Daily Current Affairs

In July 2026, residency and citizenship advisory firm Global Citizen Solutions (GCS) released the 5th annual edition of the Global Passport Index (GPI). India has been ranked 125th among 197 countries, with a composite score of 45.1 (its highest score in 5 years), dropping one place from 124th in 2025.

• GPI Categories (weightage): Enhanced Mobility (50%); Investment (25%); Quality of Life Index (25%).
• India’s category ranks: 136th in Enhanced Mobility; 118th in Quality of Life Index; 94th in Investment Index.
• Edition: 5th annual edition of the GPI; covers 197 countries.
• Publisher: Global Citizen Solutions (GCS) — a global residency and citizenship advisory firm.

In July 2026, Union Minister Amit Shah (Ministry of Home Affairs – MHA) and the Ministry of Cooperation (MoC) launched several key initiatives at the 5th Foundation Day Ceremony of MoC held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. The Government of India (GoI) announced plans to establish a Cooperative Life Insurance Company to expand the cooperative sector in India.

• Key Initiative: GoI plans to establish a Cooperative Life Insurance Company to expand and strengthen the cooperative sector across India.
• Vision: Held in line with PM Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Sahakar Se Samriddhi’ — strengthening the cooperative movement across India.
• Key members present: Rajiv Ranjan Singh (Union Minister, MoFAH&D); Bhajanlal Sharma (CM, Rajasthan); Krishan Pal Gurjar (MoS, Cooperation).
• About MoC: Ministry of Cooperation; established in 2021 to realise the vision of a separate ministry for cooperatives in India.

In July 2026, Suvendu Adhikari, Chief Minister (CM) of West Bengal (WB), announced a Rs 313 crore special assistance package for tea garden workers in the state under the Pradhan Mantri Cha Shramik Protsahan Yojana (PMCSPY).

• Implementing Agency: North Bengal Development Department (NBDD) — nodal implementing agency for effective execution across the state.
• About PMCSPY: Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) to enhance living standards of tea garden workers and their families in the two major tea-producing states — Assam and West Bengal.
• Extension: Initially launched for FY 2024–25 and 2025–26 with an outlay of Rs 1,000 crore; implementation extended for one year until FY 2026–27.

In July 2026, Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID) — a ‘Maharatna’ Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) under the Ministry of Power (MoP) — secured a Japanese Yen (JPY) 80 billion green loan from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) for a Renewable Energy (RE) transmission project. This ranks among India’s largest green funding arrangements for the power transmission sector.

• Purpose: Finances the Khavda-Nagpur High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) transmission project — to evacuate RE from Khavda Renewable Energy Park, Gujarat to Nagpur, Maharashtra.
• Co-lenders: Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC), Kansai Mirai Bank, Kiraboshi Bank, and The Joyo Bank.
• National targets supported: India’s goal of 500 GW of RE capacity by 2030 and expanding the transmission network to 191,000 circuit kilometres (ckm) by 2032.
• About POWERGRID: Maharatna CPSE under MoP; India’s central transmission utility.

In July 2026, global alternative asset management firm TPG Inc. signed definitive agreements to acquire a 100% stake in Aseem Infrastructure Finance Limited (AIFL) from the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) and other shareholders for an undisclosed amount.

• Structure: Acquisition made through ‘TPG Rise Climate’ — TPG’s dedicated climate investing platform — in partnership with Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC) and ICICI Bank Limited.
• Equity split: TPG and GIC will acquire the majority of AIFL; ICICI Bank Limited will hold up to 5% equity stake after the transaction.
• Objective: Strengthen climate financing and sustainable infrastructure development in India through TPG Rise Climate’s Global South Initiative, launched in partnership with ALTÉRRA.
• About AIFL: Established in 2020; headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra; sustainable infrastructure debt financier incubated by the NIIF.
• About NIIF: National Investment and Infrastructure Fund — India’s sovereign wealth-style infrastructure investment fund.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman undertook a 4-day visit to France from July 1–4, 2026, holding high-level engagements to strengthen the India-France Strategic Partnership, bolster economic cooperation, and promote investment.

• EFD: FM co-chaired the France Economic and Financial Dialogue (EFD) at Aix-en-Provence, Southern France; committed to using EFD as a key platform for economic, financial, technological, investment, and trade issues.
• Critical Minerals: Both countries agreed to boost cooperation on critical minerals as part of securing resilient supply chains.
• ITER: Sitharaman visited the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) at Cadarache — one of the world’s largest international scientific collaborations on nuclear fusion energy, involving 30+ partner countries including India and France.
• Next EFD: Both sides agreed to explore the possibility of conducting the next EFD in 2027.

In July 2026, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), chaired by PM Narendra Modi, approved the appointments of senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officers for three key police and law enforcement institutions, on the proposal of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

• BPR&D — Bureau of Police Research & Development
• NCRB — National Crime Records Bureau; Amit Garg succeeds Alok Ranjan (1991-batch IPS)
• SVPNPA — Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy; located in Hyderabad, Telangana
• All appointments made by Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) chaired by PM Modi, on MHA’s proposal.

In July 2026, Dilip Asbe, Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), was appointed to the Supervisory Board of the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT). The appointment coincides with SWIFT’s governance restructuring — transitioning from a single-tier Board of Directors to a two-tier structure.

• Significance: Strengthens India’s role in global financial messaging; SWIFT Supervisory Board provides strategic oversight while ensuring balanced regional representation.
• About NPCI: Established in 2008; umbrella organisation for retail payment systems in India; promoted by RBI and the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA); headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• About SWIFT: Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication; global financial messaging network used by banks and financial institutions worldwide; headquartered in La Hulpe, Belgium.

In July 2026, China launched its latest oceanographic satellite ‘Haiyang (HY)-2E’ aboard a Long March 4B rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Northwest China. This marked China’s 47th space mission in 2026 and the 654th flight of the Long March rocket series.

• Purpose: Designed to replace the HY-2B satellite (launched 2018); will work alongside existing operational HY-2C and HY-2D satellites for monitoring the global marine dynamic environment.
• Developer: China Academy of Space Technology (CAST).
• Launch vehicle: Long March 4B rocket; from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, Northwest China.
• Milestone: China’s 47th space mission in 2026; 654th flight of the Long March series.

In July 2026, the India-led Global Biofuel Alliance (GBA) selected 15 early-career researchers from leading universities and research institutions globally for its flagship Global Biofuel Champion Fellowship (GBCF) programme, launched at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi.

• GBA Ambassadors: Selected global fellows will act as GBA Ambassadors over the next two years to accelerate sustainable bioenergy solutions and global clean energy partnerships.
• Monetary Assistance: Each fellow receives a research grant of USD 15,000 under the GBCF programme.
• Total Fellows: 15 early-career researchers selected globally; 2 from India.
• About GBA: Global Biofuel Alliance — India-led multilateral platform launched at the G20 Summit (2023) under India’s G20 Presidency to accelerate the global adoption of biofuels.

In July 2026, the 17th-century Jestha Varna Mahavihar — a historic Buddhist monastery in Lalitpur, Nepal — received the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Award 2025 for outstanding conservation and restoration following the 2015 Gorkha earthquake.

• Recognition: Awarded for an exemplary community-centred approach combining modern seismic retrofitting with the preservation of Newari woodcarvings and architecture, while sustaining the living heritage and practices of the Newar Buddhist community.
• Also known as: Jyaba Bahi or Chakrabahil; located 300 metres from the UNESCO-listed Patan Durbar Square in Lalitpur.
• India’s grant: Conservation funded through the Government of India’s post-earthquake cultural heritage reconstruction grant in Nepal — NPR 13.78 crore.
• Award presented by: Jaco Du Toit, UNESCO Representative in Nepal; during a ceremony in Lalitpur, Nepal.

UNESCO observes World Kiswahili Language Day annually on 7 July to recognise Kiswahili’s role in fostering unity, peace, and cultural exchange across Africa and beyond. In 2026, this also marks the 5th World Kiswahili Language Day.

• TANU: Tanganyika African National Union — led by Julius Nyerere; adopted Kiswahili on 7 July 1954 as a unifying language.
• UNESCO Resolution: 41st General Conference adopted Resolution 41 C/61 proclaiming 7 July as World Kiswahili Language Day.
• 2026 Commemoration: 2nd International Conference on Kiswahili held 6–7 July 2026 at UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, France.

World Bioproduct Day is observed annually on 7 July to raise global awareness about the importance of bioproducts and their role in promoting environmental sustainability, climate action, and a circular bioeconomy.

• Definition: Bioproducts are commercially manufactured products derived wholly or partly from renewable biological resources (biomass) such as plants, trees, aquatic plants, and wood waste.
• Launch: The annual observance was launched in 2021 by the World BioEconomy Forum (WBEF) and the World Bioeconomy Association (WBA).
• Purpose: Highlights the role of bio-based innovations in reducing dependence on fossil fuels and advancing sustainable development.
• 2026 edition: 6th World Bioproduct Day (launched 2021).

The United World Wrestling (UWW) organised the Under-15 (U15) & Under-20 (U20) Asian Wrestling Championships 2026 in Pattaya, Thailand from 27 June to 5 July 2026. India secured a total of 41 medals across both age categories.

• Disciplines: Men’s Freestyle (FS), Greco-Roman (GR), and Women’s Wrestling (WW).
• U15 Team Standings: Uzbekistan 1st (171 pts); Kazakhstan 2nd (167 pts); India 3rd (150 pts) — India won the bronze team trophy.
• U20 Discipline Standings: India finished 2nd in Women’s Wrestling (WW) with 184 points (behind China — 189 pts); 3rd in Men’s Freestyle (FS) with 152 pts.
• Organiser: United World Wrestling (UWW) — the international governing body for wrestling.

On 7 July 2026, renowned social worker Girish Bharadwaj, famously known as the ‘Bridge Man of India’, passed away at the age of 76 in Sullia, Dakshina Kannada, Karnataka. He was born on 2 May 1950 in Sullia, Karnataka.

• Padma Shri: Conferred the Padma Shri (India’s fourth-highest civilian award) in 2017 for his contributions to Social Work.
• Achievement: Renowned for building over 150 low-cost suspension bridges that connected remote villages across five states to essential services, transforming rural connectivity and social welfare.
• Contribution: Designed and constructed 150+ eco-friendly hanging footbridges across Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh (AP), and Odisha — each at a cost of less than Rs 2 lakh using local labour, community funding, and sustainable construction practices.
• Passed away: 7 July 2026; age 76; Sullia, Dakshina Kannada, Karnataka.