Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has approved the grant of Miniratna Category-I status to Yantra India Limited (YIL), a defence public sector undertaking (DPSU), on February 2, 2026.
Since its inception, YIL has recorded strong growth in sales, rising from ₹956.32 crore in 2021-22 (H2) to ₹3,108.79 crore in FY 2024-25.
Exports, which were nil in 2021-22 (H2), increased to ₹321.77 crore in FY 2024-25. The company’s major product portfolio includes carbon fibre composites; assembly products for medium and large calibre ammunition; armoured vehicles; artillery guns and main battle tanks; glass composites; and aluminium alloys, the Ministry added.
The Miniratna-I status empowers YIL’s Board to incur capital expenditure of up to ₹500 crore on new projects, modernisation and equipment purchases without prior government approval, enabling faster decision making and accelerated growth in defence production and exports.
Union Bank of India has informed the stock exchanges about key changes in its senior management in compliance with Regulation 30 and Regulation 51 of the SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015.
The Bank announced that Shri Bhaskara Rao Kare, Chief General Manager, superannuated from the services of the Bank on January 31, 2026, marking the completion of his tenure.
Following this development, Shri Sarvesh Ranjan, currently serving as General Manager, has been elevated to the post of Chief General Manager with effect from February 1, 2026.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 1, 2026 renamed the Adampur airport in Punjab’s Jalandhar district as ‘Sri Guru Ravidas Ji’ Airport and virtually inaugurated the civil terminal building at Halwara Airport in Ludhiana.
Mr. Modi visited ‘Dera Sach Khand Ballan’ at Ballan village on ‘Ravidas Jayanti’ on the occasion of the 649th birth anniversary of Guru Ravidas, the revered saint and social reformer. The Prime Minister met Sant Niranjan Dass, the head of Dera Sach Khand Ballan, who was recently conferred the Padma Shri.
Young Indian shuttler Devika Sihag clinched her maiden BWF Super 300 crown after Malaysia’s Goh Jin Wei retired midway through the women’s singles final of the Thailand Masters, a USD 250,000 event.
The 20-year-old from Haryana was leading 21-8, 6-3 when world No. 68 Goh, a two-time former world junior champion, pulled out due to a hamstring injury, handing the Indian the biggest title of her career.
Ranked world No. 63, Devika, who trains under coach Umendra Rana at the Padukone-Dravid Centre for Sports Excellence in Bengaluru, has also been sharpening her game alongside two-time Olympic medallist P. V. Sindhu under Indonesian coach Irwansyah Adi Pratama for the last few months.
Gujarat has emerged as the largest contributor to India's renewable energy capacity, accounting for 16.50 per cent of the national total, with the state's installed renewable power reaching 42.583 GW as of December 2025, according to official figures.
The progress places Gujarat at the forefront of India's transition to clean energy as the country works to meet its target of sourcing 50 per cent of electricity from renewables by 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2070.
Under Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Gujarat ranks first among Indian states in total installed renewable energy capacity and wind power capacity, and second in solar power capacity.
Of the total renewable capacity, wind energy accounts for 14,820.94 MW, while solar energy contributes 25,529.40 MW.
The remaining capacity comes from hybrid and off-grid renewable sources. Gujarat also leads the country in rooftop solar installations, with more than 1.1 million systems installed across residential, commercial, and industrial sectors, generating 6,412.80 MW.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is participating in the Singapore Airshow 2026, with the Sarang Helicopter Display Team, on the indigenously designed and manufactured Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv. Renowned for precision flying, close-formation manoeuvres and disciplined execution, the Sarang display underscores the operational versatility,
agility and reliability of the ALH Dhruv across a wide spectrum of operational roles.
The Singapore Air Show 2026, Asia’s premier biennial aerospace and defence exhibition, is being held at the Changi Exhibition Centre from 03 to 08 February 2026.
The Sarang Aerobatic Team, established in 2005, comprises five ALH helicopters. This team has performed at various prominent events like MAKS international Air Show (Russia in 2021), Dubai Air Show (2021 & 2023), Bahrain International Air Show (2024) in addition to the Singapore Air Show in 2024 and 2026.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, and the Directorate-General for Communication Networks, Content and Technology (DG CONNECT) of the European Commission have signed an Administrative Arrangement on Advanced Electronic Signatures and Seals on 27 January 2026.
The arrangement was signed by the Secretary, MeitY, and the Director-General, DG CONNECT. The cooperation will be implemented by MeitY through the Controller of Certifying Authorities (CCA), in line with India’s legal and regulatory framework according to the applicable provisions of the Information Technology Act, 2000 within the established framework regulated by CCA.
Under this cooperation, India and the European Union intend to link their respective trusted lists of recognised service providers thus helping in easier validation of electronic signatures and seals issued in India and the European Union for cross-border use. The arrangement lays the foundation for deeper cooperation in the future.
The Central Government has notified the Baggage Rules, 2026. New Customs Baggage (Declaration and Processing) Regulations, 2026 and a Master Circular have also been issued. These measures reflect facilitative and revised provisions for international passengers and in line with new economic conditions, rising travel volumes and passenger expectations.
The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs has unveiled an upgraded version of the National Youth Parliament Scheme (NYPS) web portal, known as NYPS 2.0 to expand the Youth Parliament Programme and to ensure wider participation of students, including from remote and rural areas.
Unlike the previous version, which was limited to students of recognized educational institutions only, NYPS 2.0 is open to all the educational institutions, groups and even individual citizens across the country regardless of gender, caste, creed, religion, race, region, place etc.
Shri Hari Shankar Verma, 1987 batch IRTS Officer, has taken over the charge of the post of Member (Operations and Business Development), Railway Board, and Ex-officio Secretary to the Government of India. Prior to this, he was Director General, Safety, Railway Board.
Shri Verma had received Hon’ble Rail Minister Award two times and many awards at the GM level. Shri Verma got training on Management from Singapore, Malaysia & Italy, and he is well-known as a specialist in Railway Traffic and Management.
Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), a Maharatna CPSE has signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Rail India Technical and Economic Service (RITES) , a Navratna CPSE to strengthen logistics and operational efficiency at plants and mines of SAIL.
SAIL runs a dedicated mini rail network within its plants and mines premises to ensure seamless transportation of inbound raw materials, in-process transfers and outbound finished products.
The effective maintenance of its diesel locomotive fleet, supplemented by wet leased locos, is critical for sustaining operations and driving the envisaged expansion of capacity and future growth.
The collaboration will enable both organizations to focus on their core competencies, optimize costs, enhance operational efficiencies and contribute to reducing carbon footprint.
The Union Minister for Youth Affairs & Sports, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya launched MY Bharat Budget Quest 2026, a nationwide youth-centric initiative aimed at enhancing the understanding of the Union Budget by the Youths of the country and making budgetary provisions more accessible, relatable and citizen-centric.
The initiative seeks to connect the Union Budget 2026 with the everyday lives of citizens by engaging youth from colleges, institutions and coaching centers across the country through a structured and participatory framework.
Evaluation of essays will be undertaken between 3 March and 10 March 2026, and State/UT-wise merit lists will be announced on 10 March 2026.
