Daily Current Affairs: 21 July 2026

Current affairs of 21 July 2026: UNFPA Demographic Futures Survey 2026: Key Findings; E-Commerce Council of India: IAMAI’s New Industry Body; FIFA World Cup 2026: 48 Teams, Three Hosts, 104 Matches, and 9 more topics. Key facts for every exam, with a quiz.

Take the quiz (22 questions)July 2026

In this issue: 12 topics

National Affairs

FIFA World Cup 2026: 48 Teams, Three Hosts, Key Facts
Supreme Court Judges Bill 2026: Strength Up From 34 to 38
World Chess Day 2026: 20 July, FIDE and UN Recognition
Rahul Himalian Takes Charge as IRCTC CMD

Government Schemes

Rs 2,719.80 Crore Urban Challenge Fund Projects for Ahmedabad
NIELIT to Set Up Semiconductor Skill Centres in Ahmedabad and Guwahati

Banking & Finance

RBI Financial Inclusion Index Rises to 70.0 for FY26

Economy

E-Commerce Council of India: IAMAI’s New Industry Body
WPI Inflation at 9.87%: Fuel Costs and Food Shocks Drive Prices

International Affairs

WTO Fisheries Subsidies Agreement: India Accepts as 123rd Member

Environment & Ecology

Lestes paloti: New Spreadwing Damselfly Found in Kerala’s Western Ghats

Reports & Indexes

UNFPA Demographic Futures Survey 2026: Key Findings

National Affairs

Sports

1. FIFA World Cup 2026: 48 Teams, Three Hosts, Key Facts

The 23rd FIFA World Cup began on 11 June 2026 with 48 teams and 104 matches, expanded from 32 teams and 64 matches.
Hosts are the United States (11 cities), Mexico (3) and Canada (2), giving 16 host cities; the event runs 39 days.
Argentina is the defending champion; Cape Verde, Curacao, Jordan and Uzbekistan are first-time participants.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

Polity & Governance

2. Supreme Court Judges Bill 2026: Strength Up From 34 to 38

The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026 was introduced in the Lok Sabha on 20 July 2026.
It raises sanctioned strength from 34 to 38 judges including the CJI, replacing a May 2026 ordinance.
It amends Section 2 of the 1956 Act, changing 33 to 37 judges excluding the CJI.
Article 124(1) lets Parliament change the number by law; no constitutional amendment is needed.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

International Relations

3. World Chess Day 2026: 20 July, FIDE and UN Recognition

World Chess Day is observed every year on 20 July.
FIDE, the International Chess Federation, was founded on 20 July 1924 in Paris.
The UN General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/74/22 on 12 December 2019, proclaiming the day.
AffairsCloud reports the 2026 theme as 'Celebrate, create and make a difference'.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

Awards & Persons

4. Rahul Himalian Takes Charge as IRCTC CMD

Rahul Himalian became IRCTC's Chairman and Managing Director effective 20 July 2026.
He is a 1999-batch Indian Railway Traffic Service officer with over 26 years of experience.
He succeeds Sanjay Kumar Jain.
He was earlier IRCTC's Director (Tourism & Marketing).

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

Government Schemes

Economy

5. Rs 2,719.80 Crore Urban Challenge Fund Projects for Ahmedabad

Six Ahmedabad projects worth Rs 2,719.80 crore were approved under the Urban Challenge Fund, as reported on 17 July 2026.
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs approved them.
Funding follows a 25:25:50 pattern: Centre, State, and bonds, loans or PPP.
The Urban Challenge Fund provides Rs 1 lakh crore of central assistance over five years.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

Government Schemes

6. NIELIT to Set Up Semiconductor Skill Centres in Ahmedabad and Guwahati

NIELIT will build semiconductor-skilling Centres of Excellence in Ahmedabad (Gujarat) and Guwahati (Assam).
Training will cover OSAT, ATMP technologies, chip design, testing and packaging.
Partners named include Tata Electronics, Infineon and Semiconductor Complex Limited.
The effort supports the India Semiconductor Mission.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

Banking & Finance

7. RBI Financial Inclusion Index Rises to 70.0 for FY26

The RBI's FI-Index for FY26 stood at 70.0 (March 2026), up 4.48% from 67.0 a year earlier.
The index weights Access 35%, Usage 45% and Quality 20% across 97 indicators.
Final SNFA norms take effect on 1 October 2026 under the Resolution of Stressed Assets Directions, 2025.
Regulated entities cannot sell an SNFA back to the defaulting borrower or related parties.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

Economy

8. E-Commerce Council of India: IAMAI’s New Industry Body

IAMAI started the E-Commerce Council of India (ECCI), the first national council of its kind for digital commerce.
It represents a $120-billion ecosystem and seeks one common voice before government.
Around 70-80 founding members include Amazon, Flipkart, Swiggy and Meesho.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

Economy

9. WPI Inflation at 9.87%: Fuel Costs and Food Shocks Drive Prices

WPI inflation reached 9.87% in June 2026, up from 9.68% in May, a record under the 2022-23 base series.
Retail CPI inflation was far lower at 4.38% in June.
Fuel and power inflation was 27.41%, easing from 30.33% in May.
The authors blame fuel costs and food supply shocks rather than excess demand.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

International Affairs

Agriculture & Rural Development

10. WTO Fisheries Subsidies Agreement: India Accepts as 123rd Member

India handed over its Instrument of Acceptance of the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies on 20 July 2026, the 123rd member to do so.
The agreement bans subsidies for IUU fishing, overfished stocks and unregulated high seas fishing.
It was adopted at MC12 in Geneva in June 2022 and entered into force on 15 September 2025.
Aquaculture and inland fisheries are outside its scope.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

Environment & Ecology

11. Lestes paloti: New Spreadwing Damselfly Found in Kerala’s Western Ghats

Odonatologists described Lestes paloti, a spreadwing damselfly, from Kerala's Western Ghats.
No new Lestes species had been found in the Western Ghats for almost 96 years before this one.
It lives in scrub near homes and on laterite hillocks, often far from visible water.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

Reports & Indexes

Health & Social Issues

12. UNFPA Demographic Futures Survey 2026: Key Findings

UNFPA's Demographic Futures Survey 2026 covered 108,926 internet-connected adults aged 18-39 across 73 countries and territories.
Economic and housing constraints were the top barrier to parenthood, cited by 72%.
Indian women want 2.1 children but 35-39 year olds average 1.0; for men it is 2.2 against 1.1.
India's fertility rate is about 1.9-2.0, under the 2.1 replacement level.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

Test yourself

22 questions from the news of 21 July 2026, with answers and explanations.

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Daily Current Affairs: 21 July 2026

In this issue: 12 topics

National Affairs

1. FIFA World Cup 2026: 48 Teams, Three Hosts, Key Facts

2. Supreme Court Judges Bill 2026: Strength Up From 34 to 38

3. World Chess Day 2026: 20 July, FIDE and UN Recognition

4. Rahul Himalian Takes Charge as IRCTC CMD

Government Schemes

5. Rs 2,719.80 Crore Urban Challenge Fund Projects for Ahmedabad

6. NIELIT to Set Up Semiconductor Skill Centres in Ahmedabad and Guwahati

Banking & Finance

7. RBI Financial Inclusion Index Rises to 70.0 for FY26

Economy

8. E-Commerce Council of India: IAMAI’s New Industry Body

9. WPI Inflation at 9.87%: Fuel Costs and Food Shocks Drive Prices

International Affairs

10. WTO Fisheries Subsidies Agreement: India Accepts as 123rd Member

Environment & Ecology

11. Lestes paloti: New Spreadwing Damselfly Found in Kerala’s Western Ghats

Reports & Indexes

12. UNFPA Demographic Futures Survey 2026: Key Findings

Test yourself