Daily Current Affairs for UPSC IAS: 14th January 2026

Bargi Dam:

The National Dam Safety Authority has issued a show-cause notice to the Narmada Valley Development Authority over safety concerns at Bargi Dam.

• It is a major multi-purpose dam, serving irrigation, water supply and power generation.
• It is on the Narmada River.
• It is located in Madhya Pradesh.
• National Dam Safety Authority is a statutory body set up by the Central Government under the Dam Safety Act, 2021.
• It operates with a clear mandate to regulate, oversee, and inspect dams.
• It is headed by a chairman and assisted by five members to lead its five wings – policy and research, technical, regulation, disaster and resilience, and administration and finance.
• Headquarter: New Delhi.
• Functions of the Authority include:
  • implementing the policies formulated by the National Committee on Dam Safety;
  • resolving issues between State Dam Safety Organisations (SDSOs), or between a SDSO and any dam owner in that state;
  • specifying regulations for inspection and investigation of dams;
  • providing accreditation to agencies working on construction, design, and alteration of dams.

Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat Abhiyan:

The Union government recently marked one year of the Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat Abhiyan (BVMB) by launching a nationwide 100-day awareness campaign, reaffirming India’s commitment to the United Nations target of ending child marriage by 2030.

• BVMB was launched in 2024 by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, to eliminate child marriage and make India child marriage-free by 2030.
• It reflects India’s commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5.3 and marks a shift from a purely legal response to a prevention- and community-driven approach.
• The campaign aims to reduce the prevalence of child marriage by 10% by 2026 and completely eradicate the practice by 2030
• Its broader goal is to protect children’s rights, delay the age of marriage, promote girls’ education, and address the social norms and economic vulnerabilities that sustain early marriage.
• It is grounded in Article 21 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to life and dignity, and is supported by the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA), 2006.
• It is further strengthened by the Supreme Court’s judgment in Society for Enlightenment and Voluntary Action & Anr v. Union of India & Ors (2024), which emphasised prevention, banned child betrothals, and directed States to create stronger institutional mechanisms against child marriage.
• The Abhiyan rests on dedicated Child Marriage Prohibition Officers (CMPOs) at district and sub-district levels, a technology-enabled BVMB portal for real-time reporting and monitoring, and large-scale community engagement involving schools, Anganwadis, Panchayats, NGOs, youth groups, and religious leaders.
• The campaign has led to proactive prevention through awareness drives, counselling, injunctions, and rapid response systems.
• International organisations like UNICEF have provided technical support, while model successes such as Balod district of Chhattisgarh becoming India’s first child marriage-free district and Surajpur of Chhattisgarh declaring 75 child marriage-free panchayats highlight the impact of sustained local action.

Pax Silica & India’s Inclusion:

The United States’ newly appointed Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor, stated that India will be invited to join “Pax Silica,” a US-led coalition aimed at securing and strengthening the critical minerals supply chain.

• Pax Silica is a US led coalition aimed at building a secure, resilient, and innovation-driven silicon and Artificial Intelligence (AI) supply chain ecosystem through deep cooperation with trusted global partners.
• The inaugural Pax Silica Summit was held in Washington, D.C. in December, 2025.
• It aims to reduce coercive dependencies on a single country, protect AI-critical materials and enable aligned nations to develop and deploy transformative technologies at scale.
• China dominates the critical minerals supply chain needed for the silicon and AI supply chain ecosystem , refining over 60% of lithium, cobalt, and rare earths.
• Global diversification efforts are accelerating after China’s restrictions on rare earth magnets disrupted supply chains.
• Participating Nations: Japan, Republic of Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Israel, United Arab Emirates, and Australia.
• Partner countries host key firms such as Sony, Hitachi, Fujitsu, Samsung, SK Hynix, Temasek, DeepMind, MGX, Rio Tinto, and ASML, which power the global AI supply chain.

Rising FTA Trade Deficit:

A NITI Aayog Trade Watch Quarterly report notes that India’s trade deficit with free trade agreement (FTA) partner countries has widened sharply, even as the country recorded strong export growth in electronics and other sunrise sectors.

Findings from the NITI Aayog Report:

• India’s trade deficit with FTA partners widened by 59.2% in Q1 FY26 (April and June). Exports fell 9% to USD 38.7 billion, while imports rose 10% to USD 65.3 billion.
• Electronics emerged as a top performer, growing 47% year-on-year (YoY), now constituting over 11% of total exports. This contrasts with a sharp decline in petroleum exports.
• The overall deficit was driven by a 16.9% contraction in exports to ASEAN, India’s largest FTA export market. Major declines were seen in Malaysia (-39.7%) and Singapore (-13.2%).
• Imports from the UAE surged 28.7%, propelled by new imports of gold compounds and increased petroleum. Imports from China grew 16.3%, led by electronic components.
• The data is critical as India actively negotiates FTAs (e.g., EU, US) and has recently concluded pacts with Oman, New Zealand, and the UK (2025).
• It also follows a missed 2025 deadline to re-negotiate the ASEAN FTA.

Henley Passport Index 2026:

The Henley Passport Index 2026 once again highlights the sharp divide in global travel freedom, ranking passports based on how many destinations their holders can visit without needing a visa in advance.

• The Henley Passport Index, compiled by Henley & Partners, is regarded as the global standard for measuring passport power.
• It ranks passports based on the number of destinations their holders can access visa-free or with visa-on-arrival
• The index uses exclusive and authoritative data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), making it one of the most credible tools for assessing international mobility.
• India’s global travel access has seen a modest improvement in 2026.
• According to the latest passport rankings, Indian travellers can now visit more countries without lengthy visa procedures than last year.
• However, significant limitations remain for popular destinations like Europe and North America, shaping how Indians plan international trips.
• At the top of the rankings, Singapore holds the number one position, with its citizens enjoying visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 192 destinations, the highest in the world.
• Japan and South Korea jointly occupy the second position with access to 188 destinations, reflecting their strong diplomatic networks and stable international relations.
• Europe continues to dominate the upper ranks, with multiple EU countries offering access to over 185 destinations, highlighting the strength of European diplomacy and integration.

Jio to Launch People-First AI Platform for India and the World:

Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani has announced that Jio will soon launch a people-first artificial intelligence platform designed to make AI accessible to every Indian. The platform aims to empower citizens with AI tools in their own languages and devices, starting from Gujarat and expanding globally.Mukesh Ambani announced Jio’s people-first AI platform. The announcement was made at the Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference in Rajkot.Mukesh Ambani said the upcoming AI platform will be built in India, for India, and the world. It will allow citizens to use AI services daily in their own language and on their personal devices. The goal is to improve productivity, efficiency, and digital inclusion by making artificial intelligence simple, affordable, and widely accessible.

Ola Electric Enters Home Energy Space with ‘Shakti’ Battery System:

Ola Electric has expanded beyond electric vehicles by launching its first home battery energy storage system, ‘Shakti’. Rolled out from its Gigafactory in Tamil Nadu, the product targets Indian households, farms and small businesses. The move reflects Ola’s ambition to play a larger role in India’s clean energy transition and decentralized power solutions.Ola Electric has launched ‘Shakti’, a residential Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). This marks the company’s entry into the home energy market and its expansion beyond the automotive sector.Ola ‘Shakti’ is a residential battery energy storage solution designed to provide reliable and intelligent power backup.It is powered by Ola’s indigenous 4680 Bharat Cell, highlighting domestic manufacturing capabilities.The system is aimed at homes, farms and small businesses seeking alternatives to traditional inverters and diesel generators.With a focus on affordability, safety and performance, Shakti supports India’s growing demand for decentralised and clean energy storage solutions, especially in areas facing frequent power fluctuations or outages.

RBI Notifies New Foreign Exchange Management (Guarantees) Regulations, 2026:

The Reserve Bank of India has introduced a new regulatory framework to govern guarantees involving persons resident outside India. By notifying the Foreign Exchange Management (Guarantees) Regulations, 2026, the central bank aims to improve transparency, simplify compliance, and ensure uniformity in the handling of cross-border guarantees by authorized dealer banks.The Reserve Bank of India has issued the Foreign Exchange Management (Guarantees) Regulations, 2026. These regulations provide a consolidated framework for guarantees involving non-residents under FEMA.The 2026 regulations lay down a comprehensive framework for issuance, modification, and invocation of guarantees involving persons resident outside India.All Authorized Dealer Category-I banks have been directed to strictly follow these rules while facilitating such guarantees.The RBI has also instructed banks to ensure compliance with guidelines issued by the Department of Regulation.

India’s Retail Inflation Touches 3 Month High in December 2025:

India’s retail inflation moved up to a three-month high in December 2025, reflecting easing food price deflation and rising core inflation pressures. Official data shows that while inflation remains comfortably below the Reserve Bank of India’s target, price trends in precious metals and rural areas have pushed the headline number higher, keeping policymakers and economists watchful.India’s retail inflation increased to 1.33% in December 2025, up from 0.71% in November. The data was released by the National Statistical Office, marking the last CPI reading under the 2012 base year.Retail inflation, measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), rose to 1.33% in December, making it a three-month high. This increase followed two months when inflation stayed below 1%.The main reason was the narrowing of food price deflation as favourable base effects began to fade.Despite the uptick, inflation remains well below the Reserve Bank of India’s medium-term target of 4%, with a tolerance band of 2% on either side.The December reading keeps inflation supportive of growth while signalling early signs of firming prices.

Tripura Gramin Bank Launches India’s First Solar-Powered ATM Van:

Tripura Gramin Bank has launched India’s first fully solar-powered ATM van in January 2026. Named ‘TGB on Wheels’, this innovative mobile banking solution aims to provide uninterrupted ATM and basic banking services in rural and remote areas, especially where electricity supply is unreliable or absent.Tripura Gramin Bank became the first Regional Rural Bank (RRB) in India to introduce a fully solar-powered mobile ATM van, strengthening eco-friendly banking and financial inclusion in rural India.‘TGB on Wheels’ is a mobile ATM van that runs entirely on solar energy, eliminating dependence on conventional electricity or diesel generators.The initiative ensures that basic banking services such as cash withdrawal and account-related facilities reach villages and interior regions.By operating independently of grid power, the ATM van remains functional even during power cuts, making banking services reliable, accessible, and environmentally sustainable for rural communities.

PM CARES Fund Has Right to Privacy Under RTI Act: Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court stated that the PM CARES Fund enjoys the right to privacy under the Right to Information Act. The court clarified that entities performing public functions do not automatically lose privacy protection. This ruling has implications for transparency laws, third party rights and interpretation of exemptions under the RTI Act.The Delhi High Court ruled that the PM CARES Fund is entitled to privacy protection under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, even if it is considered a public authority.The ruling was made by a Division Bench led by Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya, along with Justice Tejas Karia.The court observed that being a public entity or discharging public functions does not automatically eliminate the right to privacy.It emphasized that the PM CARES Fund, even if treated as “State”, remains a juristic personality and therefore cannot be denied privacy rights merely because of government control or supervision.

Pawan Kalyan Becomes First Indian to Receive Rare Samurai Martial Arts Honour:

Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan has achieved a rare global distinction by being inducted into Kenjutsu, an ancient Japanese samurai swordsmanship tradition. This prestigious honour places him among a select few non-Japanese practitioners worldwide and highlights India’s growing presence in global cultural and martial traditions.Pawan Kalyan has become the first Indian to be formally inducted into the Samurai martial arts tradition of Kenjutsu, a rare recognition usually reserved for Japanese practitioners and conferred outside Japan only in exceptional cases.

Israel Withdraws from Seven UN Agencies Over Alleged Bias:

Israel has taken a strong diplomatic step by announcing its immediate exit from seven United Nations agencies. The decision comes amid growing criticism of UN institutions by Israel and reflects dissatisfaction over alleged political bias and ineffective functioning. The move signals a shift in Israel’s approach towards multilateral forums at a time of global geopolitical uncertainty.Israel has decided to withdraw from seven UN agencies and affiliated bodies. The announcement was made on January 14, 2026, by Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, citing bias and bureaucratic inefficiency.

Rajasthan’s First Fully Organic Village:

Rajasthan has achieved an important milestone in sustainable agriculture. Bamanwas Kankar Panchayat has officially become the first fully organic village body in the state, covering seven hamlets. The achievement highlights India’s growing focus on chemical-free farming, environmental protection, and farmer-friendly agricultural practices. The move strengthens rural livelihoods while promoting healthier food systems and long-term soil sustainability.Bamanwas Kankar Panchayat in Rajasthan has been declared the state’s first fully organic village body, with all agricultural activities across its seven hamlets following organic farming practices.