Current Affairs Today 19 February 2026
Today’s current affairs for 19 February 2026 are important for competitive exams because they cover fresh developments in Indian polity, economy, international relations, science, and sports that frequently appear in MCQs and descriptive questions. This 19 February 2026 current affairs update compiles the latest national and international news for competitive exams in India in a concise, exam‑oriented format.
India – National Current Affairs
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CRPF sets up 43 new temporary operating bases between 3,000–6,000 feet in Jammu & Kashmir as part of a revised counter‑terror strategy after the April Pahalgam attack, relevant for internal security and CAPF‑related questions.
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Nearly 2,000 security personnel, led by CRPF, launch a large anti‑Maoist operation along the Chhattisgarh–Telangana border to track senior Maoist leaders, important for Left‑Wing Extremism and security issues.
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India and France formally elevate their ties to a “Special Global Strategic Partnership”, expanding cooperation in defence, technology and global governance—key for India’s foreign policy and bilateral relations questions.
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Election Commission announces Rajya Sabha elections for vacant seats across 10 states to be held on 16 March 2026, important for questions on Parliament, Rajya Sabha composition and election schedule.
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Government of India unveils India’s first comprehensive AI Governance Framework, laying norms for responsible artificial intelligence, crucial for questions on digital policy and emerging technologies governance.
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Union Agriculture Minister launches “Bharat Vistaar”, a digital companion platform for farmers in Rajasthan to provide data‑based advisory services, relevant for agriculture schemes and digital initiatives in rural India.
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The Supreme Court declares menstrual health a facet of the fundamental right to life and dignity under Article 21, a landmark judgment for fundamental rights and health‑related jurisprudence.
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Andhra Pradesh High Court cautions against mechanical issue of Look‑Out Circulars in matrimonial cruelty cases, stressing protection of personal liberty, important for questions on criminal procedure and rights.
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Political controversy emerges over clearance of 75 minority school approvals in a single day, leading to transfer of a deputy secretary and an internal probe, relevant for questions on education administration and governance.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to address an AI summit today, underlining India’s focus on AI investments and global tech positioning, important for science‑policy interface and digital economy topics.
International Current Affairs
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Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is reappointed, ensuring continuity in Japan’s leadership, important for questions on world leaders and Indo‑Pacific geopolitics.
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India joins a group of countries criticising Israel’s unilateral measures in the West Bank, a key development for India’s West Asia policy and UN‑related diplomacy questions.
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Russia–Ukraine war continues with heavy attacks in the Zaporizhzhia region; regional military authorities report one death and seven injuries in the last 24 hours, relevant for questions on ongoing conflicts.
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EU, UK and Canada jointly denounce possible war crimes and crimes against humanity in Sudan’s nearly three‑year conflict, important for international law and global human rights issues.
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Gaza’s death toll reportedly exceeds 75,000 as new peer‑reviewed studies suggest earlier figures under‑counted fatalities, relevant for questions on West Asia conflict and humanitarian crises.
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The White House warns Iran to accept a proposed deal amid a US military build‑up, while Iran and Russia announce joint naval exercises in the Sea of Oman, important for questions on Iran–US tensions and naval geopolitics.
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Bulgaria announces a snap parliamentary election on 19 April 2026 following government resignation after protests, relevant for European politics and democratic processes.
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Reports highlight Pakistan’s Punjab police allegedly involved in around 900 extrajudicial killings in eight months, a key issue for South Asia human rights and internal security questions.
Economy & Banking
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RBI Monetary Policy Committee in its February 2026 meeting keeps the repo rate unchanged at 5.25%, signalling a pause after a cumulative 125 bps cut since February 2025, important for banking and monetary policy MCQs.
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RBI projects India’s real GDP growth at about 7.4% for FY26 while indicating inflation remains below the earlier 4–6% tolerance band, a key figure for economy‑related data‑based questions.
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RBI notes that headline CPI inflation has stayed under 2% for six consecutive months, largely due to cooled food prices, which is significant for understanding the current inflation environment.
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Policy commentary highlights that earlier rate cuts (125 bps) are still transmitting, so RBI maintains a neutral and watchful stance, important for conceptual questions on monetary transmission and stance.
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Analysts point out that recent India–US and India–EU trade deals, including reduced US tariffs on Indian goods from about 50% to around 18%, are expected to support exports and economic growth, relevant for trade and external sector questions.
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Market outlook reports emphasise that Union Budget 2026 has reshaped taxation and capital expenditure priorities, creating short‑term volatility but supporting long‑term growth, useful for questions on fiscal policy.
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Persistent risks flagged for the Indian and global markets include elevated energy prices and geopolitical tensions involving Russia–China, important for questions linking geopolitics and macro‑economy.
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Foreign institutional investors are expected to track RBI’s liquidity stance closely, as any signal on rate cuts or liquidity easing could directly affect Nifty, Bank Nifty and rate‑sensitive sectors.
Science, Technology & Environment
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Government’s AI Governance Framework sets out principles for responsible AI, data protection and accountability in India, crucial for questions on digital ethics and tech regulation in today’s current affairs.
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India is expanding AI‑related cooperation with global partners, including France, as part of the new Special Global Strategic Partnership, important for science diplomacy and technology transfer topics.
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Reports highlight major AI investments and collaborations with premier institutions like AIIMS and IIT Delhi, underlining the push towards medical AI and research, relevant for questions on AI in healthcare and education.
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California’s Attorney General announces work on an AI accountability programme, including scrutiny of image‑generation tools like xAI in cases of non‑consensual explicit images, important for questions on AI regulation and privacy.
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Climate and environmental coverage continues to focus on extreme events globally, which are often linked in exams to topics like climate change, disaster management and international environmental agreements.
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India’s tech policy discussions today connect AI governance, data protection and cybersecurity, areas that frequently appear in prelims and mains questions under science and technology.
Sports & Important Days
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Jammu & Kashmir cricket team scripts history by reaching a new milestone in Ranji Trophy competition, a notable first for the state side and relevant for sports achievements questions.
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Domestic cricket performance of smaller teams like J&K is being highlighted as an example of growing competitiveness in India’s first‑class cricket structure, often asked under sports current affairs.
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Global sports news today includes ongoing football and other league fixtures that may be relevant if associated with major records or tournaments, but no major new world‑cup‑level event has been reported in the last 24 hours.
