Daily Current Affairs- 6th August 2026

Daily Current Affairs- 6th August 2026

RBI Plans to Introduce Polymer Banknotes from FY28

In the News: Recent reports indicate that the Reserve Bank of India is preparing to bring polymer banknotes into circulation from around the beginning of FY28, meaning 2027 to 28, subject to successful field trials. The Centre has approved trials involving ₹10 and ₹20 polymer notes. The official parliamentary position remains that regular issuance will follow only after the trials are successfully completed.

Key Points:

• Denominations and Trial Size: The government has approved the introduction of 100 crore pieces each of ₹10 and ₹20 polymer notes for field trials. Together, this means two billion notes with a total face value of about ₹3,000 crore will be tested under real circulation conditions.
• Legal and Institutional Process: RBI submitted the proposal following a recommendation of its Central Board under Section 25 of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934. The provision is important because the form, design and material of banknotes require Central Government approval after considering the RBI Central Board's recommendations.
• Why Polymer Notes: Polymer banknotes are expected to have a considerably longer life than conventional paper based currency because they are more resistant to moisture, dirt and repeated handling. RBI has cited international studies showing greater durability, which could reduce the recurring cost of replacing soiled and damaged notes.
•  Paper Notes Will Continue: The government has clarified that polymer banknotes are proposed to circulate alongside existing paper banknotes. There is currently no proposal to withdraw paper currency or replace India's entire banknote stock with polymer based notes.

Centre Deploys Outbreak Team as Chandipura Virus Probe Expands in Gujarat and Rajasthan

In the News: The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare deployed a National Joint Outbreak Response Team, NJORT, to assist Gujarat and Rajasthan following a rise in Chandipura virus disease cases. Gujarat reported 184 suspected cases among children below 15 during the monsoon period, with 35 laboratory confirmed infections and 22 deaths reported by early August. The response focuses on epidemiological investigation, laboratory testing and vector control.

Key Points:

• About Chandipura Virus: Chandipura virus, or CHPV, belongs to the genus Vesiculovirus, family Rhabdoviridae and order Mononegavirales. It is an arbovirus capable of causing rapidly progressing acute encephalitis, particularly among children.
•  Discovery in India: The virus was first identified in 1965 at Chandipur village in Maharashtra. ICMR and the National Institute of Virology have studied the pathogen for decades, particularly following major outbreaks of encephalitis among children in western and central India.
•  Transmission and Risk Group: CHPV is primarily associated with vector transmission involving sandflies, while mosquitoes and ticks may also act as vectors. WHO notes that children below 15 years are particularly vulnerable and that no confirmed human to human transmission has been reported.
• Disease and Treatment: Infection can begin with fever and progress rapidly to vomiting, convulsions, altered consciousness, coma and Acute Encephalitis Syndrome, AES. There is currently no specific approved antiviral treatment or vaccine, so early detection and intensive supportive care remain important.
• Government Response: The NJORT is supporting surveillance, diagnostic investigation and containment in the affected states. Vector control, insecticide spraying, public awareness, timely referral of AES cases and improved laboratory surveillance are among the principal measures recommended during outbreaks.

Lok Sabha Passes Taxation and Other Laws Amendment Bill,2026

In the News: The Lok Sabha passed the Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026 on 6 August 2026. The legislation contains tax and investment related changes aimed at supporting domestic electronics manufacturing, attracting foreign capital and improving tax certainty. It also proposes changes relating to digital payment regulation and replaces the earlier Income tax (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026.

Key Points:

• Investment and Manufacturing Focus: The Bill seeks to strengthen India's position as a manufacturing and investment destination through tax incentives, particularly for the electronics manufacturing sector. It also contains measures intended to make India more attractive to foreign cloud service companies and overseas investment funds.
• Foreign Investment Funds: The proposed changes relax several conditions governing certain Eligible Investment Funds seeking favourable tax treatment in India. The objective is to reduce barriers for global fund managers and encourage greater management of foreign capital from India.
• REITs and InvITs: The legislation also changes tax provisions relating to Real Estate Investment Trusts and Infrastructure Investment Trusts. Certain dividend distributions received through Special Purpose Vehicles are proposed to receive revised tax treatment, with related changes concerning the Minimum Alternate Tax framework.
• Digital Payments and MDR: The Bill amends the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007, giving the government greater flexibility over the future regulatory framework for Merchant Discount Rate on notified digital payment modes. Importantly, passage of the Bill does not itself mean that a new charge is immediately imposed on every UPI transaction.
• Legislative Status: Passage by the Lok Sabha is only one stage in the law making process. The Bill must also clear the Rajya Sabha and receive the President's assent before becoming an Act, subject to the constitutional procedure applicable to the legislation.

SC Extends Protection Against Domestic Cruelty to Live-in Relationships

In the News: In Dr. Lokesh B.H. & Ors. v. State of Karnataka & Anr., decided on 3 August 2026, the Supreme Court held that Section 498A of the IPC can apply to qualifying live in relationships that are in the nature of marriage. The Court stressed that the relationship must possess marriage like characteristics and an intention to marry. The ruling was delivered by Justices Sanjay Karol and Nongmeikapam Kotiswar Singh.

Key Points:

•  Important Case Details: The judgment is reported as 2026 INSC 784 and concerns the scope of the expression "husband" under Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code, 1860. The Court adopted a purposive interpretation rather than restricting protection only to women whose marriages were formally valid.
•  Scope of Section 498A: The Court held that Section 498A may cover a live in relationship qualifying as a relationship in the nature of marriage, provided an intention to marry forms an intrinsic part of the relationship. The corresponding domestic cruelty provision under the present criminal law is Section 85 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
• Not Every Live in Relationship Covered: The judgment does not mean that every informal or temporary relationship automatically attracts Section 498A. The complainant must establish sufficient prima facie material showing that the relationship possessed the character of a marriage and involved the relevant intention contemplated by the Court.
• Safeguards Against Arrest: The Court simultaneously stressed safeguards against indiscriminate arrests in domestic cruelty cases. Police authorities must comply with the principles laid down in Arnesh Kumar v. State of Bihar, particularly before resorting to custodial action merely because a complaint has been filed.

Massachusetts and Boston Declare August 15 as ‘India Day’

In the News: Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu have recognised August 15 as India Day, coinciding with India's Independence Day. The 2026 proclamations highlight India's democratic heritage and the contributions of the Indian American community to the social, economic and cultural life of Massachusetts and Boston.

Key Points:

•  Date and Significance: India celebrates Independence Day on 15 August, marking independence from British colonial rule in 1947. The 2026 observance marks the 79th anniversary of independence and forms the historical basis for recognising August 15 as India Day.
• Officials to Remember: Maura Healey is the Governor of Massachusetts, while Michelle Wu is the Mayor of Boston. For competitive examinations, Massachusetts is a state in the northeastern United States, and Boston is both its capital and largest city.
• Indian American Contribution: The proclamations acknowledge the contribution of the Indian diaspora to areas such as healthcare, science, technology, education, entrepreneurship and public service. The recognition also reflects the sizeable and institutionally active Indian community in the New England region.
• India US People to People Ties: Such proclamations are examples of subnational diplomacy and diaspora engagement between India and the United States. Cultural celebrations, educational exchanges, business connections and Indian community organisations form an important people to people component of the wider bilateral relationship.
• Ceremonial Recognition: An "India Day" proclamation should not be confused with the creation of a new legal public holiday. Massachusetts gubernatorial proclamations are ceremonial recognitions, and August 15 is not listed among the Commonwealth's regular legal holidays for 2026.

Sheikh Hasina’s return to the spotlight: What this means for India-Bangladesh ties

In the News: Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina made her first media interaction since her 2024 ouster at an event hosted by the Foreign Correspondents' Club of South Asia in New Delhi on 5 August 2026. She said she intended to return to Bangladesh in December and called for the ban on her Awami League to be lifted. Bangladesh strongly criticised the event, adding new tension to already sensitive relations with India.

Key Points:

•  Background to Hasina's Stay in India: Sheikh Hasina left Bangladesh for India on 5 August 2024 after a student led uprising brought her government to an end. She has remained in India since then, making her presence an important and sensitive issue in bilateral relations.
• Political Situation in Bangladesh: Bangladesh is currently governed by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, whose Bangladesh Nationalist Party came to power following elections in February 2026. The BNP is a longstanding political rival of Hasina's Awami League.
• Legal Proceedings Against Hasina: A Bangladesh court sentenced Hasina to death in absentia in November 2025 over allegations connected with the crackdown during the 2024 uprising. Hasina has rejected the charges and verdict, describing the proceedings as politically motivated.
• Extradition Issue: Dhaka has repeatedly sought Hasina's return from India, while New Delhi has stated that Bangladesh's extradition request is being examined through the relevant legal and judicial processes. The issue therefore combines foreign policy considerations with questions of domestic and international legal procedure.
•  Impact on Bilateral Relations: Bangladesh's Foreign Ministry described Hasina's media interaction from Indian soil as damaging to efforts to reset relations. India and Bangladesh nevertheless retain extensive interests in border management, trade, transport connectivity, energy, river management and regional security, giving both governments incentives to prevent the Hasina issue from dominating the entire relationship.

SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Stage Believed to Crash into Moon: What Happened and Why It Matters

In the News: A spent SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage struck the Moon on 5 August 2026 near the Einstein crater region. The impact, which astronomers had predicted months in advance, has now been supported by before and after images captured by South Korea's Danuri lunar orbiter. The event has created an unusual scientific opportunity to study artificial lunar impacts and the growing challenge of tracking hardware in cislunar space.

Key Points:

•  What Actually Hit the Moon: The object was not an operational Falcon 9 rocket but a discarded upper stage, catalogued as 2025-010D. Scientific estimates placed its mass at around 3,900 kg, making it a substantial piece of human made space hardware.
•  Origin of the Rocket Stage: The stage came from a Falcon 9 launch on 15 January 2025 that sent lunar spacecraft toward the Moon, including Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lander. After completing its launch role, the stage remained in space and its evolving trajectory was subsequently tracked by astronomers.
• Impact Details: Scientists predicted the collision for about 06:34 to 06:35 UTC on 5 August 2026, near the Einstein crater region. The stage was expected to strike at approximately 2.43 km per second, equivalent to roughly 8,700 km per hour.
• Role of Danuri: South Korea's Danuri, or Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter, captured before and after observations showing the newly disturbed impact area. Danuri is South Korea's first lunar orbiter and is operated by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, KARI.