Daily Current Affairs- 30th July 2026

Daily Current Affairs- 30th July 2026

Indian Navy Launches ASW Shallow Water Craft ‘Machilipatnam’ to Strengthen Maritime Defence

In the News: Cochin Shipyard Limited launched Machilipatnam, the seventh of eight Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts being constructed for the Indian Navy. The launch marks another milestone in India’s indigenous naval shipbuilding programme and is expected to strengthen coastal surveillance and anti-submarine warfare capabilities.

Key Points

• Builder and Project: Machilipatnam, bearing Yard Number BY 529, has been constructed by Cochin Shipyard Limited at Kochi. It is the seventh vessel under an eight-ship ASW Shallow Water Craft project undertaken for the Indian Navy.
• Operational Capabilities: The craft is designed to conduct anti-submarine warfare operations in coastal waters. It can also undertake low-intensity maritime operations, mine-laying missions and subsurface surveillance.
• Technical Specifications: The vessel is 78 metres long and 11.36 metres wide, with a draught of approximately 2.7 metres. It displaces nearly 900 tonnes, can attain a maximum speed of 25 knots and has an endurance of 1,800 nautical miles.
• Underwater Surveillance Systems: Machilipatnam is designed to carry an indigenously developed Hull-Mounted Sonar and a Low-Frequency Variable Depth Sonar. These systems enable the detection and tracking of underwater threats, particularly submarines operating in shallow coastal waters.

Lok Sabha Passes Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026

In the News: The Lok Sabha passed the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026. The Bill seeks to strengthen the 2024 law by introducing stricter penalties, time-bound investigations and Special Fast Track Courts for offences involving paper leaks, impersonation and organised examination fraud.

Key Points:

• Parent Legislation: The Bill amends the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, which came into force on June 21, 2024. The Act applies to examinations conducted by bodies such as UPSC, SSC, Railway Recruitment Boards, IBPS and the National Testing Agency.
• Enhanced Individual Penalties: A person using unfair means may face imprisonment ranging from five to ten years, compared with the earlier range of three to five years. The maximum fine has also been increased from ₹10 lakh to ₹50 lakh.
• Service Providers and Organised Crime: The maximum fine on an offending examination service provider has been increased from ₹1 crore to ₹5 crore, while its debarment period has been extended from four to eight years. For organised examination crime, the minimum imprisonment has been increased to seven years, with a minimum fine of ₹10 crore.
• Special Fast Track Courts: Every State and Union Territory must designate a Court of Session as a Special Fast Track Court. Investigations must ordinarily be completed within two months, while trials must be conducted daily and completed within three months of filing the charge sheet.
• Investigation and Appeals: The Central Government may constitute a Special Task Force to investigate offences under the Act. Appeals from Special Fast Track Courts will lie before the High Court and should, as far as possible, be disposed of within three months.

Rajya Sabha Passes Bill Criminalising Insult to Vande Mataram

In the News: The Rajya Sabha passed the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026. The legislation extends to the national song, Vande Mataram, the statutory protection already available to the National Anthem under the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971.

Key Points:

• Amendment to the 1971 Act: The Bill amends the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, administered by the Ministry of Home Affairs. The parent legislation protects the National Flag, the Constitution of India and the National Anthem against specified forms of insult.
• Protection under Section 3: The Bill expands Section 3 of the 1971 Act to cover both the National Anthem and the National Song. It penalises intentionally preventing their singing or causing disturbance to an assembly engaged in such singing.
• Punishment Prescribed: An offence involving intentional obstruction or disturbance may be punished with imprisonment extending up to three years, a fine, or both. For a second or subsequent conviction, the law prescribes imprisonment of at least one year.
• Legislative Status: The Bill was introduced in the Rajya Sabha on July 24, 2026, and passed by the House on July 29. It was subsequently passed by the Lok Sabha on July 30, completing its passage through Parliament.
• Historical Facts about Vande Mataram: Vande Mataram was composed by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, published in Bangadarshan in 1875 and later included in his novel Anandamath in 1882. Rabindranath Tagore sang it at the 1896 Calcutta Session of the Indian National Congress, and the Constituent Assembly adopted it as India’s National Song on January 24, 1950.

DAANVEER Initiative

In the News: The Ministry of Panchayati Raj launched the DAANVEER initiative in New Delhi to strengthen the digital infrastructure of Gram Panchayats. Developed in collaboration with the National Informatics Centre and DigiHaat, the initiative enables citizens and organisations to voluntarily contribute computers to eligible Gram Panchayats through a transparent digital platform.

Key Points:

• Launching Ministry and Objective: DAANVEER was launched by Vivek Bharadwaj, Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj. It aims to bridge computer and technology gaps in Gram Panchayats and create a long-term, citizen-supported system for strengthening rural local institutions.
• Participation through Meri Panchayat App: Individuals, institutions and organisations can contribute standardised and quality-verified computer bundles through the Meri Panchayat mobile application. Its tagline, “Give Back to Your Village,” highlights voluntary participation in grassroots development.
• Integration with DigiHaat: The Meri Panchayat application is integrated with the DigiHaat marketplace, where donors can select pre-approved computer bundles conforming to State-specific technical standards. The selected equipment is delivered directly to the eligible Gram Panchayat.
• Transparency and Digital Tracking: Donors can track their contributions from dispatch to installation through the platform. Delivery details are automatically generated, reducing paperwork, while contributors receive a digital certificate of appreciation after completing the donation process.

India Rises from 82nd to 57th Global Rank in Pro-Competitive Reforms

In the News: India improved its global position from 82nd to 57th, registering a rise of 25 places in a ranking assessing structural and pro-competitive reforms. The improvement was recorded in the Competere Foundation’s report examining India’s progress in reducing anti-competitive market distortions between 2010 and 2023.

Key Points:

• Report and Ranking: The findings were published in the report titled “India’s Next Growth Frontier: Reducing Anti-Competitive Market Distortions to Build on India’s 2010–2023 Reform Progress.” The report was released by the Competere Foundation for Trade and Competition Policy.
• Market Distortions Performance Index: India’s reform trajectory was assessed under the Market Distortions Performance Index. The index examines how effectively an economy reduces government-created or regulatory barriers that restrict competition, investment and efficient market functioning.
• Three Assessment Pillars: The report evaluates market distortions across three broad pillars—protection of property rights, domestic competition and international competition. These pillars examine the legal, regulatory and trade conditions affecting businesses and consumers.
• Major Reform Drivers: India’s improved performance was linked to reforms such as the Goods and Services Tax, the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, modernisation of trade-facilitation systems and improvements in the regulatory environment. These measures reduced internal barriers and strengthened competitiveness.
• Release and Institutional Participation: The report was launched at the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi during an event organised by the Centre for Trade and Investment Law of the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, in collaboration with the Competere Foundation.