1 Five-day India-AI Impact Summit 2026 begins in New Delhi
The India AI Impact Summit 2026 has begun in New Delhi . This five-day conference is the first global AI summit to be held in a developing country . This conference is an important platform to strengthen India’s role in the global AI agenda. Global leaders from 20 countries are scheduled to participate in the conference, including French President Emmanuel Macron, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Spanish President Pedro Sánchez Párez Castejón, and Swiss President Guy. Parmelen, Prime Minister of the Netherlands Dick Schoof, Crown Prince of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Khalid bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Prime Minister of Mauritius Dr. Navin Chandra Ramgoolam, President of Sri Lanka Anurakumara Dissanayake, Vice President of Seychelles Sebastian Pillay, and Prime Minister of Bhutan Tshering Tobgay. The India AI Impact Summit 2026 is guided by three fundamental pillars, or principles , that articulate the fundamental principles of global cooperation on AI. These principles are: People, Planet, and Progress . The Summit will be held in cycles, or working groups, based on seven interconnected thematic areas . These seven cycles include human capital, inclusion for social empowerment, safe and trustworthy AI, science, resilience, innovation, and efficiency, democratization of AI resources, and AI for economic growth and social well-being.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the India AI Impact Expo at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi . He also visited several stalls at the expo. Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnav and Minister of State Jitin Prasada were also present on the occasion. The India AI Impact Expo 2026, which runs until February 20, is being held alongside the India AI Impact Summit at Bharat Mandapam.
3 Defence Minister launches Akash III and IV regimental combat systems
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the Missile Integration Facility Centre at Bharat Electronics Limited – BEL in Bengaluru . On the occasion, Shri Singh launched the Akash III and IV Regimental Combat Systems and unveiled the Mountain Fire Control Radar . The Defence Minister commended BEL for its expertise in cutting-edge technologies such as electronic warfare systems, avionics, naval platforms, electro-optics and tank electronics. The Defence Minister virtually inaugurated the Artificial Intelligence-AI Centre of Excellence in Pune and launched BEL’s AI policy . During the event, he was briefed on advanced indigenous defence technologies, including AI-based solutions developed by Indian startups.
4 AI Farmer Revolution to Begin in Jaipur: Union Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan to Launch “Bharat-VISTAAR”
Union Minister of Agriculture, Farmers Welfare, and Rural Development, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, will be visiting Rajasthan on February 17th . During his visit, he will launch ” Bharat-VISTAAR, ” a new digital companion for farmers across the country, in Jaipur . Under the guidance of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, this AI-based platform, aimed at making Indian agriculture and our farmer brothers and sisters smart, will provide farmers with one -stop information on weather, market prices, pests and diseases, soil, crop advisories, and government schemes through phone calls, chatbots, and, in the future, an app . This facility will be launched in Hindi and English in Phase 1, reaching millions of farmers in several states, including Maharashtra, Bihar, and Gujarat. State Agriculture Ministers and millions of farmers across the country will join the launch virtually through the network of ICAR, KVKs, agricultural universities, and other agricultural institutions. For the Phase-1 launch, Bharat-VISTAAR integrates weather information from IMD, market prices from AgMarkNet, pest and disease management through NPSS, Agri-Stack data, and information on 10 central government schemes. It also integrates scheme details, application status, benefit tracking, and grievance filing and resolution status, eliminating the need for farmers to repeatedly visit offices or various portals.
On February 15, the third International AYUSH Conference and Exhibition 2026 began at the World Trade Centre in Dubai . The 2026 AYUSH Conference and Exhibition will run from February 15 to 17, 2026. The objective of the AYUSH Conference and Exhibition is to explore the ancient medical tradition and its application in today’s times . The theme of this conference is “ Evidence-Based AYUSH Interventions in Mind-Body Health ”. The conference was inaugurated by Union Minister of State for AYUSH Prataprao Jadhav . The first International AYUSH Conference and Exhibition was held in Dubai from December 4 to 7, 2017. The second International Conference and Exhibition was held from January 13 to 15, 2024.
6 Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman arrives in Germany on a visit
On February 16th , Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman arrived in Germany to participate in the Munich Security Conference . At the Munich International Airport, Finance Minister Sitharaman was welcomed by India’s Consul General in Munich, Shatrughan Sinha . At the Munich Security Conference, both sides discussed the benefits of the recently concluded India-EU Free Trade Agreement . Finance Minister Sitharaman will also participate in focused panel discussions on important finance-related issues. At the conference, the Finance Minister will meet with ministers and their counterparts from several countries, as well as heads of key multilateral organizations. The India-EU Free Trade Agreement was signed on January 27th, 2026. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman met with Keith Svendsen, Chief Executive Officer of APM Terminals (a port operating company) in Munich.
Australia announced it will spend A$3.9 billion to advance the construction of a shipyard that will help build nuclear submarines under the trilateral AUCUS defense agreement with the US and UK . Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated that this amount is being provided as an advance payment for the completion of a new shipyard in Adelaide, Australia . He stated that official estimates put the total construction cost over the coming decades at A$30 billion. AUCUS, announced in 2021, is Australia’s largest defense investment to date. Under the agreement, US-led Virginia-class submarines will be deployed to Australia from 2027, several Virginia submarines will be sold to Australia from around 2030, and Britain and Australia will build a new class of AUCUS nuclear submarines .
8 Indian Navy inaugurates Milan Village as part of Exercise Milan 2026 held at Visakhapatnam
The Indian Navy unveiled the Milan Village at the Eastern Naval Command on 15 February 2026 as part of its flagship international naval exercise, Milan 2026. The inauguration ceremony was presided over by Vice Admiral Sanjay Bhalla , Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command. He formally opened the Milan Village to the participating friendly navies and inspected the facilities developed to promote global maritime cooperation. Developed after much deliberation and thought, the Milan Village is a unique experience zone, conceived and designed to bring together delegates and naval personnel from over 70 countries in an atmosphere of camaraderie and friendship. The inauguration of the Milan Village marks the beginning of a wide-ranging series of events and activities to be organised by the Indian Navy at Visakhapatnam. Exercise Milan 2026, to be held at Visakhapatnam from 15 to 25 February 2026, along with the International Fleet Review (IFR) 2026 and the INS Conclave of Chiefs, will form a key pillar of India’s historic maritime convergence.
On February 16 , the Uttar Pradesh government announced that the country’s first “Cow Culture Museum” will be built in Mathura . The museum is being constructed on the campus of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Veterinary Science University . The Uttar Pradesh Braj Teerth Vikas Parishad is overseeing the project. Agra Divisional Commissioner Nagendra Pratap stated that land has been allocated within the university campus. The museum will feature approximately 100 digital and physical models showcasing India’s major and endangered cow breeds . The museum will easily explain the nutritional value, scientific benefits, and Ayurvedic properties of cow milk, yogurt, ghee, and cheese using modern technology. The museum will also feature a dairy parlor where people can purchase and taste pure milk and dairy products. The museum’s primary objective is to promote the religious, cultural, and scientific significance of the cow and promote a cow-based economy.
10 Henley Passport Index: India’s passport ranking jumps 10 places
The Henley Passport Index 2026, released by Henley & Partners, has presented a surprising update for Indian travelers. While India’s passport has seen a slight decline in overall visa-free access, it has still moved up 10 places in the global ranking. The Henley Passport Index, published by Henley & Partners, ranks 199 passports worldwide based on their access to 227 global destinations . The rankings are based on official data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) . India’s passport ranking has risen 10 places to 75th . Surprisingly, despite this improvement, Indian passport holders will no longer receive visa-free entry to two countries. List by rank (based on visa-free score)
- Singapore – 192
- Japan, South Korea – 187
- Sweden, United Arab Emirates – 186
- Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland – 185
- Austria, Greece, Malta, Portugal – 184