Daily Current Affairs- 28th February 2026

Daily Current Affairs- 28th February 2026

Exercise Vayu Shakti 2026: Indian Air Force Unleashes Firepower Near Pakistan Border

In the News: The Indian Air Force conducted Exercise Vayu Shakti 2026 at the Pokhran Field Firing Range in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, showcasing its advanced combat capabilities through live firepower demonstrations witnessed by President Droupadi Murmu, Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh, and Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh.

Key Points:

• About the Exercise: Vayu Shakti is a triennial firepower exercise of the Indian Air Force, conducted at the Chandan Field Firing Range near Pokhran, Jaisalmer — close to the Pakistan border. The 2026 edition was held on 27 February with the primary objective of demonstrating swift and precise strike capabilities in simulated wartime scenarios, covering both day and night combat operations.
• Aircraft and Platforms: Advanced fighter jets including Rafale, Sukhoi Su-30MKI, HAL Tejas, and Mirage 2000 carried out precision strikes using air-to-ground guided bombs and missiles, targeting simulated enemy bunkers, runways, and command centres. Boeing Apache and Chinook helicopters conducted low-altitude rocket and gun firing drills, casualty evacuation, and equipment transportation to difficult battlefield terrains.
• Operational Capabilities Demonstrated: The exercise showcased integrated wartime operations including Defensive Counter Air, Offensive Counter Air, Counter Air Strike, and Suppression of Enemy Air Defences. AWACS aircraft served as airborne war rooms for real-time battle management, while transport aircraft like the C-17 Globemaster simulated rapid troop insertions. Garud special forces integrated ground-air synergy.
• Advanced Weapon Systems: Rafale jets demonstrated long-range strike capability with SCALP cruise missiles and Hammer precision bombs. Su-30MKIs operated with BrahMos and Astra missiles in air superiority roles. Tejas highlighted indigenous agility in close air support, while beyond-visual-range missiles and anti-radiation weapons were also demonstrated.
• Gender Integration: In a landmark development, women officers and pilots participated for the first time, flying light and medium fighter jets, coordinating airborne surveillance, and handling mission-critical tasks — signalling the IAF's commitment to gender inclusivity without compromising operational readiness.
• International Participation: Guests from around 40 countries, including Quad nations, European, and Middle Eastern delegations, witnessed the exercise. The event served dual purposes — warfighting validation and strategic defence diplomacy, with potential to boost exports of platforms like Tejas and BrahMos.

Mount Abu Renamed Aburaj! Rajasthan Changes 3 Historic City Names

In the News: Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma announced in the Rajasthan Assembly the renaming of three cities — Mount Abu as Aburaj, Kaman as Kamvan, and Jahazpur as Yagyapur — as part of a broader initiative to restore the historical and cultural identities of these places.

Key Points:

• Renaming Announcement: Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma announced the renaming of three cities in the Rajasthan Assembly on February 27, 2026. The BJP-led state government stated that the changes aim to honour local sentiments and revive the historical and cultural identity of the respective cities. Official records, government documents, and signage will be updated to reflect the new names.
• New Names: Mount Abu has been renamed Aburaj, Kaman has been renamed Kamvan, and Jahazpur has been renamed Yagyapur.
• Reason for Renaming: The government stated that these historical names carry religious, mythological, and cultural significance deeply rooted in local traditions. The renaming aligns with similar exercises seen in other Indian states, aiming to reconnect places with their historical roots and strengthen regional pride and identity.
• Additional Announcements: Alongside the renaming, CM Sharma announced welfare measures including annual cost-of-living adjustments for legislators, mobile phones and tablets, and a dedicated housing scheme under the Vidhayak Awas Yojana. For senior journalists above 60, pensions were increased to ₹18,000, with widows receiving ₹9,000, along with a housing scheme through Awasan Mandal.
• Gau Seva Policy 2026: The Chief Minister also announced the launch of the Gau Seva Policy 2026, aimed at strengthening cow protection and welfare programmes across Rajasthan.

UN Road Safety Fund Launched Road Safety Financing Project in India

In the News: The United Nations Road Safety Fund (UNRSF) launched a Sustainable Road Safety Financing Project in New Delhi, in partnership with four Indian states, to strengthen road safety funding mechanisms and reduce road traffic deaths by 50% by 2030.

Key Points:

• Project Launch: The UNRSF launched the Sustainable Road Safety Financing Project on 24 February 2026 in New Delhi, in the presence of Jean Todt, the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Road Safety. The project aims to help India develop a comprehensive national strategy for sustainable road safety financing at both national and state levels.
• States Covered: The project will be implemented across four states — Rajasthan, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Assam — under the coordination of the UN Resident Coordinator's Office, focusing on building national and sub-national capacities for road safety action plans.
• Key Partners: The project is implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), State Governments, WHO, UNICEF, and the Save LIFE Foundation, ensuring technical expertise and on-ground support.
• Alignment with Global Goals: The initiative is aligned with the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021–2030, which targets at least a 50% reduction in road traffic deaths and injuries by 2030. It also supports UN General Assembly Resolution A/78/L.78 on improving global road safety systems.
• India's Road Safety Crisis: India records approximately 600 road crash deaths daily (25 per hour). The World Bank estimates that road accidents cost India around 7% of its GDP in economic and social losses. Sustainable financing aims to strengthen enforcement, awareness, road infrastructure, trauma care, and data-driven safety interventions.
• About UNRSF: Established in 2018 by the United Nations as a global trust fund, the UNRSF supports road safety initiatives primarily in low- and middle-income countries, helping them design and implement effective road safety strategies.

Three Major Inland Waterways Projects Opened on Brahmaputra in Dibrugarh

In the News: Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated three major inland waterways projects on National Waterway-2 (NW-2) along the Brahmaputra River in Dibrugarh, Assam, describing the initiative as a balance of "Vikas and Virasat" aimed at strengthening trade, tourism, and cross-border connectivity in Northeast India.

Key Points:

• Projects Inaugurated: The three projects include the Bogibeel Customs and Immigration Complex, the Dhubri Customs and Immigration Complex, and the renovated IWAI Heritage Building in Dibrugarh. All three are located on National Waterway-2, which runs along the Brahmaputra River and serves as a crucial economic corridor for Assam and neighbouring states.
• Bogibeel Customs and Immigration Complex: Developed as a tourist-cum-cargo terminal, it integrates customs, immigration, and IWAI administrative functions, including arrival and departure halls, cargo storage, staff facilities, and security systems. It will facilitate smoother trade under the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route and enhance cross-border commerce and passenger movement.
• Dhubri Customs and Immigration Complex: Strategically located near Bangladesh and Bhutan, this complex aims to position Dhubri as a key inland trade gateway for western Assam. It strengthens regulatory oversight and supports export-import activities, contributing to the broader vision of expanding inland waterways connectivity in the region.
• IWAI Heritage Building: The renovated Heritage Building in Dibrugarh blends architectural restoration with modern infrastructure needs. It will support IWAI operations on NW-2 and promote riverine tourism, symbolising the government's "Vikas and Virasat" approach of combining development with heritage conservation.
• Sagarmala Scheme Support: The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways has approved Assam's proposal for 10 waterways projects along NW-2 with a total outlay of ₹645.56 crore under the Sagarmala Scheme. Additionally, three comprehensive development projects worth ₹1,010 crore have been approved for the Brahmaputra and Barak rivers.
• National Waterways in Northeast India: Under the National Waterways Act 2016, 20 rivers in the Northeast have been declared National Waterways. NW-2 (Brahmaputra) is the most significant among them, with other actively developed waterways including Barak (NW-16), Dhansiri (NW-31), and Kopili (NW-57). The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) leads infrastructure development and navigability enhancement across these waterways.

UN Approves First Carbon Credits Under Paris Agreement: Big Climate Shift or Greenwashing Risk?

In the News: The United Nations approved the first-ever carbon credits under the Paris Agreement's carbon market mechanism, originating from a clean cooking project in Myanmar implemented in partnership with South Korea, marking a historic milestone in global climate governance.

Key Points:

• First Carbon Credits Approved: The UN Climate Change body approved the first credits under the Paris Agreement Crediting Mechanism (PACM). The approved project is a clean cooking initiative in Myanmar that distributes efficient cookstoves, reducing household air pollution and deforestation pressure. The credits will count toward the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) of both South Korea and Myanmar.
• About the Myanmar Clean Cooking Project: The project distributes efficient cookstoves that burn woody biomass more effectively, requiring less fuel and emitting significantly less indoor smoke. It reduces greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation pressure while improving public health, particularly for women and girls who are most affected by indoor air pollution. Over 2 billion people globally still lack access to clean cooking, according to the WHO.
• Paris Agreement Crediting Mechanism (PACM): The PACM operates under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement (2015), which allows cross-border carbon trading among countries. It replaces the older Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and applies stricter and more conservative emissions accounting standards. Credited emissions reductions under PACM are approximately 40% lower than under the CDM, ensuring each credited tonne genuinely represents a real-world reduction.
• Rules Finalised at COP29: The operational rules for the Paris Agreement carbon market were finalised at COP29 in Azerbaijan in 2024. The mechanism is supervised by an independent UN body — the Article 6.4 Supervisory Body — to maintain transparency, integrity, and inclusiveness. A growing pipeline of over 165 host-party-approved projects is transitioning from CDM to PACM, spanning sectors such as waste, energy, industry, and agriculture.

National Science Day 2026: Honouring the Raman Effect and Theme For 2026

In the News: India observed National Science Day to honour C.V. Raman's discovery of the Raman Effect in 1928, with the theme "Women in Science: Catalysing Viksit Bharat" highlighting women's leadership in STEM and India's vision of becoming a developed nation.

Key Points:

• Background: National Science Day is celebrated every year on 28 February to commemorate physicist C.V. Raman's discovery of the Raman Effect in 1928, which explains how light scatters when passing through a transparent material. The discovery earned him the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930, making him the first Asian scientist to win a Nobel Prize in science. The Government of India officially declared 28 February as National Science Day in 1986.
• 2026 Theme: The theme "Women in Science: Catalysing Viksit Bharat" emphasised the critical role of women scientists in research, innovation, healthcare, space, and defence. It aligned with global initiatives like the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, focusing on reducing gender gaps in STEM and promoting equal opportunities in scientific fields.
• National Celebrations: Schools, colleges, and research institutions organised science exhibitions, seminars, public lectures, quiz competitions, debates, and innovation challenges. The Raman Research Institute held an 'Open Day' marking 98 years of the Raman Effect discovery, attracting over 1,000 students with live satellite demonstrations and access to its private museum.