Current Affairs - February 18, 2026 Current Affairs

Tejaswin Shankar secured a historic gold medal in the men’s heptathlon at the Asian Indoor Athletics Championships 2026 held in Tianjin. He accumulated 5,993 points, establishing a new national indoor record and surpassing his previous best of 5,650 points set in 2021. His performance marked India’s only gold medal at the championship and played a crucial role in the country finishing sixth overall with five medals. The achievement highlights India’s growing strength in multi-event athletics on the continental stage.

Indian Overseas Bank introduced an Online Death Claim Settlement Portal to provide a simplified, transparent, and time-bound solution for families and legal heirs. The digital platform enables online submission of claimant details, document uploads, and real-time tracking of claim status, eliminating the need for repeated branch visits. For claims up to ₹15 lakh, the bank has removed the requirement of third-party surety and reduced documentation, ensuring settlement within 15 days. Alongside this initiative, the bank also launched a new corporate website, reinforcing its commitment to digital transformation while maintaining a compassionate, customer-centric approach.

India held high-level discussions with Ireland to strengthen cooperation in telecom and emerging technologies. The talks involved Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and Ireland’s Jack Chambers, focusing on innovation-driven partnerships. Key areas included India’s Digital Public Infrastructure, such as UPI and DBT, rapid 5G expansion, and rural broadband development. Both nations also explored collaborative opportunities in advanced sectors like Quantum Communications, Artificial Intelligence, and regulatory innovation, highlighting their shared commitment to deepening bilateral relations through technology and digital transformation initiatives.

Smriti Mandhana was honoured as the BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year 2025 in recognition of her exceptional leadership and performance. She guided India to a historic Women’s World Cup triumph, marking a significant milestone in Indian women’s cricket. Other notable contenders included Divya Deshmukh, a Chess World Cup winner, and Preethi Pal, a Paralympic medalist. Veteran shooter Anjali Bhagwat received the Lifetime Achievement Award, highlighting her long-standing contribution to Indian shooting sports.

The 23rd BioAsia 2026 Summit was inaugurated in Hyderabad by Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy. The summit, themed ‘TechBio Unleashed – AI, Automation, and Revolutionary Changes in Life Sciences,’ brought together global experts and industry leaders. Over two days, participants discussed AI-driven research and development, next-generation biologics, digital transformation, and the evolving future of life sciences. The event also highlighted Telangana’s strategic vision to position itself as a world-class biopharma hub by 2047, reinforcing its growing prominence in biotechnology and pharmaceutical innovation.

The International Conference on Dam Safety 2026 was concluded in Bengaluru, attracting global experts, regulators, and practitioners in the field of dam management and water resources. The conference focused on strengthening institutional and technical frameworks under the Dam Safety Act, 2021 and the Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP). Key discussions revolved around rehabilitation of ageing dams, sediment management strategies, real-time monitoring systems, risk-based decision-making, coordinated flood operations, and enhancing climate resilience, reflecting India’s commitment to ensuring dam safety and sustainable water infrastructure management.

The H125 Project was launched by Narendra Modi and Emmanuel Macron as part of an upgraded India-France partnership. The initiative establishes India’s first private-sector helicopter manufacturing facility in Karnataka, featuring a Final Assembly Line for H125 helicopters. The project supports domestic production and exports, with an initial capacity of 10 helicopters per year. Known for its high-altitude performance, including landing on Mount Everest, the H125 will serve civil and potential military needs, strengthening India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat mission and deepening strategic aerospace collaboration between the two nations.

Arunachal Pradesh hosts the 1,750 MW Demwe Lower hydel project located on the Lohit River. The project has been granted an 11-year extension of environmental clearance, allowing operations to continue until 2037. The approval was given by the Expert Appraisal Committee under the Ministry of Environment after considering litigation delays. However, the extension has generated debate due to earlier interventions by the National Green Tribunal regarding wildlife clearance and biodiversity concerns in the ecologically sensitive Lohit basin region.

Bizom entered into a strategic partnership with Blinkit to strengthen retail execution and improve brand fulfilment capabilities. The collaboration enables brands to enhance fulfilment speed, minimise stock-outs, and access unified real-time inventory data across quick commerce platforms. By offering a single, reliable source of truth for inventory and sales information, the partnership allows brands to scale their reach without investing in new supply chain infrastructure. This initiative supports planning and execution for more than 750 consumer goods companies, contributing to more efficient, technology-driven, and future-ready retail operations across India.

Space startup GalaxEye entered into a strategic agreement with NewSpace India Limited, commonly known as NSIL, which functions as the commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organisation. This partnership makes GalaxEye the first private Indian satellite operator to establish a data reseller collaboration of this kind. Under the agreement, NSIL will globally market and distribute GalaxEye’s SyncFused OptoSAR satellite imagery. The collaboration aims to provide high-precision data solutions for sectors such as agriculture, disaster management, environmental monitoring, and other critical applications, enhancing India’s presence in the global space-based data market.