1 Base year of trade indices changed to 2022-23
The Government of India has changed the base year of India’s Merchandise Trade Indices from 2012-13 to 2022-23 . This announcement was made on February 20, 2026. This revision aims to improve the relevance, reliability, and analytical utility of trade data , providing more accurate information to policymakers, researchers, and industry. This revision was carried out by the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics (DGCI&S) because of major structural changes in the economy and global trade patterns over the past decade. Changing the base year is a standard statistical procedure to ensure economic indicators remain accurate and up-to-date. Trade patterns change over time, so the old base year may not accurately reflect current realities. Now, making 2022-23 the new base year will provide policymakers with a more realistic and contemporary view of export-import performance and global competitiveness.
2 IPC lifts ban: Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in Milan-Cortina 2026
After years of restrictions, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has officially lifted the ban on Russian athletes for the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympics . Athletes from Russia and Belarus will now compete under their national flags, and their national anthems will also be played if they win a medal. This is a major change from 2022 , when Russia was banned due to military action in Ukraine . Since then, athletes from Russia and Belarus could only participate as neutral participants, without national symbols.
3 PM Modi flags off Meerut Metro and Namo Bharat Train
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday flagged off the Meerut Metro and Namo Bharat Train at the Shatabdi Nagar Namo Bharat station , a major boost to the government’s efforts to strengthen regional connectivity and urban transportation in the National Capital Region (NCR) . Upon his arrival in Meerut, PM Modi was welcomed by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and BJP state unit president Pankaj Chaudhary . Subsequently, PM Modi arrived at the Shatabdi Nagar Namo Bharat station and flagged off the metro and train. The Prime Minister dedicated the 82-kilometer -long Delhi-Meerut Namo Bharat Corridor to the nation and inaugurated the remaining sections of the RRTS, including the 5-kilometer stretch from Sarai Kale Khan to New Ashok Nagar in Delhi and the 21-kilometer stretch from Meerut South to Modipuram in Uttar Pradesh. With a speed of 180 kilometers per hour , Namo Bharat is India’s first regional rapid transit system . Namo Bharat will provide faster connectivity to major urban centers like Sahibabad, Ghaziabad, Modinagar, and Meerut from Delhi. Sarai Kale Khan, the starting station of the corridor, is one of four Namo Bharat stations to be inaugurated. The rapid rail will run from Modipuram in Meerut to Sarai Kale Khan in Delhi. The project brings the total length of the Delhi Metro and RRTS networks to 743 km.
4 ‘Rajaji’ festival to be celebrated at Rashtrapati Bhavan
Rajaji Utsav will be celebrated at Rashtrapati Bhavan on February 23rd . In his ‘Mann Ki Baat ‘ programme, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that a statue of C. Rajagopalachari, the first Governor-General of independent India, will replace the statue of British architect Edwin Lutyens in the central courtyard of Rashtrapati Bhavan. Prime Minister Modi described C. Rajagopalachari as one of those leaders who considered power not a position but a form of service. He said that it is unfortunate that even after independence, statues of British administrators were allowed to remain in Rashtrapati Bhavan, while those of India’s greatest sons were not given a place. An exhibition on C. Rajagopalachari will also be organised during Rajaji Utsav from February 24th to March 1st.
5 Vice President Shri C.P. Radhakrishnan releases coffee table book ‘Atal Bihari Vajpayee: The Eternal Statesman’
Vice President Shri C.P. Radhakrishnan released the coffee table book “Atal Bihari Vajpayee: The Eternal Statesman,” written by Shri Vijay Goel, at the Dr. Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi. The book features photographs and documents on Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s public life, good governance, diplomatic vision, and literary career. Vice President Radhakrishnan was a member of the 12th and 13th Lok Sabha during former PM Vajpayee’s tenure.
6 Zimbabwe begins distribution of long-acting HIV-AIDS prevention drug lenacapavir
Zimbabwe has begun distributing the long-acting HIV-AIDS prevention drug lenacapavir . It is administered by injection . Thousands of people have died from HIV in Zimbabwe over the past two decades. Zimbabwe is the first country to provide protection to its citizens through injections twice a year . In the first phase, the drug will be provided to 46,500 high-risk individuals. The second phase will begin six months later. The injection is being provided free of charge to high-risk individuals in Zimbabwe, such as young women and pregnant or breastfeeding mothers. Officials hope this long-acting HIV drug will slow the pace of new infections. Lenacapavir was developed by the California- based biopharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences and is supported by the Global Fund and the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.
7 Union Minister Shri Jayant Chaudhary launched a nationwide campaign “Badhna Hai To Yahan Judaana Hai” to accelerate India’s digital skills movement through SIDH
In a major effort to enhance India’s digital skills ecosystem and accelerate its march towards a developed India , Shri Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Minister of State for Education , launched a nationwide awareness campaign titled ” Badhna Hai To Yahan Judaana Hai ” on the occasion of the India AI Impact Summit 2026. The campaign brings together legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan as part of its nationwide outreach . His enduring popularity and widespread public appeal are expected to further strengthen awareness and participation in the Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH), the country’s integrated digital platform for skills, employability, and lifelong learning. The campaign aims to further expand access to SIDH.
8 NIELIT to set up India’s first dedicated Quantum and AI University campus in Amravati.
At the India AI Impact Summit , the National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT), under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Andhra Pradesh to establish India’s first dedicated Quantum and Artificial Intelligence university campus in Amaravati on February 20, 2026. The MoU was signed in the presence of Shri N. Chandrababu Naidu , Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Shri S. Krishnan, Secretary , MeitY, Government of India , Dr. M.M. Tripathi, Director General of NIELIT, and Shri C.V. Sridhar, Mission Director, APSQM, Amaravati Quantum Valley . Under this framework, the upcoming Amaravati initiative will be developed as a specialized university campus focused on quantum and AI, entirely dedicated to cutting-edge areas. Located within the deemed-to-be university ecosystem of NIELIT, the Amravati campus will be India’s first institutionally dedicated academic centre focused entirely on quantum and artificial intelligence.
9 Wari Energies to set up lithium-ion battery gigafactory in Andhra with an investment of Rs 8,000 crore
To promote clean energy , Andhra Pradesh has secured India’s largest integrated lithium-ion battery gigafactory with an investment of ₹8,175 crore by Waaree Energies . The project will be built in Rambilli in Anakapalle district and is expected to create around 3,000 direct jobs. With a production capacity of 16 GWh , the facility will strengthen India’s battery manufacturing ecosystem and reduce import dependence in the strategic energy storage sector. The project has received in-principle approval from the Andhra Pradesh State Investment Promotion Board.
10 Himanta Biswa Sarma laid the foundation stone of ‘Vrindavani Vastra’ cultural museum project at Khanapara in Guwahati
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma laid the foundation stone for a cultural museum project to display the ” Vrindavani Vastra ” at Khanapara in Guwahati . The cultural museum will house the historic 16th-century Vrindavani Vastra , traditionally attributed to the Vaishnavite saint-scholar Srimanta Sankardeva . The textile depicts scenes from the life of Lord Krishna and is considered a masterpiece of Assamese weaving and devotional art . It is currently in the collection of the British Museum in London . The Assam government and the British Museum signed an agreement last year to bring the artifact to Assam for an 18-month exhibition starting in 2027 .
11 State Cabinet Approves Ambitious Airport Project in Bihar
The state cabinet, chaired by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, has approved the construction of an international airport at Sonpur in Saran district . This project is considered a major infrastructure boost for North Bihar. The 4,200-meter-long runway will be capable of handling large aircraft such as the Airbus A380 . The airport will be developed on an area of 4,228 acres between Hajipur and Dumaria and is targeted for completion by 2030. The project will be the largest in Bihar in terms of land area and one of the major major airports in the country . The 4.2-kilometer-long runway will be suitable for wide-body and long-haul aircraft. The state government has allocated ₹1,302 crore for land acquisition, and the process has begun. Site clearance has been obtained from the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation, and the proposal was also mentioned in the Union Budget.
12 Larsen & Toubro to study 250 MW Green AI Data Centre at Vyoma Dholera SIR
The Gujarat government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Larsen & Toubro ‘s Vyoma unit (L&T Vyoma) during the India AI Impact Summit 2026 to study the feasibility of setting up a 250 MW green AI-ready data centre in the Dholera Special Investment Region (SIR) . The project, with a proposed investment of ₹25,000 crore, is considered a major step towards strengthening AI, cloud computing and sustainable digital infrastructure in India. The agreement was signed between the Gujarat Department of Science and Technology and L&T’s Vyoma unit as part of the ‘Investment Promotion Activity’ during the summit held in New Delhi.
13 Railways go smart! AI-enabled apps launched for grievance redressal and crowd management
Indian Railways has integrated artificial intelligence (AI) into seven key passenger-facing applications to improve grievance redressal, ticket confirmation prediction, housekeeping services , and crowd management . This initiative, led by the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) , was prominently presented during the AI India Summit 2026 held in New Delhi . These new AI-enabled apps aim to ensure safe passenger movement across the country, prompt grievance resolution, and make train operations more efficient. Indian Railways’ AI-enabled apps now include several advanced features that make passenger services more effective and quick. RailMadad – AI prioritizes complaints by classifying them based on their urgency and type. RailOne – more accurately predicts the confirmation percentage of waitlisted tickets. Coach Mitra – provides AI assistance in onboard housekeeping services (currently operational on 74 trains).
14 Harsharan Kaur Trehan becomes the first woman Director (Commercial) of PSPCL
Harsharan Kaur Trehan has been appointed Director (Commercial) at Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) . With this appointment, effective February 20, 2026, she becomes the first woman technocrat to reach the board level of PSPCL . She assumed charge for a two-year term at the corporation headquarters in Patiala, marking a significant milestone for women leadership in India’s public sector power utilities.
15 Asha Sharma appointed CEO of Microsoft Xbox
On February 21 , Microsoft appointed Indian-origin Asha Sharma as the CEO of its gaming division Xbox . Indian-American Asha Sharma will report to Satya Nadella as the Executive Vice President and CEO of Microsoft Gaming . Asha has worked in leadership roles in technology, product and operations for almost 15 years. Asha studied at the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota and joined Microsoft in 2011. In 2017, Asha joined Meta as the Vice President of Product and Engineering. Here she played the role of Head of Product for Messaging and Instagram Direct.