CURRENT AFFAIRS 16-17 July, 2026

CURRENT AFFAIRS 16-17 July, 2026

1. WHAT IS WORLD DAY FOR INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE ? –

• World Day for International Justice is observed every 17th day of July each year. It is aimed towards ensuring justice is served and the vital necessity of human rights and rule of law is recognized. This day was established as a mark of the signing of the Rome Statute in 1998 that founded the ICC (International Criminal Court). World Day for International Justice 2026 serves the purpose of reminding mankind of the global commitment towards stopping the impunity of war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity.

What is World Day for International Justice?

• World Day for International Justice, often referred to as International Justice Day, is celebrated 17 July every year.
• This day, acknowledge the importance of international criminal justice along with the necessity of bringing those behind serious crimes of humanity to justice.
• The day marks the implementation of the Rome Statute, which was signed on 17 July 1998 and justifies the creation of the International Criminal Court (ICC), the first court in history to operate permanently and hold trials against individuals perpetrating serious international crimes.

2. INDIA’S FIRST HYDROGEN FUEL CELL TRAIN: FEATURES, SAFETY, ROUTE AND GLOBAL SIGNIFICANCE –

• Indian railways set to launch India’s first Hydrogen Fuel Cell Train, the train was developed with domestic technology and with the assistance of the hydrogen ecosystem located in Jind, Haryana, the train that produces electricity on board with the help of hydrogen fuel cells with the only by-product being water vapour. The train can take around 2,600 passengers; all advanced multi-layer safety systems, along with nearly zero emissions, are installed on board the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Train, which can be regarded asthe India’s movement towards clean energy provision and technological advancement in order to make the railway system greener.

About First Hydrogen Fuel Cell Train in India

• India’s Hydrogen Fuel Cell Train is a next-gen railway vehicle that generates electricity onboard using the hydrogen fuel cells instead of conventional diesel engines or above-ground electric systems.
• In comparison with the normal trains, hydrogen stored in the tanks onboard the train reacts with oxygen to produce electricity through PEM (Proton Exchange Membrane) Fuel Cells.
• This is used to operate the engines of the train, and the only output is steam, which makes it one of the cleanest technologies for the railways.

3. CABINET APPROVES SEMICON 2.0: ₹1.27 LAKH CRORE INITIATIVE TO BUILD INDIA’S SEMICONDUCTOR ECOSYSTEM –

• The Union Cabinet under the leadership of Honorable Prime Minister Narendra Modi given its approval to the Semicon 2.0, a policy to enhance the India’s semiconductor design and making ecosystem. Semicon 2.0 has been approved in a meeting presided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and a budget of ₹1,27,500 crore has been allotted for the project. The primary objective of the project is to improve chip designing functions and capabilities, lure advanced semiconductors manufacturing companies, focus on the research and innovation efforts, support development of skilled workforce, and contribute to building a reliable semiconductor supply chain making India technologically and economically self-reliant.

What is Semicon 2.0?

• Semicon 2.o is a new semiconductor development program introduced by the Indian government to provide continuous policy support to the semiconductor industry in India.
• The program is based on the earliest version Semicon 1.0 and aims to create a full semiconductor ecosystem which covers all stages from design and manufacturing of the chip, to its packaging, development of materials, research, and workforce.

4. CABINET APPROVES NATIONAL INVESTMENT POLICY FOR UREA-2026 (NIPU-2026) –

• What Is the National Investment Policy for Urea-2026 (NIPU-2026)?
• The National Investment Policy for Urea-2026 (NIPU-2026) is the latest investment policy brought by the Department of Fertilizers with the aim to promote the establishment of new gas-based urea manufacturing plants in different parts of the country.
• The policy intends to draw investment from both private and public sectors by providing a transparent and viable means for establishing modern urea production facilities, replacing the earlier New Investment Policy (NIP)-2012, which expired in the October of 2019.
• The main aim of this policy is to increase the domestic urea production along with gradually reducing India’s dependence on imported fertilizers.

What Was the Rationale Behind the Implementation of NIPU-2026?

• Urea, it is a type of fertilizer that plays a key role in the agricultural productivity, it is widely consumed throughout India.
• Despite an increase in the domestic supply over the years, demand remains as higher than supply, which leads to the import of huge quantities.

5. SPAIN VS ARGENTINA FIFA WORLD CUP 2026 –

• The final match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 will take place on Sunday, July 19th, 2026, at the New York New Jersey Stadium (MetLife Stadium), which is located in the East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA.

Key Points

• Match: Spain vs Argentina
• Tournament: FIFA World Cup 2026 Final
• Date: July 19, 2026
• Venue: New York New Jersey Stadium (MetLife Stadium), East Rutherford, New Jersey
• Kick-off Time: 3:00 PM ET
• Indian Time (IST): 12:30 AM, July 20, 2026
• This will be the last match of the newly expanded FIFA World Cup, which consists of 48 teams in total, and will end the tournament that lasts for a month and takes place in North America.

MCQ QUIZ

Q1.  The 5th BIMSTEC National Security Advisers’ Meeting was held in which city ?

1. a) New Delhi
2. b) Chennai
3. c) Hyderabad
4. d) Bengaluru

Q2.  Recently, the Jaisalmer Railway Station was redeveloped under which of the following schemes ?

1. a) PM Gati Shakti Scheme
2. b) Bharatmala Pariyojana
3. c) Smart Cities Mission
4. d) Amrit Bharat Station Scheme

Q3.  PM E-DRIVE Scheme is implemented by which ministry ?

1. a) Ministry of New and Renewable Energy
2. b) Ministry of Power
3. c) Ministry of Heavy Industries
4. d) Ministry of Road Transport and Highways

Q4.  Consider the following statements about the Index of Services Production (ISP):

1. It is developed by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) to cover both formal and informal services sectors.
2. It has a base year of 2024–25 and acts as a high-frequency monthly indicator.
3. It was introduced to address the measurement gap since the existing Index of Industrial Production (IIP) covers only industrial activities.

         Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

1. a) 1 and 2 only
2. b) 1 and 3 only
3. c) 2 and 3 only
4. d) 1, 2, and 3

Explanation-

• Statement 1 is incorrect: The ISP is specifically designed to track short-term changes in the output produced by the formal services sector, not informal or unorganized services.
• Statement 2 is correct: The Index of Services Production (ISP) is designed as a monthly, high-frequency indicator with a base year of 2024–25. It aims to track short-term changes in the services sector volume of output.
• Statement 3 is correct: Until the introduction of the ISP, the IIP was the primary high-frequency economic indicator. However, it measures only industrial activity. The ISP fills this gap by acting as a dedicated barometer for the services segment, which accounts for the largest share of India’s economy.

Q5.  Consider the following statements regarding the recently approved Semicon Mission 2.0:

1. It is a completely new initiative succeeding the earlier Rs 76,000 crore allocation.
2. The mission provides incentives only for finished semiconductor chip manufacturing, excluding raw materials and gases.
3. The newly approved outlay is expected to attract four times its value in investments.

         Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

1. a) 1 and 2 only
2. b) 3 only
3. c) 2 and 3 only
4. d) 1, 2, and 3

Explanation-

• Statement 1 is incorrect: Semicon Mission 2.0 is the second edition/phase of the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM). The first phase had an allocation of Rs 76,000 crore, under which 12 projects were approved.
• Statement 2 is incorrect: Semicon Mission 2.0 is uniquely designed to support the entire value chain. It includes robust incentives for suppliers of raw materials, gases, and minerals, in addition to supporting chip design, manufacturing, packaging, and testing units.
• Statement 3 is correct: The Union Cabinet approved a total outlay of Rs 1.27 lakh crore for Semicon Mission 2.0. The government expects this financial package to attract investments of around Rs 4 lakh crore while generating semiconductor production worth Rs 2 lakh crore.

Answer Key