26th June 2025 Current Affairs for UPSC

This edition of 26th June 2025 Current Affairs for UPSC includes vital updates on India’s manufacturing, energy security, infrastructure disputes, and a major space discovery by the Webb Telescope. These are crucial for UPSC Prelims and Mains GS Paper 2 and 3.

PLI Schemes Boost Manufacturing and Exports across Key Sectors

• The Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes have spurred manufacturing across 14 sectors.
• By March 2025, investments hit ₹1.76 trillion and sales reached ₹16.5 trillion.
• Over 1.2 million jobs were created, and ₹21,534 crore disbursed across 12 sectors.
• The pharma sector led with ₹2.66 trillion in sales.
• Minister Piyush Goyal emphasized skilled manpower, infrastructure fixes, and a 5-year growth roadmap.

NHAI Tightens Dispute Resolution Amid ₹1 Trillion Arbitration Claims

• Arbitration claims near ₹1 trillion—40% of NHAI’s liabilities and FY25 capex.
• New rules mandate contractors first approach the Dispute Resolution Board (DRB) before CCIE.
• Bypassing DRB is now disallowed to streamline dispute handling.
• Dispute system, launched in 2020, has seen mixed outcomes with delays in project awards and execution.

India Expands Strategic Oil Reserves to Strengthen Energy Security

• India to expand Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPRs) with new sites in Mangalore SEZ and Bikaner.
• Aims to reach 90-day reserve capacity, in line with IEA standards.
• Existing SPRs total 5.33 MMT; another 6.5 MMT planned in Phase II.
• Projects involve PPPs and global partners like Adnoc to offset high investment costs (₹2,500 crore per MMT).
• Comes amid Iran-Israel tensions and import dependency (85% of crude demand).

Webb Telescope Makes First Direct Discovery of a New Alien Planet

• James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) directly imaged a previously unknown exoplanet for the first time.
• The gas giant, Saturn-sized, orbits a smaller star 110 light-years away in the Antlia constellation.
• It’s one of the rare exoplanets (under 2%) discovered through direct imaging instead of transits.
• Also the least massive exoplanet directly observed to date—highlighting JWST’s potential in exoplanetary research.