📊 Index & Rankings
The third edition of the Asia Manufacturing Index (AMI 2026), released by Hong Kong-based advisory firm Dezan Shira & Associates, showed India retaining its 6th rank among 11 Asian countries.
| Rank | Country |
|---|---|
| 1 | China |
| 2 | Malaysia |
| 3 | Vietnam |
| 4 | Singapore |
| 5 | South Korea |
| 6 | India |
| 7 | Indonesia |
| 8 | Thailand |
| 9 | Japan |
| 10 | Philippines |
| 11 | Bangladesh |
The index assesses eight key pillars: Economy, Political Risk, Business Environment, International Trade, Tax Policy, Infrastructure, Workforce, and Innovation.
Strengths: Large domestic market, improving infrastructure, and expanding workforce.
Weaknesses: Slower execution, policy instability, and limited innovation capacity.
🇮🇳 National News
Tata Group has announced a USD 11 billion investment to develop an AI Innovation City near the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport.
The project will focus on Artificial Intelligence, data centres, and semiconductor-related services. The Innovation City is expected to become a global hub for next-generation technology and digital services.
The strategic location near the airport will boost global connectivity, attracting multinational companies and investors. Maharashtra government leaders stated that the project gained significant attention at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos.
The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the continuation of Atal Pension Yojana (APY) up to Financial Year 2030-31 along with extension of funding support for promotional, developmental activities, and gap funding.
Launched on 9th May 2015, APY provides a universal social security system for all Indians, especially the poor, underprivileged, and unorganised sector workers. The scheme is administered by the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) under the National Pension System (NPS).
Subscribers receive a Central Government guaranteed minimum pension ranging from Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000 per month after age 60. As of 19th January 2026, APY has enrolled more than 8.66 crore subscribers.
- Public Sector Banks – Dominated enrolments with approximately 70.44% of total subscriptions
- Regional Rural Banks – Contributed 19.80% of enrolments
The Union Cabinet approved an equity infusion of Rs 5,000 crore into the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) to expand credit availability for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and support employment generation.
The equity capital will be infused by the Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance, in three tranches:
| Financial Year | Amount |
|---|---|
| FY 2025-26 | Rs 3,000 crore |
| FY 2026-27 | Rs 1,000 crore |
| FY 2027-28 | Rs 1,000 crore |
Financial assistance will grow from 76.26 lakh MSMEs in FY25 to 1.02 crore by FY28, adding 25.74 lakh units and generating 1.12 crore new jobs. The equity infusion will help maintain SIDBI’s Capital to Risk-weighted Assets Ratio (CRAR) above 10.50% under stress conditions.
The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the World Economic Forum (WEF) to launch the India Skills Accelerator programme.
The partnership aims to strengthen India’s skilling ecosystem by focusing on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) with industry-linked outcomes.
Priority sectors include:
- Artificial Intelligence – Next-generation technology skills
- Robotics – Advanced manufacturing automation
- Green Energy – Sustainable technology expertise
- Cybersecurity – Digital security capabilities
- Advanced Manufacturing – Industry 4.0 skills
The initiative aligns with the National Education Policy 2020 and Vision India@2047 for building a future-ready workforce.
Anandiben Patel, Governor of Uttar Pradesh, inaugurated the 86th All India Presiding Officers’ Conference (AIPOC 2026) at the UP Vidhan Sabha in Lucknow.
Held from January 19-21, 2026, this marked UP’s fourth time hosting the conference after 1961, 1985, and 2015. The conference, themed ‘Strong Legislature-Prosperous Nation’, witnessed participation of 36 Presiding Officers from 24 States and Union Territories, making it the largest AIPOC.
Commitments to Viksit Bharat 2047, holding at least 30 legislative sittings annually, strengthening technology use in legislative work, capacity building for MPs and MLAs, and creating a National Legislative Index to assess legislative performance.
NITI Aayog released three reports outlining roadmaps for green transition and decarbonization in the cement, aluminium, and MSME sectors, aligned with India’s goal of achieving Net Zero by 2070.
| Sector | Current (2023) | Projected (2070) | Key Target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cement | 391 MT | 2,100 MT | Reduce carbon intensity from 0.63 to 0.09-0.13 tonnes CO2/tonne |
| Aluminium | 4 MT | 37 MT | Phased transition to RE-RTC by 2030 |
| MSME | 30% GDP, 250M+ employed | Deploy energy-efficient equipment | |
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) notified Greenhouse Gas Emission Intensity (GEI) targets for additional sectors under the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS).
The new notification brings 208 additional obligated entities, raising the total to 490 entities under compliance.
GEI targets focus on reducing emissions per unit of output rather than absolute caps. Entities meeting targets earn carbon credits, while others must purchase credits for compliance.
Rajasthan is developing a new Biological Park in Alwar near Kati Ghati and Jaisamand on nearly 100 hectares.
The park will house over 400 wild animals across 81 species, including lions, cheetahs, and tigers. It will offer lion safari, tiger safari, and herbivore safari at one location, marking a first in the NCR region.
The project includes a modern wildlife rescue centre modelled on Gir National Park facilities, a high-tech veterinary hospital, and a butterfly park.
Lucknow inaugurated its third fresh waste processing plant at Shivari, becoming Uttar Pradesh’s first zero fresh dump city.
The Shivari plant can process 700 metric tonnes per day, taking total capacity to 2,100 MT daily. Lucknow generates around 2,000 MT waste daily, now fully processed scientifically.
55% organic material – Converted into compost and biogas
45% inorganic waste – Goes for recycling and Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF)
A 15 MW Waste-to-Energy plant is planned at Shivari to use RDF for power generation.
India will publicly debut its Long-Range Anti-Ship Hypersonic Glide Missile (LR-AShM) at the 77th Republic Day parade, marking India’s entry into the exclusive hypersonic anti-ship weapons club.
Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the Indian Navy, the missile is designed to engage high-value naval targets, including aircraft carrier battle groups, at very long ranges with extreme speed and evasive manoeuvres.
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Hypersonic Speed | Up to Mach 10, average glide around Mach 5+ |
| Operational Range | Approximately 1,500 km |
| Architecture | Boost-glide with two-stage solid propulsion |
| Guidance | Inertial navigation, satellite aid, active radar seekers |
This capability places India alongside the US, Russia, and China in hypersonic glide missile technology.
Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan released the Military Quantum Mission Policy Framework to integrate quantum technologies into the Indian Armed Forces.
The framework focuses on four pillars of quantum integration:
- Quantum Communication – Secure military communications
- Quantum Computing – Advanced computational capabilities
- Quantum Sensing and Metrology – Precision detection systems
- Quantum Materials and Devices – Next-gen military hardware
The framework emphasises tri-services jointness with unified adoption across Army, Navy, and Air Force rather than siloed development. The civil-military fusion model leverages academia, startups, industry, and multiple government sectors through dedicated governing bodies.
The framework aims to align defence requirements with the National Quantum Mission for achieving future battlefield superiority.
Operation Megaburu, a large-scale counter-insurgency operation against CPI (Maoist) in Jharkhand’s West Singhbhum district, led to the neutralisation of 16 Maoists, including top leader Anal alias Patiram Manjhi.
Launched in January 2026 in the Kumdi area of Saranda forest region, the operation involved elite CoBRA units of the Central Reserve Police Force and Jharkhand Police. Around 1,500 CoBRA commandos were deployed for deep-jungle combat.
The operation resulted in the highest number of Maoist bodies recovered in a single encounter in the state. Almost all Central Committee members in Jharkhand have been neutralised, confirming that Maoists are now confined to limited forest pockets.
The Governments of Odisha and Meghalaya signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Bhubaneswar to enhance cooperation in Early Childhood Care, Education and Development (ECCED) through inter-state collaboration.
The MoU was signed by Sampath Kumar, Principal Secretary of Meghalaya, and Ananta Narayan Singh Laguri, Additional Secretary of Women & Child Development, Odisha.
Focus areas include:
- Nutrition and health interventions
- Early learning programmes
- Responsive caregiving
- Community engagement
- Institutional strengthening
The MoU provides a structured framework for knowledge exchange, joint research, exposure visits, documentation of best practices, and training for personnel at various levels.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced the ‘Atal Vichal Agragami Assam’ scheme to support research scholars in the state by providing monthly financial assistance.
| Category | Monthly Assistance |
|---|---|
| Research Scholars | Rs 25,000 |
| Divyang Research Scholars | Rs 40,000 |
The scheme aims to strengthen Assam’s education and skill development, advancing national goals of research, innovation, and self-reliance. Permanent residents of Assam enrolled in full-time PhD programmes at Central or State Universities within Assam are eligible.
The scheme is implemented by the Directorate of Employment and Craftsmen Training and is scheduled for official launch on 11th February 2026.
The Odisha Health Department banned manufacture, sale, storage, transport, and distribution of gutkha, pan masala, tobacco, and nicotine products.
The ban applies to both packaged and unpackaged products, including separately sold mixing items. The notification ensures compliance with the Supreme Court’s nationwide directive on gutkha prohibition.
Odisha had earlier restricted tobacco sale in 2013, but the new rule removes loopholes. From 1st February 2026, tobacco and pan masala will face higher taxes including 40% GST on pan masala.
Tamil Nadu launched Semmozhi Illakiya Virudhu, a new annual state-backed literary award.
It will recognise books in seven Indian languages: Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Odia, Bengali, and Marathi.
Each selected language winner will receive Rs 5 lakh, making it one of India’s top state literary prizes. Separate expert committees will select winners to ensure transparency and independence.
The 2nd Banaras Lit Fest Book Awards 2026 winners were announced for English, Hindi, and Indian languages.
Namita Gokhale received the Bhartendu Harishchandra Lifetime Achievement Award.
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| English Fiction | Shinie Antony |
| English Non-Fiction | Peggy Mohan |
| Hindi Fiction | Mamta Kalia |
| Hindi Poetry | Udayan Vajpeyi |
Awards will be presented during the Banaras Literature Festival from 30th January to 1st February 2026 in Varanasi.
The National School of Drama (NSD) will host Bharat Rang Mahotsav (BRM) 2026 from 27th January to 20th February 2026.
The festival will cover 40 locations across India, including remote regions like Ladakh and Andaman & Nicobar. It will feature 277 Indian productions and 12 international productions, representing all seven continents.
Plays will be staged in 228 languages, including Bhojpuri, Maithili, Tulu, Sanskrit, and Nyishi.
Adirang Mahotsav – Indigenous theatre
Jashne Bachpan – Children’s theatre
Poorvottar Natya Samaroh – Northeast theatre festival
A forest fire has been raging since 20th January 2026 in Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary near the Indo-China border, affecting about 12 hectares of forest land.
Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary is a high-altitude protected area and designated Important Bird Area (IBA) located in East Sikkim, established in 2002.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Area | Approximately 12,400 hectares |
| Altitude | 1,300 m to over 4,000 m |
| Ecosystems | Subtropical, temperate, alpine |
| Borders | Bhutan (east), China/Tibet (north via Nathu La-Jelep La corridor) |
It is part of the Eastern Himalayas biodiversity hotspot. The area hosts wildlife including tiger, leopard, takin, musk deer, Himalayan monal, and snow partridge.
💼 Business & Economy
The Central Government approved wage and pension revision for Public Sector General Insurance Companies (PSGICs), NABARD, and RBI.
| Institution | Key Changes | Effective Date |
|---|---|---|
| PSGICs | 12.41% wage bill hike, 14% basic pay + DA increase | 1st August 2022 |
| NPS Contribution | Increased from 10% to 14% for post-2010 employees | 1st April 2010 |
| RBI | 10% increase in pension and family pension | 1st November 2022 |
PSGICs: Rs 8,170.30 crore
RBI Pension Revision: Rs 2,696.82 crore
The Reserve Bank of India issued operational guidelines for extending interest subvention on pre and post-shipment export credit under the Export Promotion Mission (EPM) – Niryat Protsahan.
The objective is to facilitate improved access to export credit for MSME exporters by reducing the cost of credit.
Eligible Financial Institutions:
- All Scheduled Commercial Banks (excluding Regional Rural Banks)
- Primary Urban Co-operative Banks
- State Co-operative Banks
- All-India Financial Institutions
MSME manufacturer exporters and merchant exporters holding valid active Importer Exporter Code and MSME Udyam Registration Number are eligible.
The Reserve Bank of India issued the ‘Foreign Exchange Management (Export and Import of Goods and Services) Regulations, 2026’ under FEMA, introducing uniform timelines and enhanced monitoring requirements for trade-related foreign exchange transactions.
The regulations will take effect from 1st October 2026, superseding the 2015 regulations.
Key provisions include:
- Mandatory routing of all RBI references via the PRAVAAH portal
- AD banks to enter EDF details into EDPMS within 5 working days
- Export proceeds realisation within 15 months of shipment (18 months for INR-settled exports)
- Empowering AD banks to monitor all transactions in EDPMS and IDPMS
The Reserve Bank of India granted in-principle approval to Payoneer India Private Limited, a subsidiary of US-based Payoneer Global, to operate as a Payment Aggregator – Cross Border (PA-CB).
This enables the company to facilitate cross-border payment transactions for Indian importers and exporters.
The approval aims to enable Indian businesses, particularly MSMEs and startups, to access global markets and scale international trade operations. Payoneer India will enable end-to-end inward and outward cross-border payment transactions.
Credit-focused Indian fintech firm ZET secured approval from the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to operate as a Third-Party Application Provider (TPAP).
This marks a major step for the company in integrating its credit card functionalities into the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) system.
The company launched ZET UPI, enabling users to make UPI payments using RuPay credit cards issued through its platform.
The service is enabled via banking partnership with RBL Bank and powered by Juspay’s technology infrastructure for transaction processing.
🌐 International News
The World Economic Forum published the 21st edition of its annual risk assessment, titled ‘Global Risks Report: 21st Edition Insight 2026’.
The report identifies geoeconomic confrontation as the top global threat, followed by state-based conflict, extreme weather, social protection gaps, and misinformation.
The report is based on the Global Risks Perception Survey (GRPS), gathering input from over 1,300 global leaders and experts covering 33 key risks.
1. Extreme weather events
2. Biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse
3. Critical changes to earth systems
4. Misinformation and disinformation
5. Adverse outcomes of AI technologies
Cyber insecurity was identified as the major risk for India, followed by inequality, insufficient public services, economic downturn, and state-based armed conflict.
The United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH) released a flagship report titled ‘Global Water Bankruptcy: Living Beyond Our Hydrological Means in the Post-Crisis Era’.
The report reveals that nearly 75% of the world’s population lives in countries classified as water-insecure or critically water-insecure as of 2026.
| Key Finding | Details |
|---|---|
| Agricultural Water Use | ~70% of global freshwater |
| Irrigated Cropland Under Stress | 170+ million hectares under high/very high water stress |
| Declining Aquifers | ~70% of major aquifers show long-term declining trends |
| Wetland Loss | ~410 million hectares lost in last 5 decades |
| Anthropogenic Drought Cost | ~USD 307 billion annually |
The United States is set to formally withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO) after serving a one-year notice.
The WHO, established on 7th April 1948 with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, has 194 Member States and is the specialised health agency of the United Nations responsible for coordinating international public health.
The withdrawal requires one-year advance notice and full payment of outstanding financial obligations under U.S. domestic law.
For WHO: Loss of approximately 18% of total funding, leading to staff reductions and scaled-back programmes.
For US: Reduced access to real-time global health data, early warnings, and multilateral influence in setting health norms.
India delivered 7.5 tonnes of life-saving cancer medicines to Kabul, Afghanistan, under its humanitarian outreach programme, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.
Afghanistan faces major shortages in oncology medicines due to limited healthcare infrastructure.
The initiative strengthens people-first diplomacy and India’s support for Afghan civilians. India has earlier supported Afghanistan with food grains, vaccines, medicines, and medical equipment.
👔 Appointments
Deepinder Goyal resigned as Director, Managing Director, and Chief Executive Officer of Eternal Limited, the parent company of food delivery platform Zomato and commerce delivery arm Blinkit, effective 1st February 2026.
Albinder Singh Dhindsa, CEO of Blinkit, has been appointed CEO and Key Managerial Personnel of the company effective the same date.
Goyal co-founded Zomato Ltd. in 2008 and served as its CEO since inception. The company went public in 2021 and was rebranded as Eternal Ltd. in 2025 to represent its expanded business ecosystem. Goyal will remain on the Board of Directors as Vice Chairman, pending shareholder approval.
Tata Communications Limited announced the appointment of Ganesh Lakshminarayanan, former Airtel Business executive, as its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer.
He will succeed the current MD & CEO, A. S. Lakshminarayanan, who will retire on 13th April 2026.
Ganesh Lakshminarayanan brings over 30 years of international management experience across technology, telecommunications, multinational corporations, B2B start-ups, and Indian enterprises.
Previous roles include:
- MD and Group Vice President – ServiceNow India and SAARC region
- CEO – Airtel Business, India
The company posted Rs 365 crore net profit in Q3 FY26, up 54.3% year-on-year, with revenue of Rs 6,188.97 crore.
📅 Important Days
Parakram Diwas 2026 is observed on 23rd January to commemorate the 129th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, celebrating his legacy of courage, sacrifice, and patriotism.
The Government of India officially declared Parakram Diwas on 19th January 2021 during Netaji’s 125th birth anniversary.
Born on 23rd January 1897 in Cuttack, Odisha. He founded the Forward Bloc in 1939 and led the Indian National Army (INA) during the freedom struggle. He proclaimed India’s first government-in-exile, the Azad Hind Government, in 1943.
Schools and institutions across the country conduct patriotic programmes, speeches, debates, and cultural events to honour his indomitable spirit. The Centre is organising special celebrations in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands this year.
🕊️ Obituaries
India-born Singapore environmentalist Kirtida Mekani died on 19th January at age 66 due to a heart attack.
She became the first executive director of the Singapore Environment Council in 1993.
Key contributions:
- Plant-A-Tree Programme (2007) – Helped plant over 76,000 trees with citizen participation
- Community in Bloom movement – Grew thousands of community gardens
- President’s Award for the Environment (2015)
- Singapore Women’s Hall of Fame inductee (2024)
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