- On February 3, 2026, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the breakthrough of the second mountain tunnel (MT-6) in Palghar, Maharashtra, for the Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail project. The tunnel, measuring 454 metres in length and 14.4 metres in width, was constructed using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM).
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- On February 5, 2026, Union Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah launched Bharat Taxi in New Delhi. It is India’s first cooperative-based ride-hailing platform, offering zero commission and no surge pricing. Drivers retain 80% of earnings, with the remaining 20% going to the cooperative they own.
- In February 2026, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposed a compounding fee of ₹18.76 lakh on One 97 Communications Ltd (Paytm’s parent). The penalty was for FEMA violations linked to foreign investment transactions in its subsidiary Little Internet Pvt Ltd. These transactions, worth about ₹33 crore, occurred between March 2016 and June 2017.
- On Feb 3, 2026, Equitas Small Finance Bank partnered with Bharti AXA Life Insurance. The tie‑up follows the bancassurance model, offering life insurance through Equitas’ branches. Coverage spans 1,042 outlets across 18 states/UTs, focusing on semi‑urban and rural India.
- On Feb 3–4, 2026, Goldman Sachs upgraded India’s CY26 GDP growth forecast to 6.9%. Reason: The US-India trade deal cut American tariffs on Indian goods from 25% to 18%, boosting exports. Impact: Adds about 0.2 percentage points to growth, strengthens investment sentiment.
- On Feb 5, 2026, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) won the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 Final in Vadodara. They chased a record 204 runs against Delhi Capitals (DC), the highest successful chase in WPL history. Smriti Mandhana (87) and Georgia Voll (79) built a decisive 165‑run partnership. Result: RCB secured back‑to‑back WPL titles, while DC suffered their fourth consecutive final defeat.
- The 16th Finance Commission was constituted by the President of India on December 31, 2025 for the award period 2026–2031. It is chaired by Arvind Panagariya, noted economist and former Vice-Chairman of NITI Aayog. The Commission recommended maintaining 41% tax devolution to States from the divisible pool of central taxes. This ensures stability in fiscal federalism, encouraging compliance and fiscal discipline among States.
- On February 4, 2026, BJP MLA Yumnam Khemchand Singh was sworn in as the 13th Chief Minister of Manipur. The oath was administered by Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla at Lok Bhavan, Imphal. He assumed office after nearly 356 days of President’s Rule in the state.
Questions:
Q.1 Goldman Sachs upgraded India’s CY26 GDP growth forecast to:a) 6.5%
b) 6.7%
c) 6.9%
d) 7.2%
Answer: c) India’s CY26 GDP growth forecast was upgraded to 6.9% by Goldman Sachs.
Q.2 Who was sworn in as the 13th Chief Minister of Manipur in February 2026?
a) Biren Singh
b) Yumnam Khemchand Singh
c) N. Biren Singh
d) Thongam Biswajit Singh
Answer: b) Yumnam Khemchand Singh, BJP MLA, became the 13th CM of Manipur.
