Weekly Current Affairs: July 20–26, 2026 — Education Minister Resigns Over Paper Leaks, Nilekani Exam Task Force, ₹10 Crore Anti-Leak Bill, SC Strength to 38, Kusha Missile Test & Mirabai Chanu’s CWG Gold
Your verified, exam-ready digest for the week
📌Key Points at a Glance
- 1Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned on July 25, 2026 after weeks of student protests over the NEET-UG paper leak; the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) ended its agitation hours later after the government accepted its demands.
- 2On July 20 students marched on Parliament in a “Sansad Chalo” protest; police used baton charges and tear gas at Jantar Mantar and many students were injured.
- 3PM Modi announced fast-track courts for paper leak cases on July 23, and on July 26 set up a task force on examination reforms headed by Nandan Nilekani, with Tapan Deka, S. Somanath, V. Kamakoti, Anita Karwal and Amrit Lal Meena.
- 4The Union Cabinet approved the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 on July 24 — up to 10 years’ jail, fines up to ₹10 crore, asset confiscation, 60-day investigations and three-month fast-track verdicts.
- 5The Monsoon Session runs July 20 to August 13, 2026 (19 sittings, 28 bills). The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026 seeks to raise strength from 34 to 38 judges; 92,101 cases were pending as on January 1, 2026.
- 6At least 20 workers died when a tunnel of the NHPC Teesta Stage VI project at Samardung, Namchi district, Sikkim collapsed on July 20 after a suspected methane gas explosion.
- 7Anurag Jain (IAS, MP:1989) was appointed CEO of NITI Aayog for two years; Harjit Singh Grewal took charge as Chairman of the National Commission for Minorities; NSA Ajit Doval was selected for the Lokmanya Tilak National Award.
- 8India deposited its Instrument of Acceptance of the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies on July 20, becoming the 123rd member to do so.
- 9The Index of Core Industries moved to base year 2022-23 with iron ore as the ninth core industry; ICI grew 5.0% in June 2026, with electricity carrying the highest weight (30.932).
- 10The Cabinet approved the ₹3,030 crore BHAVYA Rasayan scheme for three Chemical Parks over FY 2026-27 to FY 2030-31.
- 11CDSCO approved Qdenga (Takeda), India’s first dengue vaccine, for ages 4 to 60 — two doses three months apart, covering all four serotypes.
- 12DRDO flight-tested the Kusha long-range surface-to-air missile from APJ Abdul Kalam Island on July 23; Samudra Pradakshina, the first tri-service all-women circumnavigation, was flagged in at Mumbai on July 22 after 314 days and 25,500 nautical miles.
- 13The IAF flew Rafale jets at Exercise Pitch Black 2026 (Darwin, July 20 to August 7) for the first time, with 4 Rafales, 2 C-17s and 120+ Air Warriors among 19 nations.
- 14India hosted the 16th BRICS Health Ministers’ Meeting in Chandigarh on July 23 under its 2026 Chairship, adopting the Health Ministerial Declaration and announcing a BRICS mental wellness network coordinated by NIMHANS.
- 15Andy Burnham became the 59th UK Prime Minister on July 20, succeeding Keir Starmer; President Murmu completed the first-ever Indian presidential visits to Moldova and North Macedonia, plus Romania.
- 16The 23rd Commonwealth Games opened in Glasgow on July 23 (74 nations, 10 sports, 215 events); Mirabai Chanu won India’s first gold in the women’s 48 kg with a Games-record 190 kg on July 26.
- 17Catch-up from July 18: Skyroot Aerospace’s Vikram-1 reached a 450 km orbit on Mission Aagaman, making India the third country with private orbital launch capability.
- 18Catch-up from July 18: the 72nd National Film Awards were announced — Article 370 won Best Feature Film, Yami Gautam Best Actress, and Mammootty and Kartik Aaryan shared Best Actor.
- 19Catch-up from July 17: Gujarat topped NITI Aayog’s first Investment Friendliness Index (56.6), and India’s first and deepest geothermal wells were commissioned at Puga Valley, Ladakh.
- 20Catch-up from July 19: P. V. Sindhu beat Akane Yamaguchi 21-17, 21-17 to win her maiden Japan Open and first BWF Super 750 title.
🏛️ National & Polity
Students March on Parliament Over NEET Paper Leak; Police Use Force at Jantar Mantar
On July 20, 2026 — the opening day of the Monsoon Session — thousands of students led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a satirical youth movement, marched towards Parliament in a “Sansad Chalo” protest against alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG examination. Police used baton charges and tear gas, and many students were injured.
Key Facts
- The main protest site was Jantar Mantar in New Delhi; the movement was founded by Abhijeet Dipke, with Ashutosh Ranka as spokesperson.
- Three core demands: the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, compensation for families of students who died by suicide after being told their results would be scrapped, and no punitive action against protesters.
- The government said it acted after the leak surfaced and that 13 people were arrested; a NEET re-examination was conducted and results declared.
- Opposition protests over the NEET-UG paper leak disrupted both Houses on the first day of the session.
📌 Why It Matters
This is the single biggest story of the year for exam aspirants — the protest triggered a ministerial resignation, a new Bill and a national task force, all of which are high-probability exam material.
🧠 Static GK Connect
NEET-UG is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), set up in 2017 under the Ministry of Education. Jantar Mantar in New Delhi was built by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II in 1724.
PM Modi Announces Fast-Track Courts for Paper Leak Cases
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on July 23, 2026 that the government will set up fast-track courts to ensure swift and stringent punishment for those involved in examination paper leaks, saying nothing is more important than the welfare and future of the youth.
Key Facts
- The announcement was made in a post on X and confirmed by the Prime Minister’s Office; the PM said he had directed the concerned authorities to take all necessary steps.
- The number of fast-track courts, their territorial jurisdiction and the timeline for setting them up were not disclosed.
- Fast-track courts are ordinarily established by State Governments in consultation with the concerned High Court.
- The announcement came three days after the “Sansad Chalo” march by students on July 20.
📌 Why It Matters
Government responses to the paper-leak crisis — the announcement date, the instrument used, and who sets up fast-track courts — are directly examinable in Polity and Current Affairs sections.
🧠 Static GK Connect
Fast Track Courts were first recommended by the 11th Finance Commission (2000). Fast Track Special Courts for crimes against women and children were launched in 2019.
Union Cabinet Clears Anti-Paper-Leak Bill With 10-Year Jail and ₹10 Crore Fine
The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved a draft Bill on July 24, 2026 to amend the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, providing for fast-track courts and much stricter punishment for paper leaks and examination malpractice.
Key Facts
- Proposed penalties: imprisonment of up to 10 years and a fine of up to ₹10 crore — a tenfold rise from the ₹1 crore ceiling in the parent Act of 2024.
- The Bill also provides for confiscation of the assets of those convicted.
- Investigation must be completed within 60 days, and fast-track courts must deliver judgment within three months.
- The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 was introduced in the Lok Sabha on July 27, 2026 by Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh.
- The parent Act covers examinations of the UPSC, SSC, NTA, Railway Recruitment Boards and banking recruitment bodies.
📌 Why It Matters
This law governs the very exams TaiyarHo readers sit for. The penalty figures, the amending minister and the parent Act’s year are near-certain one-mark questions.
🧠 Static GK Connect
The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 was passed by the Lok Sabha on February 6 and the Rajya Sabha on February 9, 2024, and came into force on June 21, 2024. Offences under it are non-bailable.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan Resigns; Student Agitation Called Off
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced his resignation on July 25, 2026, saying he had sent his resignation letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi after weeks of nationwide student protests over examination paper leaks. Hours later the Cockroach Janta Party ended its agitation, saying the government had accepted its demands.
Key Facts
- Dharmendra Pradhan had held the Education portfolio since July 7, 2021, and retained it in June 2024; he is a Lok Sabha MP from Sambalpur, Odisha.
- CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka asked protesters to withdraw peacefully after meeting government ministers.
- The government also agreed to review the movement’s five-point examination reform plan.
- He succeeded Ramesh Pokhriyal “Nishank” as Education Minister in the July 2021 Cabinet reshuffle.
📌 Why It Matters
Ministerial resignations and portfolio changes are standard General Awareness questions, and this one is tied directly to the examination system aspirants depend on.
🧠 Static GK Connect
The Ministry of Education was renamed from the Ministry of Human Resource Development in 2020 under the National Education Policy 2020. India’s first Education Minister was Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.
PM Modi Sets Up Nandan Nilekani-Led Task Force on Examination Reforms
In a video message on July 26, 2026 — a day after Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation — Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a high-powered task force on examination reforms headed by technology expert Nandan Nilekani, saying India’s examination system must be trustworthy, transparent and technology-driven.
Key Facts
- Members named: Nandan Nilekani (head), former Intelligence Bureau Director Tapan Deka, former ISRO Chairman S. Somanath, IIT Madras Director V. Kamakoti, former Education Secretary Anita Karwal, and logistics expert Amrit Lal Meena.
- The task force will submit a report, on the basis of which steps will be taken to secure the credibility of upcoming examinations.
- The Prime Minister said the government was simultaneously moving to introduce a new law in Parliament with stringent legal provisions on examinations.
- Nandan Nilekani is a co-founder of Infosys and was the founding Chairman of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).
📌 Why It Matters
The composition and mandate of a national committee is classic exam material, and this task force will shape how every competitive exam in India is conducted.
🧠 Static GK Connect
Nandan Nilekani chaired UIDAI, which issues Aadhaar, from 2009 to 2014. S. Somanath served as ISRO Chairman from 2022 to 2025 and oversaw Chandrayaan-3.
Monsoon Session Opens; Bill to Raise Supreme Court Strength to 38 Judges Introduced
The Monsoon Session of Parliament began on July 20, 2026. Union Law and Justice Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal introduced the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026 in the Lok Sabha, seeking to raise the sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court from 34 to 38 judges including the Chief Justice of India.
Key Facts
- Session dates: July 20 to August 13, 2026 — 19 sittings with 28 pending bills.
- The Bill amends Section 2 of the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956, substituting “thirty-three” with “thirty-seven” for judges other than the Chief Justice of India.
- It replaces the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Ordinance, 2026, promulgated in May 2026 when Parliament was not in session.
- The government cited 92,101 cases pending before the Supreme Court as on January 1, 2026; the last increase was in 2019 (30 to 33, excluding the CJI).
- The Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, extending statutory protection to the national song Vande Mataram, was taken up in the Rajya Sabha.
📌 Why It Matters
Supreme Court strength, the enabling Article, and session dates are staple Polity questions across UPSC, SSC and State PSC exams.
🧠 Static GK Connect
Article 124(1) lets Parliament fix the number of Supreme Court judges by law — no constitutional amendment is needed. The Court began with a CJI and 7 judges in 1950. Under Article 216, High Court strength is varied by the President.
Tunnel Collapse at NHPC Teesta Stage VI Project in Sikkim Kills at Least 20 Workers
An under-construction tunnel of the NHPC Teesta Stage VI Hydropower Project at Samardung in Sikkim’s Namchi district collapsed shortly after 1 pm on July 20, 2026 after an explosion of suspected methane gas. At least 20 workers were killed and five remained trapped more than 24 hours later.
Key Facts
- 25 workers, including some project officers, were trapped when the tunnel collapsed.
- NHPC said a sudden burst of methane gas embedded in the rocks caused the explosion, generating dense fumes and toxic gases.
- Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang announced ex-gratia of ₹4 lakh for the next of kin of each deceased worker and ₹50,000 for each injured person.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh for the next of kin of the deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured.
- The Sikkim Assembly observed a two-minute silence; NHPC’s Chairman and Managing Director is Bhupender Gupta.
📌 Why It Matters
Major industrial accidents, the project and river involved, and the ex-gratia amounts announced are commonly asked in SSC, Railway and State PSC current affairs.
🧠 Static GK Connect
The Teesta is a tributary of the Brahmaputra, rising in Sikkim. NHPC Limited, founded in 1975, is India’s largest hydropower company and a Navratna CPSE under the Ministry of Power. Sikkim became India’s 22nd state in 1975.
Shabdalok, India’s First Immersive Language Museum, Inaugurated in Kolkata
Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the first phase of Shabdalok, India’s first immersive language museum, at Belvedere House inside the National Library campus in Kolkata on July 19, 2026. (Included this week as it was not covered in the previous digest.)
Key Facts
- Developed by the National Library under the Ministry of Culture at a cost of about ₹41 crore.
- Phase one offers 2,282 square metres of exhibition space on the first floor; later phases will add ground-floor galleries, a souvenir shop, a cafe and facade projection mapping.
- The museum has nine galleries covering nearly 380 Indian languages, including the 121 languages recorded in Census 2011.
📌 Why It Matters
“India’s first” institutions, their location and the ministry behind them are frequent one-mark questions in SSC, Railway and State PSC exams.
🧠 Static GK Connect
The National Library of India in Kolkata is the country’s largest library and functions under the Ministry of Culture. The Eighth Schedule of the Constitution currently recognises 22 languages.
🌐 International
Andy Burnham Becomes Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Andy Burnham formally became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on July 20, 2026, after Keir Starmer tendered his resignation to King Charles III at Buckingham Palace. Both belong to the Labour Party.
Key Facts
- Burnham, aged 56, was previously Mayor of Greater Manchester and had earlier served as Culture Secretary and Health Secretary.
- He became Labour Party leader on July 17, 2026 and Prime Minister on July 20, 2026.
- He is the 59th Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and the seventh to occupy 10 Downing Street in a decade.
- Keir Starmer had announced on June 22, 2026 that he would step down as Labour leader.
📌 Why It Matters
Heads of government of major countries are among the most commonly asked one-mark questions in Banking, SSC and Railway General Awareness.
🧠 Static GK Connect
The United Kingdom has a parliamentary democracy with a constitutional monarch as head of state. Its currency is the Pound Sterling and its capital is London. Keir Starmer had become PM in July 2024.
President Murmu Completes Three-Nation Visit to Moldova, North Macedonia and Romania
President Droupadi Murmu undertook State Visits to Moldova, North Macedonia and Romania from July 19 to 25, 2026 — India’s most significant recent diplomatic outreach to Central and Eastern Europe, including two first-ever presidential visits.
Key Facts
- Moldova on July 20, 2026 at the invitation of President Maia Sandu — the first ever visit by an Indian President to Moldova.
- North Macedonia from July 21 to 22, 2026 at the invitation of President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova — also a first for an Indian President.
- Romania from July 23 to 25, 2026 at the invitation of President Nicusor Dan — the first visit by an Indian President to Romania in more than three decades.
- On July 22, 2026 she unveiled a bust of Mahatma Gandhi at the Museum of the City of Skopje, North Macedonia.
- She also met North Macedonia’s Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski and addressed business forums in each country.
📌 Why It Matters
Presidential and prime ministerial foreign visits, the countries covered and the “first-ever” tag are standard International Relations questions.
🧠 Static GK Connect
Capitals: Moldova — Chisinau; North Macedonia — Skopje; Romania — Bucharest. Romania is a European Union and NATO member. Skopje is also the birthplace of Mother Teresa.
United States Imposes Additional 50% Tariffs on Canadian Goods Under Section 338
On July 20, 2026, United States President Donald Trump signed three Proclamations under Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930 imposing additional 50% tariffs on certain Canadian goods, citing Canada’s discriminatory treatment of American products.
Key Facts
- Each of the three Proclamations covers a different set of Canadian imports — motor vehicles, alcoholic beverages and dairy — spanning products from wine to hockey sticks to cement.
- The tariffs take effect 30 days after signing and apply regardless of whether a good originates under the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
- Exemptions include energy, potash, goods already under Section 232 tariffs, fish and certain critical minerals.
- Section 338 allows the President to impose tariffs where a country disadvantages US exporters relative to exporters of another country.
- The White House said Canadian imports of US motor vehicles fell about 22% (about $5.6 billion) between April 2025 and March 2026.
📌 Why It Matters
Trade measures, the legal provision invoked and the tariff rate are increasingly common in Banking and UPSC Economy and International Relations sections.
🧠 Static GK Connect
The USMCA replaced NAFTA in July 2020. Canada’s capital is Ottawa and its currency the Canadian Dollar. The Tariff Act of 1930 is also known as the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act.
US-Iran Conflict Escalates Over Strait of Hormuz, Then Attacks Pause
The United States-Iran conflict intensified during the week with fresh American strikes and Iranian warnings over the Strait of Hormuz, before both sides paused attacks towards the end of the week as ceasefire talks gained momentum.
Key Facts
- On July 22, 2026 Iran warned of wider regional turmoil if United States threats and attacks continued.
- Speaking at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in the Philippines on July 22, 2026, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington remained willing to negotiate but warned of consequences.
- President Donald Trump warned that further attacks on shipping would trigger US strikes on Iranian infrastructure such as bridges and power plants.
- By July 26–27, 2026 the two sides had paused attacks for a second consecutive day amid ceasefire talks.
- India’s Directorate General of Shipping had advised against deploying Indian seafarers through the Strait of Hormuz.
📌 Why It Matters
The Strait of Hormuz, its location and its share of world oil traffic are perennial Geography and International Relations questions, and the conflict directly affects India’s energy security.
🧠 Static GK Connect
The Strait of Hormuz lies between Iran and Oman, connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, and carries about 20% of the world’s oil traffic. Iran’s capital is Tehran and its currency the Iranian Rial.
💰 Economy & Banking
India Becomes 123rd Member to Accept the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies
India deposited its Instrument of Acceptance of the World Trade Organization Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies on July 20, 2026, becoming a party to the Agreement. Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal handed the instrument to the WTO Director-General.
Key Facts
- India is the 123rd WTO member to deposit its Instrument of Acceptance.
- The Agreement was adopted by consensus at the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC12) in Geneva in June 2022 and entered into force on September 15, 2025.
- It is the first multilateral WTO agreement with an environmental sustainability objective.
- It prohibits subsidies linked to illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and to fishing of overfished stocks.
- It covers marine wild capture fishing; aquaculture and inland fisheries remain outside its scope.
📌 Why It Matters
WTO agreements, the Ministerial Conference that adopted them, and India’s position in the accession order are recurring Economy and International Relations questions.
🧠 Static GK Connect
The WTO was established on January 1, 1995, succeeding GATT (1948), and is headquartered in Geneva. Its Director-General is Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. The Agreement is linked to Sustainable Development Goal target 14.6.
Core Industries Index Revised to 2022-23 Base Year; Iron Ore Added as Ninth Core Industry
The Office of the Economic Adviser, DPIIT, released the revised series of the Index of Core Industries with base year 2022-23 on July 20, 2026, replacing the 2011-12 series. Iron ore was added as a core industry, taking the count from eight to nine. ICI grew 5.0% year-on-year in June 2026.
Key Facts
- The nine core industries are coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertilizers, steel, cement, electricity and iron ore.
- ICI grew 5.0% in June 2026 (provisional), up from 3.2% in May 2026 (final); cumulative April–June 2026 growth was 3.6%, against 1.0% a year earlier.
- Iron ore grew 43.9%, electricity 9.8%, cement 9.8%, steel 4.6% and coal 1.4%, while natural gas, crude oil, refinery products and fertilizers contracted.
- Weights in the new basket: electricity 30.932 (highest), refinery products 22.572, steel 17.584, crude oil 7.43, coal 5.596, iron ore 4.905, cement 4.41, natural gas 3.841, fertilizers 2.731.
- The linking factor between the 2011-12 and 2022-23 series is 1.47; provisional ICI is released on the 20th of the following month.
📌 Why It Matters
Base year revisions, the list of core industries and their weights are among the most frequently asked Economy questions in Banking, SSC and Railway exams.
🧠 Static GK Connect
The ICI is compiled by the Office of the Economic Adviser under DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The IIP is released by MoSPI. The IIP, GDP and WPI now share the common base year 2022-23.
Cabinet Approves ₹3,030 Crore BHAVYA Rasayan Scheme for Three Chemical Parks
The Union Cabinet approved the Bharat Audyogik Vikas Yojana Rasayan (BHAVYA Rasayan) scheme on July 24, 2026 to establish three dedicated Chemical Parks, with a total outlay of ₹3,030 crore. The scheme was announced in the Union Budget for FY 2026-27.
Key Facts
- Outlay: ₹3,000 crore for common infrastructure and basic utilities inside the parks, plus ₹30 crore for administrative expenditure.
- Implementation period: five years, from FY 2026-27 to FY 2030-31.
- Central grant of up to ₹1,000 crore per park, subject to a minimum contribution of ₹500 crore by the concerned State Government.
- Parks will be developed by State Governments through a Challenge Route; each needs a minimum contiguous area of 8 sq km (at least 2,000 acres) of encumbrance-free land.
- The nodal ministry is the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers.
📌 Why It Matters
Scheme names, outlays, the launching ministry and the implementation window are among the highest-frequency questions in Banking and SSC General Awareness.
🧠 Static GK Connect
BHAVYA Rasayan follows the broader Bharat Audyogik Vikas Yojana (BHAVYA) approved in March 2026 for 100 plug-and-play industrial parks with a ₹33,660 crore outlay.
🚀 Science & Tech
India Approves Qdenga, Its First Dengue Vaccine
The Union Health Ministry announced on July 21, 2026 that the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has granted marketing authorisation to Qdenga, developed by Japanese drugmaker Takeda — the first dengue vaccine approved for use in India.
Key Facts
- Qdenga (TAK-003) is a live-attenuated tetravalent vaccine protecting against all four dengue serotypes (DENV-1 to DENV-4).
- Approved for individuals aged 4 to 60 years, after review of quality, safety and efficacy.
- Given as two 0.5 ml subcutaneous doses three months apart, with no pre-vaccination screening for prior infection required.
- Already approved in 42 countries including the European Union, the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Indonesia, and prequalified by the WHO.
- Takeda has a collaboration with Indian vaccine maker Biological E to expand manufacturing.
📌 Why It Matters
First-ever approvals, the regulator involved and the disease targeted are common Science and Technology questions across UPSC, SSC and State PSC exams.
🧠 Static GK Connect
CDSCO functions under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and derives its authority from the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. Dengue is spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito and is caused by a Flaviviridae virus. National Dengue Day is observed on May 16.
Vikram-1 Becomes India’s First Privately Developed Rocket to Reach Orbit
Skyroot Aerospace’s Vikram-1 rocket lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota on July 18, 2026 and placed its payloads into a low Earth orbit of about 450 km on its maiden mission, named Mission Aagaman. (Included this week as it was not covered in the previous digest.)
Key Facts
- India became the third country, after the United States and China, to achieve orbital launch capability through a privately developed launch vehicle.
- Vikram-1 is a four-stage vehicle — three solid-fuel stages plus a liquid orbit-adjustment module — rated for up to 350 kg to low Earth orbit, with an all-carbon-composite structure and a 3D-printed liquid engine.
- Liftoff was delayed by about 35 minutes by a technical issue; the upper stage reached its planned orbit about 15 minutes after liftoff.
- Payloads included Grahaa Space’s SOLARAS S3 nanosatellite, Skyroot’s SCOPE satellite, Cosmoserve Space’s Embrace robotic debris-capture experiment and a DCUBED technology demonstration.
- Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace was founded in 2018 and flew the suborbital Vikram-S in 2022; the rocket is named after Vikram Sarabhai.
📌 Why It Matters
India’s space milestones — the launch vehicle, the company, the mission name and the orbit achieved — are near-certain questions across every exam category.
🧠 Static GK Connect
India opened the space sector to private players in 2020 and set up IN-SPACe in 2022. Vikram Sarabhai is regarded as the father of India’s space programme. SLV-3, India’s first satellite launch vehicle, flew from Sriharikota on July 18, 1980.
🛡️ Defence
DRDO Conducts Maiden Flight Test of ‘Kusha’ Long-Range Surface-to-Air Missile
The Defence Research and Development Organisation successfully conducted the maiden flight test of the Kusha Long-Range Surface-to-Air Missile from APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the Odisha coast on July 23, 2026.
Key Facts
- The test was conducted against an electronic target simulating a high-speed, high-altitude aerial threat, which was successfully intercepted.
- Kusha can neutralise fighter jets, missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles and large enemy aircraft across a wide range and altitude envelope.
- All weapon system elements — missiles, radars and the command and control centre — were developed by DRDO laboratories with industry partners.
- Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the capability to develop long-range surface-to-air missile systems is possessed only by a handful of nations and that this will cut import dependence.
📌 Why It Matters
Missile names, their category, the test range and the developing agency are guaranteed questions in NDA, CDS, AFCAT and other Defence exams.
🧠 Static GK Connect
APJ Abdul Kalam Island, formerly Wheeler Island, lies off Odisha’s Bhadrak district. DRDO was founded in 1958 and is headquartered in New Delhi. India’s imported long-range SAM is the Russian S-400 Triumf.
First Tri-Service All-Women Circumnavigation ‘Samudra Pradakshina’ Flagged In
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh virtually flagged in Samudra Pradakshina, India’s first-ever tri-service all-women circumnavigation sailing expedition, on July 22, 2026, as nine women officers returned to Mumbai aboard the Indian Army Sailing Vessel (IASV) Triveni.
Key Facts
- The voyage lasted 314 days and covered nearly 25,500 nautical miles across four oceans.
- The crew comprised nine women officers of the Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force; the expedition was flagged off on September 11, 2025 from Mumbai.
- It met all internationally accepted conditions for a circumnavigation: crossing all meridians of longitude, crossing the Equator twice, crossing the International Date Line, and rounding the three Great Capes — Cape Leeuwin, Cape Horn and the Cape of Good Hope.
- IASV Triveni is a 50-foot indigenously built sailing vessel, constructed in Puducherry.
- The crew also crossed the Drake Passage and made port calls in Australia, New Zealand, Argentina and South Africa.
📌 Why It Matters
Expedition names, the vessel, the duration and the capes rounded are frequently asked in Defence, SSC and Railway General Awareness.
🧠 Static GK Connect
The Navika Sagar Parikrama (2017–18) was the Indian Navy’s first all-women circumnavigation, aboard INSV Tarini. Cape Horn is in Chile, the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa and Cape Leeuwin in Australia.
IAF Flies Rafale Jets at Exercise Pitch Black 2026 in Australia for the First Time
Exercise Pitch Black 2026, the Royal Australian Air Force’s premier biennial multinational air combat exercise, began on July 20, 2026 at RAAF Base Darwin. The Indian Air Force is taking part with Rafale fighter aircraft for the first time.
Key Facts
- Exercise dates: July 20 to August 7, 2026, across RAAF Bases Darwin, Tindal and Amberley in northern Australia.
- The Indian contingent comprises four Rafale fighter aircraft, two C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft and more than 120 Air Warriors.
- The exercise brings together air forces of 19 nations, with up to 100 aircraft and more than 2,500 personnel.
- The 2026 edition features Japan Air Self-Defense Force F-35 Lightning II and Indonesian T-50I Golden Eagle aircraft for the first time.
- Pitch Black has been held in Darwin since 1983 and is named for its focus on night flying.
📌 Why It Matters
Exercise names, host countries and participating aircraft are among the most predictable Defence current affairs questions.
🧠 Static GK Connect
India-Australia bilateral exercises include AUSTRAHIND (army) and AUSINDEX (navy). The Rafale is made by Dassault Aviation of France; the C-17 Globemaster III by Boeing.
🌳 Environment
India’s First and Deepest Geothermal Wells Commissioned in Ladakh’s Puga Valley
Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh V. K. Saxena commissioned India’s first and deepest geothermal wells at Puga Valley in eastern Ladakh on July 17, 2026. (Included this week as it was not covered in the previous digest.)
Key Facts
- Two production wells, each drilled to 1,000 metres, at an altitude of more than 14,000 feet — executed by the ONGC Energy Centre.
- A maximum temperature of 135°C was recorded at a depth of just 400 metres, with higher readings expected as testing continues.
- The wells will support India’s first 1 MW demonstration-scale pilot geothermal power project at Puga.
- The second well was spudded on June 3, 2026 and completed on July 8, 2026.
- The project had stalled after a tripartite MoU between the Ladakh Administration, the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council Leh and the ONGC Energy Centre lapsed; it was renewed for five years in June 2026.
📌 Why It Matters
India’s renewable energy firsts, their location and the executing agency are frequently asked in Environment and Science sections.
🧠 Static GK Connect
Geothermal energy taps heat stored in the Earth’s crust; temperature rises with depth at the geothermal gradient. The Geological Survey of India has identified about 10,600 MW of geothermal potential and 381 hot springs across India. Ladakh became a Union Territory in 2019.
🏆 Sports
Commonwealth Games 2026 Open in Glasgow with a Scaled-Down 10-Sport Programme
The 23rd Commonwealth Games opened in Glasgow, Scotland on July 23, 2026 with a ceremony at the OVO Hydro arena. King Charles III formally declared the Games open.
Key Facts
- Games dates: July 23 to August 2, 2026; Glasgow last hosted the Games in 2014.
- This was the first Commonwealth Games opening ceremony staged entirely inside an indoor arena.
- 74 nations and territories are taking part across 10 sports and 215 medal events.
- Glasgow 2026 introduced a new format of one flag bearer and one baton bearer per nation, replacing the two-flag-bearer format used at Birmingham 2022.
- Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu was India’s flag bearer and boxer Lovlina Borgohain the baton bearer; India’s contingent numbered approximately 125 members including para-athletes.
- India is not competing in 3x3 basketball or netball; badminton, table tennis and shooting are not on the 2026 programme.
📌 Why It Matters
Host city, edition number, number of participating nations and India’s flag bearers are guaranteed Sports General Awareness questions.
🧠 Static GK Connect
The Commonwealth Games began in 1930 at Hamilton, Canada as the British Empire Games. India hosted them in Delhi in 2010. At Birmingham 2022 India won 61 medals (22 gold), its best-ever haul.
Mirabai Chanu Wins India’s First Gold at Glasgow 2026 with a Games Record
Saikhom Mirabai Chanu won gold in the women’s 48 kg weightlifting final at the Commonwealth Games on July 26, 2026, completing a hat-trick of consecutive Commonwealth Games gold medals and delivering India’s first gold of Glasgow 2026.
Key Facts
- She lifted 85 kg in the snatch — a Commonwealth and Commonwealth Games record — and 105 kg in the clean and jerk, for a Games-record total of 190 kg.
- Her previous Commonwealth Games golds came at Gold Coast 2018 and Birmingham 2022.
- On the same day Chanambam Rishikanta Singh won silver in the men’s 60 kg (total 264 kg, with a Games-record 121 kg snatch) and Raja Muthupandi won silver in the men’s 65 kg.
- India’s first medal of the Games was a bronze by Jhandu Kumar in men’s heavyweight para powerlifting on July 24, 2026.
- India’s tally after Day 3 stood at four medals — one gold, two silver and one bronze.
📌 Why It Matters
Indian medal winners at multi-sport events, their event and weight category, and record marks are asked every year in SSC, Railway and Police exams.
🧠 Static GK Connect
Mirabai Chanu, from Manipur, won silver at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and was the 2017 World Champion. She is a Padma Shri and Khel Ratna awardee.
P. V. Sindhu Wins Maiden Japan Open Title, Ends Two-Year Drought
P. V. Sindhu beat Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi 21-17, 21-17 in the women’s singles final of the BWF Super 750 Japan Open at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium on July 19, 2026. (Included this week as it was not covered in the previous digest.)
Key Facts
- It was her maiden Japan Open title and her first BWF Super 750 title; she became the first Indian shuttler to win the Japan Open.
- The win ended a title drought of more than two years — her previous BWF tour title was the Syed Modi International in 2024.
- It was her biggest title since the 2019 BWF World Championships, and her sixth BWF World Tour title overall.
- Ranked 12th in the world, she beat third-ranked, three-time world champion Akane Yamaguchi; Christo Popov won the men’s singles.
📌 Why It Matters
Indian winners of major BWF titles, the tournament tier and the opponent beaten are common Sports General Awareness questions.
🧠 Static GK Connect
P. V. Sindhu won silver at Rio 2016 and bronze at Tokyo 2020, and was the 2019 World Champion. The BWF is headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
🎖️ Awards & Honours
NSA Ajit Doval Selected for the Lokmanya Tilak National Award 2026
The Lokmanya Tilak Smarak Trust announced on July 20, 2026 that National Security Adviser Ajit Doval has been selected for this year’s Lokmanya Tilak National Award, for his contribution to national security, counter-terrorism and border security.
Key Facts
- Announced by Trust President Dr. Rohit Tilak; the award will be presented on August 1, 2026 in Pune on the 106th death anniversary of Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak.
- The award comprises a memento, a citation and a cash prize of ₹1 lakh.
- Ajit Doval is a 1968-batch Indian Police Service officer of the Kerala cadre, a former Director of the Intelligence Bureau, and India’s longest-serving National Security Adviser.
- Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar are to attend the ceremony.
📌 Why It Matters
Award winners, the awarding body and the associated cash prize are reliably asked in SSC, Railway and State PSC exams.
🧠 Static GK Connect
Bal Gangadhar Tilak (1856–1920), called the “Father of Indian Unrest”, gave the slogan “Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it”, published Kesari and The Mahratta, and launched the Home Rule Movement in 1916 with Annie Besant.
72nd National Film Awards Announced; Article 370 Wins Best Feature Film
The winners of the 72nd National Film Awards for the year 2024 were announced by PIB Delhi on July 18, 2026. (Included this week as it was not covered in the previous digest.)
Key Facts
- Best Feature Film: Article 370 (Hindi), directed by Aditya Suhas Jambhale.
- Best Actor in a Leading Role (shared): Mammootty for Bramayugam and Kartik Aaryan for Chandu Champion; Best Actress: Yami Gautam for Article 370.
- Best Direction: Rajkumar Periasamy for Amaran; Best Debut Film of a Director: Randeep Hooda for Swatantrya Veer Savarkar.
- Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment: Kalki 2898 AD (Telugu); Best Non-Feature Film: Bhangaar; Best Documentary: Ram-Nami.
- Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Sanjay Mishra for Bhakshak; Best Film Critic: Sanjeev Shrivastava.
- The Feature Film Jury was chaired by Jayaraj; the Swarna Kamal carries ₹3,00,000 and the Rajat Kamal ₹2,00,000.
📌 Why It Matters
National Film Award winners in the major categories are asked in SSC, Railway and State PSC General Awareness almost every year.
🧠 Static GK Connect
The National Film Awards were instituted in 1954 and are administered under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is India’s highest film honour.
👤 Appointments
Anurag Jain Appointed Chief Executive Officer of NITI Aayog
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved the appointment of senior IAS officer Anurag Jain as Chief Executive Officer of NITI Aayog for two years, with effect from the date he assumes charge. The order was issued on July 22, 2026.
Key Facts
- Anurag Jain is a 1989-batch IAS officer of the Madhya Pradesh cadre and was serving as Chief Secretary of Madhya Pradesh.
- He succeeds Nidhi Chibber, who held additional charge after B. V. R. Subrahmanyam demitted office.
- He earlier served as Secretary, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, and led the design of the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan.
- NITI Aayog’s Vice Chairman is economist Ashok Kumar Lahiri, appointed in April 2026.
📌 Why It Matters
Heads of major national institutions are among the most frequently asked appointment questions in Banking, SSC and State PSC exams.
🧠 Static GK Connect
NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India) was formed on January 1, 2015, replacing the Planning Commission (1950). The Prime Minister is its Chairperson. Its first CEO was Sindhushree Khullar.
Harjit Singh Grewal Takes Charge as Chairman, National Commission for Minorities
Harjit Singh Grewal assumed office as Chairman of the National Commission for Minorities on July 21, 2026. S. Munawari Begum, a Member of the Commission, had assumed office as Vice Chairperson a day earlier.
Key Facts
- Harjit Singh Grewal assumed charge on July 21, 2026; S. Munawari Begum became Vice Chairperson on July 20, 2026.
- Glenn Souza Ticlo assumed office as the Member representing the Christian community; he was an MLA from Aldona, Goa, between 2012 and 2022.
- Berjis Desai had joined the Commission on March 10, 2026 as the Member representing the Parsi community.
- The National Commission for Minorities functions under the Ministry of Minority Affairs.
📌 Why It Matters
Chairpersons of statutory commissions, and the ministries they report to, are standard General Awareness questions.
🧠 Static GK Connect
The National Commission for Minorities was set up under the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992. Six communities are notified as minorities: Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Parsis and Jains (Jains added in 2014).
📊 Reports & Indices
Gujarat Tops NITI Aayog’s First Investment Friendliness Index 2026
NITI Aayog released its first-ever Investment Friendliness Index on July 17, 2026, ranking Gujarat as India’s most investment-friendly State. (Included this week as it was not covered in the previous digest.)
Key Facts
- Scores: Gujarat 56.6, Maharashtra 53.7, Tamil Nadu 53.3, Goa 53.1 and Odisha 52.4 — the five top performers.
- The index assesses all 28 States and 8 Union Territories on 84 indicators across eight pillars, including infrastructure, business climate, governance, regulatory ease and fiscal health.
- It was prepared by Crisil under the Research Scheme of NITI Aayog; more than 1,850 investors were surveyed with inputs from 165 stakeholders.
- Goa led the Union Territories and city states category, and Uttarakhand the hilly and north-eastern states category.
- NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Ashok Kumar Lahiri described it as a reform and peer-learning tool, not a ranking race.
📌 Why It Matters
Index toppers, the releasing body and the number of indicators are among the most frequently asked Reports and Indices questions.
🧠 Static GK Connect
Gujarat has also topped NITI Aayog’s Export Preparedness Index. NITI Aayog’s other well-known indices include the SDG India Index and the Multidimensional Poverty Index.
🤝 Summits & MoUs
India Hosts 16th BRICS Health Ministers’ Meeting in Chandigarh
The 16th BRICS Health Ministers’ Meeting concluded in Chandigarh on July 23, 2026 under India’s BRICS Chairship 2026, with member countries unanimously adopting the 16th BRICS Health Ministerial Declaration.
Key Facts
- Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda addressed the meeting virtually.
- India’s BRICS Chairship 2026 theme is “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”.
- The meeting welcomed the BRICS Mission for Healthy Lifestyle and the BRICS Roadmap for Joint Initiative on Healthy Lifestyle Promotion (2026–2029).
- India announced a BRICS Network of Centres of Excellence on Mental Wellness, to be coordinated by NIMHANS.
- The declaration covers universal health coverage, pandemic preparedness, digital health, regulatory cooperation and traditional medicine.
📌 Why It Matters
Summit numbers, host cities, chairship themes and declaration names are high-frequency International Relations questions.
🧠 Static GK Connect
India holds the BRICS chairship for 2026. NIMHANS (National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences) is in Bengaluru. Chandigarh is the shared capital of Punjab and Haryana and a Union Territory.
🧠 Static GK Refresher
Connect this week's news with evergreen facts that exams love
| News Item | Static Fact to Remember |
|---|---|
| The Union Cabinet cleared an amendment to the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024. | The parent Act was passed by the Lok Sabha on February 6 and the Rajya Sabha on February 9, 2024, and came into force on June 21, 2024. It covers UPSC, SSC, NTA, RRB and banking recruitment exams, and offences under it are non-bailable. |
| PM Modi set up a task force on examination reforms under Nandan Nilekani. | Nandan Nilekani co-founded Infosys and was founding Chairman of UIDAI (2009–2014), which issues Aadhaar. NTA, which conducts NEET and other national tests, was set up in 2017. |
| A Bill was introduced to raise Supreme Court strength from 34 to 38 judges. | Article 124(1) lets Parliament fix the number of Supreme Court judges by ordinary law. Strength grew from 8 (1950) to 11 (1956), 14 (1960), 18 (1978), 26 (1986), 31 (2009) and 34 (2019). |
| Anurag Jain became CEO of NITI Aayog. | NITI Aayog was formed on January 1, 2015, replacing the Planning Commission (1950). The Prime Minister is Chairperson; the Vice Chairman is Ashok Kumar Lahiri. |
| India became the 123rd WTO member to accept the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies. | The WTO was established on January 1, 1995, succeeding GATT, and is headquartered in Geneva. The Agreement was adopted at MC12 (Geneva, June 2022) and links to SDG target 14.6. |
| The Index of Core Industries moved to base year 2022-23 with iron ore as the ninth industry. | The ICI is compiled by the Office of the Economic Adviser under DPIIT; the IIP is released by MoSPI. The IIP, GDP and WPI now share the 2022-23 base year. |
| The Cabinet approved the BHAVYA Rasayan scheme for three chemical parks. | It follows the wider Bharat Audyogik Vikas Yojana (BHAVYA), approved in March 2026 for 100 plug-and-play industrial parks with a ₹33,660 crore outlay. |
| India approved Qdenga, its first dengue vaccine. | CDSCO functions under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. Dengue is spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito; National Dengue Day is May 16. |
| DRDO flight-tested the Kusha long-range surface-to-air missile. | APJ Abdul Kalam Island, formerly Wheeler Island, is off Odisha’s Bhadrak district. DRDO was founded in 1958. India’s imported long-range SAM is the Russian S-400 Triumf. |
| Nine women officers completed Samudra Pradakshina aboard IASV Triveni. | Navika Sagar Parikrama (2017–18) was the Indian Navy’s first all-women circumnavigation, aboard INSV Tarini. The three Great Capes are Cape Horn (Chile), the Cape of Good Hope (South Africa) and Cape Leeuwin (Australia). |
| India hosted the 16th BRICS Health Ministers’ Meeting in Chandigarh. | India holds the BRICS chairship for 2026, with the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”. NIMHANS is located in Bengaluru. |
| Andy Burnham became the United Kingdom’s Prime Minister. | He is the 59th UK Prime Minister. The UK is a parliamentary democracy with a constitutional monarch as head of state; its capital is London and its currency the Pound Sterling. |
| The US-Iran conflict escalated around the Strait of Hormuz. | The Strait of Hormuz lies between Iran and Oman, connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, and carries about 20% of the world’s oil traffic. |
| The Commonwealth Games 2026 opened in Glasgow and Mirabai Chanu won India’s first gold. | The Games began in 1930 at Hamilton, Canada as the British Empire Games. India hosted them in Delhi in 2010 and won 61 medals at Birmingham 2022, its best-ever haul. |
| Skyroot’s Vikram-1 became India’s first private rocket to reach orbit. | India opened the space sector to private players in 2020 and set up IN-SPACe in 2022. SLV-3, India’s first satellite launch vehicle, flew from Sriharikota on July 18, 1980. |
The Union Cabinet cleared an amendment to the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024.
The parent Act was passed by the Lok Sabha on February 6 and the Rajya Sabha on February 9, 2024, and came into force on June 21, 2024. It covers UPSC, SSC, NTA, RRB and banking recruitment exams, and offences under it are non-bailable.
PM Modi set up a task force on examination reforms under Nandan Nilekani.
Nandan Nilekani co-founded Infosys and was founding Chairman of UIDAI (2009–2014), which issues Aadhaar. NTA, which conducts NEET and other national tests, was set up in 2017.
A Bill was introduced to raise Supreme Court strength from 34 to 38 judges.
Article 124(1) lets Parliament fix the number of Supreme Court judges by ordinary law. Strength grew from 8 (1950) to 11 (1956), 14 (1960), 18 (1978), 26 (1986), 31 (2009) and 34 (2019).
Anurag Jain became CEO of NITI Aayog.
NITI Aayog was formed on January 1, 2015, replacing the Planning Commission (1950). The Prime Minister is Chairperson; the Vice Chairman is Ashok Kumar Lahiri.
India became the 123rd WTO member to accept the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies.
The WTO was established on January 1, 1995, succeeding GATT, and is headquartered in Geneva. The Agreement was adopted at MC12 (Geneva, June 2022) and links to SDG target 14.6.
The Index of Core Industries moved to base year 2022-23 with iron ore as the ninth industry.
The ICI is compiled by the Office of the Economic Adviser under DPIIT; the IIP is released by MoSPI. The IIP, GDP and WPI now share the 2022-23 base year.
The Cabinet approved the BHAVYA Rasayan scheme for three chemical parks.
It follows the wider Bharat Audyogik Vikas Yojana (BHAVYA), approved in March 2026 for 100 plug-and-play industrial parks with a ₹33,660 crore outlay.
India approved Qdenga, its first dengue vaccine.
CDSCO functions under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. Dengue is spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito; National Dengue Day is May 16.
DRDO flight-tested the Kusha long-range surface-to-air missile.
APJ Abdul Kalam Island, formerly Wheeler Island, is off Odisha’s Bhadrak district. DRDO was founded in 1958. India’s imported long-range SAM is the Russian S-400 Triumf.
Nine women officers completed Samudra Pradakshina aboard IASV Triveni.
Navika Sagar Parikrama (2017–18) was the Indian Navy’s first all-women circumnavigation, aboard INSV Tarini. The three Great Capes are Cape Horn (Chile), the Cape of Good Hope (South Africa) and Cape Leeuwin (Australia).
India hosted the 16th BRICS Health Ministers’ Meeting in Chandigarh.
India holds the BRICS chairship for 2026, with the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”. NIMHANS is located in Bengaluru.
Andy Burnham became the United Kingdom’s Prime Minister.
He is the 59th UK Prime Minister. The UK is a parliamentary democracy with a constitutional monarch as head of state; its capital is London and its currency the Pound Sterling.
The US-Iran conflict escalated around the Strait of Hormuz.
The Strait of Hormuz lies between Iran and Oman, connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, and carries about 20% of the world’s oil traffic.
The Commonwealth Games 2026 opened in Glasgow and Mirabai Chanu won India’s first gold.
The Games began in 1930 at Hamilton, Canada as the British Empire Games. India hosted them in Delhi in 2010 and won 61 medals at Birmingham 2022, its best-ever haul.
Skyroot’s Vikram-1 became India’s first private rocket to reach orbit.
India opened the space sector to private players in 2020 and set up IN-SPACe in 2022. SLV-3, India’s first satellite launch vehicle, flew from Sriharikota on July 18, 1980.
🧠 Weekly Quiz
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⚠️ Accuracy Note: This summary is provided for reference and quick revision only. Mistakes are possible, so always cross-check important details — dates, names, figures, and notifications — with the official source before relying on them for your exam preparation.