UPSC Daily Current Affairs| One Liners 24-02-2026

One Liners 24-02-2026

History, Art and Culture

Rajaji Utsav

PM announced that a statue of British architect Edwin Lutyens in Rashtrapati Bhavan will be replaced by that of C. Rajagopalachari.

Observed on – 23^rd February
Hosted by – Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Objectives – To showcase the many facets of Rajagopalachari’s contributions.
- To honour those who shaped our destiny and to shed remnants of a colonial mindset.
Significance – It aligns to the Panch Pran pledges of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, particularly the goal of freeing India from a colonial mindset.

Social Issues

Revised Norms for Scholarship

Revised by – Ministry of Labour and Employment.
Benefit – Over 1 lakh students annually, especially children of beedi, cine, and non-coal mine workers, supporting higher education and long-term livelihood prospects.
Objective – To enhance equity and remove exclusions caused by overlapping eligibility conditions.
Significance – It aligns with the Code on Social Security.

Polity & Governance

Systematic Identification and Removal (SIR)

SIR – It is a comprehensive initiative undertaken by the Election Commission (EC) to update and rectify voter lists.
Objective – To remove duplicate, ineligible, or deceased voters from the electoral rolls.
Key Highlights
- Approximately 8% of voters were removed across 9 States and Union Territories during the 2^nd phase of SIR.
- Total deletion – 1.7 crore voters.
- Highest deletion rate – Gujarat (13.4%), Andaman & Nicobar (16.87%).
- Lowest deletion rate – Kerala (3.22%), Lakshadweep (0.36%).

International Relations and Issues

India – Brazil

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil conducted bilateral discussions in New Delhi.

Key Agreements
- Bilateral cooperation in the exploration and development of rare earth elements and critical minerals.
- Collaboration in the steel and mining sectors.
- Issuance of a joint declaration and adoption of an action plan to advance a future-oriented digital partnership.
Trade and economic relations
- Commitment to increase bilateral trade to exceed $20 billion by 2030.
- Brazil proposed to double annual bilateral trade to $30 billion by 2030.
- Expansion of the India-Mercosur Preferential Trade Agreement.
- Promotion of increased investments in renewable energy and critical mineral sectors.

Strategic Importance of India – Brazil Ties

Diversification of critical mineral supply chains (reducing dependence on China).
Strengthening cooperation among countries of the Global South.
India and Brazil are "the two biggest democracies of the Global South."
Enhanced cooperation in the fields of defence, energy, healthcare, agriculture, and pharmaceuticals.

Economy

Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA)

India and France sign amending protocol to update Double Taxation Avoidance Convention.

DTAA – It is a treaty between India and other countries designed to prevent individuals and businesses from being taxed twice on the same income.
It is significant for individuals who earn income in one country while residing in another.
Without such an agreement, this income may be taxed in both countries.
Under a DTAA, taxpayers usually pay tax in only one country or claim credit for taxes paid in one country against their liability in the other.
India has established DTAAs with over 100 countries to protect Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) from double taxation.

Security

INS Anjadip

It is the 3^rd vessel of the eight-ship Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC) project.
Named after – Anjadip Island, located near Karwar, Karnataka, but officially falls under Goa’s jurisdiction.
Built by – GRSE, Kolkata, the vessel reflects India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat push in defence manufacturing.
Designed as – A “Dolphin Hunter”, it specializes in detecting, tracking, and neutralizing enemy submarines in shallow waters.
Key features –
- 77-metre-long vessel.
- Equipped with an advanced indigenous ASW suite, including hull mounted sonar ‘Abhay’, lightweight torpedoes and ASW rockets.
- Powered by a high-speed water-jet propulsion system (speed up to 25 knots).
- It can perform coastal surveillance, LIMO, and search & rescue missions.

Science

New Delhi Declaration on AI Impact

AI Impact Summit 2026, concluded with the adoption of the New Delhi Declaration on AI Impact.

Endorsed by – 91 countries and international organisations.
Guided by – The principle of “Sarvajan Hitaya, Sarvajan Sukhaya” (Welfare for all, Happiness for all).
- It underscores that the benefits of AI must be equitably shared across humanity.
Emphasizes on –
- Strengthening international cooperation and multistakeholder engagement.
- Respecting national sovereignty.
- Advancing AI through accessible, and trustworthy frameworks.

New Delhi Declaration - 7 Pillars (Chakras) of Action

The Declaration is structured around 7 key pillars, forming the foundation of global AI cooperation.

Super-Dense Data Store

Technology – Data storage using laser pulses to create 3D pixels in glass.
Research conducted by – Microsoft (Project Silica).
Method – Itutilizes short laser pulses directed into a 2-mm-thick glass plate, creating three-dimensional pixels across hundreds of layers.
Storage Capacity
- Each three-dimensional (3D) pixel is capable of representing multiple bits of information.
- A glass plate measuring 120 mm by 120 mm can store up to 4.8 terabytes (TB) of data.
- Durability Borosilicate glass version projected to remain stable for 10 millennia (10,000 years).
- Data Retrieval – Data can be read using microscopes and machine learning.
Significance
- It offers extremely high-density and long-term data storage capabilities.
- Potential for archival data storage to address growing data needs.
- High durability – Suitable for preserving information over several centuries.