Current Affairs Today

We are here for you to provide the important Recent and Latest Current Affairs July 21 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

NITI Aayog Launched a 10-year Roadmap Targets USD 691 bn Bioeconomy by 2035
In July 2026, the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog) launched the “Roadmap for Building India as a Leading Bioeconomy Powerhouse by 2035” at the National Media Centre, New Delhi, Delhi.

• The roadmap was formally launched by the Union Minister of State (MoS) (Independent Charge, IC) Dr. Jitendra Singh, Ministry of Science & Technology (MoST), in the presence of Prof. Gobardhan Das, Member, NITI Aayog; Nidhi Chhibber, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of  NITI Aayog; among others.

Key Details of Roadmap:
Developed: The newly released roadmap was developed by NITI Frontier Tech Hub (NITI-FTH) in consultation with the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) which works under MoST; Association of Biotechnology Led Enterprises (ABLE), industry, academia and other stakeholders.
Key Target: To scale India’s Bioeconomy to USD 691 billion (by 2035) and USD 2.6 trillion (by 2047);  generate over 30 million high-value jobs; and  position the country among the world’s top 3 biotechnology powers.
Six National BioMissions: In order to achieve its set goal by 2035, the roadmap recommends the creation of six National BioMissions: GeneIndia, AgriBio 2.0, BioX Foundry, One Health Grid, Marine Biotechnology and BioPharmaNext.

• These National BioMissions aimed to strengthen India’s capabilities in advanced therapeutics, climate-resilient agriculture, synthetic biology, pandemic preparedness, marine bio-technology and next-generation (NextGen).

Key Proposal: To create Rs 50,000 crore BioEconomy Growth Fund for 2026-2035 from within the existing Rs 1 lakh crore Research, Development  and Innovation (RDI) frameowork.

• The proposed fund is expected to support scale-up, commercialization, biomanufacturing infrastructure, advanced therapeutics, fermentation platforms, biomaterials, diagnostics and synthetic biology.

Creation of New Institutions: It also proposes to create several new institutions like: an Empowered Committee on National BioMissions;

•  A National BioData Council to oversee biological and health data governance;
• A BioEconomy Investment and Policy Forum to align government and private investment;
• A BioIP and Innovation Evaluation Agency to help value biotechnology intellectual property and accelerate commercialisation.

L-G VK Saxena Commissions India’s First 2 Geothermal Wells in Ladakh
In July 2026, VK Saxena, Lieutenant Governor (Lt Gov) of Ladakh, commissioned India’s first and deepest two 1,000 metre(m) geothermal wells at Puga Valley in Ladakh, executed by Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) Energy Centre.

• These two geothermal wells are critical to the successful implementation of a 1 Megawatt (MW) Pilot Geothermal Power Plant at Puga Valley, located at an altitude of over 14,000 feet above sea level, which will be India’s first demonstration-scale geothermal power project.

About Geothermal Power Project:
Evaluation: Pilot projects evaluate drilling, fluid behavior, thermal profiles, and energy conversion mechanisms before full-scale deployment.
Impact: The successful completion of the two wells would facilitate critical reservoir evaluation, power plant planning, and the eventual commercial development of geothermal resources in Ladakh.

• At 400m depth, the wells reached a maximum temperature of 135°C (degrees Celsius)

MoHUA Approves Rs 2,719.80 Crore for 6 Urban Development Projects in Ahmedabad Under UCF
In July 2026, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) approved projects worth Rs 2,719.80 crore under Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi’s Urban Challenge Fund (UCF) for six transformative urban development initiatives in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
About Urban Development Projects:
Projects:

• Rs 852.93 crore for rehabilitation of the main sewerage network in West Ahmedabad,
• Rs 551.35 crore for the East Ahmedabad sewerage network,
• Rs 290.24 crore for upgrading old sewerage networks across the city,
• Rs 215 crore for an Intelligent Water Management System (IWMS),
• Rs 479.25 crore for a 125 Tonnes Per Day (TPD) Integrated Sludge Management Facility, and
• Rs 331.03 crore for an Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS) and Automatic Fare Collection System (AFCS).

Funding Pattern: The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) will receive 25% (Rs 679.95 crore) each from the Central Government and the Government of Gujarat, while the remaining 50% (Rs 1,359.90 crore) will be mobilised through municipal bonds, loans, or Public-Private Partnership (PPP) models.

EPFO Launches VISHWAS, 2026 for Settlement of Penalty-Related Disputes 
In July 2026, the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) under the Ministry of Labour & Employment (MoL&E), launched’ VISHWAS 2026’, a one-time dispute resolution scheme for amicable settlement of damages and penalty-related disputes under section 14B of the Employees’ Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 and Section 128 of the Code on Social Security, 2020.
About VISHWAS Scheme: 
Applicability:  VISHWAS, 2026 was notified through G.S.R. 525(E) on 29 June 2026 under the EPF Scheme, 2026 and will remain operational for six months from the date of notification.
Coverage:  The scheme covers cases where penalty/damages orders are under judicial challenge and final orders with pending or partial recovery, including Revenue Recovery Certificates (RRC) cases. 

• It also covers cases where notices have been issued but final orders are pending and cases where penalty/damages notices are yet to be issued.

Implementation:  EPFO has established VISHWAS Cells for smooth implementation.

CGPDTM Signs MoU With CSIR-NIScPR To Join National Knowledge Resource Consortium
In July 2026, the Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks (CGPDTM) and the CSIR (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research)-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (CSIR-NIScPR) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enable CGPDTM’s participation in the National Knowledge Resource Consortium (NKRC).

•  The MoU was formally signed by Prof. (Dr.) Unnat P. Pandit, CGPDTM, and Dr. Geeta Vani Rayasam, Director, CSIR-NIScPR at Saraswati Hall, Bouddhik Sampada Bhawan, New Delhi, Delhi.

Key Details of MoU:
Access: Under the MoU, CGPDTM will gain access to the NKRC digital knowledge platform, which provides a wide range of international scientific journals, e-books, databases, and other scholarly resources.
Purpose: The agreement will strengthen research, innovation and intellectual property administration by providing patent professionals and researchers with a broader range of high-quality digital knowledge resources.
NKRC: Managed by the CSIR-NIScPR, the NKRC secures national-level licences for international e-journals, patent databases, standards, bibliographic databases, and other scientific resources, providing member institutions with cost-effective access to global knowledge and research tools.

• NKRC currently serves 82 member institutions, including organizations under CSIR, the Department of Science & Technology (DST), and the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES).

NIELIT to Establish Two CoE’s for Semiconductor Skilling in Ahmedabad and Guwahati 
In July 2026, The National Institute of Electronics & Information Technology (NIELIT) announced that it will establish two Centres of Excellence (CoEs) in Ahmedabad (Gujarat) and Guwahati (Assam) to strengthen India’s semiconductor ecosystem through specialised skill development.

•  The initiative supports the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) 2.0, which was approved with an outlay of Rs. 1.28 lakh crore, and aims to create a skilled workforce in semiconductor manufacturing and advanced packaging technologies.

Key Highlights:
Infrastructure:  NIELIT will establish two CoEs to provide training in Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT) and Assembly, Testing, Marking and Packaging (ATMP) technologies.
Skilling:  NIELIT has partnered with Tata Electronics, Infineon, and Semiconductor Complex Limited (SCL), Mohali, and will introduce Bachelor of Technology (BTech), Master of Technology (MTech), and diploma programmes in semiconductors to build a skilled workforce.
AI:  Under the India AI Mission, NIELIT has established 28 Artificial Intelligence (AI) Labs, operates 42 AI-focused programmes, and has trained over 20,000 individuals, particularly in Tier-II and Tier-III cities.
About NIELIT: Established in 1994 as the Department of Electronics Accreditation of Computer Courses (DOEACC) Society and renamed NIELIT in 2011. It is headquartered in New Delhi(Delhi) and functions under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).

BANKING & FINANCE

RBI’s FI Index Rises to 70 in FY26; Issues Final Prudential Norms on SNFA
In July 2026, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released the composite data on the Financial Inclusion Index (FI-Index) for the financial year 2025-26 (FY26), which increased to 70 in March 2026 from 67 in March 2025.

• The RBI also issued new “Prudential Norms on Specified Non Financial Asset (SNFA) acquired by Regulated Entities“, tightening norms governing the resolution of distressed loans. The new framework will come into effect from October 1, 2026.

Norms on SNFA:
Direction: In July 2026, the RBI issued final prudential norms under the’ Resolution of Stressed Assets Directions, 2025’, prohibiting Regulated Entities(REs) from selling SNFA back to defaulting borrowers.
Restriction: Under the revised norms, Regulated Entities (REs) cannot transfer SNFAs to the defaulting borrower, its promoters, related parties, or entities acting on the borrower’s behalf.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

72nd National Film Award for the Year 2024: ‘Article 370’ Named Best Feature Film award
In July 2026, The jury of the 72nd National Film Awards announced the list of winners of the National Award for the year 2024, recognising excellence across feature films, non-feature films and writing on cinema.

• The awards were announced by Jayaraj,Chairperson of Feature Film Jury;  Aseem Sinha, Chairperson of  Non-Feature Film Jury; and A. Chandrasekhar, Chairperson of  Best Writing on Cinema Jury, in New Delhi, Delhi.

Key Winners:
Best Feature Film: Article 370, directed by Aditya Suhas Jambhale, was named as  the Best Feature Film award for 2024. In addition, the film won two more awards in “Best Actress” and “Best Music Direction” categories.
Best Actor: Renowned  Malayalam Actor Mammootty and Actor Kartik Aaryan were jointly named as the Best Actor in Leading  for their acclaimed performance in Bramayugam (Malayalam film) andHindi sports drama Chandu Champion, respectively.

• With this honour, Mammootty won his 4th National Film Award after Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha and Mathilukkal (1989), Ponthan Mada and Vidheyan (1994) and Dr. Ambedkar (1999).
• The actors will share the Rajat Kamal (Silver Lotus award) and the cash prize of Rs. 2 lakhs.

Best Actress: This year, renowned actress Yami Gautam bagged the “Best Actress” for the Hindi film (Article 370), marking her career 1st-ever National Film Award. She will be honoured with a silver lotus award and a cash prize of Rs. 2 lakhs.
Best Direction: Rajkumar Periyasamy won the National Award for Best Direction for Tamil film “Amaran”.
Best Popular Film: Mythological sci-fi action film, Kalki 2898 AD, directed by Nag Ashwin, bagged the award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment.
Best Debut Film of Director: Famous Actor Randeep Hooda won the Award for Best Debut Film of a Director for film Swatantrya Veer Savarkar (Hindi),  biographical drama focused on the life of Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar (VD) Savarkar.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

MoR Appoints Rahul Himalian as Additional CMD of IRCTC 
In July 2026, the Ministry of Railways (MoR) appointed Rahul Himalian, Director (Tourism & Marketing), Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC), as the additional Chairman & Managing Director (CMD) of IRCTC following the resignation of Sanjay Kumar Jain.

• His appointment as additional CMD of IRCTC will take effect from 20 July 2026, while he will continue to hold the post of Director (Tourism & Marketing), IRCTC.

About Rahul Himalian:
Profile:   A 1999-batch Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS) officer, Rahul Himalian has over 26 years of experience in Indian Railways and IRCTC and has served as a Whole-Time Functional Director on the IRCTC Board since 16 February 2024.
Recognition: He was awarded the President’s Gold Medal for being the Best All-Round Student.
Current Role:  He has been serving as a Whole-Time Functional Director on the Board of IRCTC since 16 February 2024 and heads key areas including Tourism, Information Technology, Human Resource Development, Infrastructure, Administration, and Rajbhasha.
About IRCTC: Established in 1999, IRCTC is a Schedule ‘A’ Navratna Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) under the MoR, providing railway ticketing, catering, tourism, and hospitality services. It is headquartered in New Delhi, Delhi.

ENVIRONMENT

New Damselfly Species ‘Lestes paloti’ Discovered in Kerala’s Western Ghats 
In July 2026, a team of Indian odonatologists discovered a new species of spreadwing damselfly ‘Lestes paloti’ from the Western Ghats in Kerala, which belongs to Lestidae family under the order Odonata.

• The discovery has been published in the International Journal of Odonatology, an internationally reputed peer-reviewed journal dedicated to research on dragonflies and damselflies.

About Lestes paloti:
Naming: The species was named in honour of Dr. Muhamed Jafer Palot of the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), Kozhikode, recognising his extensive contributions to Indian odonatology and documentation of Western Ghats fauna.
Locations: The species has been recorded across 6 districts in Kerala: Kannur, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Malappuram, Palakkad, and Ernakulam.
Habitat: Unlike most related damselflies that remain near open water, Lestes paloti prefers scrub vegetation around homesteads and laterite hillocks, often far from visible water bodies.
Characteristics: It is brown in dry season and bluish in monsoon, and validated as a unique species through detailed male genital examination.
Significance: Resolved decades-long misidentification with Lestes nodalis and marked the first new Lestes species discovered in the Western Ghats in 97 years, increasing Kerala’s odonate species count to 192.

SPORTS

Japan Open 2026: India’s PV Sindhu Wins Women’s Singles Title; France’s Christo Popov Claims Men’s Singles
The 2026 Japan Open (officially known as the Daihatsu Japan Open 2026), the 43rd edition of the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Super 750 tournament held at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan, from 14 to 19 July 2026.
2026 Winners:
Women’s Singles: Pusarla Venkata (PV) Sindhu, India’s two-time Olympic medallist, won her maiden Japan Open women’s singles title by defeating Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi 21-17, 21-17 in the final.
Men’s Singles: France’s Christo Popov claimed the Japan Open 2026 Men’s Singles title with a 21-11, 21-19 victory over Japan’s Koki Watanabe.
Men’s Doubles: Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Shohibul Fikri (Indonesia) defeated Kim Won-ho and Seo Seung-jae (South Korea).
Women’s Doubles: Kim Hye-jeong and Kong Hee-yong (South Korea) defeated Jia Yifan and Zhang Shuxian (China).
Mixed Doubles: Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping (China) defeated Tang Chun Man and Tse Ying Suet (Hong Kong).

Spain Clinches Second FIFA World Cup Title, Beats Argentina in 2026 Final – Part I
The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) World Cup 2026, the 23rd edition of the men’s FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international men’s football championship held from 11 June to 19 July 2026, and co-hosted across 16 host cities in the United States of America (USA) (11), Mexico (3), and Canada (2).

• Spain secured their second FIFA World Cup title by defeating defending champions Argentina 1–0 after extra time in the 2026 final, held at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, with substitute Ferran Torres scoring the decisive goal in the 106th minute.

About FIFA World Cup 2026: 
Format: The 2026 FIFA World Cup featured an expanded 48-team (from 32) format with 12 groups of four teams, a 104-match schedule, and a new Round of 32 involving the top two teams from each group along with the eight best third-placed teams.
Awards & Records:  Spain’s Rodri won the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player, while France’s Kylian Mbappé claimed his second consecutive Golden Boot with 10 goals.

• Argentina’s Lionel Messi, aged 39, became the oldest outfield player to start a FIFA World Cup final and the first player to start three FIFA World Cup finals, finishing with 8 goals, 4 assists, and the Silver Ball, while Spain’s Unai Simón set a FIFA World Cup record by keeping 7 clean sheets in 8 matches, conceding just one goal.

Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya Unveils ‘Peacko’ As Official Mascot For BWF World Championships 2026
On 18 July 2026, Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports (MYAS)  along with Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, Badminton Association of India (BAI) president-cum- Chief Minister(CM) of Assam, unveiled the official mascot ‘Peacko’ and launched the championship anthem for the Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Championships 2026, in New Delhi, Delhi.
About Mascot:
Mascot: The official mascot ‘Peacko’, inspired by the Indian Peafowl, and the championship anthem featuring India’s 16-member contingent were unveiled to showcase the spirit and unity of Indian badminton.
 Anthem:  The official anthem featuring India’s 16-member World Championships contingent, including PV Sindhu, Lakshya Sen, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Chirag Shetty, Ayush Shetty, Unnati Hooda, Gayatri Gopichand, and Treesa Jolly, was launched to showcase the energy, ambition, and unity of Indian badminton.
Tournament:  The 30th edition of the BWF World Championships scheduled to be held from 17–23 August 2026 at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi, featuring 400+ shuttlers from over 50 countries.
About BAI:  Established in 1934 and headquartered in New Delhi, the BAI is the national governing body for badminton in India, responsible for promoting and regulating the sport.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Chess Day 2026 – July 20
The United Nations (UN) observes World Chess Day (International Chess Day) annually on 20 July to celebrate chess as one of the world’s oldest intellectual games and its role in promoting education, peace, inclusion, and global cooperation.

• The day also marks the founding of FIDE (Fédération Internationale des Échecs / International Chess Federation) on 20 July 1924 in Paris, France.
• 2026 Theme: “Celebrate, create and make a difference”

Background: 
Origin: The idea of celebrating International Chess Day was first proposed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
FIDE Celebration: Since 1966, FIDE (Fédération Internationale des Échecs / International Chess Federation) has observed 20 July annually as International Chess Day.
UN Recognition: On 12 December 2019, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted Resolution A/RES/74/22, officially proclaiming 20 July as World Chess Day. The resolution was introduced by Armenia and co-sponsored by 52 countries.
First UN Observance: The first United Nations-recognised World Chess Day was officially observed on 20 July 2020.

STATE NEWS

AP Signs MoU with UN-Habitat to Promote Sustainable Urban Development 
In July 2026, the Government of Andhra Pradesh (AP) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) to establish a long-term partnership for promoting sustainable, inclusive, and climate-resilient urban development in the state.

• The partnership aims to establish a Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Urban Affairs in Amaravati.

Highlights of the UN-Habitat: 
Partnership:  The Municipal Administration Department signed an MoU with UN-Habitat to promote inclusive and sustainable urban development across AP.
Focus:  The partnership will establish a CoE for Urban Affairs in Amaravati to support urban planning, climate-resilient cities, digital governance, municipal finance, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Initiatives:  The collaboration will strengthen the state’s Sustainable Urban Revitalisation and Growth Enhancement Andhra Pradesh (SURGE AP), Resilient, Inclusive and Sustainable Environment Andhra Pradesh (RISE AP), UPLIFT AP, and Zero Poverty vision through the P4 Programme.
Dignitaries Present:  The MoU was signed in the presence of N. Chandrababu Naidu, Chief Minister (CM) of  AP, and Anacláudia Rossbach, Executive Director, United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), who participated virtually from Singapore.

Uttar Pradesh Launches Kaushal Setu and Kaushal Sarathi Portals for Skill Development
In July 2026, the Uttar Pradesh (UP) Government launched the Kaushal Setu and Kaushal Sarathi portals to modernise the state’s skill development ecosystem and improve access to training opportunities.

• The portals were launched during the state-level celebrations of World Youth Skills Day 2026(July 15) at the Indira Gandhi Pratishthan, Lucknow, UP.

About Digital Initiatives:
Kaushal Setu: This will serve as the official digital portal of Uttar Pradesh Skill Development Mission (UPSDM), where training partners can register and apply online.
Kaushal Sarathi: The platform provides digital guides to training centers, available courses and training partners available in the UP state.

• It provides district-wise details of training centres, courses, and Training partners.

MoUs Signed: During the launch, the UPSDM signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with KLK Private Limited and Winsome Textile Industries Limited to provide skill training and placement opportunities in robotics, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and the textile sector.

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