🇮🇳 National News
The Supreme Court has stayed new UGC regulations, calling them ‘too sweeping, vague and capable of misuse’. The Court asked UGC to re-draft the regulations with the next hearing scheduled for 19th March 2026.
This decision underscores the judiciary’s role in ensuring balanced governance in higher education sector and protecting institutional autonomy while maintaining quality standards.
The Union government notified Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules 2026, making source-level processing of waste mandatory for bulk generators from 1st April 2026.
Bulk waste generators (producing 100 kg/day) must now segregate waste into four streams:
- Wet waste
- Dry waste
- Sanitary waste
- Special care waste
These rules strengthen India’s commitment to sustainable urban governance and circular economy principles.
The government launched the New Aadhaar App in January 2026, introducing a Privacy-First approach allowing users to update mobile numbers from home.
Key features of the app developed by UIDAI:
- Eliminates need for photocopies – prevents misuse
- Aligns with DPDP Act – Digital Personal Data Protection Act compliance
- Remote updates – users can update mobile numbers from home
This initiative strengthens Digital India’s commitment to secure and user-friendly digital identity services.
Sunabeda Wildlife Sanctuary in Odisha’s Nuapada district was officially declared ‘Maoist-free’ in January 2026.
Camera trap data reveals a flourishing leopard population estimated at over 70, marking its transition to a potential Leopard Haven.
This development demonstrates the dual success of internal security operations and wildlife conservation efforts in the region.
The Ministry of Jal Shakti honoured WaSH Warriors from across India at a special Samvad Samaroh in New Delhi in January 2026.
These grassroots champions lead efforts in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WaSH) under the Jal Jeevan Mission.
The recognition highlights the importance of community-level participation in achieving India’s water and sanitation goals.
The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet approved cashless treatment up to Rs 5 lakh for 15 lakh school teachers and non-teaching staff.
The decision aims to improve healthcare access for education sector employees, strengthening social security measures for government staff in the state.
Calcutta High Court directed the West Bengal government to hand over land for border fencing to BSF by 31st March 2026.
This move is crucial for strengthening border security infrastructure and addresses Centre-State coordination on internal security matters.
The Beating Retreat ceremony on 29th January 2026 featured a special tribute by the Indian Army to the Indian women’s cricket team for winning the ODI World Cup 2025.
The ceremony at Vijay Chowk included a special tribute formation, celebrating the team’s historic achievement on a national platform.
India is set to host the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in February 2026, with Washington Sundar and Tilak Varma expected to be fit for the tournament.
This represents a major international sporting event being hosted by India.
The International Series announced its return to India, with the second edition scheduled from 8-11 October 2026 at Prestige Golfshire Club in Bengaluru.
This strengthens India’s position as a destination for international golf tournaments.
In the Australian Open 2026, India’s Yuki Bhambri and Swedish partner Andre Göransson advanced to the round of 16 in men’s doubles.
They defeated Mexico’s Santiago González and Netherlands’ David Pel with a score of 4-6, 7-6, 6-3.
This marks a significant achievement for Indian tennis at the Grand Slam level.
💼 Business & Economy
India and the European Union signed a historic free trade agreement on 27th January 2026, creating a free trade zone of two billion people covering about 25% of global GDP.
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Tariff Elimination | 96.6% of EU goods exports |
| Annual Savings | Up to €4 billion |
| Bilateral Trade (2024) | €120 billion ($139 billion) |
| EU Export Growth Target | Double by 2032 |
The agreement will eliminate tariffs on metals, plastics, chemicals, and pharmaceutical products.
The Reserve Bank of India has implemented multiple liquidity-enhancing measures, conducting Open Market Operations (OMOs) to purchase Government securities worth Rs 2 lakh crore (US$ 22.30 billion) in four tranches.
On 27th January 2026, RBI advanced bond purchases totalling 1 trillion rupees (to 29th January and 5th February, instead of 5th and 12th February) to ease liquidity pressure following a surge in bond yields.
RBI’s Financial Stability Report flagged key concerns in the financial sector:
- Fintech lending risks – 36.1% growth rate
- Elevated impairment – among borrowers with unsecured loans from five or more lenders
- Stablecoin concerns – foreign-currency-denominated stablecoins threatening India’s monetary sovereignty
Scheduled Commercial Banks’ GNPA ratio declined to a multi-decadal low of 2.2% as of September 2025, indicating improved banking sector health.
Key compliance deadlines for the banking sector:
| Date | Requirement |
|---|---|
| 1st January 2026 | Only banks approved under new RBI digital banking guidelines can provide internet, mobile, USSD and SMS services |
| 1st April 2026 | Banks must implement revised digital payment framework requiring 2-factor or risk-based authentication |
These measures aim at strengthening digital banking security across India.
🌐 International News
In response to violent crackdown on protests in Iran earlier in January 2026, the European Union designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation.
This marks a significant escalation in Iran-EU relations and reflects EU’s stance on human rights and democratic values.
The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists set the Doomsday Clock to 85 seconds to midnight on 29th January 2026, indicating heightened global risks.
The Doomsday Clock is a symbol representing the likelihood of a man-made global catastrophe, with midnight signifying extinction. This setting reflects concerns about nuclear proliferation, climate change, and other existential threats.
Russia and Ukraine conducted a swap of bodies on 29th January 2026:
- Russia received – remains of 38 soldiers
- Ukraine received – remains of 1,000 soldiers
This marks the first such swap since November 2025. The Center for Strategic and International Studies estimates roughly 1.8 million casualties between Russian and Ukrainian forces since the conflict began.
The Federal Reserve on 29th January 2026 left interest rates unchanged, resisting pressure to lower them.
This decision impacts global markets and currency movements, affecting emerging markets including India through capital flows and exchange rate dynamics.
Spain announced amnesty for nearly 500,000 undocumented immigrants and asylum seekers.
Eligibility criteria:
- Arrival – before 31st December 2025
- Residency – at least five months in Spain
- Benefit – up to one year of legal residency and permission to work
This represents a significant immigration policy shift in Europe.
The Hague district court ordered the Dutch government to create a legally binding plan to protect Bonaire from climate change.
The ruling includes setting enforceable emissions-reduction targets aligned with the Paris Agreement.
This landmark ruling strengthens climate justice through judicial intervention.
Five people were killed and severe damage was caused by Storm Kristin in Portugal.
The extreme weather event highlights climate challenges facing Europe and the increasing frequency of severe weather incidents.
🔬 Science & Technology
ISRO successfully launched the PSLV-C62 mission on 12th January 2026, carrying the Earth observation satellite EOS-N1 Anvesha along with 15 other commercial payloads.
The 44.4-metre-tall four-stage rocket lifted off from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.
This mission demonstrates ISRO’s continued leadership in commercial space launch services.
With four missions scheduled by 2026 under the ongoing Gaganyaan programme, ISRO received additional Rs 11,170 crore funding, bringing the total budget to Rs 20,193 crore (US$2.4 billion).
ISRO Chairman V Narayanan announced multiple satellite launches planned for 2026:
- HLVM3 G1/OM1 – first uncrewed Gaganyaan mission
- TDS-01 – Technology Demonstration Satellite for electric propulsion and quantum key distribution
- Oceansat-3A (EOS-10) – for meteorological studies
Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla successfully completed the Axiom Mission 4 to the International Space Station.
The World Bank’s 2025 report ‘A Breath of Change’ highlights that nearly one billion people in the Indo-Gangetic Plains and Himalayan Foothills (IGP-HF) breathe the world’s most polluted air.
The report emphasizes the need for urgent transboundary cooperation between India and neighbouring countries to address this regional environmental challenge.
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