IMPORTANT DAYS
78th Army Day Parade 2026 Celebrated in Jaipur
• The 78th Army Day was commemorated on 15 January with a spectacular parade held in Jaipur.
• The main event took place on Mahal Road, Jagatpura, highlighting the courage, discipline and professionalism of the Indian Army.
• Well-trained Army contingents marched past the saluting base with precision and high ceremonial standards.
• The parade featured a display of the Army’s modern warfare strength, including cutting-edge equipment.
• Indigenously developed missiles, tanks, drones and combat vehicles were showcased to reflect self-reliance in defence.
• Troops from different regiments participated, reflecting the Army’s rich diversity and operational expertise.
• The presence of the Nepal Army Band symbolised strong military ties between India and Nepal.
• Folk dances like Kalbelia and Gair, along with the Shaurya Sandhya event at SMS Stadium attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, added cultural and patriotic spirit to the celebrations.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
France Witnesses Natural Population Decline in 2025
• In 2025, France recorded more deaths than births, a situation seen for the first time since World War II.
• This shift signals a significant demographic change for the country.
• France’s long-standing population advantage within the European Union has weakened due to this trend.
• Official data released by INSEE showed around 6.51 lakh deaths during the year.
• In comparison, births stood at about 6.45 lakh, leading to a natural population fall.
• France, earlier known for relatively strong population growth in Europe, is now facing rapid ageing.
• The fertility rate declined to 1.56 children per woman, the lowest level since World War I.
• Despite the decline, France ranked second in the EU for fertility in 2023, behind Bulgaria.
India Unveils Logo and Website for BRICS Presidency 2026
• External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar unveiled the official logo and launched the BRICS India website.
• India will take over the BRICS presidency in 2026, marking 20 years since the grouping’s formation.
• The minister stated that India’s chairship will prioritise global welfare and inclusive growth.
• A people-first development approach will guide India’s leadership during its presidency.
• The official theme focuses on resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability.
• The logo symbolically merges India’s heritage with a modern outlook, reflecting unity among members.
• Colours representing all BRICS nations have been incorporated into the logo design.
• BRICS now includes ten countries: Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, South Africa and the UAE.
STATE NEWS
Rajasthan Gets Its First Fully Organic Panchayat
• Bamanwas Kankar Panchayat has become Rajasthan’s first village body to receive full organic certification.
• The panchayat is located in the Kotputli–Behror district and consists of seven hamlets.
• Certification followed efforts to tackle soil degradation, falling groundwater levels and health risks.
• Chemical-free agriculture and eco-friendly livestock practices are now uniformly followed.
• Farmers collectively decided to shift after noticing declining soil fertility, rising input costs and health concerns.
• All farming activities now avoid synthetic fertilisers and chemical pesticides.
• The transition was supported by COFED, which works on sustainable farming, resource conservation and women empowerment.
• Post-certification benefits include better soil health, richer biodiversity and access to premium organic markets.
RANKING AND INDEX
India Improves Position in Henley Passport Index 2026
• India climbed five places in the Henley Passport Index 2026, reflecting an improvement in global mobility.
• The Indian passport is ranked 80th, providing visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 55 countries.
• This marks a recovery from India’s 85th position in 2025.
• The index assessed 199 passports across 227 international destinations.
• Rankings are prepared using exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
• Asian nations lead the index, with Singapore securing the top rank.
• Japan and South Korea jointly hold second place, while Denmark, Switzerland, Sweden, Spain and Luxembourg share third.
• The United States re-entered the top 10, whereas Afghanistan remained last with access to just 24 destinations.
Export Preparedness Index (EPI) 2024 Released by NITI Aayog
• NITI Aayog unveiled the Export Preparedness Index 2024, marking its fourth edition since the first release in August 2020.
• The index evaluates the export readiness of Indian States and Union Territories through a structured and data-driven framework.
• EPI 2024 supports India’s long-term goal of achieving USD 1 trillion in merchandise exports by 2030.
• The assessment framework is built on 4 core pillars, 13 sub-pillars, and 70 indicators covering the entire export ecosystem.
• States and UTs are grouped into Large States, Small States, North-Eastern States, and Union Territories, and further ranked as Leaders, Challengers, or Aspirers based on preparedness levels.
• The four pillars include Business Ecosystem (40%), Export Infrastructure (20%), Policy & Governance (20%), and Export Performance (20%).
• Among Large States, the top performers are Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, and Andhra Pradesh.
• In the Small States, North-East States, and UTs category, Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir, Nagaland, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, and Goa emerged as leading performers.
SUMMIT AND CONFERENCE
9th International Spice Conference to be Held in Kochi
• Kochi will host the 9th International Spice Conference (ISC 2026) from 23–26 February 2026.
• The event is being organised by the All India Spices Exporters Forum (AISEF).
• The four-day conference will revolve around the theme “Spice 360 – Getting Future Ready.”
• Global policymakers, industry experts, researchers and innovators will take part in the discussions.
• Amitabh Kant, former G20 Sherpa and ex-CEO of NITI Aayog, will inaugurate the event and deliver the keynote address.
• Martin Sonntag, CEO of Oterra, will attend as Guest of Honour and speak on the future of food and nutrition systems.
• Sessions will focus on trade risks, climate challenges, innovation, resilient supply chains, and key spices like turmeric, pepper, chilli and cumin.
• Hosting the conference in Kerala, a historic hub of the global spice trade, highlights the region’s enduring importance in the spice industry.
