Climate & Environment
India’s Carbon Credit Trading Scheme
India’s first compliance-based Carbon Credit Trading Scheme assigns emission targets to approximately 490 industrial units across seven sectors. Units emitting below thresholds can earn and trade carbon credits, while those exceeding limits must purchase credits from the market.
Governance & Polity
Renaming Kerala to Keralam
The Union Cabinet approved renaming Kerala as ‘Keralam’. This requires an amendment to the First Schedule of the Constitution, which lists all states and Union Territories. Parliament holds the power to alter state names under Article 3.
Business & Economy
National Monetisation Pipeline 2.0
NMP 2.0, formulated by NITI Aayog, estimates a monetisation potential of βΉ16.72 lakh crore over FY26βFY30, including βΉ5.8 lakh crore in private sector investment. This is 2.6 times higher than NMP 1.0.
Defence & Security
PRAHAAR β India’s Counter-Terrorism Doctrine
PRAHAAR (National Counter-Terrorism Policy & Strategy), released on February 23, 2026, is India’s first unified counter-terrorism doctrine. It marks a shift from reactive to proactive, intelligence-led security with a ‘Zero Tolerance’ stance.
Health & Public Policy
Nationwide Free HPV Vaccination Programme
The Centre launched a free HPV vaccination drive using Gardasil (Quadrivalent), covering HPV strains 16, 18, 6, and 11. The programme targets 14-year-old girls and aligns with WHO’s single-dose recommendation issued in 2022.
International Trade
IndiaβGCC Free Trade Agreement Negotiations
India and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) formally launched FTA negotiations. Bilateral trade reached USD 178.56 billion in FY 2024β25, accounting for over 15% of India’s global trade. Nearly 10 million Indians reside in GCC nations.
International Affairs
Rob Jetten β New PM of the Netherlands
Rob Jetten of Democrats 66 (D66) was sworn in as the Prime Minister of the Netherlands on February 23, 2026. He is the youngest PM in the country’s history and previously served as Minister for Climate and Energy Policy.
Economy & Growth
ICRA’s GDP Growth Projection for Q3 FY2025β26
ICRA projected India’s GDP growth at 7.2% for Q3 FY2025β26, down from 8.2% in Q2. The deceleration was driven by a 23.4% YoY contraction in Central government capital expenditure, weak exports, and base effect.
Sports
Harmanpreet Kaur β Most-Capped in Women’s Cricket
Harmanpreet Kaur became the most-capped player in women’s international cricket history with 356 international matches across all formats. The Indian captain has been instrumental in the growth of women’s cricket in India.
Mountaineering & Defence
Indian Expedition Summits Mount Aconcagua
A joint expedition from NIM Uttarkashi and JIM&WS Pahalgam summited Mount Aconcagua (6,961 m) in Argentina on February 22, 2026. It is the highest peak in South America, led by Col Hem Chandra Singh.