CURRENT AFFAIRS

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has recently granted Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for the procurement of Airship-Based High-Altitude Pseudo-Satellites (AS-HAPS) for the Indian Air Force, marking a significant step toward strengthening India’s long-endurance surveillance and intelligence capabilities.

Recently, researchers at the Raman Research Institute (RRI), an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) in the central government, demonstrated a technique called Raman-Driven Spin Noise Spectroscopy (RDSNS).

Recently, NASA's Imaging X-ray Polarization Explorer (IXPE) mission analyzed the internal structure of a white dwarf system for the first time in history. This research revealed many new and surprising insights into the gas dynamics and X-ray emission of a binary star, known as EX Hydrae.

As global economies shift toward sustainable and cleaner processes for consumer products like plastics and textiles, biomaterials are ushering in a new era in the field of materials engineering.

The Union Budget has approved the establishment of two new telescopes in Ladakh—one to study the Sun and another to explore the origins of the universe—along with the upgradation of an existing telescope. Ladakh, already a major astronomy hub and home to India’s first Dark Sky Reserve at Hanle, is set to play a transformative role in Indian and global astronomy.

India will host the AI ​​Impact Summit 2026 from February 16-20, 2026. This event is historic because for the first time, a significant forum on global AI governance is being held in the Global South.

The Union Government has notified amendments to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, effective February 20, 2026. The amendments aim to strengthen regulation of AI-generated (synthetic) content and drastically reduce takedown timelines for unlawful material.

The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) is launching three new ocean information services—JellyAIIP, SAMUDRA 2.0 Mobile App, and SIVAS—along with a new institutional logo during its foundation day celebrations.

India is reconsidering its battery policy amid concerns about its high dependence on critical minerals associated with lithium-ion batteries, an import-dependent supply chain, and supply security concerns. In this scenario, sodium-ion battery technology is emerging as a viable alternative solution for EVMs.

Researchers have recently developed a sophisticated, flexible, and cost-effective biosensor capable of detecting myoglobin levels in the blood. Since myoglobin is associated with early signs of heart attack, this innovation could revolutionize medical diagnostics.