Current Affairs - January 21, 2026 Current Affairs

The Organic Conclave-cum-Buyer Seller Meet, aimed at strengthening agri-export linkages in Assam, was organised in Guwahati. The event brought together more than 30 exporters, 9 international importers, and around 50 Farmer Producer Companies, creating a platform for trade interaction and market access. A key highlight was the session on the 8th edition of the National Programme for Organic Production, which focused on enhancing quality standards and improving global competitiveness. Hosting the conclave in Guwahati reinforced the city’s role as a major commercial and agricultural hub in the Northeast region.

The One Station One Product (OSOP) scheme is being implemented by Indian Railways to promote local craftsmanship and regional products at railway stations across the country. Under this initiative, thousands of outlets have been established at major stations, directly benefiting more than 1.32 lakh artisans, weavers, and local producers since 2022. By integrating commerce with cultural representation at railway hubs, Indian Railways supports the “Vocal for Local” initiative, boosts grassroots entrepreneurship, revives traditional crafts, and enhances passenger experience by showcasing India’s rich and diverse heritage.

SeedlingLabs, an AI-native Product Development as a Service (PDaaS) company, appointed Dr Sudhir Kumar Patnaik as the inaugural member of its Advisory Board in January 2026. Dr Sudhir Kumar Patnaik currently serves as a Professor and CIR Director at Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham and is known for his role in connecting industry requirements with applied research and talent development. His appointment represents an important milestone for SeedlingLabs as it aims to scale its AI-native platform and strengthen production delivery capabilities for enterprise clients.

The 10-year LNG supply agreement was signed between Abu Dhabi National Oil Company Gas and HPCL, marking a significant step in India’s long-term energy security strategy. Under this deal, HPCL will receive 0.5 million tonnes per annum of LNG from ADNOC Gas’s Das Island facility, with the contract value estimated between $2.5 and $3 billion. The agreement supports India’s goal of increasing natural gas to 15% of its energy mix by 2030 and further strengthens bilateral energy cooperation between India and the UAE.

Raymond Lifestyle appointed Satyaki Ghosh as its Chief Executive Officer in January 2026, marking an important leadership transition for the company. Satyaki Ghosh brings over 25 years of professional experience across FMCG, textiles, and retail sectors. Prior to joining Raymond Lifestyle, he served as CEO at Grasim Industries under the Aditya Birla Group and held senior leadership positions at L’Oréal India. His appointment reflects Raymond’s strategic focus on operational excellence, sustainability-driven growth, and strengthening brand leadership as the company accelerates its expansion plans.

The 6th edition of the Khelo India Winter Games was in Leh and Ladakh, highlighting the region’s growing importance as a hub for winter sports in India. The Games were conducted across three venues—NDS Stadium, Guphuks Pond, and the Ladakh Scouts Regimental Centre—providing world-class facilities for ice sports. More than 1,000 participants from over 21 states and Union Territories took part, including 472 athletes. A major highlight of this edition was the introduction of Olympic figure skating for the first time, alongside events such as speed skating, short track skating, and ice hockey.

India recorded a historic milestone in FY2025 by achieving electronics exports worth $47 Billion, reflecting the rapid expansion of its manufacturing ecosystem. A major contributor to this growth was smartphone manufacturing under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, which alone accounted for nearly $30 billion in exports. Electronics emerged as India’s third-largest export category, highlighting the success of initiatives such as Make in India. Since 2014–15, electronics exports have grown eleven-fold, generating around 25 lakh jobs, with significant participation from women and MSMEs, and boosting domestic production nearly six times.

The world’s first Digital Life Vault for legacy management was launched by Soult, a startup based in Mangaluru. The launch took place at TiECon Mangaluru 2026 and introduced a comprehensive digital solution to organise financial assets, important documents, personal memories, wishes, and life instructions in one secure platform. By addressing the challenge of fragmented digital legacies, the initiative ensures continuity for families and helps preserve personal values across generations. Soult operates as an enterprise SaaS product company and was founded by Sanketh Kandlikar.

ChemVolt Global signed a memorandum of understanding with Andhra Pradesh to establish a 5 GWh lithium-ion cell gigafactory with an investment of ₹2,500 crore. The project aims to strengthen India’s domestic lithium-ion cell manufacturing ecosystem, supporting both grid-scale energy storage and electric mobility applications. The facility will manufacture advanced prismatic cells and generate significant employment, including around 1,500 direct jobs and over 4,000 indirect jobs. The project will be developed in phases, with Phase I targeting 1 GWh capacity by Q3 2027 and full 5 GWh capacity by Q2 2029.

The 86th All India Presiding Officers’ Conference was organized in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, from 19 to 21 January. The conference was inaugurated by the Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Anandiben Patel, while the keynote address was delivered by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. The event witnessed participation from Presiding Officers representing 28 states, 3 Union Territories, and 6 legislative councils. Key discussions during the conference focused on the use of legislative technology, capacity building of legislators, and enhancing accountability in parliamentary and legislative procedures.

The largest 34 MW solar captive open access project commissioned by Solidus Techno Power in collaboration with Blue Sky NRG is located in Punjab. This project, with a capacity of 34 MW (51 MWp), supplies around 71 million units of clean energy annually to Madhav KRG Ltd., significantly reducing carbon emissions by nearly 67,000 tons each year. The commissioning of this project strengthens Punjab’s renewable energy ambitions and supports industrial sustainability in line with the state’s Green Energy Policy, showcasing a strong commitment to clean and sustainable power generation.