Daily Current Affairs

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Rajasthan and Gujarat on 4 July 2026, inaugurating key infrastructure projects and laying foundation stones for development works worth over Rs 1.06 lakh crore.

• Jodhpur Airport — PM inaugurated the newly developed Rs 480 crore terminal building with annual capacity of 2 million passengers; also launched the Modified UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) scheme for improved regional air connectivity.
• Greenfield Refinery at Pachpadra — India’s first greenfield integrated refinery-cum-petrochemical complex; developed as a Joint Venture (JV) between Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) and the Rajasthan Government.
• Jaipur Metro Phase-II — Foundation stone laid; cost exceeds Rs 13,000 crore.
• CG Semi OSAT Facility (Gandhinagar) — Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT) facility inaugurated at a cost of Rs 7,500 crore under the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM).

The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), and the Government of Rajasthan jointly organised the 29th National Conference on e-Governance (NaCeG) 2026 at Rajasthan International Centre, Jaipur on 1–2 July 2026.

• Theme: “Viksit Bharat 2047: AI-enabled, Data-driven & Secure Digital Governance”
• Inaugurated by: Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma
• Awards: Seven categories — 10 Gold awards (Rs 10 lakh each), 6 Silver awards (Rs 5 lakh each), and 1 Jury Award
• Outcome: Adoption of the Jaipur Declaration on e-Governance 2026 — a roadmap for strengthening AI-enabled, data-driven, and secure digital governance across India.
• About DARPG: Nodal agency for administrative reforms; under Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions (MoPP&P). NaCeG is held annually since 1995.

Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary of the Ministry of AYUSH, conducted the 5th Executive Committee (EC) Meeting of the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) in New Delhi in July 2026, launching three key initiatives.

• Key Launches:
  • Research Methodology Textbook
  • CCRAS PRAYATNA 2026–27 — a research excellence programme
  • CCRAS Digital Ecosystem Dashboard — to strengthen evidence-based Ayurveda research, scientific writing, research education, and digital governance
• About CCRAS: Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences — apex research body under Ministry of AYUSH; headquartered in New Delhi; established in 1978.
• About Ministry of AYUSH: Covers Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa, and Homeopathy.

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Union Minister Rajnath Singh (Ministry of Defence), granted Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) worth approximately Rs 52,000 crore for various acquisition proposals of the Indian Army (IA), Indian Navy (IN), and Indian Air Force (IAF) in July 2026.

• AKASH TARANG: Advanced Anti-UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) Electronic Warfare System for the Indian Army.
• MPATGM: Man-Portable Anti-tank Guided Missile Systems.
• MRSAM: Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missile.
• V-SHORADS: Very Short Range Air Defence Systems.
• FW-HAPS: Fixed-Wing High-Altitude Pseudo Satellites for IAF — high-endurance stratospheric platforms.
• About DAC: Highest decision-making body for defence acquisitions; chaired by the Defence Minister; established in 2001.

Sharnbasva University, Kalaburagi, Karnataka signed a 5-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Industrial University of Ho Chi Minh City (IUH), Vietnam, in July 2026, to boost academic collaboration.

• Focus Areas: Engineering, Technology, and Management Studies.
• Objectives: Collaborative research, faculty and student exchange, and scientific and cultural cooperation.
• Signatories: Bui Thanh Hung (IUH) and Lakshmi Patil Maka (Registrar, Sharnbasva University).

In July 2026, India and Mali launched the inaugural India–Mali Forum for the Promotion of Exports in Bamako, Mali, under the theme “Reinforcing Trade and Strategic Partnerships”. The forum was jointly organised by the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Mali, the Embassy of India in Bamako, and the Malian Agency for the Promotion of Exports (APEX-Mali).

• Presided by: Major General Abdoulaye Maiga, PM of Mali’s Transition Government; Indian delegation led by Amit Kumar (Joint Secretary, Department of Commerce, GoI).
• DFTP Scheme: India’s Duty-Free Tariff Preference (DFTP) Scheme — launched 2008; provides duty-free market access to Least Developed Countries (LDCs) — supports India-Mali trade.
• Investment Forum: Under Vision Mali 2063, Mali announced an Investment Forum on 3–4 December 2026 to attract global investors.

The Delhi Government, led by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, announced a major Rs 8,300 crore air pollution reduction project titled “Clean Air, Healthy Delhi”, to be implemented with support of the World Bank (WB) in July 2026.

• Objective: Accelerate the goals of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP).
• Key Partners: Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) and the World Bank.
• Implementing Agencies: Environment Department, Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), Transport Department, PWD, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), Delhi Jal Board, Delhi Development Authority (DDA), New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), and Delhi Traffic Police.
• About NCAP: National Clean Air Programme — launched in 2019 by MoEFCC; targets 20–30% reduction in PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations by 2024 (base year: 2017).

In June 2026, the State Bank of India (SBI) — India’s largest Public Sector Bank (PSB) — announced the acquisition of the National Housing Bank’s (NHB’s) 10% stake in RMBS Development Company Limited (RDCL), a middle-layer NBFC focused on residential mortgage-backed securitisation.

• Shareholding change: NHB’s stake in RDCL will decline from 39% to 29% post-transaction.
• Significance: Strengthens RDCL’s role in developing a deeper secondary mortgage market — enables banks to pool housing loans, convert them into tradable securities, unlock capital, improve liquidity, and support fresh lending.
• About RDCL: RMBS Development Company Limited — established 2024; paid-up capital: Rs 500 crore; middle-layer NBFC; focused on India’s Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities (RMBS) market.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully conducted the first ground test of the Sub-Orbital Launch Vehicle for Experiments (SOLVE) at the Static Test Facility in Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh in July 2026.

• Purpose: Validated the solid motor for integrated parachute trials of the Gaganyaan Crew Module by simulating deceleration at altitudes between 10 km and 17 km before human spaceflight.
• About SOLVE:
  • Equipped with a modified PSLV strap-on motor using slow-burning solid propellant
  • Straight nozzle with Secondary Injection Thrust Vector Control (SITVC)
  • 10-stage parachute deployment system
• Significance: Cost-effective, reusable platform for repeated validation of critical crew safety technologies; reduces technical risks before human missions.
• About Gaganyaan: India’s first human spaceflight programme; aims to send a 3-member crew to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) for 3 days; managed by ISRO under the Department of Space.

The 2026 ICC Women’s Twenty20 (T20) World Cup — the 10th edition — was held from 12 June to 5 July 2026, culminating in the final at Lord’s Cricket Ground, London, England. Australia defeated England by seven wickets, chasing down 151/3 in 17.1 overs, to secure a record-extending seventh title.

• Tournament format: 12 teams in two groups of six; top two from each group advanced to semi-finals; hosted by England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) across seven venues.
• Shree Charani (India): Leading Wicket-Taker with 14 wickets; set national record for most wickets by an Indian in a single edition.
• Beth Mooney (Australia): Player of the Final (64 runs) and Player of the Tournament — first player in T20 World Cup history to win two Player of the Tournament awards (2023 and 2026).

In July 2026, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi became India’s youngest international cricket debutant at 15 years and 99 days, making his senior T20 International (T20I) debut against England at Old Trafford, Manchester, England.

• Records broken: Broke Sachin Tendulkar’s 36-year-old record (Test debut: 16 years 205 days, vs Pakistan 1989; ODI debut: 16 years 238 days) and Shafali Verma’s record as India’s youngest overall international debutant (15 years 239 days, 2019).
• Profile: Born in 2011 in Tajpur, Bihar; right-handed batsman; first-class debut at 12 years 284 days in 2024.
• IPL 2026 (Rajasthan Royals): Scored a record 72 sixes; hit 776 runs at strike rate of 237.30 (1 century + 5 fifties); finished as tournament’s top run-scorer.
• U-19 World Cup 2026: Helped India win the title; scored 439 runs in 7 innings (average: 62.71; strike rate: 169.49).

In July 2026, Tshering Choden, a mountaineer from Sikkim, successfully scaled Mount Elbrus — Europe’s highest mountain — at an altitude of 5,642 metres, marking her 2nd successful ascent in the Seven Summits challenge.

• Seven Summits progress: Tshering Choden has now completed 2 of the 7 summits — Mt. Kilimanjaro (Africa, August 2025) and Mt. Elbrus (Europe, July 2026).
• About Mt. Elbrus: Located in the Caucasus mountain range, near the Georgian border in southern Russia; a dormant stratovolcano with two summits: West Summit (5,642 m) and East Summit (5,595 m).

The United Nations (UN) observed the 2nd World Rural Development Day (WRDD) on 6 July 2026, to raise awareness about the importance of rural development, reducing rural poverty and hunger, strengthening food systems, and accelerating progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

• Resolution: UNGA Resolution A/RES/78/326 (6 September 2024) proclaimed 6 July as World Rural Development Day.
• 2026 Edition: 2nd observance; first observed on 6 July 2025.
• Additional Commemoration: Marks the establishment of CIRDAP (Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific, based in Dhaka, Bangladesh) on 6 July 1979.
• Key Statistics: Nearly 80% of the world’s poorest live in rural areas; over 1 billion experiencing multidimensional poverty; 50% of rural populations lack health coverage (vs 22% urban); family farms produce 80% of the world’s food.

World Zoonoses Day is observed annually on 6 July to raise awareness about diseases transmitted from animals to humans (zoonoses) and to promote their prevention and control.

• Background: Commemorates the anniversary of Louis Pasteur administering the first human rabies vaccine in July 1885 to nine-year-old Joseph Meister, who had been bitten by a rabid dog.
• Supported by: World Health Organization (WHO), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH, formerly OIE).
• Key Zoonotic Diseases: Rabies, Ebola, COVID-19, Bird Flu (H5N1), Nipah virus — all major global health threats.
• Significance: About 60% of infectious diseases in humans are zoonotic in origin; highlights the importance of the One Health approach linking human, animal, and environmental health.

In July 2026, renowned Pandavani singer and Padma awardee Teejan Bai passed away at the age of 70 in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. She was born on 8 August 1956 in Ganiyari village, Durg district, Chhattisgarh.

• Pandavani: A regional folk tradition from Chhattisgarh that narrates stories from the Mahabharata (primarily Bhima’s exploits) through song and dramatic performance; Teejan Bai elevated it to an internationally acclaimed art form.
• Padma Honours: Padma Shri (1988), Padma Bhushan (2003), and Padma Vibhushan (2019) — all for contribution to the field of art — the three highest civilian awards in her field.
• International reach: Performed 1,000+ shows across India and abroad — USA, UK, France, Japan, Russia, Australia, Germany.
• Fukuoka Prize (2018): Japan’s prestigious prize awarded for contributions to Asian arts and culture.