diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index 2c308d5e9d..dbf25626d4 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ jobs:
       MINGW: ${{ matrix.config.cross == 'mingw' }}
       MINI: ${{ matrix.config.mini != '' }}
       PPC64LE: ${{ matrix.config.cross == 'ppc64le' }}
-      REF_GIT_TAG: v23.11
+      REF_GIT_TAG: v24.03
       RISCV64: ${{ matrix.config.cross == 'riscv64' }}
       RUN_TESTS: ${{ contains(matrix.config.checks, 'tests') }}
       STDATOMIC: ${{ contains(matrix.config.checks, 'stdatomic') }}
diff --git a/ABI_VERSION b/ABI_VERSION
index 0dad123924..9dc0ade502 100644
--- a/ABI_VERSION
+++ b/ABI_VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-24.1
+24.2
diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index 58dfef16ef..2081979127 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-24.03.0
+24.07.0-rc0
diff --git a/doc/guides/rel_notes/index.rst b/doc/guides/rel_notes/index.rst
index 88f2b30b03..77a92b308f 100644
--- a/doc/guides/rel_notes/index.rst
+++ b/doc/guides/rel_notes/index.rst
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ Release Notes
     :maxdepth: 1
     :numbered:
 
+    release_24_07
     release_24_03
     release_23_11
     release_23_07
diff --git a/doc/guides/rel_notes/release_24_03.rst b/doc/guides/rel_notes/release_24_03.rst
index 8e7ad8f99f..013c12f801 100644
--- a/doc/guides/rel_notes/release_24_03.rst
+++ b/doc/guides/rel_notes/release_24_03.rst
@@ -6,55 +6,9 @@
 DPDK Release 24.03
 ==================
 
-.. **Read this first.**
-
-   The text in the sections below explains how to update the release notes.
-
-   Use proper spelling, capitalization and punctuation in all sections.
-
-   Variable and config names should be quoted as fixed width text:
-   ``LIKE_THIS``.
-
-   Build the docs and view the output file to ensure the changes are correct::
-
-      ninja -C build doc
-      xdg-open build/doc/guides/html/rel_notes/release_24_03.html
-
-
 New Features
 ------------
 
-.. This section should contain new features added in this release.
-   Sample format:
-
-   * **Add a title in the past tense with a full stop.**
-
-     Add a short 1-2 sentence description in the past tense.
-     The description should be enough to allow someone scanning
-     the release notes to understand the new feature.
-
-     If the feature adds a lot of sub-features you can use a bullet list
-     like this:
-
-     * Added feature foo to do something.
-     * Enhanced feature bar to do something else.
-
-     Refer to the previous release notes for examples.
-
-     Suggested order in release notes items:
-     * Core libs (EAL, mempool, ring, mbuf, buses)
-     * Device abstraction libs and PMDs (ordered alphabetically by vendor name)
-       - ethdev (lib, PMDs)
-       - cryptodev (lib, PMDs)
-       - eventdev (lib, PMDs)
-       - etc
-     * Other libs
-     * Apps, Examples, Tools (if significant)
-
-     This section is a comment. Do not overwrite or remove it.
-     Also, make sure to start the actual text at the margin.
-     =======================================================
-
 * **Added HiSilicon UACCE bus support.**
 
   Added UACCE (Unified/User-space-access-intended Accelerator Framework) bus
@@ -200,15 +154,6 @@ New Features
 Removed Items
 -------------
 
-.. This section should contain removed items in this release. Sample format:
-
-   * Add a short 1-2 sentence description of the removed item
-     in the past tense.
-
-   This section is a comment. Do not overwrite or remove it.
-   Also, make sure to start the actual text at the margin.
-   =======================================================
-
 * log: Removed the statically defined logtypes that were used internally by DPDK.
   All code should be using the dynamic logtypes (see ``RTE_LOG_REGISTER()``).
   The application reserved statically defined logtypes ``RTE_LOGTYPE_USER1..RTE_LOGTYPE_USER8``
@@ -220,18 +165,6 @@ Removed Items
 API Changes
 -----------
 
-.. This section should contain API changes. Sample format:
-
-   * sample: Add a short 1-2 sentence description of the API change
-     which was announced in the previous releases and made in this release.
-     Start with a scope label like "ethdev:".
-     Use fixed width quotes for ``function_names`` or ``struct_names``.
-     Use the past tense.
-
-   This section is a comment. Do not overwrite or remove it.
-   Also, make sure to start the actual text at the margin.
-   =======================================================
-
 * eal: Removed ``typeof(type)`` from the expansion of ``RTE_DEFINE_PER_LCORE``
   and ``RTE_DECLARE_PER_LCORE`` macros aligning them with their intended design.
   If use with an expression is desired applications can adapt by supplying
@@ -249,55 +182,12 @@ API Changes
 ABI Changes
 -----------
 
-.. This section should contain ABI changes. Sample format:
-
-   * sample: Add a short 1-2 sentence description of the ABI change
-     which was announced in the previous releases and made in this release.
-     Start with a scope label like "ethdev:".
-     Use fixed width quotes for ``function_names`` or ``struct_names``.
-     Use the past tense.
-
-   This section is a comment. Do not overwrite or remove it.
-   Also, make sure to start the actual text at the margin.
-   =======================================================
-
 * No ABI change that would break compatibility with 23.11.
 
 
-Known Issues
-------------
-
-.. This section should contain new known issues in this release. Sample format:
-
-   * **Add title in present tense with full stop.**
-
-     Add a short 1-2 sentence description of the known issue
-     in the present tense. Add information on any known workarounds.
-
-   This section is a comment. Do not overwrite or remove it.
-   Also, make sure to start the actual text at the margin.
-   =======================================================
-
-
 Tested Platforms
 ----------------
 
-.. This section should contain a list of platforms that were tested
-   with this release.
-
-   The format is:
-
-   * <vendor> platform with <vendor> <type of devices> combinations
-
-     * List of CPU
-     * List of OS
-     * List of devices
-     * Other relevant details...
-
-   This section is a comment. Do not overwrite or remove it.
-   Also, make sure to start the actual text at the margin.
-   =======================================================
-
 * AMD platforms
 
   * CPU
diff --git a/doc/guides/rel_notes/release_24_07.rst b/doc/guides/rel_notes/release_24_07.rst
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a69f24cf99
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/guides/rel_notes/release_24_07.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,138 @@
+.. SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
+   Copyright 2024 The DPDK contributors
+
+.. include:: <isonum.txt>
+
+DPDK Release 24.07
+==================
+
+.. **Read this first.**
+
+   The text in the sections below explains how to update the release notes.
+
+   Use proper spelling, capitalization and punctuation in all sections.
+
+   Variable and config names should be quoted as fixed width text:
+   ``LIKE_THIS``.
+
+   Build the docs and view the output file to ensure the changes are correct::
+
+      ninja -C build doc
+      xdg-open build/doc/guides/html/rel_notes/release_24_07.html
+
+
+New Features
+------------
+
+.. This section should contain new features added in this release.
+   Sample format:
+
+   * **Add a title in the past tense with a full stop.**
+
+     Add a short 1-2 sentence description in the past tense.
+     The description should be enough to allow someone scanning
+     the release notes to understand the new feature.
+
+     If the feature adds a lot of sub-features you can use a bullet list
+     like this:
+
+     * Added feature foo to do something.
+     * Enhanced feature bar to do something else.
+
+     Refer to the previous release notes for examples.
+
+     Suggested order in release notes items:
+     * Core libs (EAL, mempool, ring, mbuf, buses)
+     * Device abstraction libs and PMDs (ordered alphabetically by vendor name)
+       - ethdev (lib, PMDs)
+       - cryptodev (lib, PMDs)
+       - eventdev (lib, PMDs)
+       - etc
+     * Other libs
+     * Apps, Examples, Tools (if significant)
+
+     This section is a comment. Do not overwrite or remove it.
+     Also, make sure to start the actual text at the margin.
+     =======================================================
+
+
+Removed Items
+-------------
+
+.. This section should contain removed items in this release. Sample format:
+
+   * Add a short 1-2 sentence description of the removed item
+     in the past tense.
+
+   This section is a comment. Do not overwrite or remove it.
+   Also, make sure to start the actual text at the margin.
+   =======================================================
+
+
+API Changes
+-----------
+
+.. This section should contain API changes. Sample format:
+
+   * sample: Add a short 1-2 sentence description of the API change
+     which was announced in the previous releases and made in this release.
+     Start with a scope label like "ethdev:".
+     Use fixed width quotes for ``function_names`` or ``struct_names``.
+     Use the past tense.
+
+   This section is a comment. Do not overwrite or remove it.
+   Also, make sure to start the actual text at the margin.
+   =======================================================
+
+
+ABI Changes
+-----------
+
+.. This section should contain ABI changes. Sample format:
+
+   * sample: Add a short 1-2 sentence description of the ABI change
+     which was announced in the previous releases and made in this release.
+     Start with a scope label like "ethdev:".
+     Use fixed width quotes for ``function_names`` or ``struct_names``.
+     Use the past tense.
+
+   This section is a comment. Do not overwrite or remove it.
+   Also, make sure to start the actual text at the margin.
+   =======================================================
+
+* No ABI change that would break compatibility with 23.11.
+
+
+Known Issues
+------------
+
+.. This section should contain new known issues in this release. Sample format:
+
+   * **Add title in present tense with full stop.**
+
+     Add a short 1-2 sentence description of the known issue
+     in the present tense. Add information on any known workarounds.
+
+   This section is a comment. Do not overwrite or remove it.
+   Also, make sure to start the actual text at the margin.
+   =======================================================
+
+
+Tested Platforms
+----------------
+
+.. This section should contain a list of platforms that were tested
+   with this release.
+
+   The format is:
+
+   * <vendor> platform with <vendor> <type of devices> combinations
+
+     * List of CPU
+     * List of OS
+     * List of devices
+     * Other relevant details...
+
+   This section is a comment. Do not overwrite or remove it.
+   Also, make sure to start the actual text at the margin.
+   =======================================================
