Daily Current Affairs July 18, 2026

Current Affairs and GK updates 18/07/2026

Here is the Daily current affairs and GK updates of the day for UPSC,SSC,IBPS,RRB,NTPC and other competitive exams preparations.This updates particularly focus on news updates from 18th July 2026.

National

• e-VSP portal:The e-VSP Portal of Vidhi Sahitya Prakashan of the Legislative Department was launched by Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal, Hon’ble Minister of State (Independent charge) for Law and Justice, at a function held at Kartavya Bhawan-2, New Delhi on 15th July, 2026. The event marked a milestone in expanding Digital Access to Legal knowledge by making important judgments of Hon’ble Supreme Court and High Courts, legal journals, reference books and other legal literature in Hindi language accessible online to lawyers, judicial officers, teachers, students and citizens across the world.
• The National Health Authority (NHA) today concluded the two-day National Review Meeting on Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) and the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) in New Delhi.
• Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) is the world's largest government-funded health assurance scheme, providing up to ₹5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization. It offers cashless and paperless medical treatment across empanelled public and private hospitals nationwide with no cap on family size or age.
• The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) is a flagship initiative by the Government of India designed to build a comprehensive, integrated digital health infrastructure across the country. Managed by the National Health Authority (NHA), it acts as a digital highway connecting patients, hospitals, labs, pharmacies, and insurers on a single network.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated 75 redeveloped railway stations across 20 states from Jalandhar in Punjab last evening. These stations have been modernised under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme (ABSS) which is one of the world's largest station redevelopment programmes.
• Saushrutam 2026 :President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the three-day international Ayurvedic surgery seminar ‘Saushrutam 2026’ at the All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), New Delhi, commemorating Sushruta Jayanti.
• In a landmark development for India's private space sector, Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace successfully launched Vikram-1 on 18 July 2026 under Mission Aagaman.The four-stage orbital rocket lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), Sriharikota, and successfully placed multiple technology-demonstration payloads into Low Earth Orbit (LEO).The mission made Skyroot the first Indian private company to successfully conduct an orbital launch from Indian soil, placing India among the countries with private orbital launch capability.

The Supreme Court of India clarified that deletion of a person's name from the electoral roll does not automatically result in loss of Indian citizenship.The clarification came in the context of the ongoing discussion around the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.The Court stated that while the Election Commission has control over electoral rolls, determination of citizenship is a matter for the appropriate authority of the Central Government.

• Citizenship provisions: Articles 5–11
• Article 324: Constitutional basis for powers of ECI
• Citizenship Act: Citizenship Act, 1955
• SIR: Special Intensive Revision

International

• 12th BRICS Labour & Employment Ministers' Meeting:Hosted under India's 2026 BRICS Chairship in Hyderabad, Telangana.Adopted the BRICS Labour Declaration and launched BRICS CONNECT, a dedicated platform proposed by India to foster technical cooperation, digital job mobility, and cross-border capacity building.

Economy and banking

• SEBI Warns Against Emerging 'Boss Scam':The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) warned regulated entities and listed companies about a growing cyber fraud known as the “Boss Scam.”In this scam, fraudsters impersonate senior executives such as:CEOs,Managing Directors,Senior financial officers etc.They may use AI-generated voices, deepfakes, fake messages or malicious software to convince employees to transfer money or disclose sensitive information.How to Prevent It- Companies are advised to strengthen:

• Multi-level approval systems
• Independent verification
• Financial transaction controls
• Cybersecurity protocols
• Employee awareness Appointments

Sports and culture

• Indian badminton star PV Sindhu reached the women's singles final of the Japan Open 2026.She advanced after China's Chen Yufei retired during their semifinal because of a hamstring injury.Sindhu was leading 21–19, 15–10 when Chen withdrew.Sindhu was scheduled to face Japan's Akane Yamaguchi in the final.
• In FIFA World Cup, European rivals France and England will lock horns in the third-place playoff match at the Miami Stadium tonight.
• The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) today announced that Olympic medallists Mirabai Chanu and Lovlina Borgohain will serve as India's flag and baton bearers at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

Days Observed

• July 18: Nelson Mandela International Day( honoring the birth anniversary).Designated by the UN General Assembly in 2009; commemorates Nelson Mandela's 67-year fight for social justice and human rights.
• July 18: Sushruta Jayanti.Celebrated across national medical and AYUSH institutions honouring the ancient Indian surgeon and physician Sushruta.

Awards and recognition

72nd National Film Awards Announced:The 72nd National Film Awards were announced in New Delhi on 18 July 2026 for films certified by the Central Board of Film Certification during 2024.

CategoryWinner

• Best Feature Film -Article 370
• Best Actress -Yami Gautam – Article 370
• Best Actor -Mammootty – Bramayugam
• Best Actor- Kartik Aaryan – Chandu Champion
• Best Director- Rajkumar Periasamy – Amaran
• Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment- Kalki 2898 AD

Static GK for exam preparations

• Sushruta & Ancient Indian Medicine:Title: Known as the "Father of Surgery" and "Father of Plastic Surgery". Authored the Sushruta Samhita, a foundational Sanskrit text of Ayurveda detailing over 300 surgical procedures, 120 surgical instruments, and techniques like rhinoplasty.
• Indus Waters Treaty:The Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), 1960 continued to remain an important India-Pakistan diplomatic issue.India has kept the treaty in abeyance following the Pahalgam terror attack, while discussions have continued around the treaty's future and India's demand for its modification and renegotiation.
• The treaty was signed in 1960 between:
• India
• Pakistan
• with the World Bank playing an important role in its conclusion
• Rivers Under the Treaty
• Eastern Rivers – India:Ravi,Beas and Sutlej
• Western Rivers – Pakistan:Indus,Jhelum and Chenab.

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