CURRENT AFFAIRS 18-19 July, 2026

CURRENT AFFAIRS 18-19 July, 2026

1. THE NEW NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR MINORITIES CHIEF –

• Harjit Singh Grewal was appointed Chairperson of the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) on 16 July 2026. The Ministry of Minority Affairs issued the notification for the appointment on the same date. The post had remained vacant since April 2025 after the completion of Iqbal Singh Lalpura’s tenure.

National Commission for Minorities: Legal Basis

• The National Commission for Minorities is a statutory body constituted under the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992. It functions at the Union level and deals with matters relating to minority communities in India.

2. INDIA’S FIRST NIGHT SAFARI GETS SUPREME COURT NOD –

• The Supreme Court of India granted final approval on 16 July 2026 for the Kukrail Night Safari and Day Zoo project in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. The project is planned as India’s first urban night safari and the world’s fifth such facility after Singapore, Thailand, China and Indonesia.

Kukrail Reserve Forest and Project Area

• The project will come up in the 2,027-hectare Kukrail Reserve Forest, which is an ecologically sensitive forest area in Lucknow district. About 855 acres have been earmarked for the night safari and zoo complex. The estimated project cost is about ₹1,510 crore. The project received approvals from the Central Zoo Authority, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and a conditional clearance from the Central Empowered Committee before the Supreme Court’s final nod.

Planned Facilities and Wildlife Enclosures

• Phase 1 of the project is expected to include 38 wildlife enclosures. The proposed species list includes Asiatic lions, Bengal tigers, leopards, hyenas, flying squirrels and gharials. The design includes theme-based zones, naturalistic animal habitats, night trails and forest trails. Visitors are planned to move through the safari in battery-operated vehicles, and the lighting system is designed to mimic moonlight.

3. VIKRAM-1 LAUNCHES INDIA’S FIRST PRIVATE ORBITAL ROCKET –

• Vikram-1 is India’s first privately developed orbital-class rocket. The rocket lifted off on 18 July 2026 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, at 12:05 pm IST and placed multiple payloads into Low Earth Orbit.

Vikram-1 Rocket

• Vikram-1 is a four-stage launch vehicle developed by Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace. The rocket is built with an all-carbon composite structure and is about seven storeys tall. It can carry payloads of up to 350 kg to Low Earth Orbit.

Mission Aagaman and Payloads

• The launch mission was named Mission Aagaman. It placed technology demonstration payloads and commemorative items into a 450 km Low Earth Orbit at a 60-degree inclination.
• Grahaa Space, Cosmoserve Space, and DCUBED sent technology demonstration payloads on the mission.
• Skyroot Aerospace also carried its in-house SCOPE satellite.
• Commemorative payloads included a handwritten postcard from Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the words “Vande Mataram”.
• The mission also carried an 18-karat gold miniature rocket and an artwork titled Cosmic Bloom by Cosmos Diamonds.

4. INDIA COMMISSIONS FIRST GEOTHERMAL WELLS IN PUGA VALLEY OF LADAKH –

• India commissioned its first and deepest geothermal wells in the Puga Valley of Ladakh on 17 July 2026. Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh V.K. Saxena inaugurated two wells drilled to a depth of 1,000 metres each at an altitude of more than 14,000 feet.

Geothermal Energy in India

• Geothermal energy is heat derived from the Earth’s interior and is used for electricity generation and direct heating applications. India has identified geothermal resource zones in regions such as Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Gujarat, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Puga Valley Project Details

• The Puga Valley project includes two geothermal wells executed by the ONGC Energy Centre. The first well reached its target depth of 1,000 metres on 22 May 2026, and the second well was spudded on 3 June 2026 and completed on 8 July 2026. A maximum temperature of 135 degrees Celsius was recorded at a depth of 400 metres in the wells. Further testing is underway to assess higher temperatures and reservoir conditions for power generation.

5. IAF DEPLOYS RAFALE JETS FOR EXERCISE PITCH BLACK 2026 –

• The Indian Air Force (IAF) deployed four Rafale fighter jets, two C-17 transport aircraft, and more than 120 air warriors to Darwin, Australia, for Exercise Pitch Black 2026. The multinational air combat exercise is scheduled from 20 July to 7 August 2026 and is hosted by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).

Exercise Pitch Black

• Exercise Pitch Black is a multinational air combat exercise conducted by the Royal Australian Air Force in northern Australia. The 2026 edition is being held across RAAF Bases Darwin, Tindal, and Amberley.

Indian Air Force Contingent

• The Indian contingent includes four Rafale fighter jets and two C-17 transport aircraft. This is the first participation of Indian Air Force Rafale fighter jets in Exercise Pitch Black.

Participating Forces and Objectives

• The exercise will involve up to 100 aircraft and more than 2,500 personnel from 19 to 20 allied and partner nations. Its stated objectives include interoperability, operational cooperation, combat flying skills, and exchange of best practices among air forces.

MCQ QUIZ

Q1.  The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) functions under which ministry ?

1. a) Ministry of Home Affairs
2. b) Ministry of Road Transport and Highways
3. c) Ministry of External Affairs
4. d) Ministry of Defence

Q2.  Which state recorded the highest number of cyber fraud complaints in India during January–June 2026 ?

1. a) Uttar Pradesh
2. b) Maharashtra
3. c) Karnataka
4. d) Tamil Nadu

Q3.  The Korku community, recently in the news, is primarily concentrated in which of the following states ?

1. a) Odisha and Jharkhand
2. b) Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra
3. c) Chhattisgarh and Telangana
4. d) Gujarat and Rajasthan

Q4.  Consider the following statements regarding the working mechanism of India’s first hydrogen-powered train, the NaMo Green Rail:

1. The train generates electricity onboard through a chemical reaction between hydrogen and atmospheric oxygen.
2. The only by-product released during this power generation process is oxygen and water vapour.
3. It utilizes a propulsion system that solely relies on hydrogen fuel cells without requiring any batteries.

         Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

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

Explanation-

• Statement 1 is correct: The NaMo Green Rail generates its electricity onboard using a hydrogen fuel cell. This cell facilitates an electrochemical reaction between hydrogen and atmospheric oxygen to produce electricity for propulsion.
• Statement 2 is incorrect: While water vapour is indeed released as a by-product, oxygen is consumed in the reaction, not released.
• Statement 3 is incorrect: The hydrogen train’s power system does not solely run on fuel cells. It is hybrid in nature, equipped with hydrogen storage cylinders, fuel cells, and lithium iron phosphate batteries to provide stable energy delivery.

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