Daily Current Affairs: 8 January 2026

Current affairs of 8 January 2026: PSLV-C62 EOS-N1: ISRO’s First Launch of 2026; India’s Climate Targets: Progress and Gaps Under NDC; Six New Species Found in India in December 2025, and 13 more topics. Key facts for every exam, with a quiz.

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In this issue: 16 topics

National Affairs

55 Classical-Language Literary Works Released by Education Minister
AERB Gets New Chairman: A K Balasubrahmanian

Banking & Finance

Federal Bank Rebrand: The Fortuna Wave Identity
RBI Plan: 3-Year Cooling-Off for Co-op Bank Directors
RBI Weighs New Relief for Exporters Hit by US Tariffs
SEBI Defers MF Distributor Incentive for B-30 and Women Investors

Economy

Sensex and Nifty Slide Over 1% on U.S. Tariff Worries
IRFC ‘Excellent’ DPE Rating: Fifth Straight Year

Science & Technology

PSLV-C62 EOS-N1: ISRO’s First Launch of 2026
Bio-Bitumen: India Leads in Commercial Production for Roads
EOS-N1 Anvesha: ISRO’s PSLV-C62 Launch Explained
Hubble Finds Starless Gas Cloud Cloud-9 Near Messier-94

Environment & Ecology

India’s Climate Targets: Progress and Gaps Under NDC
Six New Species Found in India in December 2025

Defence & Security

NATGRID Expansion: NPR Link and State Police Access

Reports & Indexes

Trade Watch Quarterly 5th Edition: NITI Aayog on Auto Exports

National Affairs

Government Schemes

1. 55 Classical-Language Literary Works Released by Education Minister

Dharmendra Pradhan released 55 works in classical Indian languages on 6 January 2026.
41 books came from CIIL Mysuru's Centres of Excellence for Classical Languages.
An Indian Sign Language version of the Tirukkural was launched.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

Science & Technology

2. AERB Gets New Chairman: A K Balasubrahmanian

In January 2026 the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet appointed A K Balasubrahmanian as AERB Chairman.
The appointment is for a three-year tenure.
AERB was set up in 1983 under the Atomic Energy Act, 1962, and is headquartered in Mumbai.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

Banking & Finance

3. Federal Bank Rebrand: The Fortuna Wave Identity

Federal Bank launched its new brand identity 'The Fortuna Wave' in Mumbai on January 7, 2026.
Actor Vidya Balan, the bank's brand ambassador, was present at the launch.
The three waves stand for authenticity, togetherness and prosperity.
The bank was founded in 1931 and is headquartered in Aluva, Kerala.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

Banking & Finance

4. RBI Plan: 3-Year Cooling-Off for Co-op Bank Directors

RBI proposed a 3-year break for co-operative bank directors after 10 continuous board years.
Only a break of 3 years or more resets the tenure count.
The cap was raised from 8 to 10 years by the Banking Regulation (Amendment) Act.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

Economy

5. RBI Weighs New Relief for Exporters Hit by US Tariffs

US tariffs of up to 50% on some Indian goods include 25% tied to Russian oil purchases.
RBI's November moratorium saw applications from under 20% of eligible exporters.
RBI is weighing looser eligibility and subsidised fresh loans; bankers suggest cash subsidies.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

Banking & Finance

6. SEBI Defers MF Distributor Incentive for B-30 and Women Investors

SEBI shifted the extra MF distributor incentive start from 1 February to 11 March.
Payout is 1% of the first investment, capped at ₹2,000 per investor.
Investors must stay invested for at least one year.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

Economy

7. Sensex and Nifty Slide Over 1% on U.S. Tariff Worries

Sensex lost 780 points (0.9%) to settle at 84,181, while Nifty 50 shed 264 points to 25,877.
Nifty's fall of 1.01% was the biggest one-day decline since August 26, 2025.
Fresh worries about U.S. trade tariffs tied to Russia drove the sell-off.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

Economy

8. IRFC ‘Excellent’ DPE Rating: Fifth Straight Year

Indian Railways Finance Corporation (IRFC) got an 'Excellent' rating from the Department of Public Enterprises.
The rating relates to performance in FY 2024-25 and was announced in January 2026.
It is IRFC's fifth consecutive year at the highest rating.
IRFC has had the streak since its stock market listing in FY21.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

Science & Technology

9. PSLV-C62 EOS-N1: ISRO’s First Launch of 2026

ISRO scheduled PSLV-C62 / EOS-N1, its first mission of 2026, for 12 January 2026 at 10:17 AM IST.
The launch was to take place from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.
EOS-N1 is an Earth observation imaging satellite meant mainly for strategic purposes, with specifications undisclosed.
It would be the 105th launch from Sriharikota, with several secondary payloads.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

Environment & Ecology

10. Bio-Bitumen: India Leads in Commercial Production for Roads

India became the first country to commercially make bio-bitumen for roads.
It is derived mainly from rice straw and can replace 20-30% of regular bitumen.
A 100-metre trial was laid on NH-40 in Meghalaya.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

Science & Technology

11. EOS-N1 Anvesha: ISRO’s PSLV-C62 Launch Explained

PSLV-C62 was to carry EOS-N1 (Anvesha) and 18 co-passenger payloads from Sriharikota in January 2026.
EOS-N1 is a hyperspectral Earth observation and surveillance satellite for strategic and civilian use.
It forms part of India's next-generation remote sensing and reconnaissance capability.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

Science & Technology

12. Hubble Finds Starless Gas Cloud Cloud-9 Near Messier-94

In January 2026 NASA's Hubble Space Telescope found a starless gas cloud nicknamed Cloud-9.
It lies near Messier-94, about 14 million light-years from Earth.
Its diameter is roughly 4,900 light-years with about 5 billion solar masses of dark matter.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

Environment & Ecology

Economy

13. India’s Climate Targets: Progress and Gaps Under NDC

India's 2030 NDC goals: 45% lower emissions intensity, 50% non-fossil capacity, 500 GW renewables, extra carbon sink, net zero by 2070.
Intensity fell about 36% by 2020; non-fossil capacity crossed 50% by 2025.
Coal still gives 65-70% of electricity; about 80 GW more is planned by 2031-32.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

Environment & Ecology

14. Six New Species Found in India in December 2025

Scientists announced six new species from the Eastern Himalayas, Western Ghats and Northeast India in December 2025.
Neelus sikkimensis is the first Neelus springtail recorded in India and the 8th known species of its genus worldwide.
Parasynnemellisia khasiana from Meghalaya is a new fungal genus and species.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

Defence & Security

Polity & Governance

15. NATGRID Expansion: NPR Link and State Police Access

NATGRID, created after 26/11, is middleware that stores no data and queries 21 dataset types.
State police up to SP rank can now access it.
NPR linkage covers about 119 crore residents; GANDIVA cuts probe time to minutes.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

Reports & Indexes

Economy

16. Trade Watch Quarterly 5th Edition: NITI Aayog on Auto Exports

NITI Aayog's 5th Trade Watch Quarterly covers Q1 (April-June 2025) of FY26; Arvind Virmani launched it in New Delhi.
It focuses on India's automotive exports, including auto components.
Q1 FY26: exports USD 209 billion, imports USD 230 billion, deficit USD 21 billion.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

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Daily Current Affairs: 8 January 2026

In this issue: 16 topics

National Affairs

1. 55 Classical-Language Literary Works Released by Education Minister

2. AERB Gets New Chairman: A K Balasubrahmanian

Banking & Finance

3. Federal Bank Rebrand: The Fortuna Wave Identity

4. RBI Plan: 3-Year Cooling-Off for Co-op Bank Directors

5. RBI Weighs New Relief for Exporters Hit by US Tariffs

6. SEBI Defers MF Distributor Incentive for B-30 and Women Investors

Economy

7. Sensex and Nifty Slide Over 1% on U.S. Tariff Worries

8. IRFC ‘Excellent’ DPE Rating: Fifth Straight Year

Science & Technology

9. PSLV-C62 EOS-N1: ISRO’s First Launch of 2026

10. Bio-Bitumen: India Leads in Commercial Production for Roads

11. EOS-N1 Anvesha: ISRO’s PSLV-C62 Launch Explained

12. Hubble Finds Starless Gas Cloud Cloud-9 Near Messier-94

Environment & Ecology

13. India’s Climate Targets: Progress and Gaps Under NDC

14. Six New Species Found in India in December 2025

Defence & Security

15. NATGRID Expansion: NPR Link and State Police Access

Reports & Indexes

16. Trade Watch Quarterly 5th Edition: NITI Aayog on Auto Exports

Test yourself