Daily Current Affairs – 09-06-2026

Tamil Nadu News

Singappen Special Action Force

The Singappen Special Action Force has been created by the Tamil Nadu Police Department for the safety of women. Chief Minister Joseph Vijay signed the file for its formation on 10 May after assuming office, and a Government Order (GO) was subsequently issued. The force will function under the direct supervision of the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. IG K. Vasuki has been appointed as the head of the force. In the first phase, more than 30 police personnel have been appointed, including 1 Superintendent of Police (SP), 2 Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSPs), and 4 Inspectors. The inauguration of the force is scheduled on 9 June at Rajarathinam Stadium, Egmore, Chennai, where modern patrol vehicles will also be provided to the unit.

National News

Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana Accounts

Under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), launched on 28 August 2014, more than 58 crore bank accounts have been opened in India, according to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The scheme is recognized as the world’s largest financial inclusion initiative and aims to provide banking access to people without bank accounts. Jan Dhan accounts do not require a minimum balance and provide eligible beneficiaries with a free RuPay Debit Card, accident insurance coverage up to ₹2 lakh, and an overdraft facility up to ₹10,000. The scheme has also facilitated Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) of government welfare benefits into beneficiaries’ bank accounts. Among the account holders, 56% are women, and 67% of the accounts have been opened in rural and semi-urban areas. Under the DBT system, about ₹45 lakh crore has been credited to Jan Dhan accounts, and 94% of Indians aged above 18 years now have a bank account.

Report on State Finance Commissions

The Ministry of Panchayati Raj released a report on datasets for State Finance Commissions (SFCs), emphasizing the need for a strong information architecture to support data-driven fiscal decentralisation and grassroots governance. State Finance Commissions are constitutional bodies established under Article 243-I of the Constitution of India and are responsible for recommending the distribution of state revenues between state governments and local bodies. The report identified key challenges such as data fragmentation, lack of Panchayat-level and sector-wise expenditure data, non-standard accounting systems, absence of consolidated financial statements, shortage of trained staff at the grassroots level, delays in constituting SFCs, and inadequate devolution. The report recommended that the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) conduct a performance audit of the implementation of the 73rd Constitutional Amendment, that states establish permanent SFC cells for maintaining financial data, adopt standardized accounting heads and common reporting templates, and classify Panchayat Advancement Index indicators into needs, performance, and equity categories for improving fiscal devolution formulas.

10 Years of Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan

The Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA) was launched in 2016 and is implemented by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare through the National Health Mission (NHM). The scheme aims to provide free antenatal care to pregnant women through early risk detection and timely intervention for safer pregnancies. It covers pregnant women in the second and third trimesters, with priority given to high-risk pregnancies and dropouts. Services are provided on the 9th of every month at designated government health facilities and include clinical examinations, laboratory investigations, ultrasonography, medicines, and counseling. Under the ‘IPledgeFor9’ Achievers Awards, private doctors volunteering on the 9th of every month are recognized. The Extended PMSMA Strategy, launched in 2022, ensures continuous tracking of high-risk pregnancies until safe delivery, supported by financial incentives and SMS alert systems. The programme has provided antenatal services to more than 7.50 crore pregnant women. India’s Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) declined from 130 per lakh live births in 2014–16 to 87 per lakh live births in 2022–24.

Sports News

India Wins 17 Medals in Mongolia Wrestling Meet

India won 17 medals and secured third place overall at the Senior Ranking Open Series Wrestling Championship held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. In the Freestyle category, Deepak (61 kg), Dinesh (125 kg), and Sagar Jaglan (74 kg) won gold medals, while Sumit (57 kg), Kumar Mohit (65 kg), Jaydeep (74 kg), and Vicky (97 kg) won bronze medals. In the Greco-Roman category, Sunit (87 kg) and Nitesh (97 kg) won gold medals. In the Women’s category, Manisha (57 kg), Neha (59 kg), and Kajal (76 kg) won gold medals, while Neelam (50 kg), Hansika (55 kg), Mansi (62 kg), and Priya (76 kg) secured bronze medals.

India’s Record Test Win Against Afghanistan

In the Test match held at Mullanpur, Punjab, from 6 June, India defeated Afghanistan by an innings and 300 runs, registering its largest-ever victory margin in Test cricket. India scored 564/8 declared in the first innings, with centuries from Shubman Gill (126) and K.L. Rahul (100). Afghanistan were bowled out for 152 in the first innings and 112 in the second innings after being asked to follow on. Manav Suthar, making his Test debut, took 6 wickets in the first innings and was named Player of the Match. He became the 9th Indian player and the 3rd Indian bowler to win the Player of the Match award on Test debut, and the 10th Indian player to take five or more wickets in a debut Test. India has now played 15 international matches against Afghanistan, recording 13 wins, 1 tie, and 1 washout, without suffering a defeat.

₹50 Lakh Incentive for Praggnanandhaa

Grandmaster R. Praggnanandhaa won the Norway Chess Tournament held in Oslo, Norway, becoming the first Indian player to win the championship title in the tournament. Following this achievement, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay presented him with a ₹50 lakh incentive on behalf of the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT) at the Secretariat in Chennai. Under the Special Scholarship Scheme for Elite Sportspersons, Praggnanandhaa also receives an annual assistance of ₹30 lakh. The event was attended by Sports Minister Aadhav Arjuna and SDAT Member-Secretary J. Meghanatha Reddy. The Home of Chess Academy has been established at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Chennai, to support chess training and the development of players aiming for International Master (IM) and Grandmaster (GM) titles.

Economy News

India’s Current Account Surplus in Jan–March 2026

In the January–March quarter of FY 2025–26, India recorded a Current Account Surplus of $7.1 billion, equivalent to 0.7% of GDP. During the quarter, net services receipts increased to $60.4 billion, while merchandise trade deficit rose to $83.4 billion. Remittances from Indians working abroad increased to $43.5 billion, and NRI deposits rose to $3.3 billion. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) recorded a net inflow of $4.2 billion, while Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) brought in $12 billion as net investment. For the full FY 2025–26, India’s Current Account Deficit (CAD) stood at $25.2 billion, compared to $22.9 billion in FY 2024–25. During the same period, net invisible receipts increased to $312 billion, net FDI inflow stood at $6.9 billion, and India’s foreign exchange reserves declined by $23.6 billion.

International News

Adani Ports Secures Argentina LNG Contract

Adani Ports has secured a 10-year marine services contract for Argentina’s first Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) export project. The contract was awarded through an international tender conducted by Southern Energy to a consortium comprising Adani Harbor International, a subsidiary of Adani Ports, and Argentina’s Meridian Group. Under the agreement, the consortium will provide services such as tugboat operations, marine logistics, supply support, and crew transportation for LNG cargo vessels. The project will be located in the San Matías Gulf, Argentina, and commercial operations are expected to begin in September next year. In the first phase, the project aims to produce 2.45 million tonnes of LNG annually.

Armenia Parliamentary Election 2026

In the 2026 Parliamentary Election of Armenia, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's Civil Contract Party retained power by securing 49.81% of the vote, according to the Central Election Commission (CEC). The opposition Strong Armenia alliance finished second with 23.29% of the vote. The election recorded a voter turnout of more than 58%. The result is significant in the context of Armenia's relations with Russia, the European Union, and Azerbaijan. Nikol Pashinyan has advocated closer ties with the European Union while maintaining relations with Russia. The Strong Armenia alliance is led by Samvel Karapetyan, a Russian-Armenian businessman.

Reports and Indices

SIPRI Yearbook 2026

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Yearbook 2026 reported that the world possessed approximately 12,187 nuclear warheads as of January 2026. India's nuclear arsenal increased to an estimated 190 warheads, compared to China's 620 and Pakistan's 170, with 12 Indian warheads deployed on missiles. Global military expenditure reached a record US$ 2.9 trillion in 2025, marking the 11th consecutive year of increase, and India ranked as the 5th largest military spender with US$ 92.1 billion, while the United States remained the largest spender with US$ 954 billion. India was the second-largest arms importer in the world with an approximate 8% share, after Ukraine. The report noted that the number of interstate armed conflicts increased from 3 in 2024 to 6 in 2025. It also highlighted the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI), drone swarms, autonomous weapons, cyber tools, semiconductors, critical minerals, and supply chains in modern warfare. Major global disarmament mechanisms mentioned include the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) and the Conference on Disarmament (CD, 1978). Key treaties include the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT, 1968), Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT, 1996), and the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW, 2017).