Daily Current Affairs – 02-08-2026

Sports News

M.S. Dhoni Appointed Brand Ambassador of Malabar Gold & Diamonds

Malabar Gold & Diamonds, the world's fourth-largest jewellery retail company, has appointed M.S. Dhoni as its Brand Ambassador. The company follows the brand philosophy of "The Responsible Jeweller" and operates through the Malabar Promise, which includes 100% BIS Hallmarked jewellery, 28 quality checks for every natural diamond, transparent pricing, guaranteed buyback, lifetime maintenance, free insurance, exchange schemes, and responsible sourcing practices. The company's promotional campaign featuring M.S. Dhoni will be carried out through television, print, digital media, radio, cinema, outdoor advertisements, retail platforms, and the company's own channels, reaching customers through more than 450 showrooms worldwide.

India Wins Multiple Medals at the 23rd Commonwealth Boxing Championships

At the 23rd Commonwealth Boxing Championships held in Glasgow, Scotland, India won four gold medals in women's boxing through Jaismine Lamboria (57 kg), Preeti Pawar (54 kg), Sakshi Chaudhary (51 kg), and Priya Kangas (60 kg). Jadumani Singh won the silver medal in the men's 55 kg category. In Para Athletics, Soman Rana won the gold medal in the Men's F-57 Shot Put event, while Sheebam Joy secured the silver medal. Tejaswin Shankar became the first Indian to win a bronze medal in the men's decathlon, scoring 7,976 points. In the men's triple jump, Praveen Chithravel won the silver medal with 16.58 metres, and Selva Prabhu Thirumaran of Tamil Nadu won the bronze medal with 16.52 metres.

Unnati Sharma Wins Bronze in Commonwealth Judo

At the 23rd Commonwealth Games held in Glasgow, Indian judoka Unnati Sharma won the bronze medal in the women's 63 kg judo event. In the bronze medal match, she defeated Skye Neustad of South Africa with a score of 100–0.

Tejaswin Shankar Wins Historic Commonwealth Decathlon Bronze

Indian athlete Tejaswin Shankar won a bronze medal in the men's decathlon event at the Commonwealth Games held in Glasgow, Scotland. He scored 7,976 points and became the first Indian to win a medal in decathlon at the Commonwealth Games. In the decathlon event, Grenada’s Lindon Victor won the gold medal with 8,096 points, while Canada’s Damian Warner secured the silver medal with 8,036 points. Tejaswin Shankar also recorded personal best performances in long jump, discus throw, and javelin throw events.

Economy News

RBI Swap Facility Attracts $40.82 Billion Forex Inflows

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced that its concessional swap facility introduced to encourage foreign currency inflows attracted $40.82 billion up to July 31. The swap facility received significant response and attracted steady foreign exchange inflows from June 8. To strengthen India’s Balance of Payments (BoP), the RBI announced measures on June 5, including concessional swap facilities for fresh FCNR(B) deposits, OFCB and ECB inflows.

Personalities, Awards and Events

Trotsky Marudu Selected for the 2025 Iyal Award

Artist Trotsky Marudu has been selected for the 2025 A. Muttulingam Iyal Award, presented by the Tamil Literary Garden, Canada. The Iyal Award is an international recognition that honours lifetime contributions to Tamil language, literature, art, and research. Trotsky Marudu has contributed for more than five decades to Tamil journalism, cinema, animation, and the field of art. He is recognised for introducing the possibilities of modern painting in the Tamil context and for his contributions to Digital Art, Computer Graphics, and Animation. He has also worked in film art direction, book cover design, and line illustrations, contributing to the preservation and presentation of Tamil historical and cultural themes through visual media.

Ajit Doval Receives Lokmanya Tilak National Award

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval received the Lokmanya Tilak National Award in Pune on the occasion of the 106th death anniversary of Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak. The award, presented by the Tilak Trust, recognises individuals for their outstanding contributions to the nation. Rohit Tilak, President of the Trust, announced that Ajit Doval was selected for his contribution to strengthening national security. The award was presented by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The event was attended by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar.

Varsha Ashok Aglawe Becomes First Woman Director General of GSI

Varsha Ashok Aglawe has assumed charge as the 54th Director General of the Geological Survey of India (GSI). She became the first woman to head GSI in its 176-year history. A palaeontologist with more than three decades of experience, she succeeded Asit Saha. She joined the Geological Survey of India in 1992 after working in the Indian Bureau of Mines. GSI focuses on areas including critical mineral exploration, mineral security, advanced geoscientific research, natural hazard studies, and capacity building for young geoscientists.

International News

Foundation Stone Laid for Semiconductor Plant in Andhra Pradesh

Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually laid the foundation stone for the ASIP Technologies semiconductor manufacturing facility at Tarluvada, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. The ₹2,500 crore Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT) project is the first semiconductor manufacturing facility in Andhra Pradesh and South India approved under the India Semiconductor Mission. The facility, spread across 30 acres, will have an annual production capacity of 96 million chips. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu attended the event.

Spain Plans Containment Barrier at Ceuta Border

Spain announced plans to install a 500-metre-long containment barrier along the sea border between Ceuta, its territory in North Africa, and neighbouring Morocco after a large-scale migrant border breach. The Spanish government reported that the death toll from the incident rose to 67 due to drowning and stampede during attempts to cross the barrier. Ceuta is a Spanish autonomous city located on the northern coast of Africa and shares a border with Morocco. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez criticised calls for suspending Spain from the Schengen Zone of the European Union following the incident.

China Conducts Military Drill Near Scarborough Shoal

China conducted a joint naval and air military exercise near the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea amid increasing territorial tensions with the Philippines. The shoal is known as Huangyan Island in China and Panatag Shoal in the Philippines. The exercise tested China’s ability to coordinate air and maritime operations and provide rapid military reinforcements. The South China Sea is an important global trade route with undersea oil and gas resources, and China claims a large part of the region. China also issued regulations for a nature reserve around Scarborough Shoal, banning unauthorised fishing, mining and coral harvesting.

National News

PM Modi Inaugurates Bhogapuram International Airport

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram in Vizianagaram district, Andhra Pradesh, which was built at a cost of ₹4,727 crore. He also launched development projects worth ₹18,000 crore in the state through video conferencing. The airport is named after freedom fighter Alluri Sitarama Raju. The news also states that the number of airports in India has increased from 74 before 2014 to 166 and highlights the role of the UDAN Scheme in the expansion of air connectivity. It also mentions that railway projects worth ₹1 lakh crore are under implementation in Andhra Pradesh. The event was attended by Andhra Pradesh Governor Abdul Nazeer, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, and Union Minister Ram Mohan Naidu.

President Assents to Public Examinations Amendment Act, 2026

President Droupadi Murmu has given assent to the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Act, 2026, which was passed by both Houses of Parliament. The Act covers examinations conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), including NEET, JEE, CUET, and NET, as well as examinations conducted by UPSC, SSC, RRB, and IBPS. Individuals involved in question paper leaks are liable for 5 to 10 years of imprisonment and a fine up to ₹50 lakh, while organised groups involved in paper leaks can face up to 10 years of imprisonment and a fine up to ₹10 crore. The Act also provides for confiscation of the offenders' properties, recovery of examination expenses if an examination is cancelled due to a paper leak, completion of police investigations within 60 days, establishment of special fast-track courts, and formation of a special task force by the Central Government for cases involving multiple states.

GST Collections Cross ₹2.11 Lakh Crore in July

India's Gross Goods and Services Tax (GST) collection increased by 15.4% to more than ₹2.11 lakh crore in July, compared to ₹1.83 lakh crore in the corresponding period of the previous year. GST collections from domestic transactions increased by 10.1% to more than ₹1.44 lakh crore, while GST revenue from imports rose by 29% to ₹66,511 crore. Total GST refunds during July increased by 13.1% to ₹29,968 crore, and after adjusting refunds, the net GST revenue stood at more than ₹1.81 lakh crore.

Viveka Smaraka Inaugurated in Mysuru

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Youth Centre – Viveka Smaraka in Mysuru to commemorate Swami Vivekananda's 1892 visit to Mysore. The memorial is located at Niranjana Mutt and has been developed by Sri Ramakrishna Ashrama, Mysuru, to preserve and commemorate Swami Vivekananda's association with the city. The memorial also includes an exhibition on Swami Vivekananda's teachings and a 700-seat amphitheatre.

Tamil Nadu News

AAI Proposes Airport Project at Rameswaram

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has requested the Government of Tamil Nadu to implement the Rameswaram Airport Project in Ramanathapuram district by identifying and acquiring suitable land. The project is proposed to be implemented under the RCS-UDAN Scheme. In September 2024, the Ministry of Civil Aviation requested the State Government to develop the airport. The State Government identified five locations—Devipattinam, Palankulam, Sattakkonvasalai, Pirappanvalasai, and Tirupullani—and shortlisted two sites in September 2025 for a pre-feasibility study by AAI. After the study, AAI recommended a site near Tirupullani (near Keelakarai) for the airport. The State Government also examined the possibility of developing a civil enclave at INS Parundu, an Indian Navy Air Station near Uchipuli, and the final site for the airport is yet to be decided.

Cotton Production Expected to Decline in 2025-26 Season

Cotton production in the 2025-2026 marketing season, which began on October 1, 2025, is estimated to decline compared to the previous year. The Committee on Cotton Production and Consumption estimated cotton production at 290.24 lakh bales (each bale weighing 170 kg) for the season, compared to 297.24 lakh bales in 2024-2025. Cotton consumption by textile mills, including large-scale and MSME textile industries, is expected to increase to 320 lakh bales from around 306 lakh bales in the previous season. Cotton exports have declined by six lakh bales, while imports have increased by around 15 lakh bales.