1) 🇮🇳National

• INS Aridhaman Commissioned: India has officially commissioned its third indigenous Arihant-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN), INS Aridhaman, significantly strengthening the sea-based leg of the nuclear triad.
• Gaganyaan Milestone: DRDO successfully conducted the qualification level load test of the drogue parachutefor the Gaganyaan mission. This ensures the stability of the crew module during its high-speed atmospheric re-entry.
• Rajkiya Itkhori Mahotsav: The annual three-day cultural festival began in Chatra, Jharkhand, celebrating the unique confluence of Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain heritage at the Itkhori temple complex.
• Vande Mataram Protocol: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued the first-ever formal protocol for singing the National Song, Vande Mataram, specifying that all six stanzas be sung in 3 minutes and 10 seconds during official functions.

2) 🌍International

• Global AI Dialogue: The UN General Assembly has appointed a 40-member Independent International Scientific Panel on AI to assess global risks. Notable Indian representation includes Professor Balaraman Ravindran from IIT Madras.
• Winter Paralympics 2026: The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has lifted the ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes, allowing them to compete under their national flags at the Milano-Cortina Games.
• India-Antarctic Expedition: Researchers from the UAE have joined the Maitri Research Station as part of India's 45th Antarctic Expedition, marking a new chapter in bilateral polar research.

3) 💰Economy

• IndiaAI Mission Funding: The Government of India has allocated $1.25 billion to the IndiaAI Mission to build indigenous foundation models and democratise access to computing power for startups.
• New GDP & IIP Base Year: The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has officially updated the base year for GDP and Index of Industrial Production (IIP) to 2022-23 (previously 2011-12).
• Rice Export Pact: India has signed a five-year agreement with the World Food Programme (WFP) to supply rice for global hunger relief, reinforcing its role as a key contributor to global food security.

4) 🗓️Date’s importance

• World Day of Social Justice: Observed annually on 20 February to promote efforts to tackle issues such as poverty, gender inequality, and unemployment.
• 2026 Theme: "Renewed Commitment to Social Development and Social Justice."

5) 👱‍♂️👩‍🦳Person of the day

• Gyanesh Kumar: He has been appointed as India's 26th Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), taking charge of the constitutional body ahead of significant state and local polls.
• Tarique Rahman: The newly sworn-in Prime Minister of Bangladesh, whose leadership marks the end of the interim administration following the 2024 political shift.

6) 🏅Sports

• T20 World Cup 2026: India remains unbeaten in the group stages and has officially qualified for the Super 8 stage.
• Ski Mountaineering Debut: The sport made its historic Olympic debut at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Games, with Marianne Fatton (Switzerland) winning the first-ever gold medal in the event.
• Chennai Open: Indian men's tennis saw a major update as Kyrian Jacquet clinched the singles title at the recent Chennai Open.

7) 🏆Awards

• Meghalaya’s Organic Award: The state of Meghalaya was honoured at BIOFACH 2026 in Germany for its excellence as an institution-backed organic sourcing destination in Northeast India.
• Laurel Award 2026: The Writers Guild of America (WGA) has named legendary filmmaker James Cameron as the recipient of the Laurel Award for Screenwriting Achievement.

8) ⭐️Other important significance

• Bee Corridors: NHAI has launched a unique green initiative to develop "Pollinator/Bee Corridors" along National Highways, planting flowering clusters at 500m intervals to support local biodiversity.
• Deepfake 3-Hour Rule: The Centre's mandate for social media platforms to remove flagged AI-generated deepfake content within three hours is now in effect under the updated IT Rules.

📚Word of the day

• Quiddity
• Meaning: The inherent nature or essence of someone or something; a distinctive feature.
• Usage: "The quiddity of the IndiaAI Mission lies in its focus on democratising advanced technology for the common man."