Current Affairs

Scientists at IIT Guwahati developed a cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) biomaterial using exopolysaccharides (EPS) to remove lead from contaminated water. Cyanobacteria occur in ponds, lakes, reservoirs, paddy fields and slow-moving freshwater bodies. Sticky, sugar-rich EPS naturally binds lead; algae adjust EPS composition to trap particles, achieving 66.2% lead removal. Conventional methods (precipitation, membrane filtration, ion exchange) are costly, energy-intensive and polluting. Cyanobacteria also form cyanolichens, enrich soil and fix nitrogen as biofertiliser.

Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Maharashtra agreed to resolve pending Narmada Project issues, including cost-sharing for Sardar Sarovar construction, displacement from flood-affected areas, and land compensation. Sardar Sarovar, largest of 25 planned Narmada dams, is in Gujarat’s Narmada district on the Gujarat–Maharashtra border. Spillway capacity is 30 lakh cusecs (85,000 cumecs), third globally. At 163 m, it is India’s third-highest concrete dam; 6.82 million cu m concrete makes it second-largest gravity dam. Statue of Unity overlooks its reservoir.

At the 3rd India-Australia Annual Summit (Melbourne, 9 July 2026), Australia hosted talks yielding PACTS on cyber/critical tech/supply chains; Australia-Canada-India Tech and Innovation MoU; stronger ISRO–Australian Space Agency links; Gaganyaan support via temporary tracking on Cocos (Keeling) Islands; Administrative Arrangement under 2015 Nuclear Cooperation Agreement for peaceful, IAEA-safeguarded uranium exports; NSG support; renewable energy partnership (Rooftop Solar Academy); semiconductor/critical-mineral supply-chain alignment; Joint Defence-Security Declaration, Annual Defence Ministers’ Dialogue, expanded exercises, interoperability and Mutual Logistics Support; Maritime Security Roadmap and Maritime Border Command–Indian Coast Guard MoU; ECTA gains, CECA commitment, Make in India–Future Made in Australia alignment; university expansion, diaspora noted as largest overseas-born; AUD 10 million Maitri grants; mining skilling centre in Odisha; Sports Roadmap ahead of 2030 Ahmedabad CWG and 2032 Brisbane Olympics/Paralympics.

India’s ACME Green Molecules Business signed a long-term supply agreement with Japan’s Mitsubishi Gas Chemical (MGC) to supply 100,000 tonnes of green methanol annually. Green methanol is a renewable, net-zero carbon liquid fuel and chemical feedstock made either from biomass (bio-methanol) or from green hydrogen (via wind/solar-powered electrolysis) reacted with captured CO₂ under heat and pressure (e-methanol). It supports decarbonisation in shipping, aviation (e-SAF), and chemical manufacturing.

Prime Minister inaugurated India’s first greenfield integrated refinery-cum-petrochemical complex at Pachpadra, Rajasthan, developed by HPCL with the Government of Rajasthan. Built from scratch on an undeveloped site, it integrates crude oil refining and petrochemical manufacturing. Capacity: 9 MMTPA crude processing and 2.4 MMTPA petrochemicals. Nelson Complexity Index (refinery sophistication) is 17.0; petrochemical yield >26%. It anchors plastic parks, textiles, automotive components, packaging and agriculture films.

Ministry of Tribal Affairs launched TribeX at a national workshop on strengthening Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs) in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. India’s first digital learning platform for tribal arts, culture, languages and traditional knowledge, it offers courses, certificates and UGC-recognised PG diplomas. Five UGC-approved 1-year hybrid diplomas include Santali (Ol Chiki), livelihoods, museology, arts-crafts and textiles, via MoU with Sampurnanand Sanskrit University, Varanasi, using LMS and RMS. TRIs serve as policy think tanks; outcomes include National TRI Roadmap and Bhubaneswar Declaration, with AI/GIS integration.

International Gas Union released World LNG Report 2026, reviewing global LNG markets with 2025 data. Global LNG trade reached 437 million tonnes (+6.3%, strongest since 2022), driven by supplies from US, Qatar, Australia, Russia, etc. New exporters: Canada and Mauritania/Senegal. Europe’s imports rose as Russian pipeline transit via Ukraine expires early 2025. Asia led regas additions: China 24%, India 11.3%; India added 52.5 mtpa across 8 terminals, became 4th-largest (overtook Spain); Dahej (Gujarat) ranked 6th globally. IEA cited India gas use rising ~60% by 2030. Regas utilisation fell to ~47% (2024: 58%).

Conservationists report the Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus; family Accipitridae) as near-disappeared/functionally extinct in Tamil Nadu; BNHS has proposed an Egyptian Vulture Conservation Breeding Programme to the State. Smallest Old-World vulture (55–65 cm; 1.5–1.7 m wingspan), it inhabits open arid/semi-arid landscapes across Europe–Africa–West Asia–Indian subcontinent; Indian subspecies N. p. ginginianus is resident, with winter migrants. It scavenges carcasses; Kota leather-working supports food availability. Threats include diclofenac/NSAIDs in carcasses, electrocution, poisoning, cliff disturbance, and reduced food. Status: IUCN Endangered; CITES Appendix II; WPA 1972 Schedule I.

Prime Minister launched Viksit UDAN, the next phase of the UDAN Regional Connectivity Scheme, and inaugurated the new terminal building at Jodhpur Airport. UDAN (“Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik”) is a Central Sector Scheme (October 2016), under the Ministry of Civil Aviation and implemented by AAI, to enable affordable air connectivity to Tier-2/3 cities. Viksit UDAN (2026–2036) targets 100 aerodromes from unserved airstrips, 200 modern helipads, regional airport O&M support, and extends VGF support to 5 years (tapering from year 3).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred Indonesia’s highest honour, the Bintang Republik Indonesia (Star of the Republic), instituted in 1959, awarded for exceptional service to Indonesia’s unity, continuity and prosperity. During the visit, India–Indonesia MoUs covered minerals and steel supply chains (mining investment, extraction tech, critical minerals), extended maritime safety (Coast Guards, MDA, SAR), rare earth magnets (NFTDC–Midwest–PT PERMINAS), defence (BrahMos, air-to-air missiles), SAIL–PT Krakatau Steel JV in Indonesia, outer space R&D, Prambanan Temple conservation (Yogyakarta), agriculture cooperation, and an IIM Bangalore campus at Singhasari SEZ.

Union Education Ministry released UDISE+ 2025-26 (official database on school infrastructure, enrolment, teachers), based on voluntary uploads by schools with active UDISE+ codes; reference date: March 31, 2026. Secondary GER: 71.7% (68.5%); girls: 48.4% (48.3%). Zero-enrolment institutions: 5,663; West Bengal 4,133 (also Chandigarh, Goa, Delhi, Daman and Diu, Lakshadweep, Puducherry, Haryana). Ramps/handrails: 58.2% (54.9%); internet: 67.4% (63.5%); electricity 95%, girls’ toilets 98.5%, boys’ 97.2%, safe water 99.5%. Dropouts: Classes 3-5 1.8% (2.3%), Classes 9-10 7% (8.2%). Teachers: 1.02 crore; +8.3% since 2022-23. PTR: 10/12/17/21, within NEP 2020 30:1 benchmark; Chandigarh/Delhi high students per school with RTE norms; low in Ladakh, Mizoram, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Meghalaya. Single-teacher schools: 1,00,843; Andhra Pradesh 16,357, Jharkhand 9,827, Punjab 1,749.

MoSPI will launch the Index of Services Production (ISP) in July 2026 as India’s first monthly indicator tracking changes in service-sector output volume, with base year 2024-25, as a counterpart to IIP. A Technical Advisory Committee was constituted in May 2025. Coverage includes key formal services (trade, transport, banking/insurance, telecom, hospitality, real estate, professional services, arts/entertainment). Sources: GST returns, Railways, DGCA, RBI, IRDAI and ASISSE. Method: fixed-weight Laspeyres volume index using GVA-based weights; health and education to be added later. Services contribute over 50% of GVA since 2013-14.

Mission Drishti, an Earth observation satellite developed by Indian space start-up GalaxEye, lost communication following a geomagnetic solar storm. Described as the world’s first OptoSAR satellite, it is India’s largest privately built satellite. It is the first commercial platform combining Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and Multi-Spectral Imaging (MSI) sensors, enabling simultaneous single-pass, aligned data capture, yielding three times more information, with all-weather, day-night imaging.

An international team using the European Space Agency’s Euclid telescope (launched 2023) discovered 31 quasars, including the two oldest known, seen when the universe was 670 million years old (about 5% of current age). Quasars are extremely luminous galactic cores powered by supermassive black holes, shining like a trillion suns. Findings inform early galaxy formation, black hole growth and the epoch of reionisation, while raising questions on rapid mass buildup; researchers aim to chronicle the first billion years.

OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2026–2035, a joint 10-year forecast of agriculture, biofuels and seafood markets, projects first-generation (food-crop) biofuels made via fermentation/transesterification to dominate through 2035, with second-generation (non-edible, lignocellulosic residues/forestry waste) not gaining much share. By 2035, global ethanol is projected at 162.5 billion litres (maize 61%, sugarcane 22%, molasses 5%, wheat 2%) and biodiesel at 99 billion litres (vegetable oils 69%, used cooking oils/tallow 23%). Biofuel demand may grow 1.4% annually; India, Brazil and Indonesia account for 80% of demand growth.

On July 6, at the 5th Foundation Day of the Ministry of Cooperation, the Union Minister announced setting up India’s first dedicated cooperative life insurance company to expand cooperatives in financial services, provide affordable cover and strengthen financial inclusion, broadening beyond dairy, sugar and fertilisers into Bharat Taxi, insurance and seed systems. It cites IFFCO-Tokio (IFFCO–Japanese JV) precedent; IRDAI approvals/capital are evolving; cooperatives may promote, using 8.5 lakh societies/30 crore members and PACS-as-CSCs, including e-PACS digitisation.

Twelve Indian researchers across three countries discovered a rare bow-and-arrow shaped radio galaxy, RAD-BAARG, ~2 billion light years away, using ultra-sensitive images from the LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey (LoTSS), a deep low-frequency radio survey. “RAD” refers to the RAD@home citizen-science astronomy platform; “BAARG” denotes Bow and Arrow Radio Galaxy. The ~1.8 million light year-wide object shows asymmetric, distorted jets due to supersonic motion through dense intracluster medium in a complex multi-halo cluster, creating a visible bow shock.

Researchers revalidated the Himalayan pangolin as a distinct extant species, Manis aurita (Family Manidae), earlier treated as a subspecies of Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla), using genomic and morphological evidence. A cryptic, nocturnal, scaly ant-eating mammal, it is larger (avg 95.2 cm), with smaller ears and shorter, broader nasal bone. Distribution: southern Himalayan foothills (Nepal, South Tibet, Northeast India incl Assam). Lineages diverged ~1.8 million years ago (early Pleistocene) due to climate change; sharp demographic collapse occurred around the 14th century from cooling/aridification. Not separately IUCN-assessed; CITES Appendix I; WPA, 1972 Schedule I; threats include illegal trade and inbreeding.

Angel tax, under Section 56(2)(viib) of the Income Tax Act, 1961, taxes unlisted companies when shares are issued above fair market value; the excess is treated as income and taxed at 30.9%. Introduced in 2012 to curb black money, it saw a 2019 startup exemption (DPIIT recognition; paid-up capital plus premium ≤₹25 crore, excluding NRI/VCF/specified funds). Angel investors need ₹2 crore net worth or >₹25 lakh income (last 3 FY). A document states abolition for all investor classes.

World Bank Group’s Development Data Group released Country Income Classifications for FY2026–2027 based on 2025 GNI per capita, converted using the Atlas method (3-year moving average of inflation-adjusted exchange rates). Thresholds: low ≤USD 1,175; lower-middle USD 1,176–4,635; upper-middle USD 4,636–14,375; high >USD 14,375. India remains lower-middle. Six countries moved up: Jordan, Micronesia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Viet Nam; Togo rose to lower-middle; none moved down. Low-income share fell from 30% to 11% in 2026; categories affect access to concessional finance.

Indian Navy’s Sail Training Ship (STS) INS Sudarshini sailed into New York Port for the United States International Naval Review 250 and Sail4th 250 celebrations, linked to Sail 250 Maryland and Airshow Baltimore marking the US 250th anniversary. It showcases Lokayan 2026, a 10-month transoceanic expedition covering 13 countries and 18 ports to strengthen maritime cooperation and goodwill. INS Sudarshini, a three-masted barque built by Goa Shipyard Limited, commissioned in 2012, has 20-day endurance and diesel/sail propulsion; sister ship is INS Tarangini.

Forest department rescued a 12-year-old tigress and five cubs from Bandipur Tiger Reserve, Karnataka, located in Chamarajanagar and Mysuru at the tri-junction of Karnataka–Tamil Nadu–Kerala, forming a Western–Eastern Ghats corridor. Established in 1931 as Venugopala Wildlife Park, it borders Nagarahole (via Kabini reservoir), Mudumalai and Wayanad; rivers Kabini, Moyar, Nugu; peak Himavad Gopalaswamy Betta; dry/moist deciduous forests; teak/rosewood/sandalwood; tiger, leopard, sloth bear; Project Tiger (1973, first nine) and Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (UNESCO WHS).

Researchers from IISER Pune and Savanna Science Foundation discovered a new plant species, Canscora agni (family Gentianaceae; genus Canscora), native to Indian savannas of Western India. Closest relative is C. alata. “Agni” means fire (including in Marathi). A dwarf herb (to 10 cm), it inhabits fire-prone mesic savannas with surface fires every 1–5 years; fire suppression and large-scale tree planting threaten its open grassy habitat.

The Ministry of Rural Development rolled out LokOS (People Operating System) under DAY-NRLM to digitise end-to-end management of SHGs and CBOs, covering member profiles, savings, lending, repayments, livelihoods and convergence initiatives. It registers SHGs, VOs and CLFs, provides Aadhaar- and bank-linked digital IDs, enables role-based approvals and real-time analytics, and captures about ₹2 lakh crore SHG transactions annually. SHE-LEAPS, launched June 2026 under LokOS, supports rural women entrepreneurship.