Daily Current Affairs – 19 February 2026 | ExamCare
✅ Fact-Checked & Verified🏛️ Sources: PIB, RBI, Ministries📰 10 Topics Analyzed✍️ 10 Practice MCQs🖨️ Print / Save PDF
📌 Reports-indexes Item #1 of 10
India Ranks 39th in Global Innovation Index (GII) Published by WIPO
According to the Global Innovation Index (GII) published by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), India climbed to the 39th position among 133 global economies. India continues to lead the Central and Southern Asia region and ranks 1st among lower-middle-income economies in innovation performance.
💡 KEY EXAM TAKEAWAYS & FACTS
Published annually by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), a specialized UN agency based in Geneva.
Switzerland was ranked 1st globally for the 14th consecutive year, followed by Sweden and the United States.
India moved up dramatically from 81st position in 2015 to 39th position, reflecting vibrant startup growth and patent filings.
India ranks 1st globally in ICT services exports as a percentage of total trade.
📌 National Item #2 of 10
Union Cabinet Approves Major Infrastructure Corridor Under PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved new multi-modal economic corridors spanning five states under PM Gati Shakti. The project aims to eliminate multi-modal freight bottlenecks, enhance logistics efficiency, and reduce transit turnaround times across high-density industrial corridors.
💡 KEY EXAM TAKEAWAYS & FACTS
PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan was launched in October 2021 with ₹100 lakh crore outlay.
Integrates 16 Central Ministries and State planning departments on a unified GIS platform (BISAG-N).
Aims to reduce India's logistics costs from 13-14% of GDP down to global benchmark of around 8-9%.
Includes dedicated freight rail tracks, multi-modal logistics parks (MMLPs), and industrial clusters.
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) announced that the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana has crossed 1.3 crore household registrations on its national portal. The scheme provides substantial capital subsidies up to ₹78,000 for installing residential rooftop solar panels, providing up to 300 units of free electricity monthly.
💡 KEY EXAM TAKEAWAYS & FACTS
PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana was launched in February 2024 with an outlay of ₹75,021 crore.
Target: Solarize 1 crore residential households across urban and rural India.
Benefits: Up to 300 units of free electricity per month and surplus power feed-in tariffs.
Subsidy structure: ₹30,000 for 1 kW systems, ₹60,000 for 2 kW systems, and ₹78,000 for 3 kW and above.
According to the Reserve Bank of India's statistical supplement, India's foreign exchange reserves surged to surpass the historic $700 billion milestone for the first time. Robust foreign institutional investment (FII) inflows, solid non-resident Indian deposits, and strategic dollar purchases by the central bank bolstered external sector buffers.
💡 KEY EXAM TAKEAWAYS & FACTS
Components of India's Forex Reserves: Foreign Currency Assets (FCA), Gold, Special Drawing Rights (SDRs), and Reserve Tranche Position (RTP) in IMF.
Foreign Currency Assets (FCA) form the largest multi-currency component.
SDR is an international reserve asset created by the IMF in 1969 based on a basket of 5 currencies (USD, EUR, CNY, JPY, GBP).
Reserves provide import cover of over 11 months, shielding the rupee against global capital volatility.
📌 Science-tech Item #5 of 10
Aditya-L1 Completes One Year at Sun-Earth Lagrange Point 1 (L1) Transmitting Solar Flares Data
India's maiden solar observatory Aditya-L1 marked successful operational milestones at the Sun-Earth Halo orbit around Lagrange Point 1 (L1), 1.5 million km from Earth. Its primary payloads—the Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC) and Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT)—have captured unprecedented high-resolution imagery of solar coronal mass ejections (CMEs).
💡 KEY EXAM TAKEAWAYS & FACTS
Launched on 2 September 2023 aboard PSLV-C57; successfully inserted into halo orbit on 6 January 2024.
Stationed at Lagrange Point 1 (L1) where gravitational forces of Sun and Earth produce an equilibrium position.
Studies solar corona dynamics, coronal heating, solar wind acceleration, and space weather events.
📌 Defence Item #6 of 10
India Successfully Tests Next-Generation Ballistic Missile 'Agni-Prime' off Odisha Coast
The Strategic Forces Command (SFC) along with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted the flight test of the new-generation ballistic missile 'Agni-Prime' (Agni-P) from Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha. The two-stage canisterised solid-propellant missile has an operational strike range of 1,000 to 2,000 km.
Propulsion: Two-stage solid propellant rocket motor with composite motor casing.
Key Feature: Fully canisterised launcher system allowing rapid deployment via road or rail transport with minimal preparation time.
Equipped with dual redundant navigation and guidance systems (ring laser gyro based).
📌 Sports Item #7 of 10
Neeraj Chopra Wins Silver Medal at Diamond League Javelin Finals in Brussels
Olympic Champion Neeraj Chopra concluded another stellar season by finishing second with a throw of 87.86 metres at the prestigious Wanda Diamond League javelin final in Brussels, Belgium. Chopra finished just one centimetre behind champion Julian Weber of Germany.
💡 KEY EXAM TAKEAWAYS & FACTS
Athlete: Neeraj Chopra (Subedar in the Indian Army, Rajputana Rifles).
Event: Wanda Diamond League Finals (Men's Javelin Throw).
Honours: Olympic Gold (Tokyo 2020), Olympic Silver (Paris 2024), World Athletics Championship Gold (Budapest 2023), Diamond League Champion (2022).
National Record: 89.94 m set at the Stockholm Diamond League in 2022.
📌 Environment Item #8 of 10
India Designates 3 New Wetlands as Ramsar Sites, Taking National Total to 85
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change announced the addition of three new wetlands to the list of Wetlands of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention: Nanjarayan Bird Sanctuary and Kazhuveli Bird Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu, and Tawa Reservoir in Madhya Pradesh, elevating India's Ramsar site count to 85.
💡 KEY EXAM TAKEAWAYS & FACTS
Ramsar Convention: Intergovernmental treaty signed in 1971 in Ramsar, Iran; entered into force in 1975.
India became a Contracting Party to Ramsar on 1 February 1982.
State with maximum Ramsar sites in India: Tamil Nadu (18 sites), followed by Uttar Pradesh (10 sites).
Largest Ramsar site in India: Sundarbans Wetland in West Bengal (4,230 sq km); Smallest: Renuka Wetland in Himachal Pradesh (0.2 sq km).
📌 Awards Item #9 of 10
58th Jnanpith Award Conferred Jointly on Renowned Poet Gulzar and Sanskrit Scholar Rambhadracharya
The Jnanpith Selection Board honoured legendary Urdu lyricist and film director Gulzar (Sampooran Singh Kalra) and revered Sanskrit scholar, polyglot, and educator Jagadguru Rambhadracharya with the prestigious 58th Jnanpith Award for their monumental contributions to Indian literature.
💡 KEY EXAM TAKEAWAYS & FACTS
Jnanpith Award was instituted in 1961 by Bharatiya Jnanpith (founded by Sahu Shanti Prasad Jain).
First recipient in 1965: Malayalam writer G. Sankara Kurup for his poetry collection 'Odakkuzhal'.
Carries a cash prize of ₹11 lakh, a citation, and a bronze replica of Goddess Saraswati (Vagdevi).
This marked the second time Sanskrit has received Jnanpith (previously Satyavrat Shastri in 2006).
📌 Appointments Item #10 of 10
Senior IAS Officer K. Sanjay Murthy Appointed as Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India
The President of India appointed senior bureaucrat K. Sanjay Murthy as the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), succeeding Girish Chandra Murmu. Murthy previously served as Secretary in the Department of Higher Education under the Ministry of Education.
💡 KEY EXAM TAKEAWAYS & FACTS
CAG is a constitutional authority established under Article 148 of the Indian Constitution.
Described by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar as the 'most important officer under the Constitution of India'.
Tenure: 6 years or until attaining 65 years of age, whichever is earlier.
Audits receipts and expenditure of the Union, States, and public sector undertakings; submits reports to the President/Governor under Article 151.
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Question 1 of 10Global Indices & Innovation
Which organization publishes the annual 'Global Innovation Index' (GII) ranking global economies?
💡 Detailed Explanation & Analysis:
The Global Innovation Index (GII) is published annually by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in partnership with the Portulans Institute.
What is the primary target for reducing logistics cost in India as a percentage of GDP under the National Logistics Policy?
💡 Detailed Explanation & Analysis:
The National Logistics Policy aims to reduce the logistics cost in India from the existing 13-14% of GDP to single digits (around 8-9%) to match global standards, boosting export competitiveness.
What is the total number of residential households targeted for rooftop solarisation under 'PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana'?
💡 Detailed Explanation & Analysis:
PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana targets the solarisation of 1 crore (10 million) residential households across India, providing capital subsidies and up to 300 units of free solar power per month.
🎯 Exam Relevance: UPSC Prelims, SSC CGL, RRB NTPC
Question 4 of 10External Sector & Macroeconomics
Which of the following is NOT a constituent component of India's official Foreign Exchange Reserves managed by the RBI?
💡 Detailed Explanation & Analysis:
India's foreign exchange reserves consist of Foreign Currency Assets (FCAs), Gold reserves, Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) with the IMF, and Reserve Tranche Position (RTP) in the IMF. Domestic treasury bills are not part of forex reserves.
At what distance from Earth is India's solar observatory 'Aditya-L1' stationed around the Lagrange Point 1 (L1)?
💡 Detailed Explanation & Analysis:
Aditya-L1 is stationed in a halo orbit around Lagrange Point 1 (L1), which is situated approximately 1.5 million kilometres from Earth towards the Sun (about 1% of the Earth-Sun distance).
What is the operational strike range of the canisterised ballistic missile 'Agni-Prime' developed by DRDO?
💡 Detailed Explanation & Analysis:
Agni-Prime is a two-stage canisterised solid-propellant ballistic missile with an operational range between 1,000 km and 2,000 km, designed to replace older generation Prithvi and Agni-I systems.
Which state in India hosts the highest number of Ramsar designated wetlands of international importance?
💡 Detailed Explanation & Analysis:
Tamil Nadu has the highest number of Ramsar sites in India with 18 designated wetlands, followed by Uttar Pradesh with 10 Ramsar sites.
🎯 Exam Relevance: UPSC Prelims, SSC CGL, State PSCs
Question 9 of 10Literature & Jnanpith Awards
Who was the first recipient of the prestigious Jnanpith Award in 1965?
💡 Detailed Explanation & Analysis:
Renowned Malayalam poet G. Sankara Kurup was the first winner of the Jnanpith Award in 1965 for his anthology of poems titled 'Odakkuzhal' (The Bamboo Flute).
🎯 Exam Relevance: SSC CGL, State PSCs, Teaching Exams
Question 10 of 10Constitutional Bodies & Polity
Under which Article of the Constitution of India is the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India appointed by the President?
💡 Detailed Explanation & Analysis:
The Comptroller and Auditor General of India is appointed by the President by warrant under his hand and seal pursuant to Article 148 of the Constitution of India.
🎯 Exam Relevance: UPSC Prelims, SSC CGL, State PSCs
⚡ Executive Summary for 19 February 2026
Daily current affairs compilation for 19 February 2026 featuring in-depth analysis of national, banking, defense, and science developments with 10 practice MCQs for UPSC, SSC, Banking, and State PSC exams.
📋 Consolidated High-Yield Facts for Quick Revision
1. India Ranks 39th in Global Innovation Index (GII) Published by WIPO
Published annually by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), a specialized UN agency based in Geneva.
Switzerland was ranked 1st globally for the 14th consecutive year, followed by Sweden and the United States.
India moved up dramatically from 81st position in 2015 to 39th position, reflecting vibrant startup growth and patent filings.
India ranks 1st globally in ICT services exports as a percentage of total trade.
2. Union Cabinet Approves Major Infrastructure Corridor Under PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan
PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan was launched in October 2021 with ₹100 lakh crore outlay.
Integrates 16 Central Ministries and State planning departments on a unified GIS platform (BISAG-N).
Aims to reduce India's logistics costs from 13-14% of GDP down to global benchmark of around 8-9%.
Includes dedicated freight rail tracks, multi-modal logistics parks (MMLPs), and industrial clusters.
