Current affairs — 26 June 2026

Prelims pointers

• The 33 newly installed spillway gates of the Tungabhadra reservoir were inaugurated at Hosapete in Vijayanagara district.
• D.K. Shivakumar said Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana reached a consensus on protecting basin farmers.
• The States discussed the proposed Navali balancing reservoir and removal of accumulated silt from the reservoir.
• The gate replacement followed the washout of Gate No. 19 at the Tungabhadra reservoir in August 2024.
• Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, and Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil, attended the event.

Prelims pointers

• M.K. Raghavan appealed to the Union government to withdraw amendments to the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act.
• He wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah about the alleged impact on NGOs and charitable trusts.
• The article says the amendments restrict administrative expenses and transfers of foreign funds to other organisations.
• Mr. Raghavan objected to routing transactions only through designated bank accounts in Delhi.
• He warned that education, healthcare and livelihood support programmes could be disrupted by the regulations.

Prelims pointers

• The CBI searched over 80 locations across India in connection with Digital Arrest scam investigations.
• Operation Chakra-VI involved 60 special teams and coordinated searches in 16 States.
• The CBI said the operation targeted a network involved in more than 200 Digital Arrest scam cases.
• Two accused were arrested: Naresh from Chennai and Sanjib Saha, a resident of Kolkata.
• The accused allegedly used shell companies and mule bank accounts to launder about ₹2 crore of suspected crime proceeds.

Prelims pointers

• Chennai Institute of Technology, National Formosa University and AGEM Technology signed the semiconductor MoU.
• The MoU aims to promote semiconductor research, talent development and industry-academia collaboration.
• The report calls the trilateral initiative among the first of its kind between Taiwan and South India in semiconductors.
• India-Taiwan bilateral trade increased from $10.6 billion in 2024 to a record $12.5 billion in 2025.
• More than 300 Taiwanese companies operate across India, with about 75% in South India, especially Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

Prelims pointers

• The two-day international conference on the Amarnath Yatra was held in Anantnag in south Kashmir on June 25, 2026.
• It was organised by the Government Degree College for Women, Anantnag, in collaboration with the District Administration Anantnag.
• The article says the pilgrimage will start from July 3 this year and uses routes from Pahalgam and Sonmarg to the cave shrine.
• Dr. Maajid Mohi Ud Din Malik said the Amarnath route sits approximately 3,088 metres above sea level with low oxygen-related health risks.
• Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha mentioned zero-waste yatra measures including waste recycling, organised waste-collection networks and plastic-return initiatives.

Prelims pointers

• China aims for half of its electricity to come from non-fossil sources by 2030, up from a 42.3% target for 2025.
• The plan targets 30% of China's power generation from wind and solar alone by 2030, up from 22% in 2025.
• Wind and solar are targeted to exceed 50% of installed capacity by 2030, equal to about 2,700 gigawatts.
• China set a binding goal to cut power-sector carbon emissions intensity by more than 10% over five years.
• The plan aims to expand non-pumped hydro energy storage to 300 gigawatts by 2030.

Prelims pointers

• IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said the interim U.S.-Iran peace accord gives U.N. nuclear inspectors access to Iran.
• Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said there were no plans to grant access to inspectors.
• The U.S. and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding providing for 60 days of talks on thornier issues.
• Grossi said inspectors must check whether IAEA seals on previously inspected material remain intact and whether material is missing.
• The IAEA estimates Iran had 440.9 kg of uranium enriched up to 60% before the conflict began.

Prelims pointers

• An omega block is a stalled, Ω-shaped wind pattern that traps air and prevents ventilation over a region.
• The article says the ongoing western Europe heatwave has claimed more than 40 lives in France alone.
• Omega blocks usually last between three and 10 days, but they can sometimes persist for weeks.
• Under the central high-pressure zone, cloud formation is suppressed and clear skies increase surface heating.
• The article states that Europe is warming at more than twice the global average, raising risks of prolonged extreme heat.

Prelims pointers

• India addressed a UNSC open debate on protecting education for children affected by armed conflict.
• The U.N. verified 38,558 grave violations affecting 24,174 children in armed conflict in 2025.
• The number of children subjected to multiple grave violations rose from 3,137 in 2024 to 3,176 in 2025.
• India noted that attacks on schools rose by a staggering 44% in a single year.
• Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni said nearly 473 million children live in or are fleeing conflict zones globally.

Prelims pointers

• Article 6 of the Rome Statute defines genocide as specified acts committed with intent to destroy a protected group in whole or part.
• Genocide acts listed include killing members, causing serious harm, destructive living conditions, birth prevention and child transfer.
• Article 7 defines crimes against humanity as specific acts forming part of a widespread or systematic attack on civilians.
• Article 8 defines war crimes as serious violations of international humanitarian law committed during an armed conflict.
• The article says the Commission's findings are not judicial determinations but may inform international investigations and proceedings.

Prelims pointers

• The United States waived sanctions on Iran for 60 days on Monday, June 22, 2026, after initial peace-deal talks.
• Offers to Indian refiners came directly from National Iranian Oil Co. and through intermediaries claiming allocated Iranian oil.
• NIOC indicated Iranian crude would be $3 to $4 per barrel cheaper than similar regional grades on a landed basis.
• Indian refiners have limited near-term scope because most supplies are already secured through August.
• India received two cargoes of Iranian oil in April after a 30-day U.S. sanctions waiver, with payments settled in Chinese yuan.

Prelims pointers

• The ASI team took estampages of 25 inscriptions during a three-day visit to the Nallamala forest region in June 2026.
• The inscriptions copied in Markapuram district date from the 2nd century to the 15th century.
• The survey covered Ponnalabailu, Puttabadi, Palutla and other villages in Markapuram district.
• A Palankesvara inscription at Ponnalabailu is written in Telugu and dates to 1404 C.E.
• A Nandi pillar inscription near the Poleramma temple in Palutla dates to 1436 C.E. and records village gifts.

Prelims pointers

• The NCB report says Myanmar emerged as an alternative opium source after the Taliban imposed a drug ban in Afghanistan in 2022.
• Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland are identified as the northeastern States with the sharpest frontline exposure to Myanmar-linked narcotics.
• Myanmar's illicit opium cultivation expanded by about 56% between 2021 and 2023, reaching 45,200 hectares.
• The Manipur corridor through which National Highway 102 passes is described as the primary land entry point for heroin and methamphetamine tablets.
• Drone-based drug trafficking from across the Pakistan border recorded 305 cases and 468 kg of narcotics seizures in 2025.

Prelims pointers

• The Health Ministry asked States to direct registered organ transplant hospitals to publish post-transplant survival data on their websites.
• Hospitals were also told to follow informed consent requirements and disclose transplant procedures, risks and outcomes to patients and families.
• NOTTO functions under the Directorate-General of Health Services and maintains the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Registry.
• The data to be displayed includes the number of patients alive after six months, one year, three years and five years.
• A senior transplant surgeon said crude mortality rates have limited value without risk-stratified mortality outcomes scrutinised in an unbiased manner.

Prelims pointers

• The Srinagar Declaration calls 2026-2035 the Decade of Water Security and Ecological Restoration in J&K.
• The GCC proposed a Chief Minister-led Commission on Water Security and Ecological Resilience.
• A CAG report cited in the article says J&K lost 70% of wetlands and waterbodies since the 1960s.
• Of 697 lakes recorded in 1967, 315 have vanished, covering an area of 1,537 hectares.
• The article says clearances were given for felling nearly 2.8 million trees on forest land during the last three years.

Prelims pointers

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tributes to Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay on his jayanti.
• The release describes Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay as a towering literary luminary.
• Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay's writings are described as awakening patriotism and cultural pride among Indians.
• The Prime Minister noted that India is marking the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram.
• The release says Vande Mataram was an enduring inspiration for the freedom movement and the nation.

Prelims pointers

• The proposed amendments concern import of drugs for examination, test or analysis under the Drugs Rules, 1945.
• The revised system would allow import based on acknowledgement after submission of a prior intimation form.
• The simplified procedure applies to small quantities of drugs for analytical and non-clinical testing purposes.
• Sex hormones, cytotoxic drugs, beta lactam drugs, live microorganism biologics and narcotic or psychotropic substances remain outside the simplified route.
• The draft Gazette notification is available through the egazette link cited in the release.

Prelims pointers

• The SOP concerns notification of threatened species under Section 38 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
• Section 38 allows notification of species on the verge of extinction or likely to become extinct soon.
• The release says 159 plant species and 173 animal species have been notified as threatened so far.
• The SOP covers scientific assessment, stakeholder consultations, validation, notification and conservation planning.
• The SOP promotes participation of local communities, Biodiversity Management Committees, BSI, ZSI and experts.

Prelims pointers

• India-UK CETA is scheduled for forthcoming implementation on 15 July 2026, according to the release.
• The release calls India-UK CETA India's most comprehensive free trade agreement to date.
• CETA is projected in the article to increase bilateral trade by GBP 25.5 billion annually.
• The Government plans to deploy 1,000 advisory personnel and upgrade the trade portal for businesses.
• Eligible Indian professionals in the UK are described as receiving a five-year social security contribution exemption.

Prelims pointers

• The events were organised by the Embassy of India in Reykjavik in collaboration with APEDA.
• The first event was held in Reykjavik on 24 June 2026 and the second in Akureyri on 25 June 2026.
• Dasheri, Chausa, Langra and Kesar mango varieties were served to guests at the events.
• The release says India is the world's largest producer of mangoes.
• Iceland imported mangoes worth around USD 3.3 million in 2025, with about USD 1 million from Thailand.

Prelims pointers

• The amendments modify the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011.
• The notified amendment regulations are named the Food Safety and Standards Licensing and Registration Amendment Regulations, 2026.
• Record-keeping and FIFO or FEFO stock rotation requirements will apply only to food manufacturing businesses.
• Non-manufacturing food businesses, including retailers and similar entities, are exempted from these requirements.
• The reforms were finalised after consultations with States, Union Territories and food-business stakeholders.

Prelims pointers

• The Home Minister chaired the 10th apex-level meeting of the Narco-Coordination Centre in New Delhi and released the Vision Document on Drug Control (2026-2029).
• The Online Drugs Disposal Fortnight Campaign targets destruction of 2,09,500 kg of narcotic substances valued at ₹6,000 crore.
• The 2026-2029 drug control roadmap is based on four pillars, including enforcement and intelligence, synthetic drug control, demand reduction, and capacity building.
• The speech described the anti-drug approach in three words: Detect, Disrupt and Destroy, supported by HUMINT, technical intelligence and community policing.
• The article says drug traffickers use advanced methods such as drone drops, containerised cargo, the darknet, crypto payments, parcel shipments and order-to-delivery models.

Prelims pointers

• The Ministry of Rural Development secured trademarks such as SARAS, SARAS Aajeevika and Aajeevika to promote products made by women SHGs.
• The SARAS Aajeevika Gallery at Baba Kharak Singh Marg in New Delhi provides a permanent retail platform for curated women SHG products.
• The Ministry has launched the eSARAS e-commerce platform and mobile application to help rural women entrepreneurs reach digital markets.
• At RGVS 2026, the SARAS Aajeevika Gallery will showcase products such as Chanderi sarees, Phulkari, Pashmina, Patola, Ajrakh, Kalamkari and Ikat textiles.
• The SARAS Shakti Collection is described as a premium gift collection of handcrafted products made by rural women SHGs for wider institutional and consumer markets.

Prelims pointers

• The Government revised the definition of MSMEs with effect from April 1, 2025, based on investment and annual turnover.
• January 2026 data cited in the article says MSMEs contribute about 31.1% of GDP, 35.4% of manufacturing output and 48.58% of exports.
• The article says MSMEs employ more than 38.9 crore people, making the sector the second-largest source of employment after agriculture.
• Registrations under the Udyam Registration Portal and Udyam Assist Platform crossed 8.7 crore as of June 2026.
• CGTMSE approved 29.03 lakh guarantees amounting to ₹3.77 lakh crore during January 1 to November 30, 2025.

Prelims pointers

• Union Minister Annpurna Devi addressed the SCO Women’s Forum 2026 in Bishkek through a video message.
• India reaffirmed commitment to SCO principles of mutual respect, equality and consensus in the Minister’s remarks.
• The Minister said women are not merely beneficiaries of growth but among its most powerful drivers.
• The article says nearly 100 million women are organised into more than 9 million Self-Help Groups, with over 30 million becoming Lakhpati Didis.
• Mission Shakti and Mission Poshan 2.0 were cited as pillars advancing women’s safety, care and economic participation.

Prelims pointers

• The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare published a draft notification proposing amendments to Rule 31 of the Drugs Rules, 1945.
• The draft proposes replacing the general requirement of more than 60% residual shelf life for imported drugs with a minimum residual shelf life of 12 months at import.
• Biological products and radiopharmaceuticals would continue to require more than 60% residual shelf life because of their specialised nature and public health considerations.
• The Ministry said the amendment is intended to reduce avoidable wastage and improve pharmaceutical inventory utilisation across the supply chain.
• The proposal does not alter other regulatory requirements relating to the quality, safety or efficacy of medicines under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and the Drugs Rules, 1945.

Prelims pointers

• The Department of Fertilizers conducted a Pre-Expression of Interest meeting for establishing green urea plants in India at PDIL headquarters in Noida.
• The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy allocation discussed in the article is ₹19,744 crore for green energy infrastructure and the clean energy ecosystem.
• SECI has tendered to purchase green ammonia from producers and supply it to domestic fertilizer companies at market-linked grey ammonia prices.
• Under NGHM Green Ammonia Mode 2A, a procurement target of 7.24 lakh MT per annum of green ammonia has been allocated through competitive e-reverse auction.
• A world-scale urea plant of 12.7 lakh MT annual capacity requires nearly 10 lakh MT of carbon dioxide annually, according to the article.

Prelims pointers

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid homage to Rajarshi Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj on his birth anniversary.
• The release describes Rajarshi Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj as a strong supporter of social justice.
• The Prime Minister's message also describes Shahu Ji Maharaj as a supporter of equality.
• The article says Shahu Ji Maharaj dedicated his life to deprived, exploited and backward classes.
• The Prime Minister said Shahu Ji Maharaj's deeds and ideals would guide the nation for ages.

Prelims pointers

• Bharat Taxi is described as India's first cooperation-based and driver-owned ride-hailing service.
• The Gujarat launch is scheduled for 27 June 2026 at Mahatma Mandir Convention and Exhibition Centre, Gandhinagar.
• Bharat Taxi is registered under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 2002 and was established on 6 June 2025.
• The platform works on a zero-commission model intended to pass maximum service income to saarthis.
• The release says more than 1.5 lakh saarthis from Gujarat and over 37 lakh customers across India are associated with the service.

Prelims pointers

• The Ministry of MSME launched ASPIRE in 2015 to promote entrepreneurship and employment generation, particularly in rural and agro-based sectors.
• ASPIRE stands for A Scheme for Promotion of Innovation, Rural Industries and Entrepreneurship.
• The scheme uses Livelihood Business Incubators to help individuals move from skill acquisition to formal, scalable micro-enterprise creation.
• As of June 2026, 109 Livelihood Business Incubators had been approved across 27 States and Union Territories under ASPIRE.
• Since systematic tracking began in FY 2022-23, ASPIRE-supported incubators facilitated the establishment of more than 1,200 micro-enterprises.

Prelims pointers

• The Rashtriya Gramin Vikas Sammelan 2026 is scheduled for June 28-29 at the Bharat Ratna C. Subramaniam Auditorium, Pusa, New Delhi.
• The Sammelan will bring together Rural Development Ministers, senior officials and experts from all States and Union Territories.
• Discussions will focus on the VB-GRAMG Act, 2025, Gram Panchayat-level planning and efficient utilisation of resources.
• The meeting will review programmes including PMAY-Gramin, PMGSY, DAY-NRLM, rural skill development programmes and the National Social Assistance Programme.
• The article says the Sammelan will emphasise digital platforms, real-time monitoring, transparency, accountability and technology-driven solutions, including Artificial Intelligence.

Prelims pointers

• The reforms relate to the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
• The amendments decriminalise certain minor and technical violations and replace criminal proceedings with administrative penalties.
• Section 29 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 has been omitted under the reforms.
• Low-risk cosmetics violations can attract administrative penalties, while spurious or adulterated cosmetics remain strictly penalised.
• The Food Safety and Standards Act punishment for interfering with seized items was reduced from six months to three months.

Prelims pointers

• DAE inaugurated the facility at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research in Kalpakkam.
• The facility uses nuclear process heat from the Fast Breeder Test Reactor for hydrogen production.
• The hydrogen production route is based on the Copper–Chlorine thermochemical cycle developed by BARC.
• The release says the Cu–Cl cycle has relatively lower operating temperatures and higher thermodynamic efficiency.
• IGCAR has operated the Fast Breeder Test Reactor for more than four decades as a research platform.

Prelims pointers

• The first Easy Connect flight was launched from Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport at Varanasi.
• The hub-and-spoke strategy aims to make India the aviation hub of choice for Indian passengers by 2030.
• Under the model, international passengers complete check-in, immigration and customs at the spoke airport.
• The Ministry's studies estimate aviation hub development could add USD 30 billion to GDP by 2030.
• Separate physical boarding cards are issued to identify domestic and international passengers and prevent intermixing.

Prelims pointers

• Dr Jitendra Singh said AI, nuclear, space and quantum technologies will determine future growth and global competitiveness.
• The article says the National Quantum Mission has achieved more than half of its targeted outcomes within three years of its 2023 launch.
• Progress in quantum-secure communication was linked to defence, strategic communications, cybersecurity and protection of sensitive information.
• The Minister said AI is becoming an essential tool across governance, industry, education, healthcare, research and public service delivery.
• The article connects nuclear energy with the dependable energy needs of advanced computing, data centres and digital services.

Prelims pointers

• South Korea plans to train 500,000 “drone warriors” to counter North Korea.
• The Defence Ministry revised planned drone production to about 60,000, with around 11,000 to be introduced in 2026.
• The drones are to be deployed across the army, navy, air force and marines.
• Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back said drones should become a “second personal weapon”.
• The plan includes lasers, high-power microwave weapons, AI-based swarm systems and loitering munitions.

Prelims pointers

• Arsenio Dominguez is identified as the International Maritime Organization Secretary-General.
• Taiwan’s container ship Ever Lovely was attacked but was not transiting under the IMO-facilitated plan.
• The Oman-Iran foreign ministers met on June 22, 2026, and the IMO plan was announced the next day.
• About 115 vessels had transited the strait from the beginning of the week to the pause.
• About 500 ships remain in the area, and evacuation could take around five weeks, according to the IMO chief.

Prelims pointers

• Rafael Grossi is identified as the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
• Grossi said Iran’s pledge required “a very strong verification system” beyond stated intentions.
• Before the war, IAEA estimated Iran had 440 kg, or 970 pounds, of uranium enriched to 60%.
• The U.S.-Iran preliminary deal reportedly requires Iran’s enriched-uranium stockpile to be downblended under IAEA supervision.
• Trump said on June 23 that Iran had agreed to allow UN inspectors to return; Iran later said it would not admit the watchdog.