17th June 2026

1. IIT Hyderabad to Set Up ‘CODENE’, India’s First Nuclear Engineering Design Centre
2. ASI and Denmark Sign MoU for Underwater Survey of Oresund Shipwreck near Karaikal
3. NBA Reconstitutes Agrobiodiversity Expert Committee; Padma Shri Dr P. L. Gautam Appointed as Chair
4. Indian Army Receives 106 Peacekeeper (Agniveg) Jet-Powered Kamikaze Drones from SMPP
5. Jio Platforms Enters WIPO Global Top 20 Patent Rankings, Becomes Only Indian Company on List
6. Lt Vishal Kumar Awarded Sword of Honour and President’s Gold Medal at IMA Passing Out Parade 2026
7. Sarvam AI Becomes India’s 130th Unicorn After Raising USD 234 Million
8. Quantum communications: QNu Labs inks research pact with Eindhoven University of Technology
9. AnduraX develops India’s first re-entry space vehicle
10. DRDO Successfully Conducts Flight Test of Indigenously Developed Long Range Land Attack Cruise Missile
11. Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan Released Book ‘Agatthiyar – The Unifier’
12. ASEAN Dengue Day 2026 – June 15
13. Indian Army Signs MoU with Bharti Airtel to Expand Mobile Connectivity in AR
14. Kerala CM V. D. Satheesan Inaugurated Free Bus Travel Scheme ‘Priyadarshini’ for Women & Transgenders
15. Tripura’s Traditional Musical Instrument Sarinda Receives GI Tag Recognition
16. Assam Secures GI Tags for Four Traditional Products, Strengthening Cultural Heritage and Rural Economy
17. World Crocodile Day 2026: Theme, Importance, Threats and India’s Conservation Success
18. Smriti Mandhana Becomes Only Indian in TIME100 Most Influential People in Sports 2026
19. World’s Most Beautiful Airports 2026: India’s Navi Mumbai and Guwahati Airports Make the Prestigious List
20. DRDO Successfully Tests Long Range Land Attack Cruise Missile (LRLACM) in Odisha
21. Mumbai Hosts 19th International Film Festival as Global Cinema Community Gathers for MIFF 2026

National News

National Biodiversity Authority Reconstitutes Agrobiodiversity Expert Committee

• What: The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) officially reconstituted its specialized Expert Committee on Agrobiodiversity under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, for a one-year period to guide agricultural biodiversity conservation.
• Tell me more:
  • Renowned agricultural scientist Padma Shri Dr. P. L. Gautam will lead the reconstituted panel as its official Chair.
  • The sitting Chairperson of the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority (PPVFRA) will serve as the Co-Chair (currently Dr. Trilochan Mohapatra).
  • The panel comprises experts from the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, ICAR, the National Bureaus of Plant, Animal and Fish Genetic Resources, and NALSAR University of Law, who will also examine complex seed-sector issues.
  • This committee supports India’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) Targets 4 and 13 while contributing to SDGs 2 (Zero Hunger), 13 (Climate Action), and 15 (Life on Land).

State News

Kerala Government Rolls Out Priyadarshini Travel Scheme

• What: The United Democratic Front (UDF) government officially rolled out its flagship ‘Priyadarshini’ free travel scheme to make travel free for women and transgender persons public buses.
• Tell me more:
  • Chief Minister – V D Satheesan

Traditional Tripura Sarinda Receives Geographical Indication Tag

• What: The traditional Tripura Sarinda, an indigenous bowed string musical instrument closely associated with local tribal communities, successfully received a Geographical Indication (GI) tag.
• Tell me more:
  • The Sarinda is a traditional bowed folk instrument of Tripura, carved from a single block of wood.
  • It is particularly associated with the indigenous tribal communities of Tripura, especially the Tripuri, Reang (Bru), Jamatia, Noatia, and other Kokborok-speaking groups.
  • The Sarinda became Tripura’s fourth GI-tagged product, joining the Tripura Queen Pineapple, Matabari Peda, and the traditional tribal attire Risha, Pachra, and Rignai.
  • 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.
• Knowledge Nuggets:
  • Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia launched the ₹236-crore “Mission Queen Pineapple, Tripura” project in May 2026.
  • The state government had earlier declared the Queen pineapple as Tripura’s state fruit in 2018.
  • Chief Minister – Manik Saha

Four Assam Artisan Products Earn Geographical Indication

• What: The Geographical Indications Registry of the Government of India granted Geographical Indication (GI) status to four iconic cultural and artisan products from Assam to preserve indigenous heritage and promote rural livelihoods.
• Tell me more:
  • The newly certified items include Karbi Anglong Handloom Products, Assam Bihu Pepa, Assam Bamboo Crafts, and Deuri Handloom Products.
  • National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) actively supported and facilitated the entire registration process.
  • The total number of certified domestic products supported by NABARD reached 12 with these new additions.

19th Mumbai International Film Festival Commences in Mumbai

• What: The National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC) officially inaugurated the 19th Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) at Ravindra Natya Mandir in Prabhadevi to showcase global non-feature films.
• Tell me more:
  • The opening ceremony featured screenings of the documentary Time and Water by Sara Dosa (director), along with the short films Agapito and Good Luck To You All.
  • The festival will screen 346 films from 46 countries at NFDC, Cumballa Hill until June 21, and features an AI Cinema Hackathon showcasing films created using Artificial Intelligence.
  • NFDC organizes this oldest and largest non-feature film festival in South Asia under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
  • NFDC Managing Director – Prakash Magdum

Banking and Economy

Sarvam AI Secures $234 Million Funding

• What: Bengaluru-based Artificial Intelligence (AI) startup Sarvam secured $234 million (about ₹2,210 crore) as part of its ongoing $300 million Series B funding round, officially turning the company into India’s 130th unicorn.
• Tell me more:
  • Sarvam AI develops AI models, infrastructure, and enterprise products across language, speech, vision, and document technologies. It was founded in 2023 by Pratyush Kumar and Vivek Raghavan.

Reports and Indices

Jio Platforms Joins Global Top Twenty Patent Rankings

• What: Jio Platforms Limited, the technology arm of Reliance Industries Limited, entered the global top 20 of the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) rankings published by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) for 2025.
• Tell me more:
  • The Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) is an international agreement allowing innovators to apply for patent protection in over 150 countries simultaneously using a single application.
  • This ranking system calculates positions based on the total number of published PCT applications attributed to an applicant during the year (2025 in this case).
  • Jio climbed 320 places to rank 20th globally, driven by a surge in PCT filings from 90 in 2023 and 87 in 2024 to 1,058 in 2025, despite global PCT filings growing by less than 1% in 2025.
  • The company is developing sunrise technologies such as satellite communications and Agentic AI under JioBrain, while its cumulative patent filings reached 6,817 as of 31 March 2026, including 2,393 in India and 4,424 abroad.
  • MD of Jio Platforms Ltd – Akash M. Ambani
• Knowledge Nuggets:
  • Top 5 companies under the PCT System (2025)

• Top 5 countries under the PCT System (2025)
  

World’s Most Beautiful Airports List 2026

• What: Adani Airport Holdings Limited (AAHL) announced that both Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) and Terminal 2 of Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport, Guwahati (LGBIA) earned a place in the World’s Most Beautiful Airports List 2026.
• Tell me more:
  • This ranking was released by the Secretariat of the Prix Versailles in France, in association with UNESCO in Paris (HQ of UNESCO).
  • The global recognition acknowledges exceptional contemporary design, environmental sustainability, and passenger-centric planning.
  • The other airports featured in the 2026 list are Guangzhou (China), Frankfurt am Main (Germany), Kandal Stueng (Cambodia), Pittsburgh (United States), and San Diego (United States).

Defence News

Indian Army Receives One Hundred Kamikaze Drones

• What: The Indian Army received 100 jet-powered kamikaze drones through a strategic partnership between a Belarusian manufacturing company and an Indian defence firm to boost domestic strike capabilities.
• Tell me more:
  • Delhi-based defence firm SMPP delivered the Peacekeeper drones, which officials also call Agniveg, under emergency procurement rules.
  • A Belarusian company named KB Indela originally designed the drone technology before partnering with SMPP.

Successful Flight Test of Land Attack Missile

• What: Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) conducted a successful flight-test of the Long Range Land Attack Cruise Missile (LRLACM) from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha.
• Tell me more:
  • The Long Range Land Attack Cruise Missile (LRLACM) is designed to strike high-value land targets deep inside enemy territory with high precision from long distances.
  • Aeronautical Development Establishment, Bengaluru operates as the Nodal Laboratory for this project.
  • Chairman DRDO – Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh

Indian Army and Bharti Airtel Sign Pact

• What: The Indian Army and Bharti Airtel signed a formal pact to strengthen mobile network infrastructure across remote areas of the West Kameng district in Arunachal Pradesh.
• Tell me more:
  • The partnership aims to improve internet and mobile connectivity in remote border areas, enhancing public services, local development, and communication for security forces.

Science and Technology

Indian Institute of Technology-Hyderabad Sets up “CODENE”

• What: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Hyderabad signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with CEEPL India and Dassault Systèmes to set up ‘CODENE’, the country’s first Centre of Design Excellence in Nuclear Engineering.
• Tell me more:
  • The partnering organizations officially signed the tripartite agreement during the Bharat Innovates 2026 event in Nice, France.
  • The launch aligns with the Shanti Act, 2025, which opened the country’s civil nuclear sector to private participation, and supports the government’s target of achieving 100 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047.
  • IIT Hyderabad and the IIT-Jammu are collaborating with Crimson Energy to establish India’s first microreactor, which will provide hands-on research opportunities in complex reactor physics and advanced nuclear systems.

AnduraX Develops India’s First Reentry Space Plane Project

• What: Vijayawada-based spacetech startup AnduraX is developing India’s first re-entry space vehicle designed for automated low Earth orbit manufacturing and return logistics solutions.
• Tell me more:
  • Sree Supranayi Kanamarlapudi and Nirvik Choudhury co-founded the startup.
  • The startup wants to build reusable spacecraft (re-entry vehicles) that can safely bring back products manufactured in space, such as medicines and semiconductors, to Earth.

Awards

Lieutenant Vishal Kumar Wins Sword of Honour

• What: Lieutenant Vishal Kumar won the prestigious Sword of Honour and the President’s Gold Medal at the Indian Military Academy (IMA) passing out parade in Dehradun.
• Tell me more:
  • The Sword of Honour is awarded to the best all-round cadet at the Indian Military Academy, while the President’s Gold Medal recognizes the cadet who secures first position in overall order of merit.
  • Lieutenant Vishal Kumar, son of retired Bihar Regiment sepoy Binod Kumar, is set to join the 4 Garhwal Rifles regiment.

Smriti Mandhana Features in TIME Sports List

• What: India vice-captain Smriti Mandhana became the only Indian athlete featured in TIME magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in Sports 2026 list, which honors people shaping modern global sports.
• Tell me more:
  • This annual international list includes global icons like LeBron James, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Carlos Alcaraz, Rory McIlroy, Eileen Gu, Victor Wembanyama, and Gianni Infantino.
  • The publication placed the Mumbai-born opening batter specifically in the ‘Titans’ category alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, Erling Haaland, and Temba Bavuma.
  • The athlete became the first Indian woman to score a double century in a domestic one-day cricket match.
  • Smriti Mandhana is the first Indian woman with centuries in all formats, joint record-holder for 17 international hundreds, WPL-winning captain, World Cup star, prolific run-scorer, and BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year.

Important Days

ASEAN Dengue Day 2026 – June 15

World Crocodile Day 2026 – June 17

Memorandum of Understanding

India And Denmark Sign Underwater Archaeology Agreement

• What: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the National Museum of Denmark signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to undertake a joint underwater archaeological investigation of the historic Danish ship Oresund.
• Tell me more:
  • The Oresund, the first Danish ship known to have reached India, was wrecked off the coast near Karaikal in present-day Puducherry in 1619, and the project aims to locate, document, and scientifically study its remains.
  • The partnership marks ASI’s Underwater Archaeology Wing’s (UAW) first international underwater archaeology project, conducted jointly with experts from Danish museum’s Njord – Centre for Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage.
  • Director General of the ASI – Yadubir Singh Rawat
  • Denmark’s Ambassador to India – Rasmus Kristensen

QNu Labs Signs Quantum Security Research Agreement

• What: India’s QNu Labs signed a research collaboration agreement with the Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), Netherlands to focus on security testing, validation, and long-term resilience of Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) during the Bharat Innovates event held in Nice, France.
• Tell me more:
  • Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) is a highly secure method of sharing secret encryption keys using the principles of quantum physics. If anyone tries to intercept or spy on the key, the system immediately detects the intrusion and alerts the users.
  • Co-founder and CEO of QNu Labs – Sunil Gupta

Miscellaneous

Vice President Releases Book on Sage Agatthiyar

• What: The Vice President of India Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan officially released a new book titled “Agatthiyar – The Unifier” during a special function held at the Uprashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.
• Tell me more:
  • The book was authored by O. Shama Bhat and M. N. Sudha, who documented the widespread presence and legacy of Sage Agatthiyar (Agastya) across different regions of Bharat.
  • Professor Kalyani successfully translated the newly released book into the Tamil language.
  • Sage Agatthiyar (Agastya) was a revered Vedic sage, Saptarishi, and pioneer of Tamil grammar and literature, remembered for spreading Vedic knowledge and symbolizing India’s cultural and spiritual unity.

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