The Ministry of Power announced the release of a new “Draft National Electricity Policy (NEP) 2026”. The Draft NEP 2026 aims to transform the power sector for meeting the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047. The policy, once finalised, intends to replace the existing NEP which was notified in 2005.
NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, whose last 10-day space mission stretched into nine-and-a-half months on the International Space Station (ISS), has retired after 27 years. The retirement, announced by NASA, came into effect just after last Christmas, on December 27, 2025.
608 Days In Space-
Indian-origin astronaut Williams was selected by NASA in 1998 and has logged 608 days in space over her three flights. This is second on the list of cumulative time in space by a NASA astronaut.
Atharva Taide’s hundred of rare brilliance in alliance with a disciplined bowling effort powered Vidarbha to a facile 38-run win over Saurashtra and to their maiden Vijay Hazare Trophy title.
The scores: Vidarbha 317/8 in 50 overs (Atharva Taide 128, Yash Rathod 54, Ankur Panwar 4/65) bt Saurashtra 279 in 48.5 overs (Prerak Mankad 88, Chirag Jani 64, Yash Thakur 4/50).
India needs to up the ante after ranking sixth among 11 Asian countries in the newly released Asia Manufacturing Index (AMI) 2026, which measures the relative competitiveness of major manufacturing economies across eight key pillars and 43 sub-parameters.
INS Sagardhwani, India’s oceanographic research vessel under the Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL) of DRDO, was flagged off for the fifth edition of the Sagar Maitri (SM-5) initiative from Southern Naval Command, Kochi on 17 Jan 2026.
The vessel was flagged off by Shri Radha Mohan Singh, Honourable Member of Parliament and Chairperson, Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence.
Sagar Maitri is a flagship collaborative initiative of the Indian Navy and DRDO, aligned with the Government of India’s vision of 'Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions (MAHASAGAR)'.
The initiative aims to promote closer cooperation in socio-economic aspects and greater scientific interaction, especially in ocean research, among Indian Ocean Rim (IOR) countries.
Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL), Kochi has been conducting oceanographic missions under the Sagar Maitri programme.
Under the Sagar Maitri programme, INS Sagardhwani will retrace the historic routes of INS Kistna, which participated in the International Indian Ocean Expedition during 1962–65. The initiative seeks to build sustained scientific collaboration with eight IOR countries, namely Oman, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Myanmar.
Air India has signed a cooperation framework agreement with joint-venture partner Singapore Airlines, signalling a deepening of ties that will deliver expanded route options, synchronised flight timings and smoother connections for passengers.
The agreement was signed in Mumbai between Air India chief executive officer and managing director Campbell Wilson, and SIA chief executive officer Goh Choon Phong.
The collaboration also aims to have closer alignment of flight schedules between Air India and SIA to enhance customer convenience.
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) on January 14, 2026 approved the proposal of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to appoint Shatrujeet Singh Kapoor, former Haryana Director General of Police (DGP) as the chief of Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).
The ACC also approved the appointment of 1993-batch IPS officer of West Bengal cadre, Praveen Kumar, who is at present working as DG, ITBP, to the post of Director General, Border Security Force (BSF) from the date of assumption of charge of the post and up to September 30, 2030, the date of his superannuation or until further orders.
Mr. Kumar holds the dual charge of BSF and ITBP at present.
In another order, the ACC approved the appointment of 1994-batch IPS officer Rakesh Aggarwal as Director General, National Investigation Agency (NIA). Mr. Aggarwal, at present posted as Special DG, NIA, will remain in office till July 31, 2028 or until further orders.
Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has been re-elected to a seventh term, the country’s electoral commission has announced, after a tense campaign marked by an opposition crackdown and internet blackout.
Museveni, 81, won with 71.65 percent of the vote, the commission said.
He defeated his main challenger, 43-year-old Bobi Wine, who received 24.72 percent of the vote, according to the official results.
Museveni’s widely expected victory comes after an election campaign that the United Nations said was marred by “widespread repression and intimidation”, including a crackdown on opposition rallies.
Indian boxing icon Vijender Singh has been appointed as a member of the Asian Boxing Council, marking another significant milestone in his journey from an elite athlete to global sports administrator.
Vijender, India's first Olympic medallist in boxing, brings with him nearly two decades of experience at the highest level of the sport,
both in amateur and professional boxing.
Vijender remains one of India's most recognisable sporting figures, having won a historic bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and multiple medals at the Commonwealth and Asian Games.
The central government announced the country’s first tailings policy, setting guidelines for exploration of critical minerals from primary as well as the secondary sources like mine dumps and tailings of existing mines.
Tailings refer to the leftover waste material after valuable minerals are extracted from crushed ore.