Current Affairs 19 July 2026

India Unveils First Engineering Biology Programme Along with 2035 Roadmap.

• India launched its first Engineering Biology graduation course and 2035 Bioeconomy Roadmap on 16 July 2026.
• Introduced Engineering Biology degree integrating engineering, medicine, and AI-based biology.
• Bioeconomy targets: $300 billion by 2030 and $700 billion by 2035.
• Bioeconomy grew from $10 billion (2014) to $95 billion (2026).
• Proposed ₹50,000 crore Bioeconomy Growth Fund for biomanufacturing and talent development.
• India has 11,000+ biotech startups and around 100 bio-incubators.
• BioE3 Policy launched to promote biotechnology-led innovation, employment, and sustainable manufacturing.

FDA Approves Lipfendra, World’s 1st Once-Daily Oral Cholesterol-Lowering Pill.

• FDA approved Lipfendra (enlicitide), the world’s first once-daily oral PCSK9 inhibitor for high cholesterol treatment.
• Developer: Merck.
• Mechanism: Blocks PCSK9 protein to increase LDL receptor activity and remove bad cholesterol from blood.
• Efficacy: Reduces LDL cholesterol by 56–60%.
• Used as an add-on therapy with statins and lifestyle changes.
• Approved for adults with hypercholesterolemia, including familial hypercholesterolemia.
• Provides an oral alternative to injectable PCSK9 inhibitors.

Tata Retains India’s Most Valuable Brand Title in Brand Finance 2026 Rankings.

• Brand Finance India 100 2026 report released; India’s top 100 brands valued at $252.8 billion (7% annual growth).
• Tata Group ranked 1st for the 10th consecutive year with a brand value of $33.6 billion.
• Infosys ranked 2nd ($16.4 billion); LIC ranked 3rd ($15.3 billion).
• Reliance Group brand value rose 11% to $10.8 billion.
• Adani Group entered the top 10 for the first time (8th rank) with $8.5 billion valuation.
• Taj Hotels remained India’s strongest brand with BSI score of 93.5/100.
• Suzlon Energy named the fastest-growing brand.
• TCS remained India’s most valuable IT brand at $21.2 billion.

NASA Astronaut of Indian Origin Anil Menon Embarks on First Space Mission.

• Indian-origin NASA astronaut Anil Menon launched his first ISS mission on 15 July 2026 for scientific research.
• Launched aboard Soyuz MS-29 from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan.
• Mission duration: 8 months (return scheduled in April 2027).
• Docked with the ISS Prichal module after a two-orbit journey.
• Crew included Roscosmos cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina.
• Mission focus: scientific experiments and technology demonstrations.
• First spaceflight for Anil Menon, a former US Air Force Lieutenant Colonel.

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

• Bharat Tex 2026, the world’s largest integrated textile value chain event, was inaugurated at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
• Organized by Bharat Tex Trade Federation with support from the Ministry of Textiles.
• Featured 20,000+ textile products across 1.6 million sq. ft. exhibition space.
• Participation of 6,000+ buyers from 130 countries and 1.3 lakh trade visitors.
• International participation from countries including USA, UK, Japan, South Korea, and New Zealand.
• Focus areas: Industry 5.0, circular economy, and technical textiles.
• Hosted 100+ knowledge sessions and CITI Textile Sustainability Awards 2026.