Daily Current Affairs- 16th February 2026

Daily Current Affairs- 16th February 2026

Assam Gets Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu, Northeast’s First Emergency Landing Facility

In the News: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated major infrastructure projects in Assam worth over ₹5,450 crore. These include the Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu — a landmark bridge over the Brahmaputra River in Guwahati — and the Northeast’s first Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) on a national highway in Dibrugarh district, aimed at boosting connectivity, strategic preparedness and regional development.

Key Points:

• Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu: The bridge is 2.86 km long with six lanes and was built at a cost of approximately ₹3,030 crore. It is the first extradosed Prestressed Concrete (PSC) bridge in Northeast India, connecting Guwahati with North Guwahati and reducing travel time between the two sides to just seven minutes.
• Connectivity & Pilgrimage: The bridge significantly enhances access to the Kamakhya Temple and strengthens urban mobility across the Brahmaputra, benefiting daily commuters, businesses and pilgrims alike.
• Advanced Engineering: The bridge incorporates base isolation technology using friction pendulum bearings to handle the region’s high seismic activity, and uses high-performance stay cables for long-term durability.
• Bridge Health Monitoring System (BHMS): A real-time BHMS has been installed to enable continuous structural monitoring, early damage detection and enhanced safety throughout the bridge’s service life.
• Northeast’s First Emergency Landing Facility (ELF): The ELF was inaugurated on the Moran Bypass in Dibrugarh district, developed in coordination with the Indian Air Force (IAF). It is a dual-use infrastructure capable of supporting both military and civilian aircraft during emergencies. IAF jets including the Sukhoi Su-30MKI and Dassault Rafale performed successful take-offs and landings, witnessed by nearly one lakh people.
• Technical Specifications of ELF: The 4.2-km reinforced concrete stretch can handle fighter aircraft up to 40 tonnes and transport aircraft with a maximum take-off weight of up to 74 tonnes. It has no central road divider to allow smooth aircraft movement, with fencing on both sides for operational readiness.

Why Is India Building an Underground Railway in the Chicken’s Neck? Big Strategic Move Explained

In the News: India has announced a major underground railway project in the Siliguri Corridor, also known as the Chicken’s Neck — the country’s only land link to the Northeast. Indian Railways has planned a 35.76 km underground railway line connecting Tinmile Hat, Rangapani and Bagdogra under the Katihar Division of Northeast Frontier Railway, aimed at strengthening defence logistics, disaster resilience and secure connectivity to the North-eastern States.

Key Points:

• About the Siliguri Corridor: The Siliguri Corridor is India’s only land connection to the Northeast, approximately 22 km wide. Bordered by Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh, it is highly strategically sensitive. Any disruption here can impact transport, defence movement and economic supply chains across eight North-eastern States.
• Route and Length: The underground line will run from Tinmile Hat through Rangapani to Bagdogra, covering a total of 35.76 km. The Dumdangi–Rangapani section alone spans 33.40 km. It will pass through Darjeeling and Uttar Dinajpur districts of West Bengal and Kishanganj district of Bihar.
• Need for Underground Alignment: The tunnel-based route provides a protected, non-visible alignment, reducing vulnerability to floods, landslides and external threats. It ensures uninterrupted rail connectivity even during emergencies — a critical requirement for this geographically sensitive corridor.
• Strategic Importance: The corridor is close to Bagdogra Air Force Station and Bengdubi Army Cantonment. The underground railway enables smooth movement of defence personnel, military equipment and relief materials in emergencies, strengthening rail–air logistics integration near Bagdogra.

India To Hosts First-Ever Global South AI Impact Summit 2026

In the News: India hosted the first-ever global AI summit in the Global South — the AI Impact Summit 2026 — at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. The five-day summit brought together world leaders, policymakers, industry experts and international organizations from over 100 invited countries to shape the future of Artificial Intelligence governance and cooperation, with ministerial delegations from more than 45 nations attending.

Key Points:

• Historic First: The AI Impact Summit 2026 is the first-ever global AI summit hosted in the Global South. It was announced by PM Narendra Modi at the France AI Action Summit and builds on the momentum of prior forums including the UK AI Safety Summit, AI Seoul Summit, and Global AI Summit on Africa.
• Theme, Venue and Scale: The Summit, themed “Sarvajana Hitaya, Sarvajana Sukhaya — Welfare for All, Happiness for All”. The summit is being held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. Over 100 countries were invited, 20 Heads of Government and over 50 international ministers are attending underscoring its global significance.
• India’s Role: India is positioning itself as a bridge between developed and developing nations in shaping responsible AI policies. Hosting this summit strengthens India’s leadership in global digital governance and digital diplomacy.
• Three Sutras (Core Pillars): The summit is anchored on three foundational pillars called ‘Sutras’ (Sanskrit for guiding principles): (1) People — human-centric AI ensuring inclusion, dignity and safety; (2) Planet — sustainable AI aligned with climate and environmental goals; (3) Progress — inclusive growth through democratized AI access in health, education, governance and agriculture.
• Seven Chakras (Thematic Working Groups): Summit discussions are organised into seven ‘Chakras’ or working groups: Human Capital; Inclusion for Social Empowerment; Safe and Trusted AI; Science; Resilience, Innovation and Efficiency; Democratizing AI Resources; and AI for Economic Growth and Social Good.
• Global AI Governance Background: The past four years have seen a surge in multilateral AI initiatives: G20 AI Principles, UN and GPAI Resolutions on AI and the Hamburg Declaration on Responsible AI, all reflecting the need for coordinated global action on AI.

Modi, Macron Launch India-France Innovation Year

In the News: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron jointly launched the India-France Year of Innovation 2026, themed ‘Igniting the Future,’ in Mumbai. Macron arrived in India for a three-day official visit (February 17–19), marking his first-ever visit to Mumbai and fourth visit to India. The two leaders held bilateral talks at Lok Bhavan, reviewed the Horizon 2047 Roadmap, and addressed a gathering of startup founders, researchers and industrial innovators from both nations.

Key Points:

• India-France Year of Innovation 2026: PM Modi and President Macron officially launched the ‘India-France Year of Innovation 2026’ themed ‘Igniting the Future.’ It is a cross-sectoral initiative designed to institutionalise collaboration between start-ups, researchers and technology leaders across AI, clean energy, defence technology, space and DeepTech.
• Macron’s Visit to India: President Macron’s three-day visit (February 17–19, 2026) comes exactly a year after PM Modi’s visit to France. This is Macron’s first-ever visit to Mumbai and fourth visit to India. He was received by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Governor Acharya Devvrat at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.
• Horizon 2047 Roadmap: The two leaders reviewed the Horizon 2047 Roadmap — a strategic blueprint for the next 25 years of India-France partnership — first published during PM Modi’s visit to France in July 2023. It outlines cooperation across three pillars: Security and Sovereignty, Planet, and People.
• Key Pillars of Innovation Year: The Year of Innovation 2026 focuses on three key areas: (1) Artificial Intelligence — accelerating joint R&D in ethical AI; (2) DeepTech and Space — strengthening satellite technology and space exploration ties; (3) Digital Sovereignty — ensuring both nations maintain control over critical data and digital infrastructure.
• Defence Cooperation: Defence ties remain a cornerstone of the strategic partnership. India’s Defence Acquisitions Council approved procurement of 114 Rafale fighter aircraft from France — 18 in flyaway condition and the rest 96 to be manufactured in India. India already operates 36 Rafale jets in its Air Force and has ordered 26 naval variants for the Navy.
• Consulate and ITER Visit: During PM Modi’s February 2025 France visit, both leaders jointly inaugurated India’s Consulate General in Marseille and visited the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) facility, reflecting deepening scientific cooperation.

Magnus Carlsen Crowned 2026 FIDE Freestyle World Champion

In the News: Magnus Carlsen of Norway won the 2026 FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship, defeating American grandmaster Fabiano Caruana 2.5–1.5 in the four-game final held at Weissenhaus, Germany. This is the first Freestyle Chess World Championship officially recognised by FIDE, and Carlsen’s 21st world title across all formats.

Key Points:

• Tournament and Venue: The 2026 FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship was held at Weissenhaus, Germany, from February 13 to 15, 2026. It is the first edition of the Freestyle Chess World Championship to receive official FIDE recognition.
• Final Result: Magnus Carlsen (Norway) defeated Fabiano Caruana (USA) by a score of 2.5–1.5 in the four-game final. A draw in the fourth and final game was sufficient for Carlsen to clinch the title.
• Dramatic Game Three: The decisive moment came in game three, when Carlsen made a blunder (15…Bxh4) that left him in a nearly lost position. However, Caruana missed multiple winning continuations under time pressure, made critical errors on moves 31, 35 and 36, and ultimately lost the game — handing Carlsen a decisive match advantage.
• Carlsen’s 21st World Title: With this win, Carlsen takes his career world title tally to 21 across formats — 5 Classical World Championships, 6 World Rapid Championships, 9 World Blitz Championships, and now the inaugural FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship.
• About Freestyle Chess (Fischer Random / Chess960): Freestyle Chess, also known as Fischer Random or Chess960, features randomised starting positions for back-rank pieces. This eliminates reliance on memorised opening theory and places greater emphasis on creativity and over-the-board calculation.
• Caruana’s Near-Miss: Fabiano Caruana held winning positions in three of the four final games but could convert none. Chess legend Judit Polgar noted that Caruana suffered a ‘psychological crack,’ unable to believe he had a winning position against Carlsen, ultimately contributing to his own defeat.
• India’s Arjun Erigaisi: Indian grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi participated in the championship but finished sixth after losing 0–2 to Hans Niemann in the fifth-place play-off.

The ‘Grandfather of the Internet’ Is Gone – How David J. Farber Helped Build the Digital World

In the News: David J. Farber, widely known as the ‘Grandfather of the Internet,’ passed away on February 7, 2026, in Tokyo at the age of 91. A pioneering computer scientist, professor and federal policy adviser, Farber’s experimental networking research and legendary mentorship helped lay the groundwork for the modern internet. His death was confirmed by the Internet Society and the Internet Hall of Fame.

Key Points:

• Who Was David J. Farber: Born on 17 April, 1934, in Jersey City, New Jersey, Farber graduated from the Stevens Institute of Technology with a B.E. degree in electrical engineering in 1956 and a M.S. degree in mathematics in 1961 and began his career at Bell Laboratories in the 1950s, where he was exposed to cutting-edge computing and telecommunications research.
• Why Called ‘Grandfather of the Internet’: Farber earned this title primarily through his mentorship. His doctoral students Jonathan Postel — who helped define Internet Protocol (IP) — and Paul Mockapetris — who designed the Domain Name System (DNS) — became foundational architects of the internet. Farber and Postel held weekly discussions in the early 1970s that shaped core networking rules.
• Domain Name System (DNS): DNS is the system that translates human-readable website names (like google.com) into numerical IP addresses that computers use to communicate. It was designed by Farber’s student Paul Mockapetris and is a fundamental pillar of how the internet functions today.
• Role in ARPANET and NSFNet: Farber contributed to expanding ARPANET — the U.S. Department of Defense-funded research network that evolved into the internet. He played a key advisory role in the development of NSFNet (National Science Foundation Network), which connected university research centres across the USA and demonstrated the transformative potential of wide-area networking. He also helped conceive and organize the major American research networks CSNET,
• ‘Interesting People’ Mailing List: Farber curated one of the internet’s earliest and most influential mailing lists called ‘Interesting People’ (IP), personally moderating discussions on technology policy, civil liberties and digital communication. It became essential reading for technologists, policymakers and academics, and served as an early model for expert-driven information sharing.
• Internet Hall of Fame and Internet Society: Farber was inducted into the Internet Hall of Fame and served on the board of trustees of the Internet Society, helping shape its mission to promote an open, globally connected internet. He was also associated with the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), contributing to digital rights debates.