Daily Current Affairs – 17-02-2026

Tamil Nadu News

MoUs Worth ₹5,980 Crore Signed in Tamil Nadu

Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) worth ₹5,980 crore were signed in the presence of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin between Japan’s NMB Minebea (subsidiary of MinebeaMitsumi) and the Aequs Group, creating employment opportunities for 8,400 people in Tamil Nadu. From 2021 to date, a total of 1,179 MoUs have been signed in the State, attracting investments worth ₹12.37 lakh crore. NMB Minebea has committed an investment of ₹1,980 crore to establish a semiconductor manufacturing facility and R&D centre for IGBTs (Insulated-Gate Bipolar Transistors) and ICs (Integrated Circuits) at Mahindra Origins Industrial Park, Thiruvallur district, generating employment for 1,400 people. The Aequs Group has committed an investment of ₹4,000 crore to establish an Aerospace and Defence manufacturing cluster, including aircraft engine and gearbox component manufacturing, at SIPCOT – Shoolagiri Industrial Park, Krishnagiri district, creating employment for 7,000 people.

National News

NGT Approves ₹80,000 Crore Great Nicobar Project

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has approved the ₹80,000 crore Great Nicobar Project to be implemented in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, dismissing petitions filed against it. The case was filed by environmental activist Ashish Kothari, alleging violation of the Island Coastal Regulation Zone (ICRZ) Notification, 2019, particularly concerning construction activities over 700 hectares in restricted areas. A special six-member bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava granted approval to the project and stated that adequate safeguards are included in the environmental clearance. The tribunal directed that all conditions mentioned in the environmental clearance must be strictly followed by the concerned authorities and regulatory agencies. The project will be implemented over an area of 166 sq. km, including 130 sq. km of forest area, and includes a container trans-shipment terminal, an integrated township, an airport for military and civil use, and a 450 MVA gas and solar power plant.

PM Surya Ghar - Muft Bijli Yojana

The Central Government launched the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana on February 13, 2024, with the objective of providing up to 300 units of free electricity per month by installing rooftop solar panels in households. The scheme was launched with a financial allocation of ₹75,021 crore and aims to install solar systems in one crore households by March 2027. The government provides a one-time financial assistance of up to ₹78,000 per household under the scheme. In the last two years, more than 23 lakh rooftop solar systems with a total capacity of approximately 8,691 MW have been installed across the country, and a subsidy of ₹16,932.4 crore has been provided. In implementation, Gujarat ranks first with 5.6 lakh installations, followed by Maharashtra (4.5 lakh) and Uttar Pradesh (3.7 lakh).

IIT Madras–Finland MoU for VAYYU Virtual Research Centre

IIT Madras has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Finland Meteorological Institute to establish a virtual research centre named ‘VAYYU’ for studies related to air quality, weather, and climate change. The centre will focus on research areas such as aerosol–meteorology interactions, Himalayan atmosphere–cryosphere linkages, urban air quality, and the impact of aerosols on regional Hydro-Climate and melting of Himalayan snow and glaciers, including effects on Indian megacities. The MoU was signed by IIT Madras Dean of Research Shanthi Pavan, IC&SR Dean Manu Santhanam, VAYYU Coordinator Chandan Sarangi, and from the Finland Meteorological Institute, Professor Petteri Taalas, Professor Hannele Korhonen, and Dr. Rakesh K. Hooda; IIT Madras Director V. Kamakoti is associated with the initiative.

AI Summit Inaugurated at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a 5-day Artificial Intelligence (AI) Summit at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. More than 600 stalls were set up and over 840 companies participated in the summit. Leaders from 20 countries, including UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, along with 50 ministers and 50 CEOs of leading global companies, participated in the event. More than 5,000 foreign delegates attended the summit. The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) launched a digital payment service named “UPI One World” for foreign delegates, enabling them to load up to ₹25,000, with an additional ₹25,000, subject to a monthly limit of ₹50,000, for transactions in India through the UPI QR code system. The service was made available at the Delhi International Airport and Halls 14 and 16 of Bharat Mandapam. The UPI system has been introduced in countries including France, UAE, Qatar, Singapore, Nepal, Bhutan, Mauritius, and Sri Lanka, and more than 30 countries, including Cyprus and Malaysia, are set to launch it soon.

Sports News

Rashid Khan Becomes First to Take 700 T20 Wickets

In the ICC T20 World Cup, the Afghanistan cricket team defeated the United Arab Emirates by 5 wickets, during which Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan took one wicket. This dismissal marked his 700th wicket in T20 cricket, making him the first player to take 700 wickets in all forms of T20 matches, including professional and international cricket. In comparison, Dwayne Bravo of the West Indies has taken 631 wickets, placing him second, while Sunil Narine has taken 613 wickets, placing him third in T20 wicket tally.

Launch of Tamilar Thadam Website and Tamil Manam Scheme

The Government of Tamil Nadu has launched the ‘Tamilar Thadam’ website as an online repository to document and share historical records, research articles, migration notes, and events related to Non-Resident Tamils (NRTs) across the world; the website https://nrtamils.tn.gov.in/tamilar-thadam/ was inaugurated at the Tamil Nadu Secretariat by Minister for Minorities Welfare and Non-Resident Tamils Welfare Nasser. The State Government has also launched the ‘Tamil Manam’ scheme to provide Tamil language and arts training to overseas Tamils by sending trained teachers and artists to foreign countries. Under this scheme, appointment orders were issued to 10 art instructors selected to work in 8 countries, including Reunion, Maldives, Indonesia, Malawi, and Cambodia. The event was attended by Additional Chief Secretary K. Manivasan (Tourism, Culture and Religious Endowments Department), Principal Secretary Reeta Harish Thakkar (Public and Rehabilitation Department), and Commissioner M. Vallalar (Non-Resident Tamils Welfare and Rehabilitation Department).

Personalities, Awards and Events

Kalaignar Memorial Kalaithurai Vithagar Award 2024–2025

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin presented the ‘Kalaignar Memorial Kalaithurai Vithagar Award’ to veteran actress M.N. Rajam for the year 2024 and senior film director S.P. Muthuraman for the year 2025 at the Tamil Nadu Secretariat. The award was announced during the 2022–2023 Demand for Grants of the Information and Public Relations Department, and it is given annually by the Government of Tamil Nadu to honour lifetime achievers in the Tamil film industry, carrying a cash prize of ₹10 lakh and a memento. M.N. Rajam debuted as a child artist in 1949 and has acted in more than 200 Tamil films, including Rathakaneer, Pennin Perumai, Pudhayal, Thanga Padhumai, Nadodi Mannan, and Pasamalar. S.P. Muthuraman began his career as an assistant director in the 1960 film ‘Kalathur Kannamma’ and directed more than 70 Tamil films between 1970 and 1990. The event was attended by Information Minister M.P. Saminathan, Chief Secretary N. Muruganandam, Tamil Development and Information Secretary V. Rajaraman, and Director of Information and Public Relations R. Vaithinathan.

International News

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Visit to Israel – February 25–26

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Israel on February 25 and 26, marking his second visit to the country after his historic 2017 visit, when he became the first Indian Prime Minister to travel to Israel. During the visit, he is expected to participate as a special guest at an event in the Israeli Parliament (Knesset) and hold discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on bilateral, regional, and global issues, including the Gaza issue. In the background of strengthening India–Israel relations, several Israeli ministers including Haim Katz (Tourism Minister), Nir Barkat (Economy and Industry Minister), Avi Dichter (Agriculture and Food Security Minister), and Bezalel Smotrich (Finance Minister) visited India last year. During September, the India–Israel Bilateral Investment Treaty was signed; in November, a security agreement was signed between the two countries, and terms of reference were signed to begin negotiations on an India–Israel Free Trade Agreement during the visit of Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal. In December, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar visited Israel and met Benjamin Netanyahu, President Isaac Herzog, and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar.

CCPA Imposes ₹5 Lakh Fine on Snapdeal

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed a penalty of ₹5 lakh on the e-commerce company Snapdeal for selling toys that did not comply with the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) norms and the Toys (Quality Control) Order, 2020. The final order was issued following a suo motu investigation conducted by the authority under the leadership of CCPA Chief Commissioner Nidhi Khare. The investigation revealed that Snapdeal earned ₹41,032 by selling toys without details such as manufacturer name, address, and BIS certification number through entities named Stalion Trading Company and Thriftkart. The CCPA directed Snapdeal to ensure that non-BIS compliant toys are not listed or advertised in the future and to prominently display grievance redressal details on its platform. The authority also issued notices to Amazon, Flipkart, Stalion Trading Company, and Electronics Bazaar Store seeking explanations in this matter.

Dallas Open 2024 – Ben Shelton Wins Title

In the Dallas Open men’s tennis tournament held in the United States, Ben Shelton (USA) won the men’s singles title by defeating top seed Tommy Paul (USA) with a score of 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 in the final. This victory marked Shelton’s first indoor title and his fourth ATP Tour title overall; he earned 500 ranking points and a cash prize of ₹4.80 crore. In the doubles category, the French pair Theo Arribage and Albano Olivetti defeated the top-seeded duo of Horacio Zeballos (Argentina) and Marcel Granollers (Spain) with a score of 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) to win the title, receiving 500 ranking points and a cash prize of ₹1.57 crore.

Anthropic Opens Second Asia Office in Bengaluru

Anthropic, a leading Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology company, has opened its second Asia office in Bengaluru. The company is known for developing the AI software ‘Claude’. As part of its entry into India, Anthropic has signed agreements with companies including Air India, Reliance, and CRED, and plans to provide AI services in Indian languages. The India division is headed by Rinona Ghosh. The introduction of Anthropic’s new AI tools led to concerns over reduced human labour demand across sectors such as Information Technology and Telecommunications, and reports indicate investor losses of up to ₹2 lakh crore over a period of six months to one year.

Reports and Indices

UNESCO AI Readiness Assessment Report on India

The UNESCO AI Readiness Assessment Report on India, developed in partnership with the IndiaAI Mission, assessed India’s Artificial Intelligence ecosystem under legal and regulatory, social and cultural, and technical dimensions, and was released at the AI Impact Summit. The report states that India has a hybrid AI governance framework involving multiple stakeholders and strong momentum in multi-lingual AI, along with a solid talent pool and patents in AI, but highlights the need to improve data quality and strengthen AI skilling, which remains largely urban-centric. It cautions against overly prescriptive regulations and recommends greater Centre–State coordination in AI regulation and better integration of AI into curricula. The report aligns with UNESCO’s Recommendation on the Ethics of AI and follows nationwide regional consultations conducted with the IndiaAI Mission and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY); key officials associated with the release include Tim Curtis (UNESCO Representative in India), S. Krishnan (Secretary, MeitY), and Ajay Kumar Sood (Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India).

Economy News

RBI Issues Liberalised External Commercial Borrowing (ECB) Guidelines

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued liberalised External Commercial Borrowing (ECB) guidelines, allowing eligible Indian resident entities to access higher borrowing limits at market-determined rates, change the currency of ECB, and convert ECB into a non-debt instrument. Under the revised norms, a borrower under a restructuring scheme or Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP) can also raise funds through this route. An eligible borrower can raise ECB up to $1 billion or ensure that total outstanding borrowing does not exceed 300 per cent of net worth as per the last audited standalone balance sheet. While there is no cap on the cost of borrowing under market conditions, ECBs with an average maturity period of less than three years must comply with the cost ceiling specified for trade credit; the minimum average maturity period (MAMP) is three years. ECBs may be secured by creating charges on immovable, movable, financial, and intangible assets, including intellectual property rights, and guarantees may be issued under the Foreign Exchange Management (Guarantees) Regulations, 2026. The RBI has expanded the list of eligible borrowers to include those facing pending investigation, adjudication, or appeal by a law enforcement agency, subject to disclosure requirements, and ECBs may be raised from recognised non-resident entities, including institutions regulated by RBI and financial institutions set up in IFSC.

BEL–Safran Joint Venture for Hammer Missiles Production

Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Safran Electronics and Defence (SED) have decided to form a 50:50 Joint Venture (JV) to manufacture Hammer missiles, which are mounted on fighter aircraft such as the Rafale, with the proposed private company likely to be located in Pune. The company will be incorporated with an initial authorised share capital of ₹1,00,000, consisting of 1,000 equity shares of ₹100 each, which may be increased up to ₹10 crore depending on business requirements. The Memorandum of Understanding is expected to be signed during the three-day official visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to India. The agreement will be formalised during the Sixth India–France Annual Defence Dialogue, co-chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and French Minister for Armed Forces and Veteran Affairs Catherine Vautrin in Bengaluru. The indigenously manufactured Hammer missiles will also be fitted on the marine versions of fighter aircraft deployed by the Indian Navy.

Tamil Nadu’s First Coral Gallery at Ariyaman, Ramanathapuram

The Tamil Nadu Forest Department has proposed to establish the State’s first Coral Gallery (Corallarium) at Ariyaman village, Ramanathapuram district, at an estimated cost of ₹92 lakh, with the tender floated on February 12. The project is being implemented by the Wildlife Division of the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park and will function as a Marine Biodiversity Interpretation Centre to promote marine tourism in Rameswaram and create awareness on marine ecology conservation. The gallery will be constructed on 2,420 sq ft land near the Pamban Bridge and will include a live marine aquarium with native species such as clownfish, seahorses, and lionfish, along with a separate display of ethically sourced coral specimens and marine skeletal forms. The structure will be located about 270 metres landward from the High Tide Line, outside the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) No Development Zone, and will incorporate features such as turtle-friendly lighting, salt-resistant materials, double-roof passive cooling system, and traditional Athangudi tiles; the project is expected to be completed within 180 days from commissioning.

NPCI Extends UPI One World for India AI Impact Summit 2026

The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has extended the ‘UPI One World’ wallet service for international visitors from over 40 countries attending the India AI Impact Summit 2026, scheduled to be held in New Delhi from February 16 to 20, 2026. Under this pilot initiative, inbound foreign travellers can make real-time Person-to-Merchant (P2M) UPI payments during their stay in India using the UPI One World wallet service.

Unemployment Rate Rises to 5% in January 2026

According to the latest Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) released by the Government, the unemployment rate among persons aged 15 years and above in India increased from 4.8% in December 2025 to 5% in January 2026. The data shows that the unemployment rate recorded a marginal rise in both rural and urban areas during January. The survey also indicated a decline in the Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) and the Worker Population Ratio (WPR) across both rural and urban regions.