Daily Current Affairs – 18-01-2026
International News
EU–Mercosur Free Trade Agreement Signed After 25 Years
The European Union (EU) and the South American trade bloc Mercosur signed a Free Trade Agreement on January 17, 2026, in Asuncion, Paraguay, marking the conclusion of 25 years of negotiations and creating the largest-ever trade agreement of the European Union. The agreement aims to reduce tariffs and expand trade between the two regions and now requires approval from the European Parliament and ratification by the legislatures of Mercosur member countries — Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. The signing ceremony was attended by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa, along with the heads of Mercosur nations. The agreement covers a combined market of about 700 million people, and trade between the two blocs reached 111 billion euros in 2024, making it one of the most significant international trade developments relevant to global economic integration.
India–Oman Sign MoU on Maritime Heritage and Museums
An Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on maritime heritage and museums was signed between India and Oman on January 17 in Muscat, the capital of Oman, to strengthen cooperation in maritime heritage, museum development, and knowledge sharing. As part of commemorating the long-standing maritime links between the two countries, the Indian stitched ship INS Tarangini undertook a voyage from Porbandar in Gujarat and arrived at Sultan Qaboos Port, Muscat. The ship was jointly received by Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal and Oman’s Minister of Transport, Communications and Information Technology Sayyid bin Hamoud bin Sayyid Al Maawali. The agreement focuses on collaboration in maritime heritage preservation and institutional cooperation, with participation from officials of the Indian Embassy in Oman and representatives from Oman’s Ministry of Heritage and Tourism.
India Clarifies Non-Participation in South African Naval Exercise
India clarified on January 17 that it did not participate in the naval exercise conducted in South African waters because the exercise was not officially held under the BRICS framework.
The naval drill, known as Exercise MOSI, was initiated and led by South Africa and included participation from the navies of China, Russia, Iran, Egypt, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, while India, despite being a BRICS member, did not take part.
The explanation was issued by the Ministry of External Affairs, stating that India participates only in officially recognised formats and has not joined such exercises earlier as well.
India, along with Brazil and South Africa, conducts a separate joint naval exercise called IBSAMAR, with the latest edition held in October 2024.
India assumed the BRICS presidency in October 2024, and the BRICS grouping, originally comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, was expanded in October 2024 to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates, with Indonesia scheduled to join in 2025.
The BRICS group collectively represents 49.5% of the world’s population, around 40 trillion dollars in combined GDP, and 26% of global trade.
High-Level Peace Commission Formed Under Trump for Gaza Reconstruction
A high-level committee named the “Peace Commission” has been formed under the leadership of U.S. President Donald Trump to reconstruct the Gaza Strip, which has been affected by the Israel–Hamas conflict, and to establish peace in the region.
Indian-origin World Bank President Ajay Banga has been included in this committee. He is expected to play a major role in reviving Gaza’s economy and mobilising investments for infrastructure development.
The committee also includes U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien, Special Envoy Steve Mnuchin, and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, along with representatives from Turkey, Qatar, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates, have also been included.
The committee will function with two major objectives: preventing Gaza from turning into a full-scale military conflict zone and ensuring the disarmament of the Hamas organisation.
It is noteworthy that no women or Palestinian representatives have been included in this committee. However, the White House has stated that additional members will be added in the coming weeks.
Under the supervision of this Peace Commission, a temporary administrative council (NCG) consisting of Palestinians has been formed to manage the day-to-day affairs of Gaza.
This council, led by Ali Shad, held its first meeting in Cairo, the capital of Egypt, where plans were discussed to restore normalcy in Gaza over the next three years. Priority was given to urgent tasks such as providing shelter to people who have lost their homes.
Yoweri Museveni Wins Uganda Presidential Election for Seventh Term
In the presidential election held in the East African nation of Uganda, incumbent President Yoweri Museveni secured victory for the seventh time, retaining the presidency.
The election for the President and Parliament of Uganda was conducted last Thursday, and the results were announced on January 17.
According to the official results, 81-year-old Yoweri Museveni received 71.65% of the votes, while opposition leader Bobi Wine secured 24.72%, finishing second.
Museveni has been serving as the President of Uganda since 1986, marking nearly 40 years in power.
During the election process, biometric voter identification devices failed to function in several locations, particularly in Kampala, the capital city.
Due to these technical issues, manual voting methods were used in some areas, and the opposition announced plans to challenge the election results in the Supreme Court.
India to Host Second India–Arab Foreign Ministers’ Meeting
India will host the 2nd India–Arab Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi on January 30–31, with participation expected from around 22 Arab foreign ministers, making it a major diplomatic engagement covering West Asia and North Africa.
The meeting may also include Syria, which came under a new administration at the end of 2024, and if Syria participates, it would mark the first ministerial-level interaction between India and Syria since the removal of Bashar al-Assad.
India’s Joint Secretary for West Asia and North Africa, Suresh Kumar, had earlier met Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani in July 2024.
The meeting involves countries that are members of the Arab League, which was founded in 1945 and is headquartered in Cairo, and includes nations such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Oman, Qatar, the UAE, Syria, and Yemen.
India has strengthened engagement with the region through diplomatic visits, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Jordan and Oman in December 2025, and several bilateral ties with Arab League members have been elevated to strategic partnerships.
Personalities, Awards and Events
Uttarakhand Recognised as ‘Leader’ in Startup India Ranking
In the States’ Startup Ecosystem Ranking (5th Edition) released by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Uttarakhand was awarded ‘Leader’ status for developing a strong startup ecosystem. The recognition was formally conferred through a Certificate of Appreciation presented to the Industries Department of Uttarakhand on the occasion of National Startup Day. This ranking evaluates the performance of Indian states in promoting startups through policy support, institutional mechanisms, and ecosystem development, making Uttarakhand one of the leading states under the national Startup India initiative.
National Award for Kerala’s Education Technology Body
The Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education (KITE) received national recognition for its contribution to digital education. The award was conferred on Samagra Plus, the Artificial Intelligence (AI) division of KITE, at the 6th Governance Digital Transformation Summit held in Delhi. The recognition was given under the category of e-learning, assessment, and digital education platform, highlighting the role of technology-driven initiatives in Kerala’s education system.
Anil Kumar Singh Appointed Director (Commercial) of NALCO
Anil Kumar Singh has assumed charge as Director (Commercial) of National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO), a Navratna Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE).
Prior to this appointment, he served as General Manager (Materials & Contracts) and in-charge of Human Resources at Hindustan Copper Limited, a CPSE functioning under the Ministry of Mines.
He has over 35 years of experience in the commercial division of the metal industry.
Singh is a graduate in Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering from BIT Sindri (1990) and holds additional qualifications including GDMM, MBA (Materials Management), and PGDCA.
He began his professional career in the Materials Management Division of Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL), Visakhapatnam.
Tamil Nadu News
Priority in Government Jobs for Jallikattu Bull Tamers
The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M.K. Stalin, announced that priority will be given in government jobs to the best Jallikattu bull tamers, similar to provisions available for other sports persons. The announcement was made at the Jallikattu competition held at Alanganallur in Madurai district, where prizes were distributed to winning participants. The Chief Minister also announced that a Kalaignar Centenary Aeruthazhuvuthal Arena will be constructed at Alanganallur, and a special high-level treatment and training centre for Jallikattu bulls will be established in the same region at an estimated cost of ₹2 crore, marking an important policy decision related to Tamil Nadu’s traditional sport.
Sports News
Mirra Andreeva and Tomas Machac Win Adelaide International Titles
At the Adelaide International Tennis Tournament held in Australia, Russia’s Mirra Andreeva and Czech Republic’s Tomas Machac won the championship titles in the women’s and men’s singles categories respectively on January 17.
In the women’s singles final, third-seeded Mirra Andreeva defeated Canada’s Victoria Ponkova by 6-3, 6-1, securing her fourth career title and her first title in a 500-point series tournament, which helped her move to 7th place in the world rankings.
In the men’s singles final, second-seeded Tomas Machac defeated France’s Luca Van Assche with a score of 4-6, 6-2, 6-2, earning his second senior professional title and rising 11 places to 24th in the world rankings.
In the same tournament, the men’s doubles title was won by the second-seeded pair Jamie McEnroe and Roy Beeton, while the women’s doubles title was claimed by the fourth-seeded pair Mirra Milic and Anna.
The women’s singles champion received a prize money of ₹1.68 crore, while the men’s singles champion was awarded ₹96 lakh.
National News
Vande Bharat Sleeper Train Launched Between Howrah and Guwahati
The first Vande Bharat Sleeper train was flagged off on January 17, 2026, connecting Howrah (West Bengal) and Guwahati (Assam), marking the introduction of sleeper-class services under the Vande Bharat series.
The train covers a total distance of 972 kilometres in 14 hours and will begin commercial operations from next week.
The train was inaugurated virtually from Malda in West Bengal, while the rake was present at Kamakhya Junction, Guwahati.
The Vande Bharat Sleeper rakes are manufactured by BEML (Bharat Earth Movers Limited) and are equipped with modern facilities such as hot water supply in 1AC coaches, GPS-based LED display and announcement system, sensor-based inter-communication doors, and modular pantry service.
The fare for Third AC travel from Howrah to Guwahati is ₹2,299. The train includes 50% motor coaches, enabling faster acceleration and efficient semi-high-speed operations, making it a significant development in Indian Railways’ long-distance passenger transport system.