Current Affairs 30 June 2026

National Affairs

Union Minister Amit Shah Chairs 10th Apex Level Meeting of NCORD in New Delhi
Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired the 10th Apex-Level Meeting of the Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD), organized by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi.

• Vision Document on Narcotics Control: Released a comprehensive roadmap structured around four pillars: Enforcement/Intelligence, Precursor/Synthetic Drug Control, Demand Reduction/Rehabilitation, and Capacity Building.
• New Zonal Offices & Annual Report: Virtually inaugurated new NCB zonal offices in Jammu and Guwahati. The NCB Annual Report 2025 was also released, detailing the agency's recent achievements.
• Nationwide Drug Disposal Campaign: Targeted the destruction of nearly 2,09,500 kilograms of seized narcotics, valued at approximately ₹6,000 crore.

Union Minister Dr. Virendra Kumar Leads Nasha Mukt Bharat Saptah Rally
Union Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment, Dr. Virendra Kumar, led the valedictory event of the 10-day ‘Nasha Mukt Bharat Saptah (Drug-Free India Week)’ at Dev Sanskriti Vishwavidyalaya in Haridwar, Uttarakhand.

• Awareness Initiatives: Administered the 'Pledge Against Drug Abuse' and the 'Ageing with Dignity Pledge' during a massive rally involving over 4,000 citizens.
• Agreements Signed: MoUs were signed between the DoSJE, Akhil Vishwa Gayatri Pariwar, and Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana (AVYAY) to strengthen community mobilization, drug demand reduction, and senior citizen welfare.

GBU, GNIDA, Space Kidz India & IN-SPACe Partner for Mission ShakthiSAT
Gautam Buddha University (GBU) entered a strategic partnership with Space Kidz India and IN-SPACe to support Mission ShakthiSAT, the world’s first all-girls international lunar mission.

• Objective: Aimed at empowering 12,000 young girls from 108 countries through hands-on exposure to satellite development and STEM education.
• Key Roles: GBU will serve as the academic partner, while the Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA) provides institutional support.
• Selection of Indian Student: Indian student Mahima Rajput (Raipur, Chhattisgarh) was officially selected to participate in this international space mission.

Gujarat Police Signs MoU with Bharat Taxi to Enhance Public Safety
Gujarat Police signed an MoU with Sahakar Taxi Cooperative Limited (Bharat Taxi) to strengthen traffic management, urban mobility, and passenger safety through digital integration.

• Integration: An SOS emergency response system will be embedded directly into the Bharat Taxi mobile app.
• Mandatory KYC: All drivers on the platform must undergo an official police verification process (KYC) conducted by the Gujarat Police.
• Other Institutional MoUs: Bharat Taxi also exchanged operational MoUs with the AAI, Gujarat Metro Rail Corporation, AMC/BRTS, Adani Airport, and Western Railway.

Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan Launches AI-Enabled Rural Internal Audit Portal
Union Minister of Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched a first-of-its-kind AI-enabled Rural Internal Audit portal to drastically enhance financial oversight and governance across MoRD-led programs.

• Unified Portal: Integrates audit planning, execution, reporting, and compliance management into a single digital interface to improve transparency in government spending.
• Development: Conceptualized by the Office of the Chief Controller of Accounts (CCA) and built in partnership with the National Informatics Centre (NIC).
• Significance: Supports risk-based audit planning and enables real-time tracking of Action Taken Reports (ATRs) and financial irregularities via interactive dashboards.

IIT Delhi and Sorbonne University to Launch Joint Master’s and PhD Programmes
IIT Delhi and France’s Sorbonne University expanded their strategic partnership by launching joint Master’s (MSc) and PhD programs in Biological Science, starting in 2026.

• Foundation: Anchored by the Franco-Indian Integrated Health Campus, established to merge engineering, medicine, and digital technologies.
• Achievements: The collaboration has already facilitated joint research, student/faculty mobility, co-supervised doctoral research, and scientific exchanges between India and France.
• Expansion Plans: Both institutions will expand shared research infrastructure and introduce additional joint degrees in AI, robotics, and materials science.

International Affairs

World’s Best School Prizes 2026: 7 Indian Schools Shortlisted in Global Record
Organized by T4 Education (UK), the World’s Best School Prizes 2026 shortlisted seven Indian schools across various categories, marking the highest number of shortlisted schools from any single country since the awards began in 2022.

• Innovation Category: PCMC Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj English Medium School (Pune) and Army Goodwill School (Wuzur, J&K).
• Community Collaboration: Healthy Planet TGA Early Years School (Noida), Inventure Academy (Bengaluru), and Seth M.R. Jaipuria School (Lucknow).
• Environment & Health Action: EuroSchool Bannerghatta (Bengaluru) was recognized for Environmental Action, while Seth Anandram Jaipuria School (Lucknow) was shortlisted for Supporting Healthy Lives.

Awards & Recognitions

Two Indian Women Conservationists Win 2026 Green Oscar Awards
Indian conservationists Parveen Sheikh and Barkha Subba were among six global winners of the 2026 Whitley Award (often known as the "Green Oscar") for their exemplary work protecting endangered species.

• Parveen Sheikh: Recognized for the “Guardians of the Skimmer” initiative on the Chambal river, which successfully increased the endangered Skimmer bird population from ~400 to nearly 1,000.
• Barkha Subba: Recognized for her Darjeeling Himalayas project protecting the rare Himalayan salamander and its fragile wetland breeding habitats.
• About the Green Oscar: Presented by the Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN) in London, the award grants £50,000 in project funding to support grassroots nature-based solutions.

Science & Technology

Indian Coast Guard Commissions Fast Patrol Vessel ‘ICGS Akshay’ in Goa
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) formally commissioned ICGS Akshay, the fourth indigenous Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV) of the Adamya-class series, constructed by Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL).

• Operational Command: Commanded by Commandant Deepak Choubey, the vessel will be manned by 6 officers and 35 sailors.
• Operations: Will heavily strengthen maritime law enforcement, Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) surveillance, coastal security, and marine environmental protection.

ISRO Successfully Conducts Hot Test of Next-Generation Rocket Engine
ISRO successfully conducted a hot test of the Semi-Cryogenic Engine Power Head Test Article (PHTA) at 88% of its target thrust (175 tonnes) at the ISRO Propulsion Complex in Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu.

• 8th in Series: This was the 8th test in a series. Previous trials were capped at 47% and 60% of full thrust.
• Key Engine Specs: The SE2000 engine produces 2,000 kN of thrust. It will power the new 'SC120' propulsion stage, expected to replace the L110 core stage of the Launch Vehicle Mark III (LVM3).
• Significance: Utilizes a liquid oxygen and kerosene-based fuel mix (semi-cryogenic), which significantly increases payload capacity and operational efficiency.

Sports

Ethan Vaz and Harshavardhan G.B. Become India’s 96th and 97th Chess Grandmasters
India celebrated the crowning of two new Chess Grandmasters (GMs): 14-year-old Ethan Vaz from Goa (96th) and 22-year-old Harshavardhan G.B. from Chennai (97th).

• Ethan Vaz's Path: Secured his final GM norm at the Sarajevo GM Mix Tournament in Bosnia and Herzegovina, winning the event with an unbeaten 7/9 score and a massive 2643 performance rating.
• Harshavardhan G.B.'s Achievements: Earned his final GM norm at the 2nd Chola Chess GM Norm Round Robin Tournament in Chennai. He previously won the Asian Junior Chess Championship (2022) with an unbeaten 7/9 score.

England Test Captain Ben Stokes Announces Retirement from International Cricket
Ben Stokes, England’s Men’s Test captain and iconic all-rounder, officially announced his retirement from all formats of international cricket following the third Rothesay Test against New Zealand.

• Career Overview: Debuted during the 2013–14 Ashes and captained the Test squad since April 2022.
• The Benchmark: Finished his career with 7,273 Test runs and 252 wickets, becoming only the second cricketer in history (after Jacques Kallis) to achieve the double milestone of 7,000 runs and 250 wickets in Tests.
• Total Matches: He concludes his 15-year career having played 122 Tests, 114 ODIs, and 43 T20Is (including a match-winning unbeaten 52 in the 2022 T20 World Cup Final).

Books & Authors

Mintage World Launches Coffee Table Book on PM Narendra Modi-Era Numismatics
Mintage World launched a 200-page coffee table book titled “Stamps, Coins, and Banknotes Issued During the Premiership of Shri Narendra Modi” in New Delhi.

• Book Overview: Curated by Mintage World CEO Sushilkumar Agrawal, the book presents a visual chronicle of India’s development through official commemorative numismatic releases.
• Key Themes: Highlights major national initiatives including Make in India, Digital India, Startup India, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, and the International Day of Yoga.
• Numismatic Features: Showcases intricately designed stamps, freshly printed currency notes, and special coins minted across Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Noida.

Important Days at a Glance

Current Affairs 30 June 2026 Oneliner Question Answer

1. Who chaired the 10th Apex-Level Meeting of the Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD) in New Delhi?
Answer: Amit Shah.

2. Which organization organized the 10th Apex-Level Meeting of NCORD?
Answer: Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).

3. Which Union Minister led the 'Nasha Mukt Bharat Saptah' rally in Haridwar?
Answer: Dr. Virendra Kumar.

4. What was the theme of Nasha Mukt Bharat Saptah 2026?
Answer: “Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan – Viksit Bharat Ki Pehchaan”.

5. Which university partnered with Space Kidz India and IN-SPACe for Mission ShakthiSAT?
Answer: Gautam Buddha University (GBU).

6. What is Mission ShakthiSAT?
Answer: The world's first all-girls international lunar mission.

7. Which state police signed an MoU with Bharat Taxi to enhance public safety and urban mobility?
Answer: Gujarat Police.

8. Which Union Minister launched the AI-enabled Rural Internal Audit Portal?
Answer: Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

9. Which two institutions launched joint Master's and PhD programmes in Biological Science from 2026?
Answer: IIT Delhi and Sorbonne University.

10. How many Indian schools were shortlisted for the World's Best School Prizes 2026?
Answer: Seven schools.

11. Which two Indian conservationists won the 2026 Green Oscar (Whitley Award)?
Answer: Parveen Sheikh and Barkha Subba.

12. Which Indian Coast Guard vessel was commissioned in Goa in June 2026?
Answer: ICGS Akshay.

13. Which organization successfully tested the Semi-Cryogenic Engine Power Head Test Article (PHTA)?
Answer: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

14. Who became India's 96th Chess Grandmaster?
Answer: Ethan Vaz.

15. Who became India's 97th Chess Grandmaster?
Answer: Harshavardhan G.B.

16. Which England Test captain announced his retirement from international cricket in June 2026?
Answer: Ben Stokes.

17. What is the title of the coffee table book launched by Mintage World on the Modi-era stamps, coins, and currency?
Answer: Stamps, Coins, and Banknotes Issued During the Premiership of Shri Narendra Modi.

18. World MSME Day is observed every year on which date?
Answer: 27 June.

19. What is the theme of World MSME Day 2026?
Answer: “Empowering MSMEs through Innovation and Sustainable Industrial Development”.

20. National Insurance Awareness Day is observed annually on which date?
Answer: 28 June.

21. World Allergy Week 2026 was observed from which dates?
Answer: 21 June to 27 June 2026.

22. What was the theme of World Allergy Week 2026?
Answer: “Allergy Care Is Essential Care”.