1. 16th BRICS National Security Advisers' Meeting, New Delhi

Why in News?

India hosted the 16th BRICS National Security Advisers' (NSA) Meeting on 22–23 June 2026 in New Delhi under India's 2026 BRICS Chairship, chaired by NSA Ajit Doval. Bilateral meetings between NSA Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, and between India and Iran, Ethiopia, and Brazil took place on the sidelines.

Key Points

• Meeting theme: "Non-traditional security challenges confronting the world today."
• Delegates reviewed outcomes of the BRICS Joint Working Groups on Counter-Terrorism and Security in the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT).
• NSA Doval–Wang Yi talks focused on reviewing recent developments in India-China bilateral relations and progress toward gradual normalisation of ties.
• NSA Doval met Iran's Deputy Secretary for Defence Affairs of the SNSC, Ghadir Nezamipour, to discuss the West Asia situation and BRICS cooperation.
• India holds the BRICS Chairship for the fourth time in 2026 (earlier: 2012, 2016, 2021).
• India's 2026 BRICS Presidency theme: "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability."
• Current BRICS membership (11 nations): Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, United Arab Emirates.
• BRICS is structured around three pillars: Political & Security | Economy & Finance | Cultural & People-to-People exchanges.

Static Knowledge

• BRICS was originally formed as BRIC (2006) and South Africa joined in 2010.
• The BRICS New Development Bank (NDB) is headquartered in Shanghai, China; V. Srinivas is India's representative Director.
• India-China bilateral trade exceeded $100 billion in 2023–24, making China India's largest trading partner despite border tensions.
• The Galwan Valley clash (June 2020) was a turning point in India-China relations; both sides completed military disengagement at friction points by late 2024.
• India-Brazil bilateral ties are guided by the Strategic Partnership established in 2006.

2. Supreme Court Declares Right to Walk on Footpaths a Fundamental Right

Why in News?

The Supreme Court of India, in its ruling in Maniyar Iliyaz @ Shaik Riyaz vs. P. Ayyappan, declared that the right to walk on safe, demarcated footpaths constitutes a Fundamental Right under Article 21 (Right to Life) of the Constitution, taking precedence over motor vehicle movement.

Key Points

• The immediate trigger was the death of a 5-year-old boy struck by a tanker while walking to school with his father.
• Between 2015 and 2024, total road fatalities in India rose by 21.24%, while pedestrian deaths surged by approximately 163% — from 13,894 (2015) to 36,526 (2024).
• Pedestrians now account for 20.61% of all road fatalities, making them the second-largest casualty group after two-wheeler users.
• The court grounded the right to walk in Article 21 (Right to Life and Personal Liberty) and linked it to Article 39(b) (Directive Principle — material resources of the community to be distributed for common good).
• The court invoked the "Tragedy of the Commons" — footpaths, being shared public resources, degrade when encroached without accountability.
• Walking was linked to freedoms of speech and assembly, citing Gandhi's Dandi March and political rallies as democratic expressions.
• The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 was criticised for treating vehicles as its primary subject and pedestrians only as entities drivers must avoid.
• Primary duty-bearers identified: Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) — municipal corporations, development authorities, panchayats.
• Court recommended Parliament enact a dedicated statute for pedestrian rights (similar to the Right to Education Act) and establish a full-time Pedestrian Rights Regulator.

Static Knowledge

• Article 21 has been progressively expanded by the Supreme Court to include the right to health, livelihood, clean environment, education, and dignity.
• The Puttaswamy Judgment (2017) recognised Privacy as a Fundamental Right under Article 21 (nine-judge bench).
• The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019 increased penalties for traffic violations and introduced vehicle recall provisions.
• Urban Local Bodies derive powers from the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992, which also created the 12th Schedule listing 18 municipal functions.
• India's road safety governance involves the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH).

3. PM Modi Commissions INS Dunagiri, INS Sanshodhak & INS Agray at Kolkata

Why in News?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi commissioned three indigenously designed and built naval ships at Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata on 21 June 2026, marking a significant milestone for India's defence shipbuilding and the Aatmanirbhar Bharat programme.

Key Points

• INS Dunagiri: Fifth stealth frigate under Project 17A (Nilgiri-class); second of the class built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata. Project 17A is the successor to the Shivalik-class frigates.
• INS Sanshodhak: Fourth and final vessel under the Sandhayak-class survey ship programme; 110 metres long; displaces ~3,300 tonnes; equipped with Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs), Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs), and advanced hydrographic survey systems.
• INS Agray: Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Shallow Water Craft; designed and built indigenously.
• All three vessels were designed by the Indian Navy's Warship Design Bureau (WDB) and constructed at GRSE, Kolkata.
• This is only the second instance in recent years of three major naval platforms being commissioned simultaneously.
• GRSE is a defence shipyard under the Ministry of Defence, Government of India.

Static Knowledge

• Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) was established in 1884; it is a public sector company under the Ministry of Defence.
• Project 17A comprises seven stealth frigates — four to be built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Mumbai, and three by GRSE, Kolkata.
• The Indian Navy's Warship Design Bureau (WDB) was established in 1949 and is headquartered in New Delhi.
• Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port (formerly Kolkata Port) is India's only riverine major port.
• India's Defence Production Policy targets defence exports of ₹50,000 crore by 2028–29.

4. 12th International Day of Yoga 2026 – "Yoga for Healthy Ageing"

Why in News?

The 12th International Day of Yoga (IDY) was observed globally on 21 June 2026. PM Modi led the main national event from Red Road, Kolkata, participating in the Common Yoga Protocol (CYP) session alongside thousands of practitioners.

Key Points

• IDY 2026 Theme: "Yoga for Healthy Ageing" — focusing on Yoga's role in physical health, mental well-being, emotional resilience, and active ageing in an era of rising life expectancy.
• Main event venue: Red Road, Kolkata, West Bengal (part of PM Modi's West Bengal visit).
• IDY was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) through Resolution 69/131 on 11 December 2014, following India's proposal.
• First observed: 21 June 2015; 21 June is the Summer Solstice (longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere).
• Nodal Ministry in India: Ministry of Ayush.
• PM Modi has led IDY from: New Delhi (2015), Chandigarh (2016), Lucknow (2017), Dehradun (2018), Ranchi (2019), Leh (2020 — virtually), Mysuru (2022), New York/UN HQ (2023), Srinagar (2024), Visakhapatnam (2025), Kolkata (2026).
• The Common Yoga Protocol (CYP) is a standardised 45-minute yoga sequence developed by AYUSH and adopted as the official IDY sequence.

Static Knowledge

• The UNGA declared IDY with the highest number of co-sponsors for any UNGA Resolution at the time — 177 nations.
• India's Ministry of Ayush was established as a separate ministry in November 2014.
• AYUSH stands for: Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy.
• The All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) in New Delhi is the apex institution under the Ministry of Ayush.
• Previous IDY 2025 theme: "Yoga for One Earth, One Health."

5. 23rd Instalment of PM-KISAN Released; PMFBY & AgriStack Launched in West Bengal

Why in News?

PM Modi released the 23rd instalment of PM-KISAN on 20 June 2026, transferring ₹18,880 crore to farmers via DBT. Simultaneously, he launched PMFBY and the AgriStack digital agriculture platform in West Bengal.

Key Points

PM-KISAN:

• 23rd instalment: ₹18,880 crore disbursed via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to over 9 crore beneficiary farmers.
• Launched: 24 February 2019; provides ₹6,000/year in three equal instalments of ₹2,000 each.
• Beneficiaries: Small and marginal farmers with landholding up to 2 hectares.
• Administered by: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare; funded entirely by the Government of India.

PMFBY in West Bengal:

• PM Modi launched the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) in West Bengal, described as the world's largest crop insurance scheme.
• Target (2026–27): Coverage of ~50 lakh farmers across ~14 lakh hectares; insured value ~₹28,140 crore.
• Launched nationally: 18 February 2016; premium subsidy shared between Centre and State.

AgriStack:

• Launched in West Bengal as part of India's Digital Agriculture Mission (2024).
• Provides a unified digital platform linking land records, crop data, and farmer identity for seamless delivery of fertiliser distribution, Kisan Credit Cards (KCC), DBT, and MSP procurement services.
• AgriStack is India's federated, farmer-centric digital public infrastructure (DPI).

Static Knowledge

• PM-KISAN is the world's largest DBT scheme for farmers.
• PMFBY replaced the National Agricultural Insurance Scheme (NAIS) and the Modified NAIS.
• Under PMFBY, farmers pay a maximum premium of 2% for Kharif crops, 1.5% for Rabi crops, and 5% for commercial/horticultural crops.
• The Digital Agriculture Mission was launched in 2024 with a budget of ₹2,817 crore for FY2024–2028.
• AgriStack encompasses three layers: Farmers' Registry, Geo-Referenced Village Maps, and Crop Sown Registry.

6. Criminal Procedure (Identification) Act, 2022 – DNA Database Implementation

Why in News?

Police forces across multiple Indian states have begun operationalising DNA data collection under the Criminal Procedure (Identification) Act, 2022, with over one lakh DNA profiles now stored in the central database of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). The system was formally showcased at an NCRB event on 19 June 2026, presided over by Home Minister Amit Shah.

Key Points

• The CrPI Act, 2022 replaced the colonial-era Identification of Prisoners Act, 1920.
• Empowers police and prison authorities to collect physical and biological samples from convicted persons and those arrested for offences punishable with 7 years or more.
• Data types collected: Fingerprints, palm prints, photographs, iris/retina scans, blood/saliva for DNA profiling, and behavioural attributes (handwriting, signatures).
• Records retained for up to 75 years from date of collection; deleted upon acquittal in all proceedings.
• Database access: State police, prison authorities, CBI, NIA, and NCB.
• Infrastructure: Over 2,600 measurement collection units established nationwide; system accessible in police districts and prisons.
• NAFIS (National Automated Fingerprint Identification System), launched in 2022, holds over 1.27 crore fingerprint records and automates fingerprint matching.
• Advanced features: Photo matching with crime-scene images, video analytics from CCTV footage, and cross-state criminal tracking.
• Concerns raised: Privacy (right recognised in Puttaswamy judgment, 2017), lack of judicial oversight, long retention period, proportionality, and compliance with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023.

Static Knowledge

• The NCRB was established in 1986 under the Ministry of Home Affairs; it publishes the annual Crime in India report.
• The Puttaswamy judgment (2017) declared privacy a Fundamental Right in a 9-judge bench ruling.
• The Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 regulates the processing of digital personal data.
• CBI operates under the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946; NIA under the NIA Act, 2008.
• The 2022 CrPI Act was passed by Parliament through a voice vote in the Lok Sabha (18 April 2022) and Rajya Sabha (6 April 2022).

7. Western Ghats Eco-Sensitive Area (ESA) Notification – Three States

Why in News?

The Government of India is preparing to formally notify Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESAs) in at least three states of the Western Ghats, 13 years after the Centre issued its first draft notification. The move will impose stricter environmental curbs on mining, polluting industries, and large construction projects in the region.

Key Points

• Western Ghats ESA proposal covers over 56,000 sq km across six states: Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.
• Based largely on the Kasturirangan Committee (2013) recommendations, which designated 37% (~60,000 sq km) of the Western Ghats as ESA (in contrast to the Gadgil Committee's recommendation of 75%).
• ESAs are notified under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
• Proposed restrictions in ESA: Complete ban on mining, quarrying, sand mining; no new thermal power plants; ban on new Red-category (highly polluting) industries; projects above 20,000 sq m built-up area face stricter scrutiny.
• Existing mines to be phased out within 5 years of final notification or on expiry of current lease, whichever is earlier.
• States' concerns: Kerala (impact on plantations, hydroelectric projects, dense population); Karnataka (adverse livelihood effects); Goa (reduction of proposed ESA extent).
• The Supreme Court (June 2022) directed that all protected forests, national parks, and wildlife sanctuaries must have a mandatory eco-sensitive zone of at least 1 km from demarcated boundaries.

Static Knowledge

• Western Ghats is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (inscribed 2012) and one of the world's 8 biodiversity hotspots.
• The Gadgil Committee (WGEEP, 2011) recommended declaring the entire Western Ghats (~1,29,000 sq km) as ESA; the Kasturirangan Committee (2013) reduced this to 37%.
• Western Ghats is the second most landslide-prone region in India after the Himalayas.
• Major rivers originating in Western Ghats: Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri (Cauvery), Tungabhadra, Periyar.
• The Wayanad landslides (2024) intensified demands for expedited ESA notification.

8. NPCIL Completes Reactor Pressure Vessel Installation at Kudankulam Unit-5

Why in News?

The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) achieved a key milestone by completing the installation of the 320-tonne Reactor Pressure Vessel (RPV) at Unit-5 of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) in Tamil Nadu, advancing India's civil nuclear expansion under the Indo-Russian nuclear cooperation framework.

Key Points

• KKNPP is the largest nuclear power plant complex in India, with a planned total capacity of 6,000 MW (6 units × 1,000 MW each).
• Location: Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu.
• Units 1 & 2: Operational (combined capacity: 2,000 MW).
• Units 3 & 4: Under construction.
• Units 5 & 6: In advanced stages of construction; RPV installation at Unit-5 is the current milestone.
• Reactor type: VVER-1000 (AES-92) reactors supplied by Rosatom, Russia, under the Indo-Russian civilian nuclear cooperation agreement.
• NPCIL (Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited) operates under the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), which is under the Prime Minister's Office.
• India's Atomic Energy programme is governed by the Atomic Energy Act, 1962.

Static Knowledge

• India's civilian nuclear programme is based on a three-stage nuclear programme designed by Dr. Homi J. Bhabha: Stage 1 (Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors/PHWRs using natural uranium); Stage 2 (Fast Breeder Reactors); Stage 3 (Thorium-based reactors).
• India is the world's third-largest thorium reserve holder.
• The Indo-US Civil Nuclear Agreement (123 Agreement) was signed in 2008, ending India's nuclear isolation.
• The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) is India's nuclear safety watchdog.
• India has committed to achieving 100 GW of nuclear capacity by 2047 under the National Electricity Plan.

9. India Wins FIH Hockey Women's Nations Cup 2025–26

Why in News?

The Indian Women's Hockey Team won the FIH Hockey Women's Nations Cup 2025–26 by defeating hosts New Zealand 2–0 in the final at North Harbour National Hockey Centre, Auckland, New Zealand on 21 June 2026.

Key Points

• Goal scorers: Navneet Kaur (4') and Sunelita Toppo (15').
• India remained unbeaten throughout the tournament (Pool A: beat USA 3-2, Japan 2-1, Uruguay 3-2; Semi-final: beat Chile 6-0; Final: beat New Zealand 2-0).
• Lalremsiami was named Player of the Match in the final.
• Deepika finished as joint highest scorer in the tournament with 6 goals, alongside USA's Ashley Sessa.
• Hockey India announced ₹3 lakh cash award per player and ₹1.5 lakh per support staff.
• This is India's second Nations Cup title (first won in 2022 — inaugural edition).
• The victory earns India promotion back to the FIH Pro League for 2026–27, which will also serve as an LA 2028 Olympic qualifier.
• Indian Women's Hockey Team Head Coach: Sjoerd Marijne; Captain: Salima Tete.
• FIH (Fédération Internationale de Hockey) headquarters: Lausanne, Switzerland.

Static Knowledge

• The FIH Hockey Women's Nations Cup was launched in 2022 as a second-tier competition below the FIH Pro League.
• India won the inaugural FIH Women's Nations Cup 2022 held in Valencia, Spain.
• Major Dhyan Chand is considered the greatest Indian hockey player; he won three Olympic gold medals (1928, 1932, 1936).
• India's women's hockey team won a historic bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
• The 2028 Olympics will be held in Los Angeles (LA), USA.

10. India-Iran Trade Revival – Post Peace Deal Assessment

Why in News?

Following the Iran-US peace deal and the lifting of the naval blockade in mid-2026, India is actively evaluating opportunities to revive bilateral trade with Iran, including the potential resumption of Iranian crude oil imports that had been suspended since 2019 under US secondary sanctions.

Key Points

• India was among the largest importers of Iranian crude oil before US secondary sanctions were imposed in 2019.
• The India–Iran Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA, 2018) provides concessions on select goods.
• The Chabahar Port agreement (signed 2016; India signed a 10-year contract in 2024 with the Shahid Beheshti Terminal) gives India access to Afghanistan and Central Asia, bypassing Pakistan.
• The Iran-US peace deal and ceasefire (June 2026) are expected to ease the path for trade normalisation, subject to formal sanction lifting.
• NSA Doval discussed India-Iran bilateral ties and West Asia with Iranian counterpart on sidelines of the BRICS NSA Meeting.
• India's energy security considerations are a key driver; Iranian crude was historically priced at a discount to market rates.

Static Knowledge

• Chabahar Port is located in Sistan-Baluchestan province, Iran, on the Gulf of Oman.
• The International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) connects India to Russia via Iran, Azerbaijan, and Central Asia (3,200 km long).
• Iran holds the second-largest natural gas reserves and the fourth-largest crude oil reserves in the world.
• India's share of Iranian crude imports was about 10–11% of total oil imports before sanctions in 2019.
• The India-Iran Joint Commission was established in 1974 for bilateral economic cooperation.

Prelims Practice MCQs – 22 June 2026 Daily Current Affairs for UPSC