Current Affairs 2026
Current Affairs for 2026, Latest Current Affairs 2026
Govt reappoints Ravi Agrawal as CBDT Chairman for six months [30-June-2026]
The government on Tuesday approved the reappointment of Ravi Agrawal as Chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) on a contract basis for six months. According to an official order, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved Agrawal’s reappointment from July 1 to December 31, 2026, or until further orders, whichever is earlier. Agrawal, a 1988-batch Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer of the Income Tax cadre, was appointed CBDT Chairman in June 2024, succeeding Nitin Gupta. Prior to assuming the top post, he served as Member (Administration) in the CBDT from July 2023. He was subsequently granted a one-year extension from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026.
PM Modi becomes first Indian Prime Minister to address Seychelles Parliament [28-June-2026]
Prime Minister Narendra Modi became the first Indian Prime Minister to address the Parliament of Seychelles, where he underlined the strategic importance of the Indian Ocean and reiterated India’s commitment to maritime security in the region. Addressing the 8th National Assembly during his three-day State visit, PM Modi said the Indian Ocean “does not separate, but connects India and Seychelles,” while stressing that the security and prosperity of the two countries are closely intertwined.
PM Modi Conferred Seychelles’ Highest Civilian Honour ‘Guardian of the Blue Horizon’ [28-June-2026]
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred ‘Guardian of the Blue Horizon’, the highest national honour of Seychelles, in recognition of his leadership in environmental conservation, sustainable development, and efforts to strengthen cooperation in the Indian Ocean region. Seychelles President Patrick Herminie presented the honour to Prime Minister Modi during his three-day State Visit to the island nation. The award recognises PM Modi’s long-standing commitment to sustainable growth, climate action, and green development. It is the latest in a series of international recognitions for his contributions to environmental protection and sustainable development.
Centre Signs MoU with BharatBenz for Old Vehicle Replacement Scheme in Delhi-NCR [24-June-2026]
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV), which owns the BharatBenz brand, under the Centre’s scheme for replacement of old trucks and buses in the Delhi-NCR region. Under the agreement, BharatBenz will provide an eight per cent discount on the ex-showroom price of eligible trucks and buses purchased under the scheme. In the case of electric vehicles, the discount will be capped at the level applicable to an Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicle of the equivalent Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) category. Apart from the discount offered by participating original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), the Central Government will provide a five per cent interest subvention and fixed monthly fuel vouchers for a period of five years. Participating State Governments will extend up to 100 per cent concession on motor vehicle tax for ten years and waive registration fees for eligible beneficiaries. According to the Ministry, Ashok Leyland, Switch Mobility, Tata Motors, Mahindra and Mahindra, and SML Mahindra have already signed similar agreements with the government. Together, these manufacturers account for around 85 per cent of the trucks and buses market, ensuring extensive coverage for implementation of the scheme.
Tripura signs landmark tripartite MoU with NDDB to strengthen dairy cooperative sector [24-June-2026]
In a major boost to Tripura’s dairy sector, a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on Monday between the State Animal Resources Development Department (ARDD), the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), and the Gomati Co-operative Milk Producers’ Union Limited at the Civil Secretariat in Agartala. The agreement was signed in the presence of Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha, NDDB Chairman Meenesh Shah, Tripura Animal Resources Development Minister Sudhangshu Das, Cooperation Minister Sukla Charan Noatia, and senior government officials. The MoU aims to strengthen and modernise the dairy cooperative sector in Tripura, enhance milk production, and improve the livelihoods of dairy farmers across the state. Officials said the partnership is expected to accelerate the state’s journey towards self-reliance in milk production while creating new opportunities for rural economic growth.
India Becomes World’s Top Ship Recycling Nation in 2025 [22-June-2026]
India has emerged as the world's leading ship recycling nation in 2025, ranking first globally. India's share of global ship recycling increased to 35.4% in 2025 from 30.1% in 2024, according to the latest report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). Ship recycling in India rose significantly to 2.99 million gross tons (GT) in 2025, up nearly 60% from 1.86 million GT in 2024. With this achievement, the target set under Maritime India Vision (MIV) 2030 to become the world's leading ship recycling nation has been achieved well ahead of schedule. This achievement reflects the impact of maritime policy reforms and ease-of-doing-business initiatives undertaken by the Government of India under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Polish film Silver bags the Golden Conch as MIFF 2026 honours global and Indian storytelling excellence [21-June-2026]
The curtains came down on the 19th Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) with a glittering closing ceremony at Ravindra Natya Mandir, Dadar, where some of the finest voices in documentary, short fiction and animation cinema were honoured with the festival’s coveted Golden Conch and Silver Conch awards. The festival’s highest honour, the Golden Conch for Best Documentary Film of the Festival, was awarded to the Polish documentary Silver, directed by Natalia Koniarz and produced by Maciej Kubicki. The jury described the film as “a poetic yet uncompromising exploration of poverty, labour and dignity, transforming a local reality into a profound reflection on global injustice.” The award was received on behalf of the filmmakers by Malgorzata Wejsis-Gołębiak, Minister Plenipotentiary and Director of the Polish Institute.
International Festival of Yoga and Meditation 2026 Celebrated in Leh [18-June-2026]
As part of the International Festival of Yoga and Meditation 2026, the National Institute of Sowa Rigpa (NISR), Leh, in collaboration with Mahabodhi International Meditation Centre, Leh, organized a seminar on “Integration of Yoga for Public Health.” The seminar brought together experts, practitioners, delegates, and participants to deliberate on the role of Yoga and traditional systems of medicine in promoting holistic health and well-being. The programme began with a visit to the institute and its museum, followed by seminar proceedings. Addressing the gathering, Dr. Padma Gurmet, Director, NISR, highlighted the significance of the festival and emphasized the integration of Yoga with Sowa Rigpa for strengthening preventive healthcare and public health initiatives. The seminar featured presentations on “Building Emotional Resilience through Yoga,” “Emotional Fitness: A Skill for the Future,” and "The integration of Yoga with Sowa Rigpa", highlighting various dimensions of Yoga in promoting physical, emotional, and holistic well-being.
Appointment of Chairperson and Members in the National Statistical Commission [17-June-2026]
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of the Chairman and Members of the National Statistical Commission as follows:
- Dr. Saibal Chattopadhyay, Chairperson
- Prof. Shubhabrata Das, Member
- Shri Satyendra Bahadur Singh, Member
- Dr. Madhavan Mukund, Member
The National Statistical Commission is responsible for evolving national policies and priorities relating to the statistical system, measures for improving public trust in official statistics and standard statistical concepts, definitions, classifications, methodologies in different areas of statistics, laying down national quality standards on core statistics, and recommending measures to effectively implement the standards. The functions of NSC also include evolving measures for effective coordination with State Governments and Union Territory Administrations on statistical activities, as well as statistical coordination between Ministries, Departments, and other agencies of the Central Government, and undertaking statistical audit over the statistical activities to ensure quality and integrity of the statistical products.
Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth appointed as Chief of the Army Staff [13-June-2026]
The Government has appointed Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, presently serving as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff, as the next Chief of the Army Staff with effect from the afternoon of June 30, 2026. The present Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi, PVSM, AVSM retires from service the same day. Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, and was commissioned into the Armoured Corps in December 1986. Over a distinguished military career spanning nearly four decades, he has had extensive experience across the operational, strategic, capability development and institutional domains, contributing significantly to the Indian Army's combat effectiveness and long-term transformation. The General Officer has commanded at every level in diverse operational environments. His command assignments include an Armoured Regiment in the Desert Sector, an Armoured Brigade in the Western Theatre, and a Counter-Insurgency Force in Jammu & Kashmir. As a Lieutenant General, he commanded the Sudarshan Chakra Corps, one of the Indian Army's premier strike formations. He subsequently served as General Officer Commanding, Delhi Area, overseeing key national and international military engagements and ceremonial responsibilities.
