1. PM Modi's Historic State Visit to Slovakia & Participation in G7 Summit
Why in News?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is undertaking a two-nation Europe tour (France and Slovakia) from June 13–18, 2026. He met French President Emmanuel Macron in Nice on June 14, and on the same day departed for a State Visit to Slovakia — the first-ever by an Indian PM since Slovakia's independence in 1993. He is scheduled to attend the G7 Summit in Evian on June 16–17.
Key Points
The France visit is at the invitation of President Emmanuel Macron; India–France ties were recently elevated to a Special Global Strategic Partnership.
PM Modi and Macron jointly inaugurated 'Bharat Innovates 2026' — a three-day innovation conclave in Nice uniting startups and venture capital funds from India, France, and other nations, with a focus on deep technology, AI, and emerging tech collaboration.
PM Modi also participated in VivaTech 2026 in Paris, spotlighting India as a global hub for digital transformation and entrepreneurship.
The Slovakia leg (June 14–15): PM Modi held talks with Slovak PM Robert Fico and President Peter Pellegrini in Bratislava.
Slovakia is a Central European landlocked nation; Capital: Bratislava; borders Poland, Ukraine, Hungary, Austria, and Czech Republic.
Slovakia became independent on January 1, 1993, following the peaceful dissolution of Czechoslovakia ("Velvet Divorce").
Bilateral discussions focused on trade, investment, automobile manufacturing, and railway cooperation.
India–EU Free Trade Agreement momentum is expected to be further energised through this visit, as Slovakia is a valued EU member.
At the G7 Summit in Evian, India participates as an invitee/Outreach partner, representing the Global South and the Global South coalition.
Static Knowledge
The G7 comprises: USA, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Canada. The EU attends as a non-enumerated member. India is not a G7 member but participates as an invitee.
India–France "Special Global Strategic Partnership" was the highest tier of bilateral relations upgraded in 2026.
Slovakia was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until 1918, then Czechoslovakia (1918–1992), and became an independent sovereign republic on January 1, 1993.
The Velvet Revolution (1989) dismantled the communist regime in Czechoslovakia, leading to the peaceful Velvet Divorce in 1992–93.
The G7 Summit in 2025 was held in Kananaskis, Canada; 2026 is in Evian, France.
2. Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth Appointed as 31st Chief of the Army Staff
Why in News?
The Government of India appointed Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth as the next Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) on June 13, 2026. He will assume charge on June 30, 2026, succeeding General Upendra Dwivedi upon his retirement. The appointment was ratified by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC).
Key Points
Lt Gen Seth will become the 31st Chief of the Army Staff of India, elevated to the substantive rank of General.
His tenure is designated until August 31, 2028.
Currently serving as Vice Chief of the Army Staff (VCOAS) since April 1, 2026.
Commissioned into the Armoured Corps on December 20, 1986 (Unit: 2nd Lancers – Gardner's Horse); alumnus of National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakwasla and Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun.
Career highlights:
Commanded Armoured Regiment in the Desert Sector; Armoured Brigade in the Western Theatre; Counter-Insurgency Force in Jammu & Kashmir.
Commanded elite Sudarshan Chakra Corps, Delhi Area, South Western Command, and Southern Command — one of rare officers to command two operational Army Commands.
Graduate of Higher Command Course and National Defence College (NDC).
Attended Command and Staff Course in Paris.
Awarded: Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM), Uttam Yudh Seva Medal (UYSM), Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM).
His appointment is significant amid the Indian Army's ongoing "Decade of Reforms", including theatre command integration, indigenisation, and emerging technology incorporation.
Outgoing COAS Gen Upendra Dwivedi was commissioned into the Jammu & Kashmir Rifles (Infantry) in December 1984.
Static Knowledge
The Chief of the Army Staff is the professional head of the Indian Army; appointed by the President on the recommendation of the government.
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) is chaired by the Prime Minister and approves senior government appointments.
India's Army Day is celebrated on January 15 (anniversary of Gen K.M. Cariappa becoming the first Indian C-in-C in 1949).
The Vice Chief of the Army Staff (VCOAS) position was constituted under the Army Act, 1950 (Act No. 46 of 1950), with the first holder being P. P. Kumaramangalam.
Theatre Commands concept aims to integrate Army, Navy, and Air Force under unified regional commands.
3. India–Oman CEPA Enters into Force
Why in News?
The India–Oman Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) officially entered into force on June 1, 2026, after being signed on December 18, 2025, in Muscat in the presence of PM Modi and Sultan Haitham bin Tarik. This marks a landmark in India's trade engagement with the Gulf region.
Key Points
CEPA is Oman's first bilateral trade agreement since its FTA with the USA (signed 2006, entered into force 2009).
Provides duty-free access for 99.38% of India's exports to Oman by value, covering 98.08% of Oman's tariff lines.
Prior to CEPA, under MFN regime, only 15.33% of India's exports entered Oman duty-free.
Oman accorded immediate zero duty on all 945 textile and apparel tariff lines, eliminating the existing 5% MFN duty.
India's exports of textiles, apparel, and handicrafts to Oman stood at USD 95.1 million in FY 2025–26.
India is currently Oman's third-largest supplier, accounting for around 11% of Oman's total imports; Oman is India's second-largest trading partner in the Gulf region (after UAE).
The agreement incorporates a fully digitalized Certificate of Origin (CoO) framework for seamless electronic trade verification.
Oman is Oman the fifth major trading partner to finalize a trade pact with India since 2014 (after UAE, Australia, UK—concluded, and others).
Oman borders the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global maritime chokepoint for oil trade.
The CEPA was ratified by Oman via Royal Decree No. 30/2026 in February 2026.
Static Knowledge
India's earlier CEPA with the UAE came into force in May 2022 — India's first trade agreement with a GCC nation.
On World Environment Day (June 5, 2026), PM Modi announced the designation of Jai Prakash Narayan Bird Sanctuary (Surha Tal) in Ballia district, Uttar Pradesh, as India's 100th Ramsar Site under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.
Key Points
Surha Tal is a freshwater oxbow lake formed by the meandering course of the Ganga River, located in the middle stretch of the Ganga River basin.
The Uttar Pradesh government originally declared it a bird sanctuary in 1991.
It is the 13th Ramsar site in Uttar Pradesh.
India now holds the highest number of Ramsar Sites in Asia and ranks third globally, behind the UK (176 sites) and Mexico (144 sites).
India's Ramsar Sites increased from 26 to 100 over the last 11 years, with 58 wetlands added in the past year alone.
Avifaunal diversity: hosts migratory species including greylag goose, northern pintail, common teal, bar-headed goose, sarus crane, herons, and cormorants.
India became a contracting party to the Ramsar Convention in 1982.
Earlier in 2026, other UP wetlands — Shekha Jheel Bird Sanctuary (Aligarh) and Patna Bird Sanctuary (Etah) — also received the Ramsar tag.
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) administers India's Ramsar designation process.
Static Knowledge
Ramsar Convention was signed on February 2, 1971, in Ramsar, Iran (on the Caspian Sea coast); that date is now World Wetlands Day.
The convention defines wetlands as marshes, fens, peatlands, lakes, rivers, floodplains, coastal wetlands, and shallow marine areas up to 6 metres deep at low tide.
India's Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules were enacted in 2017.
India's first Ramsar sites (1981): Chilika Lake (Odisha) and Keoladeo National Park (Rajasthan).
World Environment Day 2026 Theme: Ending Plastic Pollution.
5. Saudi Arabia Becomes 26th Member of International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA)
Why in News?
Saudi Arabia formally joined the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) on May 22, 2026, becoming its 26th member country. The alliance now comprises 26 member nations and 5 observer nations.
Key Points
IBCA is an India-led global initiative launched by PM Narendra Modi in 2023; Union Cabinet formally approved it in February 2024.
The alliance focuses on the conservation of seven big cat species: tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, cheetah, jaguar, and puma.
Saudi Arabia's formal communication of intent arrived in May 2026 during preparations for the IBCA Summit (June 1–2, 2026, held in India).
India extended invitations to 95 big cat range countries across Asia, Africa, and the Americas for the summit.
The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, introduced in the Lok Sabha on March 25, 2026, proposes significant changes to the FCRA regulatory framework governing foreign funding received by NGOs. The Bill remains pending as of June 2026, with the government engaging stakeholders to address concerns.
Key Points
Designated Authority: A new government-appointed authority empowered to take provisional control, manage, or dispose of assets created using foreign funds when an NGO's FCRA registration is suspended, cancelled, or expires. Proceeds directed to the Consolidated Fund of India.
Expanded Functionary Definition: Includes trustees, partners, governing body members, and those exercising effective control — making them personally liable for violations.
Centralised Investigation Approval: Any state government or law enforcement agency must obtain Central Government prior approval before initiating FCRA-related investigations.
Fixed Timelines for Fund Utilisation: Foreign contributions received under prior permission must be used within specified timelines; replaces open-ended provisions.
Automatic Cessation: FCRA registration certificate loses validity immediately upon expiry if renewal is not processed.
Reduced Imprisonment: Maximum penalty reduced from 5 years to 1 year imprisonment (or fine, or both); rationalised penalties.
Background: Over 21,933 organisations have lost FCRA licences since 2015; approximately 16,000 associations currently hold valid FCRA registration, collectively receiving around ₹22,000 crore annually.
FCRA originally enacted in 2010 (came into force in 2011); previously amended in 2016, 2018, and 2020.
Administered by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
Critics — including the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India — have termed key provisions an instance of "executive overreach" and raised concerns regarding NGO autonomy, federalism, and minority institutions.
Static Knowledge
Article 300A of the Indian Constitution protects the right to property; critics argue the Designated Authority provisions conflict with this right.
The Consolidated Fund of India (under Article 266) receives all revenues, loans, and other receipts of the Union; withdrawals require parliamentary approval.
FCRA 2020 amendments notably prohibited sub-granting of foreign funds to other NGOs and made FCRA bank accounts mandatory at a designated SBI branch in New Delhi.
The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) under Kyoto Protocol was the predecessor to Paris Agreement carbon markets (relevant to distinguishing policy instruments).
The Voluntary Sector Policy or lack thereof in India remains a governance debate in UPSC Mains.
7. UN Issues First Carbon Credits Under Paris Agreement (Article 6.4)
Why in News?
In a historic milestone for global climate governance, the UN Article 6.4 Supervisory Body approved the first-ever batch of carbon credits under the Paris Agreement Crediting Mechanism (February 26, 2026) for a clean-cooking project in Myanmar — making it relevant for current exam coverage.
Key Points
Approved 60,000 carbon credits (each representing one tonne of CO₂ equivalent reduced) for the Myanmar clean-cooking project.
The project distributes efficient cookstoves to households in Myanmar's central Dry Zone (including conflict-affected Sagaing Region), reducing firewood use, indoor air pollution, and deforestation.
Partner Nations: Host country Myanmar; coordinating nation — Republic of Korea. Credits authorized for Korean entities can be used in the Korean Emissions Trading System (K-ETS) toward South Korea's NDC; remaining credits count toward Myanmar's own NDC.
Credits under Article 6.4 are designed as high-integrity, UN-supervised assets to channel international finance to genuine climate solutions.
Emission reductions are certified 40% more conservatively than under the predecessor Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), addressing greenwashing concerns.
More than 165 projects from the CDM are in pipeline for transition into the new Paris Agreement Crediting Mechanism (PACM).
UNFCCC Executive Secretary Simon Stiell emphasized that clean cooking access remains unavailable to over 2 billion people globally.
The mechanism operationalizes Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, which establishes frameworks for international cooperation on emission reductions.
Static Knowledge
The Paris Agreement was adopted at COP21 in Paris, France, in December 2015; entered into force on November 4, 2016.
Article 6 of the Paris Agreement governs cooperative approaches including: Article 6.2 (bilateral/plurilateral), Article 6.4 (UN-supervised centralized mechanism), and Article 6.8 (non-market approaches).
The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) was established under the Kyoto Protocol (1997) and allowed developed nations to invest in emission-reduction projects in developing countries.
NDC (Nationally Determined Contribution): Each country's self-determined climate target submitted to the UNFCCC.
India's updated NDC commits to reduce GDP emission intensity by 45% from 2005 levels and achieve 50% cumulative electric power capacity from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030.
8. PM SVANidhi Scheme Completes Six Years
Why in News?
The PM Street Vendor's AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) scheme completed six years of implementation on June 1, 2026. PM Modi marked the occasion by lauding the scheme's role in transforming urban street vendors' livelihoods through formal credit access.
Key Points
Launched on June 1, 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic; managed jointly by Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) and Department of Financial Services (DFS).
Provides collateral-free working capital loans in three progressive tranches: ₹15,000 → ₹25,000 → ₹50,000; higher limits unlocked upon timely repayment of previous tranches.
Interest subsidy: 7% per annum, credited directly to beneficiary accounts on timely repayment.
Key achievements (as of June 2026):
Over 75 lakh (7.5 million) vendors benefited from more than 1.12 crore (11.2 million) loans worth over ₹17,800 crore.
Nearly 95% of beneficiaries entered the formal credit system for the first time.
841 crore digital transactions worth nearly ₹9 lakh crore conducted by beneficiaries.
Government provided around ₹800 crore in cashback rewards and interest subsidies.
Approximately 20% annual income growth reported among beneficiaries.
46% of beneficiaries are women; nearly 53 lakh belong to marginalised communities.
In 2025, the government approved restructuring and extension of the scheme until 2030, with a total outlay of ₹7,332 crore to benefit 11.5 million people (including 5 million new beneficiaries).
The scheme is underpinned by the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act (enacted in 2014).
Static Knowledge
The Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014 provides for protection of livelihoods of street vendors and regulation of street vending.
Urban street vendors were severely impacted during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns (2020), prompting the scheme's launch.
India has approximately 50–60 lakh urban street vendors.
Financial inclusion schemes also include PM Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), Mudra Yojana, and Stand-Up India.
Digital transaction incentivisation under SVANidhi aligns with India's Digital India and UPI ecosystem expansion.
9. Tributes to Lokmata Ahilyabai Holkar on Birth Anniversary
Why in News?
PM Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and other senior leaders paid tribute to Lokmata Ahilyabai Holkar on her birth anniversary (May 31, observed nationally including on June 14 as part of continued commemoration). She is revered as a model of just governance and women's empowerment in Indian history.
Key Points
Ahilyabai Holkar was the ruler of the Holkar Dynasty in the Malwa region (present-day Madhya Pradesh); reigned from 1767 to 1795.
Recognised for people-centric governance and reconstruction of sacred temples across India, including Somnath (Gujarat) and Kashi Vishwanath (Varanasi).
Promoted women's education and supported widow remarriage — progressive for her era.
Supported and promoted Maheshwari saree weavers, contributing to cottage industries.
Built extensive public infrastructure: water bodies, roads, and dharamshalas (rest houses) along pilgrimage routes.
PM Modi described her life as "an exemplary model of good governance, patriotism and cultural pride."
She is referred to as 'Punya Shloka' Ahilyabai — a title for those of noble deeds.
Static Knowledge
The Holkar Dynasty was one of the five principal Maratha dynasties; others include Peshwa, Scindia, Bhonsle, and Gaekwad.
Malwa region encompasses parts of present-day Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.
Maheshwar town (on the Narmada River, MP) served as Ahilyabai's capital; famous for the Ahilyabai Holkar Fort and its textile tradition.
The Maratha Confederacy was at its peak during the 18th century, with major powers stretching across the Indian subcontinent.
Kashi Vishwanath Temple (Varanasi) and Somnath Temple (Gujarat) are among the twelve Jyotirlingas in Hindu tradition.
Prelims Practice MCQs – Daily Current Affairs, 14 June 2026
Which of the following statements about the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) is/are correct? 1. It was launched by India in 2023. 2. It focuses on the conservation of seven big cat species. 3. Saudi Arabia became its 26th member in June 2026.
The India–Oman CEPA that entered into force in June 2026 covers which key provision for India's exports?
Surha Tal, recently designated as India's 100th Ramsar Site, is located in which district and state?
Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth, appointed as India's next Chief of Army Staff, belongs to which regiment/corps?
Which of the following best describes Article 6.4 of the Paris Agreement?
The PM SVANidhi scheme provides collateral-free loans in how many progressive tranches, and what are the amounts?
With the designation of Surha Tal as its 100th Ramsar Site, what is India's global ranking in terms of number of Ramsar Sites?
The FCRA Amendment Bill 2026 proposes which of the following major changes? 1. Creation of a Designated Authority to manage NGO assets upon FCRA registration cancellation. 2. Increase of maximum imprisonment for FCRA violations from 1 year to 5 years. 3. Requirement of Central Government approval before states can investigate FCRA-related offences.
PM Modi's state visit to Slovakia in June 2026 is historically significant because:
The Ramsar Convention was adopted in which year and city?
Which of the following is the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) chaired by?
India's CEPA with Oman came into force in June 2026. Prior to this, which was India's first CEPA with a GCC country?
What was the first-ever activity approved for carbon credit issuance under the UN's Paris Agreement Crediting Mechanism (Article 6.4)?
PM SVANidhi was launched under the joint administration of which two ministries/departments?
Ahilyabai Holkar ruled the Holkar Dynasty in which region of India?