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Current affairs

Latest edition: September 2026. Covered from 1 June to 30 September 2026. Next edition, October 2026, publishes on 5 November 2026.

The monthly magazine

July 2026

5 lead articles · 46 new articles · 7 updates

LeadPrelims and MainsLaunch vehicles, satellites and applications

Vikram-1: a private Indian rocket reaches orbit

Vikram-1, built by Skyroot Aerospace of Hyderabad, lifted off from Sriharikota on 18 July 2026 and placed its payloads in low Earth orbit. It is the first privately built Indian rocket to reach orbit.

LeadPrelims and MainsVaccines and immunisation

India's first dengue vaccine

The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation granted marketing authorisation to Qdenga in July 2026, the first dengue vaccine approved in India, for people aged 4 to 60.

LeadMainsMilitary platforms, drones and new weapons

Drones, autonomy and the cost of defence

Reports in July 2026 on the conflict between the United States and Iran showed that about nine in ten attack drones were shot down, yet each interceptor cost far more than the drone it destroyed. In the same month the Defence Acquisition Council cleared drone and counter drone systems for the Indian forces.

LeadPrelims and MainsSolar energy

Solar manufacturing: modules without cells

A rule in force from 1 June 2026 requires solar projects under government schemes, net metering and open access to use cells made in India. India makes far fewer cells than modules, so by July many module factories stood idle for want of cells.

  • about 200 GWIndia's capacity to make solar modules
  • 27 GWits capacity to make solar cells, on paper
  • about 95 per centof India's cell imports that come from China

LeadPrelims and MainsCyber security and data protection

Cyber security of critical infrastructure: the Kudankulam leak

A ransomware group published about 19,000 files relating to the Kudankulam nuclear power plant in July 2026. The files were taken from a contractor's data held with a third party provider, and not from the plant's own network.

Science and Technology

1Space

1.1Launch vehicles, satellites and applications

  • 1.1.1Vikram-1: a private Indian rocket reaches orbitLead

    Vikram-1, built by Skyroot Aerospace of Hyderabad, lifted off from Sriharikota on 18 July 2026 and placed its payloads in low Earth orbit. It is the first privately built Indian rocket to reach orbit.

2Defence technology

2.1Military platforms, drones and new weapons

  • 2.1.1Drones, autonomy and the cost of defenceLead

    Reports in July 2026 on the conflict between the United States and Iran showed that about nine in ten attack drones were shot down, yet each interceptor cost far more than the drone it destroyed. In the same month the Defence Acquisition Council cleared drone and counter drone systems for the Indian forces.

3Health and disease

3.1Vaccines and immunisation

  • 3.1.1India's first dengue vaccineLead

    The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation granted marketing authorisation to Qdenga in July 2026, the first dengue vaccine approved in India, for people aged 4 to 60.

4Computing and AI

4.1Cyber security and data protection

5Energy technology

5.1Solar energy

  • 5.1.1Solar manufacturing: modules without cellsLead

    A rule in force from 1 June 2026 requires solar projects under government schemes, net metering and open access to use cells made in India. India makes far fewer cells than modules, so by July many module factories stood idle for want of cells.

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