Current Affairs Quiz - January 2026

Notes:
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.

Notes:
Rajasthan Cabinet approved the Rajasthan Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI-ML) Policy-2026 to position the state as a hub for technology-driven investment and innovation. The policy aims to make public services faster, transparent, citizen-centric, and enhance administrative efficiency through responsible, ethical, and secure AI and ML use. The policy focuses on transparent, accountable, fair, and privacy-protected AI systems, reducing bias, ensuring data security, making AI decisions explainable and auditable, and addressing AI-related cybercrimes. An Artificial Intelligence Centre of Excellence will be created to support research, innovation, and capacity building.

Notes:
Russia’s Ministry of Defence announced that the nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile system has officially entered active service. A brief induction ceremony was held in Belarus, where the missiles have been deployed. Oreshnik is an intermediate-range hypersonic ballistic missile developed by Russia. It is named after the Russian word for “hazel tree.” It has a range of 500 to 5,500 kilometres and can reach speeds up to Mach 10, or ten times the speed of sound. The missile is mobile and solid-fuel powered, allowing rapid deployment.

Notes:
The Tamil Nadu government has approved the first Jallikattu event of 2026 on 3 January at Thatchankurichi village, Pudukkottai district. Approval was issued by the Animal Husbandry, Dairying, Fisheries and Fishermen Welfare Department under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, as amended in 2017. The event must follow the state-prescribed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for animal welfare, public safety, and crowd management. Jallikattu is a traditional bull-taming sport celebrated primarily in Tamil Nadu.

Notes:
The Indian government has asked the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to study a request from Maldives for help in managing Hanimaadhoo International Airport (HAQ). Hanimaadhoo International Airport is located on Hanimaadhoo Island, Haa Dhaalu Atoll, northern Maldives. The airport was originally developed as a domestic airport in 1986 and upgraded to international status in 2012. India supported its redevelopment and expansion with an $800 million line of credit from EXIM Bank of India.

Notes:
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.

Notes:
The Ministry of Textiles, in collaboration with the Government of Assam, will organize the National Textiles Ministers’ Conference on 8–9 January 2026 in Guwahati, Assam. The theme is “India’s Textiles: Weaving Growth, Heritage & Innovation.” The conference will bring together Union and State Ministers of Textiles, senior government officials, and policymakers to discuss a coordinated national strategy. The goal aligns with developing a USD 350 billion textile industry and achieving USD 100 billion in textile exports by 2030.

Notes:
Global Family Day, also called World Peace Day, is observed every year on January 1. It promotes peace and unity worldwide and emphasizes that all people are interconnected, regardless of nationality, borders, or ethnicity. The concept began in 1997 when the UN General Assembly declared the International Decade for the Culture of Peace and Nonviolence for Children of the World. The day was first celebrated successfully in 1999 and was officially recognized by the United Nations in 2001.

Notes:
Recently, India’s first government hospital-based Artificial Intelligence (AI) clinic was inaugurated at the Government Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS), Greater Noida. The AI clinic is part of the GIMS Centre for Medical Innovation to provide AI-driven healthcare directly to doctors and patients. It aims to allow healthcare startups to develop, test, and validate AI solutions in real-world clinical settings. The initiative was attended by over 100 experts, including international specialists and policymakers. The clinic will focus on medical imaging, clinical decision support systems, and data-driven healthcare services.

Notes:
The Union Minister Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh inaugurated India’s first commercial-scale tropical Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS)–based Rainbow Trout Aquaculture Farm & Research Institute on 5th January 2026 in Hyderabad, Telangana. The facility, established by Smart Green Aquaculture Limited at Kandukur Mandal, Ranga Reddy District, demonstrates year-round farming of high-value cold-water species like Rainbow Trout in tropical climates using precision engineering and advanced water recirculation technologies. The project serves as a live training and demonstration platform, providing youth hands-on experience in advanced aquaculture systems, automation, and biosecurity, strengthening human capital in the fisheries sector.