1. India–France Special Global Strategic Partnership & Bharat Innovates 2026

Why in News?

PM Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron jointly inaugurated Bharat Innovates 2026 in Nice, France — a three-day conclave (June 14–16) bringing together innovators, entrepreneurs, and policymakers from India and France. This was the first bilateral summit after the formal elevation of India–France ties to a "Special Global Strategic Partnership."

Key Points

• India and France agreed to establish a High-Level Mechanism to double bilateral trade from the current $16 billion (2025–26) to$32 billion within five years.
• The two sides adopted an "Innovation Roadmap 2030" and established a Dialogue on Economic Security; a Joint India–France AI Working Group was created; 19 agreements were signed between innovation ecosystem entities.
• Bharat Innovates 2026 featured over 120 curated Indian deeptech startups spanning 13 critical sectors, connecting them with European venture capital, enterprise buyers, and research universities.
• Cooperation agreed in: defence (Rafale, Scorpene submarines, H125 helicopters), space (ISRO–CNES collaboration, Space Situational Awareness, human spaceflight), AI, semiconductors, clean energy, and civil nuclear energy under India's SHANTI Act.
• The India–EU Free Trade Agreement (signed February 2026) and supply-chain resilience in critical minerals were highlighted during the Economic Security Dialogue.
• PM Modi is scheduled to attend VivaTech 2026 in Paris on June 18 — Europe's largest technology and startup event — where India will host the largest national pavilion.

Static Knowledge

1. India and France established their Strategic Partnership in 1998 — one of the oldest strategic partnerships for India.
2. CNES (Centre National d'Études Spatiales) is France's national space agency; ISRO–CNES cooperation spans over six decades.
3. The H125 helicopter Final Assembly Line (FAL) was inaugurated in Vemagal, Karnataka, set up by Tata Advanced Systems Limited and Airbus.
4. The SHANTI Act (2025) (Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India) replaces the Atomic Energy Act, 1962, and allows private sector participation in India's nuclear sector for the first time.
5. India–EU FTA was signed in February 2026, marking a historic milestone in trade relations.

2. 52nd G7 Summit – Évian-les-Bains, France (June 15–17, 2026)

Why in News?

The 52nd G7 Summit is being held in the French resort town of Évian-les-Bains, Haute-Savoie, from June 15–17, 2026. PM Modi is attending as a guest, representing the Global South and advocating for developing economies.

Key Points

• Core G7 Members: Canada (PM Mark Carney), France (President Macron — Host), Germany (Chancellor Friedrich Merz), Italy (PM Giorgia Meloni), Japan (PM Sanae Takaichi), United Kingdom (PM Keir Starmer), United States (President Donald Trump), and the European Union.
• Invited (Outreach) Countries: Brazil, India, Kenya, South Korea, and Syria. Ukraine, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and UAE are also attending.
• Key agenda items include trade, global economic stability, artificial intelligence, critical mineral security, the conflict in West Asia, and Ukraine.
• PM Modi is expected to push for democratisation of AI and represent the aspirations of the Global South; India and France have emphasised collaborative and inclusive AI development.
• The most-anticipated bilateral is Modi–Trump on the last day (June 17) — their first in-person meeting this year — expected to cover trade, tariffs, and tech alliances.
• This is the second time Évian-les-Bains hosts a G-level summit (previously the 29th G8 Summit in 2003).
• This summit will be the first for Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi and the last for French President Emmanuel Macron.

Static Knowledge

1. The G7 was formed after the 1973 oil crisis; the first summit was held in Rambouillet, France, in 1975.
2. G7 comprises the world's seven most advanced economies: USA, UK, France, Germany, Japan, Italy, Canada + EU.
3. The 51st G7 Summit (2025) was held in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada under PM Mark Carney.
4. India has been regularly invited to G7 outreach sessions under PM Modi — 2026 marks 7th consecutive G7 participation.
5. Évian-les-Bains is located in Haute-Savoie, France, on the southern shore of Lake Geneva.

3. ILO Convention No. 193 – First Global Treaty for Gig Economy Workers

Why in News?

At its 114th session in Geneva on June 12, 2026, the International Labour Conference adopted ILO Convention No. 193 concerning Decent Work in the Platform Economy — the first global treaty to set binding labour standards for gig work.

Key Points

• The treaty was approved by 406 votes to 8 with 36 abstentions. It addresses critical gaps in protections for platform workers, including pay, safety, and algorithmic transparency.
• Coverage: Applies to all digital labour platform workers — both formal and informal, covering online and location-based work (delivery, taxi, etc.).
• Worker Classification and Fair Pay: Governments must ensure gig workers are correctly classified based on how their work is performed; employees must receive at least the minimum wage.
• Algorithmic Transparency: Companies must disclose automated systems used to monitor or evaluate work, including algorithms affecting pay, task allocation, and account deactivation. Workers gain the right to request explanations for adverse decisions.
• Enforcement: The convention takes effect 12 months after at least two member states ratify it; governments must establish effective dispute resolution mechanisms.
• The World Bank estimates that 435 million people globally earn income through labour platforms.
• India has a significant gig workforce — estimated at 7.7 million workers (NITI Aayog), projected to reach 23.5 million by 2030.

Static Knowledge

1. ILO (International Labour Organization) was established in 1919 under the Treaty of Versailles; it became the first UN specialised agency in 1946. Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.
2. India ratified 47 ILO Conventions (as of 2024), including the four fundamental ones on abolition of child labour and forced labour.
3. India's Code on Social Security (2020) is the first domestic legislation to define and recognise gig workers and platform workers and extend social security benefits to them.
4. The ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work (1998) covers freedom of association, collective bargaining, elimination of forced labour, child labour, and discrimination.
5. India's gig economy is growing rapidly across sectors — food delivery, ride-sharing, e-commerce logistics, and freelance digital services.

4. India Semiconductor Mission 2.0 – HBM Chips and AI Supply Chain

Why in News?

The Union Budget 2026–27 announced India Semiconductor Mission 2.0 (ISM 2.0), signalling a decisive policy push to deepen domestic semiconductor capabilities. Under ISM 2.0, the top priority has shifted toward High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) chips for AI data centres.

Key Points

• ISM 2.0 Focus Areas: Producing semiconductor equipment and materials in India; designing full-stack Indian semiconductor IP; fortifying domestic and global supply chains. A provision of ₹1,000 crore has been made for ISM 2.0 for FY 2026–27.
• Officials confirmed ISM 2.0 will prioritise investments in High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) — a key component for powering AI data centres, backed by a reported scale-up to approximately ₹1.2 lakh crore.
• Strategic objectives: Advanced memory packaging (HBM for AI); full-stack ecosystem for semiconductor equipment, materials, and specialised chemicals; and development of Indian-owned semiconductor IP and patents.
• Technical roadmap: 3nm pilot production by 2032; full-scale 2nm manufacturing by 2035.
• Micron Technology's plant in Gujarat is assembling and testing millions of memory chips — contributing to global supply.
• The AI boom has sharply increased demand for HBM chips used in data centres, tightening global supply; India is expected to attract new and existing players to invest in memory manufacturing.
• India also launched 3nm chip design facilities in Noida and Bengaluru and produced its first indigenous Vikram 32-bit chip in 2025.

Static Knowledge

1. ISM 1.0 was launched in 2021 under the ₹76,000 crore PLI scheme for semiconductors and display manufacturing.
2. Micron Technology (US) set up India's first semiconductor fabrication unit in Sanand, Gujarat for memory chip assembly and testing.
3. Tata Electronics and CG Power are key domestic partners under ISM for chip fabrication.
4. India targets 100 GW of nuclear capacity by 2047 (SHANTI Act); nuclear energy is seen as a baseload power source for semiconductor fabs and AI data centres.
5. The global HBM market is currently dominated by SK Hynix (South Korea), Samsung, and Micron.

5. Draft Telecommunications (Television, Radio and Associated Services) Rules, 2026

Why in News?

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) released the draft Telecommunications (Television, Radio and Associated Services) Rules, 2026 on June 12, 2026 for public consultation. Stakeholders can submit comments until July 27, 2026.

Key Points

• The draft proposes a single regulatory framework for television channels, television channel distribution services, Direct-to-Home (DTH), Headend-in-the-Sky (HITS), community radio, and Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) under the Telecommunications Act, 2023.
• The rules are designed to simplify and harmonise the existing regime while promoting ease of doing business in the television and radio broadcasting sector.
• Key reforms: Removal of the requirement for signing the Grant of Permission Agreement (GOPA); introduction of a transparent adjudication mechanism; digital compliance processes.
• The Telecommunications Act, 2023 replaced the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885 — a colonial-era law — providing the statutory basis for authorisation and regulation of telecom and related services.
• Private FM radio licences are not eligible for renewal under the proposed framework.
• The unified rules consolidate multiple legacy instruments: satellite television guidelines (2022), DTH guidelines (2001), HITS guidelines (2009), and FM Phase III guidelines (2011).

Static Knowledge

1. The Telecommunications Act, 2023 was passed by Parliament in December 2023, replacing both the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, and the Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1933.
2. TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) was established in 1997 under the TRAI Act, 1997, to regulate telecom services.
3. DTH (Direct-to-Home) broadcasting was first introduced in India in 2004; Dish TV was the first licensed DTH operator.
4. Community Radio Stations in India require authorisation from the Union Government; educational institutions, civil society organisations, and KVKs can apply.
5. HITS (Headend-in-the-Sky) is a cable distribution technology allowing multi-channel TV delivery via satellite to cable operators.

6. Jai Prakash Narayan Bird Sanctuary (Surha Taal) – India's 100th Ramsar Site

Why in News?

On the occasion of World Environment Day (June 5, 2026), the Jai Prakash Narayan Bird Sanctuary (Surha Taal) in Ballia district, Uttar Pradesh was designated as India's 100th Ramsar Site.

Key Points

• Surha Taal is now the world's 2,595th Ramsar site, reinforcing India's leadership in wetland conservation.
• With this designation, India has the highest number of Ramsar Sites in Asia and ranks 3rd globally, after the United Kingdom (176 sites) and Mexico (144 sites).
• Surha Taal is a freshwater wetland in the middle stretch of the Ganga River basin; it was originally formed from a meander of the Ganga and receives freshwater inflow through three channels.
• Created in 1991 with the consolidation of 45 villages of Baansdih in Ballia, covering 3,432.93 hectares. Renamed "Jai Prakash Narain Bird Sanctuary" in 2002.
• It is the 13th Ramsar Site in Uttar Pradesh (UP has the highest number of Ramsar sites among all Indian states).
• Earlier in 2026, Shekha Jheel Bird Sanctuary (Aligarh) and Patna Bird Sanctuary (Etah) were also added from UP.
• The sanctuary is a natural perennial oxbow lake attracting migratory species from Central Asia and Siberia — greylag goose, bar-headed goose, sarus crane, northern pintail, and cormorants.

Static Knowledge

1. The Ramsar Convention was signed on February 2, 1971, in Ramsar, Iran; World Wetlands Day is observed on February 2 each year.
2. India ratified the Ramsar Convention in 1982; the first Indian Ramsar sites were Chilika Lake (Odisha) and Keoladeo Ghana (Rajasthan), both designated in 1981.
3. A Ramsar Site is a wetland of international importance designated under the criterion of supporting waterfowl, fish, and endemic species, among other criteria.
4. Wetlands — defined under Ramsar as areas of marsh, fen, peatland, or water — serve key ecological functions: groundwater recharge, flood regulation, water purification, and carbon sequestration.
5. India's National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems (NPCA) is the primary scheme for wetland conservation, under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

7. India's BRICS Chairship 2026 – Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability

Why in News?

India assumed the BRICS Chairmanship on January 1, 2026, succeeding Brazil. The 18th BRICS Summit is scheduled for September 12–13, 2026, in New Delhi. India is chairing BRICS for the fourth time (previously 2012, 2016, 2021).

Key Points

• India holds the BRICS chairmanship under the theme "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability."
• BRICS Pay — a decentralised cross-border payment system linking UPI, CIPS (China), SPFS (Russia), and Pix (Brazil) for transactions in local currencies without SWIFT — is targeted for launch at the New Delhi Summit.
• BRICS Plus now has 11 full members: Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and UAE.
• In 2025, ten BRICS Partner countries joined: Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.
• The expanded BRICS Plus accounts for around 37.3% of global GDP and approximately 54% of the world's population.
• The BRICS Foreign Ministers' meeting was held in New Delhi (May 14–15, 2026) ahead of the leaders' summit.
• G7 Chair France and BRICS Chair India are engaging to bridge multilateral cooperation agendas.

Static Knowledge

1. BRIC was formally constituted at the Yekaterinburg Summit, Russia, in 2009; South Africa joined in 2011, making it BRICS.
2. New Development Bank (NDB) — the multilateral development bank of BRICS — was established in 2014 and is headquartered in Shanghai, China.
3. India hosted the 1st BRICS Summit in 2012 (New Delhi) and the 13th BRICS Summit in 2021 (online, due to COVID-19).
4. Turkey, a NATO member, is actively seeking BRICS full membership — a geopolitically significant development.
5. The BRICS Think Tanks Council (BTTC) coordinates research across member states; the First BRICS Youth Coordination Meeting (2026) was held in New Delhi in March 2026.

8. World Elder Abuse Awareness Day – 15 June 2026

Why in News?

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD), observed annually on June 15, serves as a global call to recognise and address elder abuse as both a human rights violation and a growing policy challenge in ageing societies.

Key Points

• 2026 Theme: "Beyond Awareness: Making Elder Abuse Prevention Work"
• In 2026, DESA (UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs), INPEA (International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse), and OHCHR are co-organising the commemoration at UN Headquarters, New York, on the margins of the 19th Conference of States Parties to the CRPD (COSP19).
• Elder abuse includes physical, psychological, financial abuse, and neglect.
• India's legal protection for elders: Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 (amended 2019) mandates financial support from children and relatives.
• India has an estimated 140 million elderly (60+) population as of 2026, projected to grow to 300 million by 2050.
• India's National Policy for Senior Citizens and SAGE (Seniorcare Ageing Growth Engine) initiative address elderly welfare.

Static Knowledge

1. WEAAD was first proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in Resolution 66/127 (2011), observed on June 15 every year.
2. The Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 was amended in 2019 to include stepparents and in-laws and to increase penalty for abandonment of elders.
3. SAGE (Seniorcare Ageing Growth Engine) was launched by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment to promote senior-care industry and startups.
4. India has no dedicated Social Security Code for the elderly; their protection is covered under the MWP Act (2007) and various state-level legislations.
5. INPEA (International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse) was co-founded in 1997 in cooperation with WHO and the United Nations.

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