Daily Current Affairs Quiz10 February, 2026 International Affairs 1. India–Malaysia IMPACT Framework Source: Mint Why in News? During his visit to Malaysia, the Prime Minister of India articulated IMPACT as the guiding framework for India–Malaysia relations while addressing the Indian diaspora in Kuala Lumpur. What is the IMPACT Framework? IMPACT stands for India–Malaysia Partnership for Advancing Collective Transformation. It is a strategic vision to deepen bilateral cooperation by aligning: Aims of the Framework Key Pillars of IMPACT 1. Economic & Technology Cooperation 2. Digital Connectivity 3. People-to-People & Diaspora Linkages 4. Cultural & Civilisational Bonds 5. Strategic & Regional Outlook 2. USGBC LEED List 2025 Why in News? In February 2026, the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) and Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI) released the Annual List of 10 Countries and Regions for LEED in 2025 (outside the USA). India climbed to 2nd position, while Mainland China topped the list. What is LEED? Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a globally recognised green building certification system that evaluates buildings on sustainability parameters such as: Key Highlights of the 2025 Ranking Top Countries (Outside USA) National Affairs 1. Nature-based Solutions (NbS) in Focus after TREESCAPES 2026 Congress Why in News? Nature-based Solutions (NbS) gained prominence at the TREESCAPES 2026 Congress (New Delhi), which highlighted agroforestry’s role in climate resilience. This coincided with the release of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) – State of Finance for Nature 2026 report, warning of a large global investment gap in nature-positive actions. What are Nature-based Solutions (NbS)? According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN): Key Data & Global Significance Why NbS are Critical for India 1. Climate Change Mitigation 2. Disaster Risk Reduction 3. Water Security 4. Sustainable Livelihoods 5. Food Security & Agroforestry 2. Seven Chakras of the India–AI Impact Summit 2026 Source: PIB Context: India is hosting the India–AI Impact Summit 2026, the first global AI summit in the Global South, with participation from 100+ countries.The summit is guided by Three Sutras: People, Planet, Progress, and operationalised through Seven Chakras. India–AI Impact Summit 2026 What are the Seven Chakras? Seven Chakras of AI Chakra Focus Area Key Significance 1. Human Capital Workforce transition, reskilling & upskilling Prevents job displacement shocks; positions India as a global AI talent hub 2. Inclusion for Social Empowerment Women, farmers, informal workers, PwDs, linguistic minorities Ensures equity in AI systems; prevents elite-centric adoption 3. Safe & Trusted AI Transparency, accountability, bias mitigation Builds public trust; protects democracy, privacy & fundamental rights 4. Science Health, climate, energy, agriculture Accelerates innovation; reduces Global North–South research divide 5. Resilience, Innovation & Efficiency Energy-efficient AI, sustainable compute infrastructure Aligns AI growth with climate commitments; reduces carbon footprint 6. Democratising AI Resources Access to data, compute & models Bridges digital divide; supports startups & academia 7. AI for Economic Development & Social Good Agriculture, healthcare, education, justice delivery, productivity Converts AI capability into development outcomes 3. India–Greece Sign Joint Declaration of Intent on Defence Cooperation Source: The Indian Express Why in News? India and Greece have signed a Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI) to strengthen defence and defence-industrial cooperation, signalling deeper strategic engagement between the two countries. What was agreed? Key Areas of Cooperation 1. Defence Industrial Collaboration: India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative and Greece’s Agenda 2030 defence modernisation plan 2. Military Cooperation: Exchange of a Bilateral Military Cooperation Plan (BMCP) for 2026 3. Maritime Security Cooperation: Greece to post an International Liaison Officer at India’sInformation Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) in Gurugram. 4. Government Forms Expert Groups to Upgrade Project Tiger Source: The New Indian Express Why in News? The Union Government has constituted four expert working groups to review and modernise Project Tiger, marking 50 years (Golden Jubilee) of India’s flagship wildlife conservation programme. What is Project Tiger? Project Tiger is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme aimed at conserving tigers and their habitats through a scientifically designed core–buffer approach. Institutional Framework 5. PM Internship Scheme Source: BS Why in News: The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) has proposed changes to the Prime Minister Internship Scheme (PMIS) to improve participation and effectiveness, including easing the age limit and internship duration. What changes are being proposed? About the PM Internship Scheme (PMIS) Banking/Finance 1. RBI Directs Banks to Offer Collateral-Free Loans up to ₹20 Lakh to MSMEs Source: Mint Why in News? The Reserve Bank of India has issued revised directions asking banks not to insist on collateral security for loans up to ₹20 lakh to Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs), enhancing access to formal credit. What has the RBI decided? Additional Flexibility for Banks Important Clarification by RBI Coverage under PMEGP 2. RBI Consumer Confidence Survey, January 2026 Source: RBI Consumer Confidence Survey, January 2026 Why in News? The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released the results of the January 2026 round of its Bi-monthly Urban Consumer Confidence Survey (UCCS). About Urban Consumer Confidence Survey (UCCS) Key Findings: Current Situation Index (CSI) Future Expectations Index (FEI) 3. Taxpayers to Continue Using Existing ITR Forms for FY26 Source: BS Why in News? The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has clarified that taxpayers will continue using existing Income Tax Return (ITR) forms for FY 2025–26, even as new simplified transactional forms and rules are set to be notified by early March 2026. What is the clarification by CBDT? What is changing from April 1, 2026? From April 1, 2026, certain transactional and reporting forms will move to the new simplified framework, including: These changes will apply immediately, even before new ITRs come into effect. 4. EPFO to Appoint New Partner Agencies; Custodian Likely to Change After 15 Years Source: BS Why in News: The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has initiated steps to appoint new partner agencies, including a new custodian for its funds, marking the first such change in nearly 15 years. About EPFO Role of a Custodian A custodian: Who is the current custodian? 5. RBI Streamlines Voluntary Retention Route (VRR) for FPIs

Daily Current Affairs Quiz08 & 09 February, 2026 International Affairs 1. Mount Aconcagua Source: News on Air Context: Indian mountaineer Kabak Yano from Arunachal Pradesh successfully summited Mount Aconcagua in Argentina as part of her Seven Summits expedition. What is Mount Aconcagua? Location National Affairs 1. Agni-3 Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missile Source: News on Air Context: India successfully test-fired the Agni-3 Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM) from the Integrated Test Range, Chandipur, Odisha, validating its operational readiness and reliability, according to PIB What is Agni-3? Agni-3 is an Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM) with a strike range of about 3,000 km, forming a critical component of India’s land-based nuclear deterrent under the Agni missile family. It strengthens India’s ability to deter long-range strategic threats and contributes to credible minimum deterrence. Developed and Operated By Key Features of Agni-3 Feature Details Range ~3,000 km Category Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM) Propulsion Two-stage, solid-fuel Launch Platform Road-mobile launcher (canisterised variants tested earlier) Payload Conventional or nuclear warhead Guidance Advanced inertial navigation system with high accuracy Operational Status Successfully validated in 2026 test 2. Dal Lake Source: TH What is the news? The Jammu and Kashmir government has officially abandoned the ₹416.72-crore Dal Lake resettlement project after 17 years, citing only 27% progress since its approval in 2009. The information was shared in the J&K Assembly in response to a question by Tanvir Sadiq. Dal Lake 3. India–Netherlands Hydrogen Fellowship Programme Source: PIB Context: On 6 February 2026, Department of Science and Technology (DST) launched the India–Netherlands Hydrogen Fellowship Programme in New Delhi. The launch was led by DST Secretary Abhay Karandikar, under the Ministry of Science & Technology. DST also hosted the signing of an MoU between the University of Groningen and 19 Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) to establish an academic cooperation framework in green energy and hydrogen (H₂) research. About the Fellowship Programme A bilateral research fellowship programme aimed at building human capital and advanced research capacity to support the scale-up of green hydrogen technologies in India through collaboration with the Netherlands. Scheme Launch Details Who can apply? The programme is open to: 3. VOC Port becomes India’s first port to deploy an advanced Anti-Drone System Source: TH Context: In February 2026, V.O. Chidambaranar Port at Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, became the first port in India to initiate installation of an advanced Anti-Drone System, significantly strengthening maritime and coastal security. Key Features of the Anti-Drone Project Technology & System Design Capabilities 4. NSO launches beta version of ‘MCP Server’ on eSankhyiki Portal Source: PIB Context: In February 2026, the National Statistics Office (NSO), under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), launched the beta version of the Model Context Protocol (MCP) Server on the eSankhyiki portal. This initiative allows users to directly connect official government datasets with their own Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools and applications. What is the MCP Server? The Model Context Protocol (MCP) Server is a data-access interface that enables: It represents a shift from static data downloads to API-driven, AI-ready statistical infrastructure. What is eSankhyiki? eSankhyiki is the official digital data dissemination portal of the National Statistics Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI). It provides open, standardised, and machine-readable access to India’s official statistics. Datasets Available in the Beta Version The MCP Server currently hosts seven key datasets: 5. Cybersecurity biggest risk for enterprises: Ficci–EY Report Source: BS Context: A joint report by FICCI and EY finds that cybersecurity has emerged as the single biggest risk shaping organisational performance in India’s corporate sector. The findings are based on a survey of senior executives across sectors and reflect how risk perception in enterprises is rapidly evolving. Key risks identified: Banking/Finance 1. Why borrowings are now biting govts despite RBI rate cuts Source: IE Context: Even as the Reserve Bank of India has cut policy rates, borrowing costs for the Centre and States have risen. Government bond yields are climbing, making debt servicing more expensive. This shows that fiscal and liquidity dynamics are now overpowering monetary easing. What is driving higher borrowing costs? 1. Debt overhang effect A large stock of debt itself pushes yields up, regardless of repo rate cuts. 2. Liquidity withdrawal Earlier: Now: Less liquidity + large government borrowing = higher bond yields. 3. Weak monetary transmission Monetary easing loses traction in the bond market. 4. Crowding-out pressure This can raise economy-wide interest rates and dampen growth. Why does this matter? Fiscal stress Growth risk Policy lesson Way forward 2. India Signs DPI Cooperation MoUs with 23 Countries Context: In February 2026, the Government of India (GoI) signed MoUs/agreements with 23 countries to share and promote India’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and components of the India Stack.This was informed to Parliament by Jitin Prasada, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. What is the initiative about? India is exporting its DPI model—open, interoperable, population-scale digital systems—to partner countries to strengthen digital governance, financial inclusion, and service delivery. Key Areas of Cooperation The MoUs focus on: Countries that signed DPI MoUs (23) Global Expansion of UPI India’s flagship digital payments system, Unified Payments Interface (UPI), is now operational in 8 countries: 3. Kotak Mahindra Bank issues India’s first fully digital FPI licence Source: BS Context: In February 2026, Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited (KMBL) became the first custodian in India to issue a Foreign Portfolio Investor (FPI) licence and complete the entire onboarding process digitally using e-signatures. What is the significance? This marks a major step in: It reflects India’s shift towards end-to-end digital financial infrastructure. Key Details of the Digital FPI Process 1. SEBI’s Unified Digital Workflow 2. Legal Compliance 3. Kotak Mahindra Bank’s Milestone 4. India shifts to Risk-Based Deposit Insurance Premiums Source: ET Context: From 1 April, India will overhaul its deposit insurance premium framework, moving from a flat-rate system to a risk-based pricing model.The reform was announced by the Reserve Bank of India and will be implemented by the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC). What was the earlier system? What is