27th-28th January 2026

1. Goa government signs an MoU with Starlink to enhance digital connectivity and disaster resilience
2. Buyforex receives in-principle PSP approval at GIFT IFSC
3. Uttarakhand and ITBP collaborate to launch the Healthy Border Campaign
4. Punjab launches the Mukhya Mantri Sehat Yojana to provide free cashless healthcare
5. Indian Railways deploys its first humanoid robot, “ASC Arjun,” at Visakhapatnam railway station
6. Indian Army partners with IISc to develop indigenous artificial intelligence–based defence systems
7. President Droupadi Murmu inaugurates the cultural and literary space “Granth Kutir”
8. Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi launches the book Red Lines Redrawn: Operation Sindoor and India’s New Normal
9. RBI grants in-principle approval to Payoneer India as a cross-border payment aggregator
10. Razorpay POS receives RBI authorisation to operate as a physical payment aggregator

National News

1. Indian Railways deploys humanoid robot ASC ARJUN

• What:
  • Indian Railways introduced humanoid robot ASC ARJUN at Visakhapatnam Railway Station to improve passenger safety, security, and services, marking a first-of-its-kind technology deployment on the railway network.
• Tell me more:
  • ASC ARJUN supports Railway Protection Force personnel using Face Recognition System (FRS), Artificial Intelligence (AI) crowd monitoring, real-time alerts, multilingual announcements, semi-autonomous patrolling, obstacle avoidance, and fire and smoke detection.
  • ASC ARJUN was designed and developed in Visakhapatnam by a dedicated Indian Railways team, using indigenous, home-grown technology.

Source: PIB

2. President inaugurates Granth Kutir to showcase India’s classical language heritage

• What:
  • Droupadi Murmu inaugurated Granth Kutir at Rashtrapati Bhavan to preserve and display India’s cultural, literary, and intellectual heritage through classical language manuscripts and books.
• Tell me more:
  • Granth Kutir houses about 2,300 books and 50 manuscripts in 11 classical languages, covering philosophy, science, governance, epics, devotional literature, and the Constitution of India.
  • The collection includes handwritten manuscripts on palm leaf, paper, bark, and cloth, developed with support from ministries, institutions, and donors.
  • The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts supports conservation, while the initiative aligns with the Gyan Bharatam Mission.

Source: GOV

State News

1. Goa signs MOU with Starlink

• What:
  • Goa’s Information Technology (IT) Department signed an MoU with Starlink Satellite Communications Pvt Ltd to study whether satellite internet can improve digital access, governance services, coastal safety, and emergency response across the state.
• Tell me more:
  • The MoU is important for India because it explores internet solutions for areas where fifth-generation (5G) internet connectivity is not available.
  • The IT Department and Starlink will conduct a feasibility study, test a pilot project in rural Goa, and examine internet use for government schools, hospitals, disaster centres, panchayats, and offices in remote areas.

Source: TOI

2. Uttarakhand–ITBP partner to deliver healthcare in border villages

• What:
  • The Uttarakhand government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indo-Tibetan Border Police under Swasth Seema Abhiyan to provide primary healthcare in 108 border villages across Pithoragarh, Chamoli, and Uttarkashi districts.
• Tell me more:
  • The ITBP Headquarters (Northern Frontier), Dehradun will deploy doctors, paramedical staff, MI rooms, and telemedicine, while the state supplies data, equipment, medicines, emergency evacuation, communication support, and equipment replacement.

3. Punjab launches Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana for universal healthcare

• What:
  • The Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab launched Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana to provide cashless healthcare up to ₹10 lakh annually per family, covering all residents without income limits.
• Tell me more:
  • The scheme brings nearly 3 crore people under one health cover, expands earlier insurance limits, and aims to ensure medical treatment access across India’s public and private healthcare sector.
  • Insurance cover of ₹1 lakh is provided by United India Insurance Company, while remaining coverage is funded by the Punjab government through the State Health Agency.
  • The scheme covers around 65 lakh families, has a budget provision of ₹1,200 crore, and is implemented through a hybrid funding model.

Source: IE

Banking and Economy

1. Buyforex gets in-principle PSP approval at GIFT IFSC

• What:
  • Buyforex, a wholly owned subsidiary of EbixCash World Money under Eraaya Lifespaces Limited, received in-principle Payment Service Provider (PSP) authorization from the International Financial Services Centres Authority at GIFT IFSC, making it the first Authorised Dealer Category-II group entity to achieve this.
• Tell me more:
  • The approval allows Buyforex to issue accounts, issue e-money, acquire merchants, and conduct cross-border fund transfers, subject to fulfilling final conditions set by the International Financial Services Centres Authority.

2. Payoneer India receives RBI in-principle approval for cross-border payments

• What:
  • Payoneer India received in-principle approval from the Reserve Bank of India to operate as a Payment Aggregator – Cross Border, enabling inward and outward cross-border transactions for Indian importers and exporters.
• Tell me more:
  • The Payment Aggregator – Cross Border licence allows entities to facilitate cross-border merchant payments, and currently 19 entities have full authorisation, while Payoneer India awaits final approval.

3. Razorpay POS gets RBI licence for offline payments

• What:
  • Razorpay announced that its offline payments arm Razorpay POS received the Payment Aggregator – Physical licence from the Reserve Bank of India, enabling compliant in-store digital payments across India.
• Tell me more:
  • With this approval, Razorpay now holds authorisations for online, offline, and cross-border payments, allowing end-to-end payment services across India’s digital payments ecosystem.

Source: ET

Memorandum of Understanding

1. Indian Army and IISc partner to develop indigenous AI system

• What:
  • The Indian Army signed an MoU with the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, to develop a fully indigenous Artificial Intelligence-based system through collaborative research to address emerging challenges in the digital information environment.
• Tell me more:
  • The collaboration focuses on joint research and innovation, combining institutional experience, academic expertise, and Indian industry participation to strengthen self-reliant capability development in advanced digital technologies.

Source: NOA

Miscellaneous

1. Book on Operation Sindoor released

• What:
  • A book titled Red Lines Redrawn: Operation Sindoor and India’s New Normal was launched in New Delhi, documenting the planning rooms, operational environment, and execution details of Operation Sindoor conducted by India.
• Tell me more:
  • The book is authored by Maj Gen Bipin Bakshi, Air Mshl Rajesh Kumar, Ambassador Anil Trigunayat, and Brig Akhelesh Bhargava, and is published by Konark Publishers.

Source: IE

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