Daily Current Affairs Brief: February 7, 2026

Authored By: K Shiva

1. International Current Affairs

• India-US Trade Deal: US President Donald Trump announced a historic agreement to reduce reciprocal tariffs on Indian goods from 50% to 18%, aiming to unlock major "Make in India" opportunities.

• Energy Import Shift: Under the new trade terms, India has reportedly agreed to halt purchases of Russian oil, instead increasing energy imports from the US and potentially Venezuela

• Islamabad Mosque Attack: A devastating suicide bombing at a Shia mosque during Friday prayers in Islamabad, Pakistan, resulted in at least 31 deaths and 169 injuries.

• China Nuclear Allegations: The US government accused China of conducting secret underground nuclear tests in 2020, reiterating calls for a new trilateral arms pact including Russia.

• Iran-US Dialogue: The Iranian President has ordered the resumption of direct nuclear negotiations with the United States to address regional disputes.

• US Winter Storm: Over 9,000 flights were cancelled as a massive winter storm hit the United States, leaving millions without power and disrupting major transport arteries.

2. National Current Affairs

• Abujmarh Encounter: Security forces killed seven Maoists, including a top PLGA fighter named Prabhakar who carried a ₹25 lakh bounty, during a 22-hour operation in Chhattisgarh.

• Supreme Court Abortion Ruling: The SC allowed a 30-week pregnant minor to terminate her pregnancy, ruling that a woman cannot be compelled to give birth against her will.

• RBI Policy Stance: The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) unanimously decided to keep the repo rate unchanged at 5.15%, maintaining a "neutral" stance.

• Padma Awards: The government announced 131 Padma awards for 2026, including Padma Vibhushan for veteran actor Dharmendra and former Kerala CM V.S. Achuthanandan (posthumous).

• PFC-REC Merger: The board of Power Finance Corporation (PFC) approved its merger with subsidiary REC Ltd to improve the efficiency of state-owned NBFCs.

• Bharat Taxi Launch: Union Minister Amit Shah inaugurated "Bharat Taxi," a zero-commission, cooperative-led mobility platform starting in Delhi-NCR and Gujarat.

3. Science & Technology

• Amaravati Quantum Valley: CM Chandrababu Naidu and Union Minister Jitendra Singh laid the foundation for India's first Quantum Ecosystem in Amaravati, featuring an IBM Quantum System 2.

• SpaceX-xAI Merger: Reports indicate that Elon Musk is in advanced discussions to merge his aerospace giant SpaceX with his artificial intelligence startup, xAI.

• Alzheimer’s AI Test: A new AI-integrated blood biomarker test has been introduced in India for the early and more accurate detection of Alzheimer’s disease.

• Sonic Boom Research: Scientists have successfully used seismic sensors on the ground to track and analyze sonic booms from space debris entering the atmosphere.

• T-Cell Therapy Advance: Researchers at IIT Bombay developed 3D fibrous scaffolds to more effectively collect intact T-cells for advanced cancer therapies.

• Hypersonic Missile Debut: DRDO’s Long Range Anti-Ship Hypersonic Missile (LR-AShM) will be a major highlight of the upcoming 77th Republic Day parade.

4. States Current Affairs

• Andhra Pradesh Investment: CM Naidu announced that AP has secured approximately ₹20 lakh crore in investment commitments over the last 18 months.

• Kerala Organ Transplant Institute: The government is establishing the Kerala Institute of Organ & Tissue Transplant (KIOTT) in Kozhikode, the first of its kind in India.

• UP AI Mission: Uttar Pradesh launched a ₹2,000 crore mission to establish 65 Data & AI labs focused on revolutionizing healthcare and governance.

• Telangana Ration Cards: The state government announced the issuance of new white ration cards and provided free power up to 200 units to eligible households.

• Punjab Political Murder: AAP functionary Satwinderpal Singh (Lucky Oberoi) was gunned down outside a gurdwara in Jalandhar; Opposition parties have slammed the state’s law and order.

• Manipur Protests: Massive rallies were held in Manipur’s hill districts opposing the inclusion of Kuki-Zo MLAs in the newly formed BJP-led government.

5. District & Local News

• Delhi Pipeline Fatality: A 25-year-old bank employee died after his motorcycle fell into an uncovered 14-foot construction pit in Janakpuri; an FIR has been filed against the Delhi Jal Board.

• Tirumala Ratha Saptami: Around 1.50 lakh devotees attended the Ratha Saptami celebrations at Tirumala, witnessing Lord Malayappa Swamy’s procession on seven vahanas.

• Eluru Tiger Alert: Forest officials in Eluru identified a male tiger crossing from Telangana and issued high alerts for local forest-fringe villages.

• Surat Bullet Train Accident: A man and his daughter were killed near Surat when a heavy metal plate fell from an under-construction bullet train bridge.

• Hyderabad Infrastructure: HMDA planned a 9-km elevated corridor in Western Hyderabad costing ₹1,656 crore to ease persistent traffic congestion.

• Kurnool Medical Drone: Students from IIITDM Kurnool showcased drone prototypes designed for flight control and air traffic monitoring during a major aviation expo.

6. Sports & Games

• Under-19 World Cup Champions: India defeated England by 100 runs in Harare to claim their sixth U19 World Cup title; 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi scored a record 175 off 80 balls.

• T20 World Cup Kick-off: The ICC Men's T20 World Cup began today (Feb 7) in India and Sri Lanka; India faces the USA in its opening Group A fixture at the Wankhede Stadium.

• Novak Djokovic Record: Djokovic became the first tennis player in history to achieve 400 match wins across Grand Slam tournaments.

• WPL Season Leaders: Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) continues to dominate the standings in the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026 season.

• Tennis Recognition: Indian tennis legend Vijay Amritraj was honored with the Padma Bhushan for his lifelong contribution to the sport.

• Cricket Padma Shri: Indian captains Rohit Sharma and Harmanpreet Kaur were officially announced as recipients of the Padma Shri award.

7. Cinema & Entertainment

• Spiritual Singer Award: Spiritual singer Garimella Balakrishna Prasad was posthumously honored with the Padma Shri for his contribution to music.

• Visakha Utsav: The annual cultural festival "Visakha Utsav" began in Visakhapatnam, celebrating the region's heritage with grand beach-front events.

• KRK Arrested: Mumbai police arrested actor Kamaal Rashid Khan (KRK) in connection with a firing incident in Oshiwara, which he claimed was accidental.

8. General Knowledge (Competitive Jobs)

1. Which state government recently signed a tripartite agreement with the Centre and the ENPO to form the 'Frontier Nagaland Territory Authority' (FNTA)? Answer: Nagaland (The agreement represents eight Naga tribes from six eastern districts to provide them with more administrative autonomy.)

2. Who recently became the youngest man in history to complete a career Grand Slam by winning the Australian Open 2026? Answer: Carlos Alcaraz (The 22-year-old Spaniard defeated Novak Djokovic in the final to secure his first Australian Open title and his 7th Grand Slam overall.)

3. Which Union Minister recently launched 'Bharat Taxi,' India’s first cooperative-sector ride-hailing service? Answer: Amit Shah (Launched in New Delhi, the platform follows the principle of 'Sarathi Hi Malik,' placing drivers at the center of ownership.)

4. India recently joined the UN 'Honour Roll' after paying how much to the United Nations Regular Budget for 2026? Answer: USD 35.18 million (India is among 52 member states that have paid their regular budget dues in full and on time.)

5. The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has recently increased the age limit for startup recognition to how many years? Answer: 20 years (Previously it was 10 years; the turnover limit for startups has also been increased to ₹300 crore.)

6. Which state CM recently unveiled a NITI Aayog-backed economic plan for the 'Bhubaneswar-Cuttack-Puri-Paradeep Economic Region' (BCPPER)? Answer: Odisha (CM Mohan Charan Majhi) (The plan aims to transform the region into a major hub for economic growth in Eastern India.)

7. Who has taken over the charge as the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of NHPC Limited in February 2026? Answer: Bhupender Gupta (He is also holding the additional charge of CMD for SJVN Limited.)

8. Researchers from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) discovered two new species of marine worms in which region recently? Answer: Bay of Bengal (West Bengal coast) (The species are named Namalycastis solenotognatha and Nereis dhritiae.)

9. Which Indian city recently hosted the 'Black Swan Summit India 2026,' focusing on digital finance and jobs? Answer: Bhubaneswar (The summit saw participation from leaders discussing the future of the digital economy.)

10. Who is the current Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) of India as of February 2026? Answer: General Upendra Dwivedi

11. Economic Outlook: The RBI raised India’s FY26 GDP growth projection to 7.4%, citing resilient domestic consumption and manufacturing.

12. Consumer Price Index (CPI): The RBI projected CPI inflation at 4.0% for the first quarter of 2026-27.

9. Do You Know?

• The Career Slam Record: At 22, Carlos Alcaraz is now the youngest male player ever to win all four Grand Slams (Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open), breaking the previous records of legends like Nadal and Federer.

• The "Sarathi" Model: Unlike other taxi apps, Bharat Taxi is a cooperative. Drivers are called 'Sarathis' and have specific features like 'Sarathi Didi,' a dedicated window for women passengers to choose women drivers.

• Biological Indicators: The new marine worms discovered in West Bengal are bioindicators; they live in heavily polluted, sulfide-rich mudflats and help scientists monitor the health of our coastal environments.

• Startup Lifespan: By extending startup recognition to 20 years, India now has one of the longest support windows for new companies in the world, specifically helping "deep-tech" firms that take a long time to develop.

• Voter AI Audit: An AI audit of voter lists in West Bengal found a single man registered as the "father" for 389 different voters.

10. Job & Educational Topics (New Updates)

• AP EAPCET 2026: Applications for the Engineering and Agriculture entrance exam must be submitted by March 7, 2026, with results expected on June 1.

• SAIL Leadership Recruitment: The PESB has invited applications for the post of Chairman and Managing Director of SAIL.

• Aviation Sector Vacancies: There are currently 2,645 vacant positions across the Airports Authority of India and other aviation regulators.

• NEET PG Cut-off Case: The Supreme Court sought justification from the medical board for reducing the NEET PG 2025-26 cut-off to zero, allowing candidates with no marks to qualify.

• PM Internship Stipend: The government is considering a proposal to increase the monthly stipend for the PM Internship Scheme to ₹11,800.

• RBI Office Attendants: The deadline for applications for 572 Office Attendant posts in the RBI is February 4, 2026.

11. Day Special: 7 February

T20 World Cup Launch: Today marks the official commencement of the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup, hosted jointly by India and Sri Lanka.

• Amrit Udyan Opening: The famous Amrit Udyan at Rashtrapati Bhavan opened to the general public today, showcasing 85 species of flowers.

• Centenary of Makwar Dam: February 7, 2026, marks 100 years since the opening of the Makwar Dam on the Blue Nile, which transformed irrigation in Sudan.

• Northeast Monsoon Withdrawal: The IMD has officially declared the complete withdrawal of the 2025 Northeast Monsoon from the Indian peninsula.

• Global Solar Expo: A two-day Global Solar Expo began today at the Hitex Exhibition Center in Hyderabad, focusing on decarbonization and net-zero goals.