News of The Day – 23rd Jan 2026

The Hindu, Indian Express, Live Mint, Business Standard, Economic Times, PIB and AIR, etc

(with Syllabus Relevance)

(GS 1: Art and Culture)

• About Parakram Diwas
• About Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and his contributions.

(GS-2: Polity & Governance)

• About the National Legislative Index.
• Aims to benchmark efficiency, productivity, transparency in law-making across states/centre.
• Linked to parliamentary reforms, digital tools (e.g., ECINET), accountability, and strengthening democratic institutions.

(GS-2: Polity & Governance)

• About ECINET Digital Platform.
• Enhances electoral processes: transparency, voter services, digital management.
• Part of ECI’s tech-driven reforms for free/fair elections, voter inclusion, and integrity.

(GS-2: Polity and Governance)

• Shompen/Nicobarese tribes (Nicobar Islands) allege pressure to sign documents surrendering ancestral lands.
• About Nicobar Tribal Council.
• About Great Nicobar Projects.
• Issues of tribal rights (FRA 2006)
  • consent, displacement, ecological impact in fragile Andaman & Nicobar ecosystem.
• Constitutional safeguards (Article 244/5th/6th Schedule equivalents).

(GS-2: IR)

• About AI Impact Summit 2026 
  • First global AI summit in Global South (New Delhi)
• Focus: demonstrable impact of AI for efficiency/productivity, inclusive growth (Global South), sovereign AI models, safety/ethical frameworks, sectors like agriculture/healthcare/weather.
• Highlights India’s development-oriented AI approach.

(GS-3: Economy )

• The EU suspended GSP (Generalised Scheme of Preferences) benefits for India (and others).
• Exporters now face full MFN tariffs 
  • Higher duties, e.g., apparel from reduced to full 12%.
• Impacts competitiveness ahead of India-EU FTA talks
  • Linked to GSP graduation/review based on economic criteria.

(GS-3: Economy)

• About Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) MoU with WEF
• Focus: Align skills with future jobs, deep-tech/Industry 4.0, global best practices, youth employability.
• Supports India’s skill ecosystem reforms, National Education Policy, and economic growth through workforce readiness.

(GS-3: Environment)

• Ecologically vulnerable Himalayas facing threats from large-scale infrastructure projects (e.g., in areas like Dharali and Harsil in Uttarakhand, recently hit by avalanches/flash floods).
• Projects that involve felling thousands of Devdar trees and native species, prioritizing development over disaster resilience.
• Calls for precedence of ecological sensitivity, GLOF risks, climate vulnerability, and sustainable development in Himalayan region to prevent ecocide.

• About the “TeraWave”communications network.
• Competes with Starlink (SpaceX) in space-based internet/broadband.
• Significance: Advances commercial space economy, connectivity in remote areas, tech competition.