Daily Current Affairs and GK Updates (24th June, 2026) |

National News

Padma Awards 2026 Honor India’s Distinguished Achievers

President Droupadi Murmu conferred 65 Padma Awards during the second phase of the Padma Awards 2026 ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The awards included 2 Padma Vibhushan, 7 Padma Bhushan, and 56 Padma Shri honors recognizing excellence across sports, cinema, music, literature, science, public affairs, and social service. Notable recipients included Rohit Sharma, R. Madhavan, Mammootty, Alka Yagnik, and Vijay Amritraj. Earlier, the government had announced 131 Padma Awards in total. The Padma Awards remain among India’s highest civilian honors, celebrating individuals whose exceptional achievements have contributed significantly to national development and inspired excellence across various fields.

IRCTC Chairman Sanjay Kumar Jain Resigns

IRCTC Chairman and Managing Director Sanjay Kumar Jain has resigned from his position on personal grounds, with the Ministry of Railways approving his resignation effective July 20, 2026. During his leadership, IRCTC achieved major milestones, including its elevation from Mini Ratna to Navratna status and progression from Schedule B to Schedule A classification. Jain played a key role in expanding tourism packages, online ticketing services, catering operations, and railway hospitality. He thanked employees, stakeholders, and the government for their support while assuring a smooth transition. The Ministry is expected to appoint an interim chief until a permanent CMD is selected to ensure operational continuity.

India Ranks 13th In Future Skills Index

India secured the 13th position globally in the QS World Future Skills Index 2027 with a score of 89.4 out of 100, reflecting strong readiness for an AI-driven future. The index assessed 89 countries on their preparedness for emerging technologies and digital economies. India emerged as one of the strongest lower-middle-income economies due to its large digital workforce, demographic advantage, startup ecosystem, and increasing AI adoption. The country ranked 5th in the Future of Work category and performed strongly in Skills Alignment, Academic Readiness, and Economic Transformation. The report highlighted India’s innovation-driven growth and leadership in future workforce development.

Bhu-Aadhaar Revolutionizes India’s Land Record System

Bhu-Aadhaar, officially known as the Unique Land Parcel Identification Number (ULPIN), is transforming India’s land administration system through digitized and georeferenced land records. Implemented under the Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme, the 14-digit identification number provides every land parcel with a unique identity linked to precise spatial coordinates. More than 36 crore land parcels across 29 states and Union Territories have already been assigned ULPINs. Supported by drone surveys, geospatial technologies, and digital mapping, the initiative aims to improve transparency, reduce land disputes, strengthen ownership records, and modernize land governance across India with greater efficiency and accountability.

Advanced Digital Policing Apps Launched Nationwide

India has launched four advanced digital policing applications—Abhigyan, Criminal Procedure Identification (CrPI), e-Prosecution 2.0, and e-Forensics 2.0—to strengthen criminal investigations and judicial coordination. Integrated with the Integrated Criminal Justice System, these applications connect police departments, courts, prisons, prosecution agencies, and forensic laboratories. Abhigyan enables smartphone-based fingerprint verification, while CrPI supports facial recognition, iris matching, and DNA verification. e-Forensics digitizes evidence management, and e-Prosecution streamlines prosecution workflows. Together, these applications establish a seamless digital ecosystem that enhances transparency, accountability, coordination, and efficiency throughout India’s criminal justice process while significantly improving investigative capabilities.

Aadhaar App Crosses 31 Million Downloads

The newly launched Aadhaar App developed by UIDAI has crossed 31 million downloads within five months, demonstrating strong public acceptance across India. Available on Android and iOS platforms, the application offers secure digital identity services including biometric lock and unlock, face authentication, QR-based Aadhaar sharing, profile updates, and authentication history tracking. Users can conveniently update mobile numbers and addresses without visiting Aadhaar centers, improving accessibility and convenience. The platform has already facilitated millions of successful updates while reducing dependence on physical service centers. UIDAI is gradually transitioning users from the older mAadhaar platform to this enhanced digital identity ecosystem.

State News

Rajasthan Forms Committee For Uniform Civil Code

The Rajasthan government has constituted a five-member committee headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai to draft a Uniform Civil Code for the state. The panel will consult citizens, legal experts, religious leaders, women’s groups, and community representatives before submitting recommendations. A dedicated website will collect public suggestions and feedback. The proposed UCC seeks to establish a common legal framework governing marriage, divorce, adoption, inheritance, and succession, replacing religion-based personal laws. Based on Article 44 of the Constitution, the initiative aims to promote gender equality, legal uniformity, transparency, and simplified legal procedures through an inclusive consultation process.

Lakadong Turmeric Gains Global Recognition At G7

Lakadong Turmeric from Meghalaya’s Jaintia Hills gained international attention after being showcased at the 52nd G7 Summit 2026. Awarded a Geographical Indication tag in 2024, the premium turmeric variety is known for its exceptionally high curcumin content of 7–12 percent, significantly higher than conventional varieties. Around 14,000 farmers across 43 villages cultivate Lakadong Turmeric using traditional organic farming methods. To support processing and value addition, the Northeast’s largest organic spice processing facility was recently inaugurated in Bhoirymbong. The recognition enhances export opportunities, protects the product from counterfeiting, boosts farmer incomes, and supports India’s turmeric export ambitions.

International News

European Union Joins Strategic Pax Silica Initiative

The European Union has officially joined the Pax Silica initiative, a United States-led framework designed to strengthen cooperation in artificial intelligence, semiconductor supply chains, and critical technologies. Approved in June 2026, the partnership aims to improve access to advanced AI hardware, enhance supply chain resilience, support innovation, and coordinate technology policies. The initiative covers semiconductors, digital infrastructure, energy security, critical minerals, computing systems, and export controls. As part of the agreement, the EU plans to purchase at least $40 billion worth of AI chips from the United States. Pax Silica seeks to foster secure technology ecosystems and stronger international industrial collaboration.

UN Chief Warns Of Escalating Climate Crisis

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has urged governments, industries, and technology companies to take immediate action against climate change. Speaking in London, he highlighted increasing global temperatures, severe heatwaves, floods, droughts, and storms affecting communities worldwide. Guterres launched a UN Call to Action on Methane, focusing on reducing emissions from fossil fuels, agriculture, and waste sectors. He emphasized that methane is approximately 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide over a twenty-year period. Concerns were also raised regarding the environmental impact of artificial intelligence and data centers. Additionally, a Global Urban Data Centres Pact was launched with participation from 36 cities.

Banking & Economy News

SEBI Launches GARUDA For Faster AIF Approvals

The Securities and Exchange Board of India has introduced the GARUDA framework, aimed at accelerating the launch of Alternative Investment Funds through a simplified approval process. GARUDA replaces the traditional pre-clearance system with a document acknowledgment mechanism, significantly reducing approval timelines. Regular AIF schemes can now be launched within ten working days, while Accredited Investor-only schemes and Angel Funds may begin operations immediately after acknowledgment. The framework covers Large Value Funds, Angel Funds, Accredited Investor Funds, and Regular Funds. GARUDA is expected to improve ease of doing business, attract private investment, enhance fundraising efficiency, and strengthen India’s alternative investment ecosystem.

NITI Aayog Highlights India’s Resilient Trade Growth

NITI Aayog’s eighth Trade Watch Quarterly highlighted India’s resilient trade performance during January–March 2026 despite global economic challenges. India’s combined merchandise and services trade reached $1.84 trillion, registering 5.4 percent annual growth. Services exports rose by nine percent, helping maintain a healthy trade surplus and reinforcing India’s position as the world’s eighth-largest services exporter. The report emphasized the pharmaceutical industry’s role in export earnings and healthcare security. Strong contributions from information technology, business services, and digital industries supported growth. Despite geopolitical tensions and supply chain disruptions, India’s diversified export markets and robust services sector ensured continued stability.

Science & Technology News

BRICS Space Agencies Meet In Bengaluru

India is hosting the BRICS Heads of Space Agencies Meeting 2026 in Bengaluru, bringing together representatives from all eleven BRICS member nations. Organized by ISRO and the Department of Space, the meeting focuses on enhancing cooperation in satellite applications, Earth observation, space exploration, and emerging technologies. Major discussions include space sustainability, mitigation of space debris, responsible satellite deployment, and management of orbital congestion. Delegates are also reviewing expansion of the BRICS Remote Sensing Satellite Constellation to improve disaster management, climate monitoring, agriculture, urban planning, and environmental protection. The proposed BRICS Space Council remains a major agenda item.

China’s LineShine Becomes World’s Fastest Supercomputer

China’s LineShine supercomputer has secured first place in the 67th edition of the TOP500 rankings, becoming the world’s most powerful supercomputer. Installed at the National Supercomputing Center in Shenzhen, the system achieved an impressive performance of 2.198 exaflops, surpassing the United States’ El Capitan. LineShine features a CPU-only architecture, approximately 13.79 million processing cores, and a custom-designed 304-core processor. It consumes around 42.2 megawatts of power and performs more than two quintillion calculations per second. The achievement marks China’s return to the top of the rankings for the first time since 2017.

Defense News

India To Receive First Indigenous C295 Aircraft

India is set to receive its first domestically assembled Airbus C295 transport aircraft in September 2026, marking a significant milestone in defense manufacturing and self-reliance. Produced by Tata Advanced Systems Limited in partnership with Airbus, it is the first military aircraft manufactured in India by a private-sector company. Under a ₹21,935-crore contract, 56 aircraft are being procured, with 40 to be manufactured in India. The versatile aircraft can transport 71 troops or 9 tonnes of cargo and supports medical evacuation, disaster relief, and special missions. The program will replace the ageing Avro fleet and strengthen indigenous aerospace capabilities.

Sports News

Cristiano Ronaldo Creates Historic World Cup Record

Cristiano Ronaldo created football history at the 2026 FIFA World Cup by becoming the first player to score in six different World Cup tournaments. The milestone came during Portugal’s 5–0 victory over Uzbekistan, where Ronaldo scored twice, including the opening goal in the sixth minute. At 41 years and 138 days old, he also became the second-oldest scorer in World Cup history. Ronaldo has now scored in the 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, and 2026 World Cups. His World Cup tally reached 10 goals, surpassing Portuguese legend Eusébio’s previous national record of nine goals.

Important Days News

International Day Celebrates Women In Diplomacy 2026

The International Day of Women in Diplomacy is observed worldwide on June 24 to recognize and promote women’s contributions to diplomacy, peacebuilding, conflict resolution, and international cooperation. Established by the United Nations, the observance seeks to address the historic underrepresentation of women in diplomatic services and leadership positions. The day highlights the achievements of women serving as ambassadors, foreign ministers, peace negotiators, policy advisors, and leaders of international organizations. In 2026, its importance is amplified by global challenges such as climate change, migration, economic instability, and geopolitical conflicts, encouraging greater gender equality and inclusive decision-making worldwide.

Obituaries News

Nobel Physicist François Englert Passes Away

François Englert, the renowned Belgian theoretical physicist and Nobel Prize laureate, passed away on June 18, 2026, at the age of 93. He was best known for co-developing the Brout–Englert–Higgs mechanism in 1964, explaining how fundamental particles acquire mass through interaction with an invisible field. The theory was later confirmed by the discovery of the Higgs boson at CERN in 2012, completing a crucial part of the Standard Model of particle physics. Englert and Peter Higgs received the 2013 Nobel Prize in Physics for this groundbreaking work, which transformed modern particle physics research.