Current Affairs - June 29, 2026 Current Affairs

Odisha launched the Go East initiative on June 26, 2026, under the leadership of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to promote industrial investment and accelerate project implementation. The initiative establishes a high-level Special Task Force and a dedicated Go East Cell within IPICOL to facilitate inter-state investments. It also includes revisions to the Industrial Policy Resolution-2022, prioritizes non-mineral industries, and aims to reduce industrial setup time from 160 days to less than 100 days through deregulation reforms. The programme is expected to strengthen investment, generate employment, and develop future-ready industrial hubs in the state.

Assam integrated tea and plantation class landholdings into its farmers’ registry portal on June 26, 2026, to improve access to government services for Small Tea Growers (STGs). The initiative provides each eligible grower with a unique Farmer ID linked to Aadhaar, land records, and personal details. This digital integration simplifies access to fertilisers, institutional credit, subsidies, crop insurance, and other government schemes while reducing repetitive paperwork. The programme officially covers over 1.33 lakh registered small tea growers and is expected to benefit more than 1.5 lakh growers and around six lakh individuals across the state.

Prabhjeet Singh has been appointed as the Managing Director for India by OpenAI, reflecting the company's commitment to expanding its presence in one of the world's fastest-growing artificial intelligence markets. Before joining OpenAI, he served as the President of Uber India and South Asia, where he played a significant role in business growth and market expansion. His extensive experience in scaling technology-driven businesses is expected to help OpenAI strengthen its operations in India. The appointment also highlights India's growing importance due to its large digital user base, thriving startup ecosystem, increasing enterprise adoption of AI, and strong government focus on artificial intelligence.

Statistics Day is observed every year on June 29 to honour the birth anniversary of Prof. Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis, who is regarded as the father of modern statistics in India. The Government of India instituted this observance in 2007 to promote awareness about the importance of statistics, encourage evidence-based policymaking, inspire students and researchers to pursue careers in statistics and data science, and recognise the contribution of official statistics to governance and national development. The celebration is coordinated by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) and the National Statistical Office (NSO).

Italy has become the UNESCO World Heritage Capital with 61 protected sites, the highest number recorded by any country. These include 55 Cultural Heritage Sites and 6 Natural Heritage Sites, reflecting the nation’s extraordinary historical, artistic, architectural, and natural wealth. Italy’s rich legacy, spanning the Roman Empire, the Renaissance, medieval towns, archaeological treasures, and diverse landscapes, has earned it global recognition. The UNESCO designation helps preserve sites of Outstanding Universal Value, promotes sustainable tourism, supports conservation efforts, encourages international cooperation, and strengthens cultural awareness while contributing significantly to Italy’s tourism-driven economy.

Chandigarh University developed a lightweight AI-powered Transformer Model designed to improve crop yield prediction through precision farming. The model uses imagery from the European Space Agency's Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 satellites along with climate variables such as rainfall, temperature, and soil moisture. It requires 40% fewer parameters than conventional AI models, enabling faster predictions with lower computational costs. The system was successfully evaluated on paddy, maize, moong, and sugarcane, outperforming traditional Random Forest and LSTM models. This innovation can support better farm management, agricultural planning, and efficient resource utilisation for farmers.

The National Workshop on Tiger Re-introduction was inaugurated in Rajasthan, specifically in Alwar, on June 28, 2026, marking the 18th anniversary of tiger restoration in the region. The workshop was organised by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) in collaboration with the Government of Rajasthan to develop future conservation strategies. During the event, important publications related to tiger management, tiger recovery, and Project Cheetah were released. The workshop also highlighted India's success in increasing the number of tiger reserves, achieving global tiger conservation targets, and restoring the tiger population in Sariska from local extinction to a thriving population.

Bharat Taxi was officially launched in Gujarat as a cooperative-based mobility platform under the Ministry of Cooperation. The initiative aims to empower vehicle operators, known as "Sarathis," by making them shareholders instead of contract workers. Unlike conventional ride-hailing platforms, it emphasises cooperative ownership, transparent earnings, financial security, and welfare for drivers. The launch took place at the Mahatma Mandir Convention and Exhibition Centre in Gandhinagar, with participation from senior government leaders and cooperative institutions. The platform has already attracted more than seven lakh Sarathis and plans to expand its services to over 500 cities across India within the next two years.

Ben Stokes announced that he would retire from international cricket after the Third Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge, bringing to a close an outstanding international career spanning nearly 15 years. He established himself as one of England’s greatest all-rounders through his exceptional performances with both bat and ball. His achievements include playing a decisive role in England’s 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup victory, producing the unforgettable Headingley Ashes innings, leading the Test team with an aggressive approach, and inspiring teammates through his resilience, leadership, and ability to perform under pressure.

Seychelles and India announced 19 major initiatives aimed at strengthening their strategic partnership across key sectors such as maritime security, defence, healthcare, digital payments, education, infrastructure, space cooperation, and climate resilience. The agreements were unveiled during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit and discussions with President Patrick Herminie in Victoria. The partnership also reinforces India's MAHASAGAR vision for promoting security, sustainable development, and regional cooperation in the Indian Ocean. Additional measures included defence assistance, humanitarian aid, financial support, and technology collaboration, highlighting the growing importance of India–Seychelles relations in the Indo-Pacific region.