1 Kerala leads in adoption of personal electric vehicles
In 2025, Kerala recorded the highest share of personal four-wheel EV adoption among the top EV-selling states . Strong domestic demand and supportive policies helped the state outpace major industrial states. In 2025, Kerala’s middle-class households installed a large number of private charging boxes, making electric car ownership and operation easier. This expansion of domestic charging infrastructure propelled Kerala to the forefront of personal four-wheel EV adoption among the top ten EV states. While EV growth in other states is primarily driven by fleet or commercial vehicles, Kerala’s success is driven by personal ownership, reflecting growing consumer confidence in electric mobility and long-term cost savings. Kerala was among the first Indian states to announce an EV policy in 2019. The policy focused on charging infrastructure, incentives, and awareness.
2 The country gets its first Vande Bharat sleeper train
A new chapter has been added to India’s railway history. Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the country’s first Vande Bharat Sleeper Train on Saturday . This state-of-the-art train will run between Howrah and Guwahati and strengthen connectivity between Northeast and Eastern India . This fully air-conditioned train has a total of 16 coaches, with a capacity to accommodate 823 passengers. The train’s unique feature is that it will cover a distance of approximately 958 to 968 kilometers in just 14 hours, which is approximately 2.5 to 3 hours less than existing trains. Its maximum speed has been set at 180 kilometers per hour, allowing for further acceleration in the future. This train will run six days a week. The Railway Board has clarified that there is no provision for RAC (waiting seat) seats on this train, ensuring a completely comfortable travel experience for passengers.
3 The second expedition for a comprehensive area assessment of riverine and estuarine dolphins in India was launched from Bijnor.
Following the release of the results of the first round of census estimates by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi at the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) in Gir , Gujarat , in March last year, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has now launched the second comprehensive river and estuarine dolphin census under Project Dolphin from Bijnor , Uttar Pradesh, to advance dolphin conservation in the country . Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Bhupendra Yadav, launched the second phase of the All India Dolphin Census and its counting protocol in Dehradun during the last Wildlife Week . The program is being coordinated by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun, in collaboration with state forest departments and partner conservation organizations: WWF India, Aaranyak, and the Wildlife Trust of India. In addition to the Ganges River Dolphin, the survey will assess the status of the Indus River Dolphin and Irrawaddy River Dolphin , as well as their habitat status, threats, and associated conservation-priority species. The last nationwide survey (2021-23) recorded approximately 6,327 river dolphins in India, including the Ganges river dolphin found in the Ganges, Yamuna, Chambal, Gandak, Ghaghra, Kosi, Mahananda, and Brahmaputra rivers, and a relatively small number of Indus river dolphins found in the Beas River. Uttar Pradesh and Bihar had the highest numbers, followed by West Bengal and Assam, highlighting the importance of the Ganges basin for the long-term conservation of dolphins.
4 Wings India 2026
Asia’s largest civil aviation event, ‘Wings India 2026’, will be formally launched with a grand inaugural ceremony led by Civil Aviation Minister Shri Ram Mohan Naidu , in the presence of several dignitaries from India and abroad. The launch will mark the beginning of a four-day global aviation summit to be held from January 28 to 31, 2026, at Begumpet Airport in Hyderabad . Based on the theme ” Indian Aviation: Paving the Future – From Design to Deployment, Manufacturing to Maintenance, Inclusivity to Innovation, and Safety to Sustainability, ” Wings India 2026 will highlight India’s rapidly expanding aviation landscape, its growing global presence, and its vision to emerge as a leading hub for manufacturing, services, innovation, and sustainable aviation solutions.
5 Ponduru Khadi gets GI tag
Shri Manoj Kumar, Chairman, Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Government of India, expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for granting the GI tag to Ponduru Khadi . Andhra Pradesh ‘s renowned Ponduru Khadi has been granted the Geographical Indication (GI) tag. Its registration has been done by the Geographical Indication Registry in favor of the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC). This GI recognition provides legal protection to this rare handcrafted textile and preserves its unique authenticity. Ponduru Khadi is a traditional handmade cotton textile, locally known as Patnulu, produced in Ponduru village in Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh . This textile is made from hill cotton, Punasa cotton, and red cotton, all grown in the region. The entire process of cleaning, spinning, and weaving the cotton is done by hand, preserving centuries-old traditional skills. Its most unique feature is the use of the jawbone of the Waluga fish for cleaning the cotton, a practice found only here in the world. Ponduru Khadi is known for its extremely high yarn count, around 100-120, which reflects its extremely fine quality.
6 Pradhan Mantri Vishwakarma Haat 2026 to be organised from 18th to 31st January at Dilli Haat, New Delhi
The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Government of India, is organizing PM Vishwakarma Haat 2026 , an exhibition dedicated to artisans and craftsmen under the PM Vishwakarma Yojana . The exhibition will be held from January 18 to 31, 2026, at Dilli Haat, INA, New Delhi, and will be open to the public from 10:30 am to 10:00 pm. Union Minister for MSME, Shri Jitan Ram Manjhi, will inaugurate the exhibition in the presence of Minister of State for MSME, Ms. Shobha Karandlaje. PM Vishwakarma Haat 2026 aims to celebrate and showcase India’s rich traditional craft heritage, as well as provide a prominent platform for artisans to showcase and market their handmade products to national and international buyers, stakeholders, and the general public.
7 Maruti Suzuki to set up a massive new vehicle manufacturing plant in Khoraj, Gujarat with an investment of Rs 35,000 crore
Maruti Suzuki will set up a massive new vehicle manufacturing plant in Khoraj , Gujarat , with an investment of ₹35,000 crore . A letter of investment exchange ceremony was held between the Gujarat government and Maruti Suzuki India Limited in Gandhinagar in the presence of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghvi . Spread over 1,750 acres of land, the new plant will have four units, each with a capacity of 250,000 cars, taking the total production to 1 million units per year. The company plans to start production from the first plant by fiscal year 2029.
8 Indian Navy’s first training squadron arrives at Changi Naval Base, Singapore
The Indian Navy ‘s First Training Squadron (1TS) , comprising INS Tir, INS Shardul, INS Sujata, and Indian Coast Guard Ship Sarathi , arrived at Changi Naval Base, Singapore on 15 January 2026. The squadron is on a training deployment to the Southeast Indian Ocean Region (IOR) . This deployment assumes significance as the year 2026 is being celebrated as the ‘ Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) – India Year of Maritime Cooperation 2026 ‘. During this visit, personnel from the Indian Navy and the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) will engage in a number of port-related engagements and professional interactions aimed at enhancing capacity and enhancing maritime cooperation. Systematic training exchanges between trainees of the two navies, joint yoga sessions, and sports events are also planned. Cultural interactions will include performances by the Indian Navy Band at key public locations in Singapore. The ships will be open for visits by schoolchildren during their stay. Dr Shilpak Ambule, High Commissioner of India to Singapore, interacted with the trainees of 1TS on arrival.
9 DGCA imposes Rs 22 crore fine on IndiGo
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has imposed a fine of ₹222 million (222 million rupees ) on IndiGo for the massive flight delays and cancellations that occurred in early December last year. Between December 3 and 5, 2,507 flights were cancelled and 1,852 flights were delayed, causing inconvenience to over 300,000 passengers at various airports.
10 Praveen Vashisht appointed Vigilance Commissioner of Central Vigilance Commission
The central government has made a significant appointment, further strengthening the country’s anti-corruption apparatus . Senior IPS officer Praveen Vashisht has been appointed Vigilance Commissioner of the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) . He formally assumed office on January 16, 2026, taking the oath of office and secrecy.
11 GAIL completes landmark 694 km project for Maharashtra Gas Pipeline
India has achieved a major milestone in infrastructure. Public sector company GAIL (India) Limited has completed a unique natural gas pipeline project in Maharashtra . The 694-km Mumbai-Nagpur natural gas pipeline is laid almost entirely within a 3-meter-wide corridor along an expressway . This is the first such project in the country, demonstrating that transport corridors can also be used as utility corridors under integrated planning. GAIL has completed the Mumbai-Nagpur Natural Gas Pipeline (MNPL), built within a 3-meter-wide utility strip along the Samruddhi Mahamarg. This project is being considered a prime example of integrated infrastructure development under PM Gati Shakti. Of the 694-km pipeline, approximately 675 km (about 96%) is laid within a 3-meter-wide corridor. Normally, a gas pipeline requires a space of 20–30 metres wide , but in this project, a high-capacity pipeline of 24 inches diameter was installed in a space as small as a footpath.
12 RBI’s big move: CRPC to be created for banking complaints
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced a major reform in the grievance redressal framework to improve the consumer experience in the financial system . Under this, the RBI will now establish a centralized center for redressal of complaints under the Integrated Ombudsman Scheme . This new system will ensure speedy, transparent, and accessible grievance redressal for consumers across the country. The Reserve Bank of India has announced the establishment of a Centralized Receipt and Processing Center (CRPC) , which will be implemented under the Integrated Ombudsman Scheme from July 1, 2026. Complaints filed online will be registered directly on the RBI’s Complaint Management System (CMS) portal. Complaints received by email or post will first be examined by the CRPC. Acceptable complaints will be further processed by the RBI Ombudsman or Deputy Ombudsman.
The “India Electricity Summit 2026 ” is being organized. This will be a major international conference and exhibition related to the power and energy sector, which will be held in the national capital from March 19 to 22. The summit will bring together technology companies, infrastructure organizations, innovators bringing new ideas, and policy decision-makers on a single platform.
14 India Post delivers first ONDC order
India ‘s postal network has achieved a major milestone in its digital transformation . For the first time, the Department of Posts has successfully delivered an online order booked through the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) . This achievement demonstrates India Post’s role beyond traditional postal services and underscores its growing importance in strengthening India’s digital commerce and logistics ecosystem. On January 15, 2026, the Department of Posts successfully delivered its first online order as a Logistics Service Provider (LSP) under ONDC . The first online consignment was booked on January 13, 2026, and was successfully delivered within two days. The order was placed by UdyamWell, an ONDC-enabled initiative supporting rural entrepreneurs. This successful transaction demonstrates the Department of Posts’ readiness to serve as a capable logistics partner in the modern digital commerce environment, integrating its extensive physical network with technology-based processes.
15 Yemen’s Prime Minister resigns, Foreign Minister appointed as new Prime Minister
Yemen ‘s Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) has accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Salem bin Brake and appointed the country’s Foreign Minister, Shayaa Mohsen Zindani, as the new prime minister . The Saudi-backed leadership council formally approved Salem bin Brake’s resignation, which he submitted earlier this week.