pratap Singh received the award from the President.
Emine Erdoğan, nominated as UNEP Goodwill Ambassador in February 2026, is the spouse of the President of:
Correct Answer: D. Türkiye
Türkiye (Turkey) — she is the wife of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (in office since 2014). Türkiye's capital is Ankara; currency: Turkish Lira (TRY). Türkiye officially changed its international name from Turkey to Türkiye in June 2022. It is a transcontinental country in Europe and Asia.
Nishant Kumar Verma was appointed Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister of which state in February 2026?
Correct Answer: D. Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh. UP is India's most populous state (~20 crore) and has the largest number of districts (75). Capital: Lucknow. Current CM (2026): Yogi Adityanath (since March 19, 2017). UP was formed on April 1, 1937, as United Provinces; renamed Uttar Pradesh on January 26, 1950.
Shah Rukh Khan was named Brand Ambassador for UNICEF India's campaign in February 2026. The campaign is:
Correct Answer: D. Education for Every Child
Education for Every Child. Shah Rukh Khan has been a long-time UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 2011. UNICEF (United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund) was founded on December 11, 1946, now called UN Children's Fund (retaining UNICEF acronym). HQ: New York, USA. Priyanka Chopra Jonas is another UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador from India.
Rahul Dravid was appointed Brand Ambassador of 'Karnataka Lokayukta' in February 2026. The Lokayukta is an anti-corruption ombudsman established under the:
Correct Answer: B. Karnataka Lokayukta Act, 1984
Karnataka Lokayukta Act, 1984. The Lokayukta system was first proposed by the Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) under Morarji Desai (1966). Maharashtra was the first state to establish the Lokayukta (1971). The Lokpal at Central level was established by the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013. Rahul Dravid is a former Indian cricket captain from Karnataka.
Ashish Chauhan continues as Managing Director and CEO of National Stock Exchange (NSE) of India. NSE was established in:
Correct Answer: B. 1992
NSE was established in 1992 (recognised as stock exchange in 1993; began operations in June 1994). NSE is the world's largest derivatives exchange by number of contracts. Its flagship index is Nifty 50, launched on April 22, 1996. NSE is headquartered in Mumbai. Ashish Chauhan took charge as MD/CEO in July 2022.
Amitabh Bachchan received the Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award 2026 at a ceremony in Mumbai for his contribution to Indian cinema. The award is named after:
Correct Answer: B. Deenanath Mangeshkar
Deenanath Mangeshkar, father of Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle. He was a classical singer and actor who died in 1942. The award was instituted by Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Smruti Pratishthan in his memory. Lata Mangeshkar (1929-2022) was the 'Nightingale of India' and Bharat Ratna awardee (2001).
DRDO successfully test-fired the Akash-NG (New Generation) air defence missile off the coast of Odisha in February 2026. The standard Akash missile has a range of approximately:
Correct Answer: C. 45 km
The Akash missile has a range of 25-45 km. Akash-NG is expected to have an extended range up to 70 km. Akash is a Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) system developed by DRDO; inducted into IAF in 2014 and Indian Army in 2015. The Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur, Odisha, is the main missile testing site.
The Indian Army commissioned its first all-women Border Observation Post in Jammu & Kashmir in February 2026. The post is named:
Correct Answer: D. Tara
'Tara' — a symbolic name meaning 'Star' in Sanskrit. The post is along the Line of Control (LoC) in J&K. Jammu & Kashmir became a Union Territory on October 31, 2019, following the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. Lt. Governor of J&K (2026): Manoj Sinha.
The Nag Mark-2 anti-tank guided missile inducted by Indian Army in February 2026 was developed indigenously by:
Correct Answer: D. DRDO
DRDO. Nag is a third-generation 'fire-and-forget' anti-tank guided missile (ATGM). It uses imaging infrared (IIR) seeker. Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) is the production agency. The Nag Missile Carrier (NAMICA) is based on the BMP-2 infantry combat vehicle. DRDO was established in 1958, HQ: New Delhi.
The India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC) held its 2nd Ministerial Meeting in New Delhi in February 2026. The first TTC meeting was held in 2024 in:
Correct Answer: C. Brussels
Brussels, Belgium (headquarters of the European Union). TTC was launched in April 2022 during European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's visit. Focus areas: Strategic technologies, digital governance, and connectivity; Trade, investment, and resilient value chains; Clean energy and climate action. EU has 27 member states.
The SCO Council of Heads of Government Meeting 2026 was chaired by India. SCO was founded in which year?
Correct Answer: C. 2001
SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation) was founded on June 15, 2001 in Shanghai, China. It was an evolution of the Shanghai Five grouping (founded 1996). SCO members: China, Russia, India (joined 2017), Pakistan (2017), Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran (2023), Belarus (2024). HQ: Beijing; Secretary-General: Zhang Ming.
Anil Ambani appointed Rashmi Thakur as CEO of which company's Consumer Business Division in February 2026?
Correct Answer: D. Reliance Communications
Reliance Communications (RCom) is part of the Reliance ADA Group (Anil Dhirubhai Ambani). Anil Ambani and Mukesh Ambani split the Reliance empire in 2005 after Dhirubhai Ambani's death. Mukesh got the oil & petrochemicals business; Anil got telecom, power, and financial services. Reliance Jio (under Mukesh's Reliance Industries) revolutionised India's telecom sector from 2016.
Devika Rani (Neuberg Diagnostics) was named among India's Top 50 Women Leaders 2026 by which publication?
Correct Answer: D. Business Today
Business Today. Business Today is a fortnightly business magazine published by the India Today Group, launched in 1992. India Today Group was founded by Aroon Purie. Devika Rani is the CEO of Neuberg Diagnostics — a leading diagnostics company. She is unrelated to the early Indian film actress Devika Rani (1908-1994).