1 Indian mountaineer Kabak Yano conquered Mount Aconcagua in Argentina.
Indian mountaineer Kabak Yano has successfully conquered Mount Aconcagua in Argentina as part of his Seven Summits expedition . It is the highest peak in South America . Kabak Yano hails from Arunachal Pradesh . Mount Aconcagua stands at an altitude of 22,831 feet above sea level . This remarkable achievement marks another milestone in Yano’s extraordinary journey of endurance, courage, and determination. Arunachal Pradesh Governor Lieutenant General (Retired) K.T. Parnaik congratulated 27-year-old Kabak Yano on her outstanding mountaineering achievement. On July 28 last year, Governor Parnaik formally flagged off Yano’s Seven Summits expedition in the presence of Kento Jini, Minister of State for Sports and Youth Affairs, and extended his best wishes for her challenging global mission.
2 Government approves India-US trade deal
The trade agreement between India and the United States has been welcomed by several leaders, including External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar . India has achieved a major strategic victory on the global trade front, surpassing its Asian rivals. Following high-level talks between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, the United States reduced import duties on Indian goods from 25% to 18% . Furthermore, the US administration has stated that if India stops purchasing oil from Russia, the additional 25% tariff imposed due to this will be waived. This decision has directly benefited Indian exporters in terms of product pricing compared to China, Vietnam, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.
3 External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar visits USA
On February 2nd , External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar embarked on a three-day visit to the United States . He arrived to participate in the Critical Minerals Ministerial Meeting . The main focus of this meeting was on maintaining and working towards ensuring the supply of critical minerals . Jaishankar arrived at the meeting at the invitation of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. During his visit, Dr. Jaishankar will also meet with senior members of the US administration. In July 2023, the Indian government released a list of 30 critical minerals. These include antimony, beryllium, bismuth, cobalt, and copper. The Critical Minerals Ministerial Meeting will be attended by over 55 countries, including India, the European Union (EU), the United Kingdom (UK), and Japan. The meeting will also focus on jointly increasing supply with the G7 countries. This is the first such ministerial meeting held in Washington, DC. The Critical Minerals Ministerial Board does not have a permanent member. This is a global platform where professors and consumers from any country are invited to participate and share in discussions to secure critical mineral supplies.
4 US President Donald Trump launches ‘Project Vault’
President Donald Trump announced the launch of Project Vault during an Oval Office event on Monday . The initiative will combine $2 billion in private capital with $10 billion in initial funding from the U.S. Export-Import Bank (EXIM Bank) , bringing the program’s total size to $12 billion. The investment is Washington’s latest effort to offset what policymakers see as Chinese manipulation of the prices of lithium, nickel, rare earths, and other critical minerals —essential for everything from electric vehicles to high-tech weapons —that has held back American mining companies for years.
5 World Government Summit 2026 opens in Dubai
The World Government Summit 2026 has kicked off in Dubai . The theme , Shaping the Governments of the Future , will bring together global leaders, policymakers, and business executives to analyze how innovation, sustainability, and technology are reshaping public policies. Discussions at the summit will focus on strengthening government policies and fostering international cooperation to address economic, social, and technological challenges. The event will feature over 445 sessions, with participation from over 450 global figures, presidents, ministers, and experts.
6 Seychelles President Patrick Herminie to visit India from February 5 to 10
Seychelles President Patrick Herminie will be visiting India from February 5 to 10. This will be his first visit to India since assuming office in October last year. The visit coincides with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement . Mr. Patrick Herminie will meet President Draupadi Murmu in New Delhi and hold discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest. He will also visit Chennai and Mumbai, where he will attend several events.
7 CDS General Anil Chauhan arrives on a visit to Armenia
On February 1 , a defence delegation led by Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan arrived in Armenia for a 4-day official visit . Indian Ambassador to Armenia Nilakshi Saha Sinha and Deputy Chief of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia Temur Shahnazaryan were present. Anil Chauhan has arrived in Armenia to strengthen India-Armenia security cooperation. CDS Chauhan’s visit is aimed at enhancing strategic advantages and long-term security. On January 18 , India sent the first consignment of Pinaka rocket system to Armenia.
8 Shri Diwakar Jayanti of 8 INAS assumes charge as Director General Naval Armament
Shri Diwakar Jayant of INAS has assumed charge as Director General of Naval Armament (DGoNA) at Naval Headquarters , Ministry of Defence on 2 February 2026. He succeeds Shri P. Upadhyaya, who superannuated on 31 January 2026. Shri Diwakar Jayant belongs to the 1991 batch of the Indian Naval Armament Service. He joined the Naval Armament Organisation of the Indian Navy on 28 December 1992 and during his 33 years of service, has held various senior positions including Chief General Manager and General Manager/Principal Director at Naval Armament Depots at Mumbai, Visakhapatnam and Alwaye and at the National Naval Office/MoD.
9 The government has allocated Rs 10,000 crore in the budget to promote the production of 9 biological drugs.
The government has proposed the Bio-Pharma Shakti ( Strategy for Healthcare Advancement through Knowledge, Technology and Innovation ) scheme in the budget. An allocation of ₹10,000 crore has been allocated for this scheme over five years . This initiative aims to strengthen India’s ecosystem for the production of biological and biosimilar medicines , and to promote the domestic development and manufacturing of high-value biopharmaceutical products and medicines, reducing import dependence and enhancing the country’s competitiveness in global biological supply chains.
10 DRDO successfully demonstrates Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet technology
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully demonstrated Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) technology at the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur off the coast of Odisha . The Defence Ministry said that with this demonstration, India has joined the elite group of countries equipped with this technology. The ministry said that this demonstration will help in the development of long-range air-to-air missiles , thereby gaining strategic advantage over the enemies. The ministry said that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh appreciated DRDO and the industry for the successful demonstration of SFDR technology.
11 NASA delays Artemis II mission until March due to hydrogen leak
NASA has postponed the planned Artemis II mission to the Moon until March . This decision was made after a hydrogen leak was discovered during a key refueling test . The mission was scheduled to send four astronauts to orbit the Moon from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida . The launch was originally scheduled for February 6th, but was postponed to February 8th due to cold weather and strong winds in Florida. The two-day test, which began on January 31st at the Kennedy Space Center, successfully filled the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket’s tanks with cryogenic fuel. However, the test was halted on Tuesday when a liquid hydrogen leak was discovered at the interface of the tail service mast umbilical. A second wet dress rehearsal is now expected in March before the launch. Meanwhile, the Artemis II astronauts will be released from quarantine, where they have been in Houston since January 21st. They will return to quarantine approximately two weeks before the next potential launch. This 10-day mission will prepare for the future Artemis III mission, scheduled to launch in 2027. This mission will land humans on the Moon’s south pole for the first time and begin a long-term presence there. The Artemis II crew includes NASA commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen.
12 Asian Rifle/Pistol Championship: India to host in 2027, to be held in New Delhi from December 1 to 10, 2027
The Asian Shooting Confederation has informed that India will host the Asian Rifle and Pistol Championship in the year 2027. A total of eight quota places for the Los Angeles Olympics 2028 will be awarded through this competition . This competition will be held from 1st to 10th December at the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range here . The Asian Rifle and Pistol Championship 2027 will be organised by the National Rifle Association of India from 1st to 10th December 2027 at the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range in New Delhi. The Asian Shooting Confederation said in a release that the importance of this championship increases because during this competition eight quota places of Asia for the Los Angeles Olympics 2028 will be awarded.
13 The 6th Badminton Team Asia Championship begins in Qingdao, China.
The sixth Badminton Team Asia Championships is underway in Qingdao, China. The men’s and women’s national teams from Asian countries will participate in this tournament. The Indian women will strive to retain their title. Two-time Olympic medalist P.V. Sindhu is not participating in the Indian team this time. India has been placed in Group Y along with Thailand and Myanmar. Tanvi Sharma, Unnati Hooda, Malvika Bansod, and the pair of Trisha Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand are part of the Indian women’s team. In the men’s category, the Indian team has been placed in Group C along with Japan and Singapore. Lakshya Sen, H.S. Prannoy, Kidambi Srikanth, and the pair of Satwiksairaj Randi Reddy and Chirag Shetty will lead the Indian team. The Indian men’s and women’s teams will begin their campaigns tomorrow.