At the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, French President Emmanuel Macron will pay a three-day official visit to India, commencing on the 17th of this month. President Macron will participate in the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi on the 19th of this month.

Ministry of External Affairs said that during the visit, both leaders will hold discussions on strengthening bilateral cooperation across a wide spectrum of areas as enshrined in the Horizon 2047 Roadmap.

The leaders will discuss regional and global issues of mutual interest, including cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. The two leaders will also be in Mumbai to jointly inaugurate the India-France Year of Innovation, which will be celebrated throughout 2026 in both countries.

India climbed five places to the 91st position out of 182 countries and territories on the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2025 released on Tuesday.

India's score has gone up by one point since the previous year, while its rank has improved from 96th position, according to the latest CPI from the global NGO Transparency International.

There has been slow progress in anti-corruption efforts in the Asia Pacific, as many countries witnessed public anger in the previous year, the Berlin-based anti-corruption watchdog's report said.

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw flagged off a new passenger train service connecting Sairang in Mizoram and Silchar in Assam. He also inaugurated the Blended Hospitality Service at Gauhati Railway Station. The newly introduced train will operate five days a week, improving rail connectivity between Mizoram and Assam.

According to the schedule, the passenger train will commence its journey from Silchar on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. It will depart Silchar at 1 PM and is expected to arrive at Sairang at 6.30 PM. From Sairang, the train will leave at 7 AM on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, reaching Silchar at an estimated time of 12.30 PM.

Addressing the inauguration programme yesterday, Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma said that infrastructure development in Mizoram and the North-East region has gained significant momentum under the Act East Policy led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said that development is visible across sectors under the Prime Minister’s leadership and emphasised that no state or region is being left behind in the journey towards building a ‘Viksit Bharat’.

Dhakshineswar Suresh capped a breakthrough Davis Cup performance by clinching the decisive fifth rubber to hand India a memorable 3-2 win over the Netherlands and seal the country's place in the Qualifiers Round 2, underlining his rapid rise as the hosts' new match-winner, in Bengaluru on Sunday.

Playing only his second Davis Cup tie, the 25-year-old -- fondly known as DK -- delivered an extraordinary three-win haul, claiming both his singles rubbers and combining with Yuki Bhambri to win the doubles, a rare feat in Indian Davis Cup history and one that evokes memories of Leander Paes' heroic effort against Japan in 2004. Back then, Paes had swept all three matches he played -- two singles and the doubles -- single-handedly steering India to victory.

The Airports Authority of India(AAI) has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bharat Taxi, India’s first cooperative ride-hailing platform, to introduce regulated and passenger-friendly cab services at several of its airports. This MoU forms part of Bharat Taxi’s broader expansion strategy following its formal launch earlier this month by Union Home Minister Amit Shah as India’s first cooperative-based taxi service.

The platform has already secured partnerships with multiple institutions, including the Delhi Traffic Police, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, State Bank of India, and others, to enable regulated operations, financing, and integrated last-mile solutions across urban and airport ecosystems. This partnership aims to provide transparent, fair, and reliable transportation options on the airport premises.

Over one crore mandatory biometric updates (MBUs) for school-children have been completed by Unique Identification Authority of India-UIDAI. Ministry of Electronics and IT said, UIDAI Regional Offices and education departments of states worked in mission mode to hold MBU camps in 83 thousand schools in just five months. In order to incentivise children to complete MBU and to make the service accessible to all, UIDAI had waived off the charges in the age group of 7-15, from 1st October 2025 to 30 September this year.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Saturday (February 7, 2026) unveiled the National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA) at the Bihar Assembly, aimed at creating paperless legislative processes.

The function, held at the Central Hall of the State legislature, was attended by Assembly Speaker Prem Kumar, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh, and Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, among others. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, however, remained conspicuous by his absence.

Scientists have discovered two new species of marine worms recently. The discovery occurred off the coast of West Bengal, India. Even human‑impacted mudflats and docks can hide rich biodiversity. Researchers from the Zoological Survey of India led the study. The findings reveal resilience and surprises in marine ecosystems.

The Zoological Survey of India led this recent discovery. Researchers worked with international experts to explore Bay of Bengal. They collected specimens from mudflats, mangroves and dock pilings. Fieldwork revealed habitats that appear harsh and human‑impacted. Their careful study identified two species previously unknown to science. Collaboration ensured both accurate taxonomy and detailed ecological documentation.

Researchers have discovered a new species of dragonfly from Kerala and named it Lyriothemis keralensis, recognising the State’s exceptional biodiversity. The species was recorded from Varapetty near Kothamangalam in Ernakulam district, where it inhabits vegetated pools and irrigation canals within well shaded pineapple and rubber plantations.

The study was conducted by Dattaprasad Sawant of the Indian Foundation for Butterflies, Bengaluru, A. Vivek Chandran of the Department of Wildlife Science College of Forestry, Kerala Agricultural University, Renjith Jacob Mathews of the Society for Odonate Studies, Kerala and Krushnamegh Kunte of the National Centre for Biological Science, Bengaluru. The findings have been published in the International Journal of Odonatology.

According to Dr. Chandran the newly described dragonfly is seasonally visible only during the Southwest monsoon from later May to the end of August. During the remaining months of the year, the species is believed to persist in its aquatic larval stage, surviving in the network of canals and pools inside shaded plantatiaon landscapes.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today announced a Special Economic Package of 175 million dollars for the Seychelles. Addressing the Joint Press Meet after meeting the President of the Seychelles, Dr Patrick Herminie, in New Delhi, Mr Modi said that this package will support Social Housing, E-Mobility, Vocational Training, Health, Defence, and Maritime Security. India and Seychelles have also signed 7 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) across various sectors, including Health, Meteorology, Electronics and Information Technology and Good Governance.

The agreements include technical and scientific collaboration between the India Meteorological Department and the Seychelles Meteorological Authority. On the occasion, Mr Modi said that India and Seychelles are connected not just by geography but by history, trust and shared vision for the future. The Prime Minister added that as a maritime neighbour and trusted partner, Seychelles holds a special place in India’s Vision MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions).