Telangana EV charging station transformed:A wall art mural in Telangana was created by artist Mounica Tata to celebrate sustainability and community.
India's vibrant handloom heritage takes centre stage:The festival showcases 116 heritage weaves from across the country at the Central Cottage Industries Emporium in New Delhi.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Sarnath gains coveted status as UNESCO World Heritage Site:It took Sarnath 28 years to be officially inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Prelims pointers
Telangana has a wall art mural at an EV charging station.
The Central Cottage Industries Emporium is located in New Delhi.
Sarnath was included in UNESCO's tentative list on July 3, 1998.
India now has 45 World Heritage sites after Sarnath's inscription.
Mounica Tata created a mural inspired by the banana plant and everyday traditions.
The 'Weaves of India' Festival is organized by the Office of the Development Commissioner (Handlooms), Ministry of Textiles, Government of India.
Geography
GS1
Urban Flooding and Water Management
States struggle to contain urban flooding:The management of urban flooding in India is primarily the responsibility of State Governments.
Shri Tokhan Sahu Reviews AMRUT 2.0's Shallow Aquifer Management Programme:The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs is supporting 75 Urban Local Bodies in planning and implementing scientific groundwater recharge interventions under AMRUT 2.0's Shallow Aquifer Management Programme.
Disaster Response and Relief
Rain-Triggered Landslide Claims 7 Lives in Jammu and Kashmir:At least 21 people have died in rain-related incidents in Jammu and Kashmir so far.
Disaster-hit regions get emergency telcom lifeline as DoT activates ICR:The Department of Telecommunications has activated Intra-Circle Roaming (ICR) to ensure continuity of essential communication services in disaster-affected regions.
Monsoon and Rainfall
Monsoon's meager downpour erases July's deficit but leaves overall rainfall 16% short of expectations:The country received 37.1% below-normal rainfall during June.
Telangana Drought
Desperate farmers in Telangana face dual threats of drought and crop failure:At least 63% of districts in Telangana are facing significant rainfall deficits, threatening kharif cultivation.
Lok Sabha Proceedings
Opposition chaos halts Lok Sabha proceedings on Monsoon Session's first day:The opposition raised issues such as NEET paper leak and Ram Temple donation theft during the session.
Other
Prelims pointers
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) supplements the efforts of States through schematic interventions/advisories.
At least 21 people have died in rain-related incidents in Jammu and Kashmir so far.
The country received 37.1% below-normal rainfall during June.
Telangana has rolled out a contingency plan urging farmers to shift to less water-intensive crops.
MoHUA has published advisory guidelines for improving urban drainage
Intra-Circle Roaming (ICR) allows mobile subscribers to access any available network in locations where their home network is temporarily offline.
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has activated Intra-Circle Roaming (ICR) in disaster-hit districts of Nagaland, Gujarat, and the Union Territory of Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu.
High intensity rainfall in short duration is a major cause of urban floods in India.
History
GS1
India's Freedom Struggle
Lokmanya Tilak:Lokmanya Tilak was a key figure in India's freedom struggle.
Chandra Shekhar Azad:Chandra Shekhar Azad is remembered for his fearless courage and unwavering patriotism.
District Legal Services Authority
Vijayanagara gets boost:The District Legal Services Authority aims to reduce the burden on courts by resolving disputes through alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.
Prelims pointers
Lokmanya Tilak was a key figure in India's freedom struggle.
Chandra Shekhar Azad is remembered for his fearless courage and unwavering patriotism.
The Prime Minister of India paid homage to Chandra Shekhar Azad on his birth anniversary.
Vijayanagara has a newly constituted District Legal Services Authority.
Lokmanya Tilak awakened the spirit of nationalism in India.
Chandra Shekhar Azad motivated countless young Indians to devote themselves to the nation.
Indian Society
GS1
Violence Against Women in Tribal Communities
Tribal leaders in Chhattisgarh accused of gang rape:Two women, aged 25 and 17, alleged that they were raped by tribal community leaders after being forcibly separated from their partners.
Reservation Policy and Laws
Karnataka Reservation Act, 2022:The Karnataka Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Reservation of Seats in Educational Institutions and of Appointments or Posts in the Services under the State) Act, 2022 provides for 56% reservation for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes.
Government Defers Proposal to Include Karnataka Reservation Act, 2022 in Ninth Schedule:The request for inclusion of the Karnataka Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Reservation of Seats in Educational Institutions and of Appointments or Posts in the Services under the State) Act, 2022 in the Ninth Schedule has been deferred pending court proceedings.
Accessible Legal Services and Inclusive Digital Justice
Government Strengthens Accessible Legal Services and Inclusive Digital Justice for Persons with Disabilities:The legal Services Authorities (LSA) Act, 1987 provides for free and competent legal services to the weaker sections of the society including Persons with Disabilities.
Disability Rights and Police Use of Force
Police forces ordered to ditch pellet guns and electric shock batons:Disability rights groups have demanded a ban on the use of pellet guns and electric shock batons against protesters.
Scholarship Schemes for Scheduled Caste Students
Over 13,550 Scheduled Caste Students in Karnataka's Chikkaballapura District Benefit Under Central Scholarship Schemes:
International Relations
GS2
WTO and International Trade
India Signs on to WTO Fisheries Subsidies Pact:The WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies prohibits government support to illegal fishing activities and overexploitation of stocks.
India’s 8th Trade Policy Review at WTO Scheduled:The review period for India's 8th TPR covers the period from 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2025.
Geneva WTO Session Wraps Up India's 8th Trade Policy Review:During the review, India received 1,094 written questions from 44 WTO Members.
International Relations and Diplomacy
Moldova and India Explore Joint Efforts on UN Security Council Reform:President Droupadi Murmu is the first Indian head of state to visit Moldova since diplomatic relations were established in 1992.
BRICS Higher Education Ties Firmed Up at India-Hosted Conclave:The BRICS Network University is a multilateral university network of BRICS member countries.
Security and Defense
East Asia Summit: Jaishankar warns against disruptions to global waterways security:The East Asia Summit (EAS) was established in 2005 as an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led initiative.
Domestic Policy and Governance
Study-abroad dreams hit by birth certificate delays:The BMC has detected nearly 20,000 allegedly bogus birth certificates in Mumbai.
Science and Technology
Two Days of the BRICS Science Academies Forum Meeting 2026 successfully concluded at IIT Hyderabad:
Economy
GS3
RBI and Economy
RBI's swap facility unlocks $20 billion in funding:The Reserve Bank of India's special swap facility has mobilised over $20.7 billion in foreign exchange inflows since becoming operational in June.
May 2026 sees first net FDI outflow in three months as $74 million more leaves than arrives:Net FDI turned negative in May 2026 with outflows exceeding inflows by $74 million.
Export and Trade
Dubai-bound: 12.5 tonnes of premium mangoes shipped via ICAR-CISH-APEDA sea route protocol:The ICAR-CISH-APEDA Sea Route Protocol enabled the successful export of 12.5 tonnes of Dashehari and Langra mangoes from Amroha, Uttar Pradesh to Dubai.
Export boost for e-commerce: Govt relaxes FDI rules in major policy shift:The Indian government has amended its FDI policy via Press Note 3 to permit foreign direct investment in inventory-based e-commerce models solely for exports.
SEBI and Financial Regulation
SEBI invites public feedback on revamp of online dispute resolution system by August 13 deadline:The current online dispute resolution framework is inefficient and requires improvement.
SEBI's overhaul plan shakes up portfolio management landscape for investors:A portfolio manager offering discretionary portfolio management services may be permitted to invest up to 10% of its client's AUM in investment-grade unlisted debt securities.
Russia-India Trade
Russia's rising oil sales cost India $15 billion in rupee payments over 3 months:India paid $15 billion of its oil imports from Russia in rupees over three months.
Environment
GS3
Climate Change and Resilience
Killai sets new standard as pioneering climate-resilient village comes online:The project was implemented under the Tamil Nadu Climate Change Mission of the Department of Environment and Climate Change.
Climate stressors expose elderly to heightened vulnerability in ageing nations:Heat waves pose a significant risk to the health of older persons, as highlighted by the UN Environment Programme in its Frontiers 2025 Report.
Biodiversity Conservation
NBA releases Rs 6.67 crore under Access and Benefit Sharing Mechanism for Biodiversity Conservation and Livelihood Support in 11 cotton-growing States:The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) has released Rs 6.67 crore under the Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) mechanism
World Tiger Day: July 29 | Green Humour by Rohan Chakravarty:Thirteen countries, including India, Bhutan, Nepal, Malaysia, and Bangladesh, came together for the 2010 Saint Petersburg Tiger Summit
Air Pollution
Haryana's Air Pollution Plan gets high-level scrutiny from Union Minister Bhupender Yadav:The deployment of electric buses across the NCR municipal corporations in Haryana should be expedited
Tiger Conservation
World Tiger Day: July 29 | Green Humour by Rohan Chakravarty:Thirteen countries, including India, Bhutan, Nepal, Malaysia, and Bangladesh, came together for the 2010 Saint Petersburg Tiger Summit
Buxa Tiger Reserve to welcome tigers from Assam-Bihar on October 2:The reintroduction of tigers in Buxa was initially planned for July 2025 but was deferred due to monsoon
Science and Technology
GS3
Dengue Vaccine Approval
Takeda's Dengue Vaccine:The Drug Controller General of India has approved Takeda's two-dose QDENGA vaccine for individuals aged 4 to 60 years.
Artificial Intelligence and Ethics
Nobel Winners Unite Against AI:More than 200 experts, including 15 Nobel laureates, have urged governments and technology leaders to create binding measures against AI uses.
CSIR-NIScPR Event
Distinguished Lecture by Ms. Debjani Ghosh:The CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (CSIR-NIScPR) hosted Ms. Debjani Ghosh, Distinguished Fellow, NITI Aayog, for a Distinguished Lecture on "Key Trends Shaping the Tech Frontiers".
Nuclear Safety
Rome Declaration:The Rome Declaration calls for an international treaty to ban autonomous systems from accessing nuclear launches.
Prelims pointers
Takeda's QDENGA vaccine is designed to protect against all four dengue virus serotypes.
No prior dengue screening is required before administering the QDENGA vaccine.
The QDENGA vaccine has been approved by the Subject Expert Committee (SEC) under the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI).
More than 200 experts, including 15 Nobel laureates, have urged governments and technology leaders to create binding measures against AI uses.
The CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (CSIR-NIScPR) is located in New Delhi.
Ms. Debjani Ghosh is the Distinguished Fellow, NITI Aayog.
Security
GS3
India's Coastal Security
INS Malvan readies to patrol waters:INS Malvan is an anti-submarine warfare shallow water craft (ASW-SWC) commissioned by the Indian Navy.
Russia-Ukraine War
4 Indian sailors among 10 killed as missile hits ship:Four Indian sailors were among 10 killed in a Russian missile strike on the merchant vessel MV Golden Leo near Odesa, Ukraine.
Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism
Jaishankar stresses need for unwavering stance against terror:India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has emphasized the need for zero tolerance towards terrorism.
Terror suspect from Pakistan faces trial over deadly Jammu blasts:The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a chargesheet against six accused in connection with the deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam.
DRDO Developments
DRDO seals two major deals with industry heavyweights for AEW&C MK-II programme:The DRDO's Centre for Air Borne Systems (CABS) signed a contract with AI Engineering Services Limited (AIESL) for the conversion of six A321 Aircraft from commercial to green configuration.
DRDO's 'Kusha' Long-Range Missile Successfully Nabs Electronic Target in Maiden Test:The Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted the maiden flight-test of the 'Kusha' Long-Range Surface-to-Air Missile from the APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha on July 23, 2026.
National Security and Defence
Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh assures nation's security forces ready to tackle any threat:
States struggle to contain urban flooding as landslides hit several cities:
High intensity rainfall in short duration is a major cause of urban floods in India.
Shri Tokhan Sahu Reviews AMRUT 2.0's Shallow Aquifer Management Programme:A total of 870 sites have been mapped for key groundwater attributes under SAM 2.0.
More than 13,550 Scheduled Caste students in Karnataka's Chikkaballapura district have benefited under central scholarship schemes.
Prelims pointers
Karnataka has a reservation act that provides for 56% reservation for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes.
The legal Services Authorities (LSA) Act, 1987 provides for free and competent legal services to the weaker sections of the society including Persons with Disabilities.
More than 13,550 Scheduled Caste students in Karnataka's Chikkaballapura district have benefited under central scholarship schemes.
Disability rights groups have demanded a ban on the use of pellet guns and electric shock batons against protesters.
The Supreme Court judgments have held that the use of force by police is legal and legitimate only if it is proportionate to the situation.
Tribal community leaders in Chhattisgarh were accused of gang rape after separating women from their partners.
The request for inclusion of the Karnataka Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Reservation of Seats in Educational Institutions and of Appointments or Posts in the Services under the State) Act, 2022 in the Ninth Schedule has been deferred pending court proceedings.
The use of pellet guns and electric shock batons by police forces is a matter of controversy in India.
The theme of the 2026 Forum was 'Harnessing Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Development and Strengthening Global South Cooperation'.
Disaster Response and Humanitarian Aid
28 Indian crew members safe after LPG tanker attacked in Iranian waters:The incident occurred in Iranian territorial waters near the Strait of Hormuz.
Prelims pointers
India deposited its Instrument of Acceptance for the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies on July 20, 2026.
The WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies prohibits government support to illegal fishing activities and overexploitation of stocks.
President Droupadi Murmu is the first Indian head of state to visit Moldova since diplomatic relations were established in 1992.
The BRICS Network University is a multilateral university network of BRICS member countries.
India's Commerce Secretary led the delegation and reaffirmed the country's commitment to an open and transparent trade regime.
The East Asia Summit (EAS) was established in 2005 as an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led initiative.
Hindustan Petroleum Corp (HPCL) and Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL) have secured crude supplies till August.
28 Indian crew members were on board the Mozambique-flagged LPG tanker DISHA when it was attacked.
Judicial Infrastructure
$2,010 Crore Boost for Court Modernisation in Union Budget 2026:The Union Budget 2026 has allocated ₹2,010 crore for judicial infrastructure and eCourts modernisation.
RBI Bulletin Highlights
RBI Bulletin highlights Indian economy's resilience in face of external shocks:The Indian economy has recorded an average annual growth rate of 8.2 per cent over the past four years (2021-22 to 2024-25).
Prelims pointers
RBI's special swap facility mobilised over $20.7 billion in foreign exchange inflows since June.
India paid $15 billion of its oil imports from Russia in rupees over three months.
Net FDI turned negative in May 2026 with outflows exceeding inflows by $74 million.
The Union Budget 2026 has allocated ₹2,010 crore for judicial infrastructure and eCourts modernisation.
A portfolio manager offering discretionary portfolio management services may be permitted to invest up to 10% of its client's AUM in investment-grade unlisted debt securities.
India's economy recorded an average annual growth rate of 8.2 per cent over the past four years (2021-22 to 2024-25).
The Indian government amended its FDI policy via Press Note 3 to permit foreign direct investment in inventory-based e-commerce models solely for exports.
SEBI proposes to revamp the online dispute resolution framework.
Voluntary Blood Donation
New Delhi blood donation drive draws 109 participants from MNRE staff and officers:A total of 109 officers and staff members voluntarily participated in the blood donation drive
Prelims pointers
Tamil Nadu Climate Change Mission
National Biodiversity Authority (NBA)
World Tiger Day is observed annually on July 29
Global Tiger Recovery Programme
UN Environment Programme's Frontiers 2025 Report
Thirteen countries, including India, Bhutan, Nepal, Malaysia, and Bangladesh, came together for the 2010 Saint Petersburg Tiger Summit
Rs 6.67 crore under Access and Benefit Sharing Mechanism
The Indian Defence Forces stand fully prepared to face any challenge.
L-G pays tribute to slain cop's bravery as Home Minister Shah reaches out to family:Amit Shah is the Union Home Minister of India.
Student Protests and Education
Rahul Gandhi backs student protesters, rejects 'terrorist' label as they take to streets over exam cheating scandal:Rahul Gandhi described protesting students as the nation's future, not terrorists.
Prelims pointers
INS Malvan is an anti-submarine warfare shallow water craft (ASW-SWC) commissioned by the Indian Navy.
Four Indian sailors were among 10 killed in a Russian missile strike on the merchant vessel MV Golden Leo near Odesa, Ukraine.
India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has emphasized the need for zero tolerance towards terrorism.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a chargesheet against six accused in connection with the deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam.
The Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted the maiden flight-test of the 'Kusha' Long-Range Surface-to-Air Missile from the APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha on July 23, 2026.
Amit Shah is the Union Home Minister of India.
The Indian Defence Forces stand fully prepared to face any challenge.
Rahul Gandhi described protesting students as the nation's future, not terrorists.