NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Vizag Port Handles 50.87% of Marine Exports in 2025: Visakhapatnam Port, also known as Vizag Port, handled 50.87% of India’s total marine product exports in FY 2024-25. The port accounted for 48.89% of India’s marine product exports in FY 2025-26, after a share of 29.67% in FY 2023-24. Visakhapatnam Port is one of India’s major ports on the eastern coast in Andhra Pradesh. It functions as a key gateway for cargo movement on the Bay of Bengal coast and handles bulk, container, and export cargo. Marine product exports include frozen shrimp, frozen fish, cuttlefish, squid, crab, and other seafood items. India’s marine product exports reached ₹72,325.82 crore, or $8.28 billion, in FY 2025-26, with a volume of 1.93 million tonnes.
2. Maharashtra Bans Junk Food Sales Near Schools: The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration issued a compliance order on 28 July 2026 to regulate the sale, advertisement, and free distribution of High Fat, Sugar, and Salt food items near schools. The order applies within 50 metres of school premises and covers children from 22 months of age up to Class 12 students in Maharashtra. The directive covers nearly 1.08 lakh schools and about 2 crore students across the state. It applies to pre-primary, primary, elementary, secondary, residential schools, hostels, and institutions affiliated with different education boards. The prohibited items include vada pav, samosas, ice creams, chips, sugary drinks, chocolates, and caffeinated beverages. The order also covers the advertisement and free distribution of such items within the notified school zone.
3. India Approves 111 Road Projects Under Vibrant Villages Programme: The Government of India approved 111 road projects on 29 July 2026 for all-weather connectivity to 134 previously unconnected villages along the India-China border. The projects were sanctioned under the Vibrant Villages Programme and carry an estimated cost of ₹2,481.93 crore. The Vibrant Villages Programme is a Central Sector scheme for developing villages in border areas of India. The Ministry of Home Affairs implements the programme for villages along the northern border, including areas near the India-China frontier. Road projects in border villages are linked with year-round access, movement of goods, and delivery of public services. All-weather roads are designed for use during rain, snow, and other seasonal conditions that affect remote Himalayan terrain.
4. Assam Passes Land Protection Bill for Heritage Institutions: Assam passed the Assam Land and Revenue Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2026 on 29 July 2026. The Bill regulates land ownership and land transactions within a protected zone of up to 5 km around heritage and religious institutions that are at least 250 years old. Only original inhabitants, Scheduled Tribe communities, Scheduled Caste communities, indigenous ethnic communities, and other specified disadvantaged groups can buy, sell, and possess land in the protected area. The indigenous ethnic communities named in the Bill include Ahom, Moran, Motok, Chutia, and Koch Rajbonshi. An original inhabitant is defined as a person whose family has lived in the area for at least three generations as of 1 January 2006. The Bill counts one generation as 25 years and gives the district commissioner power to evict unauthorised occupants from the protected heritage area.
5. Rajasthan Issues First Rare Earth Exploration Licence: Rajasthan became the first state in India to execute an exploration licence for rare earth elements on 29 July 2026. The licence covers 207.63 square kilometres in the Navatala-Devigarh (Pachpadra) region of Balotra district and Shergarh tehsil of Jodhpur district. Rare earth elements are a group of 17 chemically similar metallic elements that include the 15 lanthanides, scandium, and yttrium. Lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, and neodymium are among the REE minerals identified in the Rajasthan block. An exploration licence is a legal permission for prospecting and geological investigation before mineral extraction. The licence in Rajasthan was granted to the Central Mine Planning and Design Institute Limited, and the agreement was executed by the Department of Mines and Geology of Rajasthan.
6. India Targets 100 Crore 5G Users by 2030: India has set a target of connecting 100 crore people to 5G technology by 2030. The country launched 5G services on 1 October 2022 and has expanded the network across almost all districts in a short period. 5G is the fifth generation of mobile communication technology. It offers higher data speeds, lower latency, and greater network capacity than 4G. In India, 5G services reached nearly 50 crore users within about two-and-a-half years of launch. The 5G rollout in India involved an investment of about ₹4.5 lakh crore and the installation of nearly five lakh telecom towers. By 28 February 2025, 5G services were available in 99.6% of districts, and 4.69 lakh 5G Base Transceiver Stations were operational.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Ngulkham Jathom Gangte Appointed India’s Next Ambassador to Mexico: Ngulkham Jathom Gangte was appointed India’s next Ambassador to Mexico on 29 July 2026. He is an Indian Foreign Service officer of the 1994 batch and was serving as Special Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs before this appointment. An ambassador is the head of a diplomatic mission in a foreign country and represents the sending state in bilateral relations. In India’s foreign service structure, ambassadors are appointed to countries with which India maintains full diplomatic relations. The Indian Foreign Service is one of the All India Services and handles India’s external relations, consular work, and diplomatic representation. IFS officers are recruited through the Civil Services Examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission.
2. India, Nepal Restore Lalitpur Heritage Sites: India and Nepal jointly inaugurated the restored Shree Gusthal Mahavihar and Agam of Prathamshree Mahavihar at Guita Tole in Patan, Lalitpur, on 28 July 2026. The project was funded by a Government of India grant of about NPR 12 crores and was executed by Nepal’s Central Level Project Implementation Unit under the Department of Urban Development and Building Construction. Shree Gusthal Mahavihar and Agam of Prathamshree Mahavihar are Buddhist heritage structures located in Lalitpur Metropolitan City in the Kathmandu Valley. The sites suffered severe damage in the 2015 earthquake in Nepal, which affected many monuments, temples, and traditional settlements across the country. The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage provided design and project management consultancy for the restoration work. The inauguration was attended by Indian Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava, Lalitpur Metropolitan City Mayor Chiribabu Maharjan, and Member of Parliament Jagdish Kharel.
3. India Introduces Liability Rules for Spacecraft Re-entry: India issued the Norms, Guidelines and Procedures for Authorisation for Undertaking Planned Re-entry of Space Objects on 23 July 2026. The framework was made public on 29–30 July 2026 and applies to planned re-entry of space objects into Earth’s atmosphere by Indian and foreign operators. The guidelines were issued by the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre, or IN-SPACe, under the Department of Space. Prior authorisation from IN-SPACe is mandatory for any planned re-entry undertaken by an Indian entity, whether the activity takes place within India or outside Indian territory. Foreign entities that intend to conduct a planned re-entry within Indian territory must route applications through an Indian-incorporated entity. That entity is responsible for compliance with Indian laws and national security requirements.
4. China Establishes High-Altitude Drone R&D Centre in Tibet: China established high-altitude drone testing and research facilities in Tibet in 2025 and 2026, including a testing base in Ngari and a Plateau Drone R&D Application Centre at Xizang University near Mount Everest. These facilities are located on the Tibetan Plateau, where low oxygen levels, cold temperatures, rugged terrain, and rapidly changing weather create conditions for unmanned aerial vehicle testing. The high-altitude unmanned equipment testing base was inaugurated in Ngari, western Tibet, on 28 September 2025. The site lies at elevations above 4,500 metres and is used to test unmanned aerial vehicles under thin air and cold turbulence. Satellite imagery dated 29 October 2025 showed a 720-metre runway and multiple hangars at the facility.
5. India Rises from 82nd to 57th Global Rank in Pro-Competitive Reforms: India moved from 82nd to 57th place in a global ranking on reducing anti-competitive market distortions. The ranking was published on 30 July 2026 in a report titled India’s Next Growth Frontier: Reducing Anti-Competitive Market Distortions to Build on India’s 2010–2023 Reform Progress. The Goods and Services Tax is a destination-based indirect tax system introduced in India on 1 July 2017. The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 provides a time-bound framework for insolvency resolution and liquidation of corporate persons, partnership firms, and individuals. The report linked India’s improvement to structural and pro-competition reforms carried out between 2010 and 2023. These reforms included changes in taxation, insolvency resolution, regulation, and trade facilitation.
6. Brookfield Launches $600 Million Renewable Energy Platform in India: Brookfield launched a renewable energy platform named Lumara in India on 30 July 2026. The platform will deploy about $600 million for solar, wind, and battery storage projects, and it will begin with an initial portfolio of more than 6 GW of capacity. Lumara will focus on solar power, wind power, and battery storage, which are three major segments of the renewable energy sector. The platform will also address delays linked to power purchase agreement negotiations, grid connection queues, and land acquisition timelines. Brookfield already has about 45 GW of wind and solar assets in operation and in the pipeline in India. Its total investments in India have crossed $32 billion across multiple sectors as of 30 July 2026.
OTHER UPDATES:
DEFENCE
1. Cochin Shipyard Launches Seventh ASW SWC Vessel: Cochin Shipyard Limited launched the seventh Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft, INS Machilipatnam (BY 529), for the Indian Navy on 29 July 2026 in Kochi. The vessel belongs to the eight-ship Mahe-class ASW SWC project and is designed for coastal anti-submarine operations, low-intensity maritime operations, mine-laying, and subsurface surveillance. Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft are naval vessels built for operations in shallow coastal waters. These ships are used for detecting, tracking, and engaging submarines near the coast, where larger warships may have limited manoeuvrability. INS Machilipatnam measures 78.0 metres in length and 11.36 metres in beam. It has a draught of about 2.7 metres, a displacement of around 900 tonnes, and a maximum speed of 25 knots. The vessel carries indigenously developed Hull Mounted Sonar and Low Frequency Variable Depth Sonar systems for underwater surveillance.
2. Brigadier B.K. Ponwar, Jungle Warfare Pioneer, Dies at 77: Brigadier (Retired) Basant Kumar Ponwar, founder of the Counter Terrorism and Jungle Warfare College in Kanker, Chhattisgarh, died at the age of 77 in Mhow in Madhya Pradesh. He was a veteran of the 1971 India-Pakistan War and served in the Indian Army from December 1969 after commissioning into the 1st Battalion of the Maratha Light Infantry. Brigadier Ponwar served as Commandant of the Army’s Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School in Vairengte, Mizoram. He also oversaw the inaugural Indo-US exercise Yudh Abhyas in 2004, which is a bilateral military exercise between India and the United States. The Counter Terrorism and Jungle Warfare College was established in August 2005 in Kanker in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh. The institution trained more than 37,000 security personnel in guerrilla warfare and jungle operations.
SPORTS
1. Dilip Gavit Leads India’s 1-2 Finish in 100m T47: India recorded a 1-2 finish in the men’s 100m T47 para athletics final at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on 29 and 30 July 2026. Dilip Mahadu Gavit won gold with a Games record and season-best time of 10.71 seconds, while Mohammed Basil Morssinganakath won silver in 10.83 seconds. India’s 1-2 finish gave the country its third gold medal at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. India’s overall medal tally reached 15, with three gold, nine silver, and three bronze medals. The T47 class in para athletics is used for athletes with unilateral upper limb impairment. The men’s 100m T47 is a sprint event conducted on a standard 100-metre track under World Para Athletics rules.
2. Sreeshankar Wins Second Straight CWG Long Jump Silver: Murali Sreeshankar won the silver medal in the men’s long jump at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, on 29 July 2026. His jump measured 8.09 metres, and Jamaica’s Tajay Gayle won gold with 8.15 metres, while Scotland’s Stephen Mackenzie took bronze with 8.08 metres. Murali Sreeshankar is an Indian long jumper aged 27 years. He became the first Indian male long jumper to win two Commonwealth Games medals after his silver medal in Glasgow and his earlier silver medal at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. Electronics Development Fund Investments: The Electronics Development Fund (EDF) is a Fund of Funds set up by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to support venture capital funds that invest in electronics and information technology enterprises. As of 30 June 2026, the EDF had invested Rs 257.77 crore in eight SEBI-registered venture capital funds, called Daughter Funds. The EDF operates as a Fund of Funds, which means it invests in venture capital funds rather than directly in startups. MeitY is the anchor investor in the fund, and Canbank Venture Capital Funds Ltd. serves as the fund manager. The EDF was created to support the Electronics System Design and Manufacturing (ESDM) sector and the Information Technology (IT) sector in India. The eight Daughter Funds supported by the EDF had invested Rs 1,335.77 crore in 128 startups and companies. Of these, 77 companies belonged to the ESDM sector and 51 companies belonged to the IT sector. The supported companies had also created or acquired 373 intellectual properties.
2. DAANVEER Gram Panchayat Digital Infrastructure: The Ministry of Panchayati Raj launched DAANVEER on 29 July 2026 in New Delhi as a citizen participation initiative for strengthening digital infrastructure in Gram Panchayats. The platform works through the Meri Panchayat mobile application and enables contributions of standardised, quality-verified computer bundles for eligible Gram Panchayats across India. DAANVEER is an end-to-end digital platform for citizen and organisational contributions to local governance institutions. It aims to support the digital equipment needs of nearly 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats, which function as the basic tier of rural local self-government under the Panchayati Raj system. The initiative integrates the Meri Panchayat app with the DigiHaat marketplace. Donors can select from pre-approved computer bundles mapped to state-specific technical specifications, and the platform routes contributions to eligible Gram Panchayats through a transparent digital process.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. IRDAI Approves Patanjali’s Acquisition of Magma General Insurance: The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) approved the acquisition of Magma General Insurance by Patanjali Ayurved and the DS Group on 28 July 2026. The transaction is valued at about Rs 4,500 crore and involves the purchase of equity stakes from existing shareholders. Patanjali Ayurved will acquire a 73.56% stake in Magma General Insurance. The DS Group will acquire a 24.5% stake in the company. The shares are being purchased mainly from Sanoti Properties LLP, which is part of the Adar Poonawalla Group, along with Celica Developers and Jaguar Advisory Services. The IRDAI approval is valid for three months from 28 July 2026. The transaction must be completed within this period. After completion, Patanjali is expected to become the promoter of Magma General Insurance and to infuse capital for solvency and business expansion.
2. India Exports Bihar Makhana to Canada: India exported 7 metric tonnes of value-added flavoured Makhana from Darbhanga in Bihar to Canada on 29 July 2026. The shipment moved through Mundra Port in two containers and was processed and packaged by Nutrivin Agro Private Limited for ZKV Foods in Canada. Makhana is also known as fox nuts and is obtained from the seeds of the aquatic plant Euryale ferox. Bihar accounts for the largest share of Makhana production in India, and the crop is associated with the Mithila region, including Darbhanga and nearby districts. The consignment contained flavoured Makhana, which belongs to the category of value-added agricultural exports. Value addition in food exports includes cleaning, roasting, seasoning, packaging, and compliance with food safety standards for overseas markets.
3. Cabinet Extends PM-KISAN Scheme for Five Years: The Union Cabinet approved the continuation of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme for another five years on 31 July 2026. The scheme will now run from 2026-27 to 2030-31 with a total financial outlay of ₹3,15,614 crore. PM-KISAN is a Central Sector scheme launched on 24 February 2019. It provides annual income support of ₹6,000 to eligible landholding farmer families in three equal instalments of ₹2,000 each. The amount is transferred directly into Aadhaar-seeded bank accounts through the Direct Benefit Transfer mechanism. Since its launch, more than ₹4.47 lakh crore has been transferred under the scheme through 23 instalments. The 23rd instalment, released in June 2026, benefited over 9.49 crore farmers and involved more than ₹18,984 crore.
