🗞️ Why in News Key developments on February 11, 2026 include Sarvam AI’s model topping Indian OCR benchmarks, ISRO identifying Chandrayaan-4’s lunar landing site, India-Greece defence cooperation signing, Moody’s projecting India as G-20’s fastest-growing economy at 6.4%, ADB’s USD 182 million Brahmaputra flood management loan, and the Santosh Trophy final.

Sarvam AI — India’s Sovereign AI Push

Sarvam AI’s new Vision model (3-billion-parameter, 22 Indian languages) scored 84.3% on the olmOCR-Bench — outperforming Google Gemini 3 Pro and DeepSeek OCR v2. Its Bulbul V3 text-to-speech model supports 35 professional voices across 11 Indian languages.

Key facts:

  • IndiaAI Mission: Rs 10,300 crore; approved March 2024; seven pillars including 10,000+ GPU compute
  • Sarvam-Edge: 70-billion-parameter edge model in development
  • Ministry: MeitY (nodal ministry for IndiaAI Mission)

UPSC Relevance

Prelims: IndiaAI Mission (Rs 10,300 crore), Sarvam AI (3B param, olmOCR-Bench 84.3%), Eighth Schedule (22 languages), MeitY. Mains GS-3: Sovereign AI; digital public infrastructure; Atmanirbhar Bharat in tech.

Chandrayaan-4 Landing Site — Mons Mouton-4

ISRO identified Mons Mouton-4 (MM-4) at 84.289°S, 32.808°E as Chandrayaan-4’s primary landing site using OHRC imagery from Chandrayaan-2. Assessment was done by Space Applications Centre (SAC), Ahmedabad.

Key facts:

  • Mission type: India’s first lunar sample-return (targeting ~3 kg of regolith)
  • Prerequisite: SPADEX (Space Docking Experiment) — docking demo launched December 2024
  • Global comparison: USA (Apollo: 382 kg), China (Chang’e 5: 1.731 kg; Chang’e 6: ~1.9 kg from far side)

UPSC Relevance

Prelims: Mons Mouton-4, OHRC, SAC, SPADEX, Chang’e 5/6, Chandrayaan-3 (Aug 23, 2023 landing). Mains GS-3: ISRO space programme; lunar exploration milestones.

India-Greece Defence Cooperation

India and Greece signed a Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI) for defence industrial cooperation and exchanged a Military Cooperation Plan for 2026. Greece will position a Liaison Officer at IFC-IOR (Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region, Gurugram).

Key facts:

  • Signatories: Rajnath Singh (India) and Nikolaos-Georgios Dendias (Greece)
  • Venue: Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi
  • Bilateral trade: ~USD 2 billion (2022-23)
  • Greece controls ~20% of global shipping tonnage
  • Piraeus port majority-owned by COSCO Shipping (Chinese state enterprise)
  • Strategic Partnership elevated: August 2023
  • Historical: Megasthenes served as Greek ambassador at Chandragupta Maurya’s court (c. 302 BC)

UPSC Relevance

Prelims: IFC-IOR (Gurugram), JDI, Rajnath Singh, Piraeus port (COSCO), IMEC. Mains GS-2: India-Europe bilateral relations; maritime security; defence diplomacy.

Capital Goods — Union Budget 2026-27 Provisions

Public capital expenditure rose to Rs 12.2 lakh crore in Union Budget 2026-27 — a 4.2× increase from FY18. Key provisions include a Rs 10,000-crore Container Manufacturing Scheme (5 years) and a 5-year income tax exemption for non-resident entities supplying capital goods to toll manufacturers.

Key facts:

  • Economic multiplier of capital goods investment: 2.5 to 3.5 times
  • National Capital Goods Policy: 2016
  • Customs duty exemptions extended for lithium-ion cell manufacturing and critical mineral processing

UPSC Relevance

Prelims: Capex Rs 12.2 lakh crore, Container Manufacturing Scheme (Rs 10,000 crore), National Capital Goods Policy 2016, multiplier effect 2.5–3.5×. Mains GS-3: Industrial policy; infrastructure investment; energy transition.

PMO Blocks Parliamentary Questions on PM CARES, PMNRF, NDF

The PMO cited Rule 41(2)(viii) and Rule 41(2)(xvii) of Lok Sabha Rules of Procedure to declare questions on PM CARES Fund, PMNRF, and NDF inadmissible in Lok Sabha.

Key facts:

  • PMNRF (Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund): Established 1948 by Jawaharlal Nehru; originally for Partition refugees; now covers natural calamities and major accidents
  • PM CARES Fund: Public charitable trust; financed by voluntary contributions; established March 2020 for COVID-19
  • National Defence Fund (NDF): For Armed Forces welfare; PM as Chairperson of Executive Committee
  • RTI Act 2005: NDF is covered; PM CARES and PMNRF status contested and sub judice

UPSC Relevance

Prelims: PMNRF (established 1948), PM CARES (2020), NDF, RTI Act 2005, Lok Sabha Rules 41(2)(viii) and 41(2)(xvii). Mains GS-2: Parliamentary accountability; transparency in governance; RTI Act.

Supreme Court — SC/ST Sub-classification Action Taken Report

The Supreme Court directed the Union Government to submit an Action Taken Report on the implementation of its August 1, 2024 Constitution Bench judgment in State of Punjab v. Davinder Singh (2024), which allowed sub-classification within Scheduled Castes for equitable reservation distribution.

Key facts:

  • Articles 14, 15, 16: Equality, non-discrimination, and equal opportunity — reservations are carved from Article 16(4)
  • Article 341: President’s power to specify Scheduled Castes
  • The case also touched on creamy layer applicability to SCs/STs — a contentious issue

UPSC Relevance

Prelims: State of Punjab v. Davinder Singh (2024 — August 1), Articles 14/15/16/341. Mains GS-2: Reservation policy; social justice; constitutional interpretation; SC/ST sub-classification.

No-Confidence Motion Filed Against Lok Sabha Speaker

A no-confidence motion was filed against the Lok Sabha Speaker under Article 94© of the Indian Constitution. During the Speaker’s absence, the Deputy Speaker assumes presiding duties.

Key facts:

  • Speaker of Lok Sabha is the constitutional presiding officer of the lower house
  • Article 93: Speaker and Deputy Speaker shall be chosen by the House
  • Article 94©: Speaker shall vacate office if a resolution of the House passes by a majority

UPSC Relevance

Prelims: Article 93 (election of Speaker), Article 94© (removal), Deputy Speaker. Mains GS-2: Parliamentary democracy; Speaker’s constitutional role and neutrality; Tenth Schedule paradox.

India-US Trade Pact — Zero Tax on Digital Services

India committed to zero tax on digital services and zero customs duties on digital transmissions as part of India-US bilateral trade agreement negotiations, covering SaaS platforms, online gaming, streaming, cloud services, and AI model access.

Key facts:

  • WTO e-commerce moratorium: India previously opposed making the moratorium on customs duties on digital transmissions permanent
  • Equalisation Levy: India’s 6% tax on digital advertising services (since 2016) and 2% on e-commerce operators (2020) — these would need alignment
  • Coverage includes: Canva, Salesforce-type SaaS, Netflix-type streaming, AI API access

UPSC Relevance

Prelims: WTO e-commerce moratorium, Equalisation Levy (6%, 2016; 2%, 2020), SaaS. Mains GS-2: India-US trade relations; WTO frameworks; digital economy governance.

Rajasthan — India’s Largest Wool Producer

Rajasthan produced 16,013.50 thousand kg of wool in FY24 — 47.5% of national output. India’s total wool production: 33.69 million kg (FY24). India’s sheep population: ~77.4 million (2nd largest globally); India ranks 9th globally in wool production.

Key facts:

  • 2nd: Jammu & Kashmir (7,770 thousand kg); 3rd: Karnataka
  • Wool grades: carpet-grade (85%), apparel-grade (5%), coarser-grade (10%)

UPSC Relevance

Prelims: Rajasthan wool (47.5%, 16,013.5 thousand kg), India sheep population (77.4 million), India wool rank globally (9th), wool grade composition. Mains GS-3: Animal husbandry; textile sector.

Network Readiness Index 2025 — India at 45th

India ranked 45th (up 4 positions) out of 127 economies on the Network Readiness Index (NRI) 2025 published by the Portulans Institute with score 54.43/100. India is 2nd among lower-middle-income economies (after Vietnam at 40th globally).

Key facts:

  • Global top 3: USA (79.13), Finland (75.82), Singapore (75.46)
  • China: 24th (fell 7 positions); only middle-income economy in top 25
  • NRI 2025 theme: “AI Governance in a Global Context: Policy and Regulatory Approaches”

UPSC Relevance

Prelims: NRI 2025 (India 45th, score 54.43), Portulans Institute, top 3 countries (USA/Finland/Singapore), China (24th), theme. Mains GS-2/GS-3: Digital governance; India’s technology competitiveness.

ADB Approves USD 182 Million for Assam Brahmaputra Flood Management

The ADB approved USD 182 million to extend flood and erosion management along the Brahmaputra in Assam — supplementing a USD 200 million project (October 2023). The combined USD 382 million project will construct 63.5 km of riverbank protection across 4 additional high-priority reaches.

Key facts:

  • ADB HQ: Manila, Philippines; 68 member countries; India is largest borrower
  • Brahmaputra sediment load: ~725 million tonnes/year
  • Assam = 10% of India’s flood-affected area despite 1.9% geographic share
  • New feature: pro-siltation measures (encouraging controlled sediment deposition)

UPSC Relevance

Prelims: ADB (Manila, 68 members, India largest borrower), ADB President Masato Kanda, USD 182 million + USD 200 million project, 63.5 km embankment, Brahmaputra sediment 725 mt/year. Mains GS-1/GS-3: Brahmaputra floods; disaster management; multilateral financing.

Moody’s — India Fastest-Growing G-20 Economy at 6.4% in FY27

Moody’s projected India’s GDP growth at 6.4% for FY27 — the fastest among G-20 nations. System-wide bank loan growth projected at 11–13% in FY27. NPL (Non-Performing Loan) ratio projected at 2–2.5%; Return on Assets (ROA) expected to rise to 1.2–1.3%.

UPSC Relevance

Prelims: Moody’s GDP projection (6.4% FY27), NPL ratio (2–2.5%), ROA (1.2–1.3%), loan-to-deposit ratio (~80%). Mains GS-3: Macroeconomic outlook; banking sector health.

IPC Signs MoUs with QCI, GSPC, and HITES

Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) — autonomous body under Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) — signed MoUs with Goa State Pharmacy Council (GSPC), Quality Council of India (QCI), and HLL Infra Tech Services (HITES) for pharmacovigilance, drug safety monitoring, and pharmacist capacity building.

UPSC Relevance

Prelims: IPC (under MoHFW), QCI, pharmacovigilance, drug safety monitoring. Mains GS-2: Healthcare governance; pharmaceutical regulation.

GRSE-HSL Consortium for Shipbuilding

Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) (Kolkata) and Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) signed a consortium agreement in February 2026 for collaborative design, construction, and delivery of ships for national requirements under Atmanirbhar Bharat in maritime sector.

UPSC Relevance

Prelims: GRSE (Kolkata), HSL (Visakhapatnam), Atmanirbhar Bharat in defence. Mains GS-3: Defence procurement; public sector collaboration; maritime self-reliance.

Gujarat Signs LoI with Starlink for Digital Connectivity

The Gujarat government signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) with Starlink Satellite Communications Private Limited (SpaceX subsidiary) for satellite internet connectivity. Pilot focuses on Aspirational Districts: Narmada and Dahod. Applications: CSCs, e-governance, schools, PHCs, disaster management, wildlife sanctuaries.

UPSC Relevance

Prelims: Starlink (SpaceX subsidiary), Aspirational Districts (Narmada, Dahod), LoI vs. MoU distinction. Mains GS-2/GS-3: Digital inclusion; satellite internet governance; PPP model.

Agriculture — Integrated Farming Models for Small Farmers

The Agriculture Ministry promoted integrated farming models combining poultry, fisheries, animal husbandry, horticulture, and crop cultivation to reduce research-to-farmer technology transfer from 4–5 years to 2 years.

UPSC Relevance

Prelims: Integrated farming components, technology transfer timeline target. Mains GS-3: Agricultural diversification; doubling farmer income; rural livelihoods.

Persons in News

Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya — 58th death anniversary (February 11, 1968); founder of Bharatiya Jana Sangh (1951); philosopher of Integral Humanism (Ekatma Manavdarshan); RSS pracharak from 1942; concept of Antyodaya (uplift of the last person). Born: September 25, 1916. Mughal Sarai station renamed Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction in 2018.

Santosh Trophy 2025-26: Services beat Kerala 1-0 (after extra time) at Dhakuakhana Football Stadium, Assam on February 8, 2026. Services’ 8th title. Tournament founded: 1941; organizer: AIFF (All India Football Federation). 38 teams, 12 in final round.

📌 Facts Corner — Knowledgepedia

Sarvam AI / IndiaAI Mission:

  • IndiaAI Mission budget: Rs 10,300 crore (March 2024); ministry: MeitY
  • Sarvam Vision: 3B parameters, 22 languages; olmOCR-Bench: 84.3%
  • Bulbul V3: 35 voices, 11 languages; Sarvam-Edge: 70B parameter edge model
  • NRI 2025: India 45th (up 4); score 54.43; published by Portulans Institute

Chandrayaan-4:

  • Landing site: Mons Mouton-4 — 84.289°S, 32.808°E
  • Assessment: OHRC (Chandrayaan-2) + SAC (Ahmedabad)
  • Mission: India’s first lunar sample-return (~3 kg)
  • Prerequisite: SPADEX (launched Dec 2024)
  • Chang’e 5 (China): 1.731 kg; Chang’e 6 (2024 far side): ~1.9 kg; Apollo: 382 kg

India-Greece Defence:

  • JDI signed: Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi
  • Signatories: Rajnath Singh + Nikolaos-Georgios Dendias
  • IFC-IOR: Gurugram, Haryana
  • Greece: ~20% global shipping tonnage; Piraeus owned by COSCO (China)
  • Bilateral trade: ~USD 2 billion (2022-23); Strategic Partnership: Aug 2023

PMO / Relief Funds:

  • PMNRF: established 1948 by Jawaharlal Nehru (Partition refugees)
  • PM CARES: Public charitable trust, March 2020 (COVID)
  • NDF: Armed Forces welfare; PM = Chairperson of Executive Committee
  • RTI: NDF covered; PM CARES / PMNRF status sub judice
  • Lok Sabha Rules cited: 41(2)(viii) and 41(2)(xvii)

SC/ST Sub-classification:

  • Case: State of Punjab v. Davinder Singh (2024)
  • Judgment: August 1, 2024 (Constitution Bench)
  • Allowed sub-classification within SCs for equitable reservation
  • Relevant Articles: 14, 15, 16, 341

ADB Brahmaputra:

  • New loan: USD 182 million; existing project: USD 200 million (Oct 2023)
  • Combined: USD 382 million
  • New riverbank protection: 63.5 km; 4 additional reaches
  • ADB HQ: Manila; 68 members; India: largest borrower
  • ADB President: Masato Kanda (since Feb 2025)

Rajasthan Wool:

  • Rajasthan share: 47.5% of national output (16,013.5 thousand kg)
  • India total wool (FY24): 33.69 million kg
  • India sheep: ~77.4 million (2nd largest globally); India: 9th in wool globally
  • Grades: carpet 85%, apparel 5%, coarser 10%

Capital Goods / Union Budget 2026-27:

  • Public capex: Rs 12.2 lakh crore (4.2× from FY18)
  • Container Manufacturing Scheme: Rs 10,000 crore (5 years)
  • Multiplier effect: 2.5–3.5×
  • National Capital Goods Policy: 2016

Santosh Trophy:

  • Founded: 1941; organizer: AIFF
  • 2025-26 winner: Services (8th title); defeated Kerala 1-0 (ET)
  • Venue: Dhakuakhana Football Stadium, Assam; Feb 8, 2026

Moody’s India Outlook:

  • FY27 GDP growth: 6.4% (fastest G-20)
  • Loan growth FY27: 11–13%; NPL ratio: 2–2.5%; ROA: 1.2–1.3%

Deendayal Upadhyaya:

  • Born: September 25, 1916; Died: February 11, 1968
  • Philosophy: Integral Humanism (Ekatma Manavdarshan); Antyodaya
  • BJS (Bharatiya Jana Sangh): founded 1951; RSS pracharak from 1942
  • Mughal Sarai renamed: Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction (2018)

Sources: Drishti IAS, Next IAS, AffairsCloud