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Daily Current Affairs
19 & 20 July, 2026
1. Exercise Pitch Black 2026 — in which India’s Rafale jets are participating for the FIRST time — is the premier multinational air combat exercise hosted by which country’s air force?
A. United States
B. France
C. Australia
D. Japan
E. Singapore
View Answer
Explanation: Exercise Pitch Black is the Royal Australian Air Force’s premier biennial multinational air combat exercise (first held in Darwin, 1983), named for its emphasis on night-time flying over large unpopulated areas. Pitch Black 2026 (20 July – 7 August) is at RAAF Bases Darwin, Tindal and Amberley with ~19-20 nations. The IAF sent 4 Rafales, 2 C-17 Globemaster III aircraft and 120+ Air Warriors — Rafales’ first participation.
2. “Operation Southern Readiness 26-2”, a multinational maritime security training engagement, is being hosted by the Indian Navy at which location under CTF 154?
A. Visakhapatnam
B. Mumbai
C. Kochi (Southern Naval Command)
D. Karwar
E. Port Blair
View Answer
Explanation: Operation Southern Readiness 26-2 (20-23 July 2026) is hosted at the Southern Naval Command, Kochi, under the Indian Navy-led Combined Task Force 154 (CTF 154) — the dedicated Training Task Force of the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), a multinational partnership of 40+ nations. It blends classroom instruction, simulator scenarios and hands-on sea deployment.
3. India’s first and deepest twin geothermal wells — supporting a 1 MW demonstration geothermal power plant — were commissioned at which location?
A. Manikaran, Himachal Pradesh
B. Tattapani, Chhattisgarh
C. Puga Valley, Ladakh
D. Bakreshwar, West Bengal
E. Tapovan, Uttarakhand
View Answer
Explanation: India’s first geothermal wells were commissioned at Puga Valley, eastern Ladakh (14,000+ feet), executed by the ONGC Energy Centre with Iceland’s ĂŤSOR as consultants. The twin 1,000-metre-deep wells recorded 135°C at 400 m (expected 200-240°C in deepest sections) and feed India’s first 1 MWe demonstration plant. The heat comes from the Indus Suture Zone (Indian-Eurasian plate collision). India’s geothermal potential is ~10 GW; other sites include Tattapani and Manikaran.
4. With Skyroot Aerospace’s Vikram-1 successfully reaching orbit under “Mission Aagaman”, India became the ____ nation with private orbital launch capability.
A. First
B. Second
C. Third
D. Fourth
E. Fifth
View Answer
Explanation: Vikram-1 lifted off from SDSC Sriharikota on 18 July 2026 (12:05 pm IST), reaching a 450-km LEO at 60° inclination — making India the third nation (after the USA and China) with private orbital launch capability. Mission Aagaman (Sanskrit: “Arrival”) was declared a grand success.
5. Which of the following statements about the Vikram-1 rocket is INCORRECT?
A. It is a four-stage launch vehicle with three solid stages and a liquid fourth stage
B. It can carry small satellites up to 350 kg to Low Earth Orbit
C. Its engines are named after Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
D. It was developed by Agnikul Cosmos
E. It has an all-carbon composite structure with 3D-printed engines
View Answer
Explanation: Vikram-1 was developed by Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace (founded by ex-ISRO engineers Pawan Kumar Chandana & Naga Bharath Daka), not Agnikul. It’s ~20 m tall, 1.7 m diameter, four stages (3 solid + liquid Orbit Adjustment Module), named after Dr. Vikram Sarabhai with Kalam-100/Kalam-250 engines. Skyroot earlier launched the suborbital Vikram-S (Mission Prarambh, 18 Nov 2022).
6. The RBI imposed monetary penalties on Muthoot Finance and five other NBFCs. Under which provision does the RBI impose penalties on NBFCs?
A. Section 47A of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949
B. Section 58G read with Section 58B(5) of the RBI Act, 1934
C. Section 45 of the SARFAESI Act
D. Section 25 of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act
E. Section 11 of the FEMA, 1999
View Answer
Explanation: Penalties on NBFCs are imposed under Section 58G(1)(b) read with Section 58B(5) of the RBI Act, 1934 — not the Banking Regulation Act. Fines ranged from ₹2.70 lakh to ₹6.20 lakh: Avail Financial ₹6.20 lakh (exposure limit/directorship breach), Muthoot Finance ₹5.80 lakh (KYC risk-categorisation review + AML software gaps), Satya MicroCapital and PAN Emami Cosmed ₹3.10 lakh each, Dhani Loans and Muthoot Vehicle & Asset Finance ₹2.70 lakh each. RBI clarified penalties reflect compliance deficiencies, not the validity of customer transactions.
7. Under RBI’s Scale-Based Regulation (SBR) framework, NBFCs are classified into which layers?
A. Small, Medium, Large
B. Base, Middle, Upper and Top
C. Tier I, Tier II, Tier III
D. Core, Systemic, Non-Systemic
E. Primary, Secondary, Tertiary
View Answer
Explanation: RBI’s SBR framework classifies NBFCs into Base, Middle, Upper and Top Layers by size, activity and risk — stricter norms for higher layers. Key related concepts: NBFCs cannot accept demand deposits or issue cheques on themselves; NPA = loan overdue 90+ days (IRAC norms); KYC requires periodic risk-categorisation review at least once every six months.
8. Which film won Best Feature Film at the 72nd National Film Awards 2024?
A. Chandu Champion
B. Bramayugam
C. Article 370
D. 12th Fail
E. Sam Bahadur
View Answer
Explanation: Article 370 won Best Feature Film at the 72nd National Film Awards; Yami Gautam won Best Actress for the film. Mammootty (Bramayugam) and Kartik Aaryan (Chandu Champion) jointly won Best Actor — Mammootty’s fourth National Award for Best Actor.
9. A study in which national park of Assam found that invasive plant species serve as major nectar and larval host plants for butterflies (220 butterfly species documented)?
A. Kaziranga National Park
B. Manas National Park
C. Raimona National Park
D. Orang National Park
E. Nameri National Park
View Answer
Explanation: The study in Raimona National Park, Assam documented 220 butterfly species, 56 larval host plants and 41 nectar plants — showing invasive plants play a crucial ecological role and highlighting the need to balance invasive species management with biodiversity conservation.
10. India recorded its best-ever performance at the 58th International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) 2026 by winning:
A. Two gold and two silver medals
B. Three gold and one silver medal
C. Four gold medals
D. One gold and three silver medals
E. Four silver medals
View Answer
Explanation: India won four gold medals at IChO 2026 — its best-ever performance, congratulated by PM Modi. At the 37th International Biology Olympiad 2026 (Vilnius, Lithuania), India won 1 gold (Bhavyaa Gunwal, Haryana) and 3 silvers (Soumil Maity – WB, Nishit Kalani – Rajasthan, Anmol Kumar – Punjab).
11. P.V. Sindhu reached the Women’s Singles final of the Japan Open 2026 in Tokyo after which Chinese player retired during the semifinal?
A. He Bing Jiao
B. Chen Yu Fei
C. Wang Zhi Yi
D. An Se-young
E. Akane Yamaguchi
View Answer
Explanation: Sindhu reached the Japan Open 2026 final after China’s Chen Yu Fei retired during the semifinal (Sindhu leading 21-19, 15-10). Earlier, she received a walkover from Japan’s Nozomi Okuhara in the quarterfinal stage.
12. MoSPI’s updated “PAIMANA” dashboard for infrastructure monitoring now covers how many indicators?
A. 121 indicators
B. 144 indicators
C. 165 indicators
D. 180 indicators
E. 200 indicators
View Answer
Explanation: The PAIMANA (Project Assessment, Infrastructure Monitoring & Analytics for Nation-building) dashboard’s latest quarterly update covers 165 indicators, including 44 new ones — a comprehensive framework for monitoring key infrastructure sectors.
13. Which state became the FIRST in India to implement a comprehensive risk-based and trust-based business approval framework through its Ease of Doing Business Act, 2026?
A. Gujarat
B. Uttar Pradesh
C. Chhattisgarh
D. Madhya Pradesh
E. Telangana
View Answer
Explanation: The Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly passed the Chhattisgarh Ease of Doing Business Act, 2026 — the first state with a comprehensive risk-based, trust-based business approval framework: self-certification for low-risk businesses, deemed approvals, simplified compliance — expected to benefit 15+ lakh MSMEs.
14. The White Rabbit Technology-based IST Distribution Network, inaugurated by Union Minister Pralhad Joshi at Bengaluru, works under which vision?
A. Digital India Time
B. One Nation, One Time
C. Precision Bharat
D. Atomic India
E. Time for All
View Answer
Explanation: The network establishes a highly precise indigenous time distribution system under the “One Nation, One Time” vision — reducing dependence on foreign GPS-based timing for banking, telecom, defence, power grids and stock exchanges.
15. Akasa Air signed an MoU with which company to accelerate the adoption of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) in India, aligned with ICAO’s CORSIA framework?
A. Indian Oil Corporation
B. Hindustan Petroleum
C. Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL)
D. Reliance Industries
E. GAIL
View Answer
Explanation: The Akasa Air-BPCL MoU supports long-term SAF supply, higher blending levels and India’s aviation decarbonisation efforts, aligning with ICAO’s CORSIA framework. Separately, Gujarat received the Agriculture Leadership Award 2026 for horticulture at the 17th Agriculture Leadership Conclave, New Delhi.
16. Indian Analog Astronaut Captain Aman Johri conducted a microgravity research mission under “Project Astra Farm” to study which Maharashtra-grown crops?
A. Tomatoes and chillies
B. Onions and potatoes
C. Grapes and pomegranates
D. Wheat and jowar
E. Sugarcane and cotton
View Answer
Explanation: Under Project Astra Farm, Captain Aman Johri studied Maharashtra-grown onions and potatoes in reduced-gravity conditions — advancing India’s space agriculture research and sustainable food systems for future space missions.
17. Reliance Jio received IN-SPACe technical approval to deploy a LEO satellite constellation of approximately how many satellites?
A. 800 satellites
B. 1,200 satellites
C. 1,600 satellites
D. 2,000 satellites
E. 2,500 satellites
View Answer
Explanation: Reliance Jio Infocomm received IN-SPACe approval for a ~1,600-satellite LEO constellation — India’s first indigenous satellite internet network, aiming to provide satellite broadband, direct-to-device connectivity and enterprise communication services.
18. Legendary West Indies all-rounder Sir Garfield Sobers passed away at 89. In his 93 Tests, he scored 8,032 runs and took how many wickets?
A. 200 wickets
B. 217 wickets
C. 235 wickets
D. 250 wickets
E. 265 wickets
View Answer
Explanation: Sir Garfield Sobers — one of cricket’s greatest all-rounders — played 93 Tests, scoring 8,032 runs and taking 235 wickets, and was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame among numerous honours.
19. The Day of International Criminal Justice (17 July) commemorates the adoption of which statute in 1998 that established the International Criminal Court (ICC)?
A. Geneva Convention
B. Hague Statute
C. Rome Statute
D. Vienna Convention
E. Paris Charter
View Answer
Explanation: The Day of International Criminal Justice (17 July) commemorates the 1998 adoption of the Rome Statute, which established the ICC — promoting accountability for genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression.
20. The theme of Nelson Mandela International Day 2026 (18 July) was:
A. Take Action, Inspire Change
B. It’s in our hands
C. Do what you can, with what you have
D. Climate, Food and Solidarity
E. Freedom and Justice for All
View Answer
Explanation: Nelson Mandela International Day (18 July) honours the birth anniversary of Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s first democratically elected President. The 2026 theme “It’s in our hands” encourages individuals to contribute towards building a better society.
21. Arunachal Pradesh signed an MoU with Norway’s Tidal Sail AS for India’s first River Kinetic Energy Demonstration Project of what capacity?
A. 250 kW
B. 500 kW
C. 1 MW
D. 2 MW
E. 750 kW
View Answer
Explanation: The 500-kilowatt project — India’s first River Kinetic Energy Demonstration Project — will generate clean electricity from river currents without dams, strengthening India-Norway green cooperation.
22. Telangana signed an MoU with Microsoft to establish a Green Skills Centre of Excellence in Hyderabad, supporting which flagship initiative of the state?
A. Pharma Valley
B. Green Pharma City
C. Hyderabad BioHub
D. Life Sciences Corridor
E. MedTech Park
View Answer
Explanation: The Telangana-Microsoft Green Skills CoE in Hyderabad will train people in AI, sustainable manufacturing and green technologies — supporting Telangana’s Green Pharma City and next-generation life sciences strategy. Separately, the Department of Posts launched the India Post Mascot Design Contest on the MyGov platform, and the Cabinet approved railway multitracking projects (Odisha, Jharkhand) and two Varanasi elevated corridors worth â‚ą25,000+ crore alongside NIPU-2026.
