15th January 2026

1. World Bank raises FY27 India growth forecast to 6.5%
2. Indian Army Day highlighted with its history, significance, parade features, and notable quotes
3. Strategic importance of the Shaksgam Valley in the India–China–Pakistan context explained
4. Dilbert creator Scott Adams passes away, leaving behind a controversial and influential legacy
5. Deloitte projects strong GDP growth for India in FY26, with moderation expected in FY27
6. Delhi High Court rules that the PM CARES Fund is entitled to privacy under the RTI Act
7. Olympic snowboarding pioneer Ueli Kestenholz dies after being caught in an avalanche in Switzerland
8. Pawan Kalyan becomes the first Indian to receive a rare honour in Japanese samurai martial arts
9. Kochi selected as the host city for the International Spice Conference on the future of global spice trade
10. Rajasthan’s Bamanwas Kankar village emerges as the state’s first fully organic village

National News

1. International Spice Conference 2026 to be held in Kochi

• What
  • The All India Spices Exporters Forum will host the 9th International Spice Conference in Kochi from February 23 to 26, 2026, focusing on the future of the global spice industry under the theme “Spice 360 – Getting Future Ready”.
• Tell me more
  • Amitabh Kant will inaugurate the conference and deliver the keynote address.
  • Martin Sonntag will attend as Guest of Honour and speak on food and nutrition collaboration.
    • Martin Sonntag is a German business executive and chemical engineer who became Chief Executive Officer of Oterra on January 1, 2024. Oterra is the world’s leading supplier of natural colors for food and beverages.
  • International Spice Conference is the flagship initiative of the All India Spices Exporters Forum (based in Kerala).
  • Spice Board of India HQ: Kochi, Kerala.

Source: HBL

2. Delhi HC Observes PM CARES Fund has Right to Privacy under RTI Act

• What
  • The Delhi High Court observed that the Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund retains a right to privacy under the Right to Information Act, 2005.
• Tell me more
  • The court stated that being a government-linked or juristic entity does not automatically remove privacy protections under the RTI framework.
  • The court referred to Section 138 of the Income Tax Act, which restricts disclosure of taxpayer information.

Source: TW

State News

1. Shaksgam Valley ownership dispute between India and China

• The issue revolves around who legally owns the Shaksgam Valley, a remote but strategic area in the Kashmir region.
• India says the valley is part of Jammu and Kashmir and that Pakistan had no right to transfer it to China in 1963.
• China claims the area as its own based on that agreement and is building infrastructure there, linked to CPEC.
• For India, this challenges sovereignty, security near Ladakh–Siachen, and its claim over Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, making it a serious strategic and geopolitical concern.

Source: TOI

2. Bamanwas Kankar becomes Rajasthan’s first fully organic panchayat

• What
  • Bamanwas Kankar panchayat in Rajasthan, located in the newly formed Kotputli-Behror district, became the first village body in the state to be certified as fully organic after shifting all farming and animal husbandry away from chemical-based practices.
• Tell me more
  • The panchayat comprises seven hamlets: Bamanwas, Nangalhedi, Rah Ka Mala, Bhadana Ki Bhaal, Tolawas, Khariya Ki Dhani, and Bairawas.
  • The transition was supported by Cofarmin Federation of Organic Societies and Producer Companies.
  • COFED provided technical guidance, certification support, and market access.
  • Certification has enabled access to premium markets and reduced dependence on chemical inputs.

Source: TH

GDP Forecasts

1. Global Economic Prospects, January 2026 by World Bank

• World growth rates are calculated using average 2010-19 purchasing power parity (PPP) weights, which attribute a greater share of global GDP to emerging market and developing economies (EMDEs) than market exchange rates.
• In the world trade volume column, the percentage growth of goods and non-factor services is shown.

Source: WB

2. Deloitte India projects GDP growth for FY26

• Deloitte India projected India’s gross domestic product growth at 7.5–7.8% in FY2025–26, supported by festive demand and strong services sector activity, with growth expected to moderate to 6.6–6.9% in FY2026–27 due to a high base and global uncertainties.
• India signed trade agreements with the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Oman.

Source: ET

Awards

1. Pawan Kalyan recognised as Samurai in Japanese martial arts

• What
  • K Pawan Kalyan received international recognition in Japanese martial arts, becoming the first person from Andhra Pradesh to be honoured as a Samurai.
• Tell me more
  • He was awarded the fifth dan by Sogo Budo Kanri Kai and became the first Telugu-speaking person inducted into the Takeda Shingen Clan outside Japan.
  • The Golden Dragons organisation conferred the title “Tiger of Martial Arts”.
  • He belongs to the Jana Sena Party.

Source: TOI

Important Days

1. 78th Army Day Parade held in Jaipur

• What
  • India observed its 78th Army Day on January 15, 2026, with Jaipur hosting the main parade at Mahal Road, Jagatpura, outside a cantonment area for the first time, marking the first public appearance of the newly raised Bhairav Battalion.
• Tell me more
  • Army Day commemorates January 15, 1949, when Lieutenant General Kodandera M Cariappa became the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army.
  • On the same day, General Francis Roy Bucher handed over charge as the last British Commander-in-Chief.
  • Gallantry awards and Sena Medals are presented on Army Day to recognise courage and service.
  • The Army Day parade was traditionally held at Cariappa Parade Ground in Delhi Cantonment, but in recent years the venue has been rotated to cities such as Bengaluru, Lucknow, Pune, and Jaipur.

Source: ET

Miscellaneous

1. Dilbert creator Scott Adams passes away at 68

• Scott Adams, creator of the comic strip Dilbert, died at the age of 68.

Source: N18

2. Olympic snowboarder Ueli Kestenholz dies after avalanche in Switzerland

• Ueli Kestenholz died at the age of 50 after being trapped in an avalanche, with the death confirmed by the Swiss Ski federation, and he was a bronze medallist in snowboard giant slalom at the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics.

Source: TG

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