Current Affairs 04 June 2026
National Affairs
India Issues Letter of Request to France for ₹3.25 Lakh Crore to Acquire 114 Rafale Jets
The Government of India (GoI) issued a Letter of Request (LoR) to the Government of France for a government-to-government deal worth around ₹3.25 lakh crore for the acquisition of 114 Rafale fighter jets for the Indian Air Force (IAF).
Out of the 114 jets, around 94 aircraft are proposed to be manufactured in India by French manufacturer Dassault Aviation in partnership with an Indian company.
| Parameter | Detail |
|---|---|
| Letter of Request (LoR) | Formal govt-to-govt document used to initiate defence procurement under FMS-type international agreements |
| First Deliveries Expected | 2028 (Rafale-M jets) |
| Programme | Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) programme |
| Objective | Address IAF capability gap — squadron strength has declined to 29 squadrons against the sanctioned requirement of 42.5 squadrons |
Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia & Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma Launch 'Mission Senehjori' for Muga Silk
Union Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, MDoNER, along with CM Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, Assam, launched 'Mission Senehjori', Assam Muga Silk USP — a cluster-based initiative aimed at transforming Assam's distinctive Muga silk sector into a globally competitive, high-value luxury textile ecosystem.
Mission Senehjori (2026–2028): A three-year cluster programme with a total investment of ₹396–411 crore, including ₹136–151 crore from MDoNER.
Objective: Create a premium, traceable, export-oriented Muga silk economy by enforcing GI authentication and digital traceability for over 80% of traded Muga silk, targeting 2,000 kg annual exports under the unified brand identity 'Senehjori'.
Led By: MDoNER in collaboration with Assam Government, Central Silk Board, Ministry of Textiles (MoT), and other Central Ministries/organisations.
Coverage — Eight Key Areas: Jorhat, Sivasagar, Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Majuli, and Sualkuchi.
MoE Launches 'PMRC Scheme 2026' to Attract Global Indian Talent
The Department of Higher Education (DoHE), under the Ministry of Education (MoE), officially launched the Prime Minister Research Chair (PMRC) Scheme 2026 — a flagship GoI initiative aimed at bringing accomplished Indian-origin researchers, scientists, technologists, and professionals from around the world into India's research and innovation ecosystem.
13 Priority Sectors: AI, quantum computing, semiconductors, energy and climate change, cybersecurity, healthcare and medical technology, biotechnology, advanced materials, space and defence, next-generation communications, manufacturing, agriculture and food technologies, blue economy, and atomic energy.
Core Pillars: Lead Institutions, Host Institutions, and PMRC Fellows.
Selection Process: Rigorous process monitored by an Empowered Committee chaired by Professor Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Advisor (PSA) to the GoI.
Lead Institutions: MoE has designated 7 premier institutions as Lead Institutions to facilitate implementation across thematic areas.
Chandigarh University Becomes India's First Private University to Establish 'IndiaAI Data Lab'
Chandigarh University (CU), in Ajitgarh, Punjab, became India's first private university to launch an IndiaAI Data Lab in partnership with Intel India, to enhance students' employability in AI, Data Science, and emerging technologies.
Objective: Provide students with a simulated apprenticeship platform to gain practical skills, hands-on experience, and work on real-world AI projects.
Focus Areas: AI research, innovation, faculty development, hackathons, and industry-academia collaboration.
Key Programs: MCA Data Science and BCA Data Science launched in collaboration with Intel India, including Intel Certifications every semester.
BHASHINI Launches VYOMA Innovation Challenge to Boost Multilingual AI Solutions
The Digital India BHASHINI Division (DIBD), under MeitY, launched the VYOMA Innovation Challenge in partnership with Current AI and Kalpa Impact — designed to promote the development of open-source, multilingual and voice-first AI solutions for offline and low-connectivity environments.
Structured on Sunno Sutra: A multilingual, voice-first, open-source handheld AI reference device jointly developed by BHASHINI and Current AI and unveiled at the IndiaAI Impact Summit 2026 — provides conversational AI services across Indian languages without cloud infrastructure.
Key Focus Areas: Education, healthcare, agriculture, governance, and public service delivery.
Selection Process: Open applications → 20 shortlisted teams receive developer kits and access to the Sunno Sutra platform with technical mentorship.
Rewards: Winning teams can earn prizes up to ₹80 lakh and may get opportunities to deploy solutions with central and state government departments.
Banking & Finance
India Emerges as World's 5th Most Digitalised Economy: SIDE 2026 Report
The ICRIER-Prosus Centre for Internet and Digital Economy (IPCIDE) released the report "State of India's Digital Economy (SIDE) 2026", ranking India as the world's fifth most digitalised economy.
| Parameter | Detail |
|---|---|
| SIDE Report | Annual publication since 2023 to assess India's digital and AI progress using the CHIPS framework |
| CHIPS Index | India ranked 4th globally in the Connect, Harness, Innovate, Protect and Sustain (CHIPS) index for AI — behind only the USA, China & Singapore |
| Ranking Improvement | Rose from 8th (2025, 32 countries) to 5th (2026, 71 countries) |
| Internet Users Growth | India: +8.8% vs average +2.1% among other top 10 countries |
| Global AI Users | India accounts for 19.9% of global AI users; possesses the 2nd largest concentration of AI talent globally |
BharatPe Launches BharatPe Flex, a Credit-on-UPI Solution Powered by YES Bank
BharatPe launched "BharatPe Flex", a Credit-on-UPI solution powered by YES Bank Limited, enabling eligible customers to make daily UPI payments using a pre-approved credit line.
Proposition: "Pay now. Settle later."
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Interest-Free Credit | Settle dues within up to 45 days interest-free |
| UPI Payment Flows | QR code payments at shops, online transactions, bill payments, mobile recharges & daily spends |
| Flexibility | Repay in full or convert expenses into EMIs |
| Onboarding | Fully digital KYC process |
India's UPI Enabled for Payments in Cambodia via KHQR Network
NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL), the global arm of NPCI, partnered with ACLEDA Bank Plc. to enable UPI acceptance via Cambodia's national KHQR (Khmer Quick Response) code system, operating under the Bakong digital payment system.
The first phase was inaugurated in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, attended by H.E. Dr. Chea Serey, Governor of the National Bank of Cambodia (NBC), along with senior RBI officials.
Implementation: Indian users can now make QR payments at over 4.5 million KHQR-enabled merchants in Cambodia; Cambodian users will soon pay at millions of UPI QR-enabled merchants in India — establishing a two-way interoperable cross-border payment system.
UPI Acceptance Network (Current): Bhutan, France, Mauritius, Nepal, Singapore, Sri Lanka, UAE, Qatar, and Cambodia.
Economy & Business
Microsoft Unveils AI-Designed 'Majorana 2' Quantum Chip
Microsoft Corporation revealed its Majorana 2, a second-generation topological quantum computing chip developed with the support of its agentic AI platform Microsoft Discovery, during Microsoft Build 2026. Plans to develop commercially useful quantum systems by 2029.
| Parameter | Detail |
|---|---|
| Material | Lead-based materials (unlike Google and IBM's aluminum designs) to better shield qubits from environmental and cosmic interference |
| Performance | 1,000-fold higher qubit reliability; qubits hold states for ~20 seconds (up to 1 minute); microsecond speeds; compact 0.01 mm qubit size |
| Prototype | Contains 12 topological qubits as a small-scale prototype for scalable systems |
Other Launches: Microsoft also launched Scout, an AI-powered Microsoft 365 assistant that autonomously manages schedules, emails, and meetings.
Awards & Recognitions
APCNF Wins 2026 Food Planet Prize from Sweden's Curt Bergfors Foundation
Andhra Pradesh Community Managed Natural Farming (APCNF), an initiative of the AP Government, won the 2026 Food Planet Prize — one of the world's largest environmental awards focused on transforming food systems — for promoting farming practices that reduce dependence on synthetic inputs and support climate-resilient agriculture.
Presented by the Curt Bergfors Foundation in Båstad, Sweden.
Selection Process: Selected from 1,000+ nominations; among 4 finalists from a longlist of 35 initiatives across 19 countries and six continents.
Prize: USD 1.5 million (winner); each of the other 3 finalists (Conscious Kitchen, USA; NoPalm Ingredients, Netherlands; Savanna Institute, USA) received USD 150,000.
About APCNF: One of the world's largest community-driven initiatives promoting agroecology and natural farming; launched in 2016 by Rythu Sadhikara Samstha (RySS) under the Agriculture Department of the AP government. Currently adopted in over 20 Indian states, as well as in Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and Zambia.
Appointments & Resignations
Bangladesh's FM Rahman Elected as 81st President of UNGA
Khalilur Rahman, Foreign Minister (FM) of Bangladesh, was elected President of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) for a one-year term, defeating Andreas Kakouris, Special Envoy of Cyprus's FM, at the UN Headquarters in New York, USA.
He will succeed Annalena Charlotte Alma Baerbock, former FM of Germany, whose tenure ends in September 2026.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Diplomatic Career | 40+ years; joined Bangladesh's foreign service in 1979 |
| Current Role | FM of Bangladesh since February 2026; previously NSA and High Representative on the Rohingya Issue |
| UN Career | Joined UN Secretariat in 1991 as Special Adviser at UNCTAD (Geneva); served 25 years in senior positions in New York and Geneva; chaired programme for LDCs at UN Secretariat |
ACC Appoints Lokhande Prashant Sitaram as Chairperson of CBSE
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), headed by PM Narendra Modi, approved the appointment of Prashant Sitaram Lokhande, Additional Secretary in the MHA, as the Chairperson of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).
He succeeds Rahul Singh, who has been transferred to DoAFW, MoAFW, as Additional Secretary.
Other Appointment: ACC also appointed Varun Bhardwaj, Director in DoHE, MoE, as CBSE Secretary, succeeding Himanshu Gupta.
Context: The appointments come amid a controversy over CBSE's On-Screen Marking (OSM) for Class 12 exams 2026, involving scanned answer sheets and alleged irregularities in private contracts.
Science & Technology
DRDO & IAF Successfully Test Indigenous RudraM-II Air-to-Surface Missile in Chandipur, Odisha
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully conducted flight-tests of the 'RudraM-II Air-to-Surface Missile (ASM)' from an airborne platform. The missile successfully hit a predefined target under extreme release conditions, validated by flight data from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur, Odisha.
| Parameter | Detail |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Indigenous air-launched missile for Suppression/Destruction of Enemy Air Defences (SEAD/DEAD) missions |
| Warhead | 200 kg |
| Speed | Up to Mach 5.5 |
| Range | 300 km (doubling the reach of RudraM-I at 150 km) |
| Launch Platform | Sukhoi Su-30MKI at altitudes of 3–15 km |
| Development | Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad (Telangana), as nodal DRDO laboratory |
| Key Force Multiplier | Set to replace older Russian-origin Kh-31 missiles in service |
Sports
Asian U20 Athletics Championships 2026: India Finishes 2nd with 19 Medals Including 10 Golds
The Asian U20 Athletics Championships 2026 was held at Kai Tak Youth Sports Ground, Hong Kong, China, from May 28–31, 2026, featuring 45 events (22 men, 22 women, 1 mixed). 22nd edition of the championship.
Organised by the Asian Athletics Association (AAA).
Medal Tally — Top 3:
| Rank | Country | 🥇 | 🥈 | 🥉 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | 14 | 9 | 2 | 25 |
| 2 | India | 10 | 5 | 4 | 19 |
| 3 | Japan | 5 | 5 | 8 | 18 |
India's Gold Medallists:
| Athlete | Event |
|---|---|
| Nitin Gupta | Men's 5000m Race Walk |
| Amanat Kamboj | Women's Discus Throw |
| Rahul Jakhar | Decathlon |
| Pooja Singh | Women's High Jump |
| Nikhil Chandrashekhar | Men's 3000m Steeplechase |
| Shahnawaz Khan | Men's Long Jump |
| Basant | Men's High Jump |
| Muskan | Women's 5000m |
| Mogali Venkatram | Men's 800m |
| Women's 4x400m Relay Team | Bhumika, Tahura, Sehnoor & Neeru |
Important Days at a Glance
| Date | Event | Key Theme / Significance |
|---|---|---|
| June 3 | World Bicycle Day | Theme 2026: "Cycling for a Greener Future". Initiated by Polish-American social scientist Leszek J. Sibilski. UNGA Resolution A/RES/72/272 (12 April 2018), sponsored by Turkmenistan, co-sponsored by 56 countries, supported by all 193 member states, declared June 3 as World Bicycle Day. First celebrated on 3 June 2018. Supported since 2016 by the World Cycling Alliance (WCA) and the European Cyclists' Federation (ECF). 2026 India Event: 'Sundays on Cycle' events across the country on June 7, 2026. |
Current Affairs 04 June 2026 Oneliner Question Answer
1. India issued a Letter of Request to which country for the acquisition of 114 Rafale fighter jets?
Answer: France.
2. What is the estimated value of India's proposed deal for 114 Rafale fighter jets?
Answer: ₹3.25 lakh crore.
3. Approximately how many Rafale jets will be manufactured in India under the proposed deal?
Answer: Around 94 aircraft.
4. What is the name of the initiative launched to promote Assam’s Muga silk globally?
Answer: Mission Senehjori.
5. Which Union Minister launched Mission Senehjori in Assam?
Answer: Jyotiraditya M. Scindia.
6. Which ministry launched the Prime Minister Research Chair (PMRC) Scheme 2026?
Answer: Ministry of Education (MoE).
7. How many priority sectors are covered under the PMRC Scheme 2026?
Answer: 13 priority sectors.
8. Which university became India's first private university to establish an IndiaAI Data Lab?
Answer: Chandigarh University.
9. IndiaAI Data Lab was launched in partnership with which company?
Answer: Intel India.
10. Which organization launched the VYOMA Innovation Challenge?
Answer: Digital India BHASHINI Division (BHASHINI).
11. What is the maximum prize offered under the VYOMA Innovation Challenge?
Answer: ₹80 lakh.
12. According to the SIDE 2026 Report, India is the world's ______ most digitalised economy.
Answer: Fifth.
13. Which organization released the State of India’s Digital Economy (SIDE) 2026 Report?
Answer: ICRIER–Prosus Centre for Internet and Digital Economy (IPCIDE).
14. Which company launched 'BharatPe Flex', a Credit-on-UPI solution?
Answer: BharatPe.
15. BharatPe Flex is powered by which bank?
Answer: YES BANK.
16. India's UPI was enabled for payments in Cambodia through which QR network?
Answer: KHQR Network.
17. UPI payments in Cambodia are enabled through the partnership between NIPL and which bank?
Answer: ACLEDA Bank Plc.
18. Which company unveiled the AI-designed 'Majorana 2' quantum chip?
Answer: Microsoft.
19. By which year does Microsoft plan to develop commercially useful quantum systems?
Answer: 2029.
20. Which Andhra Pradesh initiative won the 2026 Food Planet Prize?
Answer: Andhra Pradesh Community Managed Natural Farming (APCNF).
21. Who was elected as the 81st President of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)?
Answer: Khalilur Rahman.
22. Who was appointed as the Chairperson of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)?
Answer: Prashant Sitaram Lokhande.
23. Which indigenous air-to-surface missile was successfully tested by DRDO and the Indian Air Force?
Answer: RudraM-II.
24. What is the maximum range of the RudraM-II missile?
Answer: 300 kilometres.
25. Which country hosted the Asian U20 Athletics Championships 2026?
Answer: Hong Kong, China.
26. How many medals did India win at the Asian U20 Athletics Championships 2026?
Answer: 19 medals.
27. Which country topped the medal tally at the Asian U20 Athletics Championships 2026?
Answer: China.
28. World Bicycle Day is observed every year on which date?
Answer: 3 June.
29. What is the theme of World Bicycle Day 2026?
Answer: “Cycling for a Greener Future”.
30. Who initiated the global campaign for World Bicycle Day?
Answer: Leszek J. Sibilski.
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