Daily Current Affairs- 10th February 2026

Daily Current Affairs- 10th February 2026

No Confidence Motion Against Om Birla

In the News: The Opposition moved a no-confidence motion against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. Lok Sabha sources confirmed the motion would be examined and processed according to established parliamentary rules. The move came after the Congress and other opposition parties criticized Birla for preventing Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi from quoting former Indian Army Chief General M M Naravane's unpublished memoir and for Birla's claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi could have been attacked inside the House.

Key Points:

• Constitutional Provision for Removal: The Lok Sabha Speaker can be removed from office under Article 94(c) of the Constitution through a resolution passed by a majority of all then members of the House. This provision applies only to Lok Sabha, not Rajya Sabha. Article 94 also covers vacation and resignation of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker.
• Notice Requirement: A member must give written notice to the Secretary-General of Lok Sabha to initiate removal proceedings. The notice can be submitted by two or more members jointly. A minimum of fourteen days' notice must be given before the resolution can be moved.
• Quorum and Support: The motion requires backing from at least two members of Lok Sabha, and 50 members must stand up in its favor to fulfill the quorum requirement. If fewer than 50 members rise, the presiding officer informs the House that leave has not been granted.
• Guidelines for the Motion: According to Rule 200A, the resolution must be specific with respect to charges, clearly and precisely expressed, and cannot contain arguments, inferences, ironical expressions, imputations, or defamatory statements. Members who submitted the motion cannot speak after it is admitted for discussion.
• Discussion Process: If admitted and sufficient members rise in support, the presiding officer declares that leave has been granted and the resolution will be taken up within ten days. During discussion, members moving the motion may speak for up to fifteen minutes if permitted, and the discussion must be strictly confined to the charges in the resolution.
• Historical Precedents: No-confidence motions against Lok Sabha Speakers have been moved three times in India's parliamentary history: against Ganesh Vasudev Mavalankar in December 1954, Hukam Singh in November 1966, and Balram Jakhar in April 1987. None of these motions resulted in the Speaker's removal.

India and Greece Seal Defense Pact with Five-Year Game Plan

In the News: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held bilateral talks with Nikolaos-Georgios Dendias, Minister of National Defence of the Hellenic Republic, in New Delhi. During the meeting, both nations signed a Joint Declaration of Intent to strengthen defence industrial cooperation and exchanged a Bilateral Military Cooperation Plan for 2026, marking a significant expansion of the India–Greece Strategic Partnership.

Key Points:

• Joint Declaration of Intent: The two Defence Ministers signed a Joint Declaration of Intent aimed at strengthening defence industrial cooperation between India and Greece. The declaration marks the beginning of work on a five-year roadmap to expand collaboration, focusing on boosting indigenous defence manufacturing capabilities through co-development, co-production, and technology partnerships.
• Alignment of Strategic Initiatives: The five-year roadmap aligns India's Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative with Greece's Hellenic defence reforms under Agenda 2030. This collaboration aims to enhance self-reliance, reduce import dependence, and open new opportunities for defence companies and startups in both countries.
• Bilateral Military Cooperation Plan 2026: Both sides exchanged a Bilateral Military Cooperation Plan (BMCP) for 2026, outlining the roadmap for future military engagements and cooperation between the armed forces of India and Greece. The plan charts the course for joint exercises, training programmes, military exchanges, and structured planning to ensure regular interaction, interoperability, and trust-building between the two militaries.
• Maritime Security Cooperation: In a significant step towards maritime cooperation, Greece announced the posting of a Greek International Liaison Officer at the Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) in Gurugram.

World Pulses Day 2026 and Why Is the World Talking About Pulses?

In the News: World Pulses Day 2026 will be observed on February 10, 2026, drawing global attention to the importance of pulses in nutrition, sustainable farming, and environmental protection. Recognized by the United Nations and supported by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the day highlights how pulses like lentils, beans, and chickpeas play a powerful role in fighting hunger, improving soil health, and supporting climate-resilient agriculture.

Key Points:

• Annual Observance Date: World Pulses Day is celebrated every year on February 10. The day has been officially observed since 2019, after being designated by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2018. It builds on the success of the International Year of Pulses 2016, which showcased pulses as essential crops for food security and sustainable development.
• Theme for 2026: The theme for World Pulses Day 2026 is "Pulses of the World: From Modesty to Excellence." It highlights how humble crops like lentils, peas, beans, and chickpeas have evolved into globally recognized nutrient-rich foods. The theme reflects the growing role of pulses in modern diets, culinary innovation, and climate-smart agriculture.
• Key Focus Areas: The 2026 observance highlights the transformation of pulses from basic staples to global superfoods and promotes international collaboration, with the main global event hosted with the Kingdom of Spain in Valladolid.
• Definition of Pulses: Pulses are dry edible seeds of legume plants grown for food. They are rich in protein, fibre, vitamins, and minerals and are a staple in diets across the world. Common pulses include chickpeas, lentils, dry beans, dry peas, and lupins, which are affordable, nutritious, and culturally diverse.

India as Chair of the Kimberley Process 2026

In the News: India has assumed the chair of the Kimberley Process (KP) for 2026, placing it at the forefront of global diamond governance. This role positions India as a key Global South voice and a central hub in the diamond value chain to drive meaningful reforms in the international diamond trade at a crucial time for the industry. This will be the third time India has been entrusted with the chair of the Kimberley Process.

Key Points:

• About the Kimberley Process: The KP is an international forum initiated in May 2000 by Southern African countries to regulate the trade in rough diamonds. It aims to prevent the flow of conflict diamonds—rough diamonds used by rebel groups or their allies to finance armed conflicts aimed at undermining legitimate governments—while helping to protect legitimate trade in rough diamonds.
• Institutional Structure: The KP is not a formal international organization or legally binding treaty. It has no permanent office or staff and functions on burden-sharing contributions from participating countries, with support from industry and civil society. Its rules are implemented through national laws rather than international legal obligations, and operates as a tripartite setup of governments, industry organizations, and civil society.
• Current Participation: The KP has 60 participants representing 86 countries, accounting for approximately 99.8% of global rough diamond production. India is one of the founding members of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS), which was launched in 2003 following negotiations with 37 signatory parties.
• Kimberley Process Certification Scheme: The KPCS outlines rules governing rough diamond trade and has developed minimum requirements that each participant must meet. Every consignment of rough diamonds crossing international borders must be accompanied by a tamper-resistant KP certificate. Trade in rough diamonds is permitted only between certified KP members who adhere to the scheme's minimum requirements, and participant countries are legally obliged to share timely and accurate statistical data regarding diamond production and trade.
• India's Diamond Industry Position: While India is not a major producer of rough diamonds, it is a major importer, sourcing mainly from the United Arab Emirates, Belgium, and Russia, and importing roughly 40% of total global imports in quantity and value. As of 2024, around 90% of the world's diamonds are processed in India, accounting for approximately 75% of global turnover by value, with industries concentrated in Surat and Mumbai.

Clean Energy, Global Minds: Inside the New India–Netherlands Hydrogen Fellowship

In the News: The Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, strengthened India–Netherlands scientific cooperation in clean energy with the launch of the India–Netherlands Hydrogen Fellowship Programme. The event also witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the University of Groningen, Netherlands, and 19 Indian Institutes of Technology to establish an academic cooperation framework in green energy and hydrogen research.

Key Points:

• Programme Launch: The India–Netherlands Hydrogen Fellowship Programme was launched by Prof. Abhay Karandikar, Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology, in the presence of Huib Mijnarends, Deputy Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to India. The Scheme Guidelines and Call for Proposals were released during the launch event.
• Key Focus Areas: The programme emphasizes system integration, hydrogen safety standards, techno-economic analysis, life-cycle assessment, and indigenization pathways. These focus areas are critical for transitioning hydrogen technologies from research to real-world deployment, particularly in hard-to-abate sectors like steel, cement, and heavy transport.
• Academic MoU Framework: DST hosted the signing of an institution-to-institution Memorandum of Understanding between the University of Groningen and 19 Indian Institutes of Technology. The MoU establishes an enabling framework for long-term academic cooperation in hydrogen and green energy research without automatic financial commitments.
• Alignment With National Missions: The initiatives align closely with India's National Green Hydrogen Mission, Energy Independence 2047, and Net-Zero 2070 objectives. Prof. Karandikar emphasized that focused international collaboration and targeted capacity-building are critical for advancing hydrogen technologies in alignment with India's clean energy transition goals.

Aditya Pandya Becomes India’s Youngest Male Analog Astronaut

In the News: Seventeen-year-old Aditya Pandya became India's youngest male analog astronaut after successfully completing a lunar-habitat-inspired mission from February 1 to 8, 2026. The mission, conducted by AAKA Space Studio in the white plains of Dholavira in Gujarat's Kutch region, simulated Moon-like isolation and autonomous operations, marking a significant milestone in India's emerging analog space research ecosystem.

Key Points:

• Mission Organizer: AAKA Space Studio, a registered ISRO Space Tutor, conducted the analog mission to replicate the physical, psychological, and operational constraints of future planetary habitats. The organization focuses on space research, simulation science, and experiential astronaut training aligned with human spaceflight goals.
• Mission Duration and Location: The eight-day mission ran from February 1 to 8, 2026, in the white plains of Dholavira, Kutch, Gujarat. A four-member analog astronaut crew lived in strict isolation inside a container-based lunar analog habitat throughout the entire duration.
• Aditya's Dual Technical Role: Aditya Pandya served both as an analog astronaut and as the lead for hardware, Internet of Things (IoT), and habitat intelligence systems. His dual role as system architect and crew member allowed him to test the systems he built under real operational stress during the mission.
• Pre-Mission Preparation: Over the six months preceding the mission, Aditya was involved in building and integrating the core technology stack. His responsibilities included developing environmental sensor modules, astronaut biometric monitoring systems, embedded safety hardware, real-time telemetry systems, and modular components through 3D printing and rapid prototyping.
• Digital Twin Framework: The lunar analog habitat incorporated a digital twin framework enabling real-time synchronization between the physical habitat and mission control systems. This technology allowed continuous monitoring of crew health, environmental conditions, and system performance, along with detailed post-mission analysis.