Current Affairs 18 July 2026

BIS to Launch India’s 1st Standards for Mangrove Restoration.

• BIS finalized the draft of India’s first national guidelines for mangrove restoration.
• Establishes a uniform national standard for mangrove restoration.
• Promotes biodegradable alternatives to polythene in plantation activities.
• Encourages native species-based restoration to support biodiversity.
• Integrates livelihood support and carbon credits into restoration efforts.
• Voluntary at present; proposal to make it mandatory is under consideration.

Spanish Firm Submer Announces $2 Billion Investment in MP Semiconductors.

• Spain’s Submer Group announced a $2 billion (₹19,000 crore) investment in Madhya Pradesh’s semiconductor and data centre sector.
• Investment: $2 billion (₹19,000 crore).
• Employment: Expected to create 5,000 direct jobs.
• Infrastructure: 15 acres allotted for a data centre at Acharpura Industrial Area.
• Focus: Development of semiconductor ecosystem, data centres, and Global Capability Centres (GCCs).

QCI and NSIC Forge Partnership to Boost MSME Competitiveness.

• QCI and NSIC signed a five-year MoU to strengthen MSME quality and market access.
• Boosts MSME certification and digital market access.
• Promotes NABL-accredited testing and AI-enabled export support.
• Facilitates MSME onboarding to ONDC.
• A Joint Coordination Committee will monitor implementation.

India Kicks Off UNSC 2028–29 Campaign Under SHANTI Vision.

• India launched its campaign for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council (2028–29 term).
• Campaign based on SHANTI: Securing Holistic Advancement through Norms, Trust and Integrity.
• India is contesting against Tajikistan for the Asia-Pacific Group seat.
• Election to be held in June 2027 at the UN General Assembly; requires a two-thirds majority.
• India has served as a non-permanent UNSC member 8 times.
• India is among the largest contributors to UN Peacekeeping Missions.

India Gets Its 1st Monthly Index Tracking Services Production by MoSPI.

• MoSPI launched India’s first trial Index of Services Production (ISP) on 14 July 2026 to track monthly services sector activity.
• Base Year: 2024–25; covers April 2026 data.
• Coverage: 19 sub-sectors covering around 60% of the services sector.
• Highest Growth: Accommodation & Food Services (37.2%), Retail Trade (30.8%).
• Sector Trend: 14 out of 19 sub-sectors recorded double-digit growth.
• Decline: Air Transport (-13.9%) and Railway Transport (-0.4%).
• Release: Index to be published on the 29th of every month.
• Data Sources: GST data, administrative records, and ASISSE survey.