Daily Current Affairs (15/14/13 – Jun – 26)

Daily Current Affairs (15/14/13 – Jun – 26)

1. Floating Solar Photovoltaic Potential in India  –

• India’s reservoirs can host about 102 gigawatt (GW) of floating solar capacity, according to the first comprehensive national assessment by the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE), an autonomous institute under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). The report frames panels on water as a solution to the land constraint in solar deployment. 
• About: Floating solar parks are solar photovoltaic (PV) installations built on water surfaces such as reservoirs, lakes, or ponds instead of land.
• Land Constraints:Ground-mounted solar dominates India’s ~100 GW capacity but requires 3–4 times more land than the panels occupy. Land acquisition is slow, costly, and often conflicts with agriculture or habitation.
• Floating solar is “land neutral,” avoiding these issues. Nationwide, 1,946 km² of water surface is suitable, translating to 102.18 GW potential.
• Cost Consideration: Floating solar plants are estimated to cost ~25% more upfront than ground-mounted ones, due to floats, anchoring and waterproofing.
• Agri-Photovoltaics:MNRE is promoting agri-photovoltaics, where solar panels are mounted on structures above farm beds, integrating energy generation with agriculture.
• Top States:Bulk potential is in Maharashtra (16.28 GW), Madhya Pradesh (14.89 GW), Karnataka (13.69 GW), Odisha (12.81 GW), Telangana (10.72 GW).
• Flagship Project:The Omkareshwar floating solar park on the Narmada River, MP, is India’s largest at 278 MW, planned to scale to 600 MW.
• Global Context: By 2024, floating solar installations reached about 9.6 GW worldwide, with nearly 90% in Asia, led by China’s 120 MW plant on Poyang Lake.
• Significance:Floating solar offers a scalable, land-efficient solution for India’s target of 500 GW non-fossil capacity by 2030, supporting renewable energy expansion, grid stability, and multi-use waterbody management.

2. RBI Holds Repo Rate and Lowers GDP Growth Forecast –

• In its June 2026 review, the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) unanimously voted to keep the policy repo rate unchanged at 5.25% while revising the FY27 real GDP growth forecast downward to 6.6% and consumer inflation upward to 5.1%, alongside a sweeping suite of joint fiscal and regulatory measures designed to attract foreign capital and stabilize the domestic currency. 

What are the Key Highlights of the RBI’s Monetary Policy Committee (June 2026)? 

• Status Quo on Policy Rates: 
• Policy Repo Rate: Retained at 5.25% under the Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF).
• Standing Deposit Facility (SDF) Rate:Unchanged at 5.00% (acting as the floor of the LAF corridor).
• Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) Rate:Maintained at 5.50% (acting as the ceiling of the LAF corridor).
• Bank Rate:Held steady at 5.50%.
• Growth Revision: Projected Real GDP growth for 2026–27 has been cut to 6.6% (down from 6.9%).
• Inflation Projection:Headline Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation forecast has been raised by 50 basis points to 5.1% for FY27, with core inflation pegged at 4.7%.
• Policy Stance: The committee decided to continue with its ‘Neutral’ stance. This approach keeps the RBI data-dependent, giving it the tactical flexibility to move interest rates in either direction based on incoming macroeconomic indicators without committing to an explicit easing or tightening cycle.

3. Global Wind Day 2026 Observed on 15 June –

• Global Wind Day 2026 will be observed on 15 June 2026 as the 18th annual observance of the day. WindEurope and the Global Wind Energy Council organise the observance to promote wind energy as a renewable power source. India will host the Global Wind Day 2026 Conference in Goa on 15 June 2026 under the theme “Wind Energy: From Ambition to Acceleration”.

Global Wind Day

• Global Wind Day is observed every year on 15 June. The day is linked with public awareness on wind power, renewable electricity, and energy transition. The 2026 global theme is “Our wind, our community”.

Wind Energy as a Power Source

• Wind energy is a renewable source of electricity generated from moving air through wind turbines. It is classified as a non-fossil energy source and is used in onshore and offshore wind farms. Wind power is also described as inexhaustible because wind is naturally replenished.

4. PM Modi Visits Slovakia for First State Visit –

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a state visit to Slovakia from 14 June to 16 June 2026. It was the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Slovakia since the country became independent in 1993. The visit took place in Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, during the second leg of a three-nation European tour.

India-Slovakia Bilateral Relations

• India and Slovakia established diplomatic relations after Slovakia became an independent state in 1993. The two countries have held regular high-level exchanges, including the State Visit of President Droupadi Murmu to Slovakia in April 2025 and the visit of Slovak President Peter Pellegrini to India for the AI Impact Summit in February 2026.

5. Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth Appointed Next Chief of Army Staff –

• Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth was appointed as the next Chief of the Army Staff of India on 13 June 2026. He is scheduled to assume office on 30 June 2026 after the retirement of General Upendra Dwivedi, and his tenure is expected to continue until 31 August 2028.

Chief of Army Staff

• The Chief of Army Staff is the professional head of the Indian Army and one of the three service chiefs of the Indian Armed Forces. The office functions under the Ministry of Defence and is held by a four-star general.

Career Profile of Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth

• Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth served as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff from 1 April 2026 before his appointment as COAS. He was commissioned into the Armoured Corps in December 1986 after graduating from the National Defence Academy at Khadakwasla.

Operational Commands and Decorations

• Lt Gen Seth commanded two operational Army Commands on the western front, namely the South Western Command and the Southern Command. He also commanded an armoured regiment and a counter-insurgency force in Jammu and Kashmir.

MCQ Quiz

Q1. INS Baaz, that was recently seen in news, is an Indian naval air station located in which state/UT ?

1. a) Lakshadweep
2. b) Goa
3. c) Andaman & Nicobar Islands
4. d) Gujarat

Q2. According to recent report, what is India’s current position in the global domestic aviation market ?

1. a) First
2. b) Second
3. c) Third
4. d) Fourth

Q3. Recently, the first “Made in India” Airbus C-295 military transport aircraft successfully completed its maiden test flight from the Final Assembly Line (FAL). The FAL for the aircraft is located in which of the following places ?

1. a) Bengaluru
2. b) Hyderabad
3. c) Vadodara
4. d) Nagpur

Q4. Regarding the Multi-Layered Air Defence Architecture of India, consider the following statements:

• The S-400 Triumf forms the outermost long-range defence layer of India’s air defence network.
• Project Kusha is an indigenous long-range air defence programme developed to counter aircraft, drones, cruise missiles, and hypersonic weapons.
• Directed Energy Weapons (DEWs) are a part of the Medium-Range Defence Layer in India’s architecture.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

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

Explanation-

• Statement 1 is correct: The S-400 Triumf system, procured from Russia, is India’s premier long-range surface-to-air missile system. It has an engagement range of up to 400 km, effectively forming the outer shield or long-range layer of India’s air defence network.
• Statement 2 is correct: Project Kusha is an indigenous long-range air defence programme being developed by DRDO. Once operational, it is intended to provide comprehensive protection against aircraft, drones, cruise missiles, and hypersonic weapons, reducing dependence on foreign systems.
• Statement 3 is incorrect: Directed Energy Weapons (DEWs) are classified under the Point Defence Layer (the innermost layer designed to protect critical assets from immediate/close-range threats), not the Medium-Range Defence Layer. The Medium-Range layer comprises systems like the Akash and Barak-8 missiles.

Q5. With reference to India’s space sector reforms, consider the following statements:

1. The Indian Space Policy, 2023 provides regulatory clarity for private participation in the space sector.
2. IN-SPACe is responsible for promoting and authorizing non-governmental participation in space activities.
3. IN-SPACe functions as a commercial arm of ISRO for marketing space technologies.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

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

Explanation-

• Statement 1 is correct. The Indian Space Policy, 2023 provides strategic direction and regulatory clarity to stakeholders.
• Statement 2 is correct. IN-SPACe facilitates, promotes, authorizes, and supervises private participation across the space value chain.
• Statement 3 is incorrect. The commercial arm of ISRO is NewSpace India Limited, not IN-SPACe.