17 June 2026 — Daily Current Affairs Quiz
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Environment
World Day to Combat Desertification & Drought 2026
Observed 17 June annually under the UNCCD (adopted 1994, post-1992 Rio Earth Summit; declared by UNGA Resolution A/RES/49/115). 2026 theme: ‘Rangelands: Recognize. Respect. Restore.’, aligned with the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists. Up to 40% of global land is degraded; healthy land provides ~95% of the world’s food.
Economy
WPI Revision & New PPI Series
DPIIT released revised WPI (base year 2022-23), replacing the 2011-12 base series. New PPI launched (Output PPI, Trial Input PPI, Service PPI covering 7 services). Both will run in parallel for 5 years per IMF recommendations, after which WPI will be discontinued. Data released for May 2026 (provisional) with back series from April 2023.
Technology
WIPO 2025 PCT Patent Rankings
Jio Platforms entered WIPO’s global top 20 PCT filers — the only Indian tech innovator listed. China topped with 73,718 applications, followed by USA (52,617) and Japan (47,922); India ranked 12th with 3,070 applications. Huawei remained top global applicant for the 9th consecutive year.
Governance
NBA’s Expert Committee on Agrobiodiversity
Reconstituted under Section 13(1), Biological Diversity Act, 2002, for one year. Dr P. L. Gautam (Padma Shri; former NBA & PPVFRA Chairperson) appointed Chair; Dr Trilochan Mohapatra appointed Co-Chair. Advises on integrating biodiversity into agriculture and sustainable practices.
Defence
Peacekeeper (Agniveg) Kamikaze Drones
Indian Army received 106 jet-powered drones (100 operational, 6 training) from SMPP Limited, developed with KB Indela, Belarus. Operational range: 180 km; max speed 450 km/h; CEP <5m. Operates in jammed/GPS-denied environments; 750 kmph variant under development.
Defence
LRLACM — Long Range Land Attack Cruise Missile
DRDO flight-tested the indigenous LRLACM, expected range up to 1,500 km, from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha. Trial conducted by ITR, Chandipur. Aeronautical Development Establishment, Bengaluru serves as the Nodal Laboratory.
Culture
‘Agatthiyar – The Unifier’
Released by Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan; authored by O. Sharma Bhat and Dr M. N. Sudha, Tamil translation by Professor Kalyani. Highlights sage Agatthiyar’s contributions to Tamil grammar, Sangam literature, medicine and spirituality; associated with Pothigai Hills and the River Kaveri.
Banking & Finance
SEBI’s Revised ETF Trading Framework
Effective 1 September 2026. Fixed 20% NAV-based band for equity/debt ETFs replaced by a dynamic band starting at 10%, expandable to 20% in 5% steps. Commodity ETFs (gold/silver): initial band ±6%, expandable in 3% stages, plus a new pre-open call auction mechanism.
Digital Governance
BHASHINI–GeM Multilingual Procurement MoU
DIBD (Digital India Corporation, MeitY) and GeM signed MoU under ‘BHASHINI for Seva/Sanchalan’. Enables voice-first, AI-driven multilingual access across 22 official Indian languages. Tools include BHASHINI Udyat, Mitra, Appmitra, Sahyogi, and Pravakta.
Governance
Kerala’s ‘Priyadarshini’ Free Bus Scheme
Inaugurated by CM V D Satheesan; free travel for women & transgender persons on 3,125 KSRTC ordinary buses, irrespective of income/caste. First scheme delivered under UDF’s Indira Guarantees programme; estimated cost ~Rs 800 crore/year. Kerala joins Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana in offering this benefit.
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What is the 2026 theme for World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought?
‘Rangelands: Recognize. Respect. Restore.’
Observed 17 June under UNCCD; aligns with International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists
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What is the new WPI base year, and which year does it replace?
2022-23 replaces 2011-12
New PPI runs alongside WPI for 5 years (DPIIT)
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What was India’s global rank in WIPO’s 2025 PCT patent filings?
12th (3,070 applications)
Jio Platforms — only Indian tech firm in the global top 20; China topped the list
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Who chairs the NBA’s reconstituted Expert Committee on Agrobiodiversity?
Dr P. L. Gautam
Reconstituted under Section 13(1), Biological Diversity Act, 2002
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Who supplied the Peacekeeper (Agniveg) kamikaze drones, and what is their range?
SMPP Limited — 180 km range
Developed with KB Indela, Belarus; 450 km/h max speed
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Which agency is the Nodal Laboratory for DRDO’s LRLACM missile?
Aeronautical Development Establishment, Bengaluru
Expected range up to 1,500 km; tested by ITR, Chandipur
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From when does SEBI’s revised ETF price-band framework take effect?
1 September 2026
Dynamic band starts at 10%, expandable to 20% for equity/debt ETFs
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How many KSRTC buses are covered under Kerala’s ‘Priyadarshini’ scheme?
3,125 buses
Free travel for women & transgenders under the Indira Guarantees programme
Think & Discuss
Indigenous Defence Manufacturing: Speed of Deployment vs Strategic Depth
Context from today’s quiz: Within the same week, the Indian Army inducted 106 partially-localised Peacekeeper kamikaze drones built with a Belarusian partner, while DRDO flight-tested its fully indigenous Long Range Land Attack Cruise Missile (LRLACM) — a 1,500 km strike system developed entirely through domestic laboratories and the Aeronautical Development Establishment. Both systems address overlapping needs in precision long-range strike capability, but represent two very different models: rapid co-development with a foreign partner versus a slower, fully indigenous R&D pathway.
🤔 Your Perspective Matters
India’s defence modernisation increasingly relies on a mix of joint-development platforms (faster to field, but with foreign-supply dependencies) and fully indigenous systems (slower, but strategically autonomous). As tensions in multiple theatres demand quicker capability induction, this tension between speed and self-reliance becomes a live policy question.
Should India prioritise faster co-developed defence platforms to close capability gaps quickly, or is sustained investment in fully indigenous systems like the LRLACM the only sound long-term strategy for genuine strategic autonomy?
Should India prioritise faster co-developed defence platforms to close capability gaps quickly, or is sustained investment in fully indigenous systems like the LRLACM the only sound long-term strategy for genuine strategic autonomy?
- The Peacekeeper drone is only “partially localised” despite being inducted in large numbers. Does partial localisation create supply-chain vulnerabilities similar to those India has faced with other imported defence systems, and how should “Atmanirbhar Bharat” in defence be measured — by unit numbers or by depth of indigenous content?
- SEBI’s parallel move to widen ETF price bands and DPIIT’s WPI/PPI overhaul both signal a push toward more dynamic, internationally-aligned economic instruments. Does India’s economic policymaking show a similar appetite for risk and reform as its defence posture, or is economic reform comparatively more cautious?
- Kerala’s “Priyadarshini” scheme adds another state to the free women’s bus travel trend, with the state absorbing nearly Rs 800 crore annually. As more states adopt such welfare schemes, how should fiscal sustainability concerns be weighed against their social and economic-empowerment benefits for women?
We’d love to hear your thoughts! Share your perspective in the comments.
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