Infrastructure
CCEA Highway Approvals February 2026
CCEA approved highway projects worth over Rs 11,000 crore across three states: Maharashtra (NH-160A), Gujarat (NH-56 under HAM model worth Rs 4,583.64 crore), and Telangana (NH-167 Gudebellur-Mahbubnagar widening, 80.01 km).
Defence
India’s Waterjet Production Capability
India became the 3rd country globally (after USA and South Korea) to host a Waterjet Production & Testing Facility. The facility by M/s Marine Jet Power was inaugurated by ICG DG Paramesh Sivamani in Goa.
Defence Technology
BEL’s Defence AI Initiatives
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the Mountain Fire Control Radar, BEL’s AI Policy, and Missile Integration Facility at BEL Bengaluru on 16 February 2026. A CoE-AI was remotely inaugurated in Pune.
Trade & Economy
India’s Electronics Export Boom
Per NITI Aayog’s Trade Watch Q2 FY26, India’s electronics exports reached USD 42.1 billion in 2024—a 5x growth since 2016. Electronics is now the 2nd largest export category after gems/jewellery. India ranks among top 6 e-commerce markets globally.
Banking & Finance
Bain Capital-Manappuram Deal
RBI approved Bain Capital LP to acquire joint control and up to 41.66% stake in Manappuram Finance (gold loan NBFC). Initial investment: Rs 4,385 crore for 18% stake at Rs 236/share.
Water Resources
ICDS 2026 Dam Safety Conference
ICDS 2026 was held 13-14 February at J.N. Tata Auditorium, IISc Bengaluru under DRIP Phase II & III. Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah inaugurated the event. DAMCHAT AI platform for dam safety monitoring was launched.
Art & Culture
Puppets of India Stamp Series
Department of Posts released 8 commemorative stamps (face value Rs 5 each) featuring: Kathputli (Rajasthan), Yakshagana (Karnataka), Daanger Putul & Benir Putul (WB), Kathi Kundhei & Ravanachhaya (Odisha), Pavakathakali (Kerala), Tolu Bommalatta (AP).
Defence & Diplomacy
Exercise MILAN 2026
The 13th edition of Exercise MILAN is being held 18-25 February 2026 at Visakhapatnam and Bay of Bengal. It is one of India’s largest multilateral naval exercises, demonstrating maritime cooperation and interoperability.
Sports
Rashid Khan’s T20 Record
Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan became the first bowler to claim 700 wickets in men’s T20 cricket during ICC T20 World Cup 2026. This historic milestone establishes him as the most prolific wicket-taker in T20 history.
Education & Technology
Bharat EduAI Stack
Launched during Bharat Bodhan AI Conclave by Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the Bharat EduAI Stack is an open and interoperable architecture to build, integrate, and scale AI-powered learning solutions across India’s education ecosystem.