Current affairs — 12 June 2026

Prelims pointers

• Amit Shah said AFSPA may be withdrawn from the entire Northeast next year except one or two States.
• The statement came after a tripartite MoU between the Centre, Assam and Nagaland on mineral oil operations.
• Oil and mineral exploration in disputed Assam-Nagaland boundary areas had remained stalled for more than three decades.
• Shah said extraction capacity of 1,000-1,500 barrels per day could be increased by 10 times after the MoU.
• He said 12 accords since 2019 had contributed to an around 80% drop in violence in the Northeast.

Prelims pointers

• French sources said future defence cooperation with India will be aligned with the Make in India initiative.
• India is advancing a proposed acquisition programme for 114 Rafale fighter aircraft for the Indian Air Force.
• The proposed Rafale programme is estimated at around ₹3.25 lakh crore in the article.
• French officials said cooperation would stress local manufacturing, local weapon integration and Indian industrial participation.
• Civil nuclear energy is also expected to feature in the talks between Emmanuel Macron and Narendra Modi.

Prelims pointers

• Himachal Pradesh and Punjab raised separate fiscal demands at the 11th Governing Council meeting of NITI Aayog in New Delhi.
• Himachal sought a high-level committee to assess the impact of ending Revenue Deficit Grant and other fiscal pressures.
• Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said the State had received ₹25,000 crore but wanted the amount increased to ₹50,000 crore.
• Punjab demanded Special Category Status with 90:10 funding under all Centrally sponsored schemes.
• Bhagwant Mann said Punjab shares a 553-km border with Pakistan and faces terrorism, drone smuggling and drug-related crime.

Prelims pointers

• Iran’s state media said Tehran would not give up control over the Strait of Hormuz under a draft U.S. agreement.
• The official IRNA news agency referred to the broad outlines of the current text being finalised.
• Iranian state media said Iran would maintain the right to enrich uranium under any final agreement with the United States.
• Mehr news agency said the draft could secure release of $24 billion in frozen assets within a 60-day period.
• The article reports the draft-deal discussion in the context of negotiations between Iran and the United States.

Prelims pointers

• Indian Ambassador to China Vikram Doraiswami visited Lhasa in the Tibet Autonomous Region to review arrangements for Kailash Manasarovar pilgrims.
• The pilgrims were scheduled to arrive later in June 2026, according to the report.
• The Kailash Manasarovar Yatra resumed in June 2025 after a five-year hiatus.
• The first batch of Indian pilgrims reached Manasarovar Lake in Tibet when the yatra resumed in 2025.
• The yatra is organised by India’s Ministry of External Affairs, according to the report.

Prelims pointers

• Industrial, commercial and institutional users were barred from buying petrol and diesel from retail outlets and told to use bulk sale points.
• Retail outlets were directed not to dispense more than 200 litres of diesel in a day to a consumer or a vehicle.
• The directive will remain in force for 90 days unless revoked earlier, according to the report.
• Bulk diesel is about ₹40 per litre more expensive than diesel sold at retail outlets, according to The Hindu report.
• State-owned retail pumps in 80 districts saw more than 30% growth in diesel sales during the same period mentioned by the government.

Prelims pointers

• India dispatched 20,000 doses of measles vaccines to the Maldives.
• The consignment also included approximately three tonnes of medical supplies.
• The assistance was meant to address rising measles cases and strengthen immunisation coverage in Maldives.
• The Maldives Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed appreciation for the timely assistance on 11 June 2026.
• India’s Ministry of External Affairs announced the dispatch in a press release from New Delhi.

Prelims pointers

• IN-SPACe selected Astrobase Space Technologies, SatSure Analytics India and TM2SPACE Technologies under the Technology Adoption Fund Scheme.
• The selected entities are described as the first Indian Non-Governmental Entities funded under the TAF Scheme.
• Astrobase will develop an 800 kN-class reusable LOX-LNG closed-cycle liquid rocket engine.
• SatSure will develop Dhaarini, a Large Earth Observation Model for remote-sensing applications.
• TM2SPACE will develop an indigenous AI-powered star tracker system, including StarSense Lite for CubeSats and StarSense Pro for satellites above 50 kg.

Prelims pointers

• Varya is a distilled video model developed by Avataar with support from the IndiaAI Mission.
• The model was launched in New Delhi in the presence of S. Krishnan, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
• Varya claims to reduce video generation from 50 steps to 4 steps while maintaining comparable output quality.
• Avataar’s internal inference-cost benchmarks claim video generation at ₹0.48 per second.
• Distilled video generation is described as a model-compression technique in which a compact student model replicates a larger teacher model.

Prelims pointers

• The Advanced Weapon System Complex was inaugurated at DRDO’s Defence Research and Development Laboratory, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Missile Complex, Hyderabad.
• The release cites Akash and BrahMos as DRDO-developed systems showing India’s defence technology capability.
• Mission Sudarshan Chakra was described as a multi-level missile defence system of modern India.
• Mission Sudarshan Chakra was said to have been announced during the Prime Minister’s 2025 Independence Day address.
• The speech listed precision-strike capabilities, integrated air defence, hypersonic weapons, autonomous platforms, AI, electronic warfare and advanced sensors as changing warfare.

Prelims pointers

• SN 2023zcu was discovered in 2023 at the edge of the spiral galaxy NGC 2139.
• NGC 2139 is located approximately 90.7 million light-years away from Earth, according to the release.
• Core-collapse supernovae occur when a massive star exhausts nuclear fuel and can no longer support itself against gravity.
• Type IIP supernovae are linked in the article to red supergiant stars of about 8–17 times the mass of the Sun.
• During the described process, the star’s core collapses into a proto-neutron star and a shock wave ejects outer layers into space.

Prelims pointers

• MNRE will host the Global Wind Day 2026 Conference on 15 June 2026 in Goa.
• The conference theme is ‘Wind Energy: From Ambition to Acceleration’.
• India is described in the release as the world’s fourth-largest wind power market.
• India aims for 100 GW of wind energy capacity by 2030 and 155 GW by 2035.
• The article links wind energy to India’s 500 GW non-fossil capacity goal and net-zero emissions by 2070.

Prelims pointers

• Bharat Innovates 2026 is scheduled for 14 June 2026 at Palais des Expositions de Nice, France.
• The event is an initiative of the Union Ministry of Education and is being organised by the Government of India.
• The event will feature 120 Indian innovators and about 15 higher education institutions.
• More than 500 investors, including corporates and venture capital firms, are expected at Bharat Innovates 2026.
• The event covers 13 sectors including advanced computing, semiconductors, space technology, biotechnology, energy, healthcare and manufacturing.

Prelims pointers

• The BRICS agriculture ministers’ two-day conference commenced in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, with India stressing Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam as a cooperation principle.
• India’s agriculture sector registered average annual growth of nearly 4.5% over the last decade, according to the PIB release.
• India’s total foodgrain production has reached nearly 376 million tonnes, while horticulture production has crossed 378 million tonnes.
• Fish production in India has exceeded 19 million tonnes, showing growth beyond cereals and horticulture.
• Approximately 43% of India’s workforce is associated with agriculture and allied sectors, and nearly 87% of farmers are small and marginal farmers.

Prelims pointers

• The MoU was signed between the Quality Council of India and the Footwear Design and Development Institute.
• The partnership covers quality, testing, accreditation and skilling in the leather and footwear sector.
• Agra, Bahadurgarh, Ranipet, Chennai, Calicut and Kanpur are listed as key footwear clusters under the collaboration.
• QCI and FDDI will design programmes for workers, MSMEs, supervisors, industry professionals and other value-chain stakeholders.
• The initiative includes personal certification, quality management practices, testing facilities and laboratory accreditation support.

Prelims pointers

• The Union Education Minister released two strategic documents on Bharat Innovates.
• The initiative is linked in the PIB release to the National Education Policy 2020.
• Bharat Innovates showcases innovation and start-up activity rooted in higher education and research institutions.
• The Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, was present at the release.
• The Mission Director of Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog, Shri Deepak Bagla, was among the officials listed in the release.

Prelims pointers

• The webinar was titled ‘Decoding the new Income-tax Act, 2025 - International Tax and Transfer Pricing Aspects’.
• It covered transition to the new Income-tax Act, 2025 and new Income-tax Rules, 2026.
• The webinar was held on 9 June 2026 and had over 1,100 participants.
• Participants joined from 16 overseas jurisdictions, including the USA, UK, Australia, China, Singapore, Japan, Mauritius, Qatar and UAE.
• The discussion covered cross-border transfer pricing mechanisms, international cooperation and Advance Pricing Agreements.

Prelims pointers

• The conference brought together MNOs and SMNOs from all 36 States and Union Territories.
• District Media Nodal Officers and District PROs from Phase-III Special Intensive Revision areas and poll-bound States participated.
• More than 350 media and communication officers attended the Election Commission conference.
• Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar addressed the participants along with Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi.
• The ECI stressed communication that is timely, easy to understand and based on facts and law.

Prelims pointers

• India attained elimination of leprosy as a public-health problem at the national level in 2005, according to the Health Ministry release.
• The workshop emphasised Post-Exposure Prophylaxis through Single-Dose Rifampicin among eligible healthy contacts of index cases.
• Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha and Madhya Pradesh together account for nearly 50% of India’s leprosy burden.
• India detected 91,783 new leprosy cases during 2025–26, with a prevalence rate of 0.56 per 10,000 population.
• Among newly detected leprosy cases in 2025–26, 4.18% were children and 2.12% had Grade-2 Disability at diagnosis.

Prelims pointers

• DPIIT and ONDC convened the CPG Roundtable–Bharat Commerce Chintan Shivir on 12 June 2026.
• India’s General Trade ecosystem comprises over 1.4 crore kirana stores, according to the PIB release.
• General Trade accounts for nearly 75–80% of FMCG sales in India.
• DigiDukaan is an ONDC initiative aimed at digitising kirana stores for B2B procurement.
• The article identifies fragmented ordering, limited inventory visibility and manual sales processes as key problems in the kirana procurement channel.

Prelims pointers

• SARTHI stands for Strategic Advisory and Reforms Taskforce for Holistic ITI Transformation.
• The first SARTHI meeting was convened by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
• The meeting was chaired by Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
• SARTHI aims to strengthen India’s vocational training ecosystem and institutionalise long-term reforms across Industrial Training Institutes.
• Ministers from States including Rajasthan, Gujarat and Telangana participated in the first SARTHI meeting.

Prelims pointers

• MoRTH is deploying InSAR-based landslide monitoring and early warning systems on a 100-km stretch of the Char Dham route in Uttarakhand.
• InSAR refers to Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar, used here to detect subtle ground movement on vulnerable slopes.
• An advanced warning and alert system is planned for the Parwanoo-Solan section of NH-5 in Himachal Pradesh.
• The NH-5 system is intended to monitor landslides, land sinking, groundwater movement and rockfall-prone zones in real time.
• The release links the measures to cloudburst-triggered flash floods and slope instability in Uttarkashi’s Dharali and Sukhi Top regions last August.

Prelims pointers

• The notified order is the Motor Spirit and High-Speed Diesel (Temporary Regulation of Supply through Retail Outlets) Order, 2026.
• The Petroleum Ministry described the measures as temporary and initially valid for up to 90 days.
• Private oil-marketing companies’ HSD sales declined by around 58% during May 2026, according to the PIB release.
• In May 2026, 327 districts recorded more than 10% diesel-sales growth through PSU OMC retail outlets compared with the previous year.
• The release says 80 districts saw diesel-sales growth exceeding 30% through PSU oil-marketing retail outlets.

Prelims pointers

• The Telecommunications Act, 2023 replaced the Telegraph Act of 1885, according to the PIB release.
• The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting administers provisions relating to television, radio and associated services.
• The draft Telecommunications (Television, Radio and Associated Services) Rules, 2026 consolidate guidelines under the Telecommunications Act, 2023.
• The draft integrates guidelines for satellite TV uplinking/downlinking, DTH, HITS, private FM Phase III, community radio and IPTV.
• Public comments on the draft rules were invited up to 27 July 2026.

Prelims pointers

• The 13th BRICS Urbanisation Forum was hosted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs under India’s BRICS Chairship in 2026.
• The Forum theme was ‘Cities for People: BRICS Cooperation for Inclusive and Resilient Urban Futures’.
• India hosted the BRICS Urbanisation Forum for the fourth time after New Delhi 2013, Visakhapatnam 2016 and the virtual 2021 edition.
• BRICS member nations adopted a Ministerial Declaration on inclusive, resilient and people-centred urban development.
• Member nations welcomed India’s proposal for a BRICS Urban Research and Knowledge Network for applied urban research and knowledge sharing.

Prelims pointers

• Air India Flight AI-171 was a Boeing 787-8 aircraft operating from Ahmedabad to London when the accident occurred after take-off on 12 June 2025.
• The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau is conducting the investigation into the AI-171 accident.
• AAIB said the investigation follows the Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2017, as amended.
• The AAIB statement also refers to standards and recommended practices contained in ICAO Annex 13.
• A Preliminary Report containing factual information on the AI-171 accident was released on 12 July 2025.

Prelims pointers

• China sanctioned Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and his family with an entry ban.
• The entry ban covers China, Hong Kong and Macao, according to China’s foreign ministry announcement.
• Gilberto Teodoro Jr. was appointed defence chief by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in June 2023.
• The Philippines’ foreign affairs department described the sanctions as an unfriendly act.
• The article says China claims the disputed South China Sea almost in its entirety.

Prelims pointers

• Ten independent experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council issued the statement on Herat.
• Herat morality police began arresting women on June 6, 2026 for not wearing a chador or burqa.
• The UN experts said at least two people were killed and over 20 wounded in the protest crackdown.
• The dress code is governed by the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice.
• An MSF medical worker heading to Herat Regional Hospital’s paediatric ward was detained for two days.