11th-13th July, 2026

1. MoEF&CC Inaugurates Centre of Excellence on Human-Wildlife Conflict in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu
2. QCI and NSIC Sign MoU to Strengthen Quality, Competitiveness and Market Access for MSMEs
3. EIU’s Global Liveability Index 2026: Delhi Ranks 120th Among 173 Cities; Copenhagen Tops
4. AU Small Finance Bank Partners with Zaggle to Launch Co-Branded Retail Credit Card
5. GoI Approves Dixon–Vivo Joint Venture for Domestic Smartphone Manufacturing
6. DoT’s Samriddh Gram Wins WSIS Prize 2026 under Action Line C6
7. SBI Sells 1.42% Stake in SBI Funds Management for Rs 1,655 Crore Ahead of IPO
8. National Fish Farmers’ Day 2026 – July 10
9. Indian Air Force Ranked World’s 3rd Strongest Air Force in WDMMA 2026
10. Federal Bank Receives Inaugural BBB- Investment-Grade Rating from S&P Global Ratings
11. ISRO Successfully Conducts Three Major Tests of Gaganyaan Crew Module Systems
12. India Bags Five Gold Medals at the International Physics Olympiad 2026
13. MY Bharat Launches Next Phase of ‘Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat’ Campaign
14. India Conducts Massive Tree-Planting Campaign Across the Country
15. President Murmu Expresses Grief over the Demise of Playback Singer S. Janaki Amma
16. Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan Unveils Statue of Social Reformer and Freedom Fighter Mannathu Padmanabhan in New Delhi
17. RBI Absorbs ₹1.10 Lakh Crore Surplus Liquidity from the Banking System
18. Bhopal to Host MP Tech Growth Conclave 3.0
19. Law Ministry Holds National Conference on Integration of Regional Languages in Legal Education
20. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw Announces Plans to Develop Hyderabad as a Major High-Speed Rail Hub
21. World Population Day
22. First Bishnupur District Olympic Games 2026 Conclude in Manipur
23. Operation Amistad: Venezuela Thanks India for Timely Earthquake Relief and Support
24. Railways Approve ₹260 Crore for Kavach Deployment to Enhance Safety and Operational Efficiency
25. Clean Energy Meets Over 50% of India’s Electricity Demand for the Second Time: Union Minister Pralhad Joshi
26. ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ Tree Plantation Campaign Launched in Indore
27. Preparations Begin for International Tourism Mart 2026 in Tawang
28. Manipur CM Inaugurates 19th Governor’s Taekwondo Cup 2026
29. Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu Launches ‘Pillale Sampada’ Initiative
30. India Declares One-Day National Mourning to Honour Qatar’s Father Amir
31. China: Typhoon Bavi Weakens into a Tropical Storm in Zhejiang Province
32. Jannik Sinner Retains Wimbledon Title; Guo and Mladenovic Win Women’s Doubles Championship
33. India and New Zealand Elevate Ties to a Strategic Partnership
34. India and New Zealand Set Target to Double Bilateral Trade to ₹35,000 Crore by 2030
35. PM Modi Becomes the First Indian Prime Minister to Visit New Zealand in Four Decades
36. India and New Zealand Celebrate 100 Years of Sporting Ties as Hockey Strengthens Friendship
37. India and New Zealand Sign 10 Agreements, Launch Strategic Partnership Roadmap to 2030

National News

Vice President Unveils Mannathu Padmanabhan Statue

• What: The Vice President of India C. P. Radhakrishnan unveiled the statue of social reformer Mannathu Padmanabhan and inaugurated the Mannam Smrithi Mandapam at the Mannam International Centre in Dwarka, New Delhi.
• Tell me more:
  • The Nair Service Society (NSS), Delhi, established this structural memorial monument as a living tribute to its legendary founder.
  • Mannathu Padmanabhan (1878-1970) belonged to Kerala, fighting against untouchability and caste discrimination to secure equal temple entry rights for oppressed communities.

National Conference Promotes Regional Languages in Law

• What: The Department of Legal Affairs under the Ministry of Law and Justice, along with the Bar Council of India (BCI), organized a National Conference in New Delhi to promote the use of regional languages in legal education.
• Tell me more:
  • The conference proposed a 10-year plan to introduce Hindi and other Indian languages in legal education, while retaining English as the link language to improve legal practice and legal aid.
  • A joint National Steering Committee will be set up to guide and monitor the implementation of these reforms.

Indian Railways Approves Funds for Kavach Deployment

• What: The Ministry of Railways approved the installation of the indigenous Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system named Kavach Version 4.0 across 680 Route Kilometres (RKm) of the Northern Railway.
• Tell me more:
  • The infrastructure safety project will cost ₹206 crore to expand coverage across high-density and strategically important routes.
  • The system will be installed on the Rewari–Delhi and Shakurbasti–Bathinda railway routes, including connected branch lines in the Delhi Division.
  • The system continuously monitors train movements, automatically applies brakes to prevent SPAD incidents and collisions, and enables trains to run safely at maximum speeds even during dense fog.

Clean Energy Meets Half of India’s Electricity Demand

• What: Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi announced that clean energy sources met 50.2% of India’s electricity demand for the second time in the country’s history.
• Tell me more:
  • When India’s electricity demand reached 221.5 GW, clean energy sources including solar, wind, hydro, and nuclear supplied 50.02% of the demand by generating nearly 110 GW of power.
  • India’s total installed power generation capacity is 542.3 GW, including 250.8 GW from thermal power and 282.7 GW from renewable energy.

India and New Zealand Elevate Bilateral Ties

• What: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon upgraded India–New Zealand relations to a Strategic Partnership to strengthen economic and maritime cooperation.
• Tell me more:
  • PM Modi becomes first Indian PM to visit New Zealand in 40 years.
  • Both countries aim to double bilateral trade from ₹18,000 crore to ₹35,000 crore by 2030, with New Zealand investing $20 billion in India over the next 15 years under the FTA.
  • The two countries announced 18 outcomes, including 10 agreements, such as logistics support and hydrographic data-sharing between their navies, to strengthen maritime cooperation.
  • Both sides launched the India–New Zealand Joint Action Plan on Sport in Auckland to celebrate 100 years of sporting relations in 2026.
  • The plan will expand cooperation in rugby and hockey through training, coaching, sports science, analytics, federation exchanges, and high-performance programmes, including a coaching clinic already held in Bhubaneswar.

State News

New Centre of Excellence Established in Coimbatore

• What: Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav inaugurated a national-level Centre of Excellence (CoE) on human-wildlife conflict at the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON) in Coimbatore.
• Tell me more:
  • The centre will research human-wildlife conflict, develop solutions for conflicts involving tigers, leopards, and elephants, and promote awareness and preventive measures to reduce such incidents.

Amit Shah Launches Mega Delhi Environmental Campaign

• What: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah launched the ‘Mission 70 Lakh Plantation’ campaign in New Delhi to improve the city’s environment under the Grand Master Plan.
• Tell me more:
  • The Grand Master Plan drives urban transport and infrastructure upgrades, while the Working Plan (2026–2036) specifically targets restoring and legally protecting 6,300 hectares of Delhi’s green Ridge ecosystem.
  • The government will sign an agreement with the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) to stop 1,500 metric tonnes of cow dung from entering the Yamuna River every day.

Bhopal Hosts MP Tech Growth Conclave 3.0

• What: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav will inaugurate the MP Tech Growth Conclave 3.0 in Bhopal to attract high-tech investments to the state.
• Tell me more:
  • The conclave will bring together industry leaders, investors, startups, and academic institutions to attract investments in Global Capability Centres (GCC), data centres, and semiconductors, and sign new partnership agreements.

Hyderabad to Become Major High-Speed Rail Hub

• What: Union Railway and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced plans to develop Hyderabad into a major high-speed rail hub through three bullet train corridors.
• Tell me more:
  • The proposed bullet train corridors will connect Hyderabad with Pune, Chennai, and Bengaluru to improve regional connectivity.
  • The Central Government has allocated ₹5 trillion for bullet train projects and ₹5,400 crore for railway development in Telangana.
  • Forty-two railway stations in Telangana, including Secunderabad, Nampally, Begumpet, and HITEC City, are being modernised.
  • The Minister urged the IT industry to expand into tier-2 cities such as Warangal and Karimnagar, and said 315 universities now have semiconductor design tools to strengthen India’s chip ecosystem.
• Knowledge Nuggets:
  • India’s first bullet train will start on 15 August 2027 between Surat and Bilimora under the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail project, with the remaining route opening in phases by 2029.
  • The entire 508-km corridor is targeted for completion by 2029. This train is modeled on Japan’s iconic Shinkansen bullet train technology.
  • The train will run at a maximum speed of 320 km/h, which is the maximum speed of a conventional bullet train. Separately, India is also developing its first indigenous bullet train (B35).

Manipur Concludes First Bishnupur District Olympic Games

• The District Administration, Bishnupur and the Bishnupur District Olympic Association (BDOA) successfully concluded the five-day long 1st Bishnupur District Olympic Games, 2026.
• Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla and Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh attended the final ceremony.

Madhya Pradesh Launches Massive Environmental Protection Drive

• What: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav launched a major tree plantation drive in Indore under the nationwide ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign to promote environmental protection.
• Tell me more:
  • The campaign aims to plant 21 lakh saplings and build 51,000 rainwater harvesting units, encouraging public participation in environmental conservation with support from government leaders, NGOs, students, and citizens.

Preparations Begin for 14th International Tourism Mart in Tawang

• What: The Ministry of Tourism and the Arunachal Pradesh Department of Tourism began preparations to host the 14th International Tourism Mart (ITM) 2026 in Tawang.
• Tell me more:
  • The International Tourism Mart is an annual event that promotes tourism in North-Eastern India by bringing together tourism officials, businesses, tour operators, and investors to showcase destinations and boost tourism.

Manipur Chief Minister Inaugurates Governor’s Taekwondo Cup

• What: Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh inaugurated the 19th Governor’s Taekwondo Cup 2026 at the Khuman Lampak Indoor Stadium in Imphal.
• Tell me more:
  • Organised by the All Manipur Taekwondo Association (AMTA), the tournament features 1,141 athletes from 29 teams until 15 July. AMTA has trained over 40 international taekwondo players.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Shifts to Population Conservation

• What: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu officially announced a strategic policy shift from population control to population conservation alongside introducing the child-centric “Pillale Sampada” (Children are Wealth) initiative.
• Tell me more:
  • To address declining fertility and an ageing population, the state will provide ₹15,000 per child, strengthen women’s education, healthcare and nutrition, and work towards a per capita income of ₹55 lakh by 2047.

International News

Indian Contingent Concludes Operation Amistad in Venezuela

• What: The Indian contingent returned to New Delhi after successfully completing Operation Amistad, a humanitarian relief mission in Venezuela following recent earthquakes.
• Tell me more:
  • India sent a 41-member medical team, BHISHM Cubes, medicines, and relief supplies to earthquake-hit Venezuela, treated over 8,000 patients, and received appreciation from Acting President Delcy Rodríguez.
• Knowledge Nuggets:
  • Project BHISHM, launched under the Aarogya Maitri initiative, is India’s first indigenous portable hospital, developed to provide rapid emergency medical care during disasters and humanitarian crises in India and abroad.
  • BHISHM stands for ‘Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog Hita & Maitri’
  • Launched in January 2023, the ‘Aarogya Maitri’ project is a humanitarian initiative that extends India’s commitment to global health and disaster relief.

Source: NOA

Banking and Economy

AU Bank and Zaggle Launch Co-branded Credit Card

• What: AU Small Finance Bank (AU SFB) partnered with Zaggle Prepaid Ocean Services to launch a co-branded credit card that offers rewards on everyday spending.
• Tell me more:
  • The co-branded credit card is available through the zagg.money app, website, and assisted channels in Visa and RuPay variants, offering rewards on contactless, UPI, and online spending, a fuel surcharge waiver, and cashback through Zagg Coins.

Government Approves Major Dixon–Vivo Joint Venture

• What: The Government of India approved a joint venture between Dixon Technologies and Vivo Mobile India to manufacture smartphones and other electronic devices under the Press Note 3 (2020) investment rules.
• Tell me more:
  • This is one of the first major approvals for Chinese investment in India’s strategic electronics sector.
  • Dixon Technologies will hold a 51% stake, while Vivo Mobile India will own the remaining 49%.
  • Under Press Note 3 (2020), investments from countries sharing a land border with India require government approval, and Indian entities must retain majority ownership and management control.
  • Separately, the Finance Ministry removed customs duty on 85 capital goods used to manufacture lithium-ion cells to support domestic production.

SBI Funds Management Raises Pre-IPO Share Capital

• What: SBI Funds Management (SBI FM) raised ₹1,655 crore by selling shares to institutional and individual investors before its Initial Public Offering (IPO).
• Tell me more:
  • State Bank of India (SBI) signed agreements to divest a 1.42% stake in the asset management firm.
  • The main public issue worth ₹11,693 crore stands as the largest initial public offering recorded so far in 2026.

Federal Bank Receives First International Investment-Grade Rating

• What: Standard & Poor’s (S&P) Global Ratings assigned Federal Bank its first international investment-grade credit rating of BBB- (long-term) and A-3 (short-term).
• Tell me more:
  • The rating shows Federal Bank is financially strong and reliable, making it easier to attract global investors, raise funds at lower costs, and build customer confidence.
  • S&P gave the rating because of the bank’s strong risk management, healthy capital, good liquidity, diversified funding, and stable financial performance.

Reserve Bank of India Absorbs Excess Banking Liquidity

• What: On 9 July, the RBI absorbed a net ₹1.10 lakh crore of surplus liquidity by absorbing ₹1.67 lakh crore through the Standing Deposit Facility (SDF) and injecting ₹46,729 crore through repo operations.
• Tell me more:
  • Overnight money market transactions totalled ₹6.91 lakh crore at an average interest rate of 5.28%.
  • The triparty repo segment recorded the highest transactions at ₹4.81 lakh crore, followed by market repos at ₹1.78 lakh crore.
  • Banks kept ₹7.88 lakh crore with the RBI, slightly below the required Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) balance of ₹7.98 lakh crore.
  • The banking system had a net liquidity surplus of ₹4.82 lakh crore on 15 June, indicating comfortable liquidity conditions.

Reports and Indices

Economist Intelligence Unit Releases Global Liveability Index

• What: The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) released its Global Liveability Index 2026 assessing 173 cities worldwide, where Copenhagen secured the top spot while New Delhi emerged as the highest-ranked Indian city at the 120th position.
• Tell me more:
  • The annual index evaluates urban living conditions across five key categories including stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure.
  • Vienna and Melbourne secured the second and third positions globally, whereas Mumbai, Chennai, and Bengaluru ranked 121, 123, and 127 respectively.
  • The report highlighted that average liveability scores in Western Europe stagnated, while cities across Asia recorded notable improvements due to sustained healthcare investments.
  • The Iran war reduced stability in the Middle East, while lower city rankings may make Indian cities less attractive to global investors and skilled professionals.

World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft (WDMMA) 2026 Global Air Power Rankings

• What: The Indian Air Force (IAF) retained its position as the world’s third-most powerful air force for the fifth consecutive year in the WDMMA 2026 Global Air Power Rankings.
• Tell me more:
  • The rankings assess 129 air forces from 103 countries based on the quality, capability, and balance of their aircraft, not just fleet size.
  • The IAF scored 69.4 with 1,716 operational aircraft, ranking ahead of China’s People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF), which ranked seventh with a score of 63.8.
  • The IAF has 542 fighter and attack aircraft, making up 31.6% of its total fleet.
  • India plans to increase its fighter strength by acquiring 114 Rafale jets from France and 180 Tejas Mk-1A fighter aircraft from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

Science and Technology

ISRO Conducts Key Gaganyaan Module Tests

• What: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully carried out three important tests of the Gaganyaan Crew Module.
• Tell me more:
  • ISRO tested systems to ensure the Gaganyaan capsule can safely separate from the service module, stay structurally strong, land upright in the sea, and deploy parachutes successfully.

Awards

Indian Project Wins Global Telecommunication Union Award

• What: The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) awarded the Department of Telecommunications’ (DoT) flagship project Samriddh Gram the WSIS Prizes 2026.
• Tell me more:
  • The project won the top award in the Action Line C6 – Enabling Environment category at the WSIS Forum 2026 in Geneva, Switzerland.
  • Built on the BharatNet network connecting over 2.17 lakh Gram Panchayats, the project provides healthcare, digital classrooms, financial services, and e-governance through village-level Samriddhi Kendras.
• Knowledge Nuggets:
  • The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Forum is an annual global event organized by the United Nations (UN) to promote digital cooperation and bridge the global digital divide.
  • The event is coordinated by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and co-organized alongside other UN bodies, including UNESCO, UNDP, and UNCTAD.
  • During the forum, the UN holds an awards ceremony (given in 18 categories) to recognize outstanding, scalable projects from around the world that successfully leverage ICTs to drive real-world socio-economic progress.

Indian Students Win Five Golds at Physics Olympiad

• What: All five Indian students won gold medals at the 56th International Physics Olympiad (IPhO) 2026 in Bucaramanga, Colombia, helping India finish joint first in the medal tally.
• Tell me more:
  • Kanishk Jain (Pune), Riddhesh Anant Bendale (Indore), Rishit Garg (Dwarka, New Delhi), Shresth Suraiya (Mumbai), and Svarit Joshi (Ahmedabad) won gold medals among 381 students from 85 countries.
  • India shared the top position with China, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, and Taiwan because all five of the students in their respective teams won gold medals. Hence, it was a tie among these countries.
  • A South Korean student was the overall winner.
  • The team was guided by Professor Anwesh Mazumdar of Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE) and Dr Leena Joshi, with Professor Ananda Dasgupta and Nisha Kelkar serving as scientific observers.
    • HBCSE is a part of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR).
    • The team underwent training through the Physics Olympiad Cell at HBCSE.
  • This was India’s 27th appearance at the Olympiad and only the second time it won five gold medals, after 2018. Over the past 10 years, every Indian participant has won either a gold or silver medal.

Important Days

National Fish Farmers’ Day 2026 – July 10

• What: The Indian Council of Agricultural Research-Central Institute of Fisheries Education (ICAR-CIFE) celebrated National Fish Farmers Day at its Kolkata Centre to honour fish farmers for their contribution to food security and sustainable fish farming.
• Tell me more:
  • Eight fish farmers, entrepreneurs, and incubatees were honoured for their contribution to the aquaculture sector.
  • ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Education HQ – Mumbai

World Population Day – July 11

• Theme: Realising the hopes and aspirations of young people – today and for the future

Sports

Sports Ministry Launches Nasha Mukt Yuva Campaign

• What: The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS), through Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat), launched the next phase of the nationwide ‘Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat’ campaign on 13 July 2026.
• Tell me more:
  • The campaign will hold district, state, and national-level competitions to spread awareness against drug abuse, with district rounds from 24–27 July in five creative categories.
  • Youth aged 15–29 can register on the MY Bharat Portal from 13 July. District winners will advance to the state rounds, followed by the national finale in New Delhi.

Wimbledon (Tennis) 2026 at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London

• Women’s Singles Winner: Linda Noskova (Czech Tennis Player)
• Men’s Singles Winner: Jannik Sinner (Italian)
• Women’s Doubles Winner: Guo Hanyu (Chinese) and Kristina Mladenovic (French)
• Men’s Doubles Winner: Henry Patten (British) and Harri Heliövaara (Finnish)

Memorandum of Understanding

Quality Council and National Small Industries Partner

• What: The Quality Council of India (QCI) signed an agreement with National Small Industries Corporation Limited (NSIC) in New Delhi to create a collaborative ecosystem that strengthens quality, competitiveness, and market access for domestic MSMEs.
• Tell me more:
  • The partnership will promote Zero Defect Zero Effect (ZED) certification, improve testing facilities, expand digital market access, strengthen MSME support through national schemes, and enhance training and capacity building for small businesses.

Miscellaneous

President Murmu Condoles Demise of Singer S Janaki

• What: President Droupadi Murmu expressed deep grief over the passing of legendary playback singer S Janaki.
• Tell me more:
  • S Janaki had a career spanning more than six decades, recording thousands of songs in nearly 20 Indian languages, including Hindi, Odia, Tulu, Urdu, Punjabi, and Bengali.

India Declares National Mourning for Qatar Father Amir

• India observed a one-day national mourning on 13 July 2026 for former Qatar Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani (”Father Amir of the State of Qatar”). The National Flag flew at half-mast and official entertainment was cancelled.

Typhoon Bavi Weakens into Tropical Storm in China

• Typhoon Bavi, named by Vietnam after the Ba Vì mountain range, made landfall in Zhejiang, China, weakened into a tropical storm, and continues to bring heavy rain and strong winds.

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