CURRENT AFFAIRS 24 February, 2026

CURRENT AFFAIRS 24 February, 2026

1. NEW DELHI DECLARATION ON AI IMPACT –

• The India-AI Impact Summit 2026 concluded with 89 countries and international organizations including major powers like the United States and China signing the New Delhi Declaration rooted in the principle of “Sarvajan Hitaya, Sarvajan Sukhaya,” emphasizing equitable sharing of Artificial Intelligence (AI) benefits.
• The non-binding declaration is structured around seven ‘Chakras’ and represents the broadest multilateral consensus on AI to date.

What are the Key Highlights of the New Delhi Declaration on AI Impact?

• Democratizing AI Resources: Affordable digital infrastructure and connectivity are essential to unlock AI’s full potential.
• Guided by Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, the declaration stresses equitable access to AI resources so all countries can develop and deploy AI for public benefit.
• It notes the Charter for the Democratic Diffusion of AI, a voluntary framework to expand access to foundational AI tools, support local innovation, and build resilient AI ecosystems while respecting national laws.
• Economic Growth and Social Good: The declaration promotes open and accessible AI solutions to improve scalability and adaptability.
• The declaration notes the Global AI Impact Commons as a voluntary initiative that provides a practical platform to promote the adoption, replication, and scaling of successful AI use cases across regions.
• Secure and Trusted AI: The declaration recognises development of the Trusted AI Commons, a voluntary platform offering shared tools, benchmarks, and best practices to support responsible and adaptable AI.
• Science: Removing barriers and expanding AI research infrastructure can accelerate scientific innovation through global collaboration.
• The declaration notes the International Network of AI for Science Institutions as a voluntary platform to connect researchers and pool AI capabilities.

2. AS THE WORLD OBSERVES INTERNATIONAL MOTHER LANGUAGE DAY ON 21ST FEBRUARY, UNESCO’S 7TH ‘STATE OF THE EDUCATION REPORT FOR INDIA 2025’, TITLED BHASHA MATTERS: MOTHER TONGUE AND MULTILINGUAL EDUCATION, REFRAMES LINGUISTIC DIVERSITY AS A CORNERSTONE OF QUALITY LEARNING –

What is the UNESCO SoER 2025 Report for India?

• It is an annual flagship publication by the UNESCO Regional Office for South Asia, offering evidence-based analysis of key themes in India’s education landscape while aligning with SDG 4 (quality education) and UNESCO’s inclusive learning commitments.
• The report urgently calls for strengthening Mother-Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) and provides a comprehensive roadmap to make inclusive education a national priority.

Core Focus

• Access, Inclusion, and Equity: Ensuring all learners, particularly tribal children, girls, and those with disabilities, can participate in school through languages they understand.
• Contextual and Lifelong Learning: Embedding local languages and cultural knowledge across all stages of education, from school to teacher training.
• Appreciation of Linguistic Diversity: Recognizing children’s full linguistic repertoires as assets and promoting an understanding of India’s diversity.
• Skills for Sustainable Futures: Using multilingual learning to build cognitive flexibility and stronger foundations for learning additional languages, including English.
• Institutionalization: Strengthening policies, teacher education, and digital ecosystems to support sustainable MTB-MLE.

Key Findings

• Policy Alignment: Mother-tongue-based multilingual education is steadily moving from the margins to the centre of India’s education reforms. It is now increasingly recognized as critical to achieving the goals of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and global commitments like the International Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022–2032).

3. PM MODI’S HISTORIC ISRAEL VISIT: FIRST INDIAN LEADER TO ADDRESS THE KNESSET PLENUM –

• Honorable Prime Minster of India Narendra Modi is set to become the first Indian Prime Minister to address the Knesset plenum during his two-day Israel visit 2026 beginning February 25. This visit described as the “historic” by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, marks a new milestone in India Israel relations. During the trip, Modi will hold high-level talks with Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog, further strengthening cooperation in security, innovation, and regional affairs.
• Narendra Modi to Address Knesset Plenum for the First Time
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will make history by becoming the first Indian Prime Minister to address the Knesset plenum.
• The special parliamentary session is scheduled for 5:00 PM local time during his visit on February 25, 2026.
• This will be Modi’s second visit to Israel, following his landmark 2017 trip that elevated bilateral ties to a strategic partnership.
• Addressing the Knesset symbolizes deepening diplomatic engagement and reflects the growing importance of India Israel relations on the global stage.

4. NETHERLANDS GETS YOUNGEST-EVER PRIME MINISTER IN ROB JETTEN –

• Rob Jetten has officially become the youngest and first openly gay Prime Minister of the Netherlands. The 38 year old leader of the D66 party was sworn in just two hours ago at Huis ten Bosch Palace in The Hague. His appointment marks a major political shift after a tight election battle in October. Jetten narrowly defeated populist Geert Wilders and quickly moved to form a new government. The Netherlands now enters a fresh political phase under its youngest Prime Minister in history.
• Rob Jetten Becomes Netherlands Prime Minister at 38
• When Rob Jetten will assume office, he broke a long-standing record.
• Previously the youngest Prime Minister was Ruud Lubbers who took office in 1982 at age 43.
• Jetten at the age of 38 now holds that distinction.
• His appointment is also historic because he is the first openly gay Prime Minister of the Netherlands.
• Notably, the Netherlands became the first country in the world to legalise same-sex marriage in 2001 which is making Jetten’s leadership symbolically significant for LGBTQ+ representation globally.

5. ‘BOONG’ PUTS INDIA ON THE MAP WITH FIRST-EVER BAFTA CHILDREN’S FILM AWARD –

• In a proud moment for Indian cinema Boong has created history at the BAFTA Awards 2026 by winning the Best Children’s and Family Film category. The Manipuri-language debut feature became the first Indian film ever to win in this category at the prestigious British Academy Film Awards. Backed by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani, Boong was the sole Indian nominee this year and brought global recognition to regional Indian storytelling.

Boong Wins Best Children’s and Family Film at BAFTA Awards 2026

• Boong clinched the Best Children’s and Family Film award at the 79th British Academy Film Awards held in London.
• Competing against international titles like Arco, Lilo & Stitch and Zootopia 2, Boong emerged as the winner, marking a historic winner first for India.
• The announcement was made by the official BAFTA platform, confirming India’s breakthrough moment at one of the world’s most prestigious film ceremonies.

MCQ QUIZ

Q1.  PRASHAD Scheme was launched by which ministry ?

1. a) Ministry of Culture
2. b) Ministry of Home Affairs
3. c) Ministry of Tourism
4. d) Ministry of Rural Development

Q2.  Which tiger reserve launched the ‘Vanjeevi Didi’ initiative for women to protect wildlife in February 2026 ?

1. a) Palamau Tiger Reserve, Jharkhand
2. b) Melghat Tiger Reserve, Maharashtra
3. c) Sariska Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan
4. d) Valmiki Tiger Reserve, Bihar

Q3.  Indira Gandhi Sukh Shiksha Yojana was launched by which state government ?

1. a) Himachal Pradesh
2. b) Uttar Pradesh
3. c) Uttarakhand
4. d) Punjab

Q4.  Consider the following statements regarding the ‘Pax Silica’ initiative:

1. It aims to reduce risks from coercive or monopolistic supply chains in the semiconductor and AI sectors.
2. It was conceptualized as a response to the concentration of rare-earth processing in certain geographies.
3. The initiative specifically excludes private sector participation to maintain inter-governmental security protocols.

         Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. a) 1 and 3 only
2. b) 2 only
3. c) 1 and 2 only
4. d) 1, 2 and 3

Explanation-

• Statement 1 is correct; the primary objective of Pax Silica is to build resilient and diversified global supply chains for critical minerals and semiconductors, protecting against economic coercion.
• Statement 2 is correct as it was conceptualized to address the concentration of rare-earth processing, which is currently dominated by a few countries, posing a strategic risk to global technology manufacturing.
• Statement 3 is incorrect because the initiative actively mobilizes private sector participation. It recognizes that innovation and scaling in AI and semiconductors are driven by entrepreneurship and industry capabilities, and thus seeks to align private investment with the strategic economic security goals of the partner nations. By building a “trusted innovation ecosystem,” Pax Silica encourages collaboration among governments, industries, and innovators to create secure technology stacks.

Q5.  Consider the following statements regarding the SANKALP scheme:

1. It is a centrally sponsored scheme launched to improve the quality of long-term vocational training provided by Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs).
2. The scheme is implemented with loan assistance from the World Bank.
3. It utilizes Disbursement Linked Indicators (DLIs) to link funding with performance outcomes.

         How many of the above statements are incorrect ?

1. a) Only one
2. b) Only two
3. c) All three
4. d) None

Explanation-

• Statement 1 is incorrect because SANKALP (Skill Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion) focuses specifically on short-term skill training rather than long-term vocational training at ITIs (which is often covered under the STRIVE project). Its goal is to strengthen the institutional mechanism for skill development at the state and district levels.
• Statement 2 is correct; the scheme is a World Bank loan-assisted project under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE).
• Statement 3 is correct as SANKALP introduces a result-oriented approach using Disbursement Linked Indicators (DLIs) and a Results Framework. This ensures that funds are released only when specific verifiable milestones in institutional strengthening and inclusion are met.
• The scheme emphasizes the inclusion of marginalized groups and seeks to build a demand-driven skill ecosystem by fostering stronger industry linkages. By decentralizing planning to the district level, it attempts to bridge the gap between local skill requirements and the available workforce.

Answer Key