Current Affairs 14 February 2026

New CPI Series with Base Year 2024 Released

• The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released a new Consumer Price Index (CPI) series with 2024 as the base year.
• As per the new series, retail inflation for January 2026 is 2.75%.
• The CPI basket has been expanded to 358 items (earlier 299).
• Data is now collected from 1,465 rural markets, 1,395 urban markets, and 12 online marketplaces.

DAC clears ₹3.6 lakh crore defence acquisitions including 114 Rafale jets

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, granted Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for capital procurement proposals worth ₹3.6 lakh crore.

For the Indian Air Force (IAF):

• Approval for 114 Rafale Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA).
• Procurement of combat missiles for stand-off deep-strike capability.
• Air-ship based High Altitude Pseudo Satellite (AS-HAPS) for ISR, ELINT and telecom roles.
• Majority of the aircraft will be manufactured in India, boosting domestic defence production.

For the Indian Navy:

• Approval for six additional P-8I long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft from the U.S.

For the Indian Army:

• Vibhav anti-tank mines to counter mechanised forces.

Quorum Sensing

Renowned molecular biologist Prof. Bonnie Bassler of Princeton University delivered a lecture at IISc Bengaluru, highlighting that bacteria communicate through a chemical language, a process known as quorum sensing. She described bacteria as “multilingual” organisms capable of coordinating collective behaviour.

• Quorum sensing enables bacteria to sense population density and act together.
• This discovery can help develop anti-quorum sensing therapies, offering an alternative to traditional antibiotics.
• Example: Vibrio cholerae (cholera-causing bacterium) uses quorum sensing in infection.
• Vibrio fischeri shows bioluminescence in symbiosis with the Hawaiian squid.
• Bacteria are essential for human digestion, medicine, agriculture, and environmental processes.

Seva Teerth complex

The PMO will shift from South Block to the newly constructed ‘Seva Teerth’ complex, which will also house the Cabinet Secretariat and National Security Council Secretariat. The historic North and South Blocks, designed by Herbert Baker and used by the Indian government since 1947, are being vacated. The Prime Minister signed important schemes on his first day office at Seva Theeerth complex. These decisions touch every section of society: farmers, women, youth, and vulnerable citizens.

1. PM RAHAT Scheme

• The Prime Minister has approved the launch of the PM RAHAT scheme.
• Under this scheme, accident victims will get cashless treatment of up to ₹1.5 lakh, ensuring that no life is lost due to lack of immediate medical help.

2. Doubling of target of Lakhpati Didis to 6 crore

• The government has crossed the landmark of 3 crore Lakhpati Didis, more than a year ahead of the original March 2027 timeline.
• The Prime Minister has now set a new, ambitious target of 6 crore Lakhpati Didis by March 2029, doubling both scale and aspiration.

3. Loan Target of Agriculture Infrastructure Fund Doubled to ₹2 lakh crore

• In a move aimed at strengthening India’s entire agriculture value chain, the Prime Minister has announced the doubling of the loan target of the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund from ₹1 lakh crore to ₹2 lakh crore.

4. Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0 with a corpus of ₹10,000 crore

• The PM has approved the Startup India FoF 2.0 with a corpus of ₹10,000 crore.

Joint Committee of Parliament on Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, 2025

A 31-member Joint Committee of Parliament has been constituted to examine the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, 2025, which proposes replacing multiple higher education regulators with a single umbrella body in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The committee is chaired by D. Purandeswari and has been granted an extension to submit its report by the end of the Monsoon Session. The panel includes 20 Lok Sabha members and 10 Rajya Sabha members.

Tarique Rahman New Prime Minister of Bangladesh

Mr. Tarique Rahman sworn in as new Prime Minister of Bangladesh after a decisive victory in the Parliamentary elections. India shares longest land boundary with Bangladesh (4,096 km). Maitree Setu, Akhaura-Agartala rail link are the two main ongoing projects between India and Bangladesh.

Barbados New Prime Minister – Mia Mottley

Mia Amor Mottley won the Prime Minister elections and became third consecutive Prime Minister of Barbados.

About Barbados

• Capital: Bridgetown
• Curreny: Barbadian dollar
• Location: Caribbean islands
• CARICOM Member: Part of Caribbean Community

Unani Day 2026 – February 11

The Unani Day is observed on 11 February annually in commemorates birth anniversary of Hakim Ajmal Khan. He was a pinoeer Unani Physician, Educationist and Founder of Ayurvedic and Unani Tibbia College, Delhi.

About Unani System of Medicine

• Origin: Ancient Greece, developed in Arab and Persian civilizations
• Founder: Hippocrates (considered father of Unani medicine)
• Theory: Based on humoral theory (four humours: blood, phlegm, yellow bile, black bile)
• In India: Introduced during medieval period, flourished under Mughal patronage
• Governing Body: Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM)

ARIES Research on Solar Storms – ‘Magnetic Cage’ Discovery

Scientists from Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES), Nainital, discovered that the Sun’s global magnetic field acts like a ‘magnetic cage’ controlling explosive solar eruptions, while rapid build-up of magnetic twist provides the key to unlocking it.

What are Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs)?

• Definition: Explosive solar eruptions that release massive amounts of plasma and magnetic field from the Sun’s corona
• Impact on Earth:
  • Trigger geomagnetic storms
  • Threaten satellites and spacecraft
  • Disrupt power grids
  • Endanger astronauts
  • Affect GPS and communication systems
  • Can cause auroras (Northern/Southern Lights)