Daily Current Affairs 29 June 2026

Union Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu has inaugurated India's first hub-and-spoke flight service, designated as Air India flight 1111, at the Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.

Launched under Air India's 'Easy Connect' initiative, the service provides connectivity to 17 international destinations.

Union Minister Amit Shah has launched 4 digital policing applications at the 26th All India Fingerprint Conference in New Delhi. The applications are National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB)-Abhigyan, Criminal Procedure Identification (CrPI), e-Prosecution 2.0, and e-Forensics 2.0.

These applications are designed to strengthen the Integrated Criminal Justice System (ICJS) by leveraging AI for biometric identification, forensic integration, and digital prosecution management.

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has approved financial assistance of ₹150 crore for India's first private-sector 91 Kilo Litres Per Day (KLPD) Hybrid Second-Generation (2G) Ethanol Biorefinery, located in Dhanaura, Uttar Pradesh.

The assistance is provided through the Centre for High Technology (CHT) under the PM JI-VAN (Jaiv Indhan- Vatavaran Anukool fasal awashesh Nivaran) Yojana. The biorefinery produces sustainable 2G ethanol using agricultural residues.

The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) has inaugurated the world's first hydrogen production facility utilizing a Copper–Chlorine (Cu–Cl) thermochemical cycle at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) in Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu.

The facility is powered by nuclear heat derived from a Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR). The Cu–Cl cycle is a multi-step chemical process that splits water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen through the application of high-temperature thermal energy.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has awarded the IndiaAI Fellowship to 7 Computer Science Engineering (CSE) students at Chandigarh University.

Each recipient will receive financial assistance of ₹1 lakh for innovative projects using AI and Machine Learning applications.

PM Narendra Modi has visited West Bengal to participate in the 'Paschimbanga Divas' (West Bengal Day) celebrations held at Tarakeswar in Hooghly. The event was organised under the theme "West Bengal: Heritage, Harmony and Development".

During the visit, he also released the 23rd instalment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme.

BSE Index Services Pvt Ltd, a subsidiary of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), has launched India's first Saatvik Index named "BSE Saatvik 100".

The index is designed to promote ethical-based investing and is derived from the constituents of the BSE 500 Index. The index has a base value of 1,000 with an initial value date of June 20, 2005. It will be reconstituted every 6 months of a year.

Federal Bank Ltd has launched the 'FCNR Max Deposit Scheme', a Foreign Currency Non-Resident (Bank) [FCNR(B)] deposit product for Non-Resident Indians (NRIs).

The scheme offers an annual interest rate of 6.25% on USD deposits with tenures ranging from 3 to 5 years and is valid until September 2026.

The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) has launched an AI-enabled grievance redressal platform named 'PFRDA Pension Sahayak' for subscribers of pension schemes regulated by the authority.

Zerodha Fund House, India's first passive-only, direct-only Asset Management Company (AMC), has launched the country's first lifecycle (target-date) mutual funds. The new funds include the 'Zerodha Life Cycle Fund 2036' (10-year maturity) and the 'Zerodha Life Cycle Fund 2041' (15-year maturity).

These funds are classified as equity funds for taxation purposes, offering long-term capital gains (LTCG) benefits. It is to be noted that these funds have no lock-in period and require a minimum investment of ₹100.

The International Fencing Federation (FIE) has signed an MoU with the Fencing Association of India (FAI) to promote the sport in India. The partnership aims to foster cooperation with a specific focus on preparations for the upcoming Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

Bangladesh has officially joined the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) as its 27th member country. The partnership aims to enhance joint conservation strategies, habitat protection, and transboundary wildlife management.

The Indian Army is participating in the 23rd edition of the multilateral joint military exercise 'KHAAN QUEST' 2026, hosted by Mongolia at the Five Hills Training Area in Ulaanbaatar.

The Indian contingent consists of 40 members, including troops from the JAT Regiment and other Arms & Services. The exercise involves personnel from 18 participating countries.

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has commissioned the ICGS Akshay, a new-generation Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV), into its fleet.

The vessel, built by Goa Shipyard Ltd (GSL), was inducted at the GSL facility in Vasco, Goa. It features over 60% indigenous content and is the fourth vessel in the Adamya-class FPV series.

ISRO has successfully conducted a hot test of its semi-cryogenic engine power head at the ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC) in Tamil Nadu. The test demonstrated stable operation at a thrust level of 175 tons, achieving 88% of the target thrust.

This semi-cryogenic propulsion stage is being developed to replace the L110 core stage on the LVM3 (Launch Vehicle Mark 3) launch vehicle. The system is powered by the 2,000-kilonewton (kN) SE2000 engine.

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has inaugurated the new Captain of Ports Terminal Building in Panaji, Goa. The building was developed by the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) at a cost of ₹48.87 crore.

He also announced that the proposed Goa Water Metro project, an environment-friendly urban mobility initiative worth ₹3,146 crore, has been elevated to Phase-I implementation priority.

India participated in the 2nd edition of the Asian Relays Championships held in Shangyu, China. The Indian contingent secured 3 medals, including a gold medal in the women's 4x100m relay (season-best performance), a silver medal in the mixed 4x400m relay, and a bronze medal in the mixed 4x100m relay.

It is to be noted that India is scheduled to host the 2027 Asian Relays Championships in Chandigarh.

Francois Englert, a Belgian physicist, passed away at the age of 93. He was a foundational scientist behind the theoretical framework that led to the discovery of the Higgs boson, which explains how fundamental particles acquire mass.

He was a recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2013, sharing the honour with Peter Higgs.

K Bhagyaraj, a veteran Tamil actor, director, and screenwriter, passed away at the age of 73. He was a recipient of the South Indian International Movie Awards (SIIMA) Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014.

National Reading Day

Day - June 19

Observed since - 1996

Commemorating - The contributions of PN Panicker, known as the Father of the Library and Literacy Movement in Kerala

World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought

Day - June 17

Theme 2026 - 'Rangelands: Recognize. Respect. Restore.'

Observed since - 1995

Commemorating - Foundation anniversary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)

Host 2026 - Kenya