1. Major policy decisions by the Government of India
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi has signed key decisions at the new Seva Teerth complex, including:
- Expansion of PM RAHAT Scheme for cashless treatment of accident victims.
- Doubling of the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund to ₹2 lakh crore.
- Launch of Startup India Fund 2.0 with ₹10,000 crore for innovation and manufacturing.
2. RRTS corridor & infrastructure
- The Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridor is expected to be fully operational soon, boosting connectivity in the NCR with high-speed transit.
3. RBI & Banking Sector Updates
- RBI has approved the re-appointment of Sanjay Agarwal as MD of AU Small Finance Bank for a third term.
- National Stock Exchange (NSE) appointed Rothschild & Co as independent advisor to guide its planned IPO.
- India improved its position in the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2025, moving up to 91st place out of 182 countries.
🛡️ Defence, Security & Foreign Affairs
1. International Fleet Review & Exercise MILAN 2026 (Visakhapatnam)
- 72 countries and 60 warships — including from the U.S. & Russia — will participate in the International Fleet Review and Exercise MILAN from 15–25 Feb, highlighting India’s growing role in Indo-Pacific maritime security.
2. Munich Security Conference (MSC 2026)
- Ongoing in Munich, this global security forum brings together senior defence & diplomatic leaders to address geopolitical tensions and security challenges worldwide.
3. Defence procurement & aerospace collaboration
- French aerospace major Safran is in talks to potentially set up an M-88 engine assembly line in India as part of expanded defence manufacturing with technology transfer.
- Indian Defence Acquisition Council has approved procurement of 288 S-400 missiles, upgrading air defence readiness.
📈 Economy & Business
1. Sensex & markets today
- Indian equity markets experienced pressure — the Sensex dipped significantly with tech stocks leading the fall, impacting market sentiment.
2. Tech & AI Summit developments
- Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, has cancelled his visit to the upcoming India AI Impact Summit 2026, a major tech event, potentially affecting global AI dialogues in India.
3. Stock & Startup focus
- The
Startup India Fund 2.0is intended to boost early-stage innovation, deep tech and advanced manufacturing ecosystems.
🌎 World & International News
1. 🇮🇹 Sabotage Disrupts Italy Trains at Winter Olympics
- Train services between major cities like Naples, Rome and Florence were delayed due to suspected sabotage attacks on rail infrastructure during the 2026 Winter Olympics — investigations are ongoing.
2. 🇺🇸 US Foreign Policy — Aircraft Carrier Deployment
- U.S. leadership announced deployment of a second aircraft carrier group to the Middle East, reflecting ongoing security commitments in the region.
3. 🇮🇷 Iranian Diaspora Protests (Global Day of Action)
- February 14 has been marked as a global day of action for Iranian protests, reflecting widespread diaspora calling for changes in Iran tied to economic grievances and opposition to government policies.
4. 🇧🇩 Bangladesh Elections & Regional Relations
- Bangladesh’s national elections have concluded, with notable outcomes including wins by minority candidates. The results are expected to influence India-Bangladesh diplomatic ties.
🏏 Sports
1. T20 World Cup — India vs Pakistan (Colombo)
- One of cricket’s biggest rivalries India vs Pakistan is underway at the T20 World Cup. Despite weather/rain concerns, both teams prepared lineups and anticipation remains high.
2. Zimbabwe Upsets Australia (Earlier Round)
- Zimbabwe stunned Australia in a T20 World Cup match, showcasing competitive depth in the tournament.
3. Winter Olympics Highlights
- At the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina:
- Norwegian Johannes Høsflot Klæbo won his third gold in cross-country skiing.
- Australia’s Josie Baff won the snowboard cross.
- France’s Quentin Fillon Maillet claimed a biathlon gold.