Daily Current Affairs

Prime Minister Narendra Modi departed from New Delhi on Saturday, 13 June 2026, beginning a week-long two-nation visit to France and Slovakia. At the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron, PM Modi will first visit Nice (13–14 June) for bilateral talks and to jointly inaugurate ‘Bharat Innovates’ — an innovation-startup event under the India-France Year of Innovation. He will then travel to Slovakia (14–16 June) — marking the first-ever visit by an Indian PM since Slovakia’s independence in 1993 — before attending the G7 Summit at Evian-les-Bains, France (16–17 June), and concluding with the VivaTech Summit in Paris (18–19 June).

• India-France Relations: Elevated to ‘Special Global Strategic Partnership’ in February 2026 during French President Macron’s visit to India.
• G7 Summit Agenda: Three sessions — New Partnerships & International Solidarity; Balanced Economic Growth; Safe & Efficient Rollout of AI.
• Slovakia Visit: First Indian PM visit; preceded by President Murmu’s State Visit (April 2025) and Slovak President Pellegrini’s visit to India for the AI Impact Summit (February 2026).
• VivaTech Summit: Europe’s largest technology and startup event; held in Paris, 18 June 2026.
• India’s BRICS Chairship 2026 Theme: ‘Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability’.

The 16th BRICS Agriculture Ministers’ Meeting concluded in Indore, Madhya Pradesh on 13 June 2026, as part of the five-day BRICS Agriculture Conclave (9–13 June 2026) under India’s BRICS Chairship 2026. The ministerial meeting (12–13 June) followed a three-day Agriculture Working Group (AWG) meeting (9–11 June). Agriculture ministers from BRICS member and partner countries deliberated at Hotel Sheraton Grand Palace, Indore, issuing a Joint Declaration outlining shared commitments. The event coincided with Madhya Pradesh’s declaration of 2026 as the ‘Year of Farmer Welfare’.

• Four AWG Priority Pillars: Food Security & Nutrition; Agricultural Trade & Cooperation; Climate-Resilient & Sustainable Agriculture; Innovation & Research Partnerships.
• Joint Declaration: Covers agricultural cooperation, value chains, market opportunities, innovation, climate-resilient agriculture, regenerative farming, soil health, and smallholder farmer empowerment.
• Host city: Indore — India’s cleanest city; venue: Hotel Sheraton Grand Palace.
• BRICS formation: Formed 2006 (as BRIC); expanded to BRICS in 2010; further expanded to 11 members in 2024 with admission of Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, UAE.

The 13th BRICS Urbanisation Forum concluded in New Delhi on 12 June 2026, having commenced at Sushma Swaraj Bhavan on 11 June 2026. Organised by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) under India’s BRICS Chairship 2026, the two-day Forum brought together ministers, senior officials, and urban experts from BRICS nations and partner countries. Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal inaugurated the event.

• Participants: Brazil, Russia, Indonesia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the UAE.
• Focus Areas: Inclusive urbanisation; climate-resilient cities; sustainable infrastructure; digital urban governance.
• India hosting: 4th time hosting the BRICS Urbanisation Forum (2013, 2016, 2021 virtual, 2026).
• Ministry: MoHUA (Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs); headquartered in New Delhi.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) conducted the RBI Grade B Phase 1 Examination 2026 for General (DR) posts on 13 June 2026. The DEPR (Department of Economic and Policy Research) and DSIM (Department of Statistics and Information Management) Phase 1 exams are scheduled for 14 June 2026. A total of 60 posts were notified across General DR, DEPR, and DSIM categories, with the notification released on 29 April 2026.

• Eligibility: Age 21–30 years; relevant educational qualifications per stream.
• Selection Process: Phase 1 (Prelims) → Phase 2 (Mains) → Interview.
• RBI Governor: Sanjay Malhotra (took charge 11 December 2024, succeeding Shaktikanta Das).
• RBI HQ: Mumbai, Maharashtra; established: 1 April 1935; nationalised: 1 January 1949.
• DEPR: Department of Economic and Policy Research; DSIM: Department of Statistics and Information Management; DR: Direct Recruitment.

India recorded a current account surplus of USD 7.1 billion (0.7% of GDP) in Q4 FY2025-26 (January–March 2026), according to the Reserve Bank of India. This was a major turnaround from a deficit of USD 13.2 billion (1.3% of GDP) in the previous quarter (Q3 FY26). The surplus was driven by strong services exports with net services receipts of USD 60.4 billion and record remittances of USD 43.5 billion from overseas Indians. Despite a high merchandise trade deficit of USD 83.4 billion, the overall Balance of Payments (BoP) returned to a surplus of USD 7.2 billion.

• Key driver: Strong services exports (USD 60.4 billion net receipts) and record remittances (USD 43.5 billion) offset the large merchandise deficit.
• Remittances context: India is consistently among the world’s top remittance-receiving countries; remittances from overseas Indians (NRIs/PIOs) are a critical component of BoP.
• BoP formula: Balance of Payments = Current Account + Capital Account + Financial Account.
• Data source: RBI publishes Balance of Payments data quarterly; Governor: Sanjay Malhotra.

The 10th edition of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 is underway in England and Wales, running from 12 June to 5 July 2026. It is the largest edition in history, with 12 participating teams (expanded from 10) playing 33 matches across 7 venues. England hosted the inaugural edition in 2009. The opening match on 12 June 2026 saw England defeat Sri Lanka at Edgbaston. The tournament final will be held at Lord’s Cricket Ground, London.

• 12 Teams: England, Australia, India, New Zealand, South Africa, West Indies, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Ireland, Scotland, Zimbabwe.
• Significance: Held ahead of cricket’s return to Olympics at Los Angeles 2028.
• Key India fixture: India vs Pakistan — one of the marquee matches of the tournament.
• First edition: 2009 in England — the inaugural ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.
• ICC: International Cricket Council; HQ: Dubai, UAE; founded 1909 as Imperial Cricket Conference; renamed ICC in 1989.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 is underway in North America — jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico — marking the first World Cup hosted by three nations simultaneously. Canada played Bosnia and Herzegovina in a Group B match on 13 June 2026 at Toronto Stadium. The tournament expanded from 32 to 48 teams for the first time in its history. The USA holds the most Group Stage matches (60 out of 104 total). The final will be held on 19 July 2026 at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA.

• Historic expansion: First World Cup with 48 teams (previously 32 since 1998); first tri-nation hosting in FIFA World Cup history.
• Opening match: Tournament began 11 June 2026; Canada vs Bosnia & Herzegovina (Group B) played on 13 June 2026 at Toronto Stadium.
• USA’s role: Hosts the most matches — 60 out of 104 Group Stage games.
• FIFA: Fédération Internationale de Football Association; HQ: Zurich, Switzerland; founded 21 May 1904.
• FIFA President: Gianni Infantino.

International Day of Yoga (IDY) is observed globally on 21 June every year — the Summer Solstice (longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere). The 2026 edition marks the 12th International Day of Yoga, with the theme ‘Yoga for Wellness, Wisdom, and World Peace’. Yoga Mahotsav 2026 was organised on 13 March 2026 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi by the Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga (MDNIY) under the Ministry of AYUSH as the 100-day countdown event. The ‘100 Days, 100 Cities, 100 Organisations’ initiative was launched to promote yoga across India.

• 2024 Theme: ‘Yoga for Self and Society’
• 2025 Theme: ‘Yoga for One Earth, One Health’
• 2026 Theme: ‘Yoga for Wellness, Wisdom, and World Peace’
• UNESCO recognition: Yoga was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2016.
• Ministry of AYUSH: Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy.
• Yoga Mahotsav 2026: Held 13 March 2026 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi — marking the 100-day countdown to IDY 2026.
• ‘100 Days, 100 Cities, 100 Organisations’: National initiative to spread yoga awareness across India ahead of IDY 2026.