Daily Current Affairs – 01-07-2026

Personalities, Awards and Events

Poet Puviyarasu Passes Away

Poet Puviyarasu (S. Jagannathan), one of the founders of the Coimbatore Vaanampadi Poetry Movement, passed away at the age of 94 on June 30 in Coimbatore. Born on 19 September 1931 at Lingavanayakkanpudur near Udumalpet, Tiruppur district, he translated his Sanskrit name into the Tamil name Puviyarasu. He served as a Tamil teacher from 1957 to 1989 in various schools in Coimbatore. He was proficient in Tamil, Malayalam, and English. He received the Sahitya Akademi Translation Award (2007) for translating Kazi Nazrul Islam's work "The Revolutionary" into Tamil as "Puratchikkaaran" and later won the Sahitya Akademi Award (2009) for his Tamil poetry collection "Kaiyezhuthu". Along with Indira Parthasarathy and Sirpi Balasubramaniam, he is among the few Tamil writers to have received the Sahitya Akademi Award both for original literature and translation.

General Dhiraj Seth Appointed as 31st Chief of Army Staff

General Dhiraj Seth assumed office as the 31st Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) on 30 June 2026, succeeding General Upendra Dwivedi, whose tenure as the 30th Chief of the Army Staff concluded on the same day. Before his appointment, General Dhiraj Seth served as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff and has over 40 years of military service. He was commissioned into the Indian Army in December 1986 and is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakwasla, Maharashtra. He began his career in the Armoured Corps and has commanded formations in the desert and western sectors, counter-insurgency forces in Jammu and Kashmir, the Sudarshan Chakra Corps, the South Western Command, and the Southern Command. He was appointed as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff on 1 April 2026.

National News

ISRO Successfully Tests 175-Tonne Semi-Cryogenic Engine

ISRO successfully conducted the hot test of its 175-tonne thrust Semi-Cryogenic Engine at the ISRO Propulsion Complex, Mahendragiri, located in Kavalkinaru, Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu. This test achieved 88% thrust capacity and followed the successful 47% (94-tonne) and 60% (120-tonne) thrust tests. The successful test has paved the way for the next phase, involving a 100% thrust (200-tonne) engine test. ISRO is also developing the SC120 Semi-Cryogenic Propulsion Stage, powered by the 2,000 kN SC200 Engine, to replace the L110 Core Stage of the LVM3 rocket. The propulsion system uses liquid oxygen and Isrosene (refined kerosene) as propellants, which are environmentally friendly and non-toxic, and is expected to enhance the performance and payload capacity of the LVM3 launch vehicle.

HDFC Bank Appoints Former Chief Election Commissioner as Part-Time Chairman

HDFC Bank, India's largest private sector bank, has appointed Rajiv Kumar, former Finance Secretary and 25th Chief Election Commissioner of India, as its new Part-Time Chairman, replacing Atanu Chakraborty, who resigned in March 2026. The bank's Board of Directors has approved his appointment as an Independent Director for 4 years, and approval has been sought from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to appoint him as Part-Time Chairman for 3 years. Rajiv Kumar successfully conducted the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections during his tenure as the 25th Chief Election Commissioner. He also served as Secretary, Department of Financial Services, Union Ministry of Finance, from 2017 to 2020, during which major reforms were introduced in the public sector banking sector, including the merger of 27 Public Sector Banks into 12 banks.

Supreme Court Committee on Student Mental Health

A Supreme Court-appointed Working Group studying student mental health and measures to reduce student suicides has visited 30 higher educational institutions across 10 states since May 2025. The committee has also conducted 25 consultation meetings with academicians and experts. The discussions covered issues relating to students and teachers with disabilities, caste discrimination in higher educational institutions, gender and mental health, student suicides, issues affecting Scheduled Tribe (ST) and Other Backward Classes (OBC) students, and the decriminalisation of suicide. The committee has been tasked with identifying the causes of student suicides and recommending changes to laws, policies, implementation of existing legal provisions, and reforms to ensure equal opportunities for students from marginalised communities.

₹1.25 Lakh Crore Proposed for India Semiconductor Mission 2.0

The Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) under the Union Ministry of Finance has approved a proposal to allocate ₹1.25 lakh crore for the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) 2.0. The proposal will now be placed before the Union Cabinet for approval. The first phase, India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) 1.0, was allocated ₹76,000 crore. ISM 2.0, announced in the Union Budget 2026–27, aims to strengthen the chip manufacturing ecosystem in India by promoting domestic chip design, chip manufacturing, and encouraging the participation of related companies, suppliers, and investors. Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw had earlier stated that these areas would be the priority under ISM 2.0.

States’ News

MSC to Acquire 49% Stake in Vizhinjam Port

MSC (Mediterranean Shipping Company), a Switzerland-based shipping and logistics company, will acquire a 49% stake in the Adani Group's Vizhinjam Port in Kerala for approximately $1.4 billion. Commissioned in December 2024, Vizhinjam Port is India's first deep-water transshipment port and is located 10 nautical miles from the international maritime trade route connecting Europe, the Persian Gulf, and the Far East. The port currently has an annual handling capacity of 1.6 million containers and is being expanded to increase its capacity by 3.5 times by 2029. This investment is regarded as the largest foreign private investment in India's port sector.

Special Intensive Revision of Electoral Rolls Begins in Karnataka

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has commenced the Special Intensive Revision of Electoral Rolls (SRER) in Karnataka from 30 June 2026 as part of the nationwide voter list revision exercise, following similar initiatives in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Bihar. Under the programme, election officials will conduct door-to-door verification of eligible voters for one month to update the electoral rolls. Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar participated in the verification process by submitting his voter verification form with the required documents. The SRER exercise also commenced in Delhi, where Booth Level Officers (BLOs) began distributing voter verification forms through door-to-door visits.

Delay in Southwest Monsoon Reduces Kharif Sowing

Due to the delayed Southwest Monsoon, Kharif crop sowing across India declined by 23% by the end of June 2026, with sowing covering 182.72 lakh hectares compared to 236.46 lakh hectares during the same period last year, according to the Union Ministry of Agriculture. The sowing area of paddy, pulses, oilseeds, coarse cereals, and cotton declined compared to the previous year. As of 25 June 2026, paddy sowing decreased by 25.17%, pulses by 30.47%, and oilseeds by 53.33%, while the cultivation area of sugarcane and jute recorded a slight increase. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that rainfall was 42% below normal as of 24 June 2026, with the highest deficit of 59% in Central India. The El Niño effect is prevailing over the equatorial Pacific Ocean and is expected to strengthen during the monsoon season until September. Water storage in reservoirs across the country stood at 26% of total capacity.

International News

WhatsApp to Introduce Username Feature

WhatsApp is set to introduce a new Username feature that will allow users to communicate without sharing their phone numbers. The feature is expected to be rolled out by the end of 2026, and the company has already started username pre-registration for users. Users can reserve their preferred usernames through Settings → Account → Username in the application. The feature is intended to enhance user privacy, and WhatsApp has clarified that there will be no public directory or searchable list of usernames. To contact a user, the exact username must be known. WhatsApp, which has more than 3 billion users worldwide, stated that notifications regarding this feature will be rolled out through the app in different countries over the coming months.

UN Warns of Economic Impact of Ebola Outbreak in Africa

The United Nations (UN) has warned that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo could cause an economic loss of up to US$3.6 billion across Africa and affect employment. The Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, which began spreading on 15 May 2026, has infected 1,307 people and caused 377 deaths. There is currently no approved vaccine or standard treatment for this strain. The outbreak has spread to Uganda, and a case has also been confirmed in France in a doctor who returned from Congo. Health experts have warned of possible spread to South Sudan, Rwanda, and Angola. To contain the outbreak, the Ministry of the Interior of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has banned public gatherings in Kinshasa and other provinces. President Félix Tshisekedi has announced an emergency response plan worth US$319 million to combat the outbreak.

UPI Service Launched in Greece

India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI) digital payment service has been officially launched in Greece, making it the 10th country to adopt the Indian digital payment system. Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal described the launch as an important milestone in expanding India's digital payment ecosystem globally. Earlier, UPI was introduced at Galeries Lafayette in Nice, France, and was launched in Paris in 2024. Apart from Greece, UPI is available in Singapore, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), France, Mauritius, Nepal, Bhutan, Qatar, Sri Lanka, and Cambodia, enabling Indian travellers to make digital payments using their existing UPI applications.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi Visits India

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is on a three-day official visit to India from 1 to 3 July 2026. During the visit, she will hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on 2 July 2026. The discussions will focus on strengthening cooperation under the India–Japan Joint Vision for the Next 10 Years, announced during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Japan in August 2025. Key areas of cooperation include economic security, energy, investment, innovation, and regional and international issues. During the 2025 visit, Japan announced an investment of 10 trillion Yen (approximately ₹5.82 lakh crore) in India over the next 10 years. India and Japan share a Special Strategic and Global Partnership, with cooperation in trade, investment, infrastructure, security, clean energy, and emerging technologies.

U.S. Supreme Court Upholds Birthright Citizenship

The Supreme Court of the United States ruled that all children born in the United States are eligible for U.S. citizenship, upholding the principle of birthright citizenship under the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The Court struck down an executive order issued by President Donald Trump, which sought to deny citizenship to children born to individuals residing in the country illegally or temporarily. The decision upheld the earlier ruling of a New Hampshire court and was delivered by a 6:3 majority in a 91-page judgment by a Bench led by Chief Justice John Roberts. The 14th Amendment provides citizenship to all persons born in the United States, except children of foreign diplomats and occupying foreign military forces.

Sports News

Tamil Nadu Wins Overall Title at 65th National Athletics Championships

Tamil Nadu won the overall championship at the 65th National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships held at Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar, Odisha. The state secured a total of 20 medals, comprising 9 gold, 9 silver, and 2 bronze medals. Praveen Chithravel won the gold medal in the men's triple jump with a jump of 16.92 metres. Jeswin Aldrin and Santhosh Kumar also secured top positions in their respective events. Uttar Pradesh finished second, followed by Haryana in third, Kerala in fourth, and Maharashtra in fifth place.

Economy News

India’s External Debt Rises to $762.8 Billion

According to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), India's external debt increased to $762.8 billion (₹72.08 lakh crore) as of March 2026, compared to $736.3 billion (₹69.58 lakh crore) in March 2025. The increase was attributed to the appreciation of the US Dollar, which affected the value of the Indian Rupee and other currencies. The external debt-to-GDP ratio increased from 19.8% in March 2025 to 20.8% in March 2026. Long-term external debt (with a maturity of more than one year) stood at $613.5 billion (₹58 lakh crore). The currency composition of the external debt was 55.5% in US Dollar, 29.4% in Indian Rupee, and 6.4% in Japanese Yen. The RBI also stated that the share of government external debt declined, while non-government external debt increased.

Tamil Nadu News

VB-RAM(G) Rural Employment Scheme Implemented in Tamil Nadu

The Government of Tamil Nadu has implemented the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) [VB-RAM(G)] from 1 July 2026, following the publication of a Gazette Notification. The scheme replaces the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) and has been introduced under the VB-RAM(G) Act, which came into force across the country on 1 July 2026. Under the new scheme, the annual employment guarantee for each rural family has been increased from 100 days to 125 days. The Central Government has allocated ₹95,692.31 crore for the scheme in the 2026–27 financial year, with expenditure to be shared between the Centre and States in the ratio of 60:40. For Tamil Nadu, the Centre has allocated ₹7,957.57 crore, while the Government of Tamil Nadu is required to contribute ₹5,305.04 crore. To implement the scheme, the Government of Tamil Nadu has also opened a new account with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).