TODAYS TOP NEWS
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1. PM Modi has said, the theme of India-AI Impact Summit 2026 is Sarvajana Hitaya, Sarvajana Sukhaya, meaning welfare for all and happiness for all which reflects country’s shared commitment to harnessing Artificial Intelligence for human-centric progress. The five-day event opened in New Delhi yesterday.
2. Prime Minister Modi inaugurated the India AI Impact Expo at Bharat Mandapam in the National Capital yesterday evening.
3. Union Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said India’s rapidly expanding creator economy is being powered by the country’s strong digital infrastructure and skilled population. The Minister was speaking during the session on the official satellite event of the AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi.
4. Members of Civil Society Organisations from Chandel and Tengnoupal districts of Manipur called on President Smt Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi. In a social media post, President Murmu said that they visited Rashtrapati Bhavan as part of the National Integration Tour.
5. Union Home Minister Amit Shah launches CBDC-based Public Distribution System in Gandhinagar. Digital PDS to ensure transparent, cashless food grain distribution under Digital India and ‘Minimum Government, Maximum Governance’.
6. PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana completes two years with strong rooftop solar growth. Over 2 lakh monthly installations reported, but subsidy and DISCOM bottlenecks persist.
7. The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved a ₹1 lakh crore Urban Challenge Fund (UCF). The scheme aims to shift India’s urban development model from grant-based funding to market-linked and reform-driven growth. With mandatory private participation and competitive project selection, the fund is expected to mobilise ₹4 lakh crore investment over five years and transform Indian cities into economic growth hubs.
8. Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0 (FoF 2.0) with a ₹10,000 crore corpus. The scheme aims to mobilise venture capital for India’s startup ecosystem, especially in deep tech, innovative manufacturing, and early-growth sectors. The move is expected to strengthen India’s domestic investment landscape and accelerate innovation-led economic growth.
9. The Uniinnovation-led approved the transition of North Block and South Block into part of the proposed ‘Yuge Yugeen Bharat National Museum’. The move follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicating the new Prime Minister’s Office, named Seva Teerth, to the nation on February 13, 2026. With this shift, Cabinet meetings will no longer be held in South Block, ending nearly 95 years of administrative use of the iconic colonial-era complex.
10. India is set to establish its first National Cow Culture Museum in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh. The project will be developed within the campus of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Veterinary Science University.
11. Recently the Gujarat government has appointed Uday Kotak, founder of Kotak Mahindra Bank, as the new Chairman of GIFT City (Gujarat International Finance-Tec City), located in Gandhinagar.
12. A low-pressure area (LPA) is likely to form over the central parts of southern Bay of Bengal and adjoining Equatorial Indian Ocean within the next 48 hours, with the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) forecasting light rain at isolated places over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal from February 20.
13. The CBSE Class 10 board exams for 2026 will commence from today: 17 February 2026, with main exams running until early March, based on released schedules. Key papers like Mathematics (Feb 17), English (Feb 21), Science (Feb 25), and Social Science (March 7) are scheduled in the morning shift from 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM.
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LEGAL REPORT
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1. The Enforcement Directorate has a Rs 184-crore FEMA penalty against news portal NewsClick and its editor-in-chief, Prabir Purkayastha, official sources said on Monday.
2. The Telangana State Election Commission (TSEC) has issued a directive on the conduct of indirect elections to the offices of chairperson and vice-chairperson of municipalities and mayor and deputy mayor of municipal corporations, in compliance with orders of the Telangana High Court. The directive follows the High Court’s order in Writ Petition No. 20262 of 2021.
——- MISHAPS————
In Rajasthan, eight people have been killed after a massive fire broke out in a factory in Tapukara of khairthal-Tijara district. Police and administrative authorities began relief and rescue operations.
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DEFENCE News
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1. The Indian Army will highlight its expanding integration of Artificial Intelligence to strengthen sustainment, enhance operational readiness and build future-ready defence capabilities at the AI Impact Summit 2026.
2. Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) yesterday conducted a Joint Counter-Terrorist Mock Exercise at Delhi Airport to enhance inter-agency coordination, preparedness and response to security threats.
3. India has approved a monumental ₹3.25 lakh crore deal to procure 114 Rafale multirole fighter jets from France, marking one of the largest defence acquisitions in its history.This proposal, cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Security, includes 18 jets delivered in fly-away condition for rapid induction into the Indian Air Force (IAF).
4. India and France are set to strengthen their defence ties through a high-level dialogue scheduled for 17 February in Bangalore. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will engage in talks with his French counterpart, Catherine Vautrin, who serves as Minister of the Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs.
5. Admiral Samuel J Paparo, Commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (INDO-PACOM), has publicly praised India’s Operation Sindoor, describing its tactical execution as exemplary.Speaking to journalists in New Delhi on 15 February 2026, he highlighted the operation’s precision and the profound introspection that followed among Indian forces.
6. The Indian Air Force (IAF) is actively conducting joint exercises with friendly nations in early 2026 to enhance interoperability, bolster defense diplomacy, and strengthen regional security, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region.
India–Thailand (In-situ Exercise): The IAF conducted a joint air combat exercise with the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) from February 9–12, 2026. The exercise was held near the Strait of Malacca, with IAF assets operating from airbases in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and RTAF assets operating from Thailand.
UPCOMING
Exercise Vayushakti-26 (Feb 27, 2026): The IAF is set to hold a major, indigenous air power exercise at the Pokhran range in Rajasthan, showcasing Rafale, Su-30 MKI, Tejas, and other platforms.
RECENTLY HELD
Exercise Garuda 25 (Nov 2025): The IAF completed the 8th edition of the bilateral air exercise with the French Air and Space Force (FASF) at Mont-de-Marsan, France from 16th to 27th November 2025.
GARUDA SHAKTI
The 10th edition of India–Indonesia Joint Special Forces Exercise GARUDA SHAKTI commenced at the Special Forces Training School, Bakloh, Himachal Pradesh. The exercise is conducted from 03 to 12 December 2025 and is a bilateral exercise between the Indian Army and Indonesian Army.
Exercise Ocean Sky 2025 (Oct 2025): The IAF became the first non-NATO nation to participate in this multinational air combat drill hosted by Spain.
Exercise INIOCHOS-25 (March-April 2025): The IAF participated in a multi-national exercise in Greece, featuring Su-30 MKI fighters. Duration: March 31 to April 11, 2025.
Exercise AviaIndra-2025 (Dec 2025): The Indian Air Force (IAF) hosted Exercise AviaIndra-2025, a joint air exercise with the Russian Federation Aerospace Force (RFASF), from December 15 to 22, 2025. Exercise AviaIndra reflects the long-standing Indo-Russian defence relationship and continues the series which began in 2014.
FINANCE
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INDIAN RUPEE VALUE
💷 GBP ₹123(Approx)
€ Euro : ₹107(Approx)
USD ₹ 91(Approx)
🇨🇦 Canada :CAD ₹66
🇦🇺 Australia : ₹ 61
🇦🇪 UAE Dirham : ₹ 25
🇨🇳 China Yuan ¥ : ₹ 13
🇲🇻 Maldives Rufiya : ₹ 5.88
🇧🇹 Bhutan ngultrum : ₹ 1.00
🇳🇵 Nepal Rupee : ₹a 0.63
🇧🇩 B’desh Taka* : ₹ 0.70
🇵🇰 Pak Rupee : ₹ 0.32
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka Rupee : ₹ 0.29
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BSE SENSEX
83,277.15 +650.39 (0.79%)🌲
NIFTY
25,682.75 +211.65 (0.83%)🌲
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Rates in Financial Capital Mumbai
GOLD : ₹ 15,580/ 01gm (24 krt)
SILVER : ₹ 265,000/KG
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ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
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1. Actors Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna are scheduled to get married on February 26 this year. While the wedding venue has not been revealed yet, various reports suggest that the two are tying the knot at a destination wedding in Udaipur. The couple will host a wedding reception in Hyderabad on March 3.
2. Veteran Odia singer Geeta Patnaik passed away on February 15, 2026, in Cuttack at the age of 73. She was undergoing treatment at a private hospital after suffering a brain stroke.
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17 Feb(Tuesday)
Vedic Ritu/ Shishir
Drik Ritu : Shishir (Winter)
पक्ष :: Krishnapaksh
(In Purnimanta calendar)
Vikram Samvat – 2082
Month : Phlguna 16,
(In Amanta calendar)
Shaka Samvat – 1947
Month :Magha 30
Tithi : Amavasya (up to 5:31 pm)Pratipada
Nakshatra : Dhanishta (up to 9:16 pm)Shatabhisha
Rahu : 03:30 PM – 04:55 PM
Yamaganda : 09:51 AM – 11:16 AM
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Ms. Pooja, |
