09th July, 2026

1. Bisleri International Partners with the Indian Coast Guard for Cleaner Coastlines and a Sustainable Future
2. Union Minister Kirti Vardhan Singh Leads Indian Delegation to UN Global Dialogue on AI Governance in Geneva, Switzerland
3. GIFT City and Vietnam’s Da Nang Financial Hub Sign MoU to Enhance Cross-Border Investment
4. AEL’s KCL Secures LME Certification for “Adani Copper”
5. RBI Appoints Muralidhar Pai as MD & CEO of South Indian Bank
6. InsuranceDekho Appoints Sourav Ganguly as Brand Ambassador and Launches ‘Khul Kar Khelo’ Campaign
7. ISRO Successfully Conducts Flight Acceptance Hot Test of CE20 Cryogenic Engine for LVM3-M7 Mission
8. Former Afghanistan Fast Bowler Shapoor Zadran Passes Away at 38
9. DRDO Successfully Flight-Tests Pinaka Long-Range Guided Rocket, Boosting India’s Precision Strike Capability
10. UP Launches ‘Guru Dakshina’ Cashless Medical Scheme for Teachers
11. Acharya Ranchhodlal Goswami Wins Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar 2025
12. India and Indonesia Seal BrahMos and Astra Missile Deals, Sign 14 Strategic Agreements
13. Kamarajar Port Becomes India’s Second Major Port with 18-Metre Draft Capability
14. Mizoram’s Natural History Museum Becomes India’s 21st Designated Repository under the Biological Diversity Act
15. NITI Aayog convenes stakeholder consultation on Requirement of Critical Minerals for Strategic Sectors
16. Govt reiterates commitment to make India global hub for AI applications
17. Uttarakhand becomes country’s sixth fully literate State
18. PM Modi Welcomes AustralianSuper’s 500 Million Australian Dollar Investment in India
19. PM Modi Arrives at Government House in Victoria for the 3rd India–Australia Leaders’ Summit
20. PM Modi and Australian PM Anthony Albanese Attend India–Australia CEO Forum in Melbourne
21. India’s Aswath S Becomes the Country’s 98th Chess Grandmaster
22. 3rd BRICS Transport Ministers’ Meeting Begins in Nagpur, Maharashtra
23. EPFO to Credit 8.25% Interest for FY 2025–26 by July 15
24. Indian Pickleball Association Announces Squad for Pickleball World Cup 2026
25. Ultimate Table Tennis Season 7 to Begin in Goa
26. Telangana to Host 8th Khelo India Youth Games 2026

National News

India Participates In United Nations AI Governance Dialogue

• What: Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh led the Indian delegation to Geneva, Switzerland, from July 6-7 to participate in the inaugural United Nations (UN) Global Dialogue on AI Governance.
• Tell me more:
  • The UN General Assembly established this global multi-stakeholder forum through Resolution 79/325 after adopting the Global Digital Compact in September 2024.
  • During the two-day meeting, participants reviewed the annual report of the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI on the capabilities, opportunities, and risks of artificial intelligence.
  • Discussions focused on four areas: the social and economic impact of AI, bridging the AI divide, safe and trustworthy AI, and human rights.
  • The Minister called for inclusive AI governance and greater support for developing countries, while the MEA said the forum will promote AI capacity building, cooperation, and transparency.

India Emerges as Global Hub for Artificial Intelligence

• What: The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and international medical technology firm Philips reiterated commitments to positioning India as the global hub for Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications and healthcare software solutions.
• Tell me more:
  • Secretary S Krishnan addressed the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Global Capacity Centres (GCCs) Business Summit 2026 in New Delhi to outline this economic expansion vision.
  • Chief Economic Advisor Dr V Anantha Nageswaran stated that the country currently hosts around half of all global capacity centres due to its exceptional talent pool.
  • The Bengaluru innovation campus has evolved into the largest hub for Philips globally, developing more than 85% of its international AI healthcare solutions.
  • The Future Health Index indicates that 71% of surveyed clinicians reported improved workflow efficiency, while nearly half experienced increased capacity to examine more patients.

NITI Aayog Convenes Critical Minerals Stakeholder Consultation

• What: The National Institution for Transforming India Aayog (NITI Aayog) organized a high-level stakeholder consultation on the requirement of critical minerals for strategic sectors to address resource security and enhance national security.
• Tell me more:
  • The initiative brings together government, industry, and researchers to secure critical mineral supplies, strengthen domestic mining, processing, and recycling, reduce import dependence, and support future technologies and economic growth.

Prime Minister Modi Attends 3rd Annual Leaders’ Summit in Australia

• What: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived at Government House, Victoria, to participate in the high-stakes Third Annual Leaders’ Summit alongside Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to deepen bilateral ties.
• Tell me more:

India Hosts 3rd BRICS Transport Ministers Meeting in Nagpur, Maharashtra

• What: India will host the Third BRICS Transport Ministers’ Meeting in Nagpur, Maharashtra on July 11 and 12, 2026, under its official chairship theme of “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability (BRICS)”.
• Tell me more:
  • Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari will chair this international conference.
  • The expanded intergovernmental bloc consists of 11 countries including Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates.
  • This influential global alliance collectively represents nearly half of the world’s population and accounts for approximately 40% of global Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

State News

Uttar Pradesh Launches Cashless Health Scheme For Teachers

• What: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched the Chief Minister’s Teachers’ Cashless Medical Scheme from Varanasi to provide medical coverage of up to ₹5 lakh to more than 15 lakh basic and secondary education department employees.
• Tell me more:
  • The first-of-its-kind state initiative covers regular teaching staff, non-teaching employees, Shiksha Mitras (para-teachers), instructors, cooks, and eligible personnel of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas.
  • The state government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the State Bank of India (SBI) to provide a comprehensive social security cover for families.
  • Contractual employees drawing a monthly salary above ₹10,000 will receive personal accident insurance coverage ranging from ₹30 lakh to ₹80 lakh.
  • The insurance policy covers permanent disability up to ₹80 lakh, partial disability up to ₹40 lakh, air accidents, and financial support for child education or daughter marriage during tragedies.

Mizoram Natural History Museum Becomes Designated Repository

• What: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change notified the Natural History Museum (NHM) of Mizoram University as India’s 21st Designated Repository under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, to preserve authenticated regional biological specimens.
• Tell me more:
  • The museum will preserve plants and animals from the region, including newly discovered species, helping scientists study biodiversity, identify species, and support wildlife conservation and ecosystem restoration in the future.
  • The museum was established in 2022 in the Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot to document the region’s rich biodiversity, including over 7,500 flowering plants and 2,000 animal species.
  • The initiative supports National Biodiversity Target 4 under India’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (2024–2030) and the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

Kamarajar Port Achieves Deep Eighteen Meter Operational Draft

• What: Kamarajar Port Limited (formerly known as Ennore Port) successfully completed its Capital Dredging Phase VI project worth ₹440 crore to become India’s second major port with an 18-metre operational draft capable of handling fully laden large bulk cargo vessels.
• Tell me more:
  • The deeper port allows larger ships to carry more cargo in one trip, reducing transport costs and making India’s exports and imports more efficient.
  • It also supports the government’s goal of developing world-class ports under Maritime India Vision 2030 and Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047.
  • This Tamil Nadu facility joins Visakhapatnam Port as the only two major domestic ports featuring these deep-water maritime navigation capabilities.

Uttarakhand Becomes Sixth Fully Literate Indian State

• What: Uttarakhand achieved full literacy status to become India’s sixth fully literate state under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 guidelines and the Understanding Lifelong Learning for All in Society (ULLAS) nationwide initiative.
• Tell me more:
  • The state met the adult literacy criteria set by the Department of School Education and Literacy under the Union Ministry of Education.
  • The state has achieved a literacy rate of over 98%, becoming one of India’s fully literate states, alongside Mizoram, Goa, Tripura, Himachal Pradesh, and Sikkim.
  • Uttarakhand Governor Lieutenant General (Retd.) – Gurmeet Singh
  • Chief Minister – Pushkar Singh Dhami

Banking and Economy

Adani Kutch Copper Secures London Metal Exchange Registration

• What: Adani Enterprises’ subsidiary, Kutch Copper Limited (KCL), received London Metal Exchange (LME) registration for its Adani Copper Grade A cathodes, allowing them to be traded through LME futures contracts from 10 July 2026.
• Tell me more:
  • LME registration means KCL’s copper is officially recognized worldwide, making it easier to sell internationally, attract global buyers, secure financing, and support India’s goal of becoming self-reliant in refined copper.
  • MD, Adani Kutch Copper – Vinay Prakash

EPFO Credits Interest Rate via New IT System

• What: The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) will complete the credit of 8.25% interest for the financial year 2025-26 into nearly 34 crore provident fund accounts by July 15.
• Tell me more:
  • Union Labour and Employment Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya announced that over ₹1.44 lakh crore will transfer to subscribers using the new Centralised IT Enabled Services (CITES) system.
  • The modern CITES platform provides subscribers a unified portal to track membership details, fund balances, claim statuses, and pensionable service records through one interface.

Defence News

DRDO Tests Pinaka Long Range Guided Rocket

• What: The Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully tested the indigenous Pinaka Long Range Guided Rocket (LRGR) at the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur.
• Tell me more:
  • The rocket accurately hit a target 60 km away, helping India’s Army destroy enemy targets from a safe distance using Indian-made technology instead of imported weapons.
  • The Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) developed the rocket with support from the High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL).
  • The Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) and Research Centre Imarat (RCI) also provided technical support for the test.
  • DRDO Chairman – Rajesh Kumar Singh

India And Indonesia Sign Major Defence Deals

• What: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto concluded fourteen bilateral agreements in Jakarta, including major defence export deals worth over USD 600 million for BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles and Astra air-to-air missiles.
• Tell me more:
  • Both countries decided to jointly develop Sabang Port near the Strait of Malacca and expand cooperation under their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership established in 2018.
  • Indonesia will officially deploy a Liaison Officer at India’s Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) to strengthen maritime safety and security.
  • New Delhi agreed to invest directly in manufacturing steel, nickel, and rare earth permanent magnets to enhance critical mineral supply chain resilience.

Science and Technology

ISRO Tests Heavy Rocket Cryogenic Engine Successfully

• What: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully tested its indigenous CE20 cryogenic engine, which will power the seventh operational mission of the Launch Vehicle Mark-III (LVM3-M7) rocket.
• Tell me more:
  • The test was conducted at the ISRO Propulsion Complex in Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu.
  • The successful test prepares the CE20 engine for future LVM3 rocket launches and Gaganyaan astronaut missions, helping India carry out these missions safely and successfully.
  • The CE20 engine has already been used successfully in eight missions, including Chandrayaan-2 and Chandrayaan-3.

Awards

Acharya Ranchhodlalji Goswami Wins National Music Award

• What: The Sangeet Natak Akademi, under the Ministry of Culture, selected Acharya Shri Ranchhodlalji Goswami for the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar 2025 for preserving the centuries-old Pushtimarg Haveli Sangeet tradition.
• Tell me more:
  • Mahaprabhu Shri Vallabhacharyaji started the Pushtimarg tradition about 550 years ago, where music and devotional singing (kirtan) are considered the highest form of worship.
  • The 32-year-old scholar is the 16th Acharya of the 450-year-old Goswami Haveli in Ahmedabad and has written more than 22,000 devotional songs.
  • This music tradition preserves ancient styles like Prabandh, Dhrupad, and Dhamar, uses different ragas for different times and seasons, and is still practiced in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Punjab.

Sports

Aswath Becomes India’s 98th Chess Grandmaster

• What: Teenager Aswath S from Tamil Nadu became India’s 98th Grandmaster (GM) after securing his third and final norm by scoring 7 out of 9 points at the Pune International GM Round Robin 2026.
• Tell me more:
  • The athlete crossed the required 2500 International Chess Federation (FIDE) rating mark in December 2025 before taking a four-month break for school board exams.

Indian Pickleball Association Announces World Cup Contingent

• What: The Indian Pickleball Association (IPA) announced the official national team contingent to represent the country in the Pro category at the upcoming Pickleball World Cup 2026 in Da Nang, Vietnam, from August 30 to September 6.
• Tell me more:
  • International circuit veteran Harsh Mehta will captain the senior squad, while player Arjun Singh will simultaneously lead the separate Under-18 national category.
  • India has selected two male and four female players to represent the country in the tournament – Anish Frolian and Aman Patel from men’s side, while Mihika Yadav, Aaliyah Ebrahim, Pearl Amalsadiwala, and Naomi Amalsadiwala comprise the women’s side.
  • The team is receiving financial and sponsorship support from companies such as Lucknow Leopards, Athletiq, Picklebay, and Electrorush.

Ultimate Table Tennis Season Seven Begins in Goa

• What: The Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) Season 7 tournament will take place from tomorrow until July 26 at the Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium in Goa, featuring seven competitive franchises.
• Tell me more:
  • UTT is India’s premier franchise table tennis league. It follows a franchise-based format, where teams from different cities compete against each other, featuring top Indian and international players.
  • The tournament will follow a single round-robin structure, which means every team will play one match against each of the other teams during the league stage. No team will face the same opponent twice in this stage.
  • Dempo Goa Challengers, the Goa-based home team, is trying to win its third UTT championship, which would be more than any other team in the league’s history.
  • UP Prometheans is a new franchise that will play in the UTT league for the first time.

Telangana to Host Khelo India Youth Games

• What: Union Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya announced that Telangana will officially host the eighth edition of the prestigious Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) 2026, which is expected to take place in November 2026.
• Tell me more:
  • Telangana represents the second southern Indian state in three years to host KIYG, following the 2024 edition in Tamil Nadu and the subsequent 2025 edition in Bihar.
  • The previous multi-sport competition in Bihar featured 28 distinct sports disciplines and witnessed the creation of 26 new tournament records, including 13 national youth weightlifting records.
  • Maharashtra, Haryana, and Rajasthan secured the top three spots in the final 2025 medal standings, while upcoming hosts Telangana finished in 13th position.

Memorandum of Understanding

Bisleri Partners With Indian Coast Guard

• What: Bisleri International signed a Letter of Association (LoA) with the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) to reduce coastal plastic waste and support the Plastic Free Oceans mission.
• Tell me more:
  • Under its Bottles for Change (BFC) initiative, Bisleri will work with the Indian Coast Guard (Kerala and Mahe) to improve the collection, segregation, and recycling of used plastic.
  • The initiative expands Bisleri’s recycling programme to coastal and marine areas under its Sustainability 2.0 – Greener Promise initiative.
  • The LoA was signed by Dr. Angelo George, CEO of Bisleri International, and Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Ashish Mehrotra of the Indian Coast Guard.

GIFT City Collaborates With Vietnam Financial Center

• What: India’s International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Vietnam International Financial Center – Da Nang (VIFC-DN) to share institutional knowledge and best practices.
• Tell me more:
  • The agreement will support the development of Vietnam’s new financial hub through cooperation in fintech, digital innovation, financial services, capacity building, and cross-border investments.
  • The GIFT city recently signed another corporate MoU with Tata Communications to position the facility as a preferred destination for Global Capability Centres (GCCs).
    • Global Capability Centres (GCCs) are offices set up by multinational companies in another country to handle important business functions such as IT, research, data analytics, and cybersecurity.
  • The city also tied up with CEPT University, Ahmedabad for urban sustainability studies.
  • GIFT MD & Group CEO – Sanjay Kaul

Appointments

Mahesh Muralidhar Pai Named South Indian Bank Chief

• What: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) approved the appointment of Canara Bank Chief General Manager Mahesh Muralidhar Pai as the new MD & CEO of South Indian Bank.
• Tell me more:
  • South Indian Bank is located in Thrissur, Kerala.

InsuranceDekho Appoints Sourav Ganguly as Brand Ambassador

• What: Insurtech platform InsuranceDekho appointed former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly as its brand ambassador and launched a nationwide entrepreneurial campaign titled Khul Kar Khelo to empower its extensive insurance advisor network.
• Tell me more:
  • The campaign aims to help insurance advisors grow their business and income by expanding their customer base using AI-powered tools, and improving access to insurance products across India.

Miscellaneous

Former Afghanistan Bowler Shapoor Zadran Passes Away

• Former Afghanistan fast bowler Shapoor Zadran passed away after battling Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), a rare and dangerous immune system disorder.
• HLH is a rare immune disorder in which the body’s defence system becomes overactive, causing severe inflammation and organ damage. It requires urgent treatment, but diagnosis is often delayed.

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