Daily Current Affairs

India’s fisheries and aquaculture sector has recorded remarkable growth over the last ten years, with India becoming the second-largest fish producer globally.

The Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary has been officially renamed as Aralam Butterfly Sanctuary, becoming Kerala’s first dedicated butterfly sanctuary.

• Approval – Granted by the State Board for Wildlife
• Location – Biodiversity-rich Western Ghats
• Original Notification – 1984 as a wildlife sanctuary

APEDA has opened a Regional Office in Raipur to enhance agricultural and processed food exports from Chhattisgarh, inaugurated during the 2nd India International Rice Summit.

• Support For – Farmers, farmer producer organisations, and exporters
• Services – Export registration, quality certification, and international market linkage
• Focus Products – Non-basmati rice varieties including GI-tagged Jeeraphool and Nagri Dubraj rice

Mumbai hosted the fifth Tri-Services Veterans Day parade at Marine Drive, ahead of January 14 observed as Veterans Day.

• Participants – More than 500 veterans, including gallantry award winners and senior citizens
• Flag Off – Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan
• Attendees – Senior officers from Army, Navy, and Air Force

The Indian Army conducted Exercise Sanjha Shakti at Dighi Hills Range, Pune under the Southern Command in January 2026.

• Participants – Over 350 personnel
• Civilian Agencies – 16 agencies including Maharashtra Police, Force One, and fire services
• Focus Areas – Rapid response, public safety, and hinterland security

DRDO successfully tested the Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) on January 11, 2026 in Maharashtra, accurately striking a moving target.

• Generation – Third-generation, fire-and-forget missile system
• Key Feature – Top-attack capability
• Guidance – Imaging infrared seeker
• Operation – Both day and night capable

India’s highway sector achieved four Guinness World Records during construction of the Bengaluru–Kadapa–Vijayawada Economic Corridor (NH-544G) in Andhra Pradesh.

Project Details: The corridor spans 343 km as a six-lane highway, aimed at reducing travel time, improving logistics, and spurring regional economic development.

The Regional AI Impact Conference 2026 is being held in Lucknow on January 12–13, jointly organised by IndiaAI, MeitY, and the Uttar Pradesh government.

• Focus – AI-driven governance initiatives in Uttar Pradesh
• Objective – Promote responsible, inclusive, and ethical adoption of AI
• Key Sessions – AI applications in healthcare, economic growth, and social good
• Features – Startup showcases and industry demonstrations

Virat Kohli has become the second-highest run-scorer in international cricket, achieving the milestone during the first ODI against New Zealand.

• Innings Score – 93 runs while chasing a target of 301 runs
• Record Surpassed – Kumar Sangakkara’s tally of 28,016 international runs
• Current Tally – 28,068 runs across all formats
• Ahead of Him – Only Sachin Tendulkar

India and Germany reinforced their strategic partnership following talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Gandhinagar.

• Migration & Mobility – Visa-free transit for Indian nationals announced
• Skills Partnership – Global Skills Partnership launched, focusing on healthcare professionals
• Security – Security cooperation further strengthened
• Energy – New Centre of Excellence for clean and sustainable energy announced
• Culture – Collaboration in maritime heritage emphasized

Goa-based industrialist Shrinivas Dempo received Italy’s Cavaliere dell’Ordine della Stella d’Italia, one of Italy’s highest civilian honours.

• Recognition For – Assisting Italian citizens in India and promoting India-Italy cooperation
• Areas – Business, culture, and community initiatives
• Ceremony – Held in Goa, presented by Italy’s Consul General

Major Swathi Shantha Kumar of the Indian Army won the UN Secretary-General’s Award 2025 in the Gender Category for her project titled “Equal Partners, Lasting Peace”.

• Mission – UN Mission in South Sudan
• Focus – Gender-inclusive peacekeeping practices
• Impact – Over 5,000 women directly benefited

Justice Revati Mohite Dere was sworn in as the first woman Chief Justice of the Meghalaya High Court at Lok Bhavan in Shillong.

• Predecessor – Justice Soumen Sen (transferred to Kerala High Court)
• Previous Position – Judge of the Bombay High Court
• Recommendation – Supreme Court collegium

Kotak Mahindra Bank has appointed Anup Kumar Saha as its Whole-Time Director, effective from 12 January 2026 (subject to regulatory approvals).

• Responsibilities – Consumer banking, marketing, and data analytics functions
• Previous Experience – Served at Bajaj Finance with expertise in consumer finance and data-driven operations

PSLV-C62 was launched on January 12, 2026 from Sriharikota, carrying the EOS-N1 satellite and multiple other satellites.

• Initial Performance – Initial stages performed normally
• Anomaly – Detected near the end of the third (PS3) stage
• Issues Observed – Deviations in roll rate and flight path
• Operator – Commercially operated by NSIL

India unveiled SCORP, its first legged mobile manipulator, developed by xTerra Robotics, an IIT Kanpur-incubated startup.

• Features – Combines legged mobility with an intelligent robotic arm
• Design – Built to operate in complex and hazardous environments
• Capabilities – Inspection, manipulation, and operational tasks

National Youth Day is observed annually on January 12 in India, commemorating the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda.

• Established – 1984
• Values Promoted – Character, discipline, leadership, and social responsibility
• Observances – Educational programs, cultural events, leadership workshops, and community service activities