GK One-Liners

What: The 2nd India–AI Impact Summit 2026 was held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi (16–20 February), making it the first major Artificial Intelligence event hosted in the Global South. It was organised by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) in collaboration with the National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM) and NITI Aayog.

How: The summit brought together government bodies, industry leaders, startups, and global AI researchers to showcase India’s AI ecosystem. MeitY also unveiled the “AI Impact Startup Book” mapping 110+ AI startups and launched 6 AI Impact Casebooks covering 170+ deployed innovations across sectors.

Why: This is highly relevant for UPSC GS-III (Science & Technology) and banking exams covering India’s digital economy. It signals India’s ambition to lead global AI governance and complements the National AI Mission framework.

What: MeitY launched VoicERA, an open-source Voice Artificial Intelligence stack, on the BHASHINI National Language Infrastructure. BHASHINI is India’s national language translation platform designed to provide AI-based language services in Indian languages, making digital services accessible to non-English speakers.

How: VoicERA enables developers and government agencies to build multilingual voice-based digital services by leveraging the BHASHINI infrastructure. Being open-source, it allows broad adoption across states and platforms without licensing barriers.

Why: This is significant for UPSC GS-II (Governance, Digital India) and SSC/Banking GK sections. VoicERA advances language inclusivity in digital governance and aligns with the goal of bridging India’s digital divide across linguistic communities.

What: Sanae Takaichi was reappointed as Japan’s Prime Minister on 18 February 2026, becoming Japan’s first female Prime Minister. Her Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) secured a historic two-thirds supermajority of 316 seats in snap elections.

How: The LDP’s supermajority gives the ruling coalition sufficient seats to pass constitutional amendments, which in Japan requires a two-thirds majority in both houses of the Diet (parliament) followed by a public referendum.

Why: Important for UPSC Prelims (International Affairs) and Banking Awareness sections. Questions on heads of state, Japan’s political structure, and India–Japan relations (a Special Strategic and Global Partnership) are frequently asked in competitive exams.

What: The Food Corporation of India (FCI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the World Food Programme (WFP) to supply 2 lakh metric tonnes of rice for global hunger relief. The agreement is valid for 5 years at a price of ₹2,800 per quintal.

How: Under this MoU, FCI — India’s central government undertaking responsible for food procurement, storage, and distribution — will channel surplus rice stocks to WFP for distribution in food-insecure regions globally. WFP, a UN agency, is the world’s largest humanitarian organisation addressing hunger.

Why: This is exam-relevant for UPSC GS-II (International Organisations, India’s foreign policy) and banking exams. It demonstrates India’s food diplomacy and its role as a global food security partner, tying into themes of South–South cooperation and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

What: France’s CMA CGM, one of the world’s largest container shipping companies, signed a USD 360 million deal with Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) for the construction of 6 Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)-fuelled container vessels. This is the first ‘Made in India’ container ship order placed by a global shipping major.

How: Cochin Shipyard, a public sector undertaking under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, will build the vessels using LNG propulsion technology — a cleaner alternative to traditional heavy fuel oil. The deal reflects India’s growing capacity for high-value shipbuilding.

Why: Relevant for UPSC GS-III (Infrastructure, Economy) and banking/SSC exams. It connects to the Make in India initiative, Maritime India Vision 2030, and India’s push to develop a domestic shipbuilding industry capable of competing globally.

What: India signed a Mutual Legal Assistance Agreement (MLAA) on Criminal Matters with Nepal in Kathmandu. The agreement is aimed at combating transnational crimes, including fraud and money laundering, through enhanced legal cooperation between the two countries.

How: Under an MLAA, both countries agree to assist each other in criminal investigations and prosecutions — sharing evidence, serving legal documents, and facilitating the appearance of witnesses. This strengthens the legal architecture beyond existing bilateral treaties.

Why: Important for UPSC GS-II (India’s neighbourhood policy, bilateral relations) and state PSC exams. India–Nepal relations are a recurring theme given the open border, deep cultural ties, and growing importance of cross-border financial crime cooperation in the region.