Daily Current Affairs – January 17, 2026

India's Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal hailed the proposed Free Trade Agreement with the European Union as the "mother of all deals," anticipating a mutually beneficial pact that will boost exports. He assured that national interests would not be compromised, with sensitive issues like the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism and dairy to be addressed satisfactorily.

India is gearing up to unveil an innovative strategy for Chabahar Port, paving the way for strengthening its stake following the anticipated end of US sanctions in April. Collaborating with a regional Iranian firm, India Ports Global Limited aims to regain operational control over this crucial port.

The SAD appealed to Governor Gulab Chand Kataria to issue necessary directions to ensure the security of Majithia, a former Minister, saying it had no faith in the AAP government to take effective steps in this regard

At the plenary session, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs also signed MoU with the ICMR–Regional Medical Research Centre, Bhubaneswar, to set up India’s first National Tribal Health Observatory, to be known as the Bharat Tribal Health Observatory.

“In less than a year, we made eight peace deals and ended the war in Gaza. We have peace in the Middle East. Nobody thought that was going to be possible," Donald Trump said

Harsh repression that has left several thousand people dead appears to have succeeded in stifling demonstrations that began December 28 over Iran's ailing economy and morphed into protests directly challenging the country's theocracy

Ace investor Vijay Kedia has acquired a stake in SPML Infra. Kedia Securities bought over 14 lakh shares for approximately Rs 25 crore. SPML Infra is a smallcap infrastructure firm with expertise in power, water, and environment sectors. The company has a strong track record of executing projects across India.

Sebi is revamping how stock closing prices are determined in India's equity cash market, moving from a 30-minute average to a new 20-minute Closing Auction Session (CAS). This move aims to enhance price discovery and transparency, aligning with global practices. Initially, CAS will apply to derivative-linked stocks, with a phased rollout starting August 3, 2026.

Bank holiday today, 17 January: Banks in some states across India will be closed on Saturday, 17 January. Bank holidays are decided by the Reserve Bank of India.

Budget Expectations: With the Union Budget 2026 set to be presented by FM Nirmala Sitharaman within a few days, the real estate sector is hoping for tax incentives to accelerate homebuying and affordable housing. Here's what industry leaders are saying.

The only American woman to become a Grandmaster, Krush has fond memories of India. In this conversation, she talks about wanting to see Gukesh defend his title against Fabiano Caruana, refusing to give up during the 12 years between her first and final GM norms, teaming with Magnus Carlsen, and looking at the silver lining in her struggles with Covid