Weekly Current Affairs Test : 1st to 7th January 2026

Gujarat Government led by Chief Minister (CM) Bhupendra Patel approved the Indian Artificial Intelligence Research Organization (IAIRO) at Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City), Gandhinagar. Gujarat became the first state in India to establish a national Artificial Intelligence (AI) research institution under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. IAIRO will start operations on 1 January 2026 as a non-profit under Section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013. It will follow a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model via State Government, Central Government and Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA).

As per recent report by Indian government, India surpassed Japan to become the world’s fourth-largest economy with Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of USD 4.18 trillion. India is expected to overtake Germany to become the third-largest economy by 2030 with projected GDP of USD 7.3 trillion. India remains the world’s fastest-growing major economy despite global trade uncertainties. Real GDP grew 8.2% in Quarter 2 of 2025–26, rising steadily from previous quarters. Growth is driven mainly by strong private consumption and domestic demand. The United States (US) ranks first and China second in global economy size.

Bihar government approved a revised proposal to notify Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary as a Tiger Reserve. The proposal will be sent to the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) for final clearance. Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary is the largest sanctuary in Bihar with rich biodiversity and dense forests. It is located in Kaimur and Rohtas districts within the Kaimur Range. The area covers parts of the Kaimur Plateau and Rohtas Plateau.

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted a salvo launch of two Pralay missiles from the same launcher off Odisha coast. The test was part of user evaluation trials by Indian Air Force and Indian Army. Both missiles followed the planned trajectory and met all flight objectives. Tracking was done by Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur and onboard telemetry systems. Pralay is an indigenously developed solid-propellant quasi-ballistic missile with high-precision guidance. It can carry different warheads for multiple target types. The missile was developed by Research Centre Imarat, Hyderabad with other DRDO labs.

Army Hospital (Research and Referral), Delhi, performed India’s first 3D Flex Aqueous Angiography with iStent. The procedure combines advanced imaging with minimally invasive glaucoma surgery. Glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness with silent progression. The surgery used a stand-mounted Spectralis system and a 3D operating microscope. The breakthrough allows real-time visualization of aqueous outflow pathways. Surgeons can deliver precise, targeted interventions, improving patient outcomes. The procedure positions Armed Forces Medical Services at the forefront of global ophthalmic care.

Goa will create its third district named Kushavati, after the ancient Kushavati River flowing through southern Goa. The river reflects Goa’s ancient geography, culture, livelihood, and ecological identity from historic times like the Chalukya dynasty. The district includes Sanguem, Dharbandora, Quepem, and Canacona talukas, with headquarters at Quepem. Usgalimal petroglyphs on laterite stones along the river show early human settlement thousands of years old. The district will have a new Zilla Panchayat (District Council) to improve governance and development.

Fourteen-year-old Amieyra Khoslla won the Gold Medal in Youth Girls (Under-17) at the 29th National Sport Climbing Championship (NSCC) 2025 held in Bengaluru from 26–29 December. She competed in the bouldering discipline, showing excellent strength, technique, and calm mindset. In the qualification round on 27 December, she scored a perfect 100.0, topping all four bouldering problems. The championship was organised by the Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF) with the General Thimayya National Academy of Adventure (GETHNAA).

Amazonian stingless bees have become the first insects in the world to be granted legal rights. The decision was taken through a landmark ordinance passed by local municipalities in Peru. The law recognises their right to exist, survive, and flourish. This step highlights their critical role as pollinators in the Amazon rainforest ecosystem. It also acknowledges their importance to biodiversity, agriculture, and Indigenous communities. The move sets a global precedent for legal protection of insects and nature.

A powerful winter storm rapidly intensified into a bomb cyclone named Winter Storm Ezra across the United States of America (USA). More than 58 million people were under winter storm warnings, with blizzards, strong winds, and power outages. A bomb cyclone forms when atmospheric pressure drops sharply within 24 hours, causing extreme weather. Authorities warned against travel as hazardous conditions continue moving eastward.

On New Year, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) launched Voice over WiFi (VoWiFi), also called Wi-Fi Calling, across all telecom circles in India. VoWiFi allows voice calls and messages over a Wi-Fi network using the same mobile number and dialer. It works well in weak mobile signal areas like homes, basements, offices, and remote regions. The service is Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS)-based, supporting smooth Wi-Fi to mobile handover. VoWiFi is free of cost, reduces network congestion, and supports rural connectivity with broadband access.

The Ministry of Defence signed defence contracts worth ₹4,666 crore to strengthen the Indian Army and Indian Navy. The deal includes Close Quarter Battle Carbines for both forces and Heavyweight Torpedoes for the Indian Navy. The Close Quarter Battle Carbine is a 56 × 45 millimetre compact firearm made under Indigenous Design, Development and Manufacturing. It is designed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO’s) Armament Research and Development Establishment, Pune. It is manufactured by Bharat Forge Limited, a Pune-based Indian multinational company.

The rare Sirkeer Malkoha has been recorded for the first time in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand. It is usually found in the plains of Uttarakhand, making this sighting significant. Sirkeer Malkoha, also called sirkeer cuckoo, is a unique type of cuckoo bird. It is found across the sub-Himalayan Indian subcontinent, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and parts of Pakistan and Rajasthan. It lives in scrublands, thin forests, and hilly areas. The International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List classifies it as Least Concern.

Bulgaria recently became the 21st member of the Eurozone, moving closer to full European integration. Bulgaria is located in southeastern Europe on the eastern part of the Balkan Peninsula. It shares borders with Romania, Turkey, Greece, North Macedonia, and Serbia, and has a maritime boundary with the Black Sea. The capital city of Bulgaria is Sofia.

Assam became the first Indian state to constitute its 8th State Pay Commission before the 7th Pay Commission ends on 1 January 2026. The decision was announced by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Former Chief Secretary Subhas Das has been appointed as the head of the new Pay Commission. The move comes even before the Union Government’s 8th Central Pay Commission has started work. The 8th Pay Commission will revise salaries, allowances, and pensions of state government employees. Early constitution shows Assam’s intent to speed up the pay revision process. State employees and pensioners may get quicker clarity on future pay and pension benefits.

Minister of State for Rural Development and Communications, launched Land Stack in Chandigarh and Tamil Nadu and released the Glossary of Revenue Terms in New Delhi. These initiatives are part of the Digital India Land Record Modernisation Programme, aiming for modern, transparent, and citizen-centric land governance. Land Stack is an integrated GIS-based digital platform inspired by Singapore, the United Kingdom, and Finland. It provides single-window access to land and property information for citizens and government agencies.

The President of India graced a special programme under Skilling for AI Readiness (SOAR) Programme. It is an initiative of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE). The programme aims to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) learning into school education and training systems. It prepares students and teachers for a fast-changing digital world and AI-based careers. The government has allocated ₹500 crore to set up a Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence for Education.

Seven rare galaxy frogs (Melanobatrachus indicus) in Kerala’s Western Ghats have disappeared and are presumed dead after disturbance by wildlife photographers. Photographers overturned logs, trampled vegetation, handled frogs barehanded, and used strong camera flashes. They are endemic to the southern Western Ghats mountain range in India, specifically found in small patches of wet evergreen forests in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The species is listed as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Recently, around 60 people were injured when a loco train carrying workers hit a goods train inside the Pipalkoti tunnel of the Vishnugad–Pipalkoti Hydroelectric Project. The Vishnugad–Pipalkoti Hydroelectric Project (VPHEP) is a run-of-river hydropower project on the Alaknanda River, a major tributary of the Ganga River, in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. The project will generate about 1,665 gigawatt-hours of electricity annually. It is developed by THDC India Limited, a joint venture of the Government of India and the Government of Uttar Pradesh, with World Bank funding.

World Braille Day is observed every year on 4 January. The day marks the birth anniversary of Louis Braille, a French educator born in 1809. He invented Braille in 1824, a code using six raised dots that allows visually impaired people to read with their fingertips. Braille is used globally in many languages for reading, writing, solving math problems, scientific equations, learning music, and daily activities like shopping. In New Delhi, the National Federation of the Blind organized a function to commemorate the day and launched a campaign called More Braille More Empowerment to promote equality and dignity for visually impaired people.

Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Grand International Exposition of Sacred Piprahwa Relics of Bhagwan Buddha in New Delhi. The exhibition titled The Light and the Lotus displays relics repatriated after about 125 years. The Piprahwa relics were discovered in 1898 and are directly linked to Bhagwan Buddha. The Piprahwa site is associated with ancient Kapilavastu, where Buddha spent his early life. The government stopped their international auction, considering them sacred heritage, not artifacts.

The Union Minister directed sediment removal at the Salal Power Project in Jammu and Kashmir to maximise water use amid the Indus Waters Treaty between India and Pakistan being kept in abeyance. Salal is a 690 Megawatt (MW) run-of-the-river hydroelectric project on the Chenab River in Reasi district. It is owned by National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC). It was India’s first hydropower project under the Indus Waters Treaty regime in Kashmir. The dam is 130 metres high at 1627 feet above mean sea level. Jammu and Kashmir gets 12.5 percent power, while the rest goes to the Northern Grid supplying multiple northern states.

Pakistan Air Force recently conducted a successful flight test of the indigenously developed Taimoor Weapon System. Taimoor is an air-launched cruise missile developed by Pakistan. It is designed to hit enemy land and sea targets with high precision. It uses subsonic turbojet propulsion, enabling efficient long-range flight. The missile has a strike range of up to 600 kilometres with a conventional warhead. Its stealth features include a box-shaped fuselage, X-type tail, and foldable wings. It flies at very low altitude to evade enemy air and missile defence systems.

The Design Linked Incentive (DLI) Scheme strengthens India’s position in the high-value chip design segment of the global semiconductor value chain. It supports India’s goal of building a strong fabless semiconductor ecosystem. The scheme is implemented by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) under the Semicon India Programme. It aims to reduce import dependence, improve supply chain resilience, and increase domestic value addition. Start-ups and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) get financial incentives and design infrastructure support.

Delhi government plans to declare rabies a notifiable disease to strengthen disease surveillance and early outbreak detection. A notifiable disease is legally required to be reported to government health authorities. Timely notification helps monitor disease trends and provides early warning of outbreaks. The Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 gives the legal basis for notifying diseases in India. Diseases are notified based on incidence, severity, communicability, outbreak potential, and risk of international spread.

Ladakh’s double-humped Bactrian camels will debut at the 77th Republic Day parade, highlighting their unique heritage. Scientifically known as Camelus bactrianus, they are large even-toed ungulates called Ladakh’s “silent warriors”. They are native to Central Asia, ranging from Afghanistan to China, mainly in the Mongolian steppes and Gobi Desert. In India, small populations survive in the high-altitude cold desert of Nubra Valley, Ladakh. They are mainly herbivores and are listed as Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Scientists discovered a new species of reed snake in Mizoram and named it Calamaria mizoramensis after the state. It is a non-venomous snake, meaning it does not produce poison harmful to humans. The species is nocturnal, active mainly at night, and semi-fossorial, meaning it partly lives underground. It inhabits humid, forested hill regions at elevations of 670 to 1,295 metres above sea level, even near human settlements. The snake is small, with a dark brown to blackish body, faint stripes, and a yellow underside.

A three-year-old tiger cub identified as PKT7CP1, rescued three years ago after losing its mother, has been moved to Dnyanganga Wildlife Sanctuary for rewilding. Dnyanganga Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Buldhana district of Maharashtra near the Dnyanganga River. It forms part of the Melghat Tiger Reserve, supporting tiger conservation and rewilding efforts. The sanctuary covers about 205 square kilometres and contains two lakes. It is surrounded by scenic hills of the Western Ghats, a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site.

Recently, the government announced relaxation for deep-tech startups to get recognition under the Industrial Research and Development Promotion Program (IRDPP). It is a Research and Development (R&D) programme of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR), Government of India. The programme supports research in Engineering Science, Environmental Science, Natural and Applied Sciences, Agricultural, Medical, and Social Sciences. Funding and recognition are provided by DSIR.

Recently, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) developed a portable desalination device named Sea Water Desalination System (SWaDeS). It is designed to meet drinking water needs of soldiers in remote and field conditions. The system can be manually operated or engine-driven and was developed by Defence Laboratory, Jodhpur for Tri-command services. The manual version can be carried by one person and supports 10–12 personnel during emergencies. It is suitable for naval operations, coastal areas, and inland saline regions like Pangong Tso in Ladakh.

National Siddha Day is observed every year in India on January 6 to mark the birth anniversary of Sage Agathiyar, regarded as the father of the Siddha system of medicine. The day coincides with the Ayilyam star in the Tamil month of Margazhi. The first National Siddha Day was observed on 4 January 2018. The 9th National Siddha Day falls on 6 January 2026.