Daily Current Affairs

On 3 June 2026, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved a two-year Rs 9,585 crore scheme to replace 2.07 lakh Bharat Stage (BS)-IV and older trucks and buses in Delhi-NCR with BS-VI-compliant or Electric Vehicles (EVs). The scheme aims to reduce vehicular emissions, improve air quality, and accelerate commercial fleet modernisation.

• State-level benefits: Fee waivers, up to 100% motor vehicle tax concession for new vehicles; 50% tax concession for used BS-VI vehicles for 10 years; waiver of pending liabilities.
• Emission standard context: BS-IV is an older emission standard; BS-VI is the current (and highest) standard in India, equivalent to Euro-VI, introduced from April 2020.
• Key ministries involved: MoHUA (Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs), MoRTH (Ministry of Road Transport and Highways), MoPNG (Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas).
• NCRPB: National Capital Region Planning Board — statutory body under MoHUA that coordinates development across Delhi-NCR.

On 3 June 2026, the Union Cabinet chaired by PM Narendra Modi approved a one-time budgetary support of up to Rs 10,000 crore for Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) to provide Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) price stabilisation support to scheduled Indian airlines for their domestic and international operations, affected by rising global fuel prices due to the ongoing West Asia conflict.

• ATF: Aviation Turbine Fuel — the jet fuel used by aircraft; constitutes the largest operating cost for airlines (~30–40% of operating expenditure).
• OMCs: Include Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum (BPCL), and Hindustan Petroleum (HPCL) — public sector companies that supply ATF to airlines.
• Import Parity Price (IPP): The benchmark price at which India imports a fuel, factoring in international crude prices, exchange rate, and import duties.
• Context: Rising global fuel prices triggered by the West Asia conflict (US-Iran situation) put severe financial stress on domestic carriers.
• MoCA: Ministry of Civil Aviation; DoE: Department of Expenditure under Ministry of Finance.

In June 2026, Union Minister of State (MoS) (Independent Charge) Jayant Chaudhary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), launched Navachar Mantra, a flagship national initiative at IIT-Delhi, New Delhi, aimed at identifying, mentoring, and scaling grassroots innovators and early-stage entrepreneurs across India.

• Programme structure: Multi-stage evaluation involving academia, industry, investment firms, and government; activities include mentorship, webinars, innovation showcases, investor interactions, and a national showcase event.
• NIESBUD: National Institute for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development — an apex body under MSDE for training, education, and research in entrepreneurship.
• FITT: Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer — an interface institution of IIT Delhi for technology transfer and entrepreneurship promotion.
• SIDH: Skill India Digital Hub — the unified digital platform for skill development registrations, course enrolments, and entrepreneurship schemes under MSDE.
• Target beneficiaries: Grassroots innovators, early-stage entrepreneurs, and startups from across India.

In June 2026, the Government of India (GoI) decided to expand the QR code tagging initiative for Food Corporation of India (FCI) foodgrain bags to Andhra Pradesh (AP), Telangana, and Odisha during the ongoing marketing season, aiming to enable end-to-end tracking of foodgrain movement, prevent bag recycling, and improve transparency in procurement, storage, and distribution.

• QR code function: Each bag is assigned a unique QR code tracking the procurement centre, procuring agency, and procurement season; bags are scanned at FCI godowns and Fair Price Shops (FPSs) during distribution.
• Purpose: Prevent bag recycling (reuse of old bags to pass off inferior-quality grain as procured stock), ensure transparency, and enable real-time tracking from farm gate to beneficiary.
• FCI: Food Corporation of India — apex public sector undertaking under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution; responsible for procurement, storage, transport, and distribution of foodgrains under the National Food Security Act (NFSA).
• Fair Price Shops (FPSs): Retail outlets under the Public Distribution System (PDS) that distribute subsidised foodgrains to NFSA beneficiaries.

In June 2026, Telangana and Germany’s state of Thuringia signed a cooperation agreement to strengthen collaboration in skill development, industrial growth, innovation, technology, workforce development, startups, and life sciences in Hyderabad. The agreement was signed during a high-level delegation meeting led by Mario Voigt, Minister-President of Thuringia, with A. Revanth Reddy, Chief Minister of Telangana.

• Key objective: Create industry-driven skill programmes through collaboration between educational institutions and industries in Telangana and Thuringia, fostering a globally competitive workforce.
• Institutions involved: Young India Skills University (YISU), Advanced Technology Centres (ATCs), polytechnic institutes, and German industry partners to design customised skilling curricula.
• German Language Training Hub: To be established in Hyderabad, integrated with TOMCOM (Telangana Overseas Manpower Company) programmes to enhance overseas employment opportunities in German-speaking markets.
• Thuringia: A federal state (Bundesland) in central Germany, known for its automotive, manufacturing, optics, and life sciences industries; capital is Erfurt.
• CM of Telangana: A. Revanth Reddy (Indian National Congress); Governor: Jishnu Dev Varma.

In June 2026, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Standard Chartered Bank signed agreements in Mumbai, Maharashtra to strengthen supply chain finance in India through risk-sharing arrangements covering both USD and INR transactions. The agreements were signed by Bhargav Dasgupta (Vice-President, ADB) and P.D. Singh (CEO, Standard Chartered Bank India & South Asia).

• Objective: Address financing gaps and strengthen risk-sharing mechanisms in supply chain finance in India for MSMEs and corporates.
• GIFT City: Gujarat International Finance Tec-City — India’s first operational International Financial Services Centre (IFSC), in Gandhinagar, Gujarat; enables USD-denominated financial transactions.
• ADB: Multilateral development bank headquartered in Manila, Philippines; founded in 1966; current President: Masato Kanda; India is ADB’s largest borrowing member.
• Standard Chartered Bank: British multinational banking and financial services company headquartered in London, UK; formed in 1969 through merger of Standard Bank of British South Africa and Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China.

In June 2026, the OECD in its report titled ‘OECD Economic Outlook Under Pressure: June 2026’ raised its GDP growth projection for India by 20 basis points (bps) to 6.3% for Financial Year 2026–27 (FY27), up from the previous estimate of 6.1% (interim report, March 2026).

• OECD: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development — intergovernmental body with 38 member countries, headquartered in Paris, France; founded in 1961; current Secretary-General: Mathias Cormann.
• India’s inflation drivers (FY27): Higher food and energy prices, and currency weakness; inflation projected at 4.8% (lower than earlier estimate of 5.1%).
• Global growth headwinds: OECD projects global growth easing from 3.4% (CY25) to 2.8% (CY26), reflecting impact of energy price shocks from West Asia conflict and trade uncertainties.
• India’s resilience: India remains one of the fastest-growing major economies globally despite the global slowdown.
• Basis point (bps): 1 bps = 0.01%; 20 bps = 0.20 percentage points.

In June 2026, American investment firm GQG Partners sold a 1.85% stake worth Rs 1,906 crore in airports operator GMR Airports Limited (GAL) to Fidelity International (FIL) through Open Market Operations (OMOs).

• GMR Airports Limited (GAL): India’s largest private airport operator; manages Indira Gandhi International Airport (Delhi), Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (Hyderabad), and others globally; part of GMR Group.
• GQG Partners: US-based global investment management firm; known for large holdings in Indian conglomerates and infrastructure companies.
• Fidelity International (FIL): London-headquartered global asset management company; one of the world’s largest independent fund managers.
• Open Market Operations (OMOs): In this context, refers to secondary market block deal transactions on stock exchanges; not to be confused with RBI’s OMOs for monetary policy.

In June 2026, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) elected 5 countries — Austria, Kyrgyzstan, Portugal, Trinidad and Tobago (T&T), and Zimbabwe — as non-permanent members of the 15-member United Nations Security Council (UNSC), during elections held at the UN Secretariat in New York, USA.

• Term: 2-year term from 1 January 2027 to 31 December 2028.
• Historic first: This is Kyrgyzstan’s first-ever term on the UNSC since becoming a UN member in 1992.
• Competition: 7 candidates contested for 5 seats: Germany, Philippines, Austria, Portugal, Zimbabwe, Trinidad and Tobago, and Kyrgyzstan.
• Continuing non-permanent members (until Dec 2027): Colombia, Bahrain, DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo), Latvia, and Liberia.
• UNSC composition: 15 members total — 5 permanent (P5): USA, UK, France, Russia, China; 10 non-permanent elected by UNGA for 2-year terms (5 elected each year); each regional group has an allocated number of seats.
• Voting for non-permanent members: Requires a two-thirds majority of UNGA members present and voting.

In June 2026, Doddalahalli Kempegowde (D.K.) Shivakumar of the Indian National Congress (INC), representing the Kanakapura constituency, was sworn in as the 25th Chief Minister of Karnataka after Siddaramaiah stepped down following directions from the Congress high command. The swearing-in ceremony took place at Raj Bhavan, Bengaluru, where Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot administered the oath of office and secrecy under Article 164 of the Constitution.

• Legislative career: First elected to Karnataka Legislative Assembly in 1989 from Sathanur constituency at age 27; retained Sathanur in 1994, 1999, 2004; shifted to Kanakapura and won consecutively in 2008, 2013, 2018, and 2023.
• Article 164: Deals with appointment and oath of the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers; oath is administered by the Governor.
• Karnataka Legislature: Bicameral — Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha): 224 seats; Legislative Council (Vidhan Parishad): 75 seats.
• Governor of Karnataka: Thawar Chand Gehlot; Capital: Bengaluru.

In June 2026, Mette Frederiksen, leader of the Social Democrats, secured a third consecutive term as Prime Minister (PM) of Denmark after forming a new centre-left coalition government following the March 2026 parliamentary elections.

• Historic firsts: She is the second woman to serve as PM of Denmark (after Helle Thorning-Schmidt) and the youngest person ever to hold the office.
• Career timeline: Elected to the Folketing in 2001; served as Minister of Employment (2011) and Minister of Justice (2014) under PM Helle Thorning-Schmidt; became PM first in June 2019 (minority government); re-elected 2022 and now 2026.
• Denmark key facts: Constitutional monarchy in Northern Europe; King Frederik X (succeeded Queen Margrethe II in January 2024); member of NATO and EU; currency: Danish Krone (DKK).
• Folketing: The unicameral Danish Parliament; consists of 179 seats (including 2 from Faroe Islands and 2 from Greenland).

In June 2026, global digital payments company Visa Incorporated (Inc.) announced its new ‘Infinitely More’ campaign in India and appointed Shah Rukh Khan as its brand ambassador for the Indian market.

• Campaign focus: Highlights a growing shift among Indian consumers from ownership-driven aspirations to experience-led lifestyles — emphasising travel, dining, wellness, and entertainment.
• New platform launched: Visa.co.in — offers curated lifestyle benefits and rewards to eligible cardholders; brings together exclusive privileges from Visa’s global network spanning 200+ countries and territories and 175 million merchant locations worldwide.
• About Visa Inc.: US-based global digital payments technology company headquartered in Foster City (San Francisco Bay Area), California, USA; operates the world’s largest consumer payments network; listed on NYSE.
• India significance: India is one of the world’s fastest-growing digital payments markets; Visa competes with Mastercard, RuPay, and UPI-based platforms.

In June 2026, Argentine footballer Lionel Messi, captain of Inter Miami CF and reigning World Champion, won the Princess of Asturias Award for Sports 2026, becoming the first individual footballer to earn the honour for his exceptional sporting achievements, global influence, and charitable efforts supporting education and healthcare for disadvantaged children.

• Ceremony details: Award will be presented by the Princess of Asturias Foundation (FPA) on 23 October 2026 at the Campoamor Theatre in Oviedo, Spain.
• Messi’s key achievements recognised: Multiple league titles; 4 UEFA Champions League trophies; Copa América titles (2021, 2024); Olympic gold medal at 2008 Beijing Olympics; 47 career trophies; 8 Ballon d’Or awards.
• Princess of Asturias Award: Prestigious Spanish award presented annually since 1981 by the Princess of Asturias Foundation (formerly Prince of Asturias Award); honours global contributions in arts, sciences, humanities, social sciences, sports, and international cooperation; presented by Princess Leonor.
• Svalbard Global Seed Vault: Located in Svalbard, Norway; a global backup facility for crop diversity; stores seeds from around the world to safeguard against crop loss — awarded in International Cooperation category.
• Studio Ghibli: Iconic Japanese animation studio, known for films like Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro — awarded in Communication and Humanities.

In June 2026, Technology Hub (T-Hub) launched the third cohort of ORBIT — the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM)-supported Atal National Incubation Centre (ANIC)-T-Hub Space-Tech Accelerator Programme — inducting 13 startups focused on developing innovative solutions for the space sector. ORBIT has now collectively supported 36 space-tech startups, with T-Hub’s wider spacetech initiatives engaging 100+ startups.

• T-Hub: Located in Hyderabad, Telangana; one of India’s largest startup incubators and accelerators; supported by the Government of Telangana.
• Atal Innovation Mission (AIM): Flagship initiative of NITI Aayog to promote innovation and entrepreneurship across India; manages Atal Incubation Centres (AICs) and Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs).
• ANIC (Atal National Incubation Centre): Apex-level incubation centres under AIM; T-Hub is one such ANIC.
• Previous ORBIT cohorts: Collectively raised nearly Rs 30 crore in funding and contributed to 18 published Intellectual Properties (IPs).
• India’s space ecosystem: Since liberalisation of the space sector, India has seen a surge in private space startups; IN-SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre) regulates private participation.

In June 2026, Vice-President of India C. P. Radhakrishnan released the book titled ‘When Audit Matters: CAG Interventions That Made a Difference’, edited by Vinod Rai, former Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India, at Uprashtrapati Bhawan, New Delhi. The book was published by Rupa Publications India Private Limited.

• About the book: Demonstrates through real-life cases how effective auditing can enhance government systems and reinforce public trust; draws on experiences of former audit officials and insights from a South Asia-focused study by the Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore.
• Editor — Vinod Rai: Served as CAG of India from 2008 to 2013; known for high-profile audit reports including the 2G Spectrum and Coalgate scams; later served as Chairman of the Banks Board Bureau (BBB) and Administrator of BCCI.
• CAG of India: Comptroller and Auditor General — constitutional authority established under Article 148 of the Constitution; audits accounts of the Union and State Governments; submits reports to Parliament/State Legislatures; appointed by the President of India.
• Uprashtrapati Bhawan: Official residence and office of the Vice-President of India, located at 6, Maulana Azad Road, New Delhi.
• Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan: The 15th Vice-President of India; also serves as ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.

The International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression is observed annually on 4 June to raise awareness about the suffering of children affected by war, violence, abuse, exploitation, and armed conflict, and to reaffirm global commitment to protect children’s rights and well-being.

• Background: Initially established to highlight the suffering of Lebanese and Palestinian children affected by the 1982 Lebanon War; later expanded to cover children worldwide affected by any form of aggression.
• SDG Target 16.2: Part of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16 — ‘Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions’; specifically targets ending abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and all forms of violence against children.
• UNGA Emergency Special Session: A special session convened under the ‘Uniting for Peace’ resolution mechanism; the 7th Emergency Special Session in 1982 addressed the situation in the occupied Arab territories.
• Other key global observances for child rights: Universal Children’s Day — 20 November (also marks adoption of UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989); World Day Against Child Labour — 12 June.