Daily Current Affairs (18th & 19th January 2026) for Competitive Exams
Daily Current Affairs for 18th & 19th January 2026 cover key updates from Banking, Economy, National & State News, Defence, Science & Technology, Summits, Rankings, and Sports. This exam-oriented compilation helps aspirants revise high-impact facts relevant for UPSC, SSC, Banking, Insurance, Railways, Defence, and State PSC exams.
📘 Detailed Current Affairs Explanation
1. Introduction | Why in News?
The Daily Current Affairs (18th & 19th January 2026) bring together crucial developments shaping India’s economy, governance, defence, science, and global relations. These updates carry high exam weightage and are essential for Prelims, Mains, and Interview preparation.
2. Banking, Finance & Economy
RBI Recognises FEDAI as Forex SRO
- Reserve Bank of India recognised FEDAI as a Self-Regulatory Organisation (SRO) for authorised forex dealers.
- Strengthens market discipline, transparency, and compliance in the foreign exchange market.
RBI Clears SMBC’s Wholly-Owned Subsidiary
- RBI granted in-principle approval to SMBC, Japan to set up a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary (WOS) in India.
- WOS allows branch expansion without prior RBI approval, subject to prudential norms.
Automated Complaint Management System
- RBI mandated banks and eligible NBFCs to implement fully automated CMS with Internal Ombudsman access, improving consumer grievance redressal.
Wholesale Inflation Turns Positive
- WPI rose to 0.83% (Dec 2025)—first positive print after two months of deflation.
- Driven by stabilising food prices and rising manufactured goods inflation.
SBI Hikes ATM & IMPS Charges
- State Bank of India increased ATM charges at non-SBI ATMs and revised IMPS fees from Feb 2026.
Canara Bank & NBSL UPI Partnership
- Canara Bank integrated BHIM UPI plug-ins via NBSL, becoming India’s first bank with this white-label UPI model.
OECD Global Minimum Tax Deal
- Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development finalised the global minimum corporate tax deal, with carve-outs for US multinationals.
3. National & State News
World’s Largest Green Ammonia Project – Andhra Pradesh
- Kakinada to host a USD 10 billion green ammonia project by AM Green.
- Supports India’s green hydrogen mission and export ambitions.
India Post on ONDC
- Open Network for Digital Commerce saw India Post deliver its first online order, entering as a Logistics Service Provider.
10 Years of Startup India
- National Startup Day (16 Jan) marked a decade of the Startup India Movement—over 2 lakh recognised startups.
Bharat Electricity Summit 2026
- To be held 19–22 March 2026, New Delhi, showcasing India’s clean energy leadership.
PLFS December 2025 Highlights
- Female LFPR & WPR hit yearly highs; unemployment rate stable at 4.8%.
GeM’s Womaniya Initiative Completes 7 Years
- Over 2 lakh women-led MSMEs registered; procurement crossed ₹80,000 crore.
4. MoUs & Agreements
- Madhya Pradesh signed MoU with Digital India BHASHINI to enable multilingual, AI-powered governance.
5. Defence News
- INSV Kaundinya completed a historic voyage to Muscat, Oman, reinforcing India–Oman maritime ties and indigenous shipbuilding heritage.
6. Science & Technology
World’s First Global Ice Vault
- Launched in Antarctica to preserve glacier ice cores for future climate research.
Adani–Embraer Aircraft Assembly Line
- India’s first commercial aircraft Final Assembly Line (FAL) to be set up under Make in India.
Innovation & Deep-Tech
- IIT Mandi Catalyst Centre inaugurated at Galgotias University.
- DST–NIDHI Centre of Excellence launched at IIM Ahmedabad with ₹40 crore funding.
7. Summits & Conferences
- International Spice Conference 2026 to be held in Kochi (23–26 Feb).
8. Ranking & Index
- World Economic Forum Global Risks Report 2026 warns of an “Age of Competition” driven by geoeconomic rivalry.
9. Sports News
- Mitchell Starc named ICC Men’s Player of the Month (Dec 2025).
- Laura Wolvaardt won ICC Women’s Player of the Month for record performances.
📊 Important Tables (Exam-Friendly)
Key Banking & Economy Updates
| Topic | Key Fact |
|---|---|
| FEDAI | Recognised as Forex SRO by RBI |
| WPI (Dec 2025) | 0.83% (highest in 8 months) |
| SBI ATM Charges | ₹23 + GST (non-SBI ATM withdrawals) |
| Global Tax Deal | OECD-led, 15% minimum |
Major National Projects
| Project | Location | Investment |
|---|---|---|
| Green Ammonia | Kakinada, AP | USD 10 Billion |
| Aircraft FAL | India | Adani–Embraer |
📌 Key Points for Quick Revision
- RBI recognised FEDAI as forex SRO.
- SMBC approved to set up WOS in India.
- WPI turned positive at 0.83% in Dec 2025.
- SBI revised ATM & IMPS charges.
- Canara Bank adopted BHIM plug-in UPI model.
- AP to host world’s largest green ammonia project.
- India Post delivered first ONDC order.
- Startup India completed 10 years.
- Female LFPR hit yearly high in PLFS Dec 2025.
- INSV Kaundinya sailed to Muscat.
- Global Ice Vault launched in Antarctica.
- Adani–Embraer to set up aircraft FAL in India.
❓ Exam-Oriented FAQs
Q1. What is FEDAI’s new role?
A. It is now a Self-Regulatory Organisation for forex authorised dealers.
Q2. What is a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary (WOS)?
A. A foreign bank entity operating like a domestic bank under RBI norms.
Q3. What caused WPI to rise in December 2025?
A. Stabilising food prices and higher manufactured goods inflation.
Q4. What is ONDC?
A. A government-backed open digital commerce network.
Q5. Which state hosts the largest green ammonia project?
A. Andhra Pradesh (Kakinada).
🔗 Useful Resources for Aspirants
- Daily Current Affairs: https://jobsme.in/category/daily-current-affairs
- Daily CA Free Quizzes: https://jobsme.in/quizzes/daily-current-affairs
- Weekly Current Affairs: https://jobsme.in/category/weekly-current-affairs
- Monthly Current Affairs: https://jobsme.in/category/monthly-current-affairs
- Static GK: https://jobsme.in/category/static-gk
- Latest Govt Jobs: https://jobsme.in/jobs
Current Affairs Today simplifies preparation for UPSC, SSC, Banking, Insurance, Railways and other competitive exams by providing Daily, Weekly and Monthly PDFs, quizzes and concise notes through JobsMe.
