🗞️ Why in News January 30, 2026 marked Martyrs’ Day (Shaheed Diwas) — the 78th death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi — and the tabling of the Economic Survey 2025-26 in Parliament by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the day before the Union Budget 2026-27. The survey projected 7.4% real GDP growth for FY26 and called for gig worker protections, deregulation, and “Disciplined Swadeshi” in trade policy.

Martyrs’ Day (Shaheed Diwas) — 78th Death Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi

January 30, 1948: Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated by Nathuram Vinayak Godse at Birla Bhavan, New Delhi, at 5:05 PM — shot three times at point-blank range during evening prayers.

2026 Observance:

  • President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid floral tributes at Gandhi Samadhi, Rajghat, New Delhi
  • Sarva-Dharma Prarthana (multi-faith prayer service) held at Rajghat
  • Two-minute silence at 11:00 AM across the country; Last Post bugle call by the armed forces
  • Chief of Defence Staff, all three Service Chiefs, and Cabinet Ministers attended

UPSC Angle (GS1/GS4): Mahatma Gandhi’s contribution to freedom movement; Sarvodaya philosophy; non-violence (ahimsa) as political method; Constitution’s Fundamental Duties (Article 51A) and Gandhi’s values.

Key facts about Mahatma Gandhi:

  • Born: October 2, 1869, Porbandar, Gujarat; Died: January 30, 1948, New Delhi
  • October 2 = International Day of Non-Violence (UNGA Resolution A/RES/61/271, June 2007)
  • Rajghat: Gandhi’s cremation site; memorial in New Delhi; maintained by the National Gandhi Museum
  • January 30 = Martyrs’ Day (Shaheed Diwas); also marked as Sarvodaya Day
  • January 30 also marks three other Indian martyrs’ days: October 19 (Vallabhbhai Patel’s day is also called), and there are multiple “Martyrs’ Days” in India — the primary national one is January 30

Economic Survey 2025-26 — Tabled in Parliament

The Economic Survey 2025-26 was tabled by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on January 30, 2026 — the traditional practice of releasing the Survey the day before the Union Budget (presented February 1, 2026). Chief Economic Adviser (CEA): V. Anantha Nageswaran.

GDP and Growth:

  • Real GDP growth FY26: 7.4% (NSO First Advance Estimate) — India retains status as fastest-growing major economy for the 4th consecutive year
  • FY27 growth projection: 6.8%–7.2%
  • Medium-term potential growth: revised upward to 7% per annum
  • Private Final Consumption Expenditure (PFCE): 61.5% of GDP — highest since 2012 (12-year high); driven by falling inflation and rising real incomes
  • Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF) grew 7.8%, sustaining ~30% share of GDP
  • Manufacturing GVA growth: 8.4% (H1 FY26); Services GVA: 9.3% (H1 FY26)

Inflation:

  • Headline CPI inflation Apr–Dec 2025: 1.7% — lowest since CPI series began (2012)
  • Food inflation (December 2025): -2.71% — driven by falling vegetable and pulse prices
  • Core inflation: subdued, indicating limited demand-side pressure

Employment:

  • Total employment: 56.2 crore (Q2 FY26)
  • Gig workers: grew from 7.7 million (FY21) to 12 million (FY25) — 55% growth; projected to reach 6.7% of the workforce by 2029-30, contributing Rs 2.35 lakh crore to GDP; ~40% earn less than Rs 15,000/month
  • Survey recommends minimum wage policy for gig workers

Agriculture:

  • Foodgrain production: 3,577.3 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) — AY 2024-25
  • Horticulture production: 362.08 million tonnes (MT) — surpassed foodgrain output for the first time in India’s history
  • Agricultural credit (ground-level): Rs 28.69 lakh crore (FY25); KCC coverage: 7.72 crore accounts

Financial Inclusion:

  • PMJDY accounts: 55.02 crore
  • PMMY (Mudra Yojana): Rs 36.18 lakh crore disbursed across 55.45 crore loan accounts
  • Demat accounts: 21.6 crore+; 12 crore unique investors (nearly 25% women)

Key Policy Themes (Survey Recommendations):

  • “Disciplined Swadeshi”: Calibrated integration into global supply chains while supporting domestic industry; selective reduction of input import duties
  • Deregulation: State-level “Ease of Doing Business 2.0” — replace inspection-based control with trust-based compliance
  • Four Labour Codes (notified November 2025): Consolidate 29 labour laws; recognise gig workers; enable portable social security
  • Digital addiction: Flagged as a public health threat; rising screen-related mental health issues
  • Climate: Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment); shift from mitigation-first to Adaptation-led Development

UPSC Angle (GS3): Economic Survey as a UPSC Mains resource; GDP growth, inflation, fiscal consolidation; gig economy and labour codes; agricultural output; financial inclusion data; Policy themes (deregulation, disciplined swadeshi).

CPI New Series — Base Year Revised to 2024=100

The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) announced India’s new Consumer Price Index (CPI) series with Base Year: 2024=100, replacing the previous base year of 2012=100.

Key Changes:

  • Item basket expanded: 299 → 358 items (goods: 259→308; services: 40→50)
  • New items added: OTT subscriptions, CNG/PNG fuel, e-commerce prices, rural housing
  • Items removed: VCR/DVD players, radio, tape recorders, second-hand clothing
  • Food weight reduced: 42.61% → 36.75% — expected to reduce headline inflation volatility
  • Categories gaining weight: Housing, transport, health, communication
  • First data under new series: February 12, 2026
  • CPI under new series (January 2026 provisional): 2.75%

UPSC Angle (GS3): CPI methodology; base year revisions; inflation measurement; MoSPI functions; difference between CPI and WPI; core inflation.

India Energy Week 2026 — India-Canada Energy Cooperation

India Energy Week (IEW) 2026 was held at Goa, January 27–30, 2026 — Asia’s premier energy event.

India-Canada Energy Cooperation:

  • Canada’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Timothy Hodgson attended — first high-level Canadian Cabinet Minister at IEW
  • India and Canada signed a Joint Statement on Energy Cooperation, relaunching the India-Canada Ministerial Energy Dialogue (CIMED)
  • Context: India-Canada relations had been strained since September 2023 (Nijjar case); this engagement marks a diplomatic reset
  • Areas of cooperation: LNG, LPG, crude oil (Canada to supply); refined petroleum (India to export); critical minerals; renewable energy (hydrogen, biofuels, SAF, battery storage); AI in energy
  • India’s energy opportunity highlighted: USD 500 billion across energy value chain
  • Canada’s energy and resource projects on offer: USD 116 billion+

India-UAE Strategic Defence Partnership (context):

  • UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan visited India on January 19, 2026
  • India and UAE signed Letter of Intent for bilateral Strategic Defence Partnership — unprecedented in India’s Gulf relations
  • Bilateral trade target: USD 200 billion by 2032 (since CEPA 2022; current: approaching USD 100 billion)
  • HPCL–ADNOC Gas: 10-year LNG Supply Agreement — 0.5 million tonnes/year from 2028
  • IN-SPACe + UAE Space Agency: Letter of Intent for joint missions and satellite manufacturing

UPSC Angle (GS2/GS3): India-Canada relations; India-UAE Strategic Partnership; energy security; CEPA; LNG supply chains; India-Gulf diplomacy.

Vishwamitri River — Mugger Crocodile Census, Vadodara

A 2025 census recorded 442 mugger crocodiles within a 21-kilometre stretch of the Vishwamitri River flowing through Vadodara city, Gujarat — making it one of the rare cases globally of a healthy crocodilian population in an urban river.

Key Facts:

  • Mugger Crocodile (Crocodylus palustris): IUCN Red List status — Vulnerable; listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (highest protection tier)
  • Three crocodilian species in India: Mugger (Crocodylus palustris), Saltwater (Crocodylus porosus), and Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus; Critically Endangered)
  • Vishwamitri River: Origin — Pavagadh hills, Panchmahal district, Gujarat; length ~164 km; rain-fed; joins Gulf of Khambhat (part of Gulf of Cambay, Arabian Sea)
  • Population trend: The Vadodara city stretch hosts a remarkably dense and stable population; conservation through co-existence is being studied as a model

UPSC Angle (GS3): Wildlife conservation; Schedule I species; IUCN categories; wetland ecology; human-wildlife interface in urban settings; Gujarat’s wildlife diversity.

World NTD Day — January 30

World Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) Day — observed annually on January 30 since 2020; the 2026 observance marks the 7th edition.

  • Established by: World Health Organization (WHO)
  • 2026 Theme: “Unite. Act. Eliminate.”
  • NTDs: A group of 20 parasitic and bacterial diseases primarily affecting impoverished populations in tropical/subtropical regions
  • Key NTDs affecting India: Lymphatic filariasis, kala-azar (visceral leishmaniasis), leprosy, soil-transmitted helminths (STHs), trachoma
  • India’s NTD Roadmap: Targets elimination of lymphatic filariasis and kala-azar by 2026
  • January 30 significance: Date is timed to coincide with Martyrs’ Day and the anniversary of the 2012 London Declaration on NTDs (January 30, 2012) — when 13 pharmaceutical companies committed to donating medicines

UPSC Angle (GS2): Health governance; SDG 3 (Good Health); WHO NTD programmes; India’s disease elimination targets; one-health approach; GPEI and WHO R&D Blueprint.

Khelo India Games 2026 Updates

Khelo India Winter Games (KIWG) 2026 — 6th Edition:

  • Phase 1 (ice sports): January 20–26, 2026, Leh, Ladakh
  • Phase 2 (snow sports): Kangdoori and Gulmarg Golf Course Club, Jammu & Kashmir
  • Disciplines: Ice Hockey, Ice Skating, Alpine Skiing, Nordic Skiing, Ski Mountaineering, Snowboarding
  • Phase 1 medal tally: Haryana (1st: 5G-1S-2B), Ladakh (2nd), Maharashtra (3rd)

Khelo India Beach Games (KIBG) 2026 — 2nd Edition:

  • Venue: Ghoghla Beach, Diu
  • Mascot: Dolphin named “Pearl”
  • Overall champion: Karnataka

UPSC Angle (GS2/Prelims): Khelo India initiative under Khelo India Act; Sports Authority of India (SAI); Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports; venues and champions for MCQ.

Persons in News

Michael Nobbs (Obituary): Former head coach of the Indian Men’s Hockey Team (2009–2013), Australian national, passed away on January 30, 2026. Known for developing young talent and raising India’s world ranking during his tenure.

UPSC Relevance

Prelims: Martyrs’ Day (January 30; 1948; Nathuram Godse; Birla Bhavan; Rajghat); Economic Survey (tabled January 30, 2026; CEA V. Anantha Nageswaran; GDP 7.4% FY26; FY27 6.8-7.2%; PFCE 61.5% of GDP; foodgrain 3,577.3 LMT; horticulture 362.08 MT surpassed foodgrain for first time; gig workers 12 million, 6.7% workforce by 2030; PMJDY 55.02 crore; PMMY 55.45 crore loans; demat 21.6 crore); CPI new series (Base Year 2024=100; 358 items; food weight 36.75%; MoSPI); India Energy Week (Goa; January 27-30; India-Canada CIMED; Timothy Hodgson; HPCL-ADNOC 0.5 MT/year LNG from 2028; India-UAE LoI Strategic Defence); Vishwamitri River (Vadodara; 442 mugger crocodiles; 21 km; Pavagadh hills; Gulf of Khambhat); Mugger crocodile (IUCN Vulnerable; Schedule I WPA); NTD Day (January 30; 7th edition 2026; WHO; “Unite. Act. Eliminate.”; kala-azar, lymphatic filariasis); KIWG 2026 (6th edition; Leh; Haryana 1st Phase 1); KIBG 2026 (2nd edition; Ghoghla Beach, Diu; Pearl mascot; Karnataka won); Michael Nobbs (Indian hockey coach; died Jan 30).

Mains GS-3: Economic Survey 2025-26 — major themes (deregulation, gig economy, disciplined swadeshi, climate adaptation); horticulture surpassing foodgrains significance; CPI revision and inflation measurement accuracy. GS-2: India-Canada relations reset at IEW 2026; India-UAE Strategic Defence Partnership; India-Gulf diplomacy. GS-1: Mahatma Gandhi and Sarvodaya philosophy; martyrs’ legacy in Indian polity.

📌 Facts Corner — Knowledgepedia

Martyrs’ Day — January 30:

  • Date: January 30, 1948; Birla Bhavan, New Delhi; 5:05 PM
  • Assassin: Nathuram Vinayak Godse (shot three times)
  • Memorial: Rajghat, New Delhi (cremation site)
  • Gandhi’s birth: October 2, 1869, Porbandar, Gujarat
  • October 2 = International Day of Non-Violence (UNGA 2007)
  • Sarvodaya Day: Also observed on January 30
  • 2026 observance: 78th death anniversary

Economic Survey 2025-26 (Key Numbers):

  • Tabled: January 30, 2026; by: FM Nirmala Sitharaman; author: CEA V. Anantha Nageswaran
  • Real GDP growth FY26: 7.4% (fastest-growing major economy, 4th consecutive year)
  • FY27 projection: 6.8%–7.2%
  • Headline CPI inflation Apr–Dec 2025: 1.7% (lowest since CPI series began)
  • Food inflation December 2025: -2.71%
  • PFCE: 61.5% of GDP (12-year high since 2012)
  • GFCF: 7.8% growth (capital formation)
  • Total employment: 56.2 crore (Q2 FY26)
  • Gig workers FY25: 12 million (up from 7.7 mn in FY21)
  • Gig workforce share by 2029-30: 6.7%; GDP contribution: Rs 2.35 lakh crore
  • Foodgrain production AY 2024-25: 3,577.3 LMT
  • Horticulture production: 362.08 MT — first time horticulture surpassed foodgrain output
  • Agricultural credit FY25: Rs 28.69 lakh crore; KCC accounts: 7.72 crore
  • PMJDY accounts: 55.02 crore
  • PMMY loans: 55.45 crore accounts (Rs 36.18 lakh crore disbursed)
  • Demat accounts: 21.6 crore+; unique investors: 12 crore (25% women)

CPI New Series:

  • Base Year: 2024=100 (was 2012=100)
  • Items: 358 (from 299); goods: 308; services: 50
  • Food weight: 36.75% (down from 42.61%)
  • New items: OTT, CNG/PNG, e-commerce, rural housing
  • First data release: February 12, 2026

India Energy Week 2026:

  • Venue: Goa; Dates: January 27–30, 2026
  • India-Canada: CIMED relaunched; LNG, LPG, critical minerals
  • Canadian Minister: Timothy Hodgson (first Canadian Cabinet Minister at IEW)
  • India-UAE: LoI for Strategic Defence Partnership (Sheikh MBZ; January 19, 2026)
  • HPCL–ADNOC Gas: 10-year LNG deal, 0.5 MT/year from 2028
  • UAE trade target: USD 200 billion by 2032

Vishwamitri River — Mugger Crocodile:

  • Location: Vadodara city, Gujarat; urban river
  • Population: 442 mugger crocodiles in 21 km stretch (2025 census)
  • Species: Crocodylus palustris; IUCN: Vulnerable; WPA Schedule I
  • Origin: Pavagadh hills, Panchmahal; length: ~164 km; empties into Gulf of Khambhat
  • India’s three crocodilians: Mugger (VU), Saltwater (LC), Gharial (CR)

NTD Day:

  • Date: January 30 annually (since 2020; 7th edition in 2026)
  • Theme 2026: “Unite. Act. Eliminate.”
  • NTDs: 20 diseases; WHO global list
  • India targets: Eliminate lymphatic filariasis + kala-azar by 2026

Khelo India 2026:

  • KIWG 2026: 6th edition; Phase 1 at Leh; Haryana topped Phase 1
  • KIBG 2026: 2nd edition; Ghoghla Beach, Diu; Mascot: Pearl (dolphin); Karnataka won

Other Relevant Facts:

  • Western Disturbances: Extratropical storms originating over Mediterranean and Caspian Seas; bring non-monsoonal rain/snow to North India (Himalayas, plains)
  • JALAJ Livelihood Centres: Joint initiative of Namami Gange Mission + NABARD; skilling for Ganga basin communities
  • Tehri Dam: India’s tallest dam — 260.5 metres; on Bhagirathi River (Ganga tributary); Tehri Garhwal, Uttarakhand; operated by THDC India Limited
  • Tehri Reservoir (Tehri Lake): depth ~262 metres (one of deepest in Asia); length ~42 km

Sources: PMF IAS, AffairsCloud, Insights on India, Vajiram & Ravi, PIB