Current Affairs Quiz 26th February 2026 Quiz

Exp. 27 February – World NGO Day

World NGO Day is observed annually on 27 February to recognise and honour the role of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in society.

The day highlights the contribution of NGOs in areas such as human rights, education, health, environment, and social development.

It was officially recognized in 2010 and first celebrated in 2014 to promote collaboration between NGOs and governments.

Exp. Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan Inaugurates Tourism Leadership Summit-2026

Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan inaugurated the Tourism Leadership Summit-2026, organised by the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum in New Delhi, highlighting tourism as a driver of economic growth and soft diplomacy.

He emphasised that tourism is a major employment generator and stressed investment in skills, entrepreneurship, and women-led enterprises for inclusive and sustainable growth.

The Vice President highlighted Tourism Vision 2029, aiming to develop at least one world-class tourist destination in every state, promoting sustainable practices, improved connectivity, and AI-driven solutions for better visitor experience.

Exp. Indian Mountaineers Summit Mount Aconcagua in Argentina

A six-member team from the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (Uttarkashi) and the Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering & Winter Sports (Pahalgam) successfully summited Mount Aconcagua in Argentina.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh ceremonially flagged off the expedition on the 5th February.

Mount Aconcagua is the highest peak in South America and the second-highest peak outside Asia, highlighting India’s growing excellence in international mountaineering.

About Argentina

• Capital- Buenos Aires
• Currency- Argentine Peso
• National sport- Pato

Exp. Jean Todt Launches UN Global Road Safety Campaign ‘Make A Safety Statement’ in India

The UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety, Jean Todt, launched the UN-JCDecuax Global Campaign for Road Safety titled “Make A Safety Statement”, aimed at promoting simple daily measures like wearing seat belts and helmets, following speed limits, and avoiding mobile phone use while driving.

The campaign supports the UN’s Second Decade of Action for Road Safety (2021–2030) to reduce road deaths by 50% by 2030.

A new project, “Sustainable Financing for Road Safety in India: A Collaborative Approach,” supported by the UN Road Safety Fund and implemented with technical support from WHO, UNICEF, and UN ESCAP, was also launched to strengthen road safety systems and establish sustainable financing mechanisms in India.

Exp. MoEFCC to Host ‘Him-CONNECT’ in New Delhi to Promote Sustainable Innovations in the Indian Himalayan Region

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change will organise ‘Him-CONNECT’ in New Delhi as part of TERI’s World Sustainable Development Summit.

Him-CONNECT aims to connect researchers from the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) with start-ups, investors, and policymakers to promote scaling and real-world implementation of research outcomes.

Over 24 technologies, prototypes, patents, and pilot projects developed under the National Mission on Himalayan Studies will be showcased, with participation from more than 100 start-ups, incubators, investors, and policymakers.

Exp. India–US 16th Joint Special Forces Exercise VAJRA PRAHAR Begins in Himachal Pradesh

The 16th edition of Joint Special Forces Exercise VAJRA PRAHAR between India and the United States has commenced at the Special Forces Training School, Bakloh (Himachal Pradesh) and will continue till the 16th of next month.

The Indian Army is represented by 45 personnel from its Special Forces units, while the United States has deployed 12 Green Berets from the US Special Forces.

The exercise aims to strengthen military cooperation, enhance interoperability, and improve joint special operations capabilities between the two countries.

Exp. 7th India–Japan Joint Military Exercise ‘Dharma Guardian’ Begins in Uttarakhand

The 7th edition of Joint Military Exercise DHARMA GUARDIAN between India and Japan has commenced in Uttarakhand, and will continue till 9th March.

Around 120 personnel from each country are participating, with the Japanese side represented by the 32nd Infantry Regiment and the Indian side by the Ladakh Scouts of the Indian Army.

Held alternately in India and Japan, the exercise aims to strengthen defence cooperation and enhance joint operational capabilities, particularly for operations in a semi-urban environment.

Recent Exercise

• 13th edition of joint military Exercise KHANJAR between India and Kyrgyzstan – Misamari in Sonitpur district of Assam.
• Training exercise “Agni Pariksha” between Indian Army and ITBP – Sigar, East Siang district Arunachal Pradesh
• 3rd edition of Exercise AviaIndra between India and Russia – India
• Joint Military Exercise DESERT CYCLONE–II between India and UAE – Abu Dhabi, UAE

Exp. Tomas Martin Etcheverry Clinches Maiden ATP Title at Rio Open

Tomas Martin Etcheverry won his maiden ATP Tour title at the ATP 500 Rio Open, defeating Alejandro Tabilo 3-6, 7-6(3), 6-4 in the final, despite playing two matches in one day due to rain delays.

The 26-year-old Argentine secured his first ATP crown after three previous runner-up finishes and also recorded his 100th tour-level match win, improving his head-to-head record against Tabilo to 2-0.

With the victory, Etcheverry climbed 18 places to World No. 33, re-entering the Top 40; in men’s doubles, Joao Fonseca and Felipe Melo won the title, marking Fonseca’s first home trophy and Melo’s second consecutive title.

Exp. Digital Bharat Nidhi and Andhra Pradesh Sign MoC for Fast-Track Implementation of Amended BharatNet Programme

A Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) was signed between Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN) under the Department of Telecommunications, Ministry of Communications, and the Government of Andhra Pradesh for faster implementation of the Amended BharatNet Programme (ABP) in the state.

The agreement provides a collaborative framework where the Andhra Pradesh government will facilitate Right of Way (RoW), infrastructure access, and coordination support to ensure expedited rollout of the programme.

The project will be funded primarily by DBN, along with state contributions, and the created digital network will be utilized to enhance socio-economic development across Andhra Pradesh.

Exp. India’s GDP growth to ease to 7.2% in Q3FY26: ICRA

ICRA has projected India’s GDP growth to moderate to 7.2% in Q3 FY2025-26, down from 8.2% in Q2 FY2025-26, indicating a slowdown in overall economic momentum.

The moderation is mainly due to slower growth in the services sector (7.8% vs 9.2%) and the agriculture sector (3.0% vs 3.5%) compared to the previous quarter.

Despite the slowdown, the industrial sector recorded a six-quarter high growth of 8.3% in Q3, improving from 7.7% in Q2, partially offsetting the weaker performance in other sectors.

Exp. Jagat Prakash Nadda Launches Indigenous Td Vaccine at CRI Kasauli

Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda launched the indigenously manufactured Tetanus & Adult Diphtheria (Td) Vaccine at the Central Research Institute (CRI), Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh.

The Td vaccine has been introduced under the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP), with CRI set to supply 55 lakh doses by April 2026, and production expected to scale up in the coming years.

CRI is the first government institute to manufacture vaccines under Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) standards, showcasing modernization of public sector vaccine units.

The UIP, the world’s largest immunisation programme, currently provides 11 vaccines against 12 diseases, and aligns with WHO recommendations (2006, reaffirmed in 2017) to shift from Tetanus Toxoid (TT) to the Td vaccine.

Exp. NIPER signs MoU with private pharmaceutical company to advance pharmaceutical education

The National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) signed an MoU with a private pharmaceutical company in New Delhi to strengthen pharmaceutical education and research in India, under the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers.

During the event, Cohort 2 of AMRITVA (Alliance for Medicinal Research, Innovation, Translation and Value Acceleration) was launched to convert academic pharmaceutical research into market-oriented and entrepreneurial initiatives.

Exp. Switzerland Announces Geneva as Host City for 2027 AI Impact Summit

Switzerland’s President Guy Parmelin announced that Geneva will host the AI Impact Summit 2027, emphasising the need for smaller nations to collaborate for fair and responsible AI governance.

Switzerland will partner with the United Arab Emirates, the host of the 2028 AI Impact Summit, to ensure continuity and global cooperation in AI development.

Since its inception in the United Kingdom (2023), the AI Impact Summit has been hosted by South Korea, France, and India, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcoming Switzerland as the fifth summit host.

Exp. PhonePe launches AI-powered search built using Microsoft Foundry

PhonePe launches an AI-powered natural language search feature built using Microsoft Foundry, allowing users to perform tasks via text or voice commands.

The feature uses intent-based routing to replace traditional navigation, directly guiding users to their desired actions, such as payments, purchases, or support.

Using a hybrid model of on-device and cloud processing, the system ensures security and privacy, keeping all personal and transactional data within the PhonePe environment.

Founder, Whole-time Director & CTO of PhonePe – Rahul Chari

Exp. President Murmu Unveils Rajagopalachari Bust at Rashtrapati Bhavan

President Droupadi Murmu unveiled a bust of Chakravarti Rajagopalachari at Rashtrapati Bhavan, replacing the statue of British architect Edwin Lutyens, as part of the government’s effort to remove colonial-era symbols.

The bust has been installed at the Grand Open Staircase near Ashok Mandap, opposite the statue of Mahatma Gandhi, highlighting India’s own leaders and traditions within the presidential estate.

During the ‘Rajaji Utsav’, President Murmu emphasized Rajagopalachari’s role in India’s “mental decolonisation” and praised his contributions to law, politics, social reform, and literature, inspiring the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.