Current Affairs 17 June 2026

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National Affairs

DPIIT Releases New Series of WPI and PPI with Base Year 2022-23
The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) released the revised series of the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) and Producer Price Index (PPI), updating the base year to 2022-23.

• Index Revision: The new series replaces the existing 2011-12 base year. It also introduces the Output PPI (OPPI), Trial Input PPI (IPPI), and Service PPI for seven sectors (Banking, Securities, Insurance, Pension Funds, Railways, Air Passenger, and Telecom).
• Index Transition: The revised WPI will continue to be published alongside the PPI for a 5-year transition period. After this, the WPI will be discontinued, making PPI the primary producer-price measure in India.

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi Launches WT-MARUT Portal for Wind Energy
Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi launched WT-MARUT (Wind Turbine Materials and Resources Utility Tracker)—India’s first Wind Turbine Supply Chain Management Portal—at the Global Wind Day Conference 2026 in Goa.

• Features: Designed to improve supply-chain transparency, the portal provides component sourcing visibility, supplier qualification mechanisms, and secure domestic data hosting to help India reach its 100 GW wind capacity goal by 2030.
• Implementation: Co-developed by the MNRE and the Indian Wind Turbine Manufacturers Association (IWTMA).
• Other Releases: The Minister also launched the Wind Domestic Content Requirement (DCR) Portal and a Coffee Table Book on Pawan Urja.

IIT Hyderabad to Set Up ‘CODENE’, India’s First Nuclear Engineering Design Centre
The Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad (IIT-H) will establish CODENE (Centre for Design and Engineering in Nuclear Energy), India’s first center of excellence dedicated to nuclear engineering design.

• Background: Formed under a tripartite MoU between IIT-H, CEEPL India, and France’s Dassault Systemes SE, signed during the Bharat Innovates 2026 event in Nice, France.
• Focus Areas: Will research next-generation reactor technologies, nuclear safety systems, and advanced materials while building a skilled workforce for India’s nuclear energy sector.
• Technology: The facility will extensively utilize Dassault Systemes' advanced 3D modeling and digital twin technologies.

DIBD Partners with GeM to Enable Multilingual Access to Public Procurement
The Digital India BHASHINI Division (DIBD) signed an MoU with the Government e Marketplace (GeM) to deploy generative AI and voice-first technology across India’s public procurement ecosystem.

• The Aim: To enable seamless, multilingual access and governance on GeM platforms, supporting communication across 22 official Indian languages and regional dialects.
• Collaboration Tools: BHASHINI and GeM will deploy digital resources including BHASHINI Udyat, Mitra, Appmitra, Sahyogi, and Pravakta.
• Features: It provides domain-specific language models, voice bots, and translation APIs, while encouraging crowdsourced data contributions through Bhashadaan.

ASI and Denmark Sign MoU for Underwater Survey of 1619 Oresund Shipwreck
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) signed an MoU with the National Museum of Denmark to conduct a non-invasive underwater survey near Karaikal, Puducherry, aiming to locate the 1619 CE Danish shipwreck, Oresund.

• Significance: The Oresund was the first Danish vessel to reach India. The wreck provides crucial evidence of early European maritime presence and Indo-Danish cultural interactions.
• Project Scope: Employs advanced non-invasive scientific and technological methods to document and study underwater cultural heritage without disturbing the site.

NBA Reconstitutes Agrobiodiversity Expert Committee
The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) reconstituted the Expert Committee on Agrobiodiversity, appointing renowned agricultural scientist and Padma Shri awardee Dr. P. L. Gautam as its Chair.

• Legal Status: Reconstituted for a one-year term under Section 13(1) of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002. Dr. Trilochan Mohapatra will serve as the Co-Chair.
• Key Responsibilities: Advising on integrating biodiversity into agriculture, reviewing international collaborative research guidelines, and examining seed sector issues under the BD Act.

Indian Army Receives 106 Peacekeeper (Agniveg) Jet-Powered Kamikaze Drones
The Indian Army inducted 106 jet-powered Peacekeeper (Agniveg) drones (100 operational, 6 training) manufactured by SMPP Limited. These loitering munitions are designed to strike and destroy targets directly.

• Partnership: Developed in collaboration with KB Indela (Belarus) and partially localized in India. An upgraded 750 kmph variant has also been proposed.
• Agniveg Features: The turbojet kamikaze drone boasts an operational range of 180 km, a max speed of 450 kmph, and a precision Circular Error Probable (CEP) of less than 5 meters.
• Role: Designed to strike high-value targets effectively even in GPS-denied, jammed, or spoofed environments.

International Affairs

Jio Platforms Enters WIPO Global Top 20 Patent Rankings
Jio Platforms (JPL), the tech arm of Reliance Industries Limited, became the only Indian company to break into the global top 20 of the World Intellectual Property Organisation’s (WIPO) Patent Co-operation Treaty (PCT) rankings for 2025.

• Top Countries: China topped the global rankings with 73,718 applications, followed by the USA (52,617) and Japan (47,922). India ranked 12th globally with 3,070 applications.
• Top PCT Applicants: Huawei Technologies (China) retained the #1 spot globally for the 9th consecutive year, followed by Samsung Electronics (South Korea) and Qualcomm (USA).

Banking & Finance

SEBI Introduces Revised Trading Framework for ETFs
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) revised the trading framework for Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), shifting from fixed to dynamic price bands. The rules take effect on September 1, 2026.

• Equity and Debt ETFs: Replaces the fixed 20% NAV-based limit with a dynamic initial band of 10%, which can expand up to 20% (in 5% increments) after a mandatory cooling-off period during extreme market movements.
• Commodity ETFs: For ETFs tracking gold and silver, dynamic bands will start at ±6%, expandable in 3% increments.
• Pre-Open Call Auction: A pre-open call auction mechanism was specifically introduced for commodity ETFs to ensure better initial price discovery.

Economy & Business

Sarvam AI Becomes India’s 130th Unicorn After Raising $234 Million
Sarvam AI, India’s full-stack sovereign AI startup, became the country's 130th unicorn (and the 5th in 2026) after raising $234 million in its Series B funding round, pushing its valuation to $1.5 billion.

• Investors: The funding was led by HCLTech and Bessemer Venture Partners, with participation from Khosla Ventures and Peak XV Partners.
• Acquisition Detail: As part of the round, HCLTech acquired a 10.46% minority stake in Sarvam AI for roughly ₹1,427.25 crore ($150 million).

Awards & Recognitions

Lt Vishal Kumar Awarded Sword of Honour at IMA Passing Out Parade 2026
President Droupadi Murmu presented the prestigious Sword of Honour and the President’s Gold Medal to Lieutenant Vishal Kumar during the 158th Regular Course Passing Out Parade at the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun.

• Achievement: Lt Vishal Kumar secured first place in the overall Order of Merit. As Academy Cadet Adjutant, he excelled universally in military training, physical fitness, and leadership.
• Runners-Up: Academy Under Officer Prince Raj secured the Silver Medal (second position), and Senior Under Officer Tejas Bhatt won the Bronze Medal (third position).

Science & Technology

DRDO Successfully Conducts Flight-Test of Long Range Land Attack Cruise Missile
The Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully test-fired its indigenous Long Range Land Attack Cruise Missile (LRLACM) from Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha.

• Capabilities: The missile successfully validated its propulsion, guidance, and warhead delivery systems. It boasts an expected strike range of up to 1,500 km.
• Development: All sub-systems were indigenously developed by DRDO labs and Indian industry partners, with the Aeronautical Development Establishment (Bengaluru) acting as the Nodal Laboratory.

Books & Authors

Vice President CP Radhakrishnan Releases Book ‘Agatthiyar- The Unifier’
Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan released the book ‘Agatthiyar – The Unifier’ in New Delhi. Co-authored by O. Shama Bhat and Dr. M. N. Sudha, it was translated into Tamil by Professor Kalyani and published by Kalaimagal magazine.

• Key Focus: Highlights the life, teachings, and philosophical contributions of the revered ancient sage Agatthiyar.
• Themes: Portrays Agatthiyar as a unifying figure in Indian knowledge traditions, emphasizing his monumental contributions to Tamil grammar, Sangam literature, and ancient medicine.

State News

Indian Army Signs MoU with Bharti Airtel to Expand Mobile Connectivity in AR
The Indian Army signed an MoU with Bharti Airtel to drastically expand mobile communication infrastructure in the Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh.

• Development & Security: The upgraded infrastructure will improve e-governance, healthcare, and tourism access for locals, while boosting military situational awareness and logistics for troops in forward areas.
• Uniform Reforms Noted: Separately, the Army introduced the ‘Army Uniforms–2026 Pamphlet’, introducing a Bandi Jacket for formal wear, phasing in a new Battle Jacket by 2029, and dropping the colonial term ‘Royal’ to reinforce indigenous military identity.

Kerala CM Inaugurates Free Bus Travel Scheme ‘Priyadarshini’
Kerala Chief Minister V. D. Satheesan launched the ‘Priyadarshini’ scheme, offering free bus travel for women and transgender persons across 3,125 ordinary KSRTC buses.

• Eligibility & Implementation: All women and transgender individuals are eligible, receiving zero-value tickets via Electronic Ticket Machines (ETM).
• Financial Impact: The Kerala Government will reimburse KSRTC for revenue losses, estimated at over ₹800 crore annually, making Kerala the latest state to guarantee free inclusive public transport.

Important Days at a Glance

Current Affairs 17 June 2026 Oneliner Question Answer

1. Which department released the revised Wholesale Price Index (WPI) and Producer Price Index (PPI) series with base year 2022–23?
Answer: Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).

2. By which year does India aim to achieve 100 GW of wind energy capacity?
Answer: 2030.

3. Which Union Minister launched the WT-MARUT Portal?
Answer: Pralhad Joshi.

4. Which institute will establish India's first Centre of Design Excellence in Nuclear Engineering (CODENE)?
Answer: IIT Hyderabad.

5. What is the name of India's first Centre of Design Excellence in Nuclear Engineering?
Answer: CODENE (Centre for Design and Engineering in Nuclear Energy).

6. Which two organizations signed an MoU to provide multilingual access to the GeM portal?
Answer: Digital India BHASHINI Division (DIBD) and Government e-Marketplace (GeM).

7. Which two organizations signed an MoU to conduct an underwater survey of the Danish ship Oresund?
Answer: Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the National Museum of Denmark.

8. Who was appointed as the Chair of the NBA's Expert Committee on Agrobiodiversity?
Answer: Dr. P. L. Gautam.

9. How many Peacekeeper (Agniveg) jet-powered kamikaze drones were delivered to the Indian Army?
Answer: 106 drones.

10. Which Indian company became the only Indian firm in WIPO's Global Top 20 Patent Rankings?
Answer: Jio Platforms.

11. From which date will SEBI's revised ETF trading framework come into effect?
Answer: 1 September 2026.

12. Who received the Sword of Honour and President's Gold Medal at the IMA Passing Out Parade 2026?
Answer: Lieutenant Vishal Kumar.

13. Which AI startup became India's 130th unicorn in June 2026?
Answer: Sarvam AI.

14. Which organization successfully tested the Long Range Land Attack Cruise Missile (LRLACM)?
Answer: Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

15. Who released the book Agatthiyar – The Unifier?
Answer: Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan.

16. Global Wind Day is observed annually on which date?
Answer: 15 June.

17. What is the theme of Global Wind Day 2026?
Answer: “Our Wind, Our Community.”

18. ASEAN Dengue Day is observed every year on which date?
Answer: 15 June.

19. What is the theme of ASEAN Dengue Day 2026?
Answer: “ASEAN United: Zero Dengue Deaths – A Future We Build Together by 2030.”

20. Which telecom company signed an MoU with the Indian Army to expand mobile connectivity in Arunachal Pradesh?
Answer: Bharti Airtel Limited.

21. Which state launched the 'Priyadarshini' free bus travel scheme for women and transgender persons?
Answer: Kerala.