India Pulse | February 12, 2026: Your Daily Digest of India's Governance, Progress, and Vision
The India Pulse Newsletter for February 12, 2026 covers India's retail inflation standing at 2.75% in January under new CPI series, FM stating government focused on building resilient self-reliant India, ongoing investigation into AI-171 accident with government calling media reports speculative, RBI revising draft norms for Kisan Credit Card for broader farmer loan support, Defence Acquisition Council clearing proposals worth nearly Rs. 3.60 lakh crore, Lok Sabha passing Industrial Relations Code Amendment Bill, Education Minister highlighting rapid AI adoption in Indian education, Piyush Goyal urging encouragement for young innovators, Standing Committee on Finance noting India's robust growth amid global turbulence, and Delhi Government organising month-long sports festival.
NEWS IN DETAIL
India’s Retail Inflation Stands At 2.75% In January
India’s retail inflation stood at 2.75 per cent in January on an annual basis under the newly released Consumer Price Index (CPI) series, compared with 1.33 per cent under the old series in December last year. The release marks the first major revision of India’s retail inflation series in over a decade, with the base year updated from 2012 to 2024. Despite the increase, inflation remained within the Reserve Bank of India’s tolerance limit.
According to data released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, inflation in rural areas edged up to 2.73 per cent, while in urban regions it rose to 2.77 per cent. The food inflation rate, based on the All India Consumer Food Price Index, recorded inflation of 2.13 per cent, compared with a deflation of 2.7 per cent in December last year. A significant feature of the revised CPI is the reduced weight and influence of food in the index.
According to the ministry, the increase in headline and food inflation in January 2026 was mainly attributed to rising prices in personal care, social protection, education services, clothing and footwear, restaurants and accommodation services, and tobacco.
FM Says Govt Focused On Building Resilient, Self-Reliant India
Parliament To Adjourn For Recess In Ongoing Budget Session
Both Houses of Parliament will adjourn on February 13, 2026, for a recess in the ongoing budget session to reassemble on March 9, 2026. The second phase will be held till April 2, 2026.
The budget session is being held in two phases, the first phase began on 28th January with the address of President Droupadi Murmu to the joint sitting of both Houses.
On Thursday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman replied to a discussion on the Union Budget in the Rajya Sabha. She said, the government is focused on building a resilient and self-reliant India by boosting economic growth and ensuring inclusive development. Ms Sitharaman added that high growth has been maintained while keeping inflation low.
Citing estimates from the National Statistics Office, the Finance Minister said, India’s GDP is projected to grow at 7.4 per cent in 2025-26. She added that retail inflation has eased to 2 per cent, reflecting strong economic fundamentals.
The Finance Minister countered the opposition charge of expenditure curtailment in many welfare schemes. She said adequate budget allocations have been made for social schemes. She also dismissed allegations of pressure on the middle class, stating that reforms under the NDA government have led to its expansion.
Ms Sitharaman said unemployment has declined from 5.6 per cent in 2017-18 to 3.2 per cent in 2023-24, indicating that the economy is generating jobs. The Minister announced plans to rejuvenate 200 legacy industrial clusters.
On the other hand in the Lok Sabha, noisy scenes between the treasury bench and opposition bench members were witnessed, following which the house was adjourned for the day.
Amid the din, the House took up the matters of urgent public importance, after passing the Industrial Relations Code (Amendment) Bill, 2026. BJP MP Nishikant Dubey raised the issue of a motion against the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi.
Mr. Dubey alleged that Mr. Gandhi has links with the Soros Foundation and the Ford Foundation. He further claimed that Mr. Gandhi frequently levels allegations against constitutional institutions, including the Election Commission, the Supreme Court, and the Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
Demanding a discussion on Mr. Gandhi’s conduct, Mr. Dubey said, membership of Rahul Gandhi should be cancelled and he should be barred from contesting elections in the future. The remarks led to strong protests from opposition members.
Investigation into AI-171 Accident Ongoing, Media Reports Speculative: Govt
The Union Government has categorically clarified that reports suggesting that the investigation into the Air India Flight AI-171 accident has been finalised are incorrect and speculative.
In a statement on Thursday, the Ministry of Civil Aviation said “the investigation is still in progress. No final conclusions have been reached”.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) conducts investigations strictly in accordance with the Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2025, and India’s obligations under ICAO Annex 13, the Ministry said.
Aircraft accident investigations are technical, evidence-based processes aimed at determining root causes and enhancing safety, it added.
“The Preliminary Report released earlier provided factual information available at that stage. The Final Investigation Report, containing conclusions and safety recommendations, will be published upon completion of the investigation in line with established international norms.”
Urging media organisations to exercise restraint and avoid premature speculation, the AAIB said unverified reporting causes unnecessary public anxiety and undermines the integrity of an ongoing professional investigation.
RBI Revises Draft Norms For Kisan Credit Card For Broader Loan Support To Farmers
The Reserve Bank of India has issued revised draft norms for the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme, proposing inclusion of expenses on agri-tech initiatives such as soil testing, weather forecasting and organic certification within eligible farm loan components.
The draft allows waiver of collateral and margin requirements for agricultural and allied loans up to 2 lakh rupees per borrower. Drawing limits under KCC have been aligned with crop-wise scale of finance, while a flexible credit limit of 10,000-50,000 rupees has been proposed for marginal farmers holding up to one hectare.
The RBI has standardised crop tenures at 12 months for short-duration crops and 18 months for long-duration crops and extended KCC validity to six years. Feedback on the draft can be submitted by March 6, 2026.
Defence Acquisition Council Clears Proposals Of Nearly 3.60 Lakh Crore
The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) on Thursday cleared proposals worth nearly 3.60 lakh crore rupees, to enhance the capability of the Armed Forces.
The Defence Ministry has informed that Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) was accorded for the procurement of Multi Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) Rafale, Combat Missiles and Air-Ship Based High Altitude Pseudo Satellite (AS-HAPS) for the Indian Air Force (IAF).
The Ministry has said that the procurement of MRFA will enhance the capability of undertaking air dominance roles across the spectrum of conflict and significantly boost the deterrence capabilities of IAF with long-range offensive strikes. According to the ministry, the majority of MRFA to be procured will be manufactured in India. It added that the Combat Missiles will enhance the stand-off ground attack capability with deep strike power and very high accuracy.
The Ministry further said that AoN was accorded for the procurement of Anti-Tank Mines (Vibhav) and overhaul of Vehicle Platforms of Armoured Recovery Vehicles (ARVs), T-72 Tanks and Infantry Combat Vehicles for the Indian Army. For the Indian Navy, AoN was cleared for four MW Marine Gas Turbine-based Electric Power Generators and P8I Long Range Maritime Reconnaissance Aircraft. AoN was also accorded for the procurement of Electro-Optical/Infra-Red system for Dornier aircraft For the Indian Coast Guard (ICG).
Also, Defence Ministry has signed a contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for the acquisition of eight Dornier 228 Aircraft. The Ministry said that the contract worth two thousand three hundred twelve crore rupees also includes Operational Role Equipment for the Indian Coast Guard. Ministry of Defence said that it reinforces the government’s commitment to Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make-in-India while bolstering India’s maritime security architecture.
Lok Sabha Passes Industrial Relations Code (Amendment) Bill
Opposition Pooh-Poohs The Bill
The Lok Sabha passed the Industrial Relations Code (Amendment) Bill, 2026 on Thursday. The bill seeks to amend the Industrial Relations Code, 2020. The amendment aimed to avoid any future complication over the continuity of three laws namely the Trade Unions Act, 1926, the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, 1946 and the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, which was replaced by the Industrial Relations Code of 2020.
Replying to the discussion, Labour and Employment Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said that 17 national labour organisations have stated that the Labour Code has been introduced in the interest of workers. He said, only a few organisations opposed the legislation. Mr. Mandaviya said, Labour Code ensures the introduction of a floor wage with statutory backing, and no state will be allowed to fix wages below the prescribed floor wage.
The Minister said that the code guarantees equal wages for men and women, and it also ensures timely payment of wages to workers. The Minister said, all workers above the age of 40 years of age will be required to undergo a mandatory health check-up once a year under the labour code.
Citing a survey, Mr Mandaviya said that labour laws are helping in creating jobs, particularly in tier-3 and tier-4 cities. He said that social security coverage in the country has increased from 19 per cent to 64 per cent in the last 11 years.
Earlier, participating in the discussion, Kodikunnil Suresh of Congress said that the industrial relation code amendment Bill 2026 is not a reform. He alleged that the unemployment rate among youth is high and instead of strengthening provisions of employment protection, the government is weakening it. BJP MP Darshan Singh Chaudhary said that the Bill will safeguard the interests of workers in the country and help facilitate ease of doing business for industries.
Afzal Ansari of Samajwadi Party alleged that the Government is sidelining the interests of the labourers.
Supriya Sule of NCP-SCP questioned whether contract workers are being covered under the new Industrial Relations Code Bill. She said, 42 per cent of workers in India employed under contract basis.
Opposing the legislation, Sudama Prasad of CPI (ML) alleged that the new code is designed to benefit few capitalists. E.T. Mohammed Basheer of IUML alleged that the Bill sacrifices the rights of workers.
Education Minister Highlights Rapid AI Adoption In Indian Education
Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday said the government is actively strengthening the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the education sector.
Addressing the Bharat Bodhan AI Conclave 2026 in the national capital, he noted that work on AI in India’s education ecosystem is advancing at a rapid pace and that the country possesses a strong and abundant talent pool.
The Minister said that AI will be incorporated into India’s education framework from Class 3 through advanced research levels, not only as a subject of study, but also as a research theme, a model of innovation, and a communication strategy.
Government & Private Sector Must Encourage Young Innovators: Piyush Goyal
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday said that India is at the cutting edge of technology and that this progress is possible only when both the government and the private sector encourage young innovators.
He said this while addressing the INDovation, Medtech Innovation and Startup Showcase Programme in New Delhi. He urged medtech startups to expand globally by leveraging India’s expanding trade agreements covering nearly 70 percent of global GDP and scale affordable innovations to serve both India and the world.
Mr Goyal said that India has opened up huge markets through various trade agreements and noted that most developed countries now have free trade agreements with the nation. He also highlighted that startups will receive an 80 percent discount on Intellectual Property-related fees to support innovation.
Speaking to the media, the Minister said that it is inspiring to see India’s innovation and startup ecosystem growing. He said that the enthusiasm and sense of service shown by the country’s innovators give him full confidence that India is moving on the right path.
The Minister also announced that three new National Institutes of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPERs) are being established alongside the upgradation of seven existing NIPERs. He said that a new National Institute of Design (NID) will be set up in East India.
He suggested that NID could assist startups in improving product design, visual appeal and overall quality, possibly through pro bono programmes.
Standing Committee On Finance To LS: Amid Turbulent Global Economy, India Sustains Robust Growth
The 29th report on action taken by the government on the observations of the Standing Committee on Finance on Roadmap for Indian economic growth in light of global economic and geopolitical circumstances was presented in Lok Sabha on Thursday.
Arun Bharti of LJP (R) tabled the report in Lok Sabha. The Committee noted that amid a turbulent global economy marked by geopolitical tensions, India is sustaining robust growth as real GDP grew by 6.5 per cent in 2024-25, supported by strong domestic demand and investment.
The Committee also observed India’s position as the fastest-growing major economy, a status that has been reaffirmed by the International Monetary Fund. The Committee further noted that the investment rate must increase to around 35 per cent of GDP from the current 31 per cent to achieve the ambitious growth target of eight per cent annually for at least a decade.
In an increasingly fragmented global trade environment, the Committee acknowledged the commendable growth in India’s exports, with an all-time high in merchandise and services exports.
In reply, the government said that it agrees with the Committee’s views. The Committee also recognises the vital role of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises as the backbone of the Indian economy.
Delhi Government To Organise Month- Long Sports Festival
Khelo Delhi-Delhi Khel MahaKumbh will start on February 13, 2026, aimed at strengthening and promoting a vibrant sports culture in the national capital.
Hosting a dialogue regarding the event with sports personalities and fitness coaches, Delhi Minister Ashish Sood said that the government will organise competitions in seven major sports disciplines. These include Football, Basketball, Volleyball and Kabaddi. He added that the event will also help assess and enhance sports infrastructure across Delhi.
The Minister said that the government aims to ensure participation of over 30 thousand athletes in the month- long sports festival. Mr Sood said, the Mahakumbh will also provide a strong platform for women athletes, with special focus on their safety and participation.
He expressed confidence that this initiative will pave the way for a strong and dynamic sports culture in the capital, ultimately leading to a significant increase in Delhi’s medal tally at national and international competitions in the years ahead.