8 August 2026 Current Affairs (With PDF)

We bring you the most relevant and important news updates from around the world and India, specially curated for competitive exams and different entrance exams. Today's Current Affairs cover all significant national and international headlines, legal updates, economic news, and environmental highlights to boost your preparation. With our crisp, to-the-point coverage, you can confidently tackle current affairs questions in your exam.

Indian Statistical Institute Bill, 2026

Why in News?
The Indian Statistical Institute Bill, 2026 was introduced in the Lok Sabha to replace the Indian Statistical Institute Act, 1959.

About Indian Statistical Institute (ISI)

• Founded: 1931 by statistician P.C. Mahalanobis.
• Initially registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, and subsequently under the West Bengal Societies Registration Act, 1961.
• Institution of National Importance: Recognised under the ISI Act, 1959.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).
• Headquarters: Kolkata.

Key Provisions of the Bill

1. Change in Legal Status

• Converts ISI from a registered society into a statutory body corporate established under Parliamentary legislation.

2. New Board of Governors

• The existing 33-member Council would be replaced by an 11-member Board of Governors.
• The Board would function as the principal executive and policymaking body.
• It would include a Visitor-nominated Chairperson, statistical experts, internal institutional representatives.

3. Role of the Visitor

• The President of India would serve as the Visitor.
• The Visitor would have powers relating to inspection, inquiries and review of institutional functioning.

4. Appointment of Director

• The Director would be selected from a panel recommended by a government-constituted search-cum-selection committee, replacing the existing institutional selection mechanism.

5. Academic Council

• A formal Academic Council, headed by the Director, would oversee academic programmes, eligibility criteria and examinations.

6. Expanded Academic Mandate

• The proposed framework expands ISI’s scope beyond traditional statistics to include Data science, Computer science, Cryptology, Other quantitative sciences
• The Bill also provides for establishment of domestic and overseas campuses.

7. Financial Autonomy and Revenue Generation

• ISI would be encouraged to achieve greater financial self-sufficiency through Consultancy, Sponsored research, Patent commercialisation, Other revenue-generating activities

Major Concerns

• Institutional Autonomy: Greater government nomination in governing structure and executive influence over Director selection have raised concerns about academic autonomy and independent research.
• Student Welfare: Greater emphasis on revenue generation has triggered concerns regarding the continuation of tuition-free education and student stipends.
• Limited Consultation: Faculty, students and the ISI community have raised concerns about the absence of adequate consultation before introducing the Bill.
• Centralisation: Critics argue that proposed governance structure could increase central administrative control over a historically autonomous institution.
• Kolkata Headquarters: The Bill's failure to explicitly specify Kolkata as the headquarters has generated concerns regarding possible administrative or institutional relocation.

Extradition of Fugitive Criminals to India

Why in News?
India brought back 274 fugitive criminals from 36 countries between 2019 and 2026, reflecting greater use of international cooperation, diplomatic engagement and law-enforcement coordination to secure the return of fugitives.

India’s Extradition Framework

1. Nodal Authority

• Consular, Passport and Visa Division of Ministry of External Affairs administers Extradition Act, 1962.
• India has extradition treaties with 48 countries and extradition arrangements with 12 countries.

2. Dual Criminality

• An offence must generally constitute a punishable offence in both India and the requesting country for extradition to proceed.
• Most treaties prescribe a minimum punishment threshold, commonly one year or more.

3. Rule of Specialty

• A person extradited to India can generally be prosecuted only for the offences for which extradition was granted.

4. Political Offence Exception

• Extradition may be refused where the offence is considered political in character. However, this protection generally does not extend to serious offences such as terrorism and violent crimes.

5. Interpol Cooperation

• The CBI, as India's National Central Bureau for Interpol, coordinates international police cooperation and may seek Red Notices to help locate and provisionally detain fugitives.

Fugitive Economic Offenders

• The Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018 provides a mechanism for confiscating properties of individuals who have left India to avoid prosecution; and are accused of specified economic offences involving ₹100 crore or more.
• A Special Court under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 deals with proceedings under the legislation.

Major Challenges

• Retrieval Delays: Extradition proceedings depend heavily on the judicial and administrative processes of the country where the fugitive is located.
• Evidence Collection: Delays in Letters Rogatory can hamper access to foreign bank records, financial documents and other evidence.
• Human Rights Claims: Fugitives may challenge extradition by citing concerns over prison conditions, fair trial guarantees or potential human-rights violations.
• Asset Recovery: Identifying, freezing and ultimately confiscating assets located overseas can involve lengthy judicial and diplomatic processes.
• Citizenship Issues: Some jurisdictions restrict extradition of their own nationals, potentially complicating India's efforts to secure surrender.

Government Measures

• BHARATPOL: A technology platform designed to facilitate coordination between Indian law-enforcement agencies and Interpol and other international police authorities.
• International Police Cooperation: Greater use of Interpol mechanisms, diplomatic channels and intelligence-sharing arrangements helps locate fugitives and build extradition cases.
• Inter-Agency Coordination: Domestic agencies increasingly coordinate intelligence, investigation, financial-tracking and diplomatic follow-up to strengthen extradition requests.

Evaluation of India–US Trade Relations

Why in News?

The Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Commerce presented its 200th Report on “Evaluation of India–US Trade Relations”, examining tariff and non-tariff barriers, changing trade patterns and measures required to strengthen bilateral economic ties.

Key Challenges

1. Rapid Expansion of Services Trade

• India–US services trade more than doubled from US$40.53 billion in 2014 to US$98.52 billion in 2024.
• India’s services imports from the US have grown faster, recording a CAGR of 18.68%, compared with 11.58% for services exports.

2. Tariff and Non-Tariff Barriers

• US tariff measures have emerged as a major concern for Indian exporters.
• The report notes the potential impact of these measures on India’s ambition to achieve US$500 billion in bilateral trade by 2030 under Mission 500.
• The US tariff cited in the report is 18%, compared with the earlier rate of 3%.

Major Recommendations

1. Institutional Mechanism

• Establish a time-bound monitoring and review mechanism under the Trade Policy Forum.
• Ensure faster resolution of bilateral trade-related concerns.

2. Accelerate India–US BTA

• Fast-track the Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA).
• Simplify regulations and provide greater policy predictability to improve investor confidence.

3. Strengthen Manufacturing Competitiveness

• Leverage Make in India, Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme, National Logistics Policy, PM Gati Shakti
• These measures can improve India's cost competitiveness and attract multinational companies seeking diversified supply chains.

4. MSME Export Resilience Scheme

• Provide subsidised finance and affordable export credit.
• Offer technical assistance to help MSMEs meet international quality and compliance requirements.

5. National Supplier Development Fund

• Provide fiscal incentives and matching grants for Product redesign, Tooling, Certification, Integration into global value chains

6. Export Invoice Discounting Facility

• Establish a state-backed invoice-discounting mechanism to provide liquidity to MSMEs during trade disruptions.
• This can help protect employment and maintain export continuity.

7. Critical Minerals Cooperation

• India should strengthen critical-mineral partnerships through platforms and initiatives such as National Critical Mineral Mission, FORGE, IPEF, QUAD
• The objective is to secure supply chains for critical minerals and emerging technologies.

8. Friend-Shoring Opportunities

• India can position itself as a reliable manufacturing partner for US companies by integrating Indian firms into supply chains for Electronics, Semiconductors, Clean energy technologies.

Heatwave and Lightning Added to Notified Disasters

Why in News?

• Heatwave and lightning have been included in the list of notified natural calamities eligible for assistance under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).
• The inclusion follows the recommendation of the 16th Finance Commission and applies to the operational guidelines for the 2026–31 award period.

Key Highlights

1. New Disasters Added

• Heatwave
• Lightning

States can now utilise SDRF resources to provide relief and assistance to people affected by these hazards.

2. Institutional Framework

• SDRF: Primary fund available with States for responding to notified disasters.
• NDRF: Supplements SDRF when disasters are severe and require additional financial assistance.
• The revised framework applies for 2026–31.

3. Significance

• The inclusion is particularly important because heatwaves and lightning have increasingly caused Loss of human lives, Livestock deaths, Damage to property and livelihoods, Health emergencies, Agricultural and economic losses
• It also enables States to respond through an established disaster-financing mechanism rather than relying exclusively on separate relief arrangements.

What is a Disaster?

• Under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, a disaster refers to a catastrophe, mishap, calamity or grave occurrence arising from natural or man-made causes that results in substantial Loss of life; Human suffering or damage to property; or Environmental damage, and is of such magnitude as to be beyond the coping capacity of the affected community.
• The notified-disaster framework now covers 14 categories, including the newly added heatwave and lightning: Cyclone, Drought, Earthquake, Fire, Flood, Tsunami, Hailstorm, Landslide, Avalanche, Cloudburst, Pest attack, Frost and cold wave, Heatwave, Lightning.

Asiatic Lion

Why in News?

Six decades of conservation efforts have increased the Asiatic lion population from around 100–150 to more than 1,000. However, its major vulnerability remains its concentration in a single natural landscape in Gujarat, making the population susceptible to disease outbreaks and other landscape-level threats.

About Asiatic Lion

• Scientific name: Panthera leo persica
• Habitat: Primarily grasslands and deciduous forests, with a preference for shady riverine areas in hot and dry climatic conditions.
• Present Distribution: Wild Asiatic lions are found exclusively in Gujarat, primarily within the Gir Protected Area and surrounding landscapes.
• Gir Landscape: Includes Gir National Park, Gir Wildlife Sanctuary and adjoining protected forests and habitats.

Major Conservation Concerns

1. Single-Population Vulnerability

• Concentration in one broad landscape increases vulnerability to catastrophic events such as disease outbreaks, epidemics and natural disasters.

2. Canine Distemper Virus (CDV)

• Disease outbreaks, particularly Canine Distemper Virus, pose a serious conservation concern for the isolated lion population.

3. Habitat Fragmentation

• Expansion of infrastructure and human activities can fragment habitats and restrict movement between suitable landscapes.

4. Human–Wildlife Conflict

• Interaction with livestock and communities surrounding the Gir landscape can create conflict.

Conservation Measures

• 1965: Gir forest was declared a lion sanctuary.
• 1973: The Lion Project was launched to strengthen conservation of the species and its habitat.
• Habitat management, prey-base protection, disease surveillance and mitigation of human–lion conflict remain important components of conservation.

World Development Report 2026: The Promise of AI

Why in News?

The World Bank released the World Development Report 2026: The Promise of AI, providing a comprehensive assessment of how artificial intelligence could reshape employment, productivity, inequality and development in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Key Findings

1. Uneven Automation Risk

• Around 14.2% of jobs in high-income countries face potential automation risks from generative AI.
• The corresponding figure for low- and middle-income countries is 4.5%.
• Lower exposure does not necessarily imply greater preparedness; developing economies often lack the infrastructure and skills required to benefit from AI.

2. Productivity Potential

• AI could increase productivity in more than 16% of existing jobs in developing economies.
• In advanced economies, the potential extends to more than 18% of jobs.

3. Growing AI Divide

• Advanced AI models are concentrated among a relatively small number of countries and technology companies.
• This concentration could widen the technological and economic gap between advanced and developing economies.

4. Infrastructure and Institutional Deficits

• Many developing countries face shortages of Digital infrastructure, Computing capacity, High-quality education and skills, Reliable institutions, Locally relevant datasets
• Only a limited number of developing economies have the capacity to build sophisticated AI models independently, with examples including India’s Sarvam AI, UAE’s Falcon and Sub-Saharan Africa’s InkubaLM.

e-Pratyaropan Portal

Why in News?

The National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO) launched the e-Pratyaropan portal on the occasion of the 16th Indian Organ Donation Day (3 August) to modernise and streamline India’s organ-transplantation ecosystem.

About e-Pratyaropan

• It is a unified digital platform connecting Hospitals, Doctors, Donors, Recipients, Transplant authorities
• It facilitates registration, waiting-list management, organ allocation and monitoring.
• Implementing Agency: NOTTO
• Ministry: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

Key Features

1. Digital Waiting Lists

• Transplant centres upload recipient information onto the portal.
• The system automatically generates waiting lists at Hospital level, State level, Regional level, National level

2. Real-Time Matching

• Enables faster identification and allocation of suitable organs to registered recipients.

3. Transparency

• Reduces dependence on manual processes and strengthens transparency in organ allocation.

4. Prevention of Malpractice

• Digitalised processes can help reduce opportunities for manipulation and irregularities in transplantation.

5. Integrated Monitoring

• Creates a common digital ecosystem through which transplant authorities can monitor the transplantation process more efficiently.

India’s Organ Transplantation Scenario

• India conducted more than 20,000 organ transplants in 2025, compared with around 5,000 in 2013.
• Kidney transplantation accounts for the largest share, followed by liver, heart and lung transplants.
• India ranks third globally in total organ transplants, after the United States and China.
• India is also a global leader in living-donor transplantation.

Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC)

Why in News?

• The Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) has been recognised by the WHO South-East Asia Regulatory Network (SEARN) as a Regional Centre of Excellence in Pharmacovigilance and a Technical Centre in Quality of Medicines.
• The recognition was announced at the 10th Anniversary Meeting of SEARN held in Kathmandu, Nepal.

About SEARN

• SEARN stands for South-East Asia Regulatory Network.
• It is a collaborative platform established by the WHO South-East Asia Regional Office (WHO-SEARO).
• Established in 2016.

About Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission

• Established: 1 January 2009
• Nature: Autonomous body
• Funding: Fully financed by the Central Government through budgetary allocations
• Administrative Ministry: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

Key Mandates

1. Indian Pharmacopoeia

• IPC regularly revises and publishes the Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP).
• It serves as the official book of standards for drugs included in the Pharmacopoeia under the Second Schedule of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.

2. National Formulary of India

• IPC publishes and updates the National Formulary of India.

3. Reference Standards

• Provides Indian Pharmacopoeia Reference Substances for quality testing and standardisation of medicines.

4. Capacity Building

• Conducts training and supports stakeholders on various pharmacopoeial and medicine-quality issues.

Cabinet Secretary

Why in News?

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), headed by the Prime Minister, approved a one-year extension for Cabinet Secretary Dr. T. V. Somanathan.

About the Cabinet Secretary

• The Cabinet Secretary is the senior-most civil servant in India and the administrative head of the Cabinet Secretariat.
• The Cabinet Secretariat functions under the direct charge of the Prime Minister.
• The Cabinet Secretary is considered primus inter pares—“first among equals”—among Union Government secretaries.
• He is the ex-officio Chairman of the Civil Services Board.
• He ranks 11th in the Indian Order of Precedence.

Key Functions

1. Inter-Ministerial Coordination

• Facilitates coordination among different ministries and departments.
• Helps resolve inter-departmental differences and ensures coherent implementation of government decisions.

2. Principal Administrative Adviser

• Acts as an important administrative adviser to the Prime Minister and the Union Cabinet.

3. Crisis Management

• Heads the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC), which coordinates the government's response to major crises and disasters.

4. Cabinet Secretariat

• Provides secretarial assistance to the Cabinet and Cabinet Committees and facilitates the decision-making process of the Union Government.

Appointment and Tenure

• The Cabinet Secretary is appointed by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC).
• The normal tenure is 2 years.
• The tenure can be extended up to 4 years.
• Extension beyond four years requires relaxation of the relevant service rules on a case-by-case basis.

First Cabinet Secretary

• Sir Narayanan Raghavan Pillai was the first Cabinet Secretary of independent India.

COSPAR Vikram Sarabhai Medal 2026

Why in News?

• Astrophysicist Annapurni Subramaniam was awarded the COSPAR Vikram Sarabhai Medal 2026 at the 46th COSPAR Scientific Assembly in Florence, Italy.
• She became the fourth Indian, first Indian woman, and third woman overall to receive the prestigious honour.

About COSPAR Vikram Sarabhai Medal

• Instituted: 1990, in memory of Vikram Sarabhai, regarded as the father of India’s space programme.
• Purpose: Recognises outstanding contributions to space research by scientists from developing countries.
• Awarded by: Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) jointly with ISRO.
• COSPAR: An international organisation associated with the International Science Council and the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UN-COPUOS).
• Established: 1958, following the launch of Sputnik-1 by the Soviet Union in 1957.
• COSPAR Scientific Assembly: Held biennially, bringing together scientists from across the world.

Annapurni Subramaniam – Key Facts

• Indian astrophysicist and space scientist.
• 2026: Received the COSPAR Vikram Sarabhai Medal.
• 2024: Awarded Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar – Vigyan Shri in the Space Science and Technology category.
• First Indian woman to receive the COSPAR Vikram Sarabhai Medal.

Lesotho

Why in News?

India and Lesotho reviewed their bilateral relations during the 6th India–Lesotho Joint Bilateral Commission for Cooperation (JBCC) meeting held in New Delhi.

About Lesotho

• Capital: Maseru
• Location: Southern Africa
• Geographical Status: Landlocked country completely surrounded by South Africa.
• Nickname: “Kingdom in the Sky”, reflecting its exceptionally high elevation.
• Topography: Around two-thirds of the country is mountainous.
• Major Mountain Ranges: Drakensberg and Maloti.
• Highest Peak: Mount Ntlenyana.
• Elevation: Lesotho is the only country in the world whose entire territory lies above 1,400 metres.
• Lesotho is a member of United Nations, African Union, Commonwealth of Nations

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