Daily Current Affairs- 19th June 2026

Daily Current Affairs- 19th June 2026

Army Contingent Leaves for Mongolia to Participate in Exercise KHAAN QUEST 2026

In the News: The Indian Army contingent has left for Mongolia to participate in Exercise KHAAN QUEST 2026. The multilateral military exercise will be held from 20 June to 3 July 2026 at the Five Hills Training Area in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The exercise focuses on peace support operations and military cooperation among participating countries.

Key Points:

• Exercise Details: Exercise KHAAN QUEST 2026 is a multilateral joint military exercise hosted in Mongolia. It brings together military forces from different countries for coordinated training. The 2026 edition is being conducted at the Five Hills Training Area in Ulaanbaatar.
  • Indian Participation: The Indian Army contingent consists of 40 personnel. It is being represented mainly by troops from a Battalion of the JAT Regiment. Personnel from other Arms and Services are also part of the contingent.
  • Historical Background: Exercise KHAAN QUEST began in 2003 as a bilateral exercise between the United States and Mongolian Defence Forces.  From 2006 onwards, it became a multilateral peacekeeping exercise. The 2026 edition is the 23rd iteration of the exercise.
  • Training Focus: The exercise aims to prepare participating forces for peacekeeping missions in a multinational environment. Training activities include joint planning, patrolling, cordon and search operations, and checkpoint establishment. It also includes evacuation of civilians, counter-IED drills, combat first aid, and casualty evacuation.

Telegram Ban and Section 69A of the IT Act, 2000

In the News: The Government temporarily restricted access to Telegram in India under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000. The action was taken ahead of the NEET (UG) 2026 re-examination scheduled for 21 June 2026. The Delhi High Court upheld the temporary blocking order in the Telegram case.

Key Points:

• Reason for Action: The restriction was imposed after concerns that cheating rackets were using Telegram to target NEET (UG) 2026 re-examination candidates. The National Testing Agency stated that the platform was being misused for fraudulent “paper leak” claims. The measure was described as time-bound and linked to exam security.

• Duration of Restriction: Access to Telegram was restricted for a limited period ending 22 June 2026. The restriction covered the day of the NEET (UG) re-examination and its immediate aftermath.Telegram’s message-editing feature for already posted messages was directed to remain disabled in India until 30 June 2026.
• Section 69A Explained: Section 69A empowers the Central Government or authorised officers to block public access to information through any computer resource. Such blocking can be ordered on grounds including sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of the State, friendly relations with foreign States, public order, or prevention of incitement to related cognizable offences. The provision requires reasons to be recorded in writing and operates with prescribed procedure and safeguards.
• Role of Agencies: The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre under the Ministry of Home Affairs coordinated operational action against fraudulent channels, groups, and bots. Inputs were also received from State law-enforcement agencies including police forces in Bihar, Gujarat, and Rajasthan. Several channels and groups advertising misleading exam-related content were taken down before the platform-level restriction.
• Delhi High Court Ruling: The Delhi High Court held that Section 69A can extend to blocking an entire platform and not only individual posts or messages. The Court noted that the term “information” under the IT Act is broad enough to include software and applications. It also held that the temporary platform-wide restriction satisfied the requirement of proportionality in the given circumstances.

Uzbekistan Becomes First Central Asian Member of New Development Bank

In the News: Uzbekistan has officially joined the New Development Bank, becoming the first Central Asian country to become a member of the BRICS-led multilateral lender. The NDB listed “Uzbekistan Officially Joins New Development Bank as New Member Country” as a press release dated 18 June 2026. Its membership became effective after the accession process was completed in June 2026.

Key Points:

• First Central Asian Member: Uzbekistan’s entry marks the NDB’s first expansion into Central Asia. This is significant because Central Asia is emerging as an important region for energy, connectivity, transport corridors and infrastructure finance. Uzbekistan became the 10th member of the Bank after completing the required accession formalities.
• About NDB: The New Development Bank was established in 2015 by the BRICS countries. Its mandate is to mobilise resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in BRICS and other emerging markets and developing countries.
• Membership Process: The NDB Board of Governors had officially admitted Colombia and Uzbekistan as borrowing members at its 10th Annual Meeting in Rio de Janeiro in July 2025. Uzbekistan’s effective membership followed the completion of domestic and institutional requirements.
• Development Focus: NDB financing is linked to sectors such as clean energy, transport infrastructure, water and sanitation, environmental protection, social infrastructure and digital infrastructure. These areas match Uzbekistan’s needs in regional connectivity, public infrastructure and sustainable development.

Indian Jurist Bimal Patel Elected to ITLOS

In the News: Indian jurist Professor Bimal N. Patel was elected as a Judge of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea for the 2026–2035 term. The development was reported on 19 June 2026, with India thanking UNCLOS member states for supporting its candidate. Patel will take office on 1 October 2026.

Key Points:  

• About ITLOS: The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea is an independent judicial body created under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. It deals with disputes relating to the interpretation and application of UNCLOS. The Tribunal is based in Hamburg, Germany.  
• Composition of Tribunal: ITLOS consists of 21 independent members. Its members are elected from persons having high reputation for fairness, integrity and recognised competence in the law of the sea. The Statute also requires representation of major legal systems and equitable geographical distribution.
• Election Process: Judges are elected by States Parties to UNCLOS. In the 2026 election, seven seats were filled for the 2026–2035 term. The election was held during the 36th meeting of States Parties to UNCLOS at the UN Headquarters in New York.
• Profile of Bimal N. Patel: Professor Patel is a member of the UN International Law Commission and Vice-Chancellor of Rashtriya Raksha University. His areas of work include public international law, law of the sea, maritime law and international courts and tribunals.
• India’s Representation: His election ensures India’s continued presence in ITLOS after Judge Neeru Chadha’s term ends in September 2026. Neeru Chadha has been a member of ITLOS since 2017 and has served as Vice-President of the Tribunal.

Want to cross the Strait of Hormuz? Fill out this form first

In the News: After the signing of a 14-point MoU between the United States and Iran, Iran’s newly constituted Persian Gulf Strait Authority announced a permit procedure for vessels crossing the Strait of Hormuz. Ships must submit transit requests at least 48 hours before arrival. The procedure comes after major disruption to shipping through one of the world’s most important energy chokepoints.

Key Points:

• New Permit System: Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority has stated that vessels must use official channels to seek permission for passage. The process involves an online form seeking details such as vessel name, flag, IMO number, cargo type, owner, ship manager and contact information.
• 48-Hour Rule: Ships must submit passing requests at least 48 hours before reaching the Strait of Hormuz area. Iran has said that route coordination and scheduled passage time are necessary because of mine-affected areas and risks to safe navigation.
• 60-Day Fee Waiver: During the initial 60-day window under the MoU, Iran will not collect tariffs or service fees from ships. The waived charges relate to security, safety, environmental services and related insurance. After this period, Iran may seek to introduce charges for maritime services. 
• Strategic Location: The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. It is especially important for crude oil, LNG and Gulf energy exports, and disruptions there can affect shipping costs, oil prices and energy security.
• Law of the Sea Angle: Under UNCLOS rules on international straits, ships and aircraft enjoy the right of transit passage through straits used for international navigation. The new permit and possible fee system has therefore raised legal and commercial questions among global shippers.