1 PM Modi will flag off India’s first hydrogen train
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off India’s first hydrogen train, running between Jind and Sonipat, at Jind Railway Station in Haryana on Friday . This project is part of Indian Railways’ ” Hydrogen for Heritage ” initiative. Under this plan, the Railways is preparing to introduce 35 more hydrogen trains in the future to provide an environmentally friendly alternative to the old diesel engines operating on heritage and rural routes. The new train is designed as a 10-coach hydrogen-powered DEMU set . It has 682 seats and a total capacity of 2,600 passengers. The train achieved higher speeds during testing, but its maximum speed for regular operations has been set at 75 kilometers per hour. Since this is still a pilot project, its rollout is being carried out in a controlled and cautious manner. Mr. Modi will lay the foundation stone and inaugurate various development projects worth approximately ₹14,700 crore at the Eklavya Stadium in Jind. The Prime Minister will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of various development projects worth over Rs 6,600 crore, including healthcare, education and road infrastructure, in Chandigarh this afternoon.
The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved ” SEMICON 2.0 ” to strengthen the semiconductor design and manufacturing ecosystem in the country . A budget of ₹1,27,500 crore has been allocated for this scheme. Under SEMICON 2.0, the semiconductor ecosystem will be developed on six key pillars : chip design, machinery and materials development, establishment of more fab units, strengthening the ATMP/OSAT industry, research and development (R&D), and talent development . The government aims to promote intellectual property (IP), chip design, and the development of cutting-edge technologies in the country. The scheme will encourage startups and industries engaged in chip design. Research and development of machinery, chemicals, gases, and other materials required for semiconductor manufacturing will also be promoted. The government will also encourage the establishment of new manufacturing units in India, such as silicon fabs, compound semiconductor fabs, discrete component fabs, and display fabs. The government said that so far 12 manufacturing units with investment of more than Rs 1.64 lakh crore have been approved under Semicon 1.0.
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the Mobile Phone Manufacturing Scheme (MPMS) with a budgetary outlay of ₹62,500 crore . To boost production and domestic value addition, improve supply chain resilience, and enhance global competitiveness, the government has launched the Mobile Phone Manufacturing Scheme (MPMS). The objective of the MPMS scheme is to build indigenous brands to achieve technological sovereignty, capture significant economic value, and leverage Indian patents in design and research and development. The scheme is valid for five years, from FY 2026-27 to FY 2030-31. The scheme provides incentives at varying rates, ranging from 2.25 to 5 percent, on eligible sales for manufacturing mobile phones in the country. The scheme also includes an additional incentive of up to 1.5 percent for domestic sourcing of key components/sub-assemblies. To create an Indian brand, an additional incentive of 3 per cent on eligible sales is also given for product design and research and development.
The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) has granted in-principle approval to two strategic maritime infrastructure projects under the Shipbuilding Development Scheme (SBDS) , a greenfield shipbuilding cluster in Gujarat’s Porbandar district and a state-of-the-art ship repair facility at Vadinar in the Gulf of Kutch , marking a significant step in India’s ambition to emerge as a global shipbuilding hub. The in-principle approval for both projects under the Shipbuilding Development Scheme (SBDS), a key component of the Government of India’s strategy to strengthen indigenous shipbuilding and ship repair capabilities under the Maritime Amrit Kal Vision 2047 , includes financial support for the establishment of a greenfield shipbuilding cluster on the west coast and the development of one of the country’s largest ship repair facilities. The Greenfield Shipbuilding Cluster will be developed through the National Shipbuilding and Heavy Industries Park-Gujarat (NSHIP-Gujarat), a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) jointly set up by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) and the Gujarat Maritime Board.
Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar announced that the state will build India’s first government Artificial Intelligence (AI) university , as well as establish an AI hub for startups, researchers, and industry. He made the announcement while inaugurating ‘ Google I/O Connect India 2026 ‘ at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC) in Bengaluru . Karnataka Chief Minister Shivakumar said that AI will be incorporated in education through AI-based teaching, in healthcare through early diagnosis and better clinical support, in agriculture through AI-based advisory services, in faster delivery of government services to people, and in small businesses through AI-powered tools. He called AI the most important technological change of this generation.
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, describing it as a proud moment for the Rajouri district, announced that the historic Bhairav Yatra of Rajouri has been officially included in the list of India’s National Intangible Cultural Heritage . The Rajouri Bhairav Yatra is a centuries-old and highly popular spiritual festival in the Rajouri region of Jammu and Kashmir, primarily celebrated during the Holi festival. The Yatra is known for its unique traditions and religious fervor. The most distinctive feature of this Yatra is that a devotee assumes the form of Baba Bhairav Dev, his entire body is painted black, and he leads the grand procession. During the Yatra, he symbolically touches devotees with a pair of tongs. Locals believe this brings good luck, protection, and the blessings of Baba Bhairav.
7 DIBD and PNB sign MoU to promote inclusive digital banking with multilingual AI
Digital India Bhashini Division ( DIBD) of Digital India Corporation ( DIC) under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and Punjab National Bank (PNB) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote multilingual AI-based banking services under the ‘ Bhashini for Services/Operations ‘ initiative. The partnership aims to provide citizen-centric, accessible and inclusive digital banking services. The collaboration will integrate Bhashini’s indigenous AI-based language technologies into PNB’s digital banking ecosystem, enabling customers to access banking services and digital platforms in their preferred Indian language.
Indian-origin NASA astronaut Anil Menon launched aboard Russia ‘s Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft . This marks the beginning of his first spaceflight as part of an eight-month mission focused on scientific research and demonstrating new technologies. The Soyuz spacecraft lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan , carrying Menon along with Roscosmos cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina . The spacecraft reached orbit shortly after launch and, after a two-orbit journey of approximately three hours, automatically docked with the Prichal module of the International Space Station (ISS). According to NASA, the newly arrived crew will spend approximately eight months aboard the orbital laboratory before returning to Earth in April 2027 .
9 12th BRICS Labour and Employment Ministers’ Meeting begins in Hyderabad
The 12th BRICS Labour and Employment Ministers’ Meeting has begun in Hyderabad under India’s chairmanship for 2026. The high-level discussions, chaired by Union Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya and Minister of State Shobha Karandlaje, are focusing on topics such as promoting social protection, increasing women’s participation in the workforce, assessing global skills, and leveraging digital technologies for gig and platform workers.
10 Skill India Mission completes 11 years
The 11th anniversary of the Skill India Mission is being celebrated. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the mission in 2015. Its objective is to equip youth for employment, entrepreneurship, and sustainable livelihoods by providing them with modern, market-relevant technical and vocational training. Following the 2014 declaration of the United Nations General Assembly , World Youth Skills Day is celebrated every year on July 15th . Its primary objective is to empower youth with the skills needed for employment, better livelihoods, and entrepreneurship.