Current Affairs in Gujarati 15th October 2026 : Current GK
On 15 Oct 2026
Current Affairs 16th January 2026 : Daily GK Update in English
1. Who among the following are the chief guests for India's 77th Republic Day celebrations on January 26, 2026?
A) French President and First Lady
B) Ursula von der Leyen and António Costa
C) US President Donald Trump
D) Japanese Prime Minister
Answer: B
Explanation: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa are invited as chief guests, marking a significant step in strengthening India-EU ties ahead of the 16th India-EU Summit.
2. On which date is National Startup Day observed in India in 2026?
A) January 14
B) January 15
C) January 16
D) January 26
Answer: C
Explanation: National Startup Day 2026 is celebrated on January 16, with the government unveiling 75 Grand Challenges and conferring 20 National Startup Awards to boost innovation.
3. Which paramilitary force's Director General appointment was announced as Shatrujeet Singh Kapoor in January 2026?
A) Border Security Force (BSF)
B) Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP)
C) Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)
D) Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB)
Answer: B
Explanation: Shatrujeet Singh Kapoor (1990-batch IPS) was appointed as DG of ITBP, succeeding Praveen Kumar, who moved to BSF.
4. What caused flight rerouting for Air India and IndiGo in mid-January 2026?
A) Bad weather in Europe
B) Closure of Iranian airspace
C) Strike by pilots
D) Technical issues
Answer: B
Explanation: Airlines rerouted flights due to Iran's airspace closure amid regional tensions, as reported in national headlines.
5. Which Indian badminton player remained the lone Indian in the singles draw at India Open Super 750 in January 2026?
A) PV Sindhu
B) Lakshya Sen
C) HS Prannoy
D) Kidambi Srikanth
Answer: B
Explanation: Lakshya Sen advanced to the quarterfinals while other Indian players exited early.
6. Which paramilitary force is the largest border guarding force in India?
A) ITBP
B) BSF
C) CRPF
D) CISF
Answer: B
Explanation: Border Security Force (BSF) is the largest.
7. Which country hosted top EU leaders as part of Republic Day preparations in 2026?
A) Japan
B) India
C) France
D) USA
Answer: B
Explanation: India is hosting EU leaders Ursula von der Leyen and António Costa for Republic Day.
8. What was the reported voter turnout in Maharashtra Municipal Corporation elections 2026?
A) 70-75%
B) 46-50%
C) 60-65%
D) 80-85%
Answer: B
Explanation: Only 46-50% turnout was reported by the state election commissioner.
9. Which festival or event contributed to school holidays on January 16, 2026, in some states?
A) Pongal
B) Post-Magh Bihu gatherings
C) Republic Day
D) Makar Sankranti
Answer: B
Explanation: January 16 was a holiday in parts of Northeast India for post-festival gatherings after Magh Bihu, plus cold wave closures.
10. What landmark defence deal was India nearing with France in January 2026?
A) Rafale Marine jets
B) Domestic production of Rafale fighter jets
C) Scorpene submarines
D) Mirage upgrade
Answer: B
Explanation: India is close to an agreement for domestic manufacturing of Rafale jets, valued at around ₹3.25 lakh crore.
11. Which city experienced a bird dropping incident disrupting a badminton match at India Open 2026?
A) Bengaluru
B) New Delhi
C) Hyderabad
D) Mumbai
Answer: B
Explanation: The Prannoy vs Loh Kean Yew match was halted due to a bird dropping incident in New Delhi.
12. What is the primary reason for many school closures in North India on January 16, 2026?
A) Festival celebrations
B) Severe cold wave and fog
C) Elections
D) Teacher training
Answer: B
Explanation: Cold wave conditions led to extended winter vacations and revised timings in regions like Delhi, Chandigarh, and others.
13. Who was appointed as the new Director General of Border Security Force in January 2026?
A) Shatrujeet Singh Kapoor
B) Praveen Kumar
C) A senior IPS from Haryana
D) None of the above
Answer: B
Explanation: Praveen Kumar was appointed DG of BSF after serving in ITBP.
14. Which global organization’s leaders are co-chairing the India-EU Summit in late January 2026?
A) UN
B) European Council and Commission
C) ASEAN
D) Quad
Answer: B
Explanation: António Costa (European Council) and Ursula von der Leyen (European Commission) will co-chair the summit.
15. What major geopolitical tension influenced travel advisories from India, US, and UK in January 2026?
A) South China Sea dispute
B) Situation in the Middle East (including Israel/Iran)
C) Ukraine conflict
D) Taiwan issue
Answer: B
Explanation: Advisories urged vigilance due to uncertain security in the region, especially around Israel and Iran.
16. Which Indian company launched an affordable Chetak e-scooter at Rs 91,399 in January 2026?
A) Ola Electric
B) Bajaj
C) Ather
D) Hero Electric
Answer: B
Explanation: Bajaj Chetak launched the model amid EV market competition.
17. What is the focus of the 75 Grand Challenges unveiled on National Startup Day 2026?
A) Agriculture only
B) Manufacturing, technology, and services
C) Space exploration
D) Tourism
Answer: B
Explanation: The challenges encourage innovative solutions across manufacturing, technology, and services.
18. Which event disrupted play during the India Open badminton tournament in January 2026?
A) Power failure
B) Bird dropping on court
C) Rain
D) Protest
Answer: B
Explanation: A bird dropping incident halted the HS Prannoy match, amusing fans.
19. What is the significance of EU leaders attending Republic Day 2026?
A) Strengthening Free Trade Agreement talks
B) Military alliance
C) Climate summit
D) Cultural exchange only
Answer: A
Explanation: It highlights deepening India-EU Strategic Partnership amid ongoing FTA negotiations.
20. Which force guards India’s high-altitude Himalayan borders?
A) BSF
B) ITBP
C) CRPF
D) Assam Rifles
Answer: B
Explanation: Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) is responsible for this role.
21. What caused concerns among farmers in January 2026?
A) New farm laws
B) Unimplemented 2026 Budget farm promises
C) Monsoon failure
D) Export ban
Answer: B
Explanation: Key farm sector promises from the 2026 Union Budget remain stalled.
22. Which country’s airspace closure affected Indian airlines in mid-January 2026?
A) Pakistan
B) Iran
C) China
D) Afghanistan
Answer: B
Explanation: Iran closed its airspace, leading to rerouting.
23. What is the expected value of the proposed Rafale deal in 2026?
A) ₹1 lakh crore
B) ₹3.25 lakh crore
C) ₹5 lakh crore
D) ₹10 lakh crore
Answer: B
Explanation: The deal for 114 Rafale aircraft is valued at around ₹3.25 lakh crore.
24. Which state/UT extended school winter vacation until January 17, 2026, due to cold wave?
A) Rajasthan
B) Chandigarh
C) Tamil Nadu
D) Kerala
Answer: B
Explanation: Chandigarh extended timings/vacation due to fog and cold.
25. When is the India-EU Summit scheduled in relation to Republic Day 2026?
A) January 25
B) January 26
C) January 27
D) January 28
Answer: C
Explanation: The 16th India-EU Summit is on January 27, following Republic Day..
A) January 25
B) January 26
C) January 27
D) January 28
Answer: C
Explanation: The 16th India-EU Summit is on January 27, following Republic Day..