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Daily Current Affairs – 19 February, 2026

    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.
  • It seeks to build foundational AI systems comparable to global models but optimised for India’s multilingual environment.
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    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.
  • In India, the term “hate crime” is not separately defined in law, but such acts are punishable under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and now the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.
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    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. 
  • The previous summit saw 60 countries sign a document outlining a blueprint for action.
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    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 public service delivery in India. 
  • They are enhancing agility, precision, and transparency in governance. 
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    News In Short 19-02-2026

    Context

  • Recently scientists studied rocks on the Garvellach Islands in Scotland to understand the Snowball Earth period.

    • What is Snowball Earth?

  • Snowball Earth refers to episodes when Earth’s surface was almost entirely covered by ice, including oceans and tropical regions. It occurred mainly during the Cryogenian Period (720-635 million years ago).
  • It was triggered by feedback mechanisms such as increased ice cover raising Earth’s albedo (reflectivity) and reduced solar heat absorption, causing further cooling.
  • The possible causes include continental configurations near the equator, reduced greenhouse gases, and volcanic activity patterns.
    • Read More
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