Source: BS Context: Indian artificial intelligence (AI) startup Sarvam launched two indigenous large language models (LLMs) specifically trained on Indian languages What Happened? Key Technical Features Large Language Models (LLMs) Large Language Models (LLMs) are advanced artificial intelligence systems trained to understand, generate, and interact using human language. They are called “large” because they are trained on massive amounts of text data and contain billions (or even trillions) of parameters — the internal settings that help the model learn patterns. Most modern LLMs use Transformer architecture (introduced i
India–France Special Global Strategic Partnership
Source: News on Air Context: French President Emmanuel Macron visited India to attend the India AI Impact Summit and launch the 2026 India–France Year of Innovation. During the visit, India and France elevated ties to a “Special Global Strategic Partnership”, a long-term framework guiding cooperation till 2047. What is the Special Global Strategic Partnership? A major diplomatic upgrade that expands the relationship into a comprehensive global alliance, focusing on: 1. Strategic Autonomy 2. Global Governance 3. Security & Innovation Evolution of India–France Relations Key Agreements Under the New Partnership Innovation & Technology Defence Cooperation Nuclear Energy Indo-Pacific Cooperation Space Collaboration Mobility & Education
Beat the Heat Programme
Source: Indian Express Context: Maharashtra announced that 30 cities have joined the global Beat the Heat Programme during Mumbai Climate Week 2026. What is the Beat the Heat Programme? Objectives 1. Climate Mitigation 2. Climate Adaptation
Banks Take Cautious Approach to Acquisition Financing Under RBI Norms
Source: BS What Happened? After the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued final guidelines on acquisition financing, banks are preparing to enter the segment gradually and cautiously. What is Acquisition Financing? Key RBI Guardrails (Risk Control Measures) 1. Exposure Limits 2. Corporate Eligibility Conditions Acquiring company must have: 3. Leverage Control 4. Financing Structure Purpose of Safeguards
NPCI–Nvidia Partnership for Sovereign AI in Payments
Source: ET Context: National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) partnered with Nvidia to strengthen sovereign AI infrastructure for India’s payment ecosystem. Aim: Develop a payments-focused foundational AI model aligned with India’s regulatory and data sovereignty requirements. Key Features of the Partnership 1. Payments-Native AI Foundation 2. Use of Nvidia Nemotron Models 3. Scalable AI Architecture
RBI mandates Unique Transaction Identifier (UTI) for OTC derivatives
Source: BL Context: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has mandated the use of a Unique Transaction Identifier (UTI) for all Over-the-Counter (OTC) derivative transactions. What is a UTI? Purpose of mandating UTI UTI will now be mandatory for all these transactions. OTC (Over-the-Counter) derivatives OTC (Over-the-Counter) derivatives are financial contracts that are traded directly between two parties, without going through a formal stock exchange. They are privately negotiated contracts.
Circular Economy in Agriculture: Waste to Wealth
Source: PIB Context: India is promoting a circular economy in agriculture by converting agricultural waste into energy, organic inputs, and economic value — aligning environmental sustainability with rural development. What is Circular Economy in Agriculture? A system that treats waste as a resource, not a disposal problem. Core Principles (6Rs) Goal: Keep materials in use, minimise resource extraction, and eliminate waste. Types of Agricultural Waste Value Conversion Technologies Major Government Initiatives 1. GOBARdhan Scheme 2. Crop Residue Management (CRM) 3. Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) 4. Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF) 5. Water Reuse Initiatives (Jal Shakti) Link to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Circular agriculture supports: Helps address 1.05 billion tonnes of global food waste (2022).
Bharat VISTAAR: Farmers’ Digital Companion
Source: News on Air Context: On 17 February 2026, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched Bharat VISTAAR in Jaipur, Rajasthan. Full name: Bharat – Virtually Integrated System to Access Agricultural ResourcesIt is an AI-driven digital platform for farmers. What is Bharat VISTAAR? A digital companion for farmers that integrates agricultural data, schemes, and advisory services into a single platform to improve access to government support and farm guidance. Core Integration Bharat VISTAAR connects: Access Modes ✔ Toll-free helpline 155261✔ AI voice assistant Bharati (works on basic phones)✔ Web portal of Ministry of Agriculture✔ Chatbot services (English and Hindi) Phase-1 Implementation States Integrated with state platforms such as: Major Schemes Integrated (10)
Daily Current Affairs (DCA) 18 February, 2026
Daily Current Affairs Quiz18 February, 2026 National Affairs 1. Two Digital Initiatives to Boost Health AI Ecosystem Launched Source: TH Why in News? The Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry has launched two digital initiatives — SAHI and BODH — to strengthen the safe and responsible use of Artificial Intelligence in India’s healthcare system. Launched By Union Health and Family Welfare Minister J.P. Nadda at the India AI Impact Summit. Objective To promote the ethical, secure, and evidence-based deployment of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in India’s healthcare ecosystem. Background Context Key Initiatives 1. SAHI (Secure AI for Health Initiative) Nature: Governance and policy framework Purpose: Significance: 2. BODH (Benchmarking Open Data Platform for Health AI) Nature: Evaluation and validation platform Purpose: Significance: 2. Indian Army Showcases Homegrown Dual-Use AI Systems Source: TH Why in News? The Indian Army unveiled a range of indigenous artificial intelligence (AI) solutions at the India AI Summit, highlighting its shift toward becoming a data-centric and AI-enabled force. Objective Key Features of the Initiative Major AI Systems Showcased 1. AI Examiner 2. SAM-UN 3. EKAM (AI-as-a-Service) 4. PRAKSHEPAN 5. Security and Cyber Defence Systems 6. Operational and Logistics Technologies 3. AI Mission 2.0 Source: TH Why in News? The government announced plans to significantly expand computing infrastructure under the IndiaAI Mission, with the upcoming AI Mission 2.0 focusing heavily on research, innovation and AI adoption. Announcement Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw made the announcement at the AI Impact Summit, New Delhi. Key Highlights 1. Expansion of Common Compute Infrastructure Purpose:Provide shared high-performance computing resources to: 2. AI Mission 2.0 — Focus Areas The next phase of the IndiaAI Mission will emphasise: 3. Indigenous AI Development Objective of the Initiative What is “Common Compute”? A shared national computing infrastructure that provides: It supports smaller players who cannot build their own infrastructure. 4. 100 Years of Ol Chiki Script (1925–2025) Source: PIB Why in News? The centenary of the Ol Chiki script is being inaugurated by the Ministry of Culture on 16 February 2026 in New Delhi, marking 100 years of the writing system of the Santhali language. What is Ol Chiki? Origin and Creator 5. United Nations Fellowship Training Programme on SALW Control Source: ET Why in News? India is hosting the inaugural United Nations Fellowship Training Programme on Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) Control for the Asia-Pacific region, marking the first time the programme is being held in Asia. What is the Programme? A three-week capacity-building training initiative designed to strengthen government expertise in controlling the illicit trade and misuse of small arms and light weapons. It supports implementation of key global disarmament frameworks: Host and Venue Organising Institutions Banking/Finance 1. RBI Proposes Easing Forex Transaction Norms Source: BS Why in News? The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued draft directions proposing to liberalise foreign exchange (forex) transaction norms, including allowing authorised dealers to trade on offshore electronic trading platforms, subject to safeguards. Objective Key Proposals 1. Trading on Offshore Electronic Trading Platforms (ETPs) 2. Rules for Rupee Transactions 3. Non-Deliverable Derivative Contracts (NDDCs) 4. Governance Requirements for Authorised Dealers 5. Overseas Borrowing Limits 6. Deployment of Surplus Foreign Currency Funds Authorised dealers may invest in: FCNR(B) funds may be invested in long-term overseas sovereign debt (subject to conditions). Who Are “Authorised Persons”? What is Net Open Position (NOP)? Legal Framework 2. Airtel Money Gets RBI Approval to Operate as NBFC Why in News? Airtel Money, a subsidiary of telecom major Bharti Airtel, has received a Certificate of Registration (CoR) from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to operate as a Type II Non-Deposit Taking Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC). What RBI Approved What is a Type II NBFC (Non-Deposit Taking)? Type II classification generally involves entities with moderate asset size and regulatory requirements, compared to systemically important NBFCs. Regulatory Framework 3. Life Insurers Propose Deferment of Frontloaded Commissions Source: BS Why in News? Life insurance companies have proposed changes to commission structures to the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI), including deferring a portion of frontloaded distributor commissions to reduce policy costs and improve customer value. Who Proposed Key Proposal 1. Deferment of Frontloaded Commissions Objective: 2. Cost Optimisation Measures 3. Possible Commission Caps Reason for Reform High Acquisition Costs High distributor commissions are: Expense of Management (EoM) Norms 4. RBI Draft Consumer Protection Norms for Financial Products & Loan Recovery Source: ET Why in News? The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued draft amendment directions on: The rules are expected to take effect from July 1, 2026, aiming to strengthen consumer protection in banking and financial services. Objective Key Provisions — Mis-selling and Product Sales 1. Ban on Incentive-Driven Third-Party Sales 2. Restrictions on Product Bundling 3. Ban on Dark Patterns 4. Customer Suitability Assessment Banks must evaluate: 5. Explicit Customer Consent 6. Customer Feedback Mechanism 7. Compensation for Mis-selling 8. Expanded Definition of Mis-selling Includes: Key Provisions — Loan Recovery Practices Prohibited Practices Compliance Requirements Agriculture 1. How the Fertiliser Industry Has Become Synonymous with Controls Source: IE Why in News? An analysis explains why India’s fertiliser industry operates under extensive state control and examines the economic, fiscal and environmental consequences of this regulatory structure. Core Theme India’s fertiliser sector is one of the most heavily regulated industries due to its central role in: Government control ensures affordability but creates market distortions and long-term sustainability challenges. Nature of Government Control 1. Price Control (Especially Urea) 2. Subsidy-Driven Market Structure 3. Administrative Control of Supply 4. Regulatory Oversight of Sales and Products Facts To Remember 1. India Gets First Private Sector Helicopter Final Assembly Line in Kolar India inaugurated its first private-sector helicopter Final Assembly Line (FAL) for the Airbus H125 helicopter at Vemagal, Kolar district, Karnataka. 2. Tarique Rahman Sworn in as New Bangladesh Prime Minister Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Tarique Rahman was sworn in as the new Prime Minister of Bangladesh on 17 February 2026, marking a political transition after nearly 18 months of instability under the
Two Digital Initiatives to Boost Health AI Ecosystem Launched
Source: TH Why in News? The Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry has launched two digital initiatives — SAHI and BODH — to strengthen the safe and responsible use of Artificial Intelligence in India’s healthcare system. Launched By Union Health and Family Welfare Minister J.P. Nadda at the India AI Impact Summit. Objective To promote the ethical, secure, and evidence-based deployment of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in India’s healthcare ecosystem. Background Context Key Initiatives 1. SAHI (Secure AI for Health Initiative) Nature: Governance and policy framework Purpose: Significance: 2. BODH (Benchmarking Open Data Platform for Health AI) Nature: Evaluation and validation platform Purpose: Significance:
