Daily Current Affairs Quiz
Daily Quiz — February 18, 2026
Question 1 of 10
Exercise MILAN 2026 was hosted by which naval command of India?
Exercise MILAN 2026 (13th edition, Feb 18-25) was hosted by the Eastern Naval Command at Visakhapatnam with 74 nations participating, making it the largest MILAN ever. It was inaugurated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The exercise shifted from Port Blair to Visakhapatnam from the 2022 edition onwards, and included 42 warships and ~32 aircraft.
💡 Concept Note
India has three regional naval commands: Western (Mumbai), Eastern (Visakhapatnam), and Southern (Kochi). The Andaman and Nicobar Command is India's only tri-service command. MILAN, meaning 'meeting,' started in 1995 with just 4 countries.
Question 2 of 10
The India-France strategic partnership was originally established in which year?
The India-France Strategic Partnership was established in 1998 under PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee and President Jacques Chirac — France was the first Western power to sign such a partnership with India and did not impose sanctions after India's 1998 nuclear tests. In 2026, it was upgraded to 'Special Global Strategic Partnership' during President Macron's fourth visit to India (February 17-19, 2026).
💡 Concept Note
India has elevated strategic partnerships with select countries: USA (Major Defence Partner), Russia (Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership), Japan (Special Strategic and Global Partnership), Australia (Comprehensive Strategic Partnership), France (Special Global Strategic Partnership from 2026). The India-France Horizon 2047 Roadmap was adopted in 2023 on the 25th anniversary of the partnership. Key outcomes of the 2026 upgrade: HAMMER missile JV (BEL + Safran), critical minerals agreement, nuclear energy and space cooperation.
Question 3 of 10
The Royal Indian Navy (RIN) Revolt began on February 18, 1946. What was the epicentre of this revolt?
The RIN Revolt began on February 18, 1946 at HMIS Talwar in Bombay (now Mumbai). Over 20,000 naval ratings and 78 ships participated. The revolt spread to Karachi, Madras, Cochin, Visakhapatnam, Calcutta, and the Andaman Islands.
💡 Concept Note
The RIN Revolt was triggered by racial discrimination and political awakening post-INA trials (November 1945). The first INA trial batch (Prem Kumar Sehgal, Shah Nawaz Khan, Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon) symbolised Hindu-Muslim-Sikh unity in the freedom struggle.
Question 4 of 10
The 26 Rafale-Marine jets finalised for India in 2026 will operate from which platform?
The 26 Rafale-Marine jets (22 single-seat + 4 twin-seat) will primarily operate from INS Vikrant, India's first indigenously built aircraft carrier commissioned on September 2, 2022. They will also be deployable on INS Vikramaditya. The Rafale-Marine replaces the aging MiG-29K fleet. The deal (approx. Rs 63,000 crore) was signed as an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) with France; deliveries begin 2028-29.
💡 Concept Note
INS Vikrant (IAC-1) was built by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), displacement ~45,000 tonnes, commissioned September 2, 2022 — India's first indigenously designed and built aircraft carrier. INS Vikramaditya is an earlier carrier (modified Kiev-class Gorshkov, purchased from Russia). INS Arihant is a nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN), not a carrier. The 26 Rafale-M jets supplement the 114 Rafale jets cleared for the IAF, bringing India's total planned Rafale fleet to 176 (36 existing IAF + 114 new IAF + 26 Navy).
Question 5 of 10
The Jaitapur Nuclear Park, proposed for 6 EPR units of 1,650 MW each, is located in which state?
Jaitapur Nuclear Park is located in Maharashtra and is proposed to have 6 EPR (European Pressurised Reactor) units at 1,650 MW each, totalling 9,900 MW — which would make it the world's largest nuclear power park. It is being developed with French collaboration.
💡 Concept Note
India's nuclear power plants are operated by NPCIL (Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited) under the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), which reports directly to the Prime Minister. The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) provides safety oversight.
Question 6 of 10
The Bharat VISTAAR AI advisory platform for farmers was launched at which location and under which ministry?
Bharat VISTAAR was launched at the State Institute of Agricultural Management (SIAM), Jaipur, Rajasthan (Phase 1) by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Its toll-free helpline is 155261 and the AI voice assistant is named 'Bharati.'
💡 Concept Note
Bharat VISTAAR integrates 10 government schemes including PM-KISAN, PMFBY, Soil Health Card, KCC, and eNAM. AgriStack is India's digital agriculture infrastructure — a federated data platform for the agriculture sector.
Question 7 of 10
Under the Forest Rights Act (FRA) 2006, what is the maximum area of individual title rights that can be granted to a family?
Under FRA 2006, the maximum individual forest land title rights that can be granted to a family is 4 hectares. Eligibility requires 3 generations (75 years) of residence before December 13, 2005. Over 45% of claims are rejected in some states like Maharashtra.
💡 Concept Note
FRA 2006 recognises four types of rights: (1) Title Rights (land), (2) Use Rights (NTFP, grazing), (3) Relief and Development Rights (critical wildlife habitats, resettlement), and (4) Forest Management Rights (community protection). The Gram Sabha is the primary authority for recognising these rights.
Question 8 of 10
Tejaswin Shankar won a gold medal at the Asian Indoor Athletics Championships 2026 in which event?
Tejaswin Shankar won gold in the men's heptathlon at the Asian Indoor Athletics Championships 2026 in Tianjin, China with 5,993 points — a new national indoor record (previous: 5,650 points, 2021) and a championship record, the second-best score by an Asian. India won 5 medals total at the championships; the heptathlon gold was the only gold.
💡 Concept Note
The heptathlon is a combined event comprising 7 disciplines (60m hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200m, long jump, pole vault, 1000m) in the indoor format. The outdoor equivalent for men is the decathlon (10 events). Tejaswin had earlier competed in the high jump at the Tokyo Olympics.
Question 9 of 10
The SAHI and BODH platforms launched at India AI Impact Summit 2026 are focused on which sector?
SAHI (Sustainable AI in Healthcare for India) is the national roadmap for responsible AI adoption in healthcare. BODH is a platform to test, benchmark, and validate AI health solutions before clinical deployment. Both are anchored in the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM, 2020).
💡 Concept Note
Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) creates the digital backbone for healthcare — ABHA (health ID), Health Facility Registry, Healthcare Professionals Registry. India AI Mission (approved 2024, Rs 10,371 crore) covers 7 pillars including IndiaAI Compute Capacity, Datasets Platform, and Application Development.
Question 10 of 10
India's first private-sector helicopter manufacturing facility, launched in Karnataka in 2026, will produce which helicopter model?
India's first private-sector helicopter manufacturing facility (Airbus + Tata joint venture) in Karnataka will produce the Airbus H-125 (formerly known as Eurocopter AS350 Ecureuil) at an annual capacity of 10 helicopters. The H-125 is capable of operating at high altitudes up to 8,000m.
💡 Concept Note
HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited) is the public-sector producer of helicopters in India — it manufactures the Dhruv (ALH), Rudra (armed variant), and LCH Prachand. The Airbus-Tata facility marks India's entry into private-sector helicopter manufacturing under the DPP/DAP 2020 framework.