February 2026 (last week) Current affairs Practice Questions:

Vayu Shakti held at Pokharan Field Firing Range with President Droupadi Murmu. HAL Light Combat Helicopter ‘Prachand’ demonstrated agility striking simulated refuelling point.

• The HAL Prachand (meaning “Fierce”) is India’s first indigenously designed and manufactured Light Combat Helicopter (LCH), developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). It is specifically engineered to meet the unique requirements of high-altitude warfare, particularly in regions like the Siachen Glacier and Eastern Ladakh
• Rudra is ALH Mk-IV Weaponised, not LCH.
• Akash is surface-to-air missile.

Approximately 90% to 93% of India’s roughly 650 million-strong workforce is employed in the unorganized or informal sector, according to recent labor data. This indicates a persistent “surplus labour trap” where the majority lack social security, written contracts, or stable, high-productivity jobs, often relying on self-employment or agriculture

BharatGen was launched in February 2026 as part of the IndiaAI Mission.

• Support & Funding: Supported by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) through the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS) with ₹235 crore, and further strengthened by the IndiaAI Mission under the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY).
• Objective: Launched as India’s first government-owned, sovereign multilingual and multimodal Large Language Model (LLM) initiative, focusing on 22+ Indian languages, dialects, and cultural nuances.

Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) and Airbus inaugurated India’s first private sector helicopter Final Assembly Line (FAL) for the Airbus H125 in Vemagal, Karnataka, on February 17, 2026. Inaugurated by PM Modi and President Macron, the facility will produce H125 helicopters for civilian/military use, with the first “Made in India” unit expected in 2027

The Helsinki Accords, or Helsinki Final Act, were signed on August 1, 1975, in Helsinki, Finland. Signed by 35 nations, including the USA, Canada, and most European countries, this non-binding diplomatic agreement aimed to reduce tensions between the Soviet and Western blocs during the Cold War

The Union Budget 2026-27 (and associated cabinet approvals) announced the Urban Challenge Fund (UCF) with a total Central Assistance of ₹1 lakh crore over five years. This reform-driven fund aims to catalyze a total investment of ₹4 lakh crore for resilient, climate-responsive, and high-quality infrastructure in cities, leveraging 25% central funding with 50% minimum market participation

The Union Budget 2026-27 announced the development of an Integrated East Coast Industrial Corridor with a key industrial node at Durgapur, West Bengal. This initiative, part of the Purvodaya initiative, aims to accelerate industrial growth, reduce logistics costs, and build modern, plug-and-play manufacturing hubs in Eastern India.

Hoysala architecture, which flourished in the 12th and 13th centuries in the Karnataka region, is characterized by a distinctive, highly ornate style often described as Karnata Dravida or a hybrid Vesara tradition. It is known for its intricate stone carvings, star-shaped (stellate) plans, and the use of chloritic schist (soapstone

Major Examples: The Chennakeshava Temple at Belur, Hoysaleswara Temple at Halebidu, and Keshava Temple at Somanathapura (all UNESCO World Heritage Sites)

Operation Demolishment,” in the context of February 2026, refers to an intensified campaign by Indian security forces to dismantle over 200 memorials and monuments erected by Naxalites (Left-Wing Extremists) to honor slain cadres and glorify their ideology.

The New Delhi Declaration was a landmark non-binding global framework adopted at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 (held from February 16–21). Endorsed by 92 countries and international organisations, including major powers like the US and China, it marks a significant shift in the global AI narrative from “safety” to “AI for development and impact

The removal of the CEC is governed by Article 324(5) of the Constitution, which mandates that they can only be removed in the same manner and on the same grounds as a Supreme Court Judge. The CEC can only be removed on grounds of proved misbehaviour (corruption, abuse of power) or incapacity to perform duties.

The PM RAHAT (Prime Minister’s Road Accident Victims’ Hospitalisation and Assured Treatment) Scheme, launched on 13 February 2026, is a nationwide statutory initiative providing cashless and free medical treatment to road accident victims. It aims to reduce fatalities by providing immediate care during the “Golden Hour”