Daily Current Affairs: 8 & 9 February 2026 for Government Exams
Daily Current Affairs for 8 & 9 February 2026 covers crucial developments in India–USA trade, green hydrogen, digital public infrastructure, banking & monetary policy, defence technology, science & technology, sports, and state initiatives, essential for prelims and mains preparation across all major government exams.
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1️⃣ Introduction – Why in News?
Current Affairs from 8 & 9 February 2026 are highly relevant for competitive exams due to major updates related to India–USA trade negotiations, Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), RBI monetary policy, defence missile testing, green hydrogen initiatives, banking digitisation, sports achievements, and state governance reforms. These topics carry strong weightage in Prelims, Mains, and Banking Awareness sections.
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2️⃣ National Affairs
🇮🇳🤝🇺🇸 India–USA Agree on Framework for Interim Trade Agreement (ITA)
Background:
India and the United States of America (USA) agreed on a framework for an Interim Trade Agreement (ITA), paving the way for a full Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA).
Key Highlights:
- India to reduce/remove tariffs on:
- Industrial goods
- Agricultural & food products
- Distillers’ Dried Grains (DDGs), fruits, nuts, soybean oil, wine & spirits
- USA to impose 18% reciprocal tariff on select Indian exports
- India to purchase USD 500 billion worth of US goods over 5 years
- Expansion of digital trade (GPUs, data-centre equipment)
Significance:
- Boosts bilateral trade
- Impacts agriculture, manufacturing & digital economy
- Important for International Trade & Economy questions
🔬🌱 India–Netherlands Hydrogen Fellowship Programme
Launched by: Department of Science and Technology (DST), Ministry of Science & Technology
Objective:
To strengthen green hydrogen (H₂) research capacity in India.
Key Features:
- Open to PhD scholars, post-docs & faculty
- Focus areas: system integration, safety, techno-economics, life-cycle assessment
- Aligned with:
- National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM)
- Energy Independence by 2047
- Net-Zero emissions by 2070
🌐 Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) Expansion
Key Developments:
- India signed DPI cooperation MoUs with 23 countries
- Unified Payments Interface (UPI) now live in 8 countries
- Digilocker cooperation signed with multiple nations
Countries where UPI is Live:
| UAE | Singapore | Bhutan | Nepal | Sri Lanka | France | Mauritius | Qatar |
Key Platforms Promoted:
- Aadhaar
- UPI
- CoWIN
- Digilocker
Exam Relevance:
- Digital governance
- India Stack
- G20 legacy initiatives
🚢 VOC Port Deploys India’s First Anti-Drone System
Port: V.O. Chidambaranar (VOC) Port, Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu
Key Features:
- RF & radar-based detection
- 360° coverage
- Range: 5 km
- Completion timeline: 3 months
Significance:
- Strengthens maritime & coastal security
- Important for Internal Security & Defence topics
🎓 Free Coaching for SC, OBC & PM CARES Children
MoU Between:
- Department of Social Justice & Empowerment (DoSJE)
- Physics Wallah (PW) Foundation
Coverage:
- 5,000 aspirants annually
- Exams: UPSC CSE, SSC, Banking
Support Includes:
Live classes, test series, mentorship, counselling
📊 NSO Launches MCP Server on eSankhyiki Portal
Organisation: National Statistics Office (NSO), MoSPI
Key Datasets Available:
- PLFS, CPI, ASI, IIP, NAS, WPI, Environment Statistics
Significance:
- Enables AI-based real-time data access
- Supports Viksit Bharat vision
🚀 IIT Madras & Unicorn India Ventures Launch VC Fund
Fund Name: IITM-Unicorn Frontier Fund I
Fund Size: ₹600 crore (+ ₹400 crore greenshoe)
Focus Areas:
- Robotics
- Space tech
- Defence tech
- Semiconductors
- MedTech
Exam Angle:
- Startup ecosystem
- Deep-tech innovation
⛏️ Offshore Mining Rules, 2026
Notified by: Ministry of Mines
Key Provisions:
- Prevents illegal offshore mining
- Mandatory electronic monitoring
- Penalties up to ₹1 crore & 5 years imprisonment
3️⃣ Banking & Finance
🏦 RBI’s 6th Bi-Monthly Monetary Policy FY 2025–26
Key Decisions:
- Repo Rate cut by 25 bps to 5.25%
- SDF: 5.00%
- MSF & Bank Rate: 5.50%
- Stance: Neutral
💻 Kotak Mahindra Bank Issues India’s First Fully Digital FPI Licence
Highlights:
- End-to-end digital onboarding
- Enabled by SEBI reforms
- Uses e-signature & DSC
4️⃣ Appointments & Resignations
🏅 IOC Elects Iran’s First Female Member
- Name: Soraya Aghaei Hajiagha
- Elected during 145th IOC Session
- Former Olympic badminton player
5️⃣ Science & Technology
🚀 Agni-3 Missile Test-Fired Successfully
Type: Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM)
Range: 3,000–3,500 km
Developer: DRDO
Launch Site: Chandipur, Odisha
Significance:
- Strengthens India’s nuclear deterrence
6️⃣ Sports
🏏 India Wins ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2026
Final: India defeated England by 100 runs
Venue: Harare, Zimbabwe
Key Records:
- Player of Tournament: Vaibhav Suryavanshi
- India’s 6th U19 WC title
7️⃣ State News
🐦 Goa Publishes State-level Bird Atlas
- 2nd state after Kerala
- Citizen-science driven initiative
🏛️ NeVA Launched at Bihar Assembly
- NeVA: National e-Vidhan Application
- Enables paperless legislative functioning
📌 One-Liner Points for Quick Revision
- India–USA agreed on Interim Trade Agreement framework.
- India plans USD 500 bn imports from USA in 5 years.
- India-Netherlands Hydrogen Fellowship supports green H₂ research.
- UPI now operational in 8 countries.
- VOC Port deployed India’s first anti-drone system.
- RBI cut repo rate to 5.25% in Feb 2026.
- Kotak Mahindra issued first fully digital FPI licence.
- Agni-3 missile range is up to 3,500 km.
- India won ICC U19 WC 2026 for the 6th time.
- Goa became 2nd state with Bird Atlas.
