📰 Daily Current Affairs

📅 20 February 2026 • ✅ 20/2/2026, 4:00:07 pm

1. Prime Minister Inaugurates 2nd India-AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi

PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the summit at Bharat Mandapam, marking it as the first major AI event hosted in the Global South. The event focused on People, Planet, and Progress, featuring the launch of safe healthcare AI frameworks like SAHI and BODH, with India advocating for open-source AI development.

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2. RBI Maintains Repo Rate at 5.25% with Neutral Stance in February 2026 Policy

The Reserve Bank of India kept the repo rate unchanged at 5.25 percent during its latest monetary policy review. The central bank aims to balance inflation control with economic growth, projecting India's real GDP growth at 7.4 percent and real GVA growth at 7.3 percent for FY 2025-26.

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3. India and Nepal Sign Mutual Legal Assistance Agreement on Criminal Matters

India and Nepal signed a landmark agreement in Kathmandu to strengthen cross-border law enforcement and judicial cooperation. The treaty provides a legal framework for sharing evidence and coordinating investigations into transnational crimes such as money laundering, terrorism, and cybercrime.

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4. Cochin Shipyard Secures USD 360 Million Export Order for LNG-Fuelled Vessels

France-based shipping giant CMA CGM signed a contract with Cochin Shipyard Limited for the construction of six 1,700 TEU LNG-fuelled feeder container vessels. This marks the first time a global shipping major has placed a Made in India container ship order, significantly boosting India's maritime manufacturing profile.

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5. RBI Mandates Unique Transaction Identifier (UTI) for OTC Derivatives from January 2027

The Reserve Bank of India has issued new directions requiring a Unique Transaction Identifier for all Over-the-Counter derivative transactions starting January 1, 2027. This move aligns Indian financial reporting with global standards and requires the UTI to follow specific structures, including the Legal Entity Identifier of the generating entity.

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6. Supreme Court Sets Final Hearing Date for CAA Challenges on May 5, 2026

The Supreme Court has scheduled the final hearings for petitions challenging the Citizenship (Amendment) Act for May 5, 2026. This move comes nearly five years after the law was enacted and is a significant development for constitutional law and citizenship provisions in India.

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7. Tamil Nadu Presents Rs 2.55 Lakh Crore Interim Budget for FY 2026-27

Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu presented an interim budget with a focus on education, urban development, and health ahead of the 2026 state assembly elections. The budget allocated the highest portion of funds, Rs 57,039 crore, to the education sector and estimated the total state expenditure at over Rs 4.67 lakh crore.

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8. India and UK Launch Offshore Wind Task Force under Vision 2035

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi and UK Deputy PM David Lammy launched a joint task force to accelerate India's offshore wind energy sector, targeting zones in Gujarat and Tamil Nadu. The project is backed by Rs 7,453 crore Viability Gap Funding scheme to ensure long-term energy security and industrial competitiveness.

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9. Gold ETF Inflows Surpass Equity Mutual Fund Investments for the First Time

In January 2026, net gold ETF inflows reached a record high of Rs 24,040 crore, overtaking equity mutual fund inflows. This shift reflects significant financialization of household savings as investors seek safe-haven assets amid geopolitical tensions, with surging gold imports driving India's trade deficit to 35 billion dollars.

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10. Meerut Metro to Become India's Fastest Metro System, Launch on February 22

The Meerut Metro is designed with a top speed of 135 kmph and operational speed of 120 kmph, making it the fastest metro system in India. It is scheduled to be inaugurated by PM Modi alongside the full 82 km Delhi-Meerut Namo Bharat corridor, marking a major milestone in urban transportation infrastructure.

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