Daily Current Affairs and GK Updates (27th February 2026)

National News

UIDAI & Google Bring Authorized Aadhaar Centres Directly to Google Maps

• On 26 February 2026, the Unique Identification Authority of India announced a partnership with Google to display over 60,000 verified Aadhaar Centres on Google Maps across India.
• Users will be able to view authorised centres only, along with services offered, operating hours, accessibility features, and parking details, reducing misinformation about fake centres.
• In the next phase, integration with Google Business Profile will allow real-time updates, feedback responses, and improved transparency in Aadhaar service delivery.
• The initiative aims to enhance ease of living, strengthen digital governance, and may later enable direct appointment booking through Google Maps for Aadhaar enrolment and updates.

CERT-In, SIA-India Release New Space Cyber Security Framework

• Indian Computer Emergency Response Team and SIA-India jointly released the India Space Cyber Security Guidelines 2026 at the DefSat Conference & Expo 2026 in New Delhi.
• The advisory framework aims to protect satellite communication systems, ground infrastructure, and supply chains amid a sharp rise in cyberattacks targeting strategic space assets.
• Applicable to government bodies, satellite operators, vendors, and private space firms, it promotes a “defence in depth” approach with layered security controls and defined responsibilities.
• The initiative strengthens public-private collaboration, enhances resilience against evolving digital threats, and safeguards India’s growing commercial and strategic space ecosystem.

Indian Railways & Indian Army Open Massive Post-Retirement Job Pathways

• Indian Railways and the Indian Army launched a Framework of Cooperation to expand job opportunities for Agniveers and ex-servicemen, ensuring smoother transition to civilian careers.
• The policy provides 20% reservation in Level-1 and 10% in Level-2 posts for ex-servicemen, while ex-Agniveers receive 10% in Level-1 and 5% in Level-2 and above posts.
• In 2024–25, a total of 14,788 railway posts were reserved, including 6,485 in Level-1 and 8,303 in Level-2 and higher categories.
• The initiative also enables contract recruitment as Pointsmen and strengthens civil-military coordination, supporting infrastructure development and national integration.

Ashwini Vaishnaw Launches Rail Tech Policy, Portal & e-RCT in Big Reform Push

• Ashwini Vaishnaw launched the Rail Tech Policy 2026, Rail Tech Portal, and e-Railway Claims Tribunal in New Delhi as part of the 52 reforms in 52 weeks initiative of Indian Railways.
• The Rail Tech Policy promotes AI-driven safety systems such as elephant intrusion detection, fire detection in coaches, drone-based rail monitoring, and structured collaboration with startups and academia.
• The Rail Tech Portal creates a transparent digital platform for innovators to submit, test, and scale railway technologies through public-private partnership.
• The e-Railway Claims Tribunal will enable online filing, tracking, and digitised processing of cases, with all 23 Railway Claims Tribunal benches set for full digital transformation within 12 months.

PM Modi To Launch Nationwide Drive HPV Vaccination Campaign On February 2028

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch India’s nationwide HPV vaccination campaign on February 28, 2026, from Ajmer, targeting 14-year-old girls to prevent cervical cancer, the country’s second most common cancer among women.
• The programme will provide a free single dose of Gardasil 4 at government health facilities, protecting against HPV types 16, 18, 6, and 11.
• Backed by the Union Health Ministry, the three-month intensive drive will ensure nationwide coverage with trained staff, cold-chain systems, and mandatory parental consent.
• Following World Health Organization guidance supporting single-dose efficacy for ages 9–14, the initiative marks a major preventive healthcare step toward reducing India’s cervical cancer burden.

President Murmu Flies ‘Prachand’ in Historic Sortie in India’s Indigenous Combat Helicopter

• President Droupadi Murmu made history on 27 February 2026 by flying a 25-minute sortie in the indigenously developed HAL Light Combat Helicopter Prachand near the India–Pakistan border from Jaisalmer Air Force Station, Rajasthan.
• Flying as co-pilot, she became the first Indian President to undertake a sortie in an attack helicopter, calling Prachand a powerful symbol of self-reliance and saluting soldiers guarding the frontier.
• Developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Prachand features advanced avionics, night-attack capability, missiles, rockets, and high-altitude performance.
• The helicopter flew over the Pokharan range ahead of Vayu Shakti 2026, highlighting India’s operational readiness and growing indigenous defence capabilities.

State News

Raksha Rajya Mantri Opens Chungthang Lachen Road & Taram Chu Bridge in Sikkim

• Sanjay Seth inaugurated the restored Chungthang–Lachen Axis and the 400-ft Bailey Suspension Taram Chu Bridge in North Sikkim on 26 February 2026, marking a major infrastructure revival.
• Rebuilt by the Border Roads Organisation under Project Swastik, the 28-km route was restored after damage from the 2023 Glacial Lake Outburst Flood, 2024 Cyclone Remal, and 2025 cloudbursts.
• BRO cleared 96 landslides, rebuilt unstable stretches, created diversions, and constructed the strategic Taram Chu Bridge to ensure all-weather connectivity to Lachen and nearby border areas.
• The project strengthens defence logistics, boosts tourism and trade, restores regional connectivity, and supports the Atmanirbhar Sikkim–Viksit Bharat vision for resilient development.

Pakyong Airport to Be Renamed After Freedom Fighter Trilochan Pokhrel

• Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang announced that Pakyong Airport, the state’s only airport, will be renamed after freedom fighter Trilochan Pokhrel, popularly known as “Gandhi Pokhrel.”
• The declaration was made on 27 February 2026 during the 31st Foundation Day of the Akhil Sikkim Khas Chettri Bahun Kalyan Sangh at Rangpo.
• Trilochan Pokhrel is regarded as Sikkim’s first independence activist and participated in the Non-Cooperation, Civil Disobedience, and Quit India movements, inspired by Mahatma Gandhi.
• Inaugurated in 2018 by Narendra Modi, the airport significantly improved connectivity. The renaming honours Sikkim’s historical contribution to India’s freedom struggle and preserves its regional legacy.

International News

UPI Goes Global: Israel Next in India’s Digital Payments Push

• India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI), developed by the National Payments Corporation of India, is set to begin operations in Israel following an agreement signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit.
• Launched in 2016, UPI has become the backbone of India’s digital economy, processing billions of transactions monthly, and its Israel expansion strengthens India’s global digital payments footprint.
• The move will enable seamless QR-based and merchant payments, benefiting Indian tourists, professionals, and businesses while enhancing cross-border fintech collaboration.
• Israel joins countries such as Singapore, United Arab Emirates, France, and Sri Lanka in adopting UPI, reinforcing India’s leadership in digital public infrastructure and financial innovation.

India-Israel Elevate Ties to ‘Special Strategic Partnership’ During PM Modi’s 2026 Visit

• India and Israel elevated ties to a “Special Strategic Partnership for Peace, Innovation and Prosperity” during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s February 25-26, 2026 state visit, hosted by Benjamin Netanyahu. Building on landmark 2017-18 visits, the upgrade expands cooperation across defense, AI, cybersecurity, trade, agriculture, connectivity, and people-to-people ties.
• Both sides advanced joint defense R&D and counter-terror collaboration, strengthened tech initiatives including AI, critical technologies, and space cooperation between Indian Space Research Organization and Israel Space Agency and boosted innovation funding via the India-Israel Industrial R&D and Innovation Fund.
• Economic steps include FTA talks, a bilateral investment pact, and payments linkage between NPCI International and MASAV. Expanded agriculture, water, education, and workforce mobility initiatives further anchor the partnership.

India & Germany Join Forces As Climate Resilience Initiative to Save Fragile Ecosystems

• India and Germany have strengthened climate cooperation through a new €20 million initiative announced during a high-level Climate Talk in New Delhi.
• Funded under Germany’s International Climate Initiative (IKI), the project will support India’s upcoming National Adaptation Plan (NAP) and enhance climate resilience in vulnerable ecosystems.
• The initiative targets high-risk regions including the Himalayas, Western Ghats, North-East India, island territories, and the Lower Gangetic floodplains areas facing glacier melt, floods, sea-level rise, and biodiversity loss.
• A key focus is Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA), promoting forest restoration, groundwater recharge, and community-led conservation.
• The partnership reinforces bilateral cooperation in adaptation, biodiversity protection, and innovative climate financing mechanisms for sustainable development.

Banking News

SEBI Revamps New Mutual Fund Rules 2026 – What Investors Need to Know?

• India’s capital markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India has overhauled mutual fund regulations, expanding categories from 36 to 40 and introducing life-cycle and sectoral debt funds.
• The reform strengthens classification norms, standardizes disclosures, and enforces a stricter “true-to-label” regime to ensure portfolios align with stated objectives.
• Overlap between similar schemes has been capped, with AMCs required to publish monthly disclosures to improve transparency and reduce duplication.
• SEBI has also discontinued solution-oriented schemes, requiring mergers or closure of fresh subscriptions. Notably, equity and hybrid funds can now invest a residual portion in gold and silver instruments, while life-cycle funds may allocate up to 10% to gold and silver ETFs, enhancing diversification options.

Science & Technology News

Google Launches Nano Banana 2 Powered by Gemini 3.1 Flash Image

• Google has launched Nano Banana 2, the latest upgrade to its AI-powered image generation and editing tool, built on the Gemini 3.1 Flash model.
• It combines the speed of Gemini Flash with the advanced reasoning capabilities of Nano Banana Pro, delivering faster rendering, improved text clarity, and enhanced visual quality.
• The tool also integrates Gemini’s knowledge base and real-time web data to create more context-aware images, infographics, and data visualisations.
• Nano Banana 2 improves subject consistency, supporting up to five characters and 14 objects in one workflow.
• It is rolling out across the Gemini app, Google AI Studio, Vertex AI, Search, and Google Ads, while Nano Banana Pro remains available for high-accuracy tasks.

Sports News

Historic India Smashed The Highest ever T20 World Cup Score

• In a must-win Super 8 match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, the India national cricket team smashed 256/4 against the Zimbabwe national cricket team at MA Chidambaram Stadium on 26 February 2026.
• This became India’s highest-ever T20 World Cup total and the second-highest in tournament history, behind Sri Lanka’s 260/6 in 2007.
• Abhishek Sharma (55), Hardik Pandya (50*), and Tilak Varma (44*) powered the innings, with India hammering 80 runs in the last five overs.
• Zimbabwe responded with 184/6 despite Brian Bennett’s 97*, falling short by 72 runs. The emphatic win boosted India’s net run rate and kept their semifinal hopes alive.

Important Days News

95th Martyrdom Day of Chandra Shekhar Azad: The Revolutionary Who Chose Death Over Surrender

• On 27 February 2025, India observed the 95th martyrdom day of Chandra Shekhar Azad, honoring his fearless role in the freedom struggle. Born Chandrashekhar Tiwari on 23 July 1906 in Bhabra, Madhya Pradesh, he earned the name “Azad” at 15 by boldly declaring himself free while in British custody.
• Deeply influenced by events like the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, he shifted from non-violent protest to revolutionary nationalism, joining the Hindustan Republican Association and later HSRA.
• Azad led actions like the Kakori Train Conspiracy and the assassination of British officer John Saunders, evading capture through cunning disguises.
• On 27 February 1931, cornered by police at Alfred Park, Allahabad, he died by his own hand, keeping his vow to never be captured alive, becoming a lasting symbol of patriotism.

International Polar Bear Day 2026: Why Protecting Moms & Cubs Matters More Than Ever

• International Polar Bear Day is observed every year on February 27 to raise awareness about the threats polar bears face due to climate change and shrinking Arctic sea ice.
• Organized by Polar Bears International, the day highlights the vulnerable denning period when mothers and cubs stay inside snow dens. Polar bears rely on sea ice to hunt seals, but warming temperatures reduce hunting grounds and lower cub survival rates.
• The observance promotes education, research, and conservation efforts, encouraging global action to protect Arctic ecosystems.
• Zoos, wildlife parks, and online campaigns mark the day with interactive programs, emphasizing the urgent need to safeguard these iconic Arctic predators.

World NGO Day 2026: Why February 27 Matters More Than You Think

• World NGO Day 2026 will be observed on Friday, 27 February, celebrating the vital role of non-governmental organizations in driving social change worldwide.
• The day recognizes NGOs’ work in education, healthcare, human rights, environmental protection, and disaster relief, highlighting their impact at the grassroots level.
• It provides a global platform for awareness, advocacy, and collaboration, encouraging citizens, governments, and institutions to support sustainable development initiatives.
• By promoting volunteering, fundraising, and policy engagement, World NGO Day emphasizes the transformative power of civil society organizations. This observance underlines the importance of NGOs as partners in building equitable, resilient, and inclusive communities across the globe.

Current Affairs Today | 27 February 2026 Current Affairs | Daily Current Affairs By Ashish Gautam