Daily Current Affairs – 26-02-2026

National News

Defence Ministry Issues RFI for New Business Jets

The Defence Ministry of India has issued a Request for Information (RFI) to procure long-range business jets for senior defence dignitaries and chiefs of the armed forces. The move aims to replace the existing fleet of business jets operated by the Indian Air Force (IAF), which has been in service for 20 years, and the replacement will be carried out in a phased manner. The RFI seeks inputs from Indian and foreign vendors regarding aircraft and associated equipment, and outlines operational characteristics, technical parameters, and compliance requirements. On September 21, 2005, four Embraer Legacy 600 business jets were inducted into the Air Headquarters Communication Squadron of the IAF, with three delivered initially and the fourth later. The aircraft were named Meghdoot, Vayudoot, Nabhdoot, and Gagandoot and are used for VIP and communication duties. The existing fleet requires a take-off distance of 1,800 metres and a landing distance of 1,400 metres, and is equipped with self-protection suites against missile threats.

E20 Petrol to be Priced at Par with 95 Octane from April 1

From April 1, the price of E20 petrol will be made equal to that of 95 Octane petrol, according to the announcement reported from New Delhi. E20 petrol contains 20% ethanol blended with petrol and was introduced in 2023 as part of the ethanol blending initiative. At present, E20 petrol is being sold at select petrol bunks, and the revised pricing will align it with 95 Octane fuel. The move relates to the ongoing implementation of the ethanol blending programme aimed at increasing the use of ethanol-blended fuel in India.

L&T Secures ₹10,000 Crore Power Projects in India and Middle East

Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has secured power infrastructure contracts worth ₹10,000 crore in India and the Middle East, as announced on February 25 from New Delhi. The contracts were won by its Power Distribution Division and officially informed to the National Stock Exchange (NSE). In India, the projects include a major power infrastructure project in West Bengal, where L&T will construct two 220 kilovolt power stations in the industrial region of Durgapur–Raniganj–Asansol, along with associated transmission infrastructure to ensure stable power supply. In the Middle East, the company secured contracts in three countries to establish five substations of up to 500 kilovolt capacity and develop over 250 km of new power transmission lines, including installation of 400 kilovolt underground power cables.

CBDC-Based Digital Food Currency Pilot Launched under PMGKAY in Puducherry

The Government of India launched a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC)-based Digital Food Currency pilot for Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) in Puducherry on February 26, 2026, and it was inaugurated by Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Pralhad Joshi, in the presence of Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry K. Kailashnathan and Chief Minister N. Rangasamy. Under this pilot, food subsidy will be credited directly into beneficiaries’ CBDC wallets as programmable digital currency (e₹) issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), replacing conventional bank account transfers in the existing DBT model. Beneficiaries can redeem the digital coupons for entitled foodgrains at Fair Price Shops (FPS) and authorized merchant outlets, ensuring secure, traceable and real-time transactions. The initiative integrates CBDC into the Public Distribution System (PDS) and builds upon the Jan Dhan–Aadhaar–Mobile (JAM) Trinity, strengthening digital governance in welfare delivery. The pilot will be expanded across Puducherry and subsequently rolled out in Chandigarh and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, after outcome assessment. The scheme operates under PMGKAY, described as the world’s largest food security programme, covering over 80 crore beneficiaries, and includes distribution of wheat, rice and millets. The initiative is supported by the Department of Food and Public Distribution, RBI, and Canara Bank, and forms part of broader digital reforms such as One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC), deployment of e-POS devices, and digital supply chain systems including Ann Chakra and grievance redressal platform Ann Sahayata.

4th India–Kenya Joint Defence Cooperation Committee (JDCC) Meeting Held in Nairobi

The 4th Meeting of the Joint Defence Cooperation Committee (JDCC) between India and Kenya was held in Nairobi, Kenya from February 24 to 26, 2026, as per PIB Delhi. The meeting focused on expanding service-to-service engagements, maritime security cooperation, defence research and production, customized training programmes, military exercises, border management, Electronic Warfare, Cyber Security, and military medical cooperation. Both sides agreed to formulate a five-year roadmap to deepen defence cooperation and to initiate structured interactions between their respective Navies. The meeting was co-chaired by Shri Amitabh Prasad, Joint Secretary (IC), Ministry of Defence, India, and Major General Fredrick L. Leuria, Assistant Chief of Defence Forces, Kenya. The Indian delegation included senior officials from the Department of Defence, Armed Services, and DGAFMS (Directorate General of Armed Forces Medical Services). The delegation also met General Charles Kahariri, Chief of Defence Forces, Kenya, and Dr. Patrick Mariru, Principal Secretary Defence, Kenya, and interacted with Lt Gen Juma Shee Mwinyikai, Commandant NDC Kenya, and Maj Gen Paul Otieno, Commander of Kenya Navy at the Mtongwe Naval Base. During the visit, homage was paid at the Joint India–Africa Commemorative Memorial at Mile 27, Taita Taveta County, Kenya, honouring soldiers who died during World War I in the East African theatre.

UIDAI Partners with Google to Display Authorised Aadhaar Centres on Google Maps

The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has partnered with Google to enable the display of authorised Aadhaar Centres on Google Maps, as announced on February 26, 2026 (PIB Delhi). The initiative will allow residents to locate the nearest verified Aadhaar centres and identify the services offered, including adult enrolment, child enrolment, address update and mobile update. Information regarding accessibility features such as divyang-friendly infrastructure, parking facilities and operating hours will also be displayed wherever applicable. The collaboration aims to provide seamless access to over 60,000 Aadhaar centres, including Aadhaar Seva Kendras (ASKs) across the country. In the next phase, UIDAI will use Google Business Profile to manage centre information and respond to feedback, and future plans include enabling direct appointment booking through the Google Maps interface.

Centre Approves ₹797 Crore Green Hydrogen Jetty at Paradip Port

The Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW) approved the development of a dedicated jetty with allied facilities for handling green hydrogen, ammonia and other liquid cargo at Paradip Port at an estimated cost of ₹797.17 crore, as announced on February 26, 2026 . The project will be implemented by the Paradip Port Authority on a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) basis and will have a handling capacity of 4.0 million tonnes per annum (MTPA). The infrastructure will include a dedicated jetty, storage systems, pipelines and handling equipment. The jetty will have a centre-to-centre distance of 279 metres between extreme end dolphins and a dredged depth of 14.3 metres in front of the berth. The Paradip Port Authority will provide capital support of 20% of the project cost (₹159.43 crore) during the construction phase, and the project is expected to be completed within 24 months. The project is aligned with the National Green Hydrogen Mission and aims to strengthen port-based logistics for clean energy commodities in Odisha. The approval was announced by Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal.

International News

U.S. Imposes 126% Levy on Indian Solar Cell Imports

The U.S. Department of Commerce imposed a 126% levy on solar cell imports from India on February 24 following a preliminary determination that subsidised exports violated World Trade Organization (WTO) subsidy rules and affected U.S. solar firms. The action followed a complaint by the Alliance for American Solar Manufacturing and Trade and was applied collectively on India, Indonesia and Laos. Indian firms named under scrutiny included Mundra Solar Energy Pvt. Ltd., Premier Energies Photovoltaic Pvt. Ltd., Waaree Energies Ltd., and Waaree Solar Americas, with Adani Group firms specifically assigned a duty rate of 125.87%, though currently applicable to all Indian exporters. Initial rates were set at 86%–143% for Indonesia and 81% for Laos. The levy comes after a framework agreement between New Delhi and Washington to reduce tariffs on Indian exports to 18% from 50%, and after the U.S. Supreme Court quashed earlier Trump tariffs as unconstitutional, following which a 15% baseline duty was introduced on several imports. Existing duties of up to 40% already apply to solar cell exports, and the final determination in the countervailing duty (CVD) investigation is scheduled for July 6, 2026, while an anti-dumping duty probe is also ongoing. According to U.S. data, Indian solar cell exports increased from 232 MW in 2022 to 2049 MW in 2023 and 2297 MW in 2024, with photovoltaic exports valued at $1,000 million in 2022-23, rising to $1,939.92 million in 2023-24, and $954 million during April–December 2025.

Facebook Overseas Acquires 30% Stake in RIL Subsidiary

Reliance Industries Ltd. (RIL) announced that its step-down wholly owned subsidiary Reliance Enterprise Intelligence Ltd. (REIL) allotted 85,31,75,000 equity shares of face value ₹10 each at par to Reliance Intelligence Ltd., its wholly owned subsidiary, and Facebook Overseas, Inc., a wholly owned unit of Meta Platforms, Inc. Out of these, 25,65,52,500 equity shares aggregating ₹256.6 crore (₹257 crore approx.) were allotted to Facebook Overseas, Inc., resulting in the acquisition of a 30% stake in the RIL firm.

Tamil Nadu News

Awards to Best Authors by Tamil Development Department

The Tamil Development Department organised the ‘Tamil Literary Flourishing Day’ closing ceremony in Chennai on February 19, 2026, marking the 172nd birth anniversary of U.V. Swaminathar (Tamil Thanthai) at the Government Arts College, Nandanam. During the event, Tamil Development and Information Minister M.P. Saaminathan presented awards to the best authors and publishers for 2026. Selected authors received a cash prize of ₹50,000 each, and the respective publishers received ₹25,000 along with certificates under the Government of Tamil Nadu’s Best Books Award Scheme. A total of 33 authors and publishers were honoured across 33 categories, including classical poetry, modern poetry, novel, short story, drama, literary criticism, pedagogy, computer science–management, religion–spirituality, agriculture–horticulture, women’s literature, and Tamil lifestyle studies. The event was attended by Department Secretary V.R. Jaramon and Director Dr. P. Arul of the Tamil Development Department.

Personalities, Awards and Events

R. Nallakannu (CPI)

R. Nallakannu, senior leader of the Communist Party of India (CPI), passed away at the age of 101 in Chennai. Following his death, his body was donated to the Kilpauk Government Medical College, Chennai. His organs and blood were also donated, resulting in saving multiple lives.

R. Nallakannu received several recognitions for his public life and social service:

• 🥇 Ambedkar Award (2019) – Conferred by the Tamil Nadu Government for his contribution to social justice and public life.

• 🏆 Periyar Award (2020) – Awarded by the Tamil Nadu Government recognizing his commitment to rationalist and social equality ideals.

• 🎖️ Various lifetime achievement honours from social and political organizations for his long-standing service in the Communist Party of India (CPI).