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We are here for you to provide the important Recent and Latest Current Affairs June 19 2026, which have unique updates of Latest Current Affairs 2026 events from all newspapers such as The Hindu, The Economic Times, PIB, Times of India, PTI, Indian Express, Business Standard and all Government official websites.

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi Launches Green Hydrogen Certification Portal to Enhance Transparency
In June 2026, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), launched the Green Hydrogen Certification Portal of India (GHCI Portal) during the National Workshop on “Strengthening the National Green Hydrogen Mission: Through State Policies, Hubs & Infrastructure” in New Delhi, Delhi.

• A digital platform that enables transparent certification, verification, and regulatory compliance for green hydrogen under Green Hydrogen Certification Scheme of India (GHCI) is scheduled to become operational on July 1, 2026, following completion of a security audit.

About Green Hydrogen Certification Portal of India (GHCI):
Overview: It is a unified digital platform developed by MNRE to administer the GHCI scheme, enabling measurement, reporting, verification, certification, regulatory compliance, transparency, and credibility across the green hydrogen sector.
Eligibility: Certification is mandatory for producers receiving incentives or subsidies, selling or using Green Hydrogen in India, obtaining exemptions, or exporting partial quantities.

NCRPB Approved Plans to Develop 4 ‘Namo’ cities in Delhi-NCR
In June 2026, the National Capital Region (NCR) Planning Board (NCRPB), chaired by Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), approved plans to develop 4 greenfield cities, with one each in Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh (UP), and Rajasthan, branded as “Namo Cities”, will be developed in Delhi-NCR under the Regional Plan 2041, to promote balanced regional growth.

Key Details:

Cost and Timeline: As per NCRPB, these proposed Namo cities will be developed at a cost of Rs 5,000 crore over the next 5 years.

Selection Process: MoHUA has directed the states to submit three proposals and the city will be selected through a challenge mode.

• Also, the name of new “Namo cities” will be in line with name of the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) train Namo Bharat.

Other Key Decision: Apart from approving 04 Namo cities, the board has also decided to divide the NCR into 03 zones, including core zone between Kundli-Ghaziabad-Palwal(KGP) and Kundli-Manesar-Palwal(KMP) expressways.

Jeh Aerospace & Solestra Group Signed Agreement to Establish Global Manufacturing Centre in Hyderabad
In June 2026, Jeh Aerospace Private Limited and Solestra Group (United States of America, USA) signed a multi-year, multi-million-dollar agreement to establish a dedicated Global Manufacturing Centre (GMC) at Jeh Aerospace’s facility in Hyderabad, Telangana.

• The agreement was formalised during a visit of Joe DeMartino, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Solestra Group, and Rocky Barnhart, Vice President and General Manager of Solestra Group, to Hyderabad, Telangana.

Highlights of the Agreement: 
Objective:  The new centre aims to boost aerospace manufacturing capacity, support New Product Introduction (NPI), accelerate industrialisation, and strengthen global supply-chain resilience.
 Operations:  The facility will manufacture high-precision components for aero-engine and aircraft system applications, while ensuring digital transparency and intellectual property protection.
Benefits: The partnership combines Jeh Aerospace’s aerostructure expertise with Solestra Group’s high-precision mechanical systems to deliver comprehensive aerospace manufacturing solutions and enhanced supply-chain resilience.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Overview of PM Narendra Modi’s Visit to France in June  2026
Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi undertook a 6-day official visit to France  in June 2026, focusing on strategic cooperation, innovation, technology partnerships on global issues.

• PM Modi visited Nice, France from June 13 to June 14, 2026, as part of the 1st leg of his two-nation tour, at the invitation of Emmanuel Macron, President of France.
• During his Europe tour, PM Modi participated at the 52nd Group-7 (G-7) summit held in Evian-les-Bains, France.
• Later, On June 18, 2026, PM Modi visited Paris, the capital city of France as the final leg of his visit to attend the VivaTech 2026 Technology Summit, alongside President Macron.

Key Highlights:
Visit to France: During his visit, PM Narendra Modi held bilateral talks with French President Emmanuel Macron at Villa Kerylos in Nice, France marking the first bilateral meeting between the two leaders since India-France ties were elevated to a “Special Global Strategic Partnership” in February 2026.

• Bharat Innovates: During his visit, PM Modi along with French President Macron inaugurated the inaugural edition of Bharat Innovates 2026 at the Palais des Expositions de Nice in Nice, France.  The 3-day long event was organised by the Ministry of Education (MoE) under the India-France Year of Innovation.

• Key Outcomes: PM Modi visit to Nice, France resulted in 13 key outcomes such as: adoption of India-France Innovation Roadmap 2030; establishment of Joint Working Group (JWG) on AI Governance; Expansion of Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in France;  and double bilateral Trade over the next 5 years, among others.

QS World University Rankings 2027: IIT Delhi Tops India, MIT Retains Global Top Spot 
In June 2026, London (the United Kingdom, UK)-based global higher education analytics firm Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) released the QS World University Rankings 2027, in which the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi ranked 118th globally with an overall score of 65.7, improving five places from 123rd and emerging as India’s highest-ranked institution for the second consecutive year.
About QS World University Rankings 2027:
Coverage: The 23rd edition evaluated more than 1,500 universities across 106 countries and territories, including 52 Indian universities.
Global: The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, Massachusetts, (United States of America, USA) retained 1st place globally with a score of 100, while Imperial College London, United Kingdom (UK) and Stanford University, (USA) jointly ranked 2nd with scores of 99.2.
Indian Institutes: After IIT Delhi, the highest-ranked Indian institutions are IIT Bombay (Maharashtra, 134), IIT Madras (Tamil Nadu, TN 170), IIT Kharagpur (West Bengal, WB 205), and IISc Bangalore (Karnataka, 221).

Bengaluru ranks 15th Among Global Startup Ecosystems: GSER 2026
In June 2026, the Startup Genome, in partnership with the Global Entrepreneurship Network released the Global Startup Ecosystem Report (GSER) 2026, in which it ranked Bengaluru, Karnataka ranked 15 among the top 40 global startup ecosystems.

• It has also emerged the second-best AI-native cluster in Asia continent after Beijing, China.

GSER Highlights 2026
Purpose: It is an annual global ranking and research report that evaluates and compares startup ecosystems across the world based on their startup performance, funding, talent, innovation and business environment.
Coverage: It is based on an analysis of over 5.5 million (Mn) startups across 350+ global startup ecosystems and policy insights from 200+ organizations across 80+ counties.
Edition: GSER 2026 is the 14th edition of the Global Startup Ecosystem Report.
Global Ecosystem ranking: Silicon Valley (United States of America, USA), New York City (USA), and London (United Kingdom, UK) retain their top three positions, holding steady with no change in rankings.

BANKING & FINANCE

NSE Indices Adds 11 New Sectoral Indices, Total Reaches 34
In June 2026, National Stock Exchange (NSE) Indices Limited, the index services subsidiary of the NSE expanded its portfolio by introducing 11 new sector-specific indices, expanding its total number to 34.
NSE Expands Indices
Industries covered: This expanded range of sector indices covers more industries across the economy, including both traditional sectors and newer, fast-growing areas.

• The newly launched indices cover sectors including power, capital goods, telecommunications, construction, consumer services, retail, healthcare and financial services.

New Indies: The 11 new indices are:

• Nifty Power, Nifty Capital Goods, Nifty Telecommunications, Nifty Construction, Nifty Consumer Services, Nifty Commercial & Transport Services, Nifty Retail, Nifty Hospitals, Nifty Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC), Nifty Housing Finance, Nifty Insurance.

RBI Eases Capital Norms for Banks under ECLGS 5.0
In June 2026, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) relaxed the capital requirements for banks on loans backed by the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS 5.0).

• As per RBI’s circular, the revised norms came into force with immediate effect.

Key Details: 
Amendment: These new norms were introduced by RBI through amendment to the RBI (Commercial Banks- Prudential Norms on Capital Adequacy) Directions, 2025.
Splits Risk-Weight: As per the revised norms, 75% of the guaranteed portion will attract a zero-risk weight and remaining exposure(25%) will continue to attract  20% risk in line with the existing norms.
Condition for 0% Risk-Weight: However, for the 0% risk weight, banks are required to  settle within 30 days from date of invocation.

National Industry Platform ‘ARIFAC’ Launched to Strengthen AML/CFT Framework in India
In June 2026, India’s financial sector launched the national industry platform ‘Alliance of Reporting Entities in AML/CFT (ARIFAC)’ to strengthen the country’s Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (CFT) ecosystem amid rising financial crimes and cyber fraud risks.
ARIFAC Framework:
Governance: The secretariat of ARIFAC is managed by the Payments Council of India(PCI) and the Fintech Convergence Council(FCC).
Observer: The Financial Intelligence Unit-India (FIU-IND) is set to participate as an observer in the initiative.
Focus: Training, certification, workshops, and continuous learning programmes to enhance awareness and strengthen AML/CFT capabilities across industries.
Membership Base: ARIFAC comprises reporting entities regulated under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), including banks, Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFCs), payment system operators, securities market intermediaries, insurance companies, Virtual Digital Asset (VDA) service providers, and other entities covered under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Risk Management: The platform emphasis on transaction monitoring, Suspicious Transaction Reporting (STR), sanctions screening, mule account detection, and addressing risks from digital banking, cross-border crime, and VDAs.

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

Essar Group & IRH Sign USD 500 Million Crude Oil & Product Sourcing Facility Agreement
In June 2026, India’s Essar Group and Abu Dhabi based International Resources Holding (IRH) announced the execution of a USD 500 million crude oil sourcing and product supply facility agreement between Essar Energy Transition Fuels and IRH Global Trading.
ARIFAC Framework
Facility Overview: The agreement establishes a USD 500 million structured sourcing facility for crude oil and petroleum products to support procurement, supply chain optimisation, and energy trading between Essar and IRH in global markets.
Strategic Objectives: The facility aims to diversify crude sourcing channels, improve working capital efficiency, enhance feedstock security, and enable better response to global price and demand fluctuations.
About IRH: Headquartered in Abu Dhabi, IRH is a mine-to-market investment platform focused on minerals and resources critical for energy transition and technological advancement, with its subsidiary IRH Global Trading serving as a global energy trading and liquidity provider.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

DFS Appoints Hitesh Rameshchandra Joshi as CMD of GIC Re 
In June 2026, the Department of Financial Services (DFS) under the Ministry of Finance (MoF) approved the appointment of Hitesh Rameshchandra Joshi as Chairman-cum-Managing Director (CMD) of General Insurance Corporation of India (GIC Re), India’s national reinsurer, effective from 16 June 2026, with a tenure up to 30 September 2028.

• He succeeded Narayanan Ramaswamy, whose two-year tenure as CMD of GIC Re ended on 30 September 2025.

About Hitesh Rameshchandra Joshi:
Experience: Hitesh Rameshchandra Joshi brings over three decades of experience in the insurance and reinsurance sector and had been serving as interim CMD  of GIC Re since 1 October 2025.
Career: He previously served as Executive Director (ED) of GIC Re, overseeing international business operations, human resources, information technology (IT), actuarial services, business intelligence, and office support services.
Expertise: During his tenure at GIC Re, he handled diverse functions including domestic and international reinsurance, retrocession, risk management, strategic planning, finance, internal audit, credit rating, investor relations, and budgetary control.

OBITUARY

Padma Shri Awardee & Renowned Buddhist Scholar Robert A.F. Thurman Passes Away at 84 
Robert Alexander Farrar (Robert A.F.) Thurman, renowned American scholar of Tibetan Buddhism, author, translator, educator, and Padma Shri awardee, passed away on 16 June 2026 in  New York, United States of America (USA) at the age of 84.

• He received India’s Padma Shri (Literature and Education) in 2020, one of the country’s highest civilian honours, for his contributions to literature, education, and the promotion of Buddhist thought.

About Robert A.F. Thurman: 
Career:  He was born on 3 August 1941 in New York City, New York, USA, he earned a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree from Harvard University and later served as the Jey Tsong Khapa Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies in the Department of Religion at Columbia University, New York, USA.
Contributions:  He translated the Vimalakirti Sutra into English, authored over 20 books including “Inner Revolution”, and became the first American ordained in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition under the 14th Dalai Lama.
Association with Tibet: A longtime friend of the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, Thurman co-founded Tibet House US in 1986 to preserve and promote Tibetan culture, civilization, and Buddhist traditions.
Recognition: He was named among the 25 Most Influential Americans (1997) and among New York Magazine’s influential figures in religion (2006).

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Crocodile Day 2026 – June 17
World Crocodile Day (World Croc Day) is observed on 17 June to raise awareness about crocodile conservation and the protection of aquatic ecosystems, highlighting the ecological importance of crocodiles, gharials, alligators, caimans, and other crocodilian species.

• 2026 Theme: “Legacy in Every Scale”

Background: 
Launch:   World Crocodile Day was established in 2017 by the Crocodile Research Coalition (CRC) in collaboration with the Belize Zoo, Belize.
Objective:  The initiative was launched under the leadership of Dr. Marisa Tellez, Executive Director (ED) of CRC, to raise global awareness about crocodilian species and the urgent need for their conservation.

International Day for Countering Hate Speech 2026 – June 18 
The United Nations (UN’s) International Day for Countering Hate Speech (IDCHS) is observed annually across the globe on June 18 to combat the rising spread of discriminatory rhetoric and promote intercultural dialogue and tolerance.

• June 18, 2026, marks the 5th observance of the International Day for Countering Hate Speech.
• It also coincides with the 7th anniversary of the UN Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech (launched June 18, 2019).

Theme:
The theme 2026:  “Hate Speech and Artificial Intelligence”
Background:
UN Resolution: On 21 July 2021, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted Resolution A/RES/75/309, proclaiming 18 June of every year as the IDCHS, based on the framework of the UN Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech.
First Observance: The first IDCHS was observed on June 18, 2022.

Sustainable Gastronomy Day 2026 – June 18
The United Nations (UN)‘s Sustainable Gastronomy Day (SGD) is observed annually on 18 June across the globe to highlight the role of gastronomy in promoting sustainable development.

• The observance is jointly led by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), which promote sustainable food systems, biodiversity conservation, and responsible consumption practices through global awareness initiatives.

Background:
Resolution:  On 21 December 2016, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted Resolution A/RES/71/246, proclaiming 18 June as Sustainable Gastronomy Day (SGD).
Observance:  The first Sustainable Gastronomy Day was observed in 2017, recognizing gastronomy as a cultural expression of global diversity.
SDG Linkage:  SGD promotes sustainable food systems and supports SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and SDG 15 (Life on Land).

STATE NEWS

Ladakh LG Vinai Kumar Saxena Approves Constitution of SHAN Conservation Society
In June 2026, Ladakh’s Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has approved the constitution of the first-of-its-kind “Snow Leopard and High-Altitude Nature” (SHAN) Conservation Society in Ladakh to safeguard the endangered big cat and its fragile mountain habitat.

• The Society, under the Department of Environment and Forests, Ladakh, will serve as a dedicated institutional mechanism for wildlife conservation, biodiversity management, and community-led environmental stewardship across Ladakh.

Key details of Approval: 
Objective: The Society serves as a multi-stakeholder platform to conserve Ladakh’s alpine fauna and flora, wetlands, and cold desert ecosystems through eco-development in snow leopard habitats and eco-tourism promotion.
Significance: The initiative highlights the conservation of the snow leopard, the State Animal of Ladakh and a keystone species of the Trans-Himalayan ecosystem, revered as the “Ghost of the Mountains” essential for maintaining mountain habitats, prey populations, and regional watersheds, and an indicator of ecosystem health.

• According to the 2024 Snow Leopard Population Assessment in India, there are 718 snow leopards in the country, including 477 in Ladakh. 

Gujarat govt signs Rs.1 lakh cr funding pact with HUDCO for metro, expressways and Dholera projects 
In June 2026, the Government of Gujarat and Housing and Urban Development Corporation Limited (HUDCO) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for long-term financing of up to Rs.1 lakh crore in Gandhinagar, Gujarat to support high-impact transit, highway, and smart city development projects across the state.

• The MoU was signed by Sanjay Kulshrestha, Chairman and Managing Director (C&MD), HUDCO and Sandeep Kumar, Secretary, Economic Affairs, Finance Department, Government of Gujarat.

Key Details of MoU:
Tenure: The credit lines are valid for two years, with effect from May 2026 (on a retrospective basis).
Objective: The long-term funding will support key development projects in Gujarat, including Ahmedabad Metro Rail Phases 2 and 3, expressways, sports infrastructure, and world-class urban development with Dholera Special Investment Region (SIR).
Other MoU’s:  Government of Gujarat with  Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIM-A) to provide technical and strategic support for infrastructure projects under the Viksit Gujarat 2047 programme.

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