08th July, 2026

1. POWERGRID Secures JPY 80 Billion Green Loan from JBIC for Renewable Energy Transmission Project
2. Global Biofuel Alliance Selects 15 Fellows, Including 2 Indians, for GBCF Programme
3. Nepal’s Jestha Varna Mahavihar Receives 2025 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Award; Restored with India’s Grant Assistance
4. Government Appoints New Chiefs of BPR&D, NCRB and SVPNPA
5. NPCI’s Dilip Asbe Appointed to SWIFT Global Supervisory Board
6. TPG, GIC and ICICI Bank to Acquire Aseem Infrastructure Finance from NIIF
7. China Launches New Marine Satellite “HY-2E” for Enhanced Marine Monitoring
8. Padma Shri Awardee and ‘Bridge Man of India’ Girish Bharadwaj Passes Away
9. World Kiswahili Language Day 2026 – July 7
10. World Bioproduct Day 2026 – July 7
11. West Bengal Government Announces Rs 313 Crore Special Package for Tea Garden Workers under PMCSPY
12. Gujarat Builds First Air-Filled Rubber Dams Using South Korean Technology
13. UP Cabinet Approves AI-Ready Data Center Policy 2026 to Attract ₹2 Lakh Crore Investment
14. UP Mukhyamantri Kanya Sumangala Yojana 2026
15. Sanjeev Jain Appointed as India’s New Ambassador to North Korea
16. Sirsa Kinnow Receives GI Tag, Becomes Haryana’s First Fruit with Geographical Indication Recognition
17. PM Modi to Hold Annual Summit Talks with Australian PM Anthony Albanese
18. India and Indonesia Reaffirm Zero Tolerance Against Terrorism
19. PM Modi Becomes First Indian Prime Minister to Address the Indonesian Parliament
20. PM Modi to Visit Prambanan Temple with Indonesian President
21. PM Modi Calls for Stronger India–Indonesia Strategic Partnership During Address to Indonesian Parliament in Jakarta
22. IIM Bangalore Becomes First IIM to Establish an Overseas Campus in Indonesia
23. ‘Pragati’ Aims to Empower Agricultural Entrepreneurs and Farmers: Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan
24. Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda Chairs High-Level Meeting on TB Mukt Bharat
25. Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan to Launch High-Seas Fisheries Initiatives in Odisha
26. Sikkim Launches Ecological Drive to Revive Himalayan Oak Forests
27. Indian Participants at the Commonwealth Games 2026 to Wear Jute-Viscose Blended Apparel
28. President Droupadi Murmu Flags Off Trophies of the Durand Cup 2026 in New Delhi
29. Overview of FM Nirmala Sitharaman’s Visit to France
30. India Secures 41 Medals at the U15 and U20 Asian Wrestling Championships 2026 in Pattaya, Thailand

National News

Prime Minister Modi Begins Official Visit to Australia

• What: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Melbourne for a three-day official visit to participate in the 3rd India-Australia Annual Summit with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to advance their wide-ranging bilateral partnership.
• Tell me more:
  • During the visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold bilateral talks with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, meet Governor-General Sam Mostyn, and interact with leading business executives at the India–Australia CEOs Forum.
  • The India–Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) has boosted trade and investment, with both countries aiming to achieve USD 100 billion in bilateral trade by 2030.
  • Major investment projects include AirTrunk’s USD 30 billion data centre investment and the USD 4.5 billion Project Ceres fertilizer manufacturing plant.

India and Indonesia Deepen Bilateral Strategic Partnership

• What: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto held high-level bilateral talks in Jakarta to strengthen counter-terrorism efforts, boost trade integration, and enhance maritime security cooperation.
• Tell me more:

Union Agriculture Minister Launches Pragati Project for Farmers

• What: Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched the Pragati project in New Delhi to train 26,000 small agricultural entrepreneurs and empower 20 lakh farmers to transform village-level agriculture.
• Tell me more:
  • The initiative promotes prosperous villages and farmers under the Viksit Bharat vision by encouraging external organisations to accelerate agricultural and rural development.
  • Under the programme, each selected entrepreneur works with 100–200 local farmers to modernise farming practices and improve agriculture in their village.

Inter-Ministerial Meeting Accelerates National Tuberculosis Elimination Drive

• What: Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda chaired a crucial high-level inter-ministerial meeting to accelerate the implementation of the nationwide Tuberculosis Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (TMBA) using a collaborative whole-of-government approach.
• Tell me more:
  • The campaign will involve National Cadet Corps (NCC) cadets and MY Bharat volunteers to encourage people to attend screening camps and school awareness programmes.
  • Around 8 lakh undergraduate and postgraduate medical students and 600 Pratibha Setu officers will support district-level implementation and monitoring.
  • The Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) and trade unions will help conduct workplace health screenings and ensure patients continue their treatment.
  • Since its launch in December 2024, the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan (TMBA) has screened over 28 crore vulnerable people and identified 39 lakh tuberculosis patients.

Finance Minister Sitharaman Begins Official Visit to France

• What: Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman embarked on an official visit to France to participate in the India–France Economic & Financial Dialogue (EFD) and strengthen the bilateral strategic partnership.
• Tell me more:
  • Sitharaman and French Minister Roland Lescure will co-chair the EFD at Aix-en-Provence to discuss greater bilateral cooperation across various economic sectors.
  • The official itinerary includes visits to the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) nuclear fusion project and the national cybersecurity innovation hub called Campus Cyber.
  • The FM will meet global CEOs, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (PACA) Region President Renaud Muselier, and the Indian diaspora to promote investment, strengthen partnerships, and showcase India’s economy.

State News

West Bengal Finalises Tea Garden Worker Welfare Plan

• What: Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced that a state-level committee finalised the implementation plan for the Pradhan Mantri Cha Shramik Protsahan Yojana (PMCSPY) scheme to uplift over 3 lakh tea garden workers in West Bengal.
• Tell me more:
  • The West Bengal government approved a ₹313.3 crore special package to improve education, healthcare, and infrastructure for tea garden workers in North Bengal, which will be implemented by the North Bengal Development Department (NBDD).
  • ₹177 crore has been allocated under the Cha Shramik Shiksha Yojana (CSSY) to improve schools, educational infrastructure, and learning opportunities for tea garden workers’ families.
  • ₹72 crore has been allocated under the Cha Shramik Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (CSSSY) to upgrade healthcare facilities and medical services for tea garden workers.
  • Under the Cha Shramik Ashray Yojana (CSAY), ₹63 crore will be used to build 321 solar-powered resting sheds for tea garden workers across the hills and plains.

Gujarat Constructs First Two Air Filled Rubber Dams

• What: The Gujarat state government is constructing its first two air-filled rubber dams using imported South Korean technology (inflatable rubber bladder) to improve water storage, agricultural irrigation, and regional flood management.
• Tell me more:
  • The Rajvasana Rubber Dam on the Heran River (75% complete) and the Pathakwadi Rubber Dam on the Ambika River (90% complete) are part of two projects worth over ₹162 crore supporting the ‘Catch the Rain’ campaign.
  • An inflatable rubber dam uses a large rubber tube fixed to the riverbed. When filled with air, it blocks the river to store water. During floods, it is deflated to let floodwater flow freely.

Uttar Pradesh Approves New Data Centre Policy

• What: The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath approved the Uttar Pradesh Data Center Policy 2026 to target over ₹2,00,000 crore in investments and add 2 Gigawatts (GW) of data centre capacity.
• Tell me more:
  • The new policy replaces the 2021 Data Centre Policy to make Uttar Pradesh a leading green and AI-ready data centre hub by promoting GPU-based infrastructure, energy-efficient Tier III and Tier IV data centres, and AI computing infrastructure.
  • The government will offer additional incentives for data centre projects in Bundelkhand and Purvanchal.
  • Separately, the State Cabinet approved ₹14,988.50 crore for Panchayati Raj Institutions under the State Finance Commission to support administrative expenses and the Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin).
• Knowledge Nuggets:
  • The Data Centre Tier Classification System is a global standard that classifies data centres based on reliability, backup systems, uptime, maintenance capability, and fault tolerance, helping organisations compare facilities using uniform and objective criteria.

Uttar Pradesh Promotes Welfare through Kanya Sumangala Scheme

• What: The Government of Uttar Pradesh runs the Chief Minister Kanya Sumangala Scheme (MKSY) to provide structured financial assistance across six operational categories to eliminate social evils and support the empowerment of girl children.
• Tell me more:
  • The scheme provides financial assistance in six stages, with one-time payments ranging from ₹2,000 to ₹7,000 at key milestones such as birth, completion of full immunization, admission to Classes I, VI, and IX, and admission to a graduation degree or at least a two-year diploma course after passing Class X or XII.
  • To be eligible, the beneficiary’s family must be a permanent resident of Uttar Pradesh and have an annual family income of not more than ₹3 lakh.
  • The scheme generally covers up to two girl children per family, provided the family has no more than two children.
  • However, an exception is allowed if twins are born during the second delivery, or if the family has legally adopted an orphan girl child, subject to the scheme’s prescribed conditions.

Sirsa Kinnow Receives Standalone Geographical Indication Tag

• What: The Geographical Indication (GI) Registry in Chennai granted an exclusive standalone agricultural GI tag to the Sirsa Kinnow, which provides fresh national and international visibility to Haryana’s traditional horticulture sector.
• Tell me more:
  • The application for the GI registration was filed by Kharisureran Farmer Producer Company Limited under the horticulture category.
  • This became Haryana’s first exclusive agricultural GI tag, unlike earlier registrations such as Basmati rice, which are shared with other states.
  • Sirsa district is the main production centre, contributing more than half of Haryana’s annual kinnow production of 4.40 lakh metric tonnes.

Vice President Launches Sustainable Deep Sea Fishing Initiatives

• What: Vice President C P Radhakrishnan will launch the Letter of Authorisation (LoA) for Sustainable Harnessing of Fisheries in the High Seas and the Odisha Deep Sea Fishing Mission Document in Bhubaneswar.
• Tell me more:
  • The Department of Fisheries is organizing the event with nearly 1000 fishers and fish farmers including women.
  • The mandatory LoA establishes a transparent and accountable framework for Indian-flagged vessels conducting high seas fishing activities under the 2025 guidelines.
  • This regulatory framework will strengthen Fish Farmer Producer Organisations (FFPOs) and cooperatives by expanding their direct access to high-value marine resources.
  • The state initiative spanning from 2026 to 2036 aims to establish Odisha as a leading offshore fishing and marine export hub.

Sikkim Launches Mission Million Oak Trees Initiative

• What: The Chief Minister of Sikkim Prem Singh Tamang launched the State-wide “Mission: Million Oak Trees by 2047” ecological restoration programme to revive Himalayan oak forests, enhance biodiversity, water security, and climate resilience.
• Tell me more:
  • The Chief Minister planted the first oak sapling to launch the restoration drive and released the Oak Forest Restoration Manual to support the initiative.
  • The Chief Minister launched the “Connect to Forest” toll-free helpline (1926) for reporting public grievances, human-wildlife conflicts, dangerous trees, and accessing forest department services.
  • The Chief Minister inaugurated the Sikkim Forest Training Institute (SFTI) at Bulbuley, developed under a Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)supported project.
  • Sikkim manages conservation across 47.33% forest cover and 33.77% protected areas while continuing infrastructure development.

International News

Global Biofuels Alliance Launches Research Fellowship Cohort

• What: The India-headquartered Global Biofuels Alliance (GBA) selected 15 early-career researchers globally for its Global Biofuel Champion Fellowship (GBCF) to advance sustainable bioenergy solutions and international cleaner energy cooperation.
• Tell me more:
  • Each fellow will receive a US$15,000 research grant to work with the Global Biofuel Alliance (GBA) for two years.
  • The 15 fellows were selected through a three-stage international evaluation from applicants across 32 countries.
  • The first batch includes Ruchi Agrawal (TERI) and Abhisek Sahoo (IIT Delhi) from India.
  • The Global Biofuel Alliance (GBA) has 34 member countries and 14 international organisations promoting the use of biofuels.

China Launches New Marine Satellite To Monitor Ocean Environment

• What: The China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) launched the HY-2E marine satellite to ensure the stable monitoring of the marine dynamic environment.
• Tell me more:
  • The HY-2E satellite replaces the HY-2B satellite, launched in 2018, and will operate alongside the HY-2C and HY-2D satellites.
  • It carries four microwave remote sensing instruments to collect data on sea surface height, wave height, wind fields, and sea surface temperature, supporting marine weather forecasting and El Niño research.

UNESCO Hosts International Conference on Kiswahili Language

• What: The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Headquarters “Place de Fontenoy in Paris, France” hosted the Second International Conference on Kiswahili, from July 6 to 7, 2026, to promote international cooperation.
• Tell me more:
  • The conference featured four specific panels that examined governance, language diplomacy, education, technology, peace, economic development, and youth cultural expressions.
  • The conference was organized to celebrate the 5th Edition of the World Kiswahili Language Day 2026.
  • Kiswahili, or Swahili, is a Bantu language of the Niger-Congo family, spoken across much of East, Central, and parts of Southern Africa.

Banking and Economy

Power Grid Corporation Secures Japanese Green Loan

• What: Power Grid Corporation of India (Powergrid) secured an 80 billion yen green loan from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) to finance its Khavda-Nagpur high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission project.
• Tell me more:
  • The green loan will fund power transmission infrastructure to carry renewable energy from the Khavda Renewable Energy Park in Gujarat to power demand centres.
  • It is one of the largest green financing agreements in India’s power transmission sector.
  • POWERGRID follows ESG principles, aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2047, and targets becoming landfill waste-free and net water positive by 2030.
  • As of 31 May 2026, POWERGRID maintained over 99.5% transmission system availability using advanced technologies.

TPG Consortium Acquires Aseem Infrastructure Finance

• What: The United States-based alternative asset management firm TPG signed definitive agreements with the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) to acquire a 100% stake in Aseem Infrastructure Finance to anchor its $1 billion green financing initiative.
• Tell me more:
  • TPG will hold a 65% stake in the company, while GIC (Singapore) and ICICI Bank will hold 25% and 5%, respectively.
  • The investment is being made through TPG Rise Climate under its Global South Initiative, launched with ALTÉRRA to expand clean energy projects.
• Knowledge Nuggets:
  • ALTÉRRA is the world’s largest private climate investment fund, launched by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) during the UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) in December 2023.
  • Backed by an initial investment of US$30 billion from the UAE, ALTÉRRA finances private-sector investments in clean energy and sustainable infrastructure projects.
  • The Global South Initiative (GSI) is a dedicated investment fund created and managed by TPG under its broader impact-investing platform, TPG Rise Climate.

Awards

Rebuilt Nepalese Monastery Wins Prestigious UNESCO Award

• What: A 17th-century Buddhist monastery in Nepal named Jestha Varna Mahavihar, which was damaged during the 2015 earthquake and rebuilt through Indian financial assistance, received the 2025 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Award for Cultural Heritage Conservation.
• Tell me more:
  • The Government of India provided a grant of NPR 13.78 crore to restore the historic monastery in Lalitpur, Nepal, after the earthquake.
  • INTACH provided technical support as the project management consultant, while UNESCO recognised the restoration for combining earthquake-resistant construction with traditional Newari architecture and woodcarvings.

Important Days

World Kiswahili Language Day 2026 (5th Edition) – July 7

• Theme: “Kiswahili for Peace, Solidarity and Global Economic Diplomacy

World Bioproduct Day 2026 – July 7

Sports

Indian Athletes Wear Sustainable Jute Apparel for Commonwealth Games

• What: The National Jute Board (NJB) under the Ministry of Textiles has developed a 100% biodegradable jute-viscose blended fabric for apparel to be worn by the Indian contingent at the Commonwealth Games (CWG) 2026.
• Tell me more:
  • The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), New Delhi designed the eco-friendly apparel with the development support of Gloster Jute Mills in Kolkata.
  • The landmark initiative marks the first occasion where jute-based clothing will be showcased globally to promote Indian manufacturers and small jute farmers.
  • The CWG 2026 in Glasgow, Scotland will feature 72 countries, with India sending a dedicated 124-member contingent comprising 78 male and 46 female athletes.
  • India will host the CWG 2030 in Ahmedabad. The opening and closing ceremonies, along with the main events, will be held at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

President Murmu Unveils Trophies for Durand Cup 2026

• What: President Droupadi Murmu unveiled and flagged off the official tournament trophies for the 135th Edition of the Durand Cup 2026 in New Delhi to encourage the development of football talent across the country.
• Tell me more:
  • Participating squads will compete for three distinct titles namely the Durand Cup, the President’s Cup, and the Shimla Trophy.
    • All three are football trophies, but they are actually awarded to the same winner of a single football tournament: the Durand Cup.
    • Durand Cup is Asia’s oldest football tournament and the world’s third oldest football tournament.
  • The historic multi-city football competition added a foreign team from Sri Lanka alongside new domestic teams to increase the popularity of the event.
  • Organizers added Ranchi as a new host city this year in addition to Kolkata, Guwahati, Imphal, and Shillong.

Indian Grapplers Win Twenty Medals at Asian Wrestling Championship

• What: India finished its Under-20 Asian Wrestling Championships campaign with 20 medals— 4 gold, 7 silver, and 9 bronze in Pattaya, Thailand.
• Tell me more:
  • Parveen, Muskan, and Kajal secured three distinct gold medals in the women’s division, while Sumit Kumar Laxman Bharaskar captured the solitary gold medal in Men’s Freestyle.
  • In Women’s Wrestling, India finished second overall on the podium.
  • The Men’s Freestyle squad secured third place overall in the team standings with 152 points, finishing directly behind regional winners Kazakhstan and Iran.
  • Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) President Sanjay Kumar Singh lauded the junior pipeline, which additionally secured 21 medals during the preceding Under-15 tournament.

Appointments

Central Government Appoints New Internal Security Chiefs

• What: The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved the structural placement of new chiefs for three premier national police institutions to handle institutional research, crime documentation, and training networks.
• Tell me more:
  • The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) issued these official deployment orders following a proposal from the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Indian Payments Chief Joins Global Swift Board

• What: The Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (Swift) inducted Dilip Asbe, the MD and CEO of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), into its new global supervisory board to guide international transaction messaging standards.
• Tell me more:
  • Swift shareholders approved Dilip Asbe’s appointment at the Annual General Meeting, with final regulatory approval expected in October.
  • Swift is adopting a two-tier governance structure consisting of a Management Board and a 12-member Supervisory Board.
  • Asbe’s appointment gives India a stronger voice in shaping global cross-border payment policies, reflecting the country’s success with UPI.
  • Since becoming NPCI CEO in January 2018, Dilip Asbe has led the creation of four subsidiaries to expand India’s digital payment systems internationally.
• Knowledge Nuggets:
  • Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (Swift):

Sanjeev Jain Appointed India Ambassador to North Korea

• What: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) appointed Sanjeev Jain, a 2008-batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer currently serving in the Republic of Cabo Verde, as India’s next Ambassador to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).
• Tell me more:
  • Both nations initiated formal consular relations in March 1962 and upgraded their bilateral ties to the embassy level on December 10, 1973.
  • The United Nations (UN) previously formed a nine-member Neutral Nations Repatriation Commission under India’s chairmanship following the Korean War from 1950 to 1953.

Miscellaneous

Bridge Man of India Girish Bharadwaj Passes Away

• What: Padma Shri awardee Girish Bharadwaj, a renowned mechanical engineer celebrated as the “Bridge Man of India” for transforming rural connectivity through low-cost suspension footbridges, died at seventy-six in Sullia, Karnataka.
• Tell me more:
  • He spent over three decades improving connectivity in remote areas and built more than 140 low-cost suspension bridges across Karnataka, Kerala, and other states, beginning with his first bridge over the Payaswini River in 1989.
  • The Government of India (GoI) conferred the Padma Shri on him in 2017 in recognition of his selfless contribution to rural connectivity and social service.

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