16th June 2026

1. 13th BRICS Urbanisation Forum Concludes with ‘Adoption of Ministerial Declaration’ in New Delhi
2. MoD Commissions First Batch of 17 NDA Women Cadets as Officers in Indian Armed Forces
3. QCI & FDDI Sign MoU to Boost Quality and Skilling in Leather & Footwear Sector
4. India Post Launches Drone-Based Mail Service in Himachal Pradesh
5. RBI Imposes Restrictions on Mogaveera Co-op Bank for 6 Months
6. OIL Signs Pact with Canada’s PTRC on Carbon Capture & Clean Energy Research
7. Jharkhand Gets GI Tags for 11 Traditional Products; Assam’s 4 Products Secure GI Tag
8. Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix 2026: Lewis Hamilton Claims First Ferrari Victory
9. Renowned Mand Folk Singer Gavri Devi Passes Away
10. World Blood Donor Day 2026 – June 14
11. World Elder Abuse Awareness Day 2026 – June 15
12. PM Narendra Modi Receives Slovakia’s Highest National Award
13. India and France Launch ATL Bridge to Connect School Innovation Labs and Young Innovators
14. BRICS Agriculture Ministers Adopt Joint Declaration in Indore, Back Farmer-Centric Initiatives
15. UK Announces Social Media Ban for Under-16 Users: Platforms Affected and Key Changes
16. Project Great Indian Bustard Adds Three New Chicks, Captive Population Reaches 94
17. Bihar to Get ₹31.21 Crore Integrated Aqua Park in Bhojpur
18. Department of Posts Starts Drone-Based Mail Transmission in Remote Himachal Areas
19. India Gets First Approved Radioligand Therapy for Advanced Prostate Cancer
20. Jharkhand’s Bhagaiya Silk, Munda Jewellery and Bamboo Craft Receive GI Tag
21. Global Wind Day 2026: India Charts Roadmap to 100 GW Wind Energy Capacity

National News

13th BRICS Urbanisation Forum Concludes in New Delhi

• What: The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs convened the 13th BRICS Urbanisation Forum under the chairship of India in New Delhi on the theme of ‘Cities for People: BRICS Cooperation for Inclusive and Resilient Urban Futures.’
• Tell me more:
  • At the end of the two-day meeting, member nations adopted the Urban Ministerial Declaration, centred on the pillars: inclusive development, resilient infrastructure, stronger local bodies, and digital innovation for effective urban governance.
  • India proposed the establishment of a virtual ‘BRICS Urban Research and Knowledge Network’ to enable applied urban research and peer-to-peer learning.
  • The forum showcased successful global urban initiatives through an official compiled publication titled “Cities for People: Urban Stories from BRICS Nations.”

India and France Establish School Innovation Bridge

• What: The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog, and La Fondation Dassault Systèmes established the India–France ATL Bridge to enable collaboration among young innovators in both countries.
• Tell me more:
  • This landmark initiative establishes France’s first School Innovation Lab based on India’s Atal Tinkering Lab framework, fostering entrepreneurial exchange, knowledge sharing, and youth-led innovation in line with the Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam vision.
  • Mission Director of AIM Deepak Bagla and Managing Director of La Fondation Dassault Systèmes Marie-Pierre Aulas exchanged the formal Letter of Intent (LoI) in France.
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron inaugurated the strategic event on the sidelines of Bharat Innovates 2026 in Nice, France.
  • The bilateral launching takes place during the officially designated India–France Year of Innovation 2026 to nurture future-ready talent.
  • Launched by PM Modi in 2016, the Atal Innovation Mission has established over 10,000 Atal Tinkering Labs across India, benefiting more than 11 million students through hands-on learning in robotics, electronics, 3D printing, and AI.

BRICS Agriculture Ministers Adopt Historic Indore Declaration

• What: The BRICS Agriculture Ministers’ Meeting concluded in Indore with the unanimous adoption of the farmer-centric ‘Indore Declaration’ to strengthen global food security.
• Tell me more:
  • Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced the landmark decisions during an official press conference.
  • Initaitves announced at the meeting:
    • 1st – India announced the establishment of the BRICS Network of Centres of Excellence on Agro-Ecology and Regenerative Agriculture.
      • The Indian Institute of Farming Systems Research, Modipuram, will serve as India’s primary Centre of Excellence under this network.
    • 2nd – The BRICS Network on Digital Agriculture, coordinated by IIT Delhi, will strengthen cross-border cooperation in artificial intelligence, geospatial technologies, and digital public infrastructure.
    • 3rd – The ministers established the Global Forum on Farmers’ Rights in Seed Systems to conserve traditional indigenous seed diversity.
    • 4th – The fourth initiative is the BRICS Agro Inputs, Genetic Resources and Information Network (AgriN) to facilitate information exchange.
    • 5th – The member nations also agreed to develop the existing BRICS Agricultural Research Platform into a robust Knowledge-to-Action Hub.
  • The representatives participated in a special plantation drive at Meghdoot Garden to establish the symbolic BRICS Vatika in Indore.
• Knowledge Nuggets:
  • India currently holds the prestigious BRICS Presidency under the overarching theme: “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”.
  • The member nations account for nearly half of the world’s population, possess about 42% of global agricultural land, and contribute approximately 42% of global foodgrain production.

Project Indian Bustard Project

• What: Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav announced that Project Great Indian Bustard (GIB) added three more chicks to its conservation breeding programme.
• Tell me more:
  • This development takes the total number of chicks hatched during the fourth year of captive breeding to 26. The total captive stock of this endangered species has now grown to 94 birds.
  • Launched in 2018, Project GIB established a breeding centre in Jaisalmer and now it is in its fourth captive-breeding year.

State News

India Post Launches Drone Based Mail Transmission

• What: Union Minister of Communications Jyotiraditya Scindia announced the launch of a drone-based mail transmission service by the Department of Posts in Himachal Pradesh to ensure faster connectivity in remote, difficult terrains.
• Tell me more:
  • Gurugram-based drone logistics company Skye Air Mobility signed an official agreement with the Department of Posts to operate these postal mail bag deliveries.
  • India Post will deploy drone-based mail services on 150 routes in Himachal Pradesh and Assam, enhancing delivery in remote areas through its vast network and supporting India’s goal of becoming a global drone hub by 2030 under the Drone Rules, 2021.

Four Jharkhand Products Secure Geographical Indication Status

• What: Officials from the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) announced that four traditional products from Jharkhand—Bhagaiya silk, Kuchai silk, Munda jewellery, and bamboo craft—have officially secured the geographical indication (GI) status.
• Tell me more:

• Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade’s (DPIIT) office of Controller General of Patents, Designs, and Trade Marks acts as the Registrar of Geographical Indications.

Integrated Aqua Park Foundation Stone Laid in Bihar

• What: Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying and Panchayati Raj Rajiv Ranjan Singh and Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary officially launched two major fisheries projects to boost the sustainable Blue Economy.
• Tell me more:
  • The leaders laid the foundation stone of the Integrated Aqua Park at Vanasaur Fish Seed Farm in Bhojpur.
  • The administrators also inaugurated the new National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) Regional Centre in Patna, which will serve as an institutional nerve centre for Bihar and neighbouring eastern states.
  • The central government approved the Integrated Aqua Park under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) at a total cost of ₹31.21 crore.
  • Fish production in Bihar increased from 4.79 lakh metric tonnes in 2014–15 to 10.28 lakh metric tonnes in 2025–26, making it the fourth-largest inland fish-producing state in India.

International News

United Kingdom Announces Social Media Ban For Under Sixteens

• What: Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced that the United Kingdom (UK) government will introduce a complete social media ban for children under 16 years old by early 2027.
• Tell me more:
  • Australia has already implemented a social media ban for children.
  • Governments in France, Malaysia, Denmark, Indonesia, Norway, Spain, Portugal and Canada are also in the process of bringing in a ban.

Banking and Economy

Reserve Bank of India Restricts Mogaveera Co-operative Bank

• What: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposed severe business restrictions on Mogaveera Co-operative Bank, Mumbai, for a period of six months after the financial position of the cooperative lender deteriorated significantly.
• Tell me more:
  • The RBI capped withdrawals at ₹1 lakh per depositor, while eligible depositors remain protected through DICGC deposit insurance coverage of up to ₹5 lakh.

Oil India Partners With Canadian Energy Research Body

• What: Oil India Limited (OIL) signed a collaboration framework with Canada’s Petroleum Technolog Research Centre (PTRC) in Calgary to jointly explore carbon capture, geothermal energy, and other low-carbon clean technologies.
• Tell me more:
  • The agreement aims to reduce industrial carbon emissions, store captured CO₂ underground, improve cleaner oil production, and explore geothermal energy sources, helping meet growing energy needs with lower environmental impact.

Defence News

First Batch of Seventeen Women Officers Commissioned

• What: The Indian Armed Forces officially commissioned the historic first batch of 17 women officers trained through the National Defence Academy (NDA) into the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
• Tell me more:
  • The Supreme Court’s landmark 2021 decision allowed women to appear for the entry examination, opening the doors for this cohort.

Science and Technology

Novartis Launches Advanced Prostate Cancer Therapy in India

• What: Swiss drugmaker Novartis Healthcare launched Pluvicto, the first regulatory authority-approved radioligand therapy for advanced prostate cancer in India, to reinforce its commitment to the nation’s innovative medicines market.
• Tell me more:
  • The therapy precisely targets prostate cancer cells and delivers radiation directly to tumours, minimizing damage to healthy tissues and reducing side effects compared to conventional chemotherapy.

Awards

Prime Minister Modi Conferred Slovakia Highest National Award

• What: President of Slovakia Peter Pellegrini conferred his nation’s highest national award, The Order of the White Double Cross (1st Class), on Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a landmark ceremony in Bratislava (capital city).
• Tell me more:
  • This prestigious decoration marks the 33rd international honour bestowed on the Prime Minister by a foreign nation.
  • Narendra Modi became the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Slovakia since the European country gained its complete independence in 1993.
  • India and Slovakia elevated their diplomatic ties to a comprehensive partnership and signed 11 agreements, including MoUs on labour migration, digital technology, and defence manufacturing.
  • Ahead of International Yoga Day on June 21, the two leaders attended a special yoga session at the Presidential Palace.
  • During the historic visit, the Prime Minister laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Bratislava, following President Droupadi Murmu’s visit to Slovakia in 2025 and President Pellegrini’s visit to India earlier this year.

Important Days

World Blood Donor Day 2026 – June 14

• This year’s WHO campaign is “One Drop of Humanity. Give Blood. Save Lives.”

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day 2026 – June 15

• UN Focus: Beyond Awareness: Making Elder Abuse Prevention Work

Global Wind Day 2026 – June 15

• India will host the national celebrations on this day in Goa, under the national theme “Wind Energy: From Ambition to Acceleration.”
• India aims to achieve 100 GW wind capacity by 2030 and 156 GW by 2036.
• India ranks 4th globally in installed wind power capacity.
• As of March 2026, India’s installed wind power capacity stands at 56.09 GW, making it the fourth-largest globally, with an additional 28 GW of wind capacity currently under implementation.

Sports

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix 2026 in Spain

• British driver Lewis Hamilton of Scuderia Ferrari team won the race, securing his first victory for Ferrari.
• British driver George Russell of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team finished second in the race.
• British driver Lando Norris of the McLaren Formula 1 Team finished third in the race.

Memorandum of Understanding

Quality Council of India Partners With FDDI

• What: The Quality Council of India (QCI) and the Footwear Design and Development Institute (FDDI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
• Why: to strengthen India’s footwear manufacturing ecosystem through workforce skill development, quality certification, laboratory accreditation, and cluster-based capacity building, enhancing competitiveness, productivity, and global quality standards.
• Tell me more:
  • The project will directly target major production clusters including Agra, Bahadurgarh, Ranipet, Chennai, Calicut, and Kanpur.

Miscellaneous

Renowned Mand Folk Singer Gavri Devi Passes Away

• What: Renowned Mand folk singer Gavri Devi, who earned widespread nationwide recognition for her massive contribution to traditional Indian music, passed away at the age of 98.
• Tell me more:
  • Mand singing represents one of the oldest music traditions to originally emerge and develop from the state of Rajasthan.

Start Quiz of 16th June 2026 on Mobile

Start Quiz of 16th June 2026 on Desktop