Current Affairs 08 July 2026

ISRO Successfully Completes 1st SOLVE Ground Test for Gaganyaan Mission.

• ISRO successfully conducted the first ground test of SOLVE (Sub-Orbital Launch Vehicle for Experiments) on 3 July 2026.
• Test conducted at Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), Sriharikota.
• SOLVE solid motor is derived from the PSLV Strap-on Motor.
• Purpose: Test platform for Integrated Parachute Tests for the Gaganyaan Crew Module.
• Simulates crew module descent from an altitude of 10–17 km.
• Parachute system designed with 10 parachutes for safe sea splashdown.
• Supports validation of crew recovery and safety systems for Gaganyaan.

Commonwealth Records Recognise Nearly 10,000 Indian Soldiers of World War I.

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) added 9,909 Indian WWI servicemen to its casualty database.
• This is the largest update to CWGC records in over 80 years.
• Majority of recognised soldiers belonged to undivided Punjab.
• Community composition: 40% Muslims, 25% Sikhs, 25% Hindus.
• Names recovered through digitisation of handwritten military registers from Lahore Museum.
• Records were earlier omitted as soldiers who died away from battlefields were excluded.
• Around 1.3 million Indian soldiers served in World War I (1914–1918).

India Takes Chair of 9th UNCTAD IGE Session on Consumer Protection.

• South Korea will launch its fourth next-generation medium-sized Earth observation satellite on 7 July 2026.
• Launch vehicle: SpaceX Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base, USA.
• Satellite weight: Around 500 kg.
• Equipped with indigenous high-resolution observation cameras.
• Capable of imaging the Korean Peninsula every three days.
• Planned orbit: 888 km altitude.
• Will undergo 4 months of in-orbit testing before operations in 2027.
• Applications: Agriculture, forest management, disaster response, climate monitoring, and public safety.

Kirti Vardhan Singh Represents India at UN AI Governance Dialogue.

• Kirti Vardhan Singh will lead India’s delegation at the first Global Dialogue on AI Governance.
• Venue: Geneva, Switzerland (6–7 July 2026).
• Established under UN General Assembly Resolution 79/325.
• Based on the Global Digital Compact adopted in the Pact for the Future (2024).
• Key themes:
• Social and economic impact of AI.
• Safe, trustworthy AI and reducing AI divide.
• Human rights in AI development.
• First annual report of the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI (IISPA) will be presented.
• Objective: Build AI capabilities in developing countries for sustainable development goals

Andhra Pradesh Introduces Millet Chikki Under Dokka Seethamma Meal Scheme.

• Andhra Pradesh introduced millet-based chikki under the Dokka Seethamma Mid-Day Meal Scheme.
• Replaces traditional peanut chikki with a mix of peanuts, jaggery, ragi, jowar, and bajra.
• Distributed to government school students three times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday).
• Aims to improve intake of calcium, iron, protein, and dietary fibre.
• Uses barcode-based monitoring for transparent supply and distribution.
• Millets (Shree Anna) are nutritious, gluten-free crops requiring less water than rice and wheat.