Daily Current Affairs (DCA) 08 July, 2026

Context

The Indian Navy will formally commission INS Mahendragiri (F38) — its 6th of 7 Project 17A (Nilgiri-class) indigenous guided-missile stealth frigates — on 11 July 2026 at Visakhapatnam, in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. Designed in-house by the Warship Design Bureau (WDB) of the Indian Navy and built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL), Mumbai, the frigate features 75%+ indigenous content — showcasing India’s push under Aatmanirbhar Bharat. Named after the Mahendragiri mountain range in the Eastern Ghats (Odisha) — the 2nd-highest peak in Odisha (~1,501 m) — it joins the Eastern Fleet under the Eastern Naval Command. The frigate is powered by a Combined Diesel or Gas (CODOG) propulsion system, is 149 metres long, and was delivered to the Navy on 30 April 2026 — about 17 months after the lead ship INS Nilgiri (December 2024). Its construction involved 200+ MSMEs, ~4,000 direct jobs, and ~10,000 indirect jobs. The programme cost is ~₹45,000 crore for all 7 ships.

The commissioning at a glance

• Ship: INS Mahendragiri (F38).
• Class: Nilgiri-class (Project 17A).
• Position: 6th of 7 frigates.
• Commissioning: 11 July 2026, Visakhapatnam.
• Attended by: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
• Fleet: Eastern Fleet, Eastern Naval Command.
• Delivered: 30 April 2026.

What is Project 17A?

• Series of 7 advanced stealth frigates — successor to Project 17 (Shivalik-class).
• Total cost: ~₹45,000 crore.
• Builders: 4 by MDL Mumbai + 3 by GRSE Kolkata.
• Predecessor: Shivalik-class (Project 17) — first stealth frigate class.
• Successor: Project 17B (under design).

Context

In July 2026, the 17th-century Jestha Varna Mahavihar — a historic Buddhist monastery in Lalitpur, Nepal — received the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Award of Merit 2025 for its outstanding conservation and restoration following the 2015 Gorkha earthquake (magnitude 7.8). The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu handed over the Award of Merit at a ceremony where Jaco Du Toit, UNESCO Representative in Nepal, presented a metal plaque and official certificate to the Jestha Varna Mahavihar User Committee, in the presence of Chiri Babu Maharjan (Mayor, Lalitpur Metropolitan City) and Rakesh Pandey (Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of India, Kathmandu). Also known as Jyaba Bahi or Chakrabahil, the monastery lies 300 metres from the UNESCO-listed Patan Durbar Square. It was recognised for exemplary community-centred conservation, combining modern seismic retrofitting with preservation of Newari woodcarvings + architecture, while sustaining the living heritage and practices of the Newar Buddhist community. The restoration was funded through the Government of India’s post-2015 earthquake cultural heritage reconstruction grant of NPR 13.78 crore.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Nepal (Total: 4)

• Kathmandu Valley (1979).
• Sagarmatha National Park (1979) — Everest.
• Chitwan National Park (1984).
• Lumbini (1997) — Buddha’s birthplace.

Who is UNESCO?

• Full form: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
• Established: 16 November 1945.
• HQ: Paris, France.
• Members: 194 countries (India joined 4 November 1946).
• Director-General: Audrey Azoulay (France; since 2017).
• Motto: “Building peace in the minds of men and women.”
• Notable programmes: World Heritage List (1972), Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003), Memory of the World (1992), Man and the Biosphere (MAB), Global Geoparks.

Practice MCQs

Q1. With reference to Jestha Varna Mahavihar, consider the following statements:

1. It is a 17th-century Buddhist monastery in Lalitpur, Nepal.
2. It received the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Award of Merit 2025.
3. Its restoration was funded by India’s post-Gorkha earthquake grant of NPR 13.78 crore.
4. It lies within the UNESCO-listed Patan Durbar Square.

How many of the above statements are correct?

(a) Only one (b) Only two (c) Only three (d) All four (e) None

(Statement 4 is wrong; Jestha Varna Mahavihar is located 300 metres AWAY from Patan Durbar Square — NOT within it.)

Q2. With reference to UNESCO, consider the following statements:

1. It was established on 16 November 1945.
2. It is headquartered in Paris, France.
3. Its current Director-General is Audrey Azoulay.
4. India joined UNESCO in 1950.

How many of the above statements are correct?

(a) Only one (b) Only two (c) Only three (d) All four (e) None

(Statement 4 is wrong; India joined UNESCO on 4 November 1946, NOT 1950.)

Answer Key

1. (c) — Statement 4 wrong: 300 m from Patan Durbar Square, not within.
2. (c) — Statement 4 wrong: India joined UNESCO in 1946, not 1950.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet appointed Alok Kumar Mittal as DG of BPR&D, Amit Garg as Director of NCRB, and Sujeet Pandey as Director of SVPNPA. All three are senior IPS officers from the 1993–94 batches. The appointments strengthen leadership in India’s key police and law enforcement institutions.

NPCI MD & CEO Dilip Asbe was appointed to the Supervisory Board of SWIFT. The appointment reflects India’s growing influence in global digital payment infrastructure. It also highlights the international recognition of India’s UPI-led payment ecosystem.

TPG Rise Climate, along with GIC and ICICI Bank, signed an agreement to acquire 100% stake in Aseem Infrastructure Finance from NIIF. The deal aims to boost climate financing and sustainable infrastructure investment in India. It is among India’s largest private climate-focused infrastructure transactions.

China launched the Haiyang-2E (HY-2E) ocean observation satellite aboard the Long March-4B rocket. The satellite will monitor sea conditions, weather, marine ecosystems, and support disaster management. It marks China’s 47th space mission of 2026.

India secured 41 medals at the U15 and U20 Asian Wrestling Championships held in Pattaya, Thailand. The tally included 12 gold, 13 silver, and 16 bronze medals. The performance highlights India’s growing strength in junior wrestling.

Padma Shri awardee Girish Bharadwaj passed away at the age of 76. He was known for constructing over 150 low-cost suspension bridges across five Indian states. His work significantly improved connectivity in remote and rural regions.

APEDA facilitated the export of 2 metric tonnes of Amrapali mangoes from Gumla and Deoghar districts of Jharkhand to Dubai. The consignment was supplied by women-led Farmer Producer Companies for sale through Lulu stores. The initiative increased farmers’ returns by around 180% while promoting exports from tribal regions.

The Ministry of Panchayati Raj organised the third Outreach Workshop on the Atmanirbhar Panchayat Programme in Kochi, Kerala. Over 800 Panchayats participated to discuss financial self-reliance, local resource mobilisation, and sustainable rural governance. The programme encourages Panchayats to strengthen their own revenue and prepare bankable development projects.

World Kiswahili Language Day is observed annually on 7 July under UNESCO. The 2026 theme is “Kiswahili for Peace, Solidarity and Global Economic Diplomacy.” The day promotes Kiswahili’s role in fostering unity, cultural exchange, and international cooperation.

World Bioproduct Day is observed every year on 7 July to promote the use of renewable bio-based products. It highlights the importance of bioproducts in supporting environmental sustainability, climate action, and the circular bioeconomy. The observance was launched in 2021 by the World BioEconomy Forum and the World Bioeconomy Association.