Daily GK and current Affairs Updates 15/01/2026
Here is the comprehensive Current Affairs and GK brief for January 15, 2026, specifically prepared and optimized for UPSC, SSC,PSC,IBPS,SBI, Banking, and Railway exam preparation.
National & Polity
78th Indian Army Day: Celebrated today to honor the valor and sacrifice of the Indian Army.
Annual Theme: "Year of Networking and Data Centricity."
Significance: Marks the day in 1949 when Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa became the first Indian Commander-in-Chief.
2026 Highlight: Army Chief Gen. Upendra Dwivedi emphasized the transformation into a "future-ready force" through indigenous technology.
Maharashtra Civic Polls Controversy: Former CM Uddhav Thackeray alleged widespread irregularities in the municipal corporation elections held across 29 bodies in Maharashtra, calling it a "murder of democracy."
SC Stays I-PAC Probe: The Supreme Court froze the Kolkata Police investigation against Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials. The probe was based on allegations of "stealing" election records from the I-PAC office during a raid.
Kuki-Zo Council Demand: The apex body of the Kuki-Zo tribes in Manipur reiterated its demand for a separate Union Territory, citing the impossibility of coexisting with the Meitei community following prolonged ethnic unrest.
Sovereign AI Park in TN: Tamil Nadu partnered with Sarvam AI to establish India's first Sovereign AI Park in Chennai with an investment of ₹10,000 crore.
Economy & Banking
Merchandise Exports Rise: India’s exports rose 1.87% to reach $38.5 billion in December 2025. However, the trade deficit stood at $25 billion as imports increased to $63.55 billion.
World Bank GDP Forecast: The Global Economic Prospects 2026 report projected India’s GDP growth at 7.2% for FY26. It warned that higher US tariffs might cause growth to ease to 6.2% in the following year.
Solar-Powered ATM Van: Tripura Gramin Bank launched India's first solar-powered ATM van to provide sustainable and uninterrupted banking services in remote, electricity-starved rural areas.
Jobless Growth Risk: The ILO's World Employment and Social Outlook 2026 report warned that while global unemployment remains at 4.9%, "informality" is rising, particularly in Southern Asia.
International & Defence
US Military Action in Venezuela: The US launched military operations in Venezuela without UN Security Council approval, leading to international debates over violations of Article 2(4) of the UN Charter.
Greenland Crisis: Tensions intensified as French President Emmanuel Macron announced the deployment of additional forces to Greenland, responding to US threats to seize the Arctic island. Russia also expressed "serious concern" over NATO deployments there.
Israel Withdraws from UN Bodies: Following a similar move by the USA, Israel announced its withdrawal from seven UN-linked organizations, claiming they hold a one-sided bias against it.
Ugandan General Election: Citizens in Uganda headed to the polls today to elect their President and 529 members of Parliament.
Science, Tech & Sports
First Medical Evacuation from ISS: Four astronauts (including NASA’s Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman) splashed down in the Pacific Ocean today after the first-ever medical emergency evacuation from the International Space Station.
Indian Passport Ranking: The Henley Passport Index 2026 ranked the Indian passport at 80th (allowing visa-free access to 55 countries). Singapore retained the top spot.
Virat Kohli Record: Kohli officially surpassed Kumar Sangakkara to become the second-highest run-scorer in the history of international cricket.
Air India Grounding: An Air India A350 flight (Delhi–New York) was grounded after its engine ingested a ground container during taxiing amidst dense fog at IGI Airport.
Important Days (January 15)
| Day | Context / Significance |
| Indian Army Day | Theme: "Year of Networking and Data Centricity." |
| Pongal / Magh Bihu | Major harvest festivals celebrated in South India and Assam. |
| Wikipedia Day | Celebrating the 25th anniversary of the online encyclopedia (Launched 2001). |
Static GK & Exam Snippets
K.M. Cariappa: The first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Army; he was later conferred the rank of Field Marshal in 1986.
Article 2(4) of UN Charter: Prohibits the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state.
Henley Passport Index: Based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Mission Mausam: A ₹2,000-crore initiative by the Indian government to improve weather forecasting via AI and advanced sensors.
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