Daily Current Affairs and GK | 25, 26 and 27 January 2026

Topic: International News

1. Gulfood hosts India as its partner country for the first time.

• Gulfood is the world’s largest annual food and beverage trade event. It will run from January 26 to January 30, 2026.
• Dubai is making global exhibition history as Gulfood becomes the first exhibition to operate simultaneously across two mega venues.
• One venue is the Dubai World Trade Centre. The second venue is the Dubai Exhibition Centre at Expo City Dubai.
• India’s participation is a milestone as a total of 161 exhibitors will showcase India’s agri-food ecosystem.
• The Indian pavilion has doubled in size from last year. This reflects expanding footprint of Indian agri-food exports.
• This also reflects rising global demand for Indian products.
• Bharati Pavilion is a key highlight of India’s participation.
• It is APEDA’s flagship initiative to promote export-ready agri-food and agri-tech startups.
• It is located at Startup Zone at the Dubai World Trade Centre.
• The pavilion features eight high-potential Indian startups. The startups were selected through a national-level process from more than 100 applicants.
• India will have a presence at both venues. The Dubai World Trade Centre hosts the Beverage Hall and the Startup Hall, including the Bharati Pavilion.
• Dubai Exhibition Centre hosts the World Food Hall, Pulses, Grains and Cereals Hall and Gulfood Green.
• The event brings together over 8,500 exhibitors showcasing 1.5 million products from 195 countries.
• Twenty-five states will participate. These states include Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, and West Bengal.

Topic: Important Days

2. National Voters’ Day 2026: 25 January

• National Voters’ Day is celebrated to create electoral awareness amongst citizens and encourage them to take part in the electoral process.
• It is celebrated every year on 25th January to mark the foundation day of the Election Commission of India.
• This year, the 16th National Voters’ Day (NVD-2026) is being observed.
• The theme of the 2026 National Voters’ Day is “My India, My Vote” with the tagline, “Citizen at the Heart of Indian Democracy”.
• National Voters’ Day is being celebrated on January 25 every year since 2011.
• 25th January 1950 is the foundation day of the Election Commission of India.
• This year, the Honorable President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, presided over the event as the chief guest in New Delhi.
• Two publications were also launched at NVD-2026 – 2025: A Year of Initiatives and Innovations and ‘Chunav Ka Parv, Bihar Ka Garv’, a publication on the successful conduct of General Elections in Bihar.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

3. Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar 2026 awarded for Excellence in Disaster Management.

• The Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar 2026 was conferred on the Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority in the Institutional Category and Lieutenant Colonel Seeta Ashok Shelke in the Individual Category.
• The award has been instituted by the Government of India to recognise exceptional contribution and selfless service in the field of disaster management.
• The annual award is announced every year on 23 January, marking the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.
• Lieutenant Colonel Seeta Ashok Shelke led major Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief operations during the 2024 floods and landslides in Wayanad, Kerala.
• She supervised high-risk rescue missions, coordinated with civil authorities, and enabled rapid evacuation and restoration of essential services.
• The construction of a 190-foot Bailey Bridge at Chooralmala was completed under her leadership to restore connectivity to remote villages.
• During severe disasters such as the 2016 Mantam landslide and the 2023 Teesta floods, SSDMA's real-time coordination and trained first responders helped rescue 2,563 people and minimized loss of life and property.
• The Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority was recognised for building a community-centred disaster risk reduction model through trained Aapda Mitras across all districts.
• In 2005, the Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority (SSDMA) was established.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

4. Mozambican Activist Graca Machel selected for the Indira Gandhi Peace Prize 2025.

• The Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust has announced that Graça Machel, a human rights activist and social worker from Mozambique, has been selected for the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development for the year 2025.
• The selection was made by an international jury chaired by former National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon.
• The award recognises her path-breaking contributions in education, health, nutrition, economic empowerment and humanitarian action.
• The prize carries a cash award of ₹1 crore along with a citation and a trophy.
• Graca Machel has been described as a distinguished African stateswoman and a global human rights advocate.
• Her life’s work has remained rooted in the struggle for self-determination and the protection of vulnerable communities.
• In the 1990s, she led a landmark United Nations study on the impact of armed conflict on children.
• The study reshaped international humanitarian responses and child protection policies worldwide.
• She has served on several international bodies and founded institutions promoting women’s empowerment and child development.
• Ms. Machel was married to Nelson Mandela and served as the First Lady of South Africa.
• She was also the First Lady of Mozambique as the widow of former President Samora Machel.

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

5. An MoU signed between Goa Government and Starlink for remote connectivity.

• A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Goa government and Starlink Satellite Communications Private Limited to improve digital connectivity.
• The agreement aims to provide high-speed satellite broadband to areas with limited or no terrestrial network coverage.
• Government schools, healthcare facilities and disaster management centres have been identified as priority locations.
• The MoU was signed between the Department of Information Technology, Electronics and Communications and Starlink.
• The signing took place in the presence of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and senior state officials.
• The collaboration will focus on strengthening digital connectivity and improving emergency response capabilities.
• Support for smart governance initiatives has been included as a key objective of the partnership.
• Starlink has expressed interest in piloting connectivity solutions in remote and underserved regions of Goa.
• Capacity-building, training initiatives and affordable tariff structures will be explored under the agreement.
• The initiative is expected to help bridge the digital divide and promote a digitally empowered Goa.

Topic: Defence

6. Military Quantum Mission Policy Framework released to strengthen defence capabilities.

• On 22 January 2026, the Military Quantum Mission Policy Framework was released by Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan.
• The framework is a comprehensive document that includes the policy and the roadmap to implement Quantum Technologies in the Armed Forces. 
• Four pillars of quantum technology—communication, computing, sensing and materials—have been identified for integration.
• The policy aims to empower the Tri-Services to prepare for future battlefields and achieve technological dominance.
• Alignment with the National Quantum Mission has been emphasised, with defence forces recognised as a key stakeholder.
• The framework outlines milestones and goals through civil-military fusion and inter-sectoral cooperation.
• Dedicated governing bodies across multiple government sectors have been proposed for effective implementation.
• Jointness and integration among the three services have been highlighted as critical for success.
• The document stresses the growing importance of quantum technologies from a defence perspective.

Topic: Summits/Conferences/Meetings

7. Fourth edition of India Energy Week 2026 virtually inaugurated by PM Modi on 27 January 2026.

• India Energy Week (IEW) 2026 conclave is being held in South Goa.
• After the inauguration, the Prime Minister virtually addressed the delegates.
• The inauguration ceremony was held at Betul village in South Goa district.
• The inauguration was attended by Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri.
• UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber was present at the inauguration.
• Canada’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Tim Hodgson also participated in the inauguration.
• Senior ministers from Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia and other Global South regions attended the inauguration ceremony.
• India Energy Week 2026 focuses on enhancing energy security across nations.
• The conclave aims to attract investments into the global energy sector.
• It will promote practical and scalable approaches to decarbonisation.
• The three-day event is hosting delegations from the  Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific.
• The event is expected to welcome more than 75,000 energy professionals from over 120 countries.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

8. Gallantry awards for 70 Armed Forces personnel have been approved by President Droupadi Murmu.

• These awards include six posthumous awards.
• Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has been conferred the Ashok Chakra, which is India’s highest peacetime gallantry award.
• Kirti Chakras have been awarded to Major Arshdeep Singh, Naib Subedar Doleshwar Subba Singh, and Group Captain Prashanth Balakrishnan Nair.
• The gallantry awards list includes 13 Shaurya Chakras. One of the Shaurya Chakras has been awarded posthumously.
• The awards list also includes one Gallantry Bar to the Sena Medal, 44 Gallantry Sena Medals, including five posthumous, six Gallantry Nao Sena Medals, and two Gallantry Vayu Sena Medals.
• The President has additionally sanctioned 301 military decorations.
• These include 30 Param Vishisht Seva Medals, four Uttam Yudh Seva Medals, 56 Ati Vishisht Seva Medals, and nine Yudh Seva Medals.
• The list also includes two Distinguished Bars to the Sena Medal, 43 Distinguished Sena Medals, eight Distinguished Nao Sena Medals, 14 Distinguished Vayu Sena Medals, and 135 Vishisht Seva Medals.
• The President has also approved 98 Mentioned-in-Despatches. Five of these mentions have been awarded posthumously.
• These are for operations such as Rakshak, Snow Leopard, Hifazat, Orchid, Meghdoot, Rhino, Sindoor, Soffain.

Topic: Personality in News

9. Inderjit Singh Bindra passed away at the age of 84 on 25 January 2026.

• He was a former BCCI president and a key figure in bringing a new era of cricket marketing in India.
• He served as BCCI president from 1993 to 1996. 
• He was the president of the Punjab Cricket Association for more than three decades, from 1978 to 2014.
• In 2015,  PCA Stadium in Mohali was renamed the I.S. Bindra Stadium in recognition of his contributions.
• ICC Chairman Jay Shah described Bindra as a stalwart of Indian cricket administration.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

10. The Government of India has announced the Padma Awards for 2026.

• A total of 131 distinguished individuals has been selected.
• Five Padma Vibhushan awards have been approved. Thirteen Padma Bhushan awards will be conferred.
• One hundred and thirteen Padma Shri awards have been announced.
• Nineteen of the awardees are women. Sixteen honours will be presented posthumously.
• Actors Dharmendra & Mammootty, judge KT Thomas and politician VS Achuthanandhan, singer Alka Yagnik and cricketer Rohit Sharma are prominent among them.
• Several prominent names appear in the Padma Bhushan category.
• Padma Bhushan awardees include playback singer Alka Yagnik, former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Bhagat Singh Koshyari, Kallipatti Ramasamy Palaniswamy from Tamil Nadu, and Malayalam actor Mammootty from Kerala.
• Other recipients include Nori Dattatreyudu, Vijay Amritraj, S.K.M. Maeilanandhan from Tamil Nadu, Shatavadhani R. Ganesh, banker Uday Kotak and Vellappally Natesan.
• Piyush Pandey, V.K. Malhotra and Shibu Soren have been awarded the Padma Bhushan posthumously.
• One hundred and thirteen individuals have been named for Padma Shri awards, which recognises excellence in multiple professional fields.
• Batter Rohit Sharma, Praveen Kumar and, Captain of Indian Women Cricket team Harmanpreet Kaur, Baldev Singh, K Pajanivel, Savita Punia have been given Padma Shri for contribution in Sports.
• Padma Vibhushan (5) awardees 2026:
• 1. Dharmendra Singh Deol (Posthumous) – Art – Maharashtra
• 2. K T Thomas – Public Affairs – Kerala
• 3. N Rajam – Art – Uttar Pradesh
• 4. P Narayanan – Literature and Education – Kerala
• 5. V S Achuthanandhan (Posthumous) – Public Affairs – Kerala