Daily Current Affairs (DCA) 14 July, 2026

Daily Current Affairs Quiz
14 July , 2026

International & National Affairs

1. The Eärendil-1 Mission

Source: The Hindu

Context

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) granted a two-year experimental operating license to California-based startup Reflect Orbital for its Eärendil-1 mission, which aims to demonstrate orbital sunlight reflection technology.

What is Eärendil-1?

• Eärendil-1 is an experimental technology demonstration satellite designed to test whether sunlight can be reflected from space to specific locations on Earth after sunset.
• It is essentially an orbital mirror capable of redirecting sunlight.
• Developed by: Reflect Orbital (California, USA)
• Named after: Eärendil, a legendary mariner from J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Silmarillion who carried a shining Silmaril across the sky.

Key Technical Features

Deployable Reflector

• Uses an ultra-light thin-film mirror folded during launch.
• Automatically unfolds once in orbit.

Precision Sunlight Reflection

• Equipped with motorized gimbals to precisely orient the mirror.
• Reflects sunlight toward designated locations on Earth.

Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

• Operates at approximately 625 km altitude.

About Reflect Orbital

• Headquarters: California, USA
• Type: Commercial aerospace startup
• Focus: Space-based energy and orbital reflection technologies.

About the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

• Country
  • United States
• Established
  • 1934
• Functions
  • Regulates communications by radio, satellite, television, wire, and internet.
  • Licenses satellite communications and commercial space radio operations.

2. The Long March 10B Rocket

Context

China successfully demonstrated the first reusable landing of its Long March 10B booster at the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site, marking a significant milestone in its reusable launch vehicle programme.

What is Long March 10B?

• Long March 10B is China’s next-generation reusable medium-to-heavy lift launch vehicle.
• It features a recoverable first-stage booster, designed for multiple launches.
• Developed by: China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC)

Objective

• Reduce launch costs through rocket reusability.
• Support China’s lunar exploration programme.
• Deploy large satellite constellations more economically.

About CASC

• Full Form
  • China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC)
• Country
  • China
• Nature
  • State-owned aerospace corporation.

3. Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme

Source: PIB

Context

The Union Minister for Food Processing Industries celebrated the PMFME Scheme crossing 2 lakh credit-linked beneficiaries, marking a major milestone in the formalisation of India’s micro food processing sector.

About PMFME Scheme

• Launched: 29 June 2020
• Ministry: Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI)
• Type: Centrally Sponsored Scheme
• Duration: 2020–21 to 2025–26 (extended as per government decisions)
• Objective: To formalise and strengthen the unorganised micro food processing sector by improving access to credit, technology, branding, and markets.

Objectives

• Formalise unorganised micro food processing enterprises.
• Enhance competitiveness through technology upgradation.
• Improve access to institutional finance.
• Promote value addition and reduce post-harvest losses.
• Generate employment and increase farmers’ income.

Key Features

1. Credit-Linked Capital Subsidy

• 35% capital subsidy on eligible project cost.
• Maximum subsidy of ₹10 lakh per beneficiary.

2. One District One Product (ODOP)

• Every district identifies a specialised food product based on local resources.
• Promotes cluster-based development, branding and exports.

3. Support to SHGs

• Seed capital of ₹40,000 per SHG member.
• Helps purchase small equipment and working capital.

4. Common Infrastructure

• Grants to FPOs, Cooperatives and SHGs for:
  • Processing units
  • Storage facilities
  • Packaging units
  • Testing laboratories
• Grant up to 35% of project cost (subject to prescribed limits).

5. Branding & Marketing

• Financial assistance for:
  • Branding
  • Packaging
  • Quality certification
  • Marketing and digital promotion.

6. Capacity Building

• Training for entrepreneurs on:
  • Food safety standards
  • Business management
  • Packaging
  • Digital marketing
  • Financial management

Funding Pattern

• General States: 60 : 40 (Centre : State)
• North Eastern & Himalayan States: 90 : 10
• Union Territories (without legislature): 100% Central funding

4. India’s First Hydrogen Train

Source: Indian Express

Context

The Prime Minister will flag off India’s first hydrogen-powered passenger train from Jind, Haryana, on 17 July 2026, marking a major milestone in India’s transition towards green and sustainable rail transport.

About India’s First Hydrogen Train

• Type: Hydrogen-Electric Multiple Unit (HEMU)
• Nature: India’s first hydrogen fuel cell-powered passenger train
• Route: Jind – Sonipat (Haryana) (89 km)
• Project Cost: ₹136 crore
• Developed By: Northern Railway
• Technology Partner: Medha Servo Drives (Hyderabad)
• Fuel Cell Supplier: Ballard Power Systems (Canada)

Objective

• Promote zero-emission railway transport.
• Reduce dependence on diesel-powered trains.
• Develop clean mobility on non-electrified railway routes.
• Support India’s Net Zero 2070 and National Green Hydrogen Mission goals.

National Green Hydrogen Mission

• Launched: 2023
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE)
• Target: Produce 5 million metric tonnes of green hydrogen annually by 2030.
• Aims to make India a global hub for the production, utilisation and export of green hydrogen.

5. UMANG Portal

Source: The Hindu

Context

Security researchers identified multiple vulnerabilities in the UMANG (Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance) portal that exposed sensitive user data across several government services. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has acknowledged the issue and initiated corrective measures.

What is UMANG?

• UMANG (Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance) is a single digital platform that provides citizens access to a wide range of Central, State, and local government services through one mobile application and web portal.
• Launched: November 2017
• Developed by: National e-Governance Division (NeGD) under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
• It is a key component of the Digital India Programme.

Objective

• To provide single-window access to government services.
• To improve ease of governance, transparency, and digital service delivery.
• To reduce the need for multiple government applications and portals.

Key Features

• Provides access to 2,400+ government services from Central, State and local bodies.
• Available through Android, iOS and web portal.
• Supports multiple Indian languages.
• Integrates services from departments such as:
  • EPFO
  • Passport
  • DigiLocker
  • PAN services
  • LPG booking
  • Aadhaar-enabled services
  • Pension services
  • Utility bill payments
  • Health and education services

About EPFO UAN

• UAN (Universal Account Number) is a 12-digit unique number allotted by the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO).
• It links multiple PF accounts of an employee under one identity.
• Enables online services such as:
  • PF balance check
  • Claims
  • KYC updates
  • Account transfers

About CERT-In

• Full Form: Indian Computer Emergency Response Team
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY)
• Established: 2004
• Legal Basis: Section 70B of the Information Technology Act, 2000

Banking/Finance

1. India’s Retail Inflation Rises to 4.4% in June 2026

Source: The Hindu

Context

The National Statistics Office (NSO) released the Consumer Price Index (CPI) data for June 2026, showing that India’s retail inflation increased to 4.38% (rounded to 4.4%) from 3.93% in May 2026. This is the first time inflation has crossed the RBI’s 4% target under the new CPI series (Base Year 2024).

Key Highlights

• Retail Inflation (CPI): 4.38% (June 2026).
• Previous Month: 3.93% (May 2026).
• CPI Base Year: 2024 (effective January 2026).
• Released by: National Statistics Office (NSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).

Major Reasons for Rise in Inflation

1. Increase in Food Prices

• Food inflation rose to 5.32%, the highest under the new CPI series.
• Prices of ginger, tomato, raisins (kishmish), and monacca increased significantly.

2. Higher Fuel Prices

• Rise in global crude oil prices following geopolitical tensions in West Asia.
• Petrol and diesel price hikes pushed transport inflation to 4.31%.

3. Weak Monsoon

• June 2026 recorded a 42.8% rainfall deficit.
• Lower rainfall affected agricultural production and food supply.

4. Precious Metals

• Safe-haven demand led to sharp increases in jewellery prices.
• Silver jewellery inflation: 133.21%.

About Consumer Price Index (CPI)

• Measures retail inflation faced by consumers.
• Published by the National Statistics Office (NSO).
• Used by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for monetary policy decisions.
• Covers both rural and urban consumption.
• The Food & Beverages group has the highest weight (about 45.86%) in CPI.

Practice MCQs

Q1. With reference to the new CPI series:

1. Its base year is 2024.
2. It became effective from January 2026.
3. It includes data from online markets for the first time.
4. It replaces the older series with base year 2011-12.

How many are correct? (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) Only three (d) All four

Answer Key

1. (d) — All correct.

Exam Relevance

• UPSC Prelims & Mains: CRITICAL — GS-III (Indian Economy, Monetary Policy, Inflation); Prelims (CPI, RBI target, MPC, base year); Mains-Essay on inflation-growth trade-off.
• RBI Grade B / SIDBI / SEBI / IRDAI: CRITICAL — Direct ESI content.
• NABARD Grade A: HIGH — Rural inflation + food prices.

2. RBI’s FCNR(B) Swap Facility

Source: Mint

Context

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman reviewed the progress of the RBI’s concessional swap facility for Foreign Currency Non-Resident [FCNR(B)] deposits and urged banks to increase outreach to Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) to mobilize more foreign currency deposits and strengthen India’s foreign exchange reserves.

What is FCNR(B)?

Foreign Currency Non-Resident (Bank) [FCNR(B)] Account is a term deposit account that allows Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) to maintain deposits in designated foreign currencies with banks in India.

Regulated by

• Reserve Bank of India (RBI)

Eligible Account Holders

• Non-Resident Indians (NRIs)
• Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs)

Nature of Account

• Fixed-term deposit
• Maintained in foreign currency
• Both principal and interest are fully repatriable.

Objectives

• Mobilize foreign currency deposits.
• Strengthen India’s foreign exchange (Forex) reserves.
• Reduce external sector vulnerabilities.
• Provide NRIs with a safe foreign currency investment option.

Key Features

Foreign Currency Deposits

Accounts can be maintained in major foreign currencies such as:

• US Dollar (USD)
• Pound Sterling (GBP)
• Euro (EUR)
• Japanese Yen (JPY)
• Australian Dollar (AUD)
• Canadian Dollar (CAD)

Tenure

• Minimum: 1 year
• Maximum: 5 years

Exchange Rate Protection

• Deposits remain in foreign currency.
• No exchange-rate risk for the depositor.

What is the RBI’s Concessional Swap Facility?

The RBI introduced a special foreign exchange swap window to encourage banks to attract FCNR(B) deposits and eligible overseas borrowings.

How it Works

1. NRIs deposit foreign currency in Indian banks.
2. Banks receive foreign currency.
3. Banks swap the foreign currency with RBI.
4. RBI provides rupees at a concessional swap cost.
5. At maturity, the transaction is reversed.

This reduces the foreign exchange risk and funding cost for banks.

What is External Commercial Borrowing (ECB)?

External Commercial Borrowings are commercial loans raised by eligible Indian entities from foreign lenders.

Regulator

• Reserve Bank of India

Purpose

• Infrastructure financing
• Capital expenditure
• Business expansion
• Long-term investments

What is OFCB?

Overseas Foreign Currency Borrowings (OFCBs) are foreign currency borrowings undertaken by eligible Indian financial institutions from overseas markets.

Facts To Remember

1. Delhi Launches AI-Powered Dust Portal 2.0

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta launched the AI-powered Dust Portal 2.0 to monitor construction and demolition sites of 500 square yards or more. The portal uses artificial intelligence to improve pollution monitoring and strengthen dust control through technology-driven governance.

2. Lakhanpur Selected for PM SVANidhi Street Food Hub

Lakhanpur in Jammu & Kashmir was selected among the first towns in India to develop a Street Food Hub under the PM SVANidhi initiative. The project aims to promote Dogra cuisine, tourism, hygienic street food, and sustainable livelihoods for street vendors with financial support from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.

3. Chitkara University Launches ₹20 Crore Atal Incubation Centre

Chitkara University launched the Atal Incubation Centre–Chitkara Incubation Foundation (AIC-CIF) with an investment of ₹20 crore. The centre will support deep-tech startups in drone technology, agritech, and renewable energy while promoting innovation, research commercialisation, and entrepreneurship.

4. DoP and TRAI Sign MoU for India’s Largest Telecom Survey

The Department of Posts (DoP) and TRAI signed an MoU to conduct India’s largest village-level telecom network survey across 5.68 lakh villages. Over 1.40 lakh Gramin Dak Sevaks will collect field data to identify connectivity gaps and improve rural telecom infrastructure.

5. Gujarat Signs ₹5,629 Crore BharatNet Agreement

Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN), Gujarat Government, GFGNL, and BSNL signed a ₹5,629 crore agreement under the Amended BharatNet Programme. The project will provide broadband connectivity across 14,287 Gram Panchayats, over 5 lakh rural fibre connections, and improve last-mile digital connectivity.

6. India and Australia Strengthen Strategic Partnership

During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Australia, both countries finalized the India-Australia Civil Nuclear Agreement implementation arrangement, signed a new Joint Declaration on Defence and Security Cooperation (JDDSC), expanded education partnerships, and Australia announced the repatriation of three ancient Indian artefacts.

7. WIPO Report Highlights India’s Innovation Growth

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) reported that India recorded the highest growth in intangible investments among the world’s major economies. India’s intangible investment reached USD 78.2 billion in 2023, driven by software, research & development, innovation, and intellectual property.

8. Nita Ambani Receives Fortune India MPW Honour

Nita Ambani, Founder and Chairperson of Reliance Foundation, received the Fortune India Most Powerful Women (MPW) Honour 2026 for her leadership in institution building and inclusive development. The event also released the Fortune India MPW 2026 list recognizing India’s top women leaders.

9. INS Mahendragiri Commissioned into Indian Navy

The Indian Navy commissioned the indigenous stealth frigate INS Mahendragiri, the sixth Project-17A Nilgiri-class warship, into the Eastern Fleet. Designed by the Warship Design Bureau and built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited, the vessel strengthens India’s maritime defence capabilities.

10. Wimbledon 2026 Champions Crowned

Jannik Sinner (Italy) won the men’s singles title, while Linda Nosková (Czech Republic) won the women’s singles title at the Wimbledon Championships 2026, held in London.

11. Legendary Playback Singer S. Janaki Passes Away

Legendary playback singer S. Janaki passed away at the age of 88. During her six-decade career, she recorded over 48,000 songs in nearly 20 Indian languages and won four National Film Awards for Best Female Playback Singer.

12. Former Qatar Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani Passes Away

Former Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, passed away at the age of 74. He ruled Qatar from 1995 to 2013 and transformed the country into a global energy, investment, and diplomatic hub while overseeing the expansion of LNG exports and institutions such as Al Jazeera.

13. World Population Day Observed on 11 July

World Population Day 2026 was observed on 11 July with the theme “Realizing the hopes and aspirations of young people – today and for the future.” The day highlights population issues, reproductive health, and sustainable development.

14. UN Observes Srebrenica Genocide Remembrance Day

The International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica was observed on 11 July to honour the victims of the 1995 genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina and promote remembrance, justice, and reconciliation.

15. World Horse Day 2026 Observed

The United Nations observed World Horse Day on 11 July to recognise the contribution of horses to human society. The observance was established through a UNGA Resolution adopted in 2025, making 2026 the second annual observance.