Daily Current Affairs — 19 February 2026
4 articles • UPSC Prelims & Mains
India’s Drone Ecosystem
In News India has evolved from experimental drone pilots to a robust regulated ecosystem, with over 38,500 drones registered via Unique Identification Numbers (UIN) as of February 2026. Evolution of Drone Ecosystem Over the past two decades, drone technology has evolved from experimental use to a structured ecosystem in India, transforming public service delivery, infrastructure management, agriculture, and national security. Drone technology has become a key enabler of efficient and responsive
Military AI and the Urgency of Guardrails
Context India abstained from signing a pledge to govern the deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) in warfare at the third global summit on Responsible Artificial Intelligence in the Military Domain (REAIM). About About a third of the participating countries signed the ‘Pathways to Action’ declaration. The United States, India, and China were among those that did not.
SC Asks Govt. to Consider Plea to Treat ‘racial slur’ as a Hate Crime
Context The Chief Justice of India was hearing a petition seeking comprehensive guidelines to recognise ‘racial slur’ as a separate category of hate crime. What are Hate Crimes? Hate crimes are any crimes that are targeted at a person because of hostility or prejudice towards that person’s disability, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation, gender identity etc.
India Unveiled Sovereign AI Models
Context Bengaluru-based startup Sarvam AI has unveiled two advanced large language models (LLMs), collectively named “Vikram,” at the AI Impact Summit. What is Sarvam AI? Sarvam AI is an Indian artificial intelligence startup founded in 2023 with the objective of developing advanced large language models (LLMs) rooted in Indian languages and contexts.