Current Affairs One - Liner : 24th February 2026

National:

• On 21 February 2026, Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan released updated editions of the Constitution of India in Gujarati and Tamil at Uprashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi, coinciding with International Mother Language Day. The launch also included the 8th Edition of the Legal Glossary (English–Hindi).

• On 23 February 2026, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated projects worth ₹1,500 crore at V.O. Chidambaranar (VOC) Port, Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu, including green hydrogen integration, digital twin technology, safety systems, connectivity upgrades, renewable energy projects, and the launch of the VOC Maritime Heritage Museum, aiming to make the port a modern sustainable maritime hub.
• On 23 February 2026, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla established Parliamentary Friendship Groups with 64 countries, aiming to strengthen India’s global parliamentary diplomacy and foster dialogue between legislatures worldwide.
• On 23 February 2026, Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh announced a target of US $10 billion in handloom exports by 2031 during the 43rd Foundation Day of the National Handloom Development Corporation (NHDC) in New Delhi. He highlighted the handloom sector’s role in sustaining livelihoods and promoting indigenous production.

International:

• On 18 February 2026 at Epworth, Harare, Zimbabwe began distributing Lenacapavir, a long‑acting HIV prevention injection developed by Gilead Sciences, given once every six months to protect high‑risk groups.

Banking:

• The Reserve Bank of India has established a state‑of‑the‑art secured data centre in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, strategically located away from potential enemy strike zones and seismic risks, to ensure uninterrupted currency management, payment systems, and regulatory operations, complementing its primary centre in Navi Mumbai.
• On 23 February 2026 in New Delhi, India and France signed an Amending Protocol to revise the Double Taxation Avoidance Convention (DTAC), granting source‑country taxing rights on capital gains, removing the Most‑Favoured‑Nation (MFN) clause, revising dividend taxation, and expanding the scope of Permanent Establishment for stronger cooperation in taxation.

Economy:

• Credit rating agency ICRA has projected India’s GDP growth to moderate to 7.2% in Q3 FY2025-26, down from 8.2% in Q2 FY26. The slowdown is attributed to weaker expansion in the services and agriculture sectors, despite improved industrial output.

MoUs:

• On 21 February 2026 in New Delhi, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research–National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (CSIR–NIScPR) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance cooperation in Disaster Management and Risk Reduction (DMRR).
• On 19 February 2026 in New Delhi, the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Raebareli signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Boehringer Ingelheim India Pvt. Ltd. to strengthen pharmaceutical education and research, focusing on the Centre of Excellence for Novel Drug Delivery Systems (CoE-NDDS).

Sports:

• On 22 February 2026 at the Delhi Lawn Tennis Association (DLTA) Complex, New Delhi, Greece’s Stefanos Sakellaridis won his maiden Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Challenger Tour men’s singles tennis title by clinching the Delhi Open 2026.

Defence:

• Brazil’s Embraer and India’s Mahindra Group have partnered to establish a C‑390 Millennium MRO facility in India, strengthening defence aviation under the IAF’s Medium Transport Aircraft programme and advancing Make in India aerospace capabilities.

Govt.Schemes:

• West Bengal Government launched the Banglar Yuva Sathi Scheme (2026) to provide ₹1,500 monthly allowance to unemployed youth aged 21–40 with minimum Madhyamik qualification, aiming at skill development and self‑reliance.

Important Days:

• Central Excise Day 2026: Observed on 24 February to commemorate the Central Excise and Salt Act, 1944, organized by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) with the theme “Digital Integration for Transparent Taxation”.

Appointments:

• Rob Jetten officially assumed office as the Prime Minister of the Netherlands on 23 February 2026, becoming the country’s youngest-ever leader at 38 years old and the first openly gay prime minister.
• Senior IAS officer Nidhi Chhibber has officially taken charge as the interim CEO of NITI Aayog after the completion of BVR Subrahmanyam’s three-year tenure on 24 February 2026. A 1994-batch officer of the Chhattisgarh cadre, Chhibber currently serves as the Director General of the Development Monitoring and Evaluation Office (DMEO) within NITI Aayog.

Obituaries:

• Jatinder Mehra, one of India’s most respected steel veterans, passed away on February 24, 2026, at the age of 86. He was serving as Vice Chairman of Essar Group’s Metals & Mining Division and had earlier led Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL).

Questions:

Q.1 ICRA has projected India’s GDP growth at what rate for Q3 FY2025–26?
a) 7.2%
b) 7.0%
c) 7.3%
d) 7.5%

Answer: a) ICRA Limited projected GDP growth at 7.2%, down from 8.2% in Q2 FY26, citing slower services and agriculture expansion.

Q.2 Who became the youngest-ever Prime Minister of the Netherlands in February 2026?
a) Mark Rutte
b) Sigrid Kaag
c) Wopke Hoekstra
d) Rob Jetten

Answer: d) Rob Jetten assumed office at age 38, becoming the youngest and first openly gay PM of the Netherlands.