18 February 2026 Current Affairs – Daily GK and Mock Test

18 February– Important History Events (Exam Oriented Notes)

• 1911 – The first official flight mail service in India was carried out from Allahabad to Naini.
• 1930 – Clyde Tombaugh discovered the planet Pluto at the Lowell Observatory.
• 2007 – The Samjhauta Express train was bombed near Panipat, Haryana, killing several passengers.

Today Latest Post Current Affairs

18 February 2026 Current Affairs – Daily GK and Mock Test

Tarique Rahman Set to Become Prime Minister of Bangladesh After BNP’s Election Victory

Q1. Who is set to become the Prime Minister of Bangladesh after the recent general elections?
(a) Sheikh Hasina
(b) Khaleda Zia
(c) Tarique Rahman
(d) Muhammad Yunus
Answer: Tarique Rahman
Explanation: Tarique Rahman, chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), is set to take oath as Prime Minister following his party’s decisive victory in the general elections.

Q2. The Parliament of Bangladesh is officially known as which of the following?
(a) National Assembly
(b) Lok Sabha
(c) Jatiya Sangsad
(d) Majlis
Answer: Jatiya Sangsad
Explanation: Bangladesh has a unicameral parliament called the Jatiya Sangsad, which consists of 300 elected members—an important static GK fact for exams.

Q3. How many seats are there in the unicameral Parliament of Bangladesh?
(a) 250
(b) 275
(c) 300
(d) 350
Answer: 300
Explanation: The Jatiya Sangsad of Bangladesh has 300 directly elected seats, making it a unicameral legislative body.

Q4. Which political party was barred from contesting the recent general elections in Bangladesh?
(a) Jamaat-e-Islami
(b) Bangladesh Nationalist Party
(c) Jatiya Party
(d) Awami League
Answer: Awami League
Explanation: The Awami League, led by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, was barred from contesting the elections, significantly affecting the political landscape.

Q5. Bangladesh gained independence from which country in 1971?
(a) India
(b) Myanmar
(c) Pakistan
(d) Sri Lanka
Answer: Pakistan
Explanation: Bangladesh gained independence from Pakistan in 1971 after a nine-month Liberation War—an important historical fact frequently asked in competitive exams.

Jaisalmer to Host India’s First Jain Chadar Mahotsav (March 2026)

Q1. Which city will host India’s first Jain Chadar Mahotsav in March 2026?
(a) Ajmer
(b) Jodhpur
(c) Jaisalmer
(d) Udaipur
Answer: Jaisalmer
Explanation: Rajasthan’s desert city Jaisalmer will host the country’s first Jain Chadar Mahotsav from 6 to 8 March 2026.

Q2. The sacred garments worshipped during the Mahotsav are associated with which Jain saint?
(a) Mahavira
(b) Hemchandra
(c) Jindatt Suri Maharaj
(d) Kundakunda
Answer: Dada Shri Jindatt Suri Maharaj
Explanation: The 872-year-old Chadar, Cholpatta and Muhpatti belong to Dada Shri Jindatt Suri Maharaj, a revered saint of the Khartar Gachchh sect.

Q3. The sect ‘Khartar Gachchh’ belongs to which major Jain tradition?
(a) Digambara
(b) Shvetambara
(c) Sthanakvasi
(d) Terapanthi
Answer: Shvetambara
Explanation: Khartar Gachchh is a prominent sect within the Shvetambara tradition of Jainism—an important static GK fact for exams.

Q4. The sacred garments are preserved in which type of traditional Jain repository?
(a) Matha
(b) Vihara
(c) Gyan Bhandar
(d) Ashram
Answer: Gyan Bhandar
Explanation: Gyan Bhandars are traditional Jain manuscript libraries that preserve rare texts and sacred relics. The garments are kept in the temple’s Gyan Bhandar in Jaisalmer.

Q5. The Vikram Samvat calendar is approximately how many years ahead of the Gregorian calendar?
(a) 47 years
(b) 50 years
(c) 57 years
(d) 60 years
Answer: 57 years
Explanation: The Vikram Samvat calendar is about 57 years ahead of the Gregorian calendar, which is an important fact frequently asked in competitive exams.

India–France Elevate Ties to Special Global Strategic Partnership

Q1. India and France recently upgraded their bilateral ties to which new status?
(a) Comprehensive Economic Partnership
(b) Strategic Trade Alliance
(c) Special Global Strategic Partnership
(d) Defence Cooperation Treaty
Answer: Special Global Strategic Partnership
Explanation: India and France elevated their relationship to a “Special Global Strategic Partnership”, expanding cooperation in defence, innovation, energy and global governance.

Q2. The announcement of the upgraded partnership was made after talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and which French President?
(a) François Hollande
(b) Nicolas Sarkozy
(c) Emmanuel Macron
(d) Jacques Chirac
Answer: Emmanuel Macron
Explanation: The announcement followed wide-ranging talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron during his official visit to India.

Q3. In which year was the original Strategic Partnership between India and France established?
(a) 1991
(b) 1995
(c) 1998
(d) 2005
Answer: 1998
Explanation: India and France first established a Strategic Partnership in 1998, which laid the foundation for long-term cooperation in defence and other sectors.

Q4. France holds which important position in the United Nations system?
(a) Non-permanent member of UNSC
(b) Permanent member of UNSC
(c) President of UNGA
(d) Member of ECOSOC only
Answer: Permanent member of UNSC
Explanation: France is a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), making it an influential global power in matters of international peace and security.

Q5. India and France are founding members of which renewable energy initiative?
(a) Global Wind Alliance
(b) International Solar Alliance
(c) Green Climate Fund
(d) Climate Action Network
Answer: International Solar Alliance
Explanation: Both India and France are key members of the International Solar Alliance, which promotes solar energy deployment worldwide—an important fact for competitive exams.

India’s First Private-Sector Helicopter Final Assembly Line Inaugurated in Karnataka

Q1. India’s first private-sector helicopter Final Assembly Line (FAL) has been set up in which state?
(a) Maharashtra
(b) Tamil Nadu
(c) Karnataka
(d) Gujarat
Answer: Karnataka
Explanation: The Airbus H125 Final Assembly Line has been established at Vemagal in Karnataka, marking a milestone in India’s aerospace manufacturing sector.

Q2. The newly operationalised helicopter facility in Vemagal will assemble which helicopter model?
(a) AH-64 Apache
(b) H125
(c) Mi-17
(d) Dhruv ALH
Answer: Airbus H125
Explanation: The facility will assemble the Airbus H125 civil helicopter, with potential production of its military variant H125M in the future.

Q3. The Vemagal helicopter facility is owned by which Indian company?
(a) Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
(b) Larsen & Toubro
(c) Tata Advanced Systems Ltd
(d) Mahindra Aerospace
Answer: Tata Advanced Systems Ltd
Explanation: The Final Assembly Line is owned by Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL) in partnership with Airbus Helicopters.

Q4. The H125 helicopter belongs to which Airbus helicopter family?
(a) Panther family
(b) Dauphin family
(c) Écureuil family
(d) Tiger family
Answer: Écureuil family
Explanation: The H125 is part of Airbus’s Écureuil family of light helicopters, which has accumulated over 40 million flight hours globally.

Q5. The UDAN scheme mentioned in the context of civil applications of the H125 aims to promote which of the following?
(a) Defence exports
(b) Space exploration
(c) Regional air connectivity
(d) Drone manufacturing
Answer: UDAN
Explanation: UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) is a Government of India scheme that aims to enhance regional air connectivity, especially to smaller cities and remote areas.

Veteran Actress Pravina Deshpande Passes Away at 60

Q1. Veteran actress Pravina Deshpande passed away on which date?
(a) February 15
(b) February 16
(c) February 17
(d) February 18
Answer: February 17
Explanation: Pravina Deshpande passed away on February 17 after a prolonged battle with cancer, marking the end of her distinguished acting career.

Q2. Pravina Deshpande appeared in which Bollywood film based on India’s 1998 nuclear tests?
(a) Ready
(b) Ek Villain
(c) Parmanu: The Story of Pokhran
(d) Raazi
Answer: Parmanu: The Story of Pokhran
Explanation: Parmanu: The Story of Pokhran is based on India’s 1998 nuclear tests, and Pravina Deshpande played a role in the film.

Q3. Which organisation representing film and television artists expressed condolences on her passing?
(a) Filmfare Association
(b) Indian Motion Picture Producers’ Association
(c) Cine & TV Artistes’ Association
(d) National School of Drama
Answer: Cine & TV Artistes’ Association
Explanation: The Cine & TV Artistes’ Association (CINTAA), of which she was a member since 2008, paid tribute to her contribution to the entertainment industry.

Q4. Pravina Deshpande worked in which two major Indian film industries?
(a) Hindi and Telugu
(b) Hindi and Marathi
(c) Tamil and Kannada
(d) Bengali and Hindi
Answer: Hindi and Marathi
Explanation: She built a versatile career across both Hindi and Marathi cinema, along with television and theatre.

Q5. Mumbai is popularly known as the centre of which Indian film industry?
(a) Tollywood
(b) Mollywood
(c) Sandalwood
(d) Bollywood
Answer: Bollywood
Explanation: Mumbai is the hub of India’s Hindi film industry, commonly known as Bollywood—an important static GK fact for competitive exams.

Delhi Launches India’s First AI-Driven CM Shri School Model

Q1. Who inaugurated the CM Shri School at Sarojini Nagar in Delhi?
(a) Arvind Kejriwal
(b) Rekha Gupta
(c) Dharmendra Pradhan
(d) Ashish Sood
Answer: Rekha Gupta
Explanation: Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta inaugurated the CM Shri School at Sarojini Nagar, marking the launch of an AI-driven comprehensive education model.

Q2. The CM Shri School initiative is aligned with which national policy?
(a) National Skill Development Policy
(b) Digital India Policy
(c) National Education Policy 2020
(d) New Industrial Policy
Answer: National Education Policy 2020
Explanation: The initiative aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which emphasises technology integration, holistic learning and improved education standards.

Q3. How many CM Shri School projects have been planned across Delhi?
(a) 50
(b) 60
(c) 75
(d) 100
Answer: 75
Explanation: The Delhi Government laid the foundation stones for 75 CM Shri School projects across the national capital to strengthen public education.

Q4. Which of the following entrance exams is conducted for admission to medical courses in India?
(a) JEE
(b) NEET
(c) CLAT
(d) NDA
Answer: NEET
Explanation: NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) is a national-level entrance examination for admission to undergraduate medical courses in India.

Q5. The introduction of AI-enabled smart classrooms primarily aims to promote which of the following?
(a) Manual teaching methods
(b) Personalised learning and real-time performance tracking
(c) Reduction of school curriculum
(d) Elimination of examinations
Answer: Personalised learning and real-time performance tracking
Explanation: AI in education supports personalised learning based on individual student needs and allows real-time tracking of academic performance.

Assam Cabinet Approves 3% OBC Reservation for Tea Tribes & Expands MMUA Scheme

Q1. The Assam Cabinet approved a 3% reservation in Class I and Class II state government jobs for which communities?
(a) Scheduled Castes
(b) Scheduled Tribes
(c) Tea tribes and Adivasi communities
(d) Economically Weaker Sections
Answer: Tea tribes and Adivasi communities
Explanation: The Assam Cabinet extended a 3% reservation within the OBC quota to tea tribes and Adivasi communities for higher-level Class I and Class II state government posts.

Q2. The announcement regarding the reservation decision was made by which Chief Minister?
(a) Sarbananda Sonowal
(b) Himanta Biswa Sarma
(c) Tarun Gogoi
(d) Pema Khandu
Answer: Himanta Biswa Sarma
Explanation: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that the 3% reservation would now be extended to higher administrative posts.

Q3. OBC reservation in India is provided under which Articles of the Constitution?
(a) Articles 14 and 19
(b) Articles 21 and 32
(c) Articles 15(4) and 16(4)
(d) Articles 368 and 370
Answer: Articles 15(4) and 16(4)
Explanation: Articles 15(4) and 16(4) of the Indian Constitution empower the State to make special provisions for socially and educationally backward classes, including OBCs.

Q4. The Assam Legislative Assembly consists of how many members?
(a) 100
(b) 120
(c) 126
(d) 130
Answer: 126
Explanation: The Assam Legislative Assembly has 126 members—an important static GK fact for state polity exams.

Q5. The Mission for Minority and Underprivileged Areas (MMUA) scheme primarily targets which group?
(a) Industrial workers
(b) Women from minority and underprivileged backgrounds
(c) Senior citizens
(d) Government employees
Answer: Women from minority and underprivileged backgrounds
Explanation: The MMUA scheme provides financial assistance to women, particularly Self-Help Group (SHG) members, to promote entrepreneurship and financial inclusion in Assam.

Iran Showcases Khorramshahr-4 Ballistic Missile Amid US Tensions

Q1. Khorramshahr-4 is classified as which type of missile?
(a) Short-range ballistic missile
(b) Intercontinental ballistic missile
(c) Medium-range ballistic missile
(d) Cruise missile
Answer: Medium-range ballistic missile
Explanation: The Khorramshahr-4 is a medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM), with an estimated range of around 2,000 km, placing it within the 1,000–3,000 km category.

Q2. The Khorramshahr-4 missile has an approximate range of how many kilometres?
(a) 500 km
(b) 1,000 km
(c) 2,000 km
(d) 5,000 km
Answer: 2,000 km
Explanation: The missile is assessed to have a range of about 2,000 kilometres, enabling it to target regional military assets.

Q3. The Khorramshahr-4 missile has been developed by which country?
(a) Iraq
(b) Israel
(c) Iran
(d) Saudi Arabia
Answer: Iran
Explanation: Iran has developed the Khorramshahr-4 as part of its broader ballistic missile programme aimed at strengthening deterrence capabilities.

Q4. The USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Gerald R. Ford mentioned in the context are examples of which type of military platform?
(a) Destroyers
(b) Submarines
(c) Aircraft carriers
(d) Amphibious assault ships
Answer: Aircraft carriers
Explanation: USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Gerald R. Ford are US Navy aircraft carriers, central to American naval power projection.

Q5. The Persian Gulf is strategically important mainly because it is a key route for which of the following?
(a) Rare earth minerals trade
(b) Global oil shipments
(c) Fishing industry
(d) Tourism routes
Answer: Persian Gulf
Explanation: The Persian Gulf is a crucial maritime corridor for global oil trade, making any military developments in the region internationally significant.

India–South Korea Reaffirm Special Strategic Partnership at 6th FPSD

Q1. India and South Korea elevated their relations to a Special Strategic Partnership in which year?
(a) 2010
(b) 2012
(c) 2015
(d) 2018
Answer: 2015
Explanation: India and South Korea upgraded their bilateral ties to a Special Strategic Partnership in 2015 to deepen cooperation in defence, economy and strategic affairs.

Q2. The 6th Foreign Policy and Security Dialogue (FPSD) between India and South Korea was held in which city?
(a) Busan
(b) Tokyo
(c) Seoul
(d) Incheon
Answer: Seoul
Explanation: The 6th FPSD was held in Seoul, reflecting sustained diplomatic engagement between the two countries.

Q3. Who co-chaired the dialogue from the Indian side?
(a) S. Jaishankar
(b) P. Kumaran
(c) Ajit Doval
(d) Vinay Mohan Kwatra
Answer: P. Kumaran
Explanation: P. Kumaran, Secretary (East) in India’s Ministry of External Affairs, co-chaired the dialogue from the Indian side.

Q4. Which of the following emerging technologies was identified as a priority area of cooperation between India and South Korea?
(a) Coal gasification
(b) Artificial Intelligence
(c) Thermal power
(d) Textile manufacturing
Answer: Artificial Intelligence
Explanation: Artificial Intelligence (AI), semiconductors and green hydrogen were identified as priority areas to strengthen innovation and industrial competitiveness.

Q5. The Indo-Pacific region is strategically important to both India and South Korea primarily because of which reason?
(a) Agricultural trade
(b) Cultural tourism
(c) Maritime security and global trade routes
(d) Space exploration projects
Answer: Maritime security and global trade routes
Explanation: The Indo-Pacific is crucial for maritime security, free trade routes and maintaining a rules-based order, making it central to both countries’ foreign policy strategies.

Kerala Approves India’s First Comprehensive Graphene Policy

Q1. Which Indian state has approved the country’s first comprehensive graphene policy?
(a) Tamil Nadu
(b) Karnataka
(c) Kerala
(d) Telangana
Answer: Kerala
Explanation: Kerala has become the first Indian state to introduce a comprehensive graphene policy to promote research, development and manufacturing of the advanced material.

Q2. Graphene is primarily composed of which element arranged in a hexagonal lattice?
(a) Silicon
(b) Carbon
(c) Boron
(d) Lithium
Answer: Carbon
Explanation: Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice, known for exceptional strength and electrical conductivity.

Q3. Graphene was first isolated in 2004 by researchers at which university?
(a) University of Oxford
(b) Harvard University
(c) Stanford University
(d) University of Manchester
Answer: University of Manchester
Explanation: Researchers at the University of Manchester first isolated graphene in 2004, a discovery that later led to the Nobel Prize in Physics.

Q4. The proposed dedicated graphene industrial park in Kerala will be set up in which district?
(a) Ernakulam
(b) Palakkad
(c) Kozhikode
(d) Thiruvananthapuram
Answer: Palakkad
Explanation: The Kerala government plans to establish a dedicated graphene industrial park in Palakkad to boost manufacturing and innovation.

Q5. Which of the following is a key property of graphene?
(a) Poor thermal stability
(b) Low tensile strength
(c) High electrical conductivity
(d) Heavy molecular weight
Answer: High electrical conductivity
Explanation: Graphene is known for high electrical conductivity, excellent tensile strength and thermal stability, making it useful in electronics, energy storage and biomedical devices.

NHAI Launches ‘Bee Corridor’ Initiative Along National Highways

Q1. Which organisation has launched the ‘Bee Corridor’ initiative along National Highways?
(a) Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
(b) Indian Council of Agricultural Research
(c) National Highways Authority of India
(d) National Biodiversity Authority
Answer: National Highways Authority of India
Explanation: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has introduced the Bee Corridor initiative to promote pollinator-friendly plantations along highways.

Q2. The primary objective of the Bee Corridor initiative is to support which of the following?
(a) Ornamental landscaping
(b) Urban tourism
(c) Pollinators like honeybees
(d) Highway toll collection
Answer: Pollinators like honeybees
Explanation: The initiative focuses on planting nectar-rich and flowering species to support honeybees and other pollinators, which are crucial for agriculture and biodiversity.

Q3. Pollinators are directly responsible for the reproduction of approximately what percentage of global flowering plants?
(a) 25%
(b) 50%
(c) 75%
(d) 90%
Answer: 75%
Explanation: Pollinators contribute to the reproduction of over 75% of global flowering plants, highlighting their ecological and agricultural importance.

Q4. Under the 2026–27 target, approximately how many trees does NHAI plan to plant along National Highways?
(a) 10 lakh
(b) 25 lakh
(c) 40 lakh
(d) 60 lakh
Answer: 40 lakh
Explanation: NHAI plans to plant around 40 lakh trees during 2026–27, with nearly 60% under the Bee Corridor initiative.

Q5. Flowering clusters under the Bee Corridor project will generally be planted at intervals of:
(a) 100–200 metres
(b) 250–400 metres
(c) 500 metres to 1 kilometre
(d) 2–3 kilometres
Answer: 500 metres to 1 kilometre
Explanation: The planting interval aligns with the average foraging distance of honeybees and wild bees, which typically ranges up to 1 kilometre from their hive.

BioAsia 2026 – TechBio Unleashed: AI and Automation in Life Sciences

Q1. Where is the 23rd edition of BioAsia 2026 being held?
(a) Mumbai
(b) Bengaluru
(c) Hyderabad
(d) New Delhi
Answer: (c) Hyderabad
Explanation: BioAsia 2026 is being held at the Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC) in Hyderabad, Telangana, reinforcing the city’s status as a major biotech hub.

Q2. Who will inaugurate BioAsia 2026?
(a) Duddilla Sridhar Babu
(b) Narendra Modi
(c) A. Revanth Reddy
(d) K. Chandrashekar Rao
Answer: (c) A. Revanth Reddy
Explanation: Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy will inaugurate the 23rd edition of BioAsia 2026.

Q3. What is the theme of BioAsia 2026?
(a) Biotechnology for Sustainable Development
(b) TechBio Unleashed – AI, Automation, and the Revolutionary Changes in Life Sciences
(c) Digital India in Healthcare
(d) Future of Pharma 2030
Answer: (b) TechBio Unleashed – AI, Automation, and the Revolutionary Changes in Life Sciences
Explanation: The theme highlights the integration of Artificial Intelligence, automation and digital technologies with biotechnology and pharmaceutical research to accelerate innovation.

Q4. Which Indian city is popularly known as “Genome Valley”?
(a) Pune
(b) Ahmedabad
(c) Hyderabad
(d) Chennai
Answer: (c) Hyderabad
Explanation: Hyderabad is known as “Genome Valley” due to its large concentration of biotechnology companies, vaccine manufacturers and bulk drug industries.

Q5. Which of the following best describes ‘Biologics’?
(a) Synthetic chemical drugs
(b) Herbal medicines
(c) Medicines derived from living organisms
(d) Nanotechnology-based devices
Answer: (c) Medicines derived from living organisms
Explanation: Biologics are medicines derived from living organisms or their components and are widely used in advanced therapies, including vaccines and monoclonal antibodies.

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