11th-12th June 2026

1. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan Issues LoA to Three Global Universities for Campus Expansion
2. Overview of Venezuela’s Acting President Delcy Eloína Rodríguez Gómez Visit to India
3. Union Minister Rajnath Singh Approved 250 MW Solar-BESS Project on Defence Land at Sitapur, UP
4. Varanasi Becomes First City Under India’s Easy Connect Model for International Travel
5. Viyona Fintech Gets NPCI Certification as Biller Operating Unit under BBPS
6. Meta–Reliance Partner to Develop 168 MW AI-Enabled Data Centre in Jamnagar, Gujarat
7. Oman India Fund Sells 3.65% Stake in Capital Small Finance Bank for Rs 37 Crore
8. Veteran Tamil Filmmaker and Padma Shri Awardee Bharathiraja Passed Away
9. International Archives Day 2026 – June 9
10. International Day for Dialogue Among Civilizations 2026 – June 10
11. CSIR-CRRI Signs MoA with Haryana for Urban Road Greening & Dust Mitigation Project in New Delhi, Delhi
12. Assam Govt & EU Launch Blue Valley Cluster in Guwahati to Promote Flavours, Fragrances & AYUSH Sectors
13. Cabinet Approves Rs 2,533 Crore Central Government Office Complexes in Amaravati, AP
14. MoD Signs Rs 449 Crore Deal with ASSPL for Advanced ECGNSS Jammers for IN
15. BSNL, IIT Kanpur Sign MoU to Advance Next-Generation Telecom Technologies
16. Nuvama Wealth Management Gets SEBI Approval to Launch Mutual Fund Business
17. Sangeet Natak Akademi Elects 7 Eminent Artists as Fellows; Announces 108 Akademi Awards for 2024 and 2025
18. Indian-Origin Scientist Gautam Dey Bags EMBO Gold Medal 2026
19. CCI Approves Acquisition of 2.80% Additional Stake in Shriram Life Insurance by Sanlam Entity
20. ADIA Arm to Sell 2.3% Stake in Lenskart for Rs 1,944 Crore
21. NASA Announces Artemis III Crew with 3 USA & 1 Italian Astronaut to Test SpaceX & Blue Origin Moon Landers
22. International Day of Play 2026 – June 11
23. World Day Against Child Labour 2026 – June 12
24. Ahmedabad Street Food Vendors to Display QR Codes for Hygiene Checks
25. India Pledges $2.5 Million to UNRWA, Backs Two-State Solution
26. President Approves REC-PFC Merger to Create Power Sector Lending Giant
27. Zojila Tunnel Breakthrough Achieved: India Nears All-Weather Connectivity with Ladakh
28. PM Modi to Visit France and Slovakia; G7 Summit, Innovation and Strategic Ties in Focus
29. Reliance Industries and Meta Partner to Build India’s First AI-Enabled Hyperscale Data Centre in Gujarat
30. Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje Represents India at 114th ILO Conference in Geneva

National News

UGC Approves Three Foreign Universities for India

• What: The University Grants Commission (UGC) approved three foreign higher education institutions to establish campuses and start admissions in India under the National Education Policy (NEP) internationalisation proposal.
• Tell me more:
  • Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan handed over the approvals to the UK-based University of York and University of Bristol, alongside Australia-based University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney.
  • The University of York and University of Bristol will set up campuses in Mumbai, while UNSW Sydney will establish its campus in Bengaluru.
  • UGC has now issued five total Letters of Approval to foreign universities, with the UK-based University of Southampton and University of Liverpool holding the other two.
    • The University of Southampton has already commenced its academic operations in India for the 2025-26 session.
  • UGC also issued 10 Letters of Intent to other global universities from the UK, US, Australia, and Italy since last year.
  • Separately, Australia-based Deakin University, University of Wollongong, and UK’s Queen’s University Belfast are already operating from GIFT City in Gujarat.

Venezuelan Acting President Delcy Rodriguez Visits India

• What: The Acting President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Delcy Eloína Rodríguez Gómez, arrived in New Delhi for a five-day working visit from June 3 to June 7, 2026, to strengthen bilateral cooperation.
• Tell me more:
  • India and Venezuela agreed to expand cooperation in energy security, trade, investment, pharmaceuticals, health care, transportation and renewable energy, while Indian PSUs showed interest in Venezuela’s energy sector and both nations reaffirmed commitment to the Global South.
  • This visit marks the sixth time Delcy Rodriguez has traveled to India for official diplomatic purposes since 2015.
  • The leader previously planned to attend the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) Summit on June 1 before India deferred the event.

Nitin Gadkari Witnesses Historic Zojila Tunnel Project Breakthrough

• What: The Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari witnessed the historic main tunnel breakthrough at the eastern portal of the approximately ₹6,800 crore Zojila Tunnel Project at Minamarg in Kargil district.
• Tell me more:
  • The National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) is developing this nearly 14-km-long bi-directional mountain infrastructure asset on National Highway-1 between Baltal and Minamarg.
  • The tunnel will provide year-round road access between Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, cut travel time, improve trade and tourism, and enable faster movement of people, goods, and military supplies.

Prime Minister Modi to Visit France and Slovakia

• What: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to France and Slovakia from June 14 to 18, 2026, to attend the 52nd G7 Summit in Evian, France and hold strategic bilateral talks.
• Tell me more:
  • The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed India will attend the 52nd G7 Summit as an invited partner nation under the French presidency from June 15 to 17.
  • This event marks the 13th overall participation for India and the 7th consecutive summit appearance for Prime Minister Modi to champion priorities of the Global South.
  • Other partner nations include the Republic of Korea, Kenya, Brazil, and Egypt, alongside bodies like the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.
  • The bilateral relationship with France stands as a Special Global Strategic Partnership, with 2026 designated as the India-France Year of Innovation.
  • The Prime Minister will meet President Emmanuel Macron in Nice on June 14 to launch “Bharat Innovates”, an initiative showcasing 120 deep-tech startups to global investors.
  • The tour includes a historic State Visit to Slovakia from June 14 to 16, marking the first-ever visit by an Indian Prime Minister since Slovak independence in 1993.
  • In Bratislava (capital and largest city of Slovakia), the Prime Minister will hold delegation-level talks with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico and meet President Peter Pellegrini at the Presidential Palace.
  • The local Indian diaspora in Slovakia is the second-largest diaspora community in the country after Ukrainians.

State News

Rajnath Singh Approves Pioneering Solar Power Project in Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh

• What: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh approved a 250 MW Solar Power Project with a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) on 850 acres of vacant defence land in Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh.
• Tell me more:
  • NTPC Limited will implement this green energy initiative.
  • The Sitapur project is the first large-scale solar-BESS facility on MoD land, enhancing armed forces’ energy security, reducing dependence on conventional energy sources, and lowering government expenditure on grid power procurement.

CSIR-CRRI Partners with Haryana for Greener Roads

• What: Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-Central Road Research Institute (CSIR-CRRI), Delhi signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with the Government of Haryana to implement a standard framework for paving and greening urban roads.
• Tell me more:
  • This initiative aims to address road dust pollution and promote sustainable urban road infrastructure across the National Capital Region (NCR).
  • The project operationalizes recommendations issued by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) based on scientific and technology-driven interventions.
  • CSIR-CRRI and the School of Planning and Architecture (SPA), New Delhi, will execute the environmental project jointly under the guidance of CAQM.

Assam and European Union Launch Blue Valley Cluster

• What: The Government of Assam and the European Union (EU) jointly launched the Blue Valley Cluster in Guwahati to develop sustainable value chains across the flavours, fragrance, and AYUSH sectors.
• Tell me more:
  • This regional project aligns with priorities from the EU-India Comprehensive Strategic Agenda established during the January 2026 EU-India Summit.
  • The initiative will connect farmers, self-help groups, startups, and MSMEs with international markets while promoting Assam’s cooperation opportunities in semiconductors, electronics, tea, agarwood, organic foods, and wellness products.
  • The Assam Industrial Development Corporation Limited and the Federation of European Businesses in India (FEBI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote business partnerships.
  • The partnership aims to boost research, innovation, technology transfer, and employment across Assam and the North-East, while a European delegation visited Tata Electronics’ semiconductor assembly and test facility in Jagiroad.

Cabinet Approves Massive Infrastructure Projects in Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh

• What: The Union Cabinet approved the construction of a Central Government Office Complex and a Central Government Residential Complex in Amaravati with a combined fiscal outlay of ₹2,533 crore.
• Tell me more:
  • The two projects will strengthen the Central Government’s administrative presence in Amaravati by creating a common secretariat that houses multiple central government departments under one roof.
  • Separately, the executive cabinet approved ₹2,169 crore to construct a new Ahmedabad Metro corridor linking to the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

Ahmedabad Launches QR System for Food Vendors

• What: The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) implemented a Quick Response (QR) code-based vendor registration and monitoring system for street food vendors.
• Tell me more:
  • The system registers street food vendors, assigns unique QR codes to them, and enables customers to view vendor details, submit hygiene feedback, and report violations, helping authorities monitor food safety standards.

India Contributes Millions to United Nations Palestinian Agency

• What: India announced a financial contribution of $2.5 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) as part of its annual funding commitment.
• Tell me more:
  • India’s Ambassador to the UN Harish Parvathaneni announced the financial pledge during a meeting at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

International News

NASA Announces Crew Members For Artemis III Mission

• What: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced four primary crew members and one backup astronaut for the upcoming Artemis III space test flight scheduled for 2027.
• Tell me more:
  • NASA astronaut Randy Bresnik will serve as the mission commander for this spaceflight. This retired United States Marine colonel previously traveled to space twice and currently oversees the development of Artemis spacecraft systems.
  • European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Luca Parmitano of Italy will serve as the mission pilot. He is a colonel in the Italian Air Force and represents the first European assigned to an Artemis mission.
  • NASA astronaut Frank Rubio will join the spaceflight as a mission specialist. This United States Army physician holds the official record for the longest single-duration spaceflight by an American astronaut with 371 days in orbit.
  • NASA astronaut Andre Douglas will also serve as a mission specialist. He is a United States Coast Guard veteran with a doctorate in systems engineering and is making his very first trip to space.
  • NASA astronaut Bob Hines will train alongside the primary team as the official backup crew member. He is a colonel in the United States Air Force and previously served as a pilot for the SpaceX Crew-4 mission.
  • The primary crew will test complex rendezvous and docking capabilities with test landers developed by Blue Origin and SpaceX in Earth orbit.
  • This entire test mission will last for approximately two weeks and will help the agency prepare for a planned crewed lunar South Pole mission in 2028.
• Knowledge Nuggets:
  • NASA successfully completed the Artemis II mission in April 2026 with the Orion capsule.
  • Victor Glover became the first Black astronaut, Christina Koch became the first woman, and Jeremy Hansen (1st Canadian to ever venture to the Moon) became the first non-United States astronaut in a lunar mission. Reid Wiseman was the Commander of this mission.

114th ILO Conference in Geneva, Switzerland

• ILO’s Motto: “Advancing Social Justice, Promoting Decent Work”
• Participants: 187 ILO Member States
• Led by Union Minister of State Shobha Karandlaje, the Indian delegation promoted India’s labour codes, while Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh urged the ILO to adopt human-centric Artificial Intelligence frameworks.

Banking and Economy

Air India Introduces Easy Connect Aviation Model

• What: Air India launched bookings for ‘Easy Connect’ flights, enabling passengers from non-metro cities to access international flights through major hub airports with simplified transfers.
• Tell me more:
  • The service begins from Varanasi on June 25, 2026, making it the first city under this model. Air India will gradually expand the model to additional cities in the coming months.
  • The model allows passengers from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities to complete immigration and baggage formalities at their home airport and directly board international connecting flights through hubs like Delhi without re-checking baggage.

Viyona Fintech Joins National Bharat BillPay Network

• What: Viyona Fintech India got permission to act as a Biller Operating Unit (BOU) to help businesses collect digital customer payments using the national Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS).
• Tell me more:
  • NPCI Bharat BillPay Limited runs this central bill-paying system.
  • Viyona Fintech will onboard businesses onto BBPS, allowing digital collection of bills, fees, insurance premiums, and loan repayments, while extending digital payment services to merchants and businesses in smaller towns
  • This company already holds other official NPCI tech setups like the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) Switch, Immediate Payment Service (IMPS), and electronic Know Your Customer (eKYC) Setu.

Meta and Reliance Partner for Indian Data Centre

• What: Meta and Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) signed an agreement to establish an AI-enabled 168 MW hyperscale data centre in Jamnagar, Gujarat, to support digital products and globally scale technology infrastructure.
• Tell me more:
  • RIL will construct the 168 MW capacity facility for Meta to lease, which features future expansion options, green energy power, and desalinated seawater cooling funded fully by Meta.
  • Meta announced Project Waterworth in February 2025 to establish a private global internet highway system, connecting US, India, Brazil, South Africa, and other key regions.
    • This undersea cable network will physically link the United States and India to supply the necessary international internet infrastructure for the new Jamnagar data centre.
  • Meta invested $5.7 billion in Jio Platforms in 2020 and separately signed renewable energy agreements with CleanMax for 837 MW renewable energy projects in Rajasthan and Karnataka.

Oman India Joint Investment Fund Sells Stake in a Bank

• What: Oman India Joint Investment Fund II (OIJIF II) sold a 3.65% stake in Jalandhar-based Capital Small Finance Bank for approximately ₹36.79 crore through a block deal on the National Stock Exchange (NSE).
• Tell me more:
  • The sovereign wealth fund of the Sultanate of Oman and State Bank of India (SBI) promoted this private equity firm OIJIF II.
  • India’s Lyptus Punch-Card Fund bought this stake.

Nuvama Wealth Management Secures SEBI Mutual Fund Approval

• What: Nuvama Wealth Management Limited received the final approval from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to start its mutual fund operations through its asset management arm, Nuvama Asset Management Limited.
• Tell me more:
  • The asset management company will initially request necessary clearances to launch investment products under the Specialized Investment Fund (SIF) framework.
  • Specialised Investment Funds (SIFs) are SEBI-regulated investment schemes, effective from April 1, 2025, for investors with ₹10 lakh or more, offering greater portfolio flexibility and advanced strategies than traditional mutual funds, including limited short-selling.

CCI Approves Sanlam Share Acquisition in Shriram Life

• What: The Competition Commission of India (CCI) approved the acquisition of 2.80% of the expanded equity capital of Shriram Life Insurance Company Limited (SLIC) by Sanlam Emerging Markets (Mauritius) Ltd. (SEMM) through a preferential issue.
• Tell me more:
  • SEMM, incorporated in Mauritius, operates as a structural part of the larger Sanlam Group of South Africa.
  • SLIC is an IRDAI-registered life insurance company that offers unit-linked life insurance plans and conducts business regulated under the Insurance Act, 1938.

Abu Dhabi Fund Arm Sells Lenskart Solutions Stake

• What: Platinum Jasmine A 2018 Trust, an investment arm of Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), is selling up to 4 crore shares of Lenskart Solutions for approximately Rs 1,944 crore through a secondary market block deal.
• Tell me more:
  • The institutional seller operates as a specialized investment vehicle backed by ADIA, which ranks among the largest sovereign wealth funds in the world.
  • IIFL Capital Services is the designated broker for this deal.

President Approves Merger of REC into PFC

• What: The President of India approved the corporate merger of REC Limited (REC) into Power Finance Corporation (PFC) to achieve scale and improve operational efficiency among public sector Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs).
• Tell me more:
  • Both Power Finance Corporation (PFC) and REC Limited operate under the administrative control of the Ministry of Power.
  • PFC previously completed the purchase of a 52.63% controlling stake in REC for Rs 14,500 crore back in March 2019.
  • Under the merger scheme, all assets and liabilities of REC will transfer to PFC, after which REC will be dissolved in accordance with Sections 230–232 of the Companies Act, 2013.

Defence News

Defence Ministry Signs Jammer Procurement Contract For Navy

• What: The Ministry of Defence signed a ₹449 crore procurement contract with Bengaluru-based Accord Software and Systems Private Limited (ASSPL) to acquire 20 Enhanced Capability Global Navigation Satellite System (ECGNSS) Jammers for the Indian Navy.
• Tell me more:
  • The contract was signed under the Buy (Indian-IDDM) category, requiring at least 75% indigenous content in the equipment and technology.
  • The system confuses enemy navigation systems like Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) by sending false signals, making it harder for them to track or target naval ships and helping the ships move safely during operations.

Awards

Sangeet Natak Akademi Announces New National Honors

• What: The General Council of Sangeet Natak Akademi (SNA), the National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama, New Delhi, elected seven Akademi Fellows, 108 awardees, and 106 youth winners for national performing arts honors.
• Tell me more:
  • The General Council of SNA unanimously elected seven eminent personalities as Akademi Fellows (Akademi Ratna), the Academy’s highest honour, whose membership is limited to 40 living recipients at any time.
  • The seven personalities elected as Akademi Fellows (Akademi Ratna) are Ramlal Bareth, A. V. Anand, Rita Ganguly, Puru Dadheech, Chittaranjan Jyotishi, Pasumarthi Rattaiah Sarma, and Sudharani Raghupathy.
  • The body selected 108 artists across music, dance, theatre, puppetry, and folk arts for the Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards (Akademi Puraskar) for the years 2024 and 2025.
  • The council also chose 106 young artists to receive the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar for the years 2024 and 2025.
• Knowledge Nuggets:
  • Since 1952, these honours have recognised outstanding cultural contributions across India, with recipients receiving ₹3 lakh under the Akademi Fellow, ₹1 lakh under the Akademi Award, and ₹25,000 under the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar
  • The Chairman of SNA will confer the youth awards, while the Hon’ble President of India will confer the main fellowships and awards in a special investiture ceremony.

Two Indian-Origin Scientists Receive Prestigious EMBO Gold Medal

• What: The European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO) awarded the EMBO Gold Medal to Indian-origin scientist Gautam Dey and Omaya Dudin for their exceptional contributions to life sciences.
• Tell me more:
  • The inter-governmental organization EMBO awards this prestigious prize annually to scientists early in their independent careers who work within its 32 member states.
  • Gautam Dey, a group leader at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Heidelberg, received the award for his research on the evolutionary origins of nuclear organization and cell division.
  • Omaya Dudin of the University of Geneva, Switzerland, received the medal for his research on the evolutionary origins of multicellularity.
  • Tanmay A.M. Bharat, another Indian-origin scientist, won the same gold medal in 2025.

Important Days

International Archives Day 2026 – June 9

• Theme: #ArchivesForJustice: Rights, Memory & Futures

International Day for Dialogue Among Civilizations 2026 – June 10

• The UN General Assembly adopted Resolution on 7 June 2024, proclaiming 10 June as the International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations.

International Day of Play 2026 – June 11

• Theme: “Protect play, protect childhood”

World Day Against Child Labour 2026 – June 12

• 2026 Theme: Red card to child labour: Fair play for children, decent work for adults
• National initiatives: The PENCIL Portal coordinates reporting, rescue, and tracking of child labour cases, while the National Child Labour Project, under Samagra Shiksha, provides education, nutrition, and vocational training to rescued children.
• Regional initiatives: Chandigarh has been implementing ‘Pathshala Rath’, a mobile initiative providing rescue, healthcare, counselling and skill development for street children, while Odisha strengthened grassroots tracking systems to reintegrate school dropouts into classrooms.

Memorandum of Understanding

BSNL and IIT Kanpur Partner for Next-Generation Technologies

• What: Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT Kanpur) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly develop and commercialise next-generation telecom technologies.
• Tell me more:
  • The partnership aims to develop indigenous digital and telecom technologies, improve nationwide connectivity, deliver content directly to mobile devices, strengthen rural digital services, and advance 5G, AI, cybersecurity, and smart infrastructure.

Miscellaneous

Veteran Tamil Filmmaker Bharathiraja Passes Away

• Veteran Tamil filmmaker Bharathiraja passed away, at the age of 84 years, leaving behind a monumental storytelling legacy that deeply transformed the South Indian film industry.

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