09th January 2026

1. Ministry of Communications signs MoUs with the Ministries of Rural Development and Health to establish a national logistics mechanism
2. Indian Navy announces plans to set up a new naval base at Haldia in West Bengal
3. Chief Justice of India Surya Kant inaugurates India’s first fully paperless district court in Kalpetta, Kerala
4. India becomes the first country to commercially produce bio-bitumen
5. Uttarakhand Police secures the top rank in ICJS 2.0 national rankings
6. Indian Navy’s First Training Squadron begins a long-range training deployment to Southeast Asia
7. United States withdraws from 66 international organisations, including India-led ISA
8. UN General Assembly declares 2026 as the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists
9. DRDO marks its 68th foundation year, highlighting advances in self-reliance, cyber, space, and AI domains
10. Earth’s Rotation Day observed to commemorate Léon Foucault’s demonstration of Earth’s motion

National News

1. India becomes first country to commercially produce bio-bitumen for roads

• What:
  • India has become the first country to commercially produce bio-bitumen for use in road construction to reduce pollution caused by crop residue burning and supports cleaner road construction practices.
• Tell me more:
  • The initiative aligns with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. The initiative also supports the Waste to Wealth mission and the Atma Nirbhar Bharat vision.
  • Bio-bitumen has been commercially produced by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research.
  • Bio-bitumen is a road construction binder developed as an alternative to conventional bitumen. Conventional bitumen is a black, viscous hydrocarbon mixture obtained from crude oil fractionation.

Source: NOA

State News

1. Kalpetta becomes India’s first fully paperless district court

• What:
  • The judicial district of Kalpetta in Wayanad, Kerala, has become India’s first district court system to function entirely in digital mode.
• Tell me more:
  • All stages of court proceedings are now conducted electronically, removing the need for physical case files.
  • The system was developed in-house by the Kerala High Court.

2. Uttarakhand Police tops ICJS 2.0 ranking and SDRF honoured for Mahakumbh duty

• What:
  • Uttarakhand Police ranked first nationally in Inter-Operable Criminal Justice System 2.0 performance, while the Uttarakhand State Disaster Response Force was recognised for services during Prayagraj Mahakumbh-2025.
• Tell me more:
  • The ranking was based on the monthly CCTNS and ICJS Progress Dashboard issued by National Crime Records Bureau.
  • ICJS 2.0 is a national digital initiative that integrates police, courts, prosecution, prisons, forensics, and fingerprint databases, enabling digital case diaries, charge sheets, evidence handling, and judicial processes under the One Data, One Entry principle.
  • Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) connects police stations through a nationwide crime and criminal tracking network.

Source: BS

International News

1. US withdrawal from 66 international organisations including ISA

• What
  • The United States, under President Donald Trump, authorised withdrawal from 66 international organisations, including major climate bodies such as the International Solar Alliance and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
• Tell me more
  • It covers 31 United Nations entities and 35 non-United Nations organisations.
  • The International Solar Alliance is headquartered in India and was jointly initiated by India and France.
  • The administration cited 66 organisations as wasteful, ineffective, or harmful to United States interests.
  • The announcement coincided with a proposed $1.5 trillion defence budget for fiscal year 2027.

Source: TOI

Defence News

1. Indian Navy to establish new naval base at Haldia

• What:
  • The Indian Navy is establishing a new naval base at Haldia to strengthen naval presence in the Bay of Bengal amid evolving regional warfare and geopolitics.
• Tell me more:
  • The Indian Navy currently operates under three major commands located at Mumbai, Visakhapatnam, and Kochi.
  • Port Blair is especially important as it hosts a joint command for the army, navy, and air force.
  • The Indian Navy is also developing the Karwar base under ‘Project Seabird’ to improve its strength at sea.
  • The Eastern Naval Command headquarters is located at Visakhapatnam.

Source: NAI TN

2. Indian Navy long range training deployment to South East Asia

• What
  • Indian Navy’s First Training Squadron will undertake a long range training deployment to South East Asia to strengthen maritime engagement, training standards, and cooperative maritime security with regional nations.
• Tell me more
  • The deployment includes INS Tir, INS Shardul, INS Sujata, and Indian Coast Guard ship Sarathi.
  • The deployment is a practical training exercise under the 110th Integrated Officers’ Training Course where officer trainees travel to Singapore, Indonesia, and Thailand to gain real experience through joint training with Indian and foreign defence personnel.

Source: ET

Important Days

1. 2026 declared as International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists

• What
  • The United Nations declared 2026 as the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists to highlight the global importance of healthy rangelands and pastoral communities.
• Tell me more
  • The decision was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly at its Plenary Meeting in 2022.
  • The resolution was initiated and led by Mongolia with support from 60 Member States across all regions.

Source: FAO

2. Earth’s Rotation Day 2026 – January 8

• What
  • Earth’s Rotation Day is observed every year on January 8 to recognise the scientific proof that Earth rotates on its axis once every 24 hours, creating one complete day.
• Tell me more
  • The day commemorates the 1851 experiment by Leon Foucault, who demonstrated Earth’s rotation using Foucault’s Pendulum.
  • The year 2026 marks 175 years of Foucault’s pendulum demonstration.

Source: WION

3. DRDO’s 68th Foundation Day

• What
  • January 1, 2026 marks the 68th Foundation Day of DRDO.
• Tell me more
  • He expressed confidence in DRDO’s role in developing the anti-missile defence system Sudarshan Chakra, announced by Narendra Modi in the 2025 Independence Day address.
  • Sudarshan Chakra aims to protect against ballistic missiles, drones, and hypersonic weapons.

Source: ANI TOI

Memorandum of Understanding

1. MoRD and Department of Posts sign MoU to expand rural financial and logistics services

• What:
  • The Ministry of Rural Development and the Department of Posts signed a Memorandum of Understanding to expand financial services, logistics, and market access in rural areas.
• Tell me more:
  • The partnership integrates the institutional network of Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihoods Mission with India Post, including rural post offices, India Post Payments Bank, and Dak Sevaks.
  • Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihoods Mission will promote India Post savings, deposit, insurance, and pension products among Self Help Group households.
  • Self Help Group women will be trained as Business Correspondents and women-led Self Help Group enterprises will be linked with India Post’s logistics network for packaging, documentation, and export readiness.
  • India Post Payments Bank will provide onboarding, training, certification, technology-based monitoring, and support for customised insurance solutions.
  • Financial services such as Post Office Savings Schemes, Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana, and cash transfer services will be delivered at the household level.
  • Logistics, packaging, export facilitation, and Dak Niryat Kendras will support market access for Self Help Group products.

Source: PIB

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