Daily Current Affairs 18 June 2026 – IAS Current Affairs

Current Affairs 18 June 2026 focuses on the Prelims-Mains perspective. Major events are :

Gender Quota in the Judiciary 

Source: Indian Express
GS I: Role of Women

Overview

1. News in Brief
2. Current Status Of Women In The Supreme Court
3. Glass Ceiling In The Judiciary
4. Need for Gender Quota
5. Suggested Reforms

Why in the News?

Justice V. Mohana was recently appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court.

News in Brief

• For women lawyers to become judges of the Supreme Court of India is a glass ceiling.
• The appointment of Justice V. Mohana has highlighted the low representation of women in India’s higher judiciary.
• It has renewed the call for gender quotas to ensure equitable representation.

Current Status Of  Women In The Supreme Court

• Justice V. Mohana became only the second woman lawyer directly elevated from the Bar to the Supreme Court.
• Women continue to face significant barriers in reaching the highest levels (Glass Ceiling) of the legal profession.
• The Supreme Court has historically appointed several male judges directly from the Bar, many of whom later became Chief Justices of India.
• Justice Indu Malhotra, the first woman directly elevated from the Bar in 2018, had a relatively short tenure and did not become part of the Collegium.

Glass Ceiling In The Judiciary

• Women’s representation in the Supreme Court remains disproportionately low.
• Despite increasing participation of women in legal education and practice, their presence in higher judicial positions remains limited.
• Structural barriers and institutional biases continue to hinder advancement.

Need for Gender Quota

• A gender quota can accelerate progress toward a more inclusive judiciary.
• Greater diversity can improve public confidence and institutional legitimacy.
• Judicial appointments in the Supreme Court already consider representation from different High Courts.
• Similar affirmative measures can be adopted for gender representation.

International Examples of Gender Quotas

South Africa

• Section 174(2) of the Constitution mandates that the judiciary reflect the country’s racial and gender composition.
• Six of the eleven judges of the Constitutional court are Women.
• South Africa also has a woman Chief Justice.

Belgium

• In 2014, Belgium amended its constitutional court law to introduce a gender quota.
• At least one-third of judges must belong to each gender.
• Once the threshold was achieved, every third appointment had to be a woman.
• Belgium’s Constitutional court also uses linguistic and professional quotas.

Comparative Representation of Women in Apex Courts

Country                                Women Judges (%)

South Africa                                  54.5%

Canada                                             50%

Belgium                                            50%

Germany                                          50%

United States                                 44.4%

Australia                                           42.85%

France                                                33.33%

Singapore                                         24%

India                                                     5.4%

Nepal                                                   17%

United Kingdom                            17%

Suggested Reforms

• Ensure at least 33.3% representation of women in the Supreme Court and High Courts.
• Introduce a formal policy requiring periodic appointment of women judges.
• Consider Constitutional amendments to Articles 124 and 217 to mandate diversity in judicial appointments.
• Increase representation of women from marginalized communities, including SC, ST, OBC, and minority groups.
• Adopt the Belgium model where, after a specified number of male appointments, the next appointment is reserved for a woman until representation targets are achieved.

Conclusion

• India needs a structured roadmap to increase women’s representation in the higher judiciary.
• Alongside merit-based appointments, targeted measures and institutional reforms can help achieve a more representative and inclusive judicial system.

UPSC Prelims Practice Question

Consider the following statements regarding Women’s representation in the Judiciary

1. 1. Justice Indu Malhotra was the first woman to be directly elevated from the Bar to the Supreme Court.
   2. Women constitute a relatively small proportion of judges in the Supreme Court of India.
   3. The Constitution currently mandates a minimum quota for women judges in the Supreme Court.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

a)1 and 2 only

b)2 and 3 only

c) 1 and 3 only

d) 1,2 and 3

Answer: a) 1 and 2 only

District-Level GDP For Inclusive Growth

Source: Indian Express
GS III: Indian Economy and Issues relating to Planning, Inclusive Growth and issues arising from it

Overview

1. News in Brief
2. Need for District-level GDP
3. Challenges associated with District-level GDP
4. Way Forward

Why in the News?

At the recent meeting of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog, the Prime Minister called for district-level GDP estimates.

News in Brief

• The Prime Minister urged the preparation of District-Level GDP estimates to assess economic performance at the grassroots level.
• The proposal aims to strengthen localized and evidence-based development planning across districts.
• The initiative aligns with the vision of inclusive growth and the goal of achieving Viksit Bharat 2047.

Need For District-Level GDP

• Traditional economic measurement focuses on national and state-level aggregates.
• Growth does not automatically percolates to all regions.
• District-level data can improve policy precision and targeted interventions.

Evidence of Regional Disparities

• As per NITI Aayog’s SDG India Index, the top 100 districts contribute around 40% of India’s output.
• The bottom 400 districts contribute less than 15%.
• Highlights uneven development across regions.

Lessons from Aspirational District Programme

• The Aspirational Districts Programme was launched to accelerate development in 112 relatively underperforming districts.
• Improved social and developmental outcomes several districts.
• However, it lacked a robust economic baseline for measuring growth.

Significant for Fiscal Federalism

• Helps allocate resources based on local economic realities.
• Supports recommendations of the 15th and 16th Finance Commissions for stronger district-level planning.
  • • • • States are encouraged to allocate resources directly to district administrations.
        • However, without a clear understanding of local needs, and reliable local-level data, can dilute the effectiveness of these transfers.
• Can improve the effectiveness of fiscal devolution.

Role in Economic Planning

• Identifies local industries, employment patterns, and production capacities.
• Supports districts as export hubs and integration into global value chains.
• Enables evidence-based planning and investment decisions.

Significant for Viksit Bharat 2047

• Promotes inclusive and balanced regional development.
• Helps reduce distress migration.
• Supports conversion of India’s demographic dividend into productive economic growth.
• Enables measurement of welfare and development alongside income.

Challenges Associated With District-Level GDP

Large informal economy

• A significant share of economic activity in agricultural, petty trade, construction, and services remains outside formal records.

Data Limitations

• Reliable and timely district-level economic data are often unavailable.

  

Capacity constraints

• Many districts lack adequately trained statistical personnel and institutional capacity.

Methodological inconsistencies

• Variations in estimation techniques across states can affect comparability.

Coordination challenges

• Effective estimation requires cooperation among central, state and district-level institutions.

High administrative costs

• Data collection, verification, and reporting involve substantial financial and logistical resources.

Reporting and transparency issues

• Inconsistent reporting standards may undermine the accuracy and credibility of estimates.

Way Forward

• Develop a standardized national framework for district GDP estimation to ensure uniformity and comparability.
• Strengthen district statistical systems, including statistical offices and digital data infrastructure.
• Build administrative and technical capacity at the district level for data collection and analysis.
• Enhance coordination among NITI Aayog, state planning bodies, and district planning committees.
• Integrate district GDP estimates into local development planning and decision-making.
• promote transparency and accountability in data collection, reporting, and dissemination.
• Use district-level economic indicators for targeted policy interventions, fiscal devolution and resource allocation.

UPSC Prelims Practice Question

Consider the following statements regarding District-level GDP  in India

1. 1. It provides a more granular understanding of economic performance than state-level GDP.
   2. It can support targeted fiscal devolution and local development planning.
   3. It can help identify regional disparities that may be hidden in national and state averages.
   4. The Aspirational Districts Programme was originally designed to estimate district-level GDP.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

a) 1 and 2 only

b) 1, 2, and 3 only

c)  4 only

d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Answer: b)  1,2 and 3 only

Explanation: The Aspirational District Programme focused on improving developmental outcomes, not on estimating district-level GDP.

India-EU Free Trade Agreement

Source: Indian Express
GS II: Bilateral, Regional, and Global Groupings and Agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests

Overview

1. News in Brief
2. Key Highlights
3. Significance of India-EU FTA
4. Challenges in FTA negotiations
5. Way Forward

Why in the News?

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is expected to be concluded and signed by the end of 2026.

News in Brief

• The announcement was made during her meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the G7 Summit.
• Both sides reviewed progress in ongoing negotiations and emphasized the need for an early conclusion of the agreement.
• The proposed FTA is expected to boost trade, investment, supply-chain resilience, and strategic cooperation between India and the European Union.

Key Highlights

• India and the EU have accelerated negotiations on a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement.
• Leaders emphasized the early conclusion and implementation of the agreement.
• The FTA is expected to become a landmark achievement in India-EU economic relations.

Trade and Investment opportunities

• The agreement is expected to
  • Increase bilateral trade
  • Enhance investment flows
  • Improve market access for businesses
  • Strengthen economic cooperation across sectors.

Supply Chain Diversification

• Both sides highlighted the importance of resilient and diversified supply chains.
• The FTA is viewed as a response to disruptions arising from geopolitical conflicts and global economic uncertainities.

Strategic Partnership

• Discussions reviewed progress under the India-EU Comprehensive Strategic Agenda adopted in January 2026.
• India and the EU  reiterated commitment to
  • A resilient and multipolar global order.
  • Peace, stability and prosperity.
  • Sustainable development and effective multilateral cooperation.

Security and Defence Cooperation

• The EU proposed expanding cooperation in
  • Maritime security
  • Defence partnerships
  • Emerging technologies
  • Strategic connectivity initiatives.

India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC)

• Both sides reaffirmed support for the India-Middle East- Europe Economic Corridor.
• IMEC aims to improve
  • Connectivity
  • Trade logistics
  • Infrastructure links between Asia, the Middle East and Europe.

Significance of India-EU FTA

• Strengthens India-EU partnership amid global geopolitical uncertainty.
• Promotes resilient supply chains and economic security.
• Enhances cooperation in technology, climate action and connectivity.

For India

• Greater access to European markets
• Increased foreign investment
• Boost to manufacturing and exports
• Support for India’s global value chain integration.

For the EU

• Access to one of the world’s fastest-growing major economies.
• Diversification of trade partnerships.
• Reduced dependence on concentrated supply chains.

Challenges in FTA negotiations

• Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) implications.
  • Increase costs for Indian exports.
• Mobility and visa-related issues for professionals.
• Regulatory standards and compliance requirements.
  • Divergent regulations and compliance requirements create trade barriers.
• Market access for agricultural and industrial products.
• Tariff reduction disputes.

European Union

Way Forward

• Sustain regular dialogue and political commitment to achieve a timely and mutually beneficial FTA.
• Address sensitive sectors through phased commitments.
• Strengthen investment and technology partnerships.
• Align trade objectives with sustainable development goals.
• Ensure mutually beneficial outcomes for both India and the EU.

UPSC Prelims Practice Question

Consider the following statements regarding IMEC (India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor)

1. 1. The  IMEC is a multi-model connectivity corridor linking India with Europe through the Middle East.
   2. It passes through the Suez Canal as its primary transport route.
   3. China is a founding signatory of the IMEC initiative.

Which of the above statements are correct?

a)1 and 2 only

b)3 only

c) 1 only

d) 1,2 and 3

Answer: c) 1 only

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