01st July 2026

1. GBU, GNIDA, Space Kidz India & IN-SPACe Join Hands to Support Mission ShakthiSAT
2. Gujarat Police Signs MoU with Bharat Taxi to Enhance Public Safety and Urban Mobility
3. IIT Delhi and Sorbonne University to Launch Joint Master’s and PhD Programmes from 2026 in Biological Science
4. World’s Best School Prizes 2026: 7 Indian Schools Shortlisted, Setting a New Global Record
5. Indian Coast Guard Commissions Fast Patrol Vessel ICGS Akshay in Goa
6. ISRO Successfully Conducts Test Trial of Next-Generation Rocket Engine at Record Thrust Level
7. Ethan Vaz and Harshavardhan G. B. Become India’s 96th and 97th Chess Grandmasters
8. England Test Captain Ben Stokes Announces Retirement from International Cricket
9. Mintage World Launches Coffee Table Book on PM Narendra Modi-Era Stamps, Coins and Currency
10. National Insurance Awareness Day 2026 – June 28
11. World Allergy Week 2026 – June 21 to 27
12. Rajasthan and Haryana Sign Historic Yamuna Water Project Agreement: Key Features, Benefits and Significance Explained
13. Team India Wins 5 Medals at Global Skills Challenge Australia 2026, Strengthening WorldSkills Shanghai Preparations
14. Project BRAHMANK of BRO Marks 16th Raising Day: Strengthening India’s Border Infrastructure
15. LA28 Olympics Cricket Qualification Explained: Qualified Teams, Rules and Road to Los Angeles 2028
16. India’s First Offshore Airport Approved in Maharashtra: Location, Features, Benefits & Key Details
17. Delhi EV Policy 2.0 Explained: New Rules, Subsidies, Tax Benefits and Petrol Vehicle Deadlines from July 1, 2026
18. HDFC Bank Appoints Former CEC Rajiv Kumar as Part-Time Chairman for Three Years
19. International Asteroid Day 2026: Theme, History, Significance and Key Facts
20. PM Family Care Tracker (PM-FCT): Gujarat Launches Health Passport for Maternal and Child Health
21. Who Is Ancy Sojan? Kerala Long Jumper Who Broke Anju Bobby George’s 22-Year-Old National Record
22. OpenAI Appoints Prabhjeet Singh as Managing Director for India, Strengthening Its AI Expansion Strategy
23. ISRO Successfully Conducts 175-Tonne Semicryogenic Engine Hot Test, Strengthening India’s Future Space Missions
24. ICGS Akshay Commissioned into Bharatiya Tatrakshak Fleet
25. Italy Becomes the UNESCO World Heritage Capital with 61 Protected Sites
26. Statistics Day 2026: Theme, History, Significance and Why Administrative Data Matters
27. OPSA Launches TRL Compass Platform and Signs MoU with DSCI
28. Indian Navy Participates in 30th Edition of Maritime Exercise ‘RIMPAC’ in Hawaii, USA
29. PayGlocal Launches Google Pay Card Payments for Global Merchant Transactions
30. Kakinada Cooperative Town Bank Attains Tier-III Status After Deposits Surpass Rs 2,000 Crore
31. US Open 2026 Badminton: Chinese Taipei’s Su Li-yang Wins Men’s Singles Title; India’s Kidambi Srikanth Finishes Runner-Up
32. Austrian Grand Prix 2026: Mercedes’ George Russell Wins
33. India Women’s Cricket Team Secures Direct Qualification for Los Angeles 2028 Olympics
34. International Day of the Tropics 2026 – June 29
35. GST Day 2026: 9 Years of India’s Landmark Tax Reform Explained
36. Union Minister Dr. Virendra Kumar Leads Nasha Mukt Bharat Saptah Rally in Haridwar
37. Union Minister Amit Shah Chaired 10th Apex Level Meeting of NCORD in New Delhi, Delhi

National News

Gautam Buddha University Partners for Mission ShakthiSAT

• What: Gautam Buddha University (GBU) partnered with Space Kidz India and the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) to support Mission ShakthiSAT, the world’s first all-girls international satellite mission to the Moon.
• Tell me more:
  • This global aerospace initiative brings together 12,000 young girls from 108 countries to provide hands-on exposure to satellite development and space technology.
  • Space Kidz India conceptualized and led the mission to empower the next generation of female scientists, engineers, innovators, and leaders.
  • GBU Vice Chancellor Prof. Rana Pratap Singh, Dean Prof. Rajeev Varshney, and Prof. Dhanalakshmi provided leadership and guidance for this academic partnership.
  • The project also receives institutional backing from IN-SPACe Chairman Dr Pawan Goenka and Director Dr Vinod Kumar to strengthen private participation.

Indian Institute of Technology Delhi Partners With Sorbonne

• The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi and France’s Sorbonne University launched a joint master’s programme in Biological Science and a joint PhD course to improve academic research and student mobility.

Amit Shah Launches Prime Minister Family Care Tracker

• What: Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah launched the PM Family Care Tracker (PM-FCT) digital platform in Gandhinagar, Gujarat to provide real-time monitoring of maternal and child health welfare beneficiaries.
• Tell me more:
  • The platform uses real-time tracking to prevent duplicate beneficiary records and provides digital dashboards to help district and state authorities plan interventions for malnutrition and high-risk pregnancies.

Nasha Mukt Bharat Saptah 2026 Concludes Successfully

• What: The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment (DoSJE) successfully organized the Nasha Mukt Bharat Saptah 2026 from 17 June to 26 June 2026, mobilizing over 1.31 crore citizens nationwide to raise awareness against substance abuse.
• Tell me more:
  • This nationwide anti-drug campaign commemorated the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking (June 26) and ended with a grand National Awareness Programme in Haridwar, Uttarakhand.
  • The DoSJE signed strategic Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with the All World Gayatri Pariwar under the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA) and the Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana (AVYAY).
  • These pacts aim to increase grassroots cooperation, expand community awareness, reduce drug demand, and promote the overall welfare of senior citizens across the country.

Amit Shah Chairs Narco Coordination Centre Meeting

• What: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah chaired the tenth apex-level meeting of the Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD) in New Delhi to strengthen the national anti-drug network.
• Tell me more:
  • The Union Home Minister released the Vision Document on Drug Control (2026-2029) and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Annual Report-2025 to guide national anti-trafficking efforts.
  • The government launched the Online Drugs Disposal Fortnight Campaign to systematically destroy narcotics weighing 2,09,500 kilograms with an estimated financial value of Rs 6,000 crore.

State News

Gujarat Police Partners With Bharat Taxi

• What: The Gujarat Police signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Sahakar Taxi Cooperative Limited (Bharat Taxi) to digitally integrate its transport platform, aiming to improve urban mobility safety.
• Tell me more:
  • It is a partnership between Gujarat Police and Bharat Taxi to enhance urban transport safety through driver verification, emergency SOS services, police integration, digital monitoring, and public awareness initiatives.

Haryana and Rajasthan Sign Yamuna Water Agreement

• What: Haryana and Rajasthan signed a formal Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) to implement the 1994 Upper Yamuna River Board (UYRB) pact, which allows Rajasthan to receive monsoon water from the Hathini Kund barrage.
• Tell me more:
  • Five original basin states, including Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and the National Capital Territory of Delhi, signed the initial water allocation pact in 1994.
  • The Yamuna River flows through Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh before joining the Ganga at Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh.

Maharashtra Orders Report for Indias First Offshore Airport

• What: The Maharashtra government ordered a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for India’s first offshore airport proposed near Kore Beach in Palghar district to expand national aviation capacity.
• Tell me more:
  • The City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) independently backed this northern growth corridor.

Delhi Government Notifies Electric Vehicles Policy 2026

• What: The Delhi government officially notified the Delhi Electric Vehicles Policy 2026 to accelerate electric vehicle (EV) adoption, improve urban air quality, and strengthen the capital’s electric mobility ecosystem.
• Tell me more:
  • This framework operates from July 1, 2026, until March 31, 2030, following structural approval by Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta.
  • The administration plans to invest Rs 15,000 crore to install 30,000 EV charging points and will phase out new petrol and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) two-wheeler registrations by April 1, 2028.
  • Electric cars costing Rs 30 lakh or less receive full exemptions from road tax and registration fees, alongside a Rs 1 lakh scrapping incentive for older vehicles.
  • Buyers will receive subsidies in the first, second, and third years of ₹30,000, ₹20,000, and ₹10,000 for electric two-wheelers, and up to ₹50,000, ₹40,000, and ₹30,000 for electric three-wheelers.
  • The policy provides tapered purchase subsidies for electric two-wheelers and three-wheelers over three years through a Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system with a three-year state registration lock-in period.

International News

Italy Becomes the Country with the Highest Number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites

• Italy now has the highest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the world, with 61 natural, cultural, and mixed heritage sites recognized for their outstanding global value.

Banking and Economy

PayGlocal Launches Google Pay for International Transactions

• What: Cross-border payments platform PayGlocal launched Google Pay Card Payments on its International Payment Gateway to allow Indian merchants to accept international transactions from global customers.
• Tell me more:
  • The platform enables Indian merchants to accept secure global digital payments in over 60 currencies, reach more customers worldwide, improve checkout experience, and increase sales through a single integration.

Kakinada Cooperative Town Bank Attains Tier III Status

• What: The Kakinada Cooperative Town Bank attained Tier-III status under the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) regulatory norms after its total deposits successfully crossed the Rs 2,000-crore mark.
• Tell me more:
  • The bank now stands as the second-largest urban cooperative bank among 46 similar institutions operating across Andhra Pradesh.
  • The institution holds Rs 1,235 crore in total deposits and Rs 804.12 crore in advances while maintaining zero net non-performing assets.
  • This regulatory upgrade occurred because the apex bank classifies urban cooperative organizations with deposits between Rs 1,000 crore and Rs 10,000 crore under Tier-III.

Defence News

Indian Coast Guard Inducts New Patrol Vessel

• What: The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) inducted ICGS Akshay, an indigenously built new-generation Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV) into the Bharatiya Tatrakshak Fleet at Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) to protect national waters.
• Tell me more:
  • Commandant (Junior Grade) (JG) Deepak Choubey will command the newly commissioned patrol vessel.
  • The Fast Patrol Vessel Akshay, meaning “indestructible,” will strengthen maritime law enforcement, coastal security, search and rescue, environmental protection, and humanitarian assistance operations.

Border Roads Organisation Celebrates Project BRAHMANK Raising Day

• What: Project BRAHMANK of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) celebrated its 16th Raising Day on June 29, 2026, at Ranaghat in Arunachal Pradesh to mark fifteen years of strategic infrastructure development.
• Tell me more:
  • This unit is responsible for building and maintaining 811 km of roads and around 86 bridges in parts of Assam and several districts of Arunachal Pradesh.
  • It has also built key infrastructure, including a 100-metre steel arch bridge over Siyom Nallah and helipads, to improve connectivity in the region.

Indian Navy Joins RIMPAC Exercise in Hawaii

• What: The Indian Navy deployed a P-8I maritime patrol aircraft to Hawaii to participate in the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise, which is known as the world’s largest naval exercise.
• Tell me more:
  • The US Pacific Fleet hosts the 30th edition of this biennial exercise under the centralized theme “Partners: Integrated and Prepared.”
  • This multilateral event includes thirty nations, over thirty surface ships, five submarines, and more than 200 aircraft to increase joint operational readiness.

Science and Technology

ISRO Tests Semi-Cryogenic Engine Power Head

• What: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully conducted a hot test of its semi-cryogenic engine power head at 88% of its target thrust at a facility in Tamil Nadu.
• Tell me more:
  • The eighth hot test of the Power Head Test Article (PHTA) successfully achieved 175 tonnes of thrust. Although the thrust chamber was not tested, the success paves the way for a full 200-tonne thrust test.
  • The new engine will enable India to launch heavier satellites, reduce launch costs, strengthen self-reliance in space technology, and improve the commercial and strategic capabilities of the LVM3 rocket.
  • ISRO is developing a liquid oxygen and kerosene-powered engine to replace the LVM3’s core stage engine, enabling the rocket to carry heavier payloads and operate more efficiently.

Government Launches Platform to Standardize Technology Readiness Level

• What: The Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India (OPSA), in collaboration with the Data Security Council of India (DSCI), launched the TRL Compass Platform to standardize Technology Readiness Level (TRL) assessments across sectors.
• Tell me more:
  • The platform creates a common system to fairly assess the readiness of research technologies for government funding, helping speed up innovation, improve transparency, and support commercialization of indigenous technologies.
  • The platform will support the implementation of major national programmes such as the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) and the Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund.
  • The two organisations signed an MoU to train technology assessors and jointly develop a Technology Radar framework.

Awards

World’s Best School Prizes 2026

• What: The World’s Best School Prizes are presented by T4 Education, a UK-headquartered organization. The awards were launched in 2022 after the COVID-19 pandemic to recognize schools making an exceptional impact on students and society.
• Tell me more:
  • Schools are evaluated under five award categories:
    1. Innovation
    2. Community Collaboration
    3. Environmental Action
    4. Supporting Healthy Lives
    5. Overcoming Adversity
  • The shortlisted schools will now be evaluated by an expert Judging Academy, which will announce the top three finalists and the winners in November 2026.
  • Meanwhile, all 50 shortlisted schools across the five categories will compete in a public vote for the Community Choice Award.
  • Both the shortlisted schools and the eventual winners will be invited to attend the World Schools Summit in London in January 2027.

Important Days

National Insurance Awareness Day 2026 – June 28

World Allergy Week 2026 – June 21 to 27

International Asteroid Day – June 30

• 2029 is the International Year of Asteroid Awareness and Planetary Defence.

National Statistics Day 2026 (20th Edition) – June 29

• India’s Theme: Unlocking the Potential of Administrative Data
• This annual commemorative event honors the birth anniversary of Professor Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis to highlight the direct value of statistics in regional socio-economic planning.

International Day of the Tropics 2026 – June 29

GST Day 2026 – July 1

Sports

India Welcomes Two New Chess Grandmasters

• What: Fourteen-year-old Ethan Vaz and twenty-two-year-old Harshavardhan GB achieved all mandatory technical requirements to officially become the 96th and 97th chess Grandmasters (GM) of India.
• Tell me more:
  • Ethan Vaz from Goa secured his third and final GM norm by winning the Chess Summer in Sarajevo GM Mix tournament in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
  • Harshavardhan GB from Chennai earned his final title norm at the second Chola Chess GM Norm Round Robin Tournament in Tamil Nadu.
  • The International Chess Federation (FIDE) regulations require aspiring players to cross an Elo rating threshold of 2500 points alongside three technical norms.

Ben Stokes Announces Retirement from International Cricket

• What: England Test captain Ben Stokes announced his retirement from international cricket, confirming that the third Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge is his own last assignment.
• Tell me more:
  • The athlete became only the second player in cricket history to achieve the double milestone of 7000 runs and 250 wickets in Test matches.
  • The international career spanned a total of 122 Test matches, 114 One Day Internationals (ODIs), and 43 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) for England.

Team India Wins Five Medals at Global Skills Challenge

• What: Team India won three gold, one silver, and one bronze medal at the Global Skills Challenge (GSC) Australia 2026, strengthening its preparations for the 48th WorldSkills Competition in Shanghai.
• Tell me more:
  • The competition brought together around 600 participants from 16 countries to test practical vocational skills, technical expertise, problem-solving, innovation, and industry-standard performance under international evaluation standards.
  • India sent a 30-member contingent, including 15 competitors and 15 experts, who competed in 15 vocational skill categories such as advanced manufacturing and digital technologies.
  • Pavan Bhadravati Suresha, Mausam Kumar Giri, and Vishnupriya Sunil won gold medals, while Harsh Ramesh Pawar won silver and Muskan won bronze.
  • The event is part of the Skill India Mission, which prepares India’s workforce for global competitions through international exposure.

Los Angeles 2028 Olympics

• What: The International Cricket Council (ICC) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have finalized how teams will qualify for cricket’s return to the Olympics after 128 years.
• Tell me more:
  • Cricket at LA28 will feature men’s and women’s T20 tournaments, with six teams in each event.
  • Women’s event: The first four teams have already qualified:
    • Australia
    • Great Britain (through England)
    • India
    • South Africa
  • Men’s event: No team has qualified yet. The first four places will be decided using the ICC Men’s T20 Team Rankings on 31 December 2026.
  • The USA gets one host quota place (subject to ranking criteria), and the final place in both men’s and women’s events will be decided through the ICC Olympics Qualifier in 2027.

National Records Broken at Inter State Athletics Championships

• What: Long jumper Ancy Sojan and high jumper Sarvesh Anil Kushare broke long-standing national records during the National Inter-State Athletics Championships held in Bhubaneshwar to secure gold medals.
• Tell me more:
  • The twenty-five-year-old Sojan registered a leap of 6.88m on her fifth attempt to surpass the previous twenty-two-year-old women’s long jump record of 6.83m.
  • This record-breaking performance helps the athlete overcome previous health issues ahead of the upcoming Aichi Nagoya Asian Games starting on September 19.

US Open (Badminton) 2026 in California

• What: Indian badminton player Kidambi Srikanth finished as the runner-up in the men’s singles final at the US Open 2026 badminton tournament in California after losing to Chinese Taipei’s Su Li Yang.
• Tell me more:
  • Women’s Singles Winner: Line Christophersen (Denmark)

George Russell Seizes Victory at Austrian Grand Prix

• Mercedes driver George Russell (British) secured his seventh career win by finishing first at the Austrian Grand Prix ahead of Max Verstappen and Kimi Antonelli.

Appointments

HDFC Bank Appoints Rajiv Kumar as Chairman

• What: The board of HDFC Bank appointed former Chief Election Commission (CEC) poll panel chief Rajiv Kumar as its new part-time non-executive Chairman for a four-year term.
• Tell me more:
  • The former bureaucrat previously served as the 25th CEC of India and as the Secretary in the Department of Financial Services.
  • During his tenure in the finance ministry, Kumar implemented a structural 4R strategy of Recognition, Resolution, Recapitalisation, and Reforms to clean up non-performing assets (NPAs).
  • His specialized banking reforms enforced risk scoring on more than 34 factors and mandated transparent monitoring for loans above Rs 250 crore.

OpenAI Appoints Prabhjeet Singh as India Managing Director

• Artificial intelligence company OpenAI appointed former Uber India and South Asia President Prabhjeet Singh as its Managing Director for India to lead its operations and leadership expansion.

Miscellaneous

Mintage World Launches Narendra Modi Coffee Table Book

• What: Mintage World, an online museum dedicated to historical tokens, launched a unique 200-page coffee table book documenting major government initiatives and achievements released through commemorative tenders during the first premiership term of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• Tell me more:
  • First-generation entrepreneur and Mintage World Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sushilkumar Agrawal conceptualized this visual archival compilation.
  • Mintage World operates as the first online museum for ancient and modern coins, stamps, and currency banknotes.

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