14th July, 2026

1. DBN, GFGNL and BSNL Sign Addendum for Rs 5,629 Crore BharatNet Rural Broadband Rollout in Gujarat
2. Reliance Foundation Founder Nita Ambani Receives Fortune India Most Powerful Women Honour
3. International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica 2026 – July 11
4. World Horse Day 2026 – July 11
5. UP CM Yogi Adityanath Renames Ayodhya’s Bhadarsa Town as Bharat Nagar
6. US, UK and 12 Other Nations Reject China’s South China Sea Claims, Reaffirm 2016 Hague Ruling
7. NAMASTE Day 2026: Ministry to Celebrate 3rd Anniversary in Kolkata Honouring India’s Sanitation Workers
8. Ahmedabad Sets Guinness World Record by Planting 3.61 Lakh Saplings in One Hour
9. Why August 16 Will Be Observed as ‘Ayushman Diwas’ Instead of ‘Khela Hobe Diwas’ in West Bengal
10. UP Khet Suraksha Yojana 2026
11. India Launches Campaign for UN Security Council Seat for the 2028–29 Term
12. India and Poland Discuss Cooperation in Trade, Defence and Technology
13. India and Japan Review Progress in Defence Cooperation at the 8th Defence Policy Dialogue
14. Bharat Tex 2026 to Begin in New Delhi
15. Ministry of Panchayati Raj Holds National Training on Water Budgeting and Water Security Planning
16. Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy Launches Singareni Bharosa Yatra in Telangana
17. Indian-Origin Astronaut Anil Menon Set to Begin Eight-Month ISS Mission
18. INS Sudarshini Arrives in Boston After Sail4th 250 Celebrations
19. Jurassic Park Star Sam Neill Dies at 78
20. ASEAN Foreign Ministers Discuss Myanmar Peace Process in Bangkok
21. WIPO Report 2026 Reaffirms India as a Global Innovation Powerhouse; Intangible Investment Grows 7.9%

National News

Ministry to Observe Third NAMASTE Day in Kolkata

• What: The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment will celebrate the 3rd NAMASTE Day on 14 July to mark three years of the National Action for Mechanized Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) scheme.
• Tell me more:
  • The main event will be held at Rabindra Sadan, Kolkata, along with the Divya Kala Mela.
  • The scheme aims to eliminate deaths during hazardous sanitation work through mechanised cleaning by trained workers, while supporting sanitation workers through Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and entrepreneurship opportunities.

India and Poland Hold Strategic Partnership Talks

• What: India and Poland held high-level talks in New Delhi to strengthen cooperation in politics, trade, investment, technology, defence, culture, electric vehicles, mining, shipping, technology and counter-terrorism.
• Tell me more:
  • The Indian delegation was led by MEA Secretary (West) Sibi George, while Wladyslaw T. Bartoszewski and Michal Baranowski represented Poland.
  • The meeting followed earlier talks in Warsaw on economic cooperation under the proposed India–EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

India and Japan Reaffirm Strategic Defence Ties

• What: India and Japan held the 8th Defence Policy Dialogue in Tokyo and reaffirmed their commitment to a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific.
• Tell me more:
  • The Indian delegation was led by Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, while Vice Minister Kano Koji represented Japan.
  • They reviewed military exchanges, joint headquarters cooperation, maritime technology, and preparations for the next 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue in Tokyo by the end of this year.
  • Earlier this month, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made her first official visit to India for the 16th India-Japan Annual Summit, where both countries strengthened their strategic partnership.
  • Both countries reaffirmed their commitment to a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific and opposed unilateral actions in the East and South China Seas under UNCLOS.
  • They adopted an Economic Security Declaration covering semiconductors, critical minerals, ICT, energy, and pharmaceuticals to strengthen supply chains.
  • They expanded defence cooperation through joint military exercises, the 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue, and the UNICORN naval antenna project.
  • They also launched a India-Japan Cooperative Biogas for Growth Initiative and strengthened cooperation in the Mumbai–Ahmedabad bullet train project, quantum technology, and artificial intelligence (AI).

Bharat Tex 2026 Begins in New Delhi

• What: Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh inaugurated the third edition of Bharat Tex 2026, India’s largest global textile exhibition, at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
• Tell me more:
  • The four-day event brings together over 1,600 exhibitors, 7,000 global buyers, and 1.3 lakh visitors, with 4,000+ B2B meetings, 100 B2G meetings, and over 30 MoUs planned.
  • States will showcase their textile infrastructure, policy incentives, and PM MITRA parks to attract investment.
  • The event includes exhibitors from 14 countries and participation from the United Nations (UN) and the European Union (EU) to promote global textile trade.

Ministry Organises National Training on Water Budgeting

• What: The Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) is holding a four-day national training programme in New Delhi to train Master Trainers on water budgeting and water security planning for Gram Panchayats.
• Tell me more:
  • Water budgeting mathematically balances local water supply against consumer demand. Water security ensures reliable, long-term community access to safe, adequate water for livelihoods, health, and ecosystems.
  • The programme will train Master Trainers to help Gram Panchayats prepare Water Security Plans using the Water Sufficient Panchayats Manual, which will be integrated into Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDPs).
  • The first phase will cover 100 districts, 100 blocks, and 1,000 Gram Panchayats across 10 states.
  • The first training batch includes officials from Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, and West Bengal, who will train others during the People’s Plan Campaign (PPC).

State News

Uttar Pradesh Renames Bhadarsa as Bharat Nagar

• What: The Uttar Pradesh Government renamed Bhadarsa town in Ayodhya district as Bharat Nagar to highlight its cultural and religious importance.
• Tell me more:
  • According to tradition, Bharat performed penance here and ruled Ayodhya from Bharat Kund for 14 years during Lord Ram’s exile. The renaming restores its historical identity and promotes religious tourism in the Bharat Nagar–Bharat Kund region.

West Bengal Replaces Khela Hobey Divas with Ayushman Divas

• What: The West Bengal Government, led by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, has replaced “Khela Hobey Divas” with “Ayushman Divas”, to be observed on 16 August.
• Tell me more:
  • The day will mark the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme and 100 days of the BJP government.
  • The Great Calcutta Killings began on August 16, 1946, as massive communal violence following the All India Muslim League’s call for Direct Action Day in British India.
  • The state will cover 70% of beneficiaries, including all citizens aged 70 years and above, under Ayushman Bharat, while enrolling the remaining 30% under the new Chief Minister Health Insurance Scheme.
  • Annapurna Yojana of the previous government has replaced the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme to provide financial assistance to eligible women.

Uttar Pradesh Promotes Solar Fencing for Farmers

• What: The Uttar Pradesh Government provides financial assistance under the Uttar Pradesh Khet Suraksha Yojana (UPKSY) to help farmers install solar-powered electric fencing to protect crops.
• Tell me more:
  • Eligible farmers with at least 0.5 hectares receive a 60% subsidy (up to ₹1.43 lakh/km) for solar fencing. SC/ST farmers get higher subsidies. It was launched in 2020 and now it is again in news.

Centre Allocates Tadicherla-II Coal Block to SCCL

• What: The Ministry of Coal launched the two-day Singareni Bharosa Yatra to reassure Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) workers after the Tadicherla-II coal block was allotted to the company.
• Tell me more:
  • The Singareni Bharosa Yatra is a two-day campaign launched by the Telangana BJP and the Union Coal Ministry. It aims to reassure coal miners and celebrate the Centre’s direct allocation of the Tadicherla-II coal block to SCCL.
  • After the 2014 Supreme Court ruling requiring coal block auctions, Tadicherla-II became the only coal block directly allotted to a public sector company without an auction.

International News

Fourteen Countries Reaffirm Ruling Against China’s South China Sea Claims

• What: The United States (US), United Kingdom (UK), and 12 other countries issued a joint statement saying China’s claims in the South China Sea are illegal under the 2016 international arbitration ruling.
• Tell me more:
  • The 14 countries rejected China’s actions in the disputed waters and said the 2016 Hague tribunal ruling is final and legally binding.
  • The case was filed by the Philippines in 2013 after a standoff over a disputed shoal that was later taken under China’s control. The United States said it is obligated to defend the Philippines if its forces are attacked during territorial disputes.
  • China rejected the ruling, calling it null and void and not binding on its sovereignty.
  • The 27-member European Union (EU) separately called the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) ruling a landmark decision for the peaceful settlement of disputes.

NASA Astronaut Anil Menon Launches to ISS

• What: NASA astronaut Anil Menon will launch on an eight-month mission to the International Space Station (ISS) on 14 July 2026 aboard the Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan.
• Tell me more:
  • Menon will travel with Roscosmos cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina to join ISS Expeditions 74 and 75, with the Soyuz spacecraft docking automatically at the Prichal module three hours after launch.
  • Anil Menon, aged 49, is an emergency medicine doctor, NASA astronaut, and US Space Force colonel of Indian and Ukrainian descent.
  • The mission will study blood vessels, semiconductor crystals, and blood circulation in microgravity to improve medical research, technology, and understanding of the human body in space.

ASEAN Holds First Peace Talks with Myanmar

• What: ASEAN held its first direct peace talks with Myanmar in Thailand since the 2021 military coup.
• Tell me more:
  • The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) organized these talks to address the escalating civil war following the 2021 military coup in Myanmar.
  • The talks aim to discuss detained former State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi’s condition, promote dialogue with ethnic groups, and advance ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus peace plan.

Reports and Indices

Fortune India Most Powerful Women List 2026

• What: Nita M. Ambani, Founder and Chairperson of Reliance Foundation, topped the Fortune India Most Powerful Women list for her leadership, inclusive development, and contribution to building public institutions.
• Tell me more:
  • Under her leadership, the Reliance Foundation has impacted over 100 million people, including 29 million children. Recently, she has received the AAPI Humanitarian Award in Tampa, Florida for her humanitarian work.
  • Tampa Mayor Jane Castor also awarded her the Key to the City of Tampa for her humanitarian work and global impact.
  • Second position is occupied by Roshni Nadar Malhotra (Chairperson, HCLTech).

WIPO’s World Intangible Investment Report 2026 (Third Edition)

• What: The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and Luiss Business School (LBS) released the World Intangible Investment Report 2026, ranking India as the fastest-growing major economy in intangible investments.
• Tell me more:
  • India’s intangible investments, including software, R&D, and intellectual property (IP), grew 7.9% to $78.2 billion in 2023.
  • The report says India is investing more in innovation and knowledge-based assets than traditional physical assets.
  • Global intangible investment crossed $10 trillion for the first time in 2025, equal to nearly 13% of global GDP.
  • The United States remained the largest investor, spending nearly $5 trillion on intangible assets in 2025, followed by Japan at 2nd and Germany at 3rd position.
  • This report covers 29 high- and middle-income economies, together about 57% of world GDP, adding the first-ever estimates for Canada and the Philippines and updated figures for Brazil, India and Japan.

Defence News

INS Sudarshini Joins Sail Boston 2026

• What: INS Sudarshini, the Indian Navy’s sail training ship, arrived in Boston, USA, to take part in the Grand Parade of Sails at Sail Boston 2026.
• Tell me more:
  • The ship arrived in Boston on 12 July after participating in New York’s Sail 4th 250 celebrations, where Consul General Raghuram Sastry joined it for its ceremonial entry into the port.
  • INS Sudarshini is representing India as a maritime goodwill ambassador during its 10-month Lokayan 2026 voyage, joining over 60 tall ships from 20+ countries, and will be open to visitors from 12–15 July.

Awards

Ahmedabad Sets Guinness World Record for Miyawaki Plantation

• What: The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) set a Guinness World Record by planting 3.61 lakh saplings in one hour using the Miyawaki method at Bhadaj.
• Tell me more:
  • Over 25,000 volunteers planted 3.61 lakh saplings of 35 native species across 76,000 sq m as part of a 1.25 crore-tree campaign.
  • The Miyawaki method is a unique afforestation technique developed by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki. It involves planting native tree and shrub species densely in small, multi-layered pockets.

Important Days

International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica 2026 – July 11

• The Srebrenica genocide was the mass killing of more than 8,000 Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) men and boys by Bosnian Serb forces in Srebrenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, in July 1995 during the Bosnian War.
• The Bosnian War (1992–1995) was a conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the deadliest war in Europe since the Second World War.

World Horse Day 2026 – July 11

• UN Focus: Honoring a Timeless Partner
• 2026 — International Year of Rangelands & Pastoralists
  • Rangelands are grasslands, shrublands, woodlands, wetlands, and deserts that are grazed by domestic livestock or wild animals.
  • Pastoralists are farmers or herders whose primary livelihood revolves around breeding and raising livestock.

Memorandum of Understanding

Digital Bharat Nidhi Signs Rural Broadband Pact

• What: Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN), the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), the Government of Gujarat, GFGNL, and BSNL signed an agreement to implement the Amended BharatNet Programme (ABP) in Gujarat.
• Tell me more:
  • The Central Government approved ₹5,629 crore for the project.
  • The project will improve broadband connectivity in 14,287 Gram Panchayats by upgrading 14,264 networks to ring topology and extending internet services to 23 new Gram Panchayats and 3,895 villages.
  • The project aims to provide over 5 lakh fibre broadband connections to rural households and improve digital public services.
• Knowledge Nuggets:
  • Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN), created under the Telecommunications Act, 2023, replaced Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) to fund telecom connectivity in underserved areas across India through projects like BharatNet and 4G expansion.

Appointments

India Launches Campaign for UNSC Seat

• What: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar launched India’s campaign for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council (UNSC) for the 2028–29 term.
• Tell me more:
  • India’s campaign is based on the theme ‘SHANTI: Securing Holistic Advancement through Norms, Trust, Integrity’.
  • India is competing with Tajikistan for the Asia-Pacific Group’s single available seat.
  • The UNSC election for the 2028–29 term will be held in June 2027.
  • If elected, India will serve as one of the 10 non-permanent members of the UNSC for a two-year term. These members are elected by the 193-member UN General Assembly with a two-thirds majority.
• Knowledge Nuggets:
  • India currently has over 4,300 personnel serving across 10 of the 11 active UN peacekeeping missions.
  • India has previously served as a non-permanent member of the Security Council eight times — in 1950-51, 1967-68, 1972-73, 1977-78, 1984-85, 1991-92, 2011-12 and 2021-22.

Miscellaneous

Legendary Jurassic Park Actor Sam Neill Passes Away

• What: New Zealand actor Sir Sam Neill, best known for playing Dr. Alan Grant in Jurassic Park (1993), passed away in Sydney, Australia, at the age of 78.
• Tell me more:
  • During his 50-year career, Sam Neill received three Golden Globe and two Primetime Emmy nominations, and was awarded New Zealand’s Distinguished Companion honour in 2007, which became a knighthood in 2022.

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