1) 🇮🇳National

• Exercise Vayushakti-26: The Indian Air Force (IAF) is conducting Exercise Vayushakti-26 today at the Pokhran Air-to-Ground Range in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. The exercise showcases the IAF's full spectrum of offensive and defensive capabilities.
• SSC 2026-27 Hiring Cycle: The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) has announced it will begin its massive recruitment drive for 2026-27 in March. This cycle will cover 9 major examinations, including CGL, CHSL, and MTS, with notifications starting next month.
• National Science Day Eve: Celebrations have begun across India for National Science Day (observed tomorrow, 28 February). The Department of Science and Technology (DST) announced the 2026 theme as "Women in Science: Catalyzing Viksit Bharat".
• MHT CET 2026 Extension: The last date to apply for the Maharashtra Common Entrance Test (MHT CET) 2026 with an additional fee is today, 27 February.

2) 🌍International

• India-Israel Strategic Elevation: Following PM Modi’s two-day visit (25–26 February), India and Israel have officially elevated their relationship to a "Special Strategic Partnership for Peace, Innovation, and Prosperity."
• Netherlands Youngest PM: Rob Jetten (38) has taken charge as the youngest and first openly gay Prime Minister of the Netherlands after being sworn in earlier this week. He leads a centrist coalition government.
• Gaza Peace Initiative: During his diplomatic talks in Israel, PM Modi reiterated India's strong support for the Gaza Peace Plan, asserting that "humanity must never become a victim of conflict."

3) 💰Economy

• MSP for Raw Jute: The Government has fixed the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for Raw Jute at ₹5,925 per quintal for the 2026-27 season. The Jute Corporation of India will act as the nodal procurement agency.
• UPI in Israel: A landmark agreement was reached during the PM's visit to enable the use of UPI (Unified Payments Interface) in Israel, facilitating easier digital transactions for Indian tourists and workers.
• Viksit Bharat Webinar: PM Modi is scheduled to address a post-budget webinar today on “Technology, Reforms and Finance for Viksit Bharat”, focusing on leveraging digital public infrastructure for economic growth.

4) 🗓️Date’s importance

• 95th Martyrdom Day of Chandra Shekhar Azad: Today marks the anniversary of the day in 1931 when the legendary revolutionary Chandra Shekhar Azad sacrificed his life at Alfred Park (now Azad Park), Prayagraj, vowing never to be captured alive by the British.
• Marathi Bhasha Gaurav Din: Celebrated today to honour the birth anniversary of eminent Marathi poet V.V. Shirwadkar (Kusumagraj).
• World NGO Day: Observed annually on 27 February to recognize the impact of non-governmental organizations. The 2026 theme is "Restoring Dignity Through Inclusion."

5) 👱‍♂️👩‍🦳Person of the day

• Chandra Shekhar Azad: Born in Bhabra (MP), he was the mentor of Bhagat Singh and the commander of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA). He remains the pinnacle of patriotism and self-respect in Indian history.
• Benjamin Netanyahu: The Israeli Prime Minister who hosted the historic bilateral meet, agreeing to joint production of military hardware with India under the "Technology Transfer" framework.

6) 🏅Sports

• Ranji Trophy Finals: Cricket enthusiasts are closely following the concluding stages of the Ranji Trophy, with Jammu & Kashmir making headlines for their most successful domestic season to date.
• Chess - Prague Festival: Indian Grandmasters are competing in the Prague Chess Festival 2026, which is currently seeing intense top-tier international matches.

7) 🏆Awards

• Speaker of the Knesset Medal: PM Narendra Modi was recently conferred with this prestigious honour in Israel for his contribution to bilateral friendship.
• Viksit Bharat Innovation Awards: Several young innovators were awarded by NECTAR (North East Centre for Technology Application and Reach) in Shillong for projects aligning with the "Women in Science" theme.

8) ⭐️Other important significance

• Allahabad Museum Initiatives: On the occasion of Azad’s martyrdom day, the Allahabad Museum has launched new immersive audio-visual galleries to educate the youth about India's revolutionary history.
• Apollo 11 History: On this day in 1969, the Apollo 11 command module was delivered to Cape Kennedy, setting the stage for the first moon landing.

📚Word of the day

• Resilience (Noun)
• Meaning: The capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.
• Usage: "The resilience of Indian farmers, supported by a hiked MSP for Jute, is vital for the country's agricultural economy."