Atomic scientists set their “Doomsday Clock” closer than ever to midnight, citing aggressive behavior by nuclear powers Russia, China and the United States, fraying nuclear arms control, conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East and AI worries among factors driving risks for global disaster.
The results of the Best Marching Contingents and Best Tableaux of the Republic Day Parade 2026 was announced on 28 January 2026. Among the three Services, the Indian Navy has been adjudged the Best Marching Contingent, while the Delhi Police won the award in the category of Central Armed Police Forces and other Auxiliary Forces.
India and the European Union on 27 January 2026 announced the conclusion of the long-awaited India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA), described as the “Mother of All Deals”. This marking a historic milestone in bilateral relations between two of the worlds largest economies.
Dr. William Foege, a leader of one of humanitys greatest public health victories — the global eradication of smallpox — has died at the age of 89. He was director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and later held other key leadership roles in campaigns against international health problems.
President Droupadi Murmu has approved gallantry awards for 70 Armed Forces personnel, including six posthumous awards. Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who made history by becoming the first Indian to visit the International Space Station, has been honoured with the Ashoka Chakra, the countrys highest peacetime gallantry award.
The Government has announced 131 Padma awards for the year 2026. The list includes five Padma Vibhushan, 13 Padma Bhushan and 113 Padma Shri awardees, cutting across public life, arts, cinema, literature, sports, science and social service. Among the awardees, 19 are women and 16 honours are being conferred posthumously.
Parakram Diwas is celebrated every year on January 23 in India to commemorate the birth anniversary of freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, to inspire people, especially the youth. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose was born in Cuttack (present-day Odisha) on January 23 to Janakinath Bose and Prabhavati Dutt.
The Central Government on 23 January 2026 approved wage revision for employees of Public Sector General Insurance Companies (PSGICs) and the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), along with pension revision for retirees of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and NABARD.
Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan released the book “Chalice of Ambrosia: Ram Janmabhoomi Challenge and Response” in New Delhi on 20 January 2026. This was authored by former Secretary to the Government of India Surendra Kumar Pachauri.
Vajja Srinivasa Rao was sworn in as the Chief Information Commissioner of the Andhra Pradesh State Information Commission on 20 January 2026. Paravada Simhachalam Naidu, Vanteru Ravi Babu, Adenna Gajula and Sarath Chandra Kalyan Chakravarthy Vattikuti took oath as Information Commissioners.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has upgraded its forecast for Indias real gross domestic product (GDP) growth in the current fiscal year 2025 26 (FY26) to 7.3 percent. This represents a significant upward revision of 0.7 percentage point compared with the IMFs previous estimates from late 2025.
The United Arab Emirates and India signed a Letter of Intent for a bilateral Strategic Defence Partnership on 19 January 2026. The agreement was signed during the two-hour visit to India by UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Ndia and Germany have signed a Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI) on Telecommunications Cooperation, marking a significant step towards deepening bilateral collaboration in the fields of telecom and information and communication technologies (ICTs)
The NITI Aayog on 15 January 2026 released a comprehensive report titled “Achieving Efficiencies in MSME Sector through Convergence of Schemes”, outlining a strategic framework to streamline government support and improve outcomes for Indias Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)
The United States has announced a major immigration clampdown that affects citizens from 75 countries across Asia, Africa, Europe, and South America. Starting January 21, US embassies and consulates will indefinitely pause immigrant visa processing for these nations
India and Israel on 14 January 2026, signed a Joint Ministerial Declaration of Intent to strengthen bilateral collaboration in the fisheries and aquaculture sectors, marking a significant expansion of cooperation between the two strategic partners
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) to enhance collaboration in multidisciplinary research, innovation, and capacity building across the entire dairy sector.
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully flight-tested the Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) with top-attack capability against a moving target, marking a key step towards its induction into the Indian Army.
Indias electric vehicle (EV) market continued its rapid expansion in 2025, with total EV sales touching 2.3 million units and accounting for 8 percent of all new vehicle registrations, according to data from the governments Vahan Portal.
World Hindi Day is observed annually on January 10, commemorates Hindi as a prominent language spoken in India. The Indian governments decision aimed to strengthen the linguistic identity of Hindi-speaking communities and promote unity among diverse linguistic groups across the nation.
The Vice-President of India, C. P. Radhakrishnan inaugurated the Third International Conference on Indian Languages in New Delhi. The Conference was organised by Vaishvik Hindi Parivaar, Antarashtriya Sahyog Parishad, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, and the Department of Bharatiya Bhasha, University of Delhi.
Indias agricultural growth during 2015-24 stood at 4.42 percent, surpassing that of Chinas at 4.10 percent, said NITI Aayog. During 2014 15 to 2023 24, income of agricultural producers grew at 10.11 percent annually, higher than manufacturing and total economy.
The UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) released the World Economic Situation and Prospects 2026 report. It predicts that India will grow at 6.6 percent in the 2026-27 financial year and 6.8 percent in the 2027-28 financial year.
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted a long-duration ground test of an actively cooled, full-scale scramjet engine. The test, held at the Scramjet Connect Pipe Test (SCPT) facility of the Defence Research Development Laboratory (DRDL) in Hyderabad, achieved a runtime of over 12 minutes.
Road, Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has said that India has become the first country in the world to commercially produce bio-bitumen in road construction. Bitumen is a black, viscous mixture of hydrocarbons produced by the fractionation of crude oil, and it serves as a crucial binder in road construction.
Financial Software and Systems (FSS) has become the first payments company in India, the Middle East, APAC and South Africa to be certified as an ISO IEC 42001 Certification Lead, reinforcing its leadership in responsible and ethical use of artificial intelligence (AI) in payments and banking technology.
According to data released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, the total area sown under rabi crops in the ongoing winter season has increased to 634.14 lakh hectares as of January 7, marking a rise of 16.4 lakh hectares compared to the same period last year (2025).
India is hosting the second phase of specialized capacity building program in cancer care for BIMSTEC countries. The External Affairs Ministry said in a statement that the specialised capacity building program in cancer care was inaugurated today at Tata Memorial Centres Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre in Vishakhapatnam.
Indian scientists have developed the first supercomputer-powered simulation to capture the long-existing paradox of hot water freezing faster than cold water. The Ministry of Science and Technology informed that this phenomenon, technically called the Mpemba effect, had eluded scientists for a long time.
Dubai will host the third international AYUSH conference and exhibition from February 15 to 17, 2026, at the Dubai World Trade Centre. This brings together practitioners, researchers, policymakers, industry representatives and students of traditional systems of medicine from more than 35 countries.
Indias pharmaceutical exports reached $30.47 billion in FY 2024 25, registering a year-on-year growth of 9.4 percent, and are on track to surpass last years performance in the current financial year, the Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of India (PHARMEXCIL) informed Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal on 5 January 2026.
World Braille Day is celebrated every year on January 4, highlights the vital role of Braille as a means of communication and empowerment for the visually impaired. The day commemorates the birth anniversary of Louis Braille, the inventor of the tactile writing system that has transformed lives worldwide.
The commerce ministry said Indias traditional medicine system AYUSH has received formal recognition in bilateral trade agreements with Oman and New Zealand. Both the agreements, which were finalised in 2025 December, have dedicated annexures on health-related services and traditional medicine.
India has become the worlds largest producer of rice, surpassing China. This was stated by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in New Delhi. He said Indias rice production has reached 150.18 million tonnes, compared to Chinas 145.28 million tonnes.
The French government is planning to ban social media platforms for children under the age of 15 from the start of the 2026 academic year. President Emmanuel Macron has championed the idea in recent weeks, expressing that he wants France to follow Australias world-first ban on social media platforms for under-16s, which came into action in December.
ESAF Small Finance Bank announced the appointment of Karthikeyan Manickam as its Chairman. He is a former executive director of the Bank of India. Manickam possesses expertise across key areas, including banking operations, risk management, regulatory compliance, human resources management, and credit monitoring and recovery.
The Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) Navy has officially commissioned a new Type 052D guided-missile destroyer, featuring upgraded radar, weapon systems, and network architecture designed to enhance air defense, sea strike, and task force command capabilities.
Assam became the first state in India to constitute an 8th State Pay Commission, just as the 7th Pay Commissions provisions are set to expire on January 1, 2026. The development comes amid growing anticipation among government employees and pensioners for clarity on pay hikes.
On 2 January 2026, the government announced a Rs.7,295-crore export support package, comprising a Rs.5,181-crore interest subvention scheme along with a Rs.2,114-crore collateral support, to improve exporters access to credit. Both measures will be rolled out over a period of six years (2025-31).
The Global Family Day is observed every year on January 1 to remind everyone about the importance of family and the strong bonds we share, especially during challenging times. In our fast-paced world, this day becomes an opportunity for everyone to pause and recognize the love, support and care families offer.
