Daily Current Affairs – 11-07-2026

International News

CAMPA Approves New Conservation Projects for Four Wildlife Species

The National Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) Governing Body approved four new wildlife conservation projects for River Dolphins, Project Snow Leopard Phase-II (including the second cycle of population estimation), the Indian One-Horned Rhinoceros, and the Wild Water Buffalo. The decisions were taken at the 7th meeting of National CAMPA held in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, based on the recommendations of the CAMPA National Authority Executive Committee. The meeting also approved the Aastha Van Sanrakshan Yojana with an initial allocation of ₹3,000 crore for 2026–27 to 2030–31 to conserve and restore nearly 15,000 sacred groves across India. It reviewed the progress of Net Present Value (NPV) and Compensatory Afforestation activities undertaken by States and Union Territories, the status of CAMPA funds during 2025–26, and the proposal to establish a dedicated GIS Lab using satellite imagery, GIS platforms, and field verification for scientific monitoring of afforestation and CAMPA-funded projects.

India Among Four Countries with the Most Cities at Risk from Extreme Heat

A study published in the Sustainable Cities and Society journal, which ranked 205 major cities worldwide, found that India, Pakistan, Nigeria, and Ghana together have the highest number of cities at risk from extreme heat. More than 95% of the high-risk cities are located in South and Southeast Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. Al Basrah (Iraq) ranked as the world's most heat-risk city, followed by Ahmedabad (Gujarat). Fourteen Indian cities featured among the top 50 at-risk cities, including Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Nagpur, Pune, Madurai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Kanpur, and Lucknow. The study analysed cities with a population of over one million and assessed factors such as population vulnerability, socio-economic conditions, access to cooling infrastructure, and ecological buffers. The research was led by Nethmi Jayatiratne Kariyawasam of the University of Oxford, and was co-supervised by Radhika Khosla, Associate Professor at the University of Oxford.

UK Transfers 9 Retired Jaguar Aircraft to Indian Air Force

Nine retired Jaguar fighter aircraft of the Royal Air Force (RAF) have been transferred to the Indian Air Force (IAF) since January 1, 2026 for use as spare parts, according to a UK Parliamentary reply by Luke Pollard, UK Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry. The transferred aircraft include five GR1 single-seat and four T2 twin-seat variants. The SEPECAT Jaguar, jointly developed by Britain and France, entered IAF service in the late 1970s and has been upgraded under the indigenous DARIN (Display Attack Ranging Inertial Navigation) programme, with the latest DARIN III version featuring AESA radar, a glass cockpit, improved navigation and attack systems, digital mission computers, and precision-guided weapon capability. India had earlier received 31 retired Jaguar aircraft from France in 2018 and around 20 aircraft with Adour engines and nearly 3,500 spare parts from Oman in 2025. Around 120 Jaguar aircraft continue to serve in six IAF squadrons, and the upgraded DARIN III variants are expected to remain in service until 2035. The IAF currently operates 29 fighter squadrons against the authorised strength of 42.5 squadrons, while the induction of Tejas Mk1A is delayed and Tejas Mk2 and Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) are still under development.

World Bank Approves $890 Million for India’s Rooftop Solar Programme

The World Bank has approved a $890 million financing package for India’s Rooftop Solar Programme. The package includes an $820 million loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), a $60 million concessional loan from the Clean Technology Fund, and a $10 million grant from the IBRD Livable Planet Fund. The World Bank will also mobilise $4.2 billion in private financing through commercial loans to support rooftop solar installations. The funding will support the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, which aims to install rooftop solar systems in 10 million rural and urban households. The programme is expected to create around 1.7 million jobs in renewable energy manufacturing, installation, and related services. India has committed to achieving Net Zero emissions by 2070 and increasing the share of non-fossil fuel sources to 60% of total electricity generation by 2035.

Indian-Origin NASA Astronaut Anil Menon to Visit ISS

NASA astronaut of Indian origin Anil Menon (49) is scheduled to travel to the International Space Station (ISS) on July 14 aboard the Roscosmos Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan. He will undertake an eight-month research mission along with astronauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina. Anil Menon, an emergency medicine physician and US Space Force Colonel, joined NASA as a flight surgeon in 2014, worked at SpaceX from 2018, and was selected as a NASA astronaut in December 2021. During the mission, he will study the physiological effects of long-duration spaceflight, the impact of microgravity on astronauts' blood circulation, and the manufacture of semiconductors in space for use in high-performance computers, artificial intelligence, and advanced medical equipment.

PM Modi’s Visit to New Zealand

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in New Zealand on a two-day official visit as part of his three-nation tour covering Indonesia, Australia, and New Zealand. This is the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to New Zealand in 40 years. During the visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to strengthen cooperation in trade, security, sports, culture, education, and people-to-people ties, besides discussing regional and international issues. Earlier, during the same tour, India signed 14 agreements with Indonesia covering areas including maritime security, pharmaceuticals, education, research and innovation, telecommunications, food security, Indian missile procurement, and rare minerals and steel supply, and 18 agreements with Australia, including an agreement on uranium exports to India. The visit is aimed at strengthening India's Act East Policy, the MAHASAGAR Vision, and a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

China’s Reusable Rocket Recovery Technology

China achieved a major milestone in reusable space technology by successfully recovering the first-stage booster of the Long March-10A rocket using a net-based recovery system installed on a sea platform. The rocket was launched from the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site, and about six minutes after launch, its first and second stages separated. The first-stage booster made a controlled vertical descent and was safely recovered in the sea-based net system. According to the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), reusable boosters can be repaired and reused for future space missions, helping to reduce the cost of space exploration and minimizing space debris.

National News

CPSEs Mandated to Settle MSME Invoices Through TReDS

The Government of India, in line with the Union Budget 2026–27, has made it mandatory for all Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) to settle procurement invoices of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) through the Trade Receivables Discounting System (TReDS). The revised guidelines were notified by the Ministry of MSME on June 30. TReDS, an RBI-regulated electronic platform, facilitates financing and discounting of MSME trade receivables through multiple financiers. Under the new guidelines, CPSEs must register on at least one TReDS platform, disclose invoice settlement details in the format specified by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), and obtain a compliance certificate from their statutory auditors. Invoice financing through TReDS increased from ₹40,000 crore in FY22 to ₹3.47 lakh crore (₹3.47 trillion) in FY26. According to the Ministry of MSME, more than 87 million enterprises are registered on the Udyam Registration Portal and Udyam Assist Platform, providing employment to over 380 million people.

Aastha Van Sanrakshan Yojana for Conservation of Sacred Groves

The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has approved the Aastha Van Sanrakshan Yojana to conserve and restore over 15,000 Sacred Groves (Aastha Vans) across India with an allocation of ₹3,000 crore for the period 2026–27 to 2030–31. The decision was taken at the 7th Governing Body Meeting of the National Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) held in Coimbatore under the chairmanship of Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav. Sacred Groves are forest areas protected by local communities, especially tribal groups, for their spiritual, cultural and ecological significance. The meeting also reviewed CAMPA activities, including compensatory afforestation, forest conservation and wildlife protection, and approved conservation initiatives such as the River Dolphins Conservation and Recovery Action Plan, Project Snow Leopard Phase-II, the Indian Rhinoceros Conservation Action Plan, the Pan-India Wild Water Buffalo Conservation Strategy, and support for the conservation of Manipur’s Sangai deer. It also noted that 652 Nagar Vans and Vatikas have been developed under the Nagar Van Yojana with ₹571.50 crore, while ₹7.28 crore has been released to the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) under the Green Credit Scheme.

NABARD Supports GI Registration of 28 Traditional Products

The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has facilitated Geographical Indication (GI) registration for 28 traditional products across India, increasing the total number of products supported by the bank to 176. The newly registered products include Nalanda Bawanbuti sarees and fabrics and Gaya Pattharkatti stone craft from Bihar, Kuchai silk sarees and fabrics from Jharkhand, Ba Shilp (bamboo craft) and Bihu Pepa from Assam, along with other traditional handicrafts, handloom textiles, metal crafts, pottery, paintings, and musical instruments. According to NABARD Chairman Shaji Krishnan V, the bank has connected more than 13,000 artisans and producers to higher-value domestic markets through GI-based initiatives, generated over 50,000 direct jobs, and supported 14 Rural Enterprise Producer Organisations (REPOs) involved in the production and promotion of GI products across Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, and Gujarat.

High-Alcohol Medicines Moved to Schedule H1

The Government of India has withdrawn the exemption for medicinal formulations containing more than 12% v/v ethyl alcohol in quantities exceeding 30 ml and shifted them from Schedule K to Schedule H1 under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and the Drugs Rules, 1945. These medicines will now require a manufacturing licence and can be sold only on the prescription of a registered medical practitioner, with pharmacies required to maintain records of sales. The decision was taken to prevent the misuse of high-alcohol medicinal products. The proposal was examined by the Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) and the Drugs Consultative Committee (DCC), and a draft notification on the 12% v/v and 30 ml threshold was issued for public comments in October 2025.

LIC Housing Finance Wins NHB Award

LIC Housing Finance won the 'Best Housing Finance Company' award presented by the National Housing Bank (NHB) for the second consecutive year. The award was presented during the 39th Foundation Day celebrations of the National Housing Bank, the apex financial institution for the housing finance sector in India. Tribhuwan Adhikari, CEO of LIC Housing Finance, received the award on behalf of the company. The recognition was given for the company's contribution to transparent customer service, systematic risk management, operational excellence, and strengthening India's housing finance market.

Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission Crosses 93.95 Crore Accounts

The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), launched by the Central Government in 2021, has created more than 93.95 crore digital health accounts, according to the Union Health Ministry. The mission provides every beneficiary with a 14-digit unique Health ID to securely store and access medical records, prescriptions, test reports, and insurance details. So far, 105 crore digital health records have been linked to the platform, while 5.33 lakh hospitals, pharmacies, laboratories, and other healthcare facilities and 9.85 lakh healthcare professionals have been registered. The progress of the mission was reviewed at a meeting chaired by Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda, and its expansion across States and Union Territories through initiatives such as Model Districts, Model Health Facilities, and Aarogya Setu 2.0 was noted.

Hydrogen Fuel Trials on 10 Transport Routes

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari announced that the Government of India is conducting hydrogen fuel trials on 10 transport routes to promote hydrogen as the future fuel for the transport sector. The trial routes include Pune–Mumbai, Thiruvananthapuram–Kochi, Jamnagar–Ahmedabad, and Greater Noida–Delhi–Agra. He stated that India records about 5 lakh road accidents and 1.80 lakh deaths annually, with 66% of the fatalities occurring among people aged 18 to 36 years, causing a loss of 3% of India's GDP. He also noted that the value of the Indian automobile industry has increased from ₹14 lakh crore to ₹22 lakh crore, and its global ranking has improved from 7th to 3rd. India requires about 3 lakh new buses every year, while the current production is only 70,000 to 80,000 buses.

Tamil Nadu News

₹850 Crore Non-Leather Footwear Factory in Karur

Chief Minister S. Joseph Vijay laid the foundation stone through video conferencing for the second-phase non-leather footwear manufacturing factory at Mayanur, Karur district. The project is being established by Evervan Kothari Footwear Private Limited with an investment of ₹850 crore to manufacture footwear for Adidas and is expected to generate 6,750 employment opportunities. Evervan Kothari Footwear Private Limited is a subsidiary of the Kothari Group and Taiwan-based Evervan Group. The company has already established non-leather footwear manufacturing units in Karur and Perambalur districts. The event was organized by the Department of Industries, Investment Promotion and Commerce.

Madras High Court Stays By-Election Notification for Five Assembly Constituencies

The Madras High Court issued an interim stay restraining the Election Commission from announcing by-elections for Trichy East, Karur, Viralimalai, Perundurai, and Ambasamudram Assembly constituencies. The order was passed by a Bench comprising Chief Justice S.A. Dharmadhikari and Justice G. Arulmurugan while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL). The Court noted that election petitions challenging the results in these constituencies are pending and that some petitions seek to declare the petitioners as the elected candidates under the Representation of the People Act. Notices were issued to the Election Commission, the Union Ministry of Law and Justice, Chief Minister Joseph Vijay, the Legislative Assembly Secretary, M.R. Vijayabhaskar, C. Vijayabhaskar, Esakki Subaya, and Jayakumar, directing them to file their responses within three weeks. The case was adjourned to July 31, and the interim stay on announcing by-elections will continue until then.