Current Affairs Quiz - January 2026

Notes:
The National Textiles Ministers’ Conference 2026 has been inaugurated in Guwahati, Assam, organised by the Ministry of Textiles in collaboration with the Government of Assam. The theme of the two-day conference is “India’s Textiles: Weaving Growth, Heritage & Innovation”. It brings together Textile Ministers and senior officials from States and Union Territories to deliberate on policy, investment, sustainability, exports, infrastructure, and technological advancement in textiles. The conference aims to strengthen Centre–State collaboration and create a roadmap for a competitive, sustainable, and inclusive textile sector.

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The Ministry of Tourism focused on infrastructure, sustainable tourism, global promotion, and skill development through initiatives like Swadesh Darshan 2.0, PRASHAD, and SASCI. In 2024, India recorded 20.57 million International Tourist Arrivals (ITAs), ₹2,93,033 crore Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) and 2948.19 million Domestic Tourist Visits (DTVs). Swadesh Darshan Scheme sanctioned 76 projects worth ₹5290.33 crore, with 75 completed. Swadesh Darshan 2.0 (SD 2.0) focuses on sustainable tourism with 53 projects worth ₹2208.27 crore. PRASHAD (Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive) Scheme approved 54 pilgrimage projects worth ₹1726.74 crore, with 31 completed. Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) –Iconic Tourist Centres sanctioned 40 projects in 23 States worth ₹3295.76 crore.

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Bengaluru has been ranked the best city for women in India in 2025, according to a study by Chennai-based workplace inclusion firm Avtar. The study assessed 125 cities on how effectively they support women through a combination of social infrastructure and industrial inclusion. Bengaluru topped the list with a City Inclusion Score (CIS) of 53.29, followed by Chennai (49.86), Pune (46.27), Hyderabad (46.04), and Mumbai (44.49). The index is based on two pillars: Social Inclusion Score (SIS), which measures safety, health, education, mobility, and liveability, and Industrial Inclusion Score (IIS), which tracks formal job opportunities, corporate inclusion practices, skilling, and women’s workforce participation.

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IIT Madras launched Param Shakti, an indigenously developed supercomputing system with a capacity of 3.1 petaflop, meaning 3.1 quadrillion calculations per second. It is among India’s most powerful supercomputers and will help solve complex research problems faster and more accurately. The system will support advanced research in aerospace, materials, climate modelling, drug discovery, and manufacturing. Param Shakti is built entirely in India by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing using the RUDRA server series and open-source software. It is integrated into the Param Rudra supercomputing cluster with advanced power, cooling, and data centre support.

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The Boeing E-4B Nightwatch, also called the US military’s “Doomsday Plane,” recently made a rare appearance in Los Angeles, causing panic amid high geopolitical tensions. It is the most secretive aircraft in the US military and serves as the National Airborne Operations Center. The plane functions as a flying command post to keep the US government operational during extreme scenarios like nuclear war or destruction of ground command centers. Its mission is to ensure government continuity even in “doomsday” situations. The E-4B is a key part of the Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications system (NC3), allowing senior leaders to manage nuclear forces under all conditions.

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South Africa conducted naval drills named “Will for Peace 2026” with Russia, China, Iran, and other countries as essential amid rising global maritime tensions. The exercises began off the coast of Cape Town, South Africa, shortly after the United States seized a Venezuela-linked Russian oil tanker for violating Western sanctions. The exercises are linked to cooperation among BRICS Plus nations, including Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Iran, and others. Warships from China, Iran, Russia, the United Arab Emirates, and South Africa participated, while Brazil, Indonesia, and Ethiopia joined as observers.

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The 3rd Indian Lighthouse Festival 3.0 was held from 9–10 January 2026 at MGM Park, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. It was organized by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) and the Director General of Lighthouses and Lightships (DGLL). A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was exchanged between Visakhapatnam Port Authority (VPA) and DGLL to develop a Lighthouse Museum in Visakhapatnam.

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The United States announced that India will be invited to join the US-led Pax Silica initiative to deepen India–United States strategic and trade ties. Pax Silica aims to secure supply chains of silicon, semiconductors, artificial intelligence (AI), critical minerals, and advanced manufacturing. It is a United States–led economic security and technology partnership under the US Department of State, launched with the first summit in December 2025.

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The Indian passport climbed five places to rank 80th in the 2026 Henley Passport Index. Indian citizens can travel visa-free or with visa-on-arrival to 55 destinations. In 2025, India was 85th with access to 57 destinations; in 2024, it was also 80th. India shares the 80th spot with Niger and Algeria. Top passports are from Asia: Singapore (1st, visa-free access to 192 destinations), Japan and South Korea (tied 2nd, 188 destinations). The Henley Passport Index ranks passports based on the number of destinations accessible without a prior visa. The data is compiled using statistics from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

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The International Labour Organization (ILO) released its Employment and Social Trends 2026 report in Geneva on 14 January 2026. The report warns that global unemployment will remain at 4.9% in 2026, affecting 186 million people. Employment quality progress has stalled; extreme working poverty declined only 3.1% between 2015–2025. Informal employment is rising, with 2.1 billion workers globally projected to be informally employed by 2026. India accounts for 3% of global manufacturing. India, along with Japan and Korea, is expanding jobs in the renewable energy sector. There is a gap between demand and supply of green-skilled workers in India.