Daily Current Affairs – 16-06-2026

Tamil Nadu News

Extension of Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme

The Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme in Tamil Nadu has been extended to students studying in Classes 6 to 8, as announced by Chief Minister Joseph Vijay on 15 June 2026. The first phase of the expanded scheme will be launched on 17 September 2026, marking the birth anniversary of Periyar E.V. Ramasamy. The announcement was made during a review meeting of the Department of Social Welfare and Women’s Empowerment held at the Tamil Nadu Secretariat, Chennai. The meeting was attended by Minister for Social Welfare and Women’s Empowerment S. Jagadeeswari, Chief Secretary M. Saikumar, Additional Chief Secretary (Finance) M.A. Siddique, and Secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Women’s Empowerment M. Pallavi Baldev. The scheme was originally launched on 15 September 2022 by former Chief Minister M.K. Stalin for students of Classes 1 to 5 and was later extended to government-aided schools.

International News

India–Slovakia Agreements and PM Modi’s Visit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Slovakia in June 2026 and became the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Slovakia since its independence in 1993. During his visit to Bratislava, Prime Minister Modi and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico witnessed the signing of 11 major agreements between India and Slovakia in the fields of migration, digital technology, defence and higher education. Both countries agreed to expand cooperation in the energy sector, finalize a social security agreement for workers, and work towards the implementation of the India–European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA). A joint statement called for reforms in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and the establishment of a joint working group against terrorism. During the visit, Slovak President Peter Pellegrini conferred Slovakia’s highest national award, the Order of the White Double Cross (First Class), on Prime Minister Modi, which became his 33rd international award. The visit also marked Prime Minister Modi’s 100th official foreign visit since 2014, with his first foreign visit having been to Bhutan in 2014.

US–Iran Agreement to End War and Reopen Strait of Hormuz

The United States and Iran reached an agreement to end their conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a major global route for oil and gas transportation. The framework agreement was announced by US President Donald Trump, and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif acted as a mediator in the negotiations. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is scheduled to be officially signed in Switzerland on Friday. The agreement calls for the immediate and permanent cessation of military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon. The conflict began in February 2026 with joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran. According to reports, around 1.2 million people have been displaced in Lebanon due to the conflict involving the Iran-backed Hezbollah group and Israel. The agreement also includes the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, which had remained closed for several months. The future of Iran’s nuclear programme will be discussed in later negotiations. Following the announcement, Brent crude oil prices fell by around 5 per cent, while global stock markets recorded gains.

National News

20 Trinamool Congress MPs Join NCPJ

Following the joining of 20 Lok Sabha MPs of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), the Nationalist Citizens Party (NCPJ) emerged as a major political party in West Bengal on 15 June 2026. The NCPJ is an unrecognized political party registered with an address in Tripura, and its office functions in Sankrail, Howrah district, West Bengal. According to the Election Commission of India (ECI) data, the party contested only three seats in the 2023 Tripura Assembly elections and received very few votes. The party's audit report for 2022–23 showed a cash balance of ₹75 lakh and donations of ₹1.13 lakh. If the induction of the 20 MPs is approved by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, the NCPJ will become the sixth largest party in the Lok Sabha and the second-largest party in the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Meanwhile, Shevli Kundu announced her resignation as the president of the NCPJ.

India’s Exports Register 18% Growth in May 2026

India’s exports increased by 18% in May 2026, reaching a six-month high of $45.20 billion. The country’s imports rose by 10% to $73.41 billion, resulting in a trade deficit of $28.21 billion. The major contributors to export growth were electronics, pharmaceuticals, petroleum products and engineering goods. During the first two months of the 2026–27 financial year (April–May), total exports increased by 16.09% to $88.91 billion, while imports increased by 15.14% to $145.35 billion, leading to a trade deficit of $56.44 billion. During the same period, gold imports increased by 60% to $9.04 billion, and crude oil imports increased by 16.5% to $41.30 billion. According to preliminary estimates, services exports stood at $36.76 billion, while services imports were $19.06 billion, enabling India to maintain a trade surplus in the services sector.

HCLTech Invests in Sarvam AI

HCLTech announced an investment of $150 million (₹1,427.25 crore) in Sarvam AI as a lead strategic investor to acquire a 10.46% stake in the company. In the first close of its $300 million Series B funding round, Sarvam AI raised $234 million (₹2,218.61 crore) at a post-money valuation of $1.5 billion. The remaining investment came from Bessemer Venture Partners, with continued support from Khosla Ventures and Peak XV Partners. The investment will support research and development in agentic AI, coding and cybersecurity applications and expand large-scale computing infrastructure. Sarvam AI has developed foundational AI models such as Sarvam 105B, Sarvam 30B, and Sarvam Vision, all trained in India. Sarvam Vision is being used to digitise more than 3.5 crore pages of records, while the company's speech models transcribe over five lakh hours of audio every month.

2-Bromo-4-Methylpropiophenone Declared a Controlled Substance

The Ministry of Finance has notified 2-Bromo-4-Methylpropiophenone as a controlled substance under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Regulation of Controlled Substances) Order, 2013 due to its increasing use in the manufacture of mephedrone (4-methylmethcathinone), a psychotropic substance and synthetic stimulant. All persons and entities involved in the manufacture, distribution, sale, purchase, possession, storage, consumption, import, export or online offering of this chemical are required to obtain a registration number from the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) through the prescribed procedures under the NDPS (RCS) Order, 2013. The Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, has directed firms and entities to submit registration applications in Form B to the concerned NCB Zonal Unit on or before 7 August, and registration numbers will be issued within the statutory period of 180 days from 11 March.

Controversy Over Appointment of Law Firm for Basmati GI Cases

Two rice exporters’ organisations, the All-India Rice Exporters Association (AIREA) and the Basmati Rice Millers and Exporters Association (BRMEA), have urged the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to reconsider the decision of the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) to appoint a law firm to handle global cases related to Basmati Geographical Indication (GI) and Intellectual Property Rights (IPR). The organisations submitted representations to Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and APEDA Chairman Abhishek Dev, raising concerns over a possible conflict of interest. The issue is linked to the demand for including parts of Madhya Pradesh in the Basmati GI area, which has been historically opposed by APEDA. The Geographical Indication (GI) for Basmati defines that Basmati rice originates from the Indo-Gangetic Plains. The organisations also referred to the Basmati Export Development Foundation (BEDF) Rules, particularly Rules 19.1 and 19.2.21, which empower the board to manage the affairs of the foundation and appoint consultants and advisors. The dispute is significant because Pakistan has opposed India’s application related to Basmati GI in the European Union, while India has opposed Pakistan’s application.

National Military Drone Technology Hub at IIT-Kanpur

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has granted in-principle approval for the establishment of a ₹500 crore National Military Drone Technology Hub at IIT-Kanpur. The proposed hub will provide full-stack capabilities for the design, testing and certification of military payloads, data links, ground stations and counter-drone systems. The proposal for the project was prepared by the Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA), which serves as the nodal agency for the Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor (UPDIC), and was submitted to the Ministry of Defence.

Scientific Advancement for GI-Tagged Kaladi Cheese

Kaladi, a traditional cheese of the Udhampur and Pir Panjal regions of Jammu and Kashmir, has undergone technological intervention at the Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysuru, one of India's leading food research institutions. The GI-tagged dairy product is made from cow or buffalo milk and is known for its short shelf life. According to Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Jitendra Singh, scientists have successfully extended the shelf life of Kaladi to 21 days without affecting its quality, texture or nutritional value. Researchers are now working on developing a commercially scalable product that can be used by professional food chains, enabling wider marketing of the traditional cheese beyond Jammu and Kashmir.

States’ News

Kerala Launches Free Bus Travel Scheme for Women

The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) Government of Kerala implemented a free bus travel scheme for women across the state on 15 June 2026. The scheme, named ‘Priyadarshini’, was launched in Thiruvananthapuram by Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan. The scheme provides free travel for women and transgender persons in ordinary buses operated by the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC). With this initiative, Kerala joined Karnataka and Telangana, which had already introduced similar schemes under Congress governments, while Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh already have free bus travel schemes for women. The Kerala Government has allocated ₹800 crore annually to the KSRTC for implementing the scheme.

Personalities, Awards and Events

Tamil Nadu Honours Kirti Chakra Awardee

Lance Naik A. Meenakshi Sundaram, a native of Theni district, Tamil Nadu, serving in the Artillery Regiment of the Indian Army, received the Kirti Chakra, which is India’s second-highest peacetime gallantry award. He was honoured for his bravery during an anti-terrorist operation in Kulgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on 19 December 2024, in which he sustained serious injuries but continued the operation and eliminated the terrorists. The Kirti Chakra was conferred on him by President Droupadi Murmu. On 15 June 2026, Chief Minister Joseph Vijay presented a cheque of ₹48 lakh on behalf of the Government of Tamil Nadu to honour his gallant service at the Chennai Secretariat. The event was attended by Minister for Human Resources Management and Ex-Servicemen's Welfare S. Sarathkumar, Chief Secretary M. Saikumar, Principal Secretary Rita Harish Thakkar, and Director of Ex-Servicemen's Welfare A. Sundaravalli.

Reports and Indices

Top States for Clean Energy Investments in India

According to the Indian States' Electricity Transition (SET) 2026 study released by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan have emerged as the most investor-friendly states for clean energy investments in India. The study evaluated 21 states based on regulatory initiatives, market enablers, infrastructure readiness and demand-side factors. Rajasthan has the country's lowest green tariff premium of ₹0.05 per kilowatt-hour. Uttar Pradesh has set a target of 22 GW of solar capacity by FY 2027 and 1 million tonnes of green hydrogen production by 2028, with a green tariff premium of ₹0.34 per kilowatt-hour for FY 2026. Andhra Pradesh has 1.44 GW of pumped hydro storage that is operational or under construction and has adopted the Green Energy Open Access Rules, 2022 to facilitate renewable energy procurement and promote clean energy investments.