- On 12 January 2026, Shri Surjit Bhujabal, Special Secretary & Member (Customs), CBIC, inaugurated the integration of ICEGATE (Indian Customs Electronic Gateway) with LPMS (Land Port Management System) at the Integrated Check Post (ICP) in Agartala, Tripura. This marks a major step in India’s digital transformation of cross‑border trade, enabling seamless, real‑time data exchange at land ports.
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- On 12 January 2026, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) formally launched the National Olympic Education and Development Programme (NOEDP) and reactivated the National Olympic Academy (NOA) in Ahmedabad. These initiatives aim to strengthen India’s Olympic ecosystem by promoting athlete‑centric development, Olympic values, and institutional capacity building.
- On 13 January 2026, the Government of India revoked the Quality Control Order (QCO) on flux‑cored solder wire, a key input in electronics and automobile manufacturing. The move, notified by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), was taken in public interest after consultations with the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).
- On January 10, 2026, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav launched the statewide “Swachh Jal Abhiyan” (Clean Water Campaign) in Bhopal. The initiative aims to ensure safe and clean drinking water for households and rural communities across the state. It focuses on water purification, pipeline infrastructure, quality testing, and awareness campaigns to reduce water-borne diseases.
- On 14 January 2026, the Delhi Government inaugurated 81 new Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, expanding the city’s primary healthcare network to a total of 319 centres. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta launched the facilities on Makar Sankranti from Hari Nagar, with a long-term target of 1,100 centres across Delhi.
- Lohri was joyfully observed across Punjab, Haryana, Himachal, Delhi, and J&K on 13 January 2026. Communities gathered around bonfires, offering til, gur, and rewri while singing traditional folk songs. The festival marked the harvest of rabi crops and the end of the winter solstice. Vibrant dances like bhangra and gidda added to the spirit of prosperity and togetherness.
- On 13 January 2026, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) organised the workshop “BHASHINI Samudaye: Strengthening India’s Language AI Ecosystem” at Nalanda Hall, Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi. The event aimed to consolidate India’s multilingual AI ecosystem through collaboration, participatory governance, and shared digital infrastructure.
- Makar Sankranti 2026 celebrated on 14 January (Wednesday) across India. It marks the Sun’s transition into Capricorn (Makar Rashi) and the start of Uttarayana. Festivities include kite flying, holy river baths, charity, and sesame-jaggery sweets. Known regionally as Lohri, Pongal, Uttarayan, and Khichdi Parv, it symbolizes harvest and new beginnings.
- India and France held the 38th Strategic Dialogue in New Delhi on 13 January 2026. It was co-chaired by Ajit Doval (India’s NSA) and Emmanuel Bonne (France’s Diplomatic Adviser). Both nations reaffirmed ties in defence, technology, civil nuclear, and Indo-Pacific security. The meeting also prepared the ground for President Macron’s upcoming visit to India.
- Indian mountaineer Aritra Roy summited Mount Aconcagua (6,967 m) in Argentina on 7 January 2026. His solo expedition, covering a 44 km trek, faced extreme conditions of –40°C, snowstorms, and blizzards. The climb was sponsored by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), showcasing support for Indian adventurers.
- Innoviti Technologies received RBI approval on 12 January 2026 to act as a Payment Aggregator. It had earlier secured authorization for online aggregation in March 2024. The new nod covers offline/in‑store payments, giving Innoviti dual authorization. This enables omnichannel solutions, simplifying merchant operations and enhancing consumer convenience.
- India’s fish production rose from 95.79 lakh tonnes in FY 2013–14 to 197.75 lakh tonnes in FY 2024–25. The updated figure was officially announced by the Ministry of Fisheries on 12 January 2026. Earlier provisional estimates (around 195 lakh tonnes) were revised upward in this release. This reflects a decade‑long growth of over 100%, driven by schemes like PM Matsya Sampada Yojana.
- India’s net direct tax collections reached ₹18.38 lakh crore by 11 January 2026, showing 8.82% growth year‑on‑year. Gross collections stood at ₹21.50 lakh crore, while refunds issued fell to ₹3.12 lakh crore. Corporate tax contributed ₹8.63 lakh crore and non‑corporate tax ₹9.30 lakh crore. Nearly 80% of the FY 2025–26 target of ₹25.20 lakh crore has already been achieved.
- The IndiaAI Mission and UPDESCO signed their MoU on 13 January 2026 in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, with the aim of building India’s largest state-level AI skilling ecosystem. The initiative focuses on AI education, workforce training, and infrastructure development to position Uttar Pradesh as a national hub for AI talent.
- On 12 January 2026 in New Delhi, India and Germany marked 25 years of their Strategic Partnership with a high-level meeting during Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s visit. The two nations signed 19 MoUs and announced eight key initiatives spanning defence, semiconductors, clean energy, critical minerals, education, and visa facilitation. The aim was to strengthen technology cooperation, boost trade and investment, and enhance people-to-people ties.
- On January 9, 2026, Coromandel International signed an MoU with IIT Madras at the IITM Research Park. The agreement was formalized during the inauguration of the IITM Global Research Foundation by EAM S. Jaishankar. It aims to boost innovation in agriculture, sustainability, and emerging technologies through industry–academia collaboration.
- Virat Kohli has become the second-highest run-scorer in international cricket. He crossed 28,017 runs, overtaking Kumar Sangakkara’s tally of 28,016. The milestone came on 11 January 2026 in the 1st ODI vs New Zealand at Vadodara. Only Sachin Tendulkar (34,357 runs) now stands ahead of him.
- Alyssa Healy, captain of the Australia Women’s Cricket Team, announced retirement on January 13, 2026. Her final series will be the home ODIs and Test vs India (Feb–Mar 2026). She played 300+ matches, scoring over 7,000 runs and effecting 275 dismissals as wicketkeeper.
- NITI Aayog released the Export Preparedness Index (EPI) 2024 on 14 January 2026 in New Delhi. Maharashtra secured the top spot among large states, with Tamil Nadu and Gujarat close behind. Among smaller states, Uttarakhand ranked first, followed by Jammu & Kashmir and Nagaland.
- Former Kerala Congress (M) leader Thomas Kuthiravattam passed away on January 12, 2026 at the age of 80. He served as a Rajya Sabha MP (1985–1991) and was part of the Bofors JPC. A close aide of K. M. Mani, he held posts like Working Chairman and General Secretary of the party.
Questions:
Q.1 Which state topped the Export Preparedness Index (EPI) 2024 among large states, as released by NITI Aayog on 14 January 2026?a) Tamil Nadu
b) Gujarat
c) Maharashtra
d) Karnataka
Answer: c) Maharashtra ranked first among large states, followed by Tamil Nadu and Gujarat.
Q.2 The National Olympic Education and Development Programme (NOEDP) and reactivation of the National Olympic Academy (NOA) were formally launched by the Indian Olympic Association in which city?
a) Ahmedabad
b) Mumbai
c) New Delhi
d) Bhopal
Answer: a) The IOA launched these initiatives in Ahmedabad on 12 January 2026 to strengthen athlete-centric development and Olympic values.
