Current Affairs June 2025 revision sheet

Position	Astronaut	Affiliation	Nationality	Flight Number
Commander	Peggy Whitson	Axiom Space (former NASA astronaut)	United States	Fifth flight
Pilot	Shubhanshu Shukla	Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)	India	First flight
Mission Specialist 1	Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski	ESA / POLSA	Poland	First flight
Mission Specialist 2	Tibor Kapu	Hungarian Space Office (HSO)	Hungary	First flight

National Affairs · 110

Osaka World Expo 2025

1 & 2 June 2025

A global exhibition held every five years to promote cross-cultural exchange and innovation.
Described as an “immersive civilisational experience”, focusing on India’s ancient philosophies and global identity rooted in compassion and wisdom.

Union Education Ministry Urges Jharkhand and Bihar to Address Unrecognised Schools

1 & 2 June 2025

Section 19 of RTE Act (2009) requires schools established before 2009 to comply with RTE norms within 3 years of the Act’s commencement.
The RTE Act was effective from April 1, 2010.
The Abidjan Principles on the Right to Education were adopted in 2019 by a committee of international human rights law experts.
46,421 teachers

"NITI Aayog to Release National Brain Health Blueprint to Combat Rising Cognitive Disorders"

1 & 2 June 2025

Improve early diagnosis of cognitive disorders through dedicated brain health clinics.
Integration of services for lifestyle modification, affordability, and interventions (both digital and in-person).

NAKSHA (National Geospatial Knowledge-Based Land Survey of Urban Habitations) Programme

1 & 2 June 2025

Objective: Equip 304 nominated ULB-level and district officers from 157 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) with practical skills in geospatial technologies for urban land surveys.
Type: Central Sector Scheme (100% centrally funded)
95% of Records of Rights (RoR) digitized
68% of cadastral maps digitized

India Emerges as Major Hub for Illegal Online Gambling, Says CUTS Report

1 & 2 June 2025

High direct traffic share (66% of 5.4 billion visits) shows strong brand recall and engagement, largely bypassing search engines or regulated app ecosystems.
In March 2025 , Parimatch’s traffic surpassed major Indian domains like:
Over 5.4 billion visits were recorded in FY25 to the top 15 unauthorised gambling platforms, including 1xBet, Parimatch, Stake, Fairplay, and BateryBet, according to a report by CUTS International.
Estimated annual deposits on these illegal platforms: $100 billion.

Union Government Invites Proposals for DDACs in 291 Gap Districts

3 June 2025

Must submit proposals by June 30, 2025.
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has invited proposals to establish District De-Addiction Centres (DDACs) in 291 “gap” districts across 30 States and Union Territories. This is part of the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR).
Capacity: Can house 15 or 30 patients, based on specific government norms.
Chhattisgarh: 31 of 33 districts

Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2023-24

3 June 2025

India's literacy rate has reached 80.9% for individuals aged seven years and above, as reported in the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2023–24. Despite this progress, significant disparities persist across gender and urban-rural lines.
Overall literacy rate (7+ years): 80.9%
Overall literacy rate (5+ years): 79.7%
Male literacy (7+ years): 87.2%

Rank	State/UT	Literacy Rate (%)
1	Mizoram	98.2
2	Lakshadweep	97.3
3	Kerala	95.3
4	Tripura	93.7
5	Goa	93.6

Launch of Bharat Gen: India’s First Indigenously Developed Multimodal AI LLM

3 June 2025

Launch of Generative AI Hackathon 2025 to engage students in solving real-world problems using AI
Aligns with NEP 2020 promoting interdisciplinary and multilingual education
Languages supported: 22 Indian languages
Executed through 25 Technology Innovation Hubs (TIHs); 4 of them upgraded to Technology Translational Research Parks (TTRPs)

Axiom Mission-4

4 June 2025

Expected to dock with the ISS at approximately 12:30 p.m. ET on June 11 after ~28 hours in orbit.
Launch of Axiom Mission-4 (Ax-4) to the International Space Station postponed from June 8 to June 10, 2025, due to weather and final checks.
New Date: June 10, 2025
Time: 8:22 a.m. Eastern Time (ET)

FGD Units Not Mandatory for Most Coal Power Plants in India

4 June 2025

Only 8% of the 600 coal TPPs in India have installed them to date.
FGDs not required for ~80% of TPPs.
Mandated since 2015 to curb air pollution.
Only 66 “Category A” TPPs , located:

Election Commission Launches Real-Time Voter Turnout Monitoring via ECINET App

4 June 2025

To be implemented starting with the Bihar Assembly election later in 2025.
Presiding officers at each polling station will directly enter turnout data into the ECINET app every two hours.
Real-time or near-real-time updates will replace the previous 4–5 hour delays caused by manual aggregation.
Final turnout figures will now be entered before officers leave the polling station after close of polling.

National Polio Surveillance Network (NPSN)

4 June 2025

Established by the World Health Organization (WHO), the National Polio Surveillance Network comprises over 200 field units across India.
Played a crucial role in India being declared polio-free in 2014.
Neighbouring countries still report active polio cases.

Indian Space Situational Assessment Report (ISSAR)

4 June 2025

Commitment to achieve Debris Free Space Mission (DFSM) by 2030 for all Indian space actors (government and private).
Chaired the Inter-Agency Debris Coordination Committee (IADC) for 2023-24.
Spacecraft Launched: 136 spacecraft launched in 2024.
Collision Avoidance Manoeuvres (CAM): 10 CAMs executed by ISRO in 2024.

C CARES Version 2.0 Launched to Digitally Empower Coal Workers

4 June 2025

Autonomous body under the Ministry of Coal (established in 1948)
Serves 3.3 lakh PF subscribers and 6.3 lakh pensioners
Launched by: Shri G. Kishan Reddy, Union Minister of Coal and Mines
Administers Provident Fund and Pension schemes for coal sector workers

BharatGen: India’s First Indigenous Multimodal AI Large Language Model (LLM) for Indian Languages

4 June 2025

Flagship government schemes like PM MUDRA Yojana, PM SVANidhi, and PM Vishwakarma Yojana contribute to empowering street vendors, artisans, and micro-entrepreneurs.
Supports seamless AI applications in 22 Indian languages.
Empower critical sectors including healthcare, education, agriculture, and governance with region-specific AI solutions.
Facilitate better service delivery through AI that understands local languages and contexts.

UNESCO Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report 2024–25

5 June 2025

The UNESCO Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report 2024–25 has revealed a significant disconnect between high enrolment levels and poor learning outcomes in India, while also highlighting global gender and leadership disparities in education.
ASER 2023: Only 43% of Class 3 students can read a Class 2-level text.
NAS 2021: Only 25% of Class 8 students showed math proficiency.
But only 13% of central university vice-chancellors were women as of 2022.

India’s Draft National Policy on Senior Citizens

5 June 2025

Senior citizens constituted 8.23% of India’s population in the 2011 Census.
The share is expected to rise to 12.16% by 2026 and 20% by 2047, according to official projections.
Over 5 lakh senior citizens have received free assisted living devices under RVY.
The next Census reference period is scheduled for March 2027, which will provide updated data for policy recalibration.

India’s 2027 Digital Census

5 June 2025

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has announced that India will conduct its next population Census by March 1, 2027. This will be conducted after a 16-year gap, making it the first Census since 2011.
The 2027 Census data will update sampling frames, improving the representativeness of surveys tracking key economic indicators such as consumption, health, and labour markets.
As per the Constitution, the first Census after 2026 will be used to:
Mandatory Exercise: Under Census Act, 1948

World Environment Day 2025

5 June 2025

Established: By UN General Assembly in 1972
First Observed: 1973, led by UNEP
Single-use plastics (2023): 4.07 million tonnes (43%)
Rivers (Ganga, Indus, Brahmaputra): Among top 10 global plastic waste carriers

IRCTC Deactivates 2.5 Crore Fake User IDs to Curb Bot Booking

5 June 2025

2.5 crore suspicious/fake user IDs deactivated.
Aimed at eliminating accounts used by touts and scalpers.
20 lakh user IDs sent for mobile/email revalidation.
Non-Aadhaar users: 3-day wait period for Tatkal bookings.

India Adds Menar & Khichan as Ramsar Sites; Total Rises to 91

5 June 2025

First Sites (1981): Chilika Lake (Odisha) & Keoladeo NP (Rajasthan)
Biodiversity: Over 200 bird species – Eurasian coot, herons, spot-billed ducks, etc.
Total Area Covered: ~13.59 lakh hectares
Community Role: Hunting/fishing is locally banned; declared Important Bird Area (IBA) in 2016.

Investment Friendliness Index – NITI Aayog

5 June 2025

Opportunity (65% weightage)
Risk (35% weightage)
Account for ~30% of India’s GDP (FY24)
Guide investors in choosing optimal Indian states for setting up businesses

Ayush Nivesh Saarthi Portal

6 June 2025

Ayush sector recorded 17% CAGR (2014–2020)
Supports 100% FDI in Ayush via automatic route
Leverages India’s biodiversity: over 8,000 medicinal plant species
On 29th May 2025, the Government of India launched the Ayush Nivesh Saarthi portal at the Ayush Stakeholder/Industry Interaction Meet at Vanijya Bhawan, New Delhi.

Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 2.0

6 June 2025

Align with 7 key themes of Mission LiFE (e.g., energy, waste, water, biodiversity)
Mandate to establish Eco Clubs in all schools by 29th July 2025 (NEP 2020 anniversary)
Target: Coverage in 14.7 lakh schools
On World Environment Day 2025 , Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan launched Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 2.0 , along with:

Waste Picker Enumeration App Launched under NAMASTE Scheme (MoSJE)

6 June 2025

Expanded in June 2024 to include Waste Pickers
On World Environment Day 2025, the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment (MoSJE) launched the Waste Picker Enumeration App under the NAMASTE Scheme in New Delhi.
Digital profiling of 2.5 lakh waste pickers across India
Full Form: National Action for Mechanised Sanitation EcosystemLaunch Year: July 2023Type: Central Sector Scheme

India-U.S. Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA)

6 June 2025

A 26% reciprocal tariff by India is scheduled to come into effect on July 9, 2025, which would further escalate trade costs.
Tariff Reversal Commitment: India seeks a binding US commitment to revert to pre-April 2 tariff levels on key labour-intensive products.
These goods were subjected to an additional 10% tariff under former US President Donald Trump's administration, raising effective duties from low single digits to double digits.
Restoring pre-2018 tariff regimes would reinforce bilateral trust and address India’s trade imbalance with the US.

EnviStats India 2025

6 June 2025

Thermal Power: Increased from 7.92 lakh GWh (2013–14) to 13.26 lakh GWh (2023–24)
Marine Fish Output: Reached 44.95 lakh tonnes by 2023–24
Renewable Energy: Rose from 65,520 GWh to 2.25 lakh GWh in the same period
Inland Fish Output: Increased from 61.36 lakh tonnes to 139.07 lakh tonnes

800-Year-Old Shiva Temple from Pandya Era Unearthed in Tamil Nadu

7 June 2025

The findings align with 1974–75 reports by the Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology about ancient temples in the region
Period: 1217–1218 CE during the reign of Maravarman Sundara Pandya
Transaction: A waterbody named Nagankudi and surrounding land sold for 64 kasu (coins) by chieftain Alagaperumal to a man named Nambi Perambala Kuthan alias Kangeyan

UMEED Portal

7 June 2025

Launched by: Union Minister for Minority Affairs, Kiren Rijiju
Objective: To ensure real-time uploading, verification, and monitoring of Waqf properties
GIS Integration: Mapping of properties using GIS for improved oversight and spatial planning

Bharatiya Bhasha Anubhag

7 June 2025

Budget Allocation (2024–25): ₹56 crore
Launched by: Union Home Minister Amit Shah
Objective: To promote use of Indian languages in government communication and decision-making

India Hosts 4th India-Central Asia Dialogue

7 June 2025

Initiated: 2019 (Samarkand)
Low Trade Volume: Under $2 billion trade (2022–23).
Event: 4th India-Central Asia Dialogue
Chair: Dr. S. Jaishankar, External Affairs Minister of India

National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA)

7 June 2025

Project Cost: ₹673.94 crore (centrally sponsored scheme)
Date: June 9, 2025
Developed by: Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs (MoPA)
Approval Date: January 15, 2020 (by Public Investment Board)

12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum to Be Held in 2026

7 June 2025

Established: First held in 2015 to complement BRICS summits with inter-parliamentary engagement
First Summit: 2009, Ekaterinburg (Russia)
New Members (2024 expansion): Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, UAE
Timeline: Chairmanship tenure from 2025 to 2026

INS Arnala

7 June 2025

Event: Commissioning of INS Arnala, the first of 16 Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts (ASW-SWC)
Indigenization: Approximately 80% indigenous systems from Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Mahindra Defence, MEIL, and L&T
Builder: Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, in partnership with L&T Shipbuilders
Operational Area: Coastal waters and the Indian Ocean Region (IOR)

Civil Registration System’s (CRS) Vital Statistics 2022 Report

8 & 9 June 2025

Total Registered Births: 254.4 lakh (↑ from 242 lakh in 2021)
2022: 1.15 lakh
2021: 1.24 lakh (↓ Decline in stillbirths)
Total: 86.5 lakh (↓ from 102.2 lakh in 2021; back to near pre-pandemic levels)

The World Bank Revised Global Poverty Line

8 & 9 June 2025

Extreme Poverty Rate fell from 27.1% in 2011–12 to 5.3% in 2022–23, based on the revised $3/day threshold.
Earlier estimate (using $2.15/day benchmark) had pegged poverty at 2.3% in 2022–23.
This represents a 15% higher threshold compared to the previous $2.15/day line (2021 PPP).
Absolute Numbers: 54.7 million people lived on less than $3/day in 2024.

Year	Metric	Poverty Rate (%)	Benchmark Line
2011–12	Extreme Poverty	27.1	$2.15/day
2011–12	Lower-Middle Income Poverty	~39.7 (est.)	$3.65/day
2022–23	Extreme Poverty	2.3	$2.15/day
2022–23	Extreme Poverty	5.3	$3/day (revised)
2024	Population under $3/day	5.44	$3/day (PPP-adjusted)

MGNREGS Job Demand Rises in May–June 2025

8 & 9 June 2025

Wages should be paid as prescribed under the Minimum Wages Act,1948 as specified for the agricultural labourers in state.
Now this act is mandating the Gram Sabha for recommending the works which are to be undertaken and a minimum of 50% work should be performed by them.
MGNREGA was launched in the year 2005 as one of the largest work guaranteed program by the Ministry of Rural Government .
The most crucial and important part of MGNREGA is that work should be provided to any rural or adult person within 15 days when demanded and if he/she did not get the work on proper time “unemployment allowance” must be paid to them.

DRUM App

8 & 9 June 2025

Health Impact: Can reduce exposure to pollution by up to 50%, especially in high-density areas like Central Delhi
Full Form: Dynamic Route Planning for Urban Green Mobility
Developer: Researchers from IIT-Kharagpur
To minimize commuters’ exposure to air pollution through real-time, environment-sensitive route suggestions.

India Reaffirms Global Leadership in Climate-Resilient Infrastructure at ICDRI 2025

8 & 9 June 2025

Headquarters: New Delhi, India
Conference: International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (ICDRI) 2025
Launch: Initiated by India in 2019
Mobilize global efforts to make infrastructure climate- and disaster-resilient by 2050

India’s First E-Waste Eco Park to be Set Up in Delhi

10 June 2025

Regulatory Compliance: Will handle all 106 waste categories as per E-Waste Management Rules, 2022
Objective: To establish a world-class e-waste processing ecosystem and promote green technology adoption
Annual E-Waste Capacity: 51,000 tonnes
Skilling centres for informal sector workers

PM Modi’s Visits to Cyprus and Croatia

10 June 2025

Announced at G20 Summit, New Delhi (2023).
Cyprus visit signals displeasure towards Turkiye's support to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor (May 2025).
Cyprus to hold the EU Council Presidency in H1 2026.
MoU on defence cooperation signed during Raisina Dialogue 2023.

SEZ Rule Amendments to Boost Semiconductor & Electronics Manufacturing (June 2025)

10 June 2025

Revised requirement: 10 hectares (for SEZs in semiconductors and electronic component manufacturing)
Key Amendments to SEZ Rules, 2006
Rule 5 (Minimum Land Area Requirement)
Previous requirement: 50 hectares

India’s Poverty Levels See Sharp Decline

10 June 2025

Down from 27.1% in 2011–12 to 5.3% in 2023–24
The World Bank has updated its thresholds in 2022:
Down from 57.7% to 23.9% over the same period
Under $3/day (new low-income line):

Bhashini & Indian Railways to Revolutionize Multilingual Passenger Services

10 June 2025

Objective: Enable railway services in 22 Indian languages using AI-powered language tools.
Chatbots, voice assistants, call centers, kiosks, and mobile apps

State of the World Population 2025 Report

11 June 2025

Estimated population: 146.39 crore (April 2025)
TFR in 2021 (SRS data): 2.0 – replacement level “attained” nationally
Aged 65+: 7% of total population in 2025
India’s internal population projection (2019): 141.10 crore by 2025

NABARD’s Rural Economic Conditions and Sentiments Survey (RECSS)

11 June 2025

53.5% expect better job opportunities in July–September 2025.
73.6% of rural households expect their incomes to rise in the next 12 months — the highest ever recorded in RECSS.
The proportion of respondents expecting income to fall dropped to 6.7% (lowest on record).
37.4% reported income growth (vs. 34.8% in March).

Survey Round	Income Increase	Income Decline	No Change
Sep 2024	70.2%	7.3%	22.5%
Nov 2024	71.3%	7.8%	20.9%
Jan 2025	71.2%	7.4%	21.4%
Mar 2025	72.2%	7.5%	20.3%
May 2025	73.6%	6.7%	19.7%

Portal SAHAV Launched in Third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3)

11 June 2025

Progress on ‘Samudrayaan’, India’s first manned deep-sea submersible, targeting ocean exploration up to 6,000 meters by 2026.
Expansion of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) to 6.6% of India’s EEZ.
Aims to support climate forecasting, marine resource tracking, and disaster early warnings
India advocated for a Global Ocean Pact and speedy ratification of the BBNJ Agreement (Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction).

Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)

11 June 2025

Leading SaaS providers implement high-end encryption, multi-factor authentication (MFA), and compliance certifications (GDPR, HIPAA, SOC 2, etc.) to ensure data security.
SaaS providers host applications on remote cloud servers.
Users access the application via a web browser or dedicated app.
Users can scale services up or down based on their business needs.

Jan Man Survey Launched on NaMo App

11 June 2025

Launched via: NaMo App (June 2025)
To commemorate 11 years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, the NaMo App launched a large-scale citizen engagement survey titled ‘Jan Man Survey’, aimed at gathering public opinion on governance, security, and development.
Objective: To collect real-time feedback from citizens on the performance of the government and future priorities.

SpaceX Postpones Axiom Space Ax-4 Mission

12 June 2025

The mission was scheduled to launch on June 11, 2025, from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Florida.
This mission marks the first time an Indian astronaut will fly to the ISS under the Axiom Space mission program, in collaboration with ISRO, NASA, and SpaceX.
The Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), a private crewed mission to the International Space Station (ISS), has been postponed by SpaceX due to a liquid oxygen (LOx) leak detected during post-static fire inspections of the Falcon 9 booster.
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, referred to as the first Indian “Gaganyatri” to the ISS, is set to pave the way for future Indian human spaceflight missions.

Microfinance Sector in India

12 June 2025

1974: First MFI – SEWA Bank, Ahmedabad
1976: Grameen Bank model (Bangladesh)
2010: Malegam Committee introduced norms for NBFC-MFIs
13.9% fall in Gross Loan Portfolio (GLP)

India and Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement

12 June 2025

Samudrayaan: A manned submersible mission aiming to explore depths up to 6,000 metres with a trial dive in 2026.
India is unlikely to ratify the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) agreement, also known as the High Seas Treaty, during the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France (June 2025), despite having signed the agreement in September 2024.
Aim: To govern the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in the high seas, which lie beyond national EEZs.
Amendments to existing laws, particularly the Biological Diversity Act, are required before formal ratification.

India Pushes for Dysprosium and Terbium Imports

12 June 2025

These elements prevent demagnetization at elevated temperatures, critical for high-performance machinery like EV motors and wind turbines.
Extracted together with other rare earths, Dy and Tb are added in specific ratios to tailor magnet performance for diverse applications.
Used across high-demand sectors for their powerful and compact magnetic capabilities.
Found in air conditioners, elevators, and robotics due to their compact size and strong magnetic properties.

Social Security Coverage in India Rises to 64.3% in 2025: ILO Report

12 June 2025

This marks a more than threefold increase in coverage over 10 years.
The International Labour Organization (ILO) has reported a significant rise in India’s social protection coverage, stating that nearly 64.3% of the population—around 950 million people—are now covered under at least one social security scheme in 2025, up from 19% in 2015.
This initiative allowed the ILO to incorporate fresh and verified data in its 2025 assessment
2015: 19.0%

India Needs a Balanced Framework for Gig Workers

12 June 2025

1 in 7 gig workers earn below minimum wage.
Objective: To build a National Database of Unorganised Workers (NDUW) to ensure delivery of social security schemes
Target Group: 38 crore unorganised workers including migrant labourers, gig workers, street vendors, construction workers
Universal Account Number (UAN): Unique 12-digit number for each worker

World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2025

13 June 2025

Global gender gap closed to 68.8% in 2025 — the strongest improvement since the pandemic.
Labour force participation (female): 45.9% (no change from 2024)
At current progress rates, full gender parity is 123 years away.
Parity score: 97.1%

Finance Ministry Guidelines Central and Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS)

13 June 2025

Applies to fully funded Central schemes and Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) ending on March 31, 2026 .
54 Central Schemes
260 CSS under review

RUDRASTRA Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) Drone

13 June 2025

Endurance: ~1.5 hours (including loiter time)
Indigenous combat drone named Rudrastra tested on June 12, 2025.
Maximum range: 170 km
Warhead type: Airburst munition capable of wide-area destruction from altitude.

Swadeshi Jagran Manch Launches ‘Swadeshi Suraksha evam Swavlamban Abhiyan’

13 June 2025

The Swadeshi Movement was launched in 1905 in protest against the Partition of Bengal by the British.
Target Audience: Industrialists, traders, and farmers across India
To raise mass awareness about the dangers of e-commerce monopolies

World Bank’s State and Trends of Carbon Pricing 2025

13 June 2025

The World Bank’s State and Trends of Carbon Pricing 2025 report comes at a pivotal moment when carbon pricing mechanisms cover nearly 28% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, generating over $100 billion in public revenues.
Expanded Emission CoverageAbout 28% of global GHG emissions are now covered by pricing tools.
Economic: Generates revenue (over $100 billion in 2024)
Rapid Instrument GrowthCarbon pricing instruments increased from 5 in 2005 to 80 in 2025, including 43 carbon taxes and 37 ETSs.

India’s Gaza Ceasefire Abstention at UNGA

14 June 2025

Formation:1945
India abstained from a United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) vote on June 13, 2025, that called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. The resolution passed overwhelmingly, but India chose not to support it — marking its fourth abstention on Gaza-related votes in three years. This move contrasts with India's vote in favour of a ceasefire resolution just six months earlier, in December 2024.
Comprises all 193 UN member states, each with one equal vote, ensuring equitable representation.
Most matters are decided by a simple majority.

Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD) Units

15 & 16 June 2025

In December 2024, the Ministry of Environment extended deadlines by another 3 years, citing no official reason
Studies show 15% of India’s PM2.5 is linked to coal burning, with SO₂ accounting for 80% of that share
The 2015 mandate required all 537 coal-based TPPs to install FGD units
Only 39 plants had complied as of April 2025

New Species of Jumping Spider Discovered in Southern India

15 & 16 June 2025

The research, published in the European Journal of Taxonomy on June 11, highlights the first recorded presence of Spartaeus and Sonoita spiders in India.

Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)

15 & 16 June 2025

Founding Members (2001): China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan
June 2001: Uzbekistan joined the Shanghai Five members to establish the SCO in Shanghai.
India and Pakistan joined in June 2017
Iran became a full member in July 2023

Second Batch of Phase 2 Capacity-Building under NAKSHA Programme

15 & 16 June 2025

The Department of Land Resources (DoLR), under the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India, has announced the launch of the second batch of Phase 2 of its capacity-building programme under the NAKSHA (National Geospatial Knowledge-based Land Survey of Urban Habitations) initiative. The programme commences on June 16, 2025, with training to be conducted across four Centres of Excellence (CoEs) nationwide.

India’s Next Census to Be Conducted in 2027

17 June 2025

The Census Act, 1948 governs the conduct of the census in India.
The 2027 Census will introduce digital data collection for the first time:
The Union Home Ministry has formally announced that India’s next Census will be conducted in 2027, marking a significant administrative and technological transition for the country’s decennial population survey. This will be India’s first digital Census, with self-enumeration options for citizens.
As per the Gazette notification issued under Section 3 of the Census Act, 1948, the freezing of administrative boundaries has come into immediate effect. This means:

New Endemic Flowering Plant Discovered in Aravalis: Portulaca bharat

17 June 2025

Portulaca bharat was first observed by Nishant Chauhan, a researcher and conservationist with the Satpura Biodiversity Conservation Society, during a field visit near the historic Galtaji temple on Jaipur’s outskirts.
The genus Portulaca includes 153 species worldwide, mainly in tropical and subtropical zones.
In India, 11 species are recognized, of which four are endemic.

Three Tech Platforms to Boost Disaster Management Precision and Response

17 June 2025

Enables real-time response to disasters across India.
Aims to coordinate efforts across agencies for faster, data-driven responses.
National Database for Emergency Management (NDEM) Lite 2.0
An upgraded mobile-compatible version of India’s national emergency database.

Microgravity Experiments During AX-4 Mission

17 June 2025

Aimed at understanding viability of microalgae as space food and bioresource.
India is poised to take a significant leap in space science and human spaceflight with Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the country’s first astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Scheduled to launch on June 19, 2025, the mission is part of Axiom-4 (AX-4), coordinated by Axiom Space in partnership with NASA and ISRO.
ISRO has shortlisted seven pioneering microgravity research experiments to be conducted by Shukla during his 14-day stay aboard the ISS. These were proposed by Indian principal investigators (PIs) from national R&D labs and academic institutions:

Digital News Report 2025

17 June 2025

44% of Indian respondents report being comfortable with AI in news contexts.
India ranks fourth globally in news avoidance, with 50% of English-speaking internet users saying they sometimes or always avoid the news.
Among 18–34-year-olds, 41% identify social media and YouTube as their main sources of news.
Global trust in news remains static at 40%.

India’s Unemployment Rate Rises to 5.6% in May: PLFS Survey

17 June 2025

Key Labour Market Indicators (May 2025)
Overall: 5.6% (up from 5.1% in April)
Males: 5.6% (up from 5.2%)
Females: 5.8% (up from 5.0%)

Dharti Aaba Janbhagidari Abhiyan

17 June 2025

Achieve last-mile delivery of services under convergence models involving multiple ministries and grassroots actors
Village-level benefit saturation camps offering doorstep access to:
Scholarships and insurance coverage
Community-led model emphasizing tribal leadership, participation, and awareness building

SIPRI 2025 Report

18 June 2025

Current Arsenal: India is estimated to possess 180 nuclear warheads, placing it ahead of Pakistan’s inventory.
Dominant Powers: The United States and Russia continue to dominate global stockpiles, jointly holding over 90% of the world’s nuclear weapons (Russia: 5,459; USA: 5,177).
Warhead Count: China now holds approximately 600 nuclear warheads, growing by about 100 per year since 2023.
Arms Control Setbacks: With the New START treaty set to expire in 2026 and no new agreements in place, the world is at risk of entering an era of unchecked nuclear expansion.

Operation Sindhu

19 June 2025

Amid escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, India has launched Operation Sindhu to evacuate Indian nationals. The first batch of evacuees—110 students—will reach New Delhi on Thursday.
110 Indian students, mostly from Jammu & Kashmir, evacuated from northern Iran via Yerevan, Armenia.
Students were earlier moved from Tehran to Qom for safety following Israeli airstrikes.

India–Croatia Ties Deepen

19 June 2025

India to boost investments in Croatian sectors such as pharmaceuticals, IT, agriculture, clean tech, semiconductors, and digital technology.

India Hits Record High in QS World University Rankings 2026

19 June 2025

India achieved its strongest-ever presence in the QS World University Rankings 2026, with 54 institutions featured — up from 46 in 2025 and 45 in 2024, marking a 390% rise since 2014.
IIT Madras made a major leap, moving up 47 places to 180th, entering the global top 200 for the first time.
Delhi University: 328
Anna University: 465

Rare Earth Minerals and Magnets

20 June 2025

India is finalizing a ₹3,500–5,000 crore incentive scheme to boost the domestic production of rare earth minerals and magnets, critical for electric vehicles (EVs), renewable energy, and defense applications. The scheme is expected to be approved within the next fortnight, according to a senior government official.
Incentive Mode: Benefits will be offered through a reverse auction mechanism, encouraging efficient cost discovery and competition.
Objective: Reduce dependence on Chinese imports, enhance supply chain resilience, and ensure critical mineral security.
REEs are a group of 17 metallic elements, including the lanthanides, scandium, and yttrium.

Privacy is a Fundamental Right but is Subject to Reasonable Curbs: HC

20 June 2025

Section 14, Family Courts Act: Empowers courts to accept any material relevant to dispute resolution.
Section 122, Indian Evidence Act: Marital communication is protected, but not in proceedings between spouses (e.g., divorce).
Article 21: Balancing privacy rights and fair trial guarantees.
In India, the right to privacy was recognized as a fundamental right in the case of Justice K.S. Puttaswamy (Retd.) and Anr. v. Union of India and Ors. (2017). This landmark judgment by the Supreme Court affirmed that the right to privacy is an intrinsic part of the right to life and personal liberty under Article 21 of the Constitution.

Performance Grading Index (PGI) 2.0 Report

20 June 2025

Launched: 2017 (PGI 2.0 introduced to align with NEP 2020).
Coverage: 6 domains, 73 indicators.
The Ministry of Education has released the Performance Grading Index (PGI) 2.0 report for 2022–23 and 2023–24, evaluating the performance of States and Union Territories (UTs) on school education quality. The report offers an evidence-based analysis of educational outcomes and infrastructure in alignment with NEP 2020 and UN SDGs.
24 States/UTs improved scores in 2023–24 over the previous year.

FASTag-Based Annual Pass

20 June 2025

Launched: Pilot in 2014 on the Ahmedabad-Mumbai corridor.
Mandatory Since: February 15, 2021, for all four-wheelers in India.
Prepaid Value: ₹3,000.
In a bid to enhance seamless highway travel, the Union Minister for Road Transport has announced the rollout of a FASTag-based annual pass starting August 15, 2025. This initiative targets private non-commercial vehicles such as cars, jeeps, and vans, and aims to streamline toll payments and cut congestion across India’s national highway network.

BSNL Soft Launches India’s First Indigenous SIM-less 5G FWA Service

21 June 2025

SIM-less Authentication: Powered by BSNL’s proprietary Direct-to-Device (D2D) platform, eliminating the need for a physical SIM card. Customer premises equipment (CPE) self-authenticates automatically.
Fully Indigenous Stack: Developed entirely by Indian vendors under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative—comprising core, RAN (radio access network), and CPE.

Direct-to-Device (D2D) Satellite Connectivity in India

21 June 2025

D2D allows regular smartphones, wearables, and IoT devices to connect directly to satellites, using built-in antennas or minor software enhancements. This eliminates the need for satellite-specific hardware like bulky terminals or external receivers.
Sends signals directly between satellite transponders and mobile devices.
Operates in licensed spectrum bands, ensuring compatibility with existing telecom standards (e.g., 4G/5G).
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has unveiled Quantum 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) in a soft launch held at its Ameerpet Exchange in Hyderabad.

e-Raktkosh Portal

22 & 23 June 2025

Launched on: 7th April 2016
Objective: To ensure compliance with Drugs & Cosmetics Act and National Blood Policy standards
By: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW)

Delhi’s First Artificial Rain Project to Tackle Pollution

22 & 23 June 2025

Definition: A weather modification technique to induce rainfall by dispersing chemicals into clouds.
Pollution Spike: Delhi frequently records PM2.5 and PM10 levels in the ‘severe’ category.
Air Pollution Control: Helps settle airborne pollutants (like PM2.5 and PM10) by promoting rainfall, especially during high AQI periods
Water Resource Management: Increases water availability in reservoirs, agriculture, and drought-prone areas

Ruins of Fort Emmanuel in Fort Kochi

24 June 2025

Marine geologists from Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) confirmed the ruins likely belong to Fort Emmanuel, built by the Portuguese in 1503.
Fort Kochi shifted colonial hands multiple times — from Portuguese to Dutch to British (1503–1947).
In a striking turn of events, monsoon sea erosion at Fort Kochi’s South Beach has unveiled what experts believe are long-buried remnants of Fort Emmanuel — the first European fort built in Asia, dating back to 1503.
Researchers are examining whether the structure is the original Portuguese construction or a rebuild by the Dutch, who took over Fort Kochi later.

World Meteorological Organization's (WMO) State of the Climate in Asia 2024 Report

24 June 2025

23 of 24 glaciers in the Central Himalayas are shrinking.
Kerala’s Wayanad landslide: Over 350 deaths after receiving 500 mm of rainfall in 48 hours.
Over 450 heat-related deaths reported in 2024 across multiple Indian states.
2024 was Asia’s second warmest year on record, with extreme heatwaves widespread across the continent.

NAVYA Initiative

24 June 2025

Target Group: Girls aged 16–18 years with minimum Class 10 qualification.
Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE)
In a significant step towards gender-inclusive economic development, the Government of India has announced the launch of NAVYA—a pilot initiative aimed at skilling adolescent girls aged 16–18 years. The programme will be implemented in Uttar Pradesh as part of the broader Viksit Bharat@2047 Vision, with a focus on creating a self-reliant and inclusive India.
Promote Gender Parity: Introduce girls to non-traditional job roles in emerging sectors.

MToT Programme to Boost Panchayats’ Revenue Generation

24 June 2025

A Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) launched in 2018, revamped for 2022–2026.
Supports decentralisation under the PESA Act (1996).
Initially trains Master Trainers from 16 States and Union Territories, with future expansions planned.
Train Master Trainers to build a robust cadre of local resource leaders.

Tripura Declared Fully Literate Under ULLAS Scheme

24 June 2025

A centrally sponsored scheme (2022–2027) focused on adult literacy and lifelong learning, aligned with NEP 2020.
Youth and adults aged 15 years and above who missed formal schooling opportunities.
Nationwide implementation in mission mode

Sustainable Development Report (SDR) 2025

25 June 2025

Only 17% of SDG targets are on track to be met by 2030.
India has achieved a significant milestone by entering the top 100 countries in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Index for the first time. In the 2025 edition of the Sustainable Development Report (SDR) released by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, India has been ranked 99th out of 167 nations, with an overall SDG score of 67.
This marks a sharp rise from 109th position in 2024, reflecting sustained progress across key social, economic, and environmental indicators. The SDG Index assesses a country’s performance across the 17 goals adopted by the United Nations in 2015, with a score of 100 representing full achievement.
2025: 99th (score: 67)

Country	Rank	SDG Score
Finland	1st	—
Sweden	2nd	—
Denmark	3rd	—
United States	44th	75.2
China	49th	74.4
Maldives	53rd	—
Bhutan	74th	70.5
Nepal	85th	68.6
Sri Lanka	93rd	—
India	99th	67.0
Bangladesh	114th	63.9
Pakistan	140th	57.0

NITI Aayog India’s Data Imperative Report

25 June 2025

Report Title: India’s Data Imperative: The Pivot Towards Quality (Released: 25 June 2025)
Key Finding: Fiscal leakage and faulty/duplicate beneficiary records inflate welfare outlays by 4–7% annually.
UPI Transactions: ₹23.9 trillion/month
DBT Transfers: ₹5.47 lakh crore across 330+ schemes

Scheme to Promote Manufacturing of Electric Passenger Cars in India (SPMEPCI)

25 June 2025

Minister’s Statement: Union Minister Shri H.D. Kumaraswamy highlighted the scheme as a step toward Net Zero by 2070, strengthening Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
Minimum Investment Required: ₹4,150 crore.
Import Concession: 15% customs duty on EV CBUs (min CIF USD 35,000) for 5 years.
Scheme Name: SPMEPCI – Scheme to Promote Manufacturing of Electric Passenger Cars in India.

Dharti Aaba Janbhagidari Abhiyan (DAJA): India’s Largest Tribal Empowerment Drive

25 June 2025

Objective: Empower over 5.5 crore tribal citizens through active people’s participation (Janbhagidari).
Launched by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, it aims to saturate government welfare schemes among Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs).
Coverage: Over 1 lakh tribal villages and PVTG habitations in 31 States/UTs.
The Government of India has launched Dharti Aaba Janbhagidari Abhiyan (DAJA) — an unprecedented tribal empowerment drive across 1 lakh+ tribal villages in 31 States/UTs.

Space Docking

26 June 2025

Spacecraft use GPS, radar, laser sensors, and visual cameras.
They slow down and approach gradually, often stopping at predefined waypoints (e.g., 400m, 200m, 20m from the target).
Crew and Cargo Transfers:
Essential for lunar gateway, Mars missions, and orbital refueling stations.

Kailash Mansarovar Yatra Resumes

26 June 2025

Located near Mount Kailash, Lake Mansarovar is a freshwater lake considered holy, with its waters believed to purify the soul.
Mount Kailash (18,000 ft) and Mansarovar Lake are among the holiest sites in Hinduism, also revered in Jainism, Buddhism, and Bon traditions.
This is the first major bilateral cultural exchange initiative to be revived post the Galwan Valley clashes and LAC standoff.

Emergency in India

26 June 2025

June 25, 2025, marked the 50th anniversary of the Emergency declared by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1975 — a controversial 21-month period during which civil liberties were curtailed, opposition leaders jailed, and press freedom suspended. On this day, the Union Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi observed what it termed "Samvidhan Hatya Divas" (Constitution Murder Day).
Articles Involved: Articles 352 to 360 under Part XVIII.
Declared by: The President under Article 352.
Approval: Must be ratified by both Houses of Parliament within 1 month.

Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)

27 June 2025

Founding Members (2001): China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan
June 2001: Uzbekistan joined the Shanghai Five members to establish the SCO in Shanghai.
India and Pakistan joined in June 2017
Iran became a full member in July 2023

Keeladi Excavation

27 June 2025

Carbon dating confirmed the findings were at least 2,160 years old.
Some graffiti symbols resemble those from the Indus Valley Civilization, though a 1,000-year gap separates the two. Scholars propose deeper study to trace possible continuities.
The Keeladi archaeological site in Tamil Nadu has become a focal point of both archaeological significance and political contention. The excavations, first launched by archaeologist K. Amarnath Ramakrishna in 2014, unearthed evidence of a sophisticated urban civilisation along the Vaigai River, possibly dating back to the Sangam period (2nd century BCE).
Artefacts Unearthed: Over 18,000 antiquities including:

India to Launch Nationwide Household Income Survey

27 June 2025

The top 10% earners in India receive ~60% of national income
The bottom 50% account for just 15%
Representativeness: Ensuring sample diversity across India's 1.4+ billion population.
Previous pilots (1955–1970s) failed due to:

India Launches First Maritime Sector NBFC – Sagarmala Finance Corporation Ltd (SMFCL)

27 June 2025

Headquarters: New Delhi
Contribute to India’s vision of becoming a global maritime leader by 2047
The Union Minister of Shipping inaugurated India’s first dedicated maritime sector NBFC, Sagarmala Finance Corporation Limited (SMFCL), aimed at bridging financing gaps in maritime infrastructure and boosting sectoral growth in line with the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047.
Entrepreneurs and maritime startups

India–U.S. Mini Trade Deal

28 June 2025

Tariff Threat: If no agreement is signed by July 8, Indian exports to the U.S. will face a 26% tariff starting July 9.
Indian negotiators are in the U.S. to finalize a mini trade deal ahead of the July 8 deadline. The urgency stems from the expiration of a 90-day pause on U.S. tariffs—dubbed "Liberation Day" tariffs—set to resume on July 9 if no deal is reached.

Global Sustainable Development Rankings

28 June 2025

Poverty has nearly halved from 22% in 2012 (NSSO) to 12% in 2023 (World Bank).
Stunting remains high at 35.5%, barely improving from 38.4% (NFHS-4 to NFHS-5).
Wasting declined modestly from 21.0% to 19.3%.
Internet inequality exposed during COVID-19 underscores a rural-urban digital divide affecting learning outcomes.

Uniform Renewable Energy Tariffs (URETs)

28 June 2025

The central government is preparing to consult stakeholders on implementing Uniform Renewable Energy Tariffs (URETs) to streamline power procurement and tackle delays in Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs). The URET mechanism, proposed in October 2023, is yet to be implemented due to state-level resistance, as electricity is a concurrent subject under the Constitution.
Uniform tariffs provide pricing clarity to all stakeholders—generators, discoms, and investors—helping reduce risks in long-term planning.
A stable and transparent pricing environment encourages greater participation from developers.

Sugamya Bharat App

28 June 2025

Users can report accessibility barriers through geo-tagged photos and descriptions.
AI-powered chatbot to provide real-time assistance to users.
Access to government circulars, notifications, and latest initiatives related to accessibility.

Adi Karmyogi Programme

28 June 2025

It targets the empowerment of 20 lakh stakeholders through:
180+ State Master Trainers
3,000 District Trainers
15,000 Block Trainers

Bihar Launches e-Voting Facilities using Mobile Applications

29 & 30 June 2025

Limit of two voters per mobile number

Mission Bonnet Macaque

29 & 30 June 2025

The sterilisation initiative is part of a larger 10-point strategy to address human-animal conflict, named "Mission Bonnet Macaque."
Eco-tourism waste management, especially where monkeys feed on human food leftovers.
The macaque is listed in Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, requiring central permission for any such intervention.

NSO Launches GoIStats Mobile App

29 & 30 June 2025

Social Protection Coverage:Increased from 22% (2016) to 64.3% (2025)
Agriculture GVA per worker:Rose from ₹61,247 (2015-16) to ₹94,110 (2024-25)
Rural Safe Drinking Water Access:Improved from 94.57% (2015-16) to 99.62% (2024-25)
SDG National Indicator Framework (NIF) Progress Report 2025

National Turmeric Board Inaugurated in Nizamabad, Telangana

29 & 30 June 2025

The Union Home Minister inaugurated the headquarters of the National Turmeric Board (NTB) in Nizamabad, Telangana, fulfilling a 40-year-old demand of turmeric farmers from the region.
Headquarters:Nizamabad, Telangana – known as the “Turmeric Capital of India”
Temperature: 20–30°C
Ministry of Commerce and Industry (nodal ministry)

Early Harappan Burial Discovery in Lakhapar, Gujarat

29 & 30 June 2025

Lakhapar village, Kutch district, Gujarat
Excavation led by University of Kerala’s Department of Archaeology
3300–2600 BCE (Early Harappan Phase)
No architectural markers

Test yourself · National Affairs

Fill the blank from memory, then check. Answers are at the foot of the box.

1. Established: First held in ________ to complement BRICS summits with inter-parliamentary engagement

2. ________ requires schools established before 2009 to comply with RTE norms within 3 years of the Act’s commencement.

3. Commitment to achieve ________ for all Indian space actors (government and private).

4. Wages should be paid as prescribed under the ________ as specified for the agricultural labourers in state.

5. In ________, the Ministry of Environment extended deadlines by another 3 years, citing no official reason

Answers 1 2015 · 2 Section 19 of RTE Act (2009) · 3 Debris Free Space Mission (DFSM) by 2030 · 4 Minimum Wages Act,1948 · 5 December 2024

Banking and Finance · 186

RBI's Draft Directions on Gold Loans (April 2025)

1 & 2 June 2025

Bank gold loan books alone surged 104%, raising regulatory concerns.
Objective: Harmonise gold loan regulations across banks and NBFCs, ensure transparency, and curb irregularities observed in FY24.
Gold loan portfolio of banks and NBFCs grew over 50% in FY24.
Cap remains at 75%.

India’s Crypto Landscape and Regulatory Challenges

1 & 2 June 2025

India ranks first globally for grassroots crypto adoption for the second year, according to Chainalysis (2024).
Indian retail investors infused $6.6 billion into crypto assets, with the sector poised to create over 800,000 jobs by 2030 (NASSCOM).
The Supreme Court in May 2025 criticized the lack of clear crypto policy, stating “Banning may be shutting your eyes to ground reality,” underscoring the disconnect between market realities and policy.
From July 2022 to December 2023, over ₹1.03 trillion of VDAs were traded on non-compliant (mostly offshore) platforms.

FD-Backed Credit Card Launched by ZET in Partnership with SBM Bank

1 & 2 June 2025

Users must open a fixed deposit (FD) starting at ₹5,000 with SBM Bank.
FD is insured up to ₹5 lakh under RBI’s DICGC scheme.
The credit limit is up to 90% of the FD amount.
FD earns up to 7% annual interest.

UPI's Share in India's Digital Transactions

1 & 2 June 2025

11 Non-bank PPI issuers
26 Online Payment Aggregators (PAs)
5 Cross-Border Payment Aggregators (PA-CB)
84 On-site inspections of payment system operators conducted.

RBI to Strengthen Liquidity Stress Tests and Assess Climate Risk for Financial Stability

1 & 2 June 2025

Objective: Simulate extreme but plausible scenarios to test liquidity resilience.
Aims to assess:
Adequacy of liquidity buffers
Carbon-intensive sectors

Razorpay Relocates Parent Entity to India

1 & 2 June 2025

Tax liability estimated at $150 million (₹1,275 crore).
Razorpay targets an IPO before December 2026 (end of CY2026).
PhonePe: Shifted from Singapore to India in 2022
Razorpay has officially reversed flipped its parent entity to India from the US.

SBI Research Projects Net Financial Savings to Hit ₹22 Lakh Crore in FY25

1 & 2 June 2025

According to the SBI Research Report, India’s household sector net financial savings are projected to reach ₹22 lakh crore in FY 2024-25, reflecting growing economic resilience and macroeconomic stability.
Expected to be ₹22 lakh crore in FY25.
Equivalent to 6.5% of Gross National Disposable Income (GNDI).
5.1% of GNDI in FY24

Fintechs Seek Easier Provisioning Norms for DLG-Backed Loan Pools

1 & 2 June 2025

In April, RBI wrote to four major non-bank lenders with high delinquencies in DLG-backed pools.
Both the fintechs (LSPs) and regulated lenders (banks/NBFCs) are required to provision for the same loan pool.
This redundancy impacts capital efficiency and may crowd out lending due to excess buffers being locked.
Misuse of FLDG (First Loss Default Guarantee) arrangements as securitisation substitutes

Digital Rupee (e₹)

3 June 2025

The digital rupee (e₹), launched as a pilot in late 2022 by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), has witnessed significant scale-up in just two years. Retail transaction value rose from ₹5.7 crore in March 2023 to ₹1,016.5 crore in March 2025 — a 178x increase. This marks the transition of e₹ from an experimental phase to meaningful retail adoption.
Use of e₹ is supporting India’s core digital goals:
Rising usage of e₹ reflects growing consumer and merchant trust.
Global CBDC (Central Bank Digital Currency) developments

NSE’s IPO Plans Face Regulatory Hurdles

3 June 2025

Originates from a 2015 whistleblower complaint alleging preferential access to select brokers via secondary servers.
SEBI’s orders (2019) against NSE and others are under Supreme Court appeal; the CBI investigation is still ongoing.
NSE shares are actively traded in the unlisted market, with over 1 lakh shareholders.
The National Stock Exchange (NSE) has been trying to launch its Initial Public Offering (IPO) since 2016, but the process has faced repeated regulatory and legal delays. With a new SEBI Chairperson in place, the NSE is pushing for progress, but multiple concerns from Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) remain unresolved.

Fintech Concern Under RBI’s New DLG Guidelines

3 June 2025

DLG = A contractual guarantee by the LSP to compensate lenders for defaults up to 5% of a loan portfolio.
DLG cover on an outstanding portfolio must not exceed 5% of total disbursed amount.
Deadline for compliance: September 30, 2025.
Offer multiple loan options to borrowers.

RBI's Pro-Growth Policy Stance

3 June 2025

RBI infused ₹5.23 trillion into the system via government bond purchases (OMOs) between December 2024 and May 2025.
Headline CPI inflation has stayed below 4% since February 2025.
Only 14% of CPI food items are showing >6% inflation, down from 57% a year ago.
RBI has implemented back-to-back rate cuts since February 2025, reducing policy rates by 50 basis points (bps). Effective easing is ~75 bps, as overnight rates are closer to the Standing Deposit Facility (SDF), the lower end of the policy corridor.

Tri-Party Repo Dealing System (TREPS)

3 June 2025

Full form: Tri-Party Repo Dealing System (TREPS)
Offers quick liquidity with minimal risk
Portfolio Diversification:

Grameen Credit Score (GCS)

3 June 2025

As per PM Narendra Modi, the scheme has the potential to unlock over ₹100 trillion in economic activity.
Over 6 lakh villages are covered under SVAMITVA; nearly half have already been surveyed.
The Grameen Credit Score (GCS) is a new initiative announced in the Union Budget 2025–26 by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. It aims to strengthen rural financial inclusion, with a special focus on self-help group (SHG) members. The Union government expects to roll out GCS within the next three months, pending final approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
The GCS will act as a supplementary credit assessment tool, specifically tailored to rural borrowers.

NITI Aayog Highlights Missing Middle in MSME Policy

3 June 2025

Average foreign exchange income per medium enterprise: ₹39 crore.
Average annual R&D expenditure: ₹2.07 crore.
Launch a credit card facility with ₹5 crore pre-approved limit.
Address the persistent lack of awareness that hampers scheme utilization among medium enterprises.

Indian Rupee Asia's Worst Performer

3 June 2025

On June 2, the rupee was trading at ₹85.40/USD, up 0.2% following a strong Q4 GDP growth of 7.4%.
$73 billion as of April 2025
As of May 23, 2025, FX reserves stood at $693 billion, slightly below the all-time high of $705 billion (Sept 2024).
The central bank prefers spot market purchases to maintain a strong buffer against global shocks and geopolitical risks.

RBI Launches Climate Risk Information System (RBI-CRIS)

3 June 2025

Offers processed, standardized datasets to support climate risk modelling and mitigation.
Aligns with global central banking efforts to assess financial stability risks linked to environmental factors.

RBI Imposes ₹54.78 Crore in Penalties on 353 Regulated Entities

3 June 2025

₹54.78 crore imposed through 353 enforcement actions.
264 Cooperative Banks: ₹15.63 crore
37 NBFCs/ARCs: ₹7.29 crore
13 Housing Finance Companies (HFCs): ₹0.83 crore

RBI to Launch Indigenous 'IFS Cloud'

3 June 2025

Timeline: FY 2025–26
Reduce reliance on foreign cloud service providers
Ownership: Initially RBI-owned; to be transferred to a financial sector consortium in the future
Cloud-native and API-first redesign

RBI Considers Easing Foreign Ownership Rules to Attract Global Capital in Indian Banks

4 June 2025

RBI’s special permission to Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp to acquire a 20% stake in Yes Bank
Mandatory dilution of holdings to 26% within 15 years if foreign investors act as “promoters” with managerial influence
Foreign ownership ceiling for strategic investors is capped at 15%
Voting rights cap at 26%

Curbing Online Payment Frauds in India

4 June 2025

Helped prevent fraud of approx. ₹4,386 crore
63,315 cases of digital payment fraud (₹1 lakh or more)
Total losses: ~₹733 crore
Issued Master Directions on Digital Payment Security (Feb 2021)

HDB Financial Services Gets SEBI Approval

4 June 2025

Despite dilution, HDB Financial Services will remain a subsidiary of HDFC Bank, which currently holds a 94.36% stake
HDB Financial Services, a subsidiary of India's largest private lender HDFC Bank, has received the approval from Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) for its ₹12,500 crore initial public offering (IPO).
IPO filing: Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP) submitted in October 2024
Incorporated: 2007

Banks Turn Major Investors in Mutual Funds Amid Surplus Liquidity (FY25 Trend)

4 June 2025

Suboptimal credit growth: Bank credit growth slowed to 12.1% in FY25, down from 16.3% in FY24.
Surplus liquidity: System liquidity stood at ₹1.5 lakh crore surplus as per RBI data.
Banks, traditionally focused on lending, are now investing heavily in mutual fund schemes, a space that partly competes with them for retail investments. Bank investments in MFs surged 91% YoY to ₹1.19 lakh crore (as of March 21, 2025) vs ₹62,499 crore a year earlier (RBI Bulletin).
Households moving away from traditional bank deposits to capital market instruments (e.g. mutual funds, equities).

RBI Signals Rule Review to Ease Foreign Ownership in Indian Banks

4 June 2025

In a notable move, RBI relaxed norms for Japan’s Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp to acquire a 20% stake in Yes Bank.
Canada’s Fairfax Holdings and Emirates NBD are competing to acquire a 60% stake in IDBI Bank.
This was above the usual 15% cap for strategic foreign investors and is seen as a case-by-case relaxation.
15% cap on foreign strategic investor holdings

Moody’s Outlook on India’s Banking Sector – June 2025

4 June 2025

Systemwide nonperforming loan (NPL) ratio expected to remain stable at 2-3% over the next 12 months (2.5% as of Dec 2024).
Government initiatives such as capital expenditure, middle-class tax cuts, and monetary easing are positive growth drivers.
Asset quality divergence will persist across loan types and banking segments.

RBI Launches 2024–25 Survey on Foreign Liabilities and Assets (FLA) of Mutual Funds and AMCs

4 June 2025

May 2025: RBI is seeking Union Government approval to allow domestic banks and their foreign branches to lend in Rupees to overseas borrowers — a first-of-its-kind proposal to internationalize the Indian Rupee.
Data reference date: End-March 2025.
Aims to strengthen India’s external sector statistics and assess financial stability and foreign exposure of the fund management sector.

SEBI Eases IPO Rules for Firms with Large Public Shareholder Base

5 June 2025

ESOP allotments, even when resulting in 200+ shareholders, are exempt from the private placement threshold under Companies Act, 2013.
Companies with thousands of shareholders from employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs), private placements, or share transfers were caught in this grey area.
ESOP conversions
The delay in approvals stemmed from uncertainty around compliance with the Companies Act, particularly whether having a large public shareholder base—without prior public fundraising—constituted a violation.

Rethinking India's Monetary Policy in 2025

5 June 2025

CPI-based inflation fell to 3.16% in April 2025, and could dip below 3% in May.
Despite this sharp fall, RBI has maintained a high repo rate of 6.0%, following only two 25 bps cuts in February and April 2025.
Between 2015 and 2019, the RBI kept real rates excessively high (avg. +2.2%), damaging growth.
Real repo rate now stands at +2.84%—one of the highest levels in recent history.

Indian Bank Launches New NRE Account Variants and Premium Debit Cards for NRIs

5 June 2025

Personal accident insurance coverage
Indian Bank has introduced new NRE Savings Account variants and premium debit cards tailored for Non-Resident Indians (NRIs).

Key Highlights

5 June 2025

Founded: 1906
Headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
First in PSU Category: Canara Bank becomes the first major PSU bank to implement a blanket waiver on AMB penalties for all savings account types.
Previous Rule: Customers were required to maintain an Average Monthly Balance (AMB) or pay penalties.

RBI Cuts Repo Rate to 5.5%

6 June 2025

Inflation Outlook: CPI inflation eased to 3.2% in April 2025, the lowest in nearly six years, driven by falling food prices, moderate fuel costs, and stable core inflation.
Growth Prospects: India’s GDP growth is steady at a projected 6.5% for 2025–26, but RBI sees scope to stimulate consumer demand and private investment.
In a bid to boost economic growth and ease borrowing costs, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced a 50 basis points (bps) cut in the repo rate, lowering it from 6.00% to 5.50%. This is the third rate cut in 2025 and the largest single cut in over two years. The decision was made following a three-day Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting chaired by RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra.
Home loans, car loans, and personal loans linked to repo rate or external benchmarks are expected to become cheaper.

Rate Type	New Rate	Previous Rate
Repo Rate	5.50%	6.00%
Standing Deposit Facility (SDF)	5.25%	-
Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) & Bank Rate	5.75%	-

Loan and Investment

6 June 2025

Lock in higher FD rates now for longer tenures (3-5 years) before rates drop.
The next MPC meeting is scheduled for August 4–6, 2025.
For Borrowers:
Borrowers with repo-linked home loans will benefit immediately.

Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC)

6 June 2025

IBC = 48% of all bank recoveries (FY24) – RBI Trends & Progress Report 2024.
As of 2024, creditors have realised ₹3.89 lakh crore under IBC with a recovery rate of 32.8% (IBBI data).
Enacted in 2016 as India’s first comprehensive bankruptcy law.
Decline in Gross NPAs from 11.2% (Mar 2018) → 2.8% (Mar 2024).

Area	Details
Judicial delays	NCLT backlog delays resolution despite CoC approval.
Post-resolution uncertainty	Implementation risks discourage investor bids.
Bhushan Steel verdict	SC review of a closed transaction threatens commercial certainty.
Infrastructure gaps	Insufficient benches, lack of trained professionals.
Future-readiness	Unclear treatment of IPRs, employee dues, and tech continuity.

Flipkart Gets NBFC Licence from RBI

6 June 2025

This move aligns Flipkart more closely with fintech operations, helping Walmart (Flipkart’s majority owner with 80%+ stake) deepen its footprint in India’s digital financial ecosystem.
Flipkart has received a Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) licence from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). This marks the first instance of a large e-commerce player in India being permitted to lend directly. The licence was officially granted on March 13, 2025, as per RBI documents reviewed by Reuters.
Flipkart Finance Pvt Ltd applied for this licence in 2022.
Consumers shopping on its platform

IndusInd Bank Accounting Irregularities

6 June 2025

On March 10, 2025, IndusInd Bank disclosed accounting discrepancies in its derivatives portfolio, with an estimated adverse impact of 2.35% on its net worth as of December 2024.
Former Deputy CEO Arun Khuranato disgorge ₹20 crore for alleged insider trading.
NFRA's focus is on determining the role of the auditors of IndusInd Bank, as it falls within NFRA's mandate for all listed entities.
On May 29, ICAI's Financial Reporting Review Board initiated a review of IndusInd’s financial statements for FY24 and FY25.

RBI Data: Bank Credit and Deposit Trends in FY2024–25

6 June 2025

Private Sector Banks: Witnessed the steepest slowdown, with March 2025 credit growth dipping to 9.5%, after maintaining over 15% growth for three consecutive years.
Retail Credit Share: Increased to 31% of total bank credit in FY25 (up from 24.1% in FY20).
Individual Borrowers: Contributed 47.8% of total credit as of March 2025, up from 41.5% in March 2020.
Savings Deposits : Share declined to 29.1% in March 2025 (from 30.8% in 2024 and 33.0% in 2023).

Motilal Oswal BSE 1000 Index Fund Launched

6 June 2025

Objective: Generate returns that mirror the BSE 1000 Total Return Index, subject to tracking error.
Benchmark: BSE 1000 TRI, representing ~94% of India’s listed market cap across 22 sectors.
Top 10 Weight Cap: 33% to mitigate concentration risk
Exposure to 1,000 companies across 22 sectors

SEBI Notifies Framework for ESG Debt Securities Including Social, Sustainability, and Linked Bonds

6 June 2025

Third-Party Validation:Mandatory engagement of independent reviewers/certifiers
Issuers must clearly classify debt as green, social, sustainability, or sustainability-linked
Requirement to appoint external reviewers/certifiers for:
Issuers must monitor, measure, and disclose the ongoing impact of funded projects

RBI Cuts Repo Rate to 5.5% and CRR

7 June 2025

Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) & Bank Rate: 5.75%
Potential for home loan rates <8%, last seen in 2022
Repo Rate: Reduced by 50 basis points to 5.50%
Final CRR to be 3% of NDTL

RBI’s Monetary Policy Shift Prioritizes Growth Amid Low Inflation

7 June 2025

Growth remains moderate, with GDP projected at 6.5% for FY 2025-26, similar to last year’s provisional estimate.
The Reserve Bank of India’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) decisively chose growth over inflation concerns in its latest policy stance. The MPC cut the repo rate by 50 basis points to 5.5%, marking the third rate cut since February 2025. This move follows retail inflation hitting a 69-month low, allowing the RBI to deprioritize price stability in favor of stimulating economic activity.
Inflation is currently subdued and unlikely to rise soon if prevailing conditions persist.

RBI Revises Loan-to-Value (LTV) Ratios for Loans Against Gold Collateral

7 June 2025

The Reserve Bank is all set to raise the loan-to-value (LTV) ratio for lending against gold to 85% for loans under ₹2.5 lakh from the present 75%, Governor Sanjay Malhotra announced.
For loans up to ₹2.5 lakh, the LTV ratio has been raised from 75% to 85%, allowing borrowers to get a higher loan amount against the same gold collateral.
Loans between ₹2.5 lakh and ₹5 lakh have an LTV ratio fixed at 80%.
Loans above ₹5 lakh have an LTV ratio capped at 75%.

RBI Lowers Qualifying Asset Threshold for NBFC-MFIs to 60%

7 June 2025

Previously, NBFC-MFIs were required to maintain qualifying assets at 75% of their total assets (net of intangible assets).
RBI has reduced the qualifying asset threshold from 75% to 60%.
The 60% threshold must be maintained on an ongoing basis.
NBFC-MFIs failing to meet the 60% qualifying asset requirement for four consecutive quarters must submit a remediation plan to the RBI for review and approval.

RBI to Review Bank Licensing Norms, Ownership Structure Amid Economic Expansion

7 June 2025

Example: Fairfax was permitted to acquire 51% in Catholic Syrian Bank.
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) plans to buy 20% in Yes Bank from SBI and seven private banks for ₹13,482 crore.
Foreign ownership allowed up to 74% (including portfolio investors).
15% cap on strategic foreign investor ownership.

RBI Imposes Monetary Penalties on Three Financial Institutions for Regulatory Violations

7 June 2025

State Bank of India (SBI): ₹1.72 crore
Jana Small Finance Bank: ₹1 crorefor similar regulatory violations.
Unauthorized acceptance of public deposits, prohibited under its Certificate of Registration (CoR) conditions per Section 45IA(5) of the RBI Act, 1934.
Fine: ₹2 lakh

SEBI Attaches Mehul Choksi’s Bank, Demat, and MF Holdings to Recover ₹2.1 Crore in Insider Trading Case

7 June 2025

Objective: Recover dues worth ₹2.1 crore linked to insider trading violations in Gitanjali Gems shares.
Mehul Choksi, former CMD and promoter of Gitanjali Gems, was fined ₹1.5 crore by SEBI in January 2022.
Penalty included interest of ₹60 lakh, taking total dues to ₹2.1 crore.
A demand notice was issued on May 15, 2025, giving Choksi 15 days to pay, failing which SEBI would proceed with asset attachment.

RBI’s 2025 Gold and Silver Lending Guidelines

8 & 9 June 2025

Up to 85% for loans ≤ ₹2.5 lakh, benefiting small-ticket borrowers.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has notified the Lending Against Gold and Silver Collateral Directions, 2025, introducing comprehensive reforms to regulate and standardize gold and silver-backed lending across financial institutions.
Aims to enhance credit access for individuals and micro-enterprises.
Encourage responsible lending while expanding formal credit to underserved segments.

RBI Frontloads Monetary Support Amid Uncertainty – Is This the Terminal Rate?

8 & 9 June 2025

₹9.5 trillion liquidity infused since the start of 2025
April 2025 CPI inflation eased to 3.2%
Repo Rate Cut: 50 basis points (bps) cut to 5.5% (market expected 25 bps)
Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR): Reduced by 100 bps to 3% , in four tranches

Banks’ Proposal for Tax Relief on NPA Interest Under Review

8 & 9 June 2025

Lenders have proposed raising tax-deductible provisioning for NPAs from 8.5% to 15% of gross income.
Gross NPAs (GNPAs) of Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs) stood at ₹4.16 lakh crore as of Q4 FY25.
Relevant under Section 36(1)(viia) of the Income Tax Act.
Suggestions submitted to the Department of Financial Services (DFS) in May 2025.

RBI Launches Scheme to Promote Original Hindi Books on Economics, Banking, and Finance

8 & 9 June 2025

Prize Amount: ₹1,25,000 each for three best entries
60% weightage for content quality
40% for language and style
2 Professors in Economics/Banking/Finance

Marginal Cost of Funds-Based Lending Rate (MCLR)

10 June 2025

HDFC Bank’s first rate cut in 2025, following RBI’s softer monetary stance.
RBI’s pause on repo rate hikes (currently at 6.50%).
HDFC Bank, India’s largest private lender, has reduced its Marginal Cost of Funds-Based Lending Rate (MCLR) by 10 basis points (bps) across select tenures, effective June 7, 2025.
MCLR varies for different loan tenures (overnight, 1-month, 3-month, 6-month, 1-year, etc.).

RBI Flags Misselling and Microfinance Concerns

10 June 2025

The microfinance sector suffers from a cycle of over indebtedness, coercive recovery, and financial distress.
Disruptions and borrower distress have become more frequent in recent years.
Lenders must:
Rao urged institutions to reflect on whether their incentive structures or operational models are creating perverse outcomes.

RBI Discontinues Daily VRR Auctions Amid Liquidity Surplus

10 June 2025

Daily VRRs, introduced on January 16, 2025, to manage short-term liquidity tightness, will now be discontinued.
The CRR cut is expected to inject ₹2.5 trillion of primary liquidity by end-November 2025.
This step reflects muted demand for funds: banks bid only ₹3,711 crore on June 9 against a notified ₹25,000 crore.
The banking system is now in a liquidity surplus of ₹2.45 trillion (as of June 8).

National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF)

10 June 2025

Established: 2015 (Announced in Union Budget 2015-16)
Private Investors (51%): Includes Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), Temasek (Singapore), Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB), and others.
Headquarters: Mumbai
Government Stake: 49%

RBI Defends Role in Subvention Scheme Scandal as Supreme Court Probes Builder-Bank Nexus

10 June 2025

2015 Guidelines directing loan disbursals to be linked to construction stages — no upfront disbursal for incomplete projects.
In this scheme, banks directly disburse home loan amounts to builders.
August 2022 circular on recovery practices, mandating ethical and non-coercive recovery methods by banks and agents.
Builders are required to pay EMIs until possession of flats is given to homebuyers.

The Digital Rupee (e₹)

10 June 2025

Circulation: Grew from ₹234 crore (2024) to ₹1,016.5 crore (March 2025).
Users: 6 million across 17 banks.
vs. UPI: UPI transfers money between bank accounts, while e₹ is a direct digital cash substitute.
Pilot Banks: SBI, HDFC, ICICI, Axis, Yes Bank, and others.

RBI Flags High Interest Rates and Coercive Recovery in Microfinance Sector

10 June 2025

RBI Deputy Governor M. Rajeshwar Rao, speaking at a Mumbai event on 5 June 2025, raised serious concerns over the deteriorating conditions in India’s microfinance sector. His speech was uploaded to the RBI website on 10 June 2025.
Over-indebtedness of borrowers
These systemic problems are creating stress across microfinance portfolios, particularly affecting rural borrowers and low-income households.
Banks have reported growing delinquency and stress in microfinance loans since the beginning of FY26.

Jana Small Finance Bank Applies to RBI for Universal Bank License

10 June 2025

The Reserve Bank of India introduced the ‘On Tap’ Licensing Policy in August 2016 for private sector universal banks. This policy allows eligible applicants to seek a banking licence at any time, enhancing dynamism and competition in the Indian banking sector.
Minimum 10 years of senior-level experience in banking and finance
Minimum 10 years of successful operational track record
Large industrial houses excluded but may hold up to 10% stake

Finance Ministry Pushes PSBs for Faster Loan Disbursal

10 June 2025

Ministry of Textiles has partnered with 23 e-commerce platforms and launched the ‘Indian Handmade’ portal to facilitate online sales by artisans and weavers.
20% of the loan amount , up to:
₹25,000 for individual weavers/entrepreneurs
₹20 lakh for handloom organisations (₹2 lakh per 100 weavers)

SBI Offloads ₹1,556 Crore Stressed Loan of Regen Powertech to Clean Up Books

10 June 2025

Outstanding Principal: ₹580 crore (as of March 2025).
State Bank of India (SBI) is selling its ₹1,556 crore stressed loan exposure to Regen Powertech Private Ltd (RPPL), a South India-based wind turbine manufacturer, as part of efforts to clean up its balance sheet.
Bad Debt Cleanup: SBI has been actively reducing NPAs (Gross NPA improved to 1.82% in FY25 from 2.24% YoY).
Recovery Efforts: In FY25, SBI recovered ₹17,213 crore through upgrades, cash recoveries, and write-offs.

Finance Minister on Unclaimed Assets

11 June 2025

RBI, SEBI, IRDAI, PFRDA, Ministry of Corporate Affairs, banks, and other financial institutions.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman chaired the 29th meeting of the Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC) in Mumbai on June 11, 2025, where she emphasized reducing unclaimed assets and ensuring seamless refund to rightful owners. The meeting also reviewed macro-financial stability, regulatory reforms, and investment strategies.
FM urged regulators to reduce unclaimed financial assets , including:
Bank deposits

SEBI Probes Jane Street for Algorithmic Manipulation

11 June 2025

Specific trades flagged by NSE in January 2025 involved rapid buy-sell reversals at extreme prices, possibly impacting price discovery.
A global quantitative trading firm founded in 2000 in New York.
SEBI (Prohibition of Insider Trading) Regulations, 2015 :
The probe is part of SEBI's larger effort to protect retail investors, who have suffered heavy losses in F&O markets.

Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs)

11 June 2025

Investor Cap: Max 1,000 investors per scheme (49 for Angel Funds).
Angel Funds: Early-stage funding with ₹25 lakh minimum per investor.
Hedge Funds: Invest in domestic/global markets using derivatives and leverage; high fee structure (typically 2% management + 20% performance fee).
Minimum Investment: ₹1 crore (₹25 lakh for fund managers, employees, directors).

SEBI Issues Recovery Notice to OPG Securities in NSE Co-Location Case

11 June 2025

In 2024, SEBI dropped charges against NSE and its ex-officials citing lack of evidence, but maintained penalties on brokers.
The penalty was originally imposed in April 2024
It relates to unfair access to NSE’s secondary market servers via the co-location facility
The NSE allows brokers to place their trading servers in close proximity to the exchange’s main servers.

SEBI's Social Bonds, Sustainability Bonds, and Sustainability-Linked Bonds (SLBs) Framework

11 June 2025

Framework applicable from June 5, 2025, for all fresh issuances of these instruments
Issuers must appoint an external reviewer or certifier

AU Small Finance Bank Partners with IFC to Integrate Climate Risk into Core Banking Operations (June 2025)

11 June 2025

Covers FY 2024–25 and FY 2025–26.
Founded: 1996
Headquarters: Washington, D.C., USA
Membership: 186 countries

RBI Annual Report Flags India’s FDI Paradox

11 June 2025

Gross inflows: Up 13.7% in FY25
High disinvestment rate: Now 63.5% of gross FDI
Major sources: Singapore (15%), Mauritius (~10%) – reflecting round-tripping and tax haven usage
Fall in manufacturing FDI share: Down to 12% from previous peaks

Zero-Coupon Bonds

11 June 2025

Investor buys a ZCB at a low price (e.g., ₹6,855)
At maturity, the investor receives full face value (e.g., ₹20,000)
The implied yield (e.g., 5.5%) is compounded semiannually
n = Years to Maturity

Feature	Zero-Coupon Bond	Regular (Coupon) Bond
Interest Payment	None (imputed, not paid)	Paid periodically (semiannual/annual)
Purchase Price	Deep discount to face value	Close to face value
Return	At maturity (par – purchase price)	Coupons + principal at maturity
Price Volatility	Higher	Lower
Tax on Interest	On imputed interest annually	On actual coupons received

SEBI Introduces Mandatory @valid UPI Handles to Curb Financial Fraud

12 June 2025

Aims to reduce fraud, phishing, and impersonation risks in financial transactions.
The ₹5 lakh daily UPI limit for capital market transactions remains unchanged.
Implementation deadline: October 1, 2025.
All SEBI-registered intermediaries (e.g. stockbrokers, mutual funds, research analysts, investment advisors) must use the @valid UPI ID (e.g., abc.bkr@validhdfc, xyz.mf@validhdfc).

NSE Gets SEBI Nod to Launch Monthly Electricity Futures Contracts

12 June 2025

Likely to benefit DISCOMs, power generators, industrial consumers, and energy traders

MTNL Loan Default

12 June 2025

Full 100% provisioning has already been done by the banks.
State-run Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL) has defaulted on over ₹8,300 crore worth of bank loans. A meeting has been called by Cabinet Secretary T.V. Somanathan to find a resolution, amid mounting pressure from public sector banks (PSBs) seeking repayment assurances.
Bankers have categorically ruled out any haircut on MTNL’s defaulted loans.
Debt-to-equity conversion:

RBI Hikes LTV on Gold Loans to 85%

12 June 2025

Small-ticket loans (below ₹2.5 lakh) are set to rise significantly in share of total gold loan AUM.
Experts estimate 30–40% of AUM currently comprises larger loans, suggesting a reshuffle towards smaller loans in the coming quarters.
Minimum qualifying assets (microfinance loans) lowered from 75% to 60%.
Allows up to 40% of AUM in non-MFI assets, up from 25%.

RBI Plans to Tighten LRS Rules to Curb Foreign Currency Deposits by Resident Indians

12 June 2025

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is set to tighten overseas remittance rules under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) to prevent misuse through foreign fixed deposits and passive capital export, according to a Reuters report.
RBI plans to amend LRS guidelines to prohibit funds from being used for:
Aimed at stopping passive wealth shifting outside India, which is inconsistent with India’s current capital control regime.
Described by officials as misuse of LRS for capital export under the guise of investment.

Financial Regulators to Implement Universal KYC and Strengthen Cyber Resilience

12 June 2025

Aim: Protect consumer interest and ensure rightful owners receive dues promptly.
In the 2025 meeting of the Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC) chaired by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Mumbai, key decisions were taken to enhance financial sector efficiency and consumer protection through a universal KYC framework, improved cybersecurity, and faster refund of unclaimed financial assets.
All major financial regulators — RBI, SEBI, IRDAI, PFRDA, MCA — will coordinate with the Central KYC Registry (CKYCR).
Prescribe common KYC norms across regulators

RBI Increases Scrutiny of Newly Licensed Payment Aggregators Amid Fraud Concerns

12 June 2025

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is tightening regulatory oversight on newly licensed payment aggregators (PAs) to ensure systemic integrity and prevent misuse of the digital payments ecosystem. This move follows the RBI’s broader effort to secure the digital financial space post-licensing of over 50 PAs.
RBI has initiated regular audits and field inspections of newly licensed payment aggregators.
This affects businesses handling cashbacks, returns, or B2B payouts.
Appoint independent directors to ensure regulatory hygiene

RBI Plans Frequent Use of CRR to Manage Liquidity and Strengthen Policy Transmission

12 June 2025

CRR cut from 4% to 3% in phased manner to release ₹2.5 trillion ($29.25 billion) into the banking system.
Shift aims to improve policy rate transmission and align the weighted average overnight call rate closer to the repo rate (currently 5.5%).
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is planning to use the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) more proactively as a regular liquidity management tool rather than reserving it for emergency interventions. The move follows a surprise 100-bps reduction in CRR, announced in four equal tranches, bringing it down to 3%, which will infuse ₹2.5 trillion into the banking system.
Between December and May, RBI injected $100 billion via OMOs and FX swaps — the largest such infusion in a similar timeframe.

Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill

12 June 2025

Amendments to the Insurance Act, 1938, LIC Act, 1956, and IRDA Act, 1999.
100% FDI in Insurance :
Currently capped at 74%, the bill proposes allowing full foreign ownership, potentially unlocking global capital inflows.
Proposed capital requirement: ₹150 crore (higher than existing ₹100 crore for insurers and ₹200 crore for reinsurers).

Stock Brokers Can Now Offer Insurance, Credit – MoF Amends Securities Rules

12 June 2025

The Ministry of Finance (MoF) has amended provisions of the Securities Contracts (Regulation) Rules (SCRR), 1957, enabling stock brokers to invest surplus capital in non-capital market businesses such as insurance, credit, real estate, and NBFCs, provided such activities don’t involve client funds or create liabilities.
Amendment to Rule 8 of SCRR, 1957 :
Previously, brokers could only act as agents, not principals, and were restricted from engaging in other businesses.
Expanded Investment Freedom for Brokers :

Qualified Institutional Placement (QIP)

12 June 2025

Qualified Institutional Placement (QIP) is a mechanism through which listed companies in India can raise capital by issuing equity shares, fully and partly convertible debentures, or any other security convertible into equity shares (other than warrants) to Qualified Institutional Buyers (QIBs). Introduced by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) in 2006, QIP provides companies with an alternative to global depository receipts (GDRs) and American depository receipts (ADRs) for capital raising.

Advantages	Details
Faster Process	QIP is quicker than an Initial Public Offering (IPO) or Follow-on Public Offering (FPO), as it involves only institutional investors.
Less Regulatory Compliance	Compared to public offerings, QIPs require fewer regulatory approvals, making the process more streamlined.
Cost-Effective	The cost of raising capital via QIP is lower than an IPO due to reduced underwriting and marketing expenses.
Avoids Dilution of Promoter Holding	Unlike rights issues, where retail investors participate, QIP allows companies to strategically allocate shares to institutional investors.

CreditAccess Grameen Secures $100 Million Multi-Currency Social Loan

12 June 2025

Founded: 1999
Foreign Debt Target: Raise share of foreign borrowings to 25–30% by FY28
Headquarters: Bangalore, Karnataka, India
Earlier, a $200 million ECB was raised in 2023 with the same lead arranger

Paytm Launches Custom UPI ID Feature

12 June 2025

Founded: 2010
Auto top-up for UPI Lite (up to ₹5,000)
Headquarters: Noida, Uttar Pradesh
Currently available for Yes Bank and Axis Bank users; more banks to be added soon

DFCC Bank Becomes First Foreign Corporate to List Green Bond at GIFT IFSC

12 June 2025

Environmental Focus: Contributes to Sri Lanka’s target of 70% renewable energy by 2030
Green Bond Listing Date: June 10, 2025
Inauguration Ceremony: Attended by IFSCA Chairperson K. Rajaraman and DFCC Bank officials
Bond Size: LKR 2.5 billion (~USD 8 million)

RBI Allows Separate Trading of Principal and Interest in State Bonds

13 June 2025

Residual maturity of up to 14 years
Minimum outstanding amount of ₹1,000 crore

RBI Issues Fresh Guidelines on KYC Updation for Low-Risk Customers

13 June 2025

Launched on 28th August 2014, the Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) by the Ministry of Finance is one of the globe’s most ambitious financial inclusion schemes.

SEBI-NPCI Launch @valid UPI

13 June 2025

Daily UPI payment limit for capital market transactions: ₹5 lakh.
Helps investors verify authenticity before making payments.
Stockbrokers (suffix: brk)
Investment Advisors (ia)

Government Bonds in India

13 June 2025

Interest: 7.75%, taxable under the Income Tax Act, 1961.
Example: “7% GOI 2021” means 7% annual coupon till 2021.
Replaced the 8% Savings Bond in 2018.
Typically long-term instruments with tenures from 5 to 40 years.

RBI Plans Curbs on Foreign Currency Deposits Under Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS)

13 June 2025

Will apply under LRS, which currently allows remittance of up to $250,000 per financial year for education, travel, investments, healthcare, etc.
The Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) was introduced by the RBI in 2004 to simplify foreign remittances for Indian residents. Under this scheme, individuals can send up to USD 250,000 per financial year (April–March) outside India for permissible transactions without requiring prior approval from the RBI.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is planning to amend the Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) to prevent resident Indians from parking funds in overseas time deposits or other interest-bearing foreign currency accounts, two government sources revealed.
Aim is to safeguard forex reserves and reduce currency volatility.

Groww Nifty India Internet ETF

13 June 2025

Minimum Investment: ₹500, and in multiples of ₹1 thereafter.
6x increase in MeITY budget over 7 years
Index Tracked: Nifty India Internet Index (TRI), which comprises 21 companies engaged in online businesses like e-commerce, fintech, travel, food delivery, and digital content.
NFO Period: Open from 13 June 2025 to 27 June 2025.

Urban Cooperative Bank in India

13 June 2025

They were brought under the purview of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 through an Amendment in 1966.
Tier 1: All unit UCBs, salary earners’ UCBs, and UCBs with deposits up to ₹100 crore
Tier 2: UCBs with deposits between ₹100 crore and ₹1,000 crore
Tier 3: UCBs with deposits between ₹1,000 crore and ₹10,000 crore

Cryptocurrency or Virtual Digital Asset (VDA)

14 June 2025

VDA income is taxable under Section 115BBH of the Income Tax Act, effective from April 2022.
It attracts a flat 30% tax rate without deductions (except cost of acquisition) and 1% TDS under Section 194S.
According to the Finance Act 2022 (India), a Virtual Digital Asset (VDA) is defined as:
Includes NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens), which represent ownership of unique digital or physical assets.

External Benchmark Lending Rate (EBLR)

14 June 2025

The country's largest lender, State Bank of India (SBI), reduced its External Benchmark Lending Rate (EBLR) and home loan rate by 50 basis points, keeping with Reserve Bank of Indias half per cent cut in policy repo rate. The revised EBLR would be 8.15 per cent as against the old rate of 8.65 per cent.
Despite RBI’s policy rate cuts, banks often failed to pass on the benefits to borrowers, citing factors like internal spreads, operational costs, and non-performing assets. This inefficiency led RBI to constitute an Internal Study Group (ISG), whose recommendations culminated in the adoption of EBLR from October 1, 2019.
3-month or 6-month Treasury Bill yield
The interest rate must be reset at least once every 3 months.

RBI Issues New Guidelines to Ease Reactivation of Dormant Bank Accounts and Access to Unclaimed Deposits

14 June 2025

A savings or current account becomes inoperative if there has been no customer-initiated transaction for 10 years.
Term deposits, too, become unclaimed if not withdrawn within 10 years of maturity.
Customers can now update KYC at any branch of their bank, not just the home branch.
Process involved lengthy documentation, especially for legal heirs.

Scapia Partners with Federal Bank to Launch Dual-Network RuPay Credit Card

14 June 2025

Founded: 2022
Headquarters: Bengaluru
Users can track both credit card and UPI expenses (via RuPay) in one consolidated platform.
No foreign exchange markup fees on international purchases, enhancing value for global travelers.

RBI Permits STRIPS Trading in State Government Bonds to Deepen Market Liquidity

14 June 2025

Residual maturity up to 14 years
Outstanding issuance size of at least ₹10 billion (~$116.93 million)
Offers banks and investors more options for portfolio and risk management

Govt Likely to Amend Refund Clause in New IT Bill, 2025

15 & 16 June 2025

In a major relief for taxpayers, the government is likely to amend the controversial refund provision in the draft Income Tax (IT) Bill, 2025, which currently denies refunds for returns filed after the due date. A senior official from the Finance Ministry has confirmed that the provision will be rectified and brought in line with the current law.
The draft Bill, introduced in Parliament on February 13, 2025, contains contradictory sections:
Section 433 allows a refund claim regardless of whether the return is belated.
In contrast, Section 263(1)(a)(ix) stipulates that a refund can be claimed only if the return is filed on or before the due date.

SEBI Likely to Announce Regulatory Relaxations

15 & 16 June 2025

Waiver of minimum public shareholding (25%) compliance.
The board is also expected to consider reforms for voluntary delisting of public sector undertakings (PSUs) where the government holds more than 90% equity. The changes may include:
Currently, eight listed PSUs have over 90% government ownership, including Haryana Financial Corporation and KIOCL, making public stake dilution and fair price discovery challenging.
Exit conditions for co-investors.

The Journey of Regional Rural Banks (RRBs)

15 & 16 June 2025

The journey of Regional Rural Banks (RRBs), which began with the establishment of five banks on October 2, 1975, has been both remarkable and transformational. These banks are jointly owned by the Central Government (50%), state governments (15%), and sponsor banks (35%), which include public sector, private, and cooperative banks. Sponsor banks also provide managerial support by deputing key personnel, including chairmen and general managers.
Bankers to State Governments: RRBs are well-positioned to serve as official bankers for state governments.
Transition to Universal Banks: With stronger financials, many RRBs could evolve into universal banks.
Managerial Constraints: Key leadership remains on deputation, limiting continuity and ownership.

Sebi Tightens ESG Bond Rules

15 & 16 June 2025

Combat Misrepresentation: Targets purpose-washing, where issuers misstate the environmental or social impact of bond proceeds.
Mandatory Third-Party Verification: Issuers must appoint independent reviewers to verify alignment of ESG claims.
Early Redemption Clause: Allows redemption of bonds in cases where issuers deviate from stated ESG objectives.
Quantification of Negative Externalities: Issuers must disclose potential negative outcomes from funded projects.

Jupiter and Scapia Launch RuPay-UPI Enabled Credit Cards

15 & 16 June 2025

Cashback rewards worth over ₹50,000 annually.
Jupiter, a digital-first money management platform, has unveiled the Edge+ CSB Bank RuPay Credit Card, a no-joining-fee, no-annual-fee product focused on rewards and UPI-enabled convenience.

NPCI–IDRBT Sign MoU to Boost Cybersecurity and Resilience in India’s Digital Payments Ecosystem

15 & 16 June 2025

Established by the Reserve Bank of India in 1996 for R&D in banking technology.
In a strategic move to enhance cybersecurity and digital resilience within India’s fast-expanding digital payments infrastructure, the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and the Institute for Development and Research in Banking Technology (IDRBT) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on June 12, 2025.
Launch specialized training programs on cybersecurity, data privacy, and digital risk.
Provide access to IDRBT’s upgraded threat intelligence platform, सचेत (IBCART 3.0).

CreditAccess Grameen Raises $100 Million Multi-Currency Syndicated Social Loan to Strengthen Rural Microfinance

15 & 16 June 2025

Diversified Borrowing Profile: The company aims to achieve 25–30% foreign borrowings by FY28, enhancing geographic diversification, asset-liability management (ALM), and liability robustness.
Use of Proceeds: Funds will be deployed for eligible social projects under CA Grameen’s Social Loan Framework, aligned with Social Loan Principles 2023 by the Loan Market Association.
Scale and Reach: Operating in 423 districts across 16 states, CA Grameen focuses on women-centric microloans in rural India.
Headquartered in Bengaluru, CreditAccess Grameen is India’s largest NBFC-MFI, with a mission to empower rural women through access to credit. The firm continues to expand its presence in states such as Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, and Goa, among others.

RBI Eases Reactivation Process for Dormant Bank Accounts and Unclaimed Deposits

15 & 16 June 2025

KYC Update Flexibility: Customers can now update their Know Your Customer (KYC) information at any branch of their bank, not just the home branch.

ATM Growth Stagnates Amid Digital Shift, But Bank Branches Still Vital in Rural India

17 June 2025

Over 60% of India’s population resides
In contrast, bank branches rose significantly, from 130,000 in FY21 to 140,000 in FY25
ATMs increased marginally from 211,000 in FY21 to 212,000 in FY25

TRAI Teams Up with RBI to Digitise Legacy User Consent in Banks

17 June 2025

Protect consumers from unsolicited communication

RBI Releases Draft Norms for Rupee Interest Rate Derivatives

17 June 2025

The 2019 IRD framework was a major milestone in streamlining derivative transactions linked to rupee interest rates. However, since then, the market has witnessed:
Non-Resident Participation: Define clearer rules and access mechanisms for foreign investors and institutions.
Transparency & Oversight: Ensure all derivative transactions are properly recorded, reported, and supervised.
On June 17, 2025, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued draft regulations for the Rupee Interest Rate Derivatives (IRD) market. The move aims to update and align the existing regulatory framework—last revised in June 2019—with evolving financial market dynamics, product innovation, and increased foreign participation.

FPIs Seek Relaxation in Disclosure Norms and Renewal Tenure

17 June 2025

Extension of FPI Licence Tenure from 3 to 5 Years
Over 50% of Indian AUM in a single corporate group, or
Over ₹50,000 crore AUM in Indian equities,to disclose the identities of the last natural persons behind each investor.
SEBI had released a consultation paper on CAS in 2023, but no final implementation has followed yet.

Sebi’s Centralized Fee Collection Mechanism (CeFCoM)

17 June 2025

Annual subscription fee is around ₹7,499, offering advisers a consolidated dashboard to track investor payments.
CeFCoM was launched on 1 October 2024 and is managed by BSE Ltd. and MF Utilities India Pvt. Ltd. (MFU).
The platform aims to create a closed, transparent ecosystem for fee collection from clients of registered investment advisers (RIAs) and research analysts (RAs), thus minimizing the role of unregistered entities.
Cost Concerns: Some advisers prefer alternative platforms like ValidPay, which offer cheaper, faster UPI-based fee collections.

Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank Launches India’s First Cybersecurity Operations Centre for Cooperative Banks

17 June 2025

The C-SOC is located in Vashi, Navi Mumbai and was established at a cost of ₹50 crore.
Operated by a team of 35 cybersecurity professionals, the centre currently supports 31 District Central Cooperative Banks (DCCBs) in Maharashtra free of charge.
Over 1 million cyberattacks have been reported across cooperative banks, with some cases leading to losses of up to ₹50 crore.
MSC Bank becomes the first bank in India to set up a cybersecurity operations hub tailored for cooperative banks.

Indian Overseas Bank Launches ‘Locate IOB’ to Enhance Branch Accessibility

17 June 2025

Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) has introduced a new digital tool, ‘Locate IOB’, aimed at improving customer access to its branches and ATMs by leveraging location-based technology.
Purpose:To help customers easily locate IOB branches, ATMs, and access essential banking information digitally.
Designed to offer a seamless and integrated experience without requiring users to switch between banking apps and third-party maps.
Part of IOB’s broader push towards digital transformation and enhanced mobile-first customer engagement, addressing the growing reliance on smartphones for everyday banking.

Poonawalla Fincorp Launches ‘Business Loan 24/7’

17 June 2025

Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and self-employed borrowers.
Backed by a risk-first credit evaluation model

Fintech Sector Proposes UPI MDR Framework for Large Merchants

18 June 2025

Small merchants and users protected: The proposal seeks to exempt over 90% of India’s 60 million UPI-accepting merchants, particularly those with annual turnovers of ₹20 lakh or less.
End users unaffected: Customers will continue to pay zero fees on UPI transactions, regardless of the proposed changes.
The Ministry of Finance recently reaffirmed via a post on social media that it has no current plans to levy MDR on UPI payments.
Supporting the Ecosystem: An incentive scheme has been implemented to support payment system participants in delivering services for low-value UPI transactions.

RBI to Soon Decide on Small Finance Banks’ Bid for Universal Bank Status

18 June 2025

The Reserve Bank of India introduced the ‘On Tap’ Licensing Policy in August 2016 for private sector universal banks. This policy allows eligible applicants to seek a banking licence at any time, enhancing dynamism and competition in the Indian banking sector.
AU Small Finance Bank – Applied in September 2023
Ujjivan Small Finance Bank – Applied in February 2024
Jana Small Finance Bank – Applied in June 2025

SEBI Restructures Derivatives Expiry Days

18 June 2025

New Contracts: No new weekly index futures can be launched after July 1, 2025, per SEBI’s directive.
Shares of BSE have already dropped over 10% from recent highs amid concerns of trading volume erosion.
Effective Date: The new schedule comes into effect September 1, 2025.
NSE: Weekly equity derivatives contracts will expire on Tuesdays (from current Thursday).

RBI Tightens KYC Notification Norms to Boost Consumer Protection and Service Delivery

18 June 2025

Banks must send at least three advance notifications to customers before the KYC update becomes due.
Post-Due Date Reminders
If the customer fails to update KYC by the due date, banks must send three additional reminders.
Involvement of Business Correspondents (BCs)To aid customers, especially in rural and remote areas, RBI has permitted BCs to assist in the KYC update process.

Supervisory Data Quality Index (sDQI) for Scheduled Commercial Banks

18 June 2025

The index covers 87 Scheduled Commercial Banks and evaluates the quality of key returns submitted to RBI, including:
Small Finance Banks (SFBs):Highest sDQI among SCBs at 90.6, though slightly down from 91.0 in March 2024.
Foreign Banks:Recorded a significant rise to 89.1, from 87.6 in March 2024.
Above 90: Good

RBI Proposes Eased Reporting Norms for Rupee Interest Rate Derivatives

18 June 2025

Collar and reverse collar structures
Non-resident transactions not settled in INR: Must be reported to the Trade Repository of Clearing Corporation of India (CCIL) within 30 minutes.
Foreign currency transactions: Reporting deadline extended to 12:00 PM on the next business day.
Mandate 30-minute reporting for all transactions, along with a stated purpose.

SEBI Approves Compliance Easing, IPO Reforms to Aid Startups, PSUs, and FPIs

19 June 2025

Founders/promoters can retain ESOPs granted at least 1 year before filing DRHP.
Investors in fully paid CCS can now convert and sell shares without 1-year lock-in.
PSUs where Govt or promoter group holds over 90% can now pursue delisting more easily.
Scheme introduced for NSEL brokers and venture capital funds seeking to migrate under AIF regulations.

SEBI Approves Major Regulatory Reforms

19 June 2025

Aims to align founders' incentives with long-term shareholder value.
SEBI approved voluntary delisting of public sector undertakings (PSUs) where government shareholding exceeds 90%.
₹1 lakh penalty for delay up to 1 year.
₹50,000 for each additional year.

SEBI Approves Key Regulatory Reforms for REITs, InvITs, and Merchant Bankers

19 June 2025

Primary Market Reforms: Minimum allotment size in the primary market for privately placed InvITs has been reduced from ₹1–25 crore to a uniform ₹25 lakh, aligning with the secondary market.
SEBI revoked its earlier decision (Dec 2024) requiring MBs to hive off non-SEBI-regulated activities into separate entities.
Related Parties Clarification: Units held by related parties of sponsors, investment/project managers will not count as “public” unless they are Qualified Institutional Buyers (QIBs); even then, they remain excluded from the public category.
Engage in activities regulated by other Financial Sector Regulators (FSRs), provided they comply with relevant norms.

FM Urges Fintechs to Tackle Cyberfraud, Expand Global Footprint

19 June 2025

At the Digital Payments Awards 2025, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman urged fintech startups to develop robust solutions to counter cyber frauds, including digital arrests, deepfakes, and scams by fly-by-night operators.
India’s fintech market is projected to grow to $400 billion by FY29, with an expected 30% annual growth.
Fintechs should work on preventing emerging threats like digital impersonation and deepfakes, which are causing growing harm to citizens.

Gold Price Surge Driving Core Inflation: Crisil

19 June 2025

Gold contributed 17% of the core inflation increase over May 2024–May 2025.
Despite a 2.3% weight in the core CPI basket, gold inflation averaged 24.7% in FY25, up from 15.1% in FY24.
Advanced economies like the U.S., U.K., Japan, and EU include gold in core inflation with less than 1% weight, minimizing its inflationary impact.
Crisil has reported that rising gold prices, driven by global economic uncertainty, are significantly contributing to India's core inflation—despite headline CPI inflation dropping to a 75-month low of 2.8% in May 2025. Core inflation rose to 4.2%, up 111 basis points year-on-year.

SEBI Promotes Use of CeFCoM Platform for Safe Payments to Advisers and Analysts

19 June 2025

Over ₹5 crore in payments processed through CeFCoM as of June 10, 2025.
Operational Since: October 1, 2024Managed by BSE Ltd. in partnership with MF Utilities India Pvt. Ltd.
‘SEBI Check’ Tool (from October 1, 2025) :
Helps investors confirm they are dealing with SEBI-registered entities, avoiding scams from unregistered advisors.

First Abu Dhabi Bank Adopts eMACH.ai for Digital Lending Transformation

19 June 2025

First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), the UAE’s largest bank, has partnered with Intellect Design Arena to implement the eMACH.ai Lending platform, marking a major milestone in its digital transformation strategy.
Integrates with 10+ internal subsystems at FAB.
Offers real-time portfolio visibility and seamless credit management.
FAB targets full automation of debt collection within five years.

India Lags in SWIFT ISO 20022 Migration Ahead of November 2025 Deadline

19 June 2025

Global adoption of ISO 20022 stands at 43%, but India trails significantly.
The November 2025 deadline is considered final, with no further extensions likely.
India’s top private banks are behind schedule in migrating to the SWIFT ISO 20022 cross-border payments messaging standard, with only State Bank of India (SBI) having fully transitioned.

RBI Eases Project Finance Norms

20 June 2025

The May 2023 draft allowed a phased reduction in provisioning from 5% to 2.5%, and eventually to 1%, subject to :
All projects (excluding CRE): 1% of funded outstanding
Commercial Real Estate (CRE): 1.25%
CRE – Residential Housing (CRERH): 1.0%

UNCTAD World Investment Report 2025

20 June 2025

FDI fell globally by 11% to $1.5 trillion in 2024.
Digital Economy: Cited as a critical driver of global growth, the digital sector is growing 10–12% annually, outpacing global GDP and becoming central to FDI and value creation.
FDI Rankings (2024) :
Greenfield Projects: 1,080 in 2024 — 4th highest in the world.

SEBI to Boost Transparency in Trading Costs Through Unbundling of Fees

20 June 2025

SEBI Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey clarified that there are no immediate plans to alter the ownership structure of CCs, currently fully owned by stock exchanges.
Ensures clear disclosure of charges to investors.
Promotes accountability and competition among clearing service providers.

Sale of listed private non-financial firms rose 7.1% in Q4FY25: RBI Data

20 June 2025

Sales of listed private non-financial companies registered 7.1% growth (y-o-y) during Q4-2024-25 compared with 8% growth in the previous quarter and 6.9% in Q4 2023-24, according to data released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
Listed private non-financial companies recorded a 7.1% year-on-year (y-o-y) sales growth in Q4FY25, down from 8% in Q3FY25 and 6.9% in Q4FY24.
Sales growth slowed to 6.6% in Q4FY25, compared to 7.7% in Q3FY25.
Sales growth rose to 8.6% in Q4FY25, improving from 6.8% in Q3 and 3.1% a year ago.

Bank of Maharashtra Partners with SBI Card to Launch Co-Branded Credit Cards

20 June 2025

In a significant move to deepen financial inclusion and enhance customer engagement, Bank of Maharashtra (BoM) has partnered with SBI Card, one of India’s leading credit card issuers, to launch co-branded credit cards offering a host of consumer benefits.
Nationwide Launch: The co-branded cards will be available to eligible customers across India through both online platforms and BoM branches.
Application Convenience: Customers can apply via digital channels or through branch walk-ins, ensuring accessibility and a hassle-free onboarding experience.
Strategic Collaboration: Combines Bank of Maharashtra’s extensive banking network and customer trust with SBI Card’s digital capabilities and credit card expertise.

India Plans 100% FDI in Insurance with Eased Norms for Foreign Board Representation

21 June 2025

The Union government is preparing to introduce amendments to the Insurance Act in the upcoming Monsoon Session, enabling 100% foreign direct investment (FDI) in the insurance sector—up from the current 74%. The reforms will also allow foreign insurers to appoint a majority of nonresident board members and key managerial personnel (KMPs).
Foreign insurers may soon be permitted to have a majority of nonresident board members, including foreign nationals in top leadership roles (e.g., CEO, MD).

Year	FDI Cap	Key Safeguards Introduced
2021	Raised from 49% to 74%	- 50% board must be resident Indian citizens - At least one resident Indian KMP (CEO/MD) required - Restrictions on dividend payouts and repatriation - Enhanced regulatory disclosures
2025 (proposed)	100%	Eased residency rules for board and KMPs; safeguards under review

RBI Lowers Priority Sector Lending Norms for Small Finance Banks

21 June 2025

60% of ANBC or credit equivalent of off-balance sheet exposure, whichever is higher
75% under existing norms
When launched, SFBs were required to meet a higher PSL obligation (75%) compared to 40% for scheduled commercial banks, due to their focus on financial inclusion.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has revised its Priority Sector Lending (PSL) guidelines for Small Finance Banks (SFBs), reducing their mandatory lending target from 75% to 60% of Adjusted Net Bank Credit (ANBC) or credit equivalent of off-balance sheet exposures, whichever is higher. The new norms will be effective from FY26 (2025–26).

Parametric Insurance Gains Momentum in India Amid Rising Climate Risks

21 June 2025

Daily payout: ₹500–₹2,000 depending on severity and policy
Hospitalization allowance: Up to ₹5,000 for weather-related injuries or illness
Trigger Parameters:
Heat Index (temperature threshold)

RBI Imposes ₹29.6 Lakh Penalty on Fino Payments Bank for Licensing Norm Breach

21 June 2025

Arising from findings during the Statutory Inspection for Supervisory Evaluation (ISE 2024), based on the bank's financials as on March 31, 2024
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has levied a monetary penalty of ₹29.6 lakh on Fino Payments Bank Ltd for non-compliance with its licensing guidelines applicable to payments banks.
Maximum balance limit of ₹2 lakh per customer (subject to periodic revision)
Penalty imposed under the RBI’s powers to ensure adherence to licensing conditions

Yield Spread Between 3-Year and 10-Year G-Secs Widens Sharply Amid RBI's Liquidity Easing

21 June 2025

3-year G-sec: 5.83%
10-year G-sec (benchmark): 6.31%
Short-term G-Secs: <5 years maturity
Long-term G-Secs: Typically 10 years or more

SEBI Proposes Framework for Responsible Use of AI/ML in Securities Market

21 June 2025

Strengthen data protection norms in line with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act.
Mandate independent oversight and documentation to track model decisions and updates.
Data Privacy & Cybersecurity
Impose cybersecurity standards to secure sensitive financial and personal information used by AI/ML systems.

Bajaj Allianz Launches India’s First State-wise Health Insurance Policy Tailored to Local Healthcare Needs

21 June 2025

Factors considered include: local hospital infrastructure, prevalent health concerns, treatment costs, and affordability levels.

CCI’s 2025 Cost Norms

21 June 2025

Weak Enforcement Record (only one predatory pricing case upheld pre-2025)
Proof of Intent: Predatory motive is difficult to establish under Section 4 of the Competition Act.
Intent to eliminate competitors

RBI Issues Master Circular to Enhance Credit Access for SC/ST Communities

21 June 2025

Launched: April 1, 2013 (replacing Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana).
Launched: May 6, 2015 by Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment.
Additional housing loan of ₹20,000 available under the scheme.
Mandate: At least 50% of beneficiaries should belong to SC/ST communities.

RBI Issues Master Direction on Electronic Trading Platforms (ETPs)

21 June 2025

Have a minimum net worth of ₹5 crore
Maintain detailed transaction records for a minimum of 10 years.
Standalone Primary Dealers—where the bank/dealer is the sole quote/price provider and a party to all trades.
Strong cybersecurity

SEBI Eases Startup Regulations and Introduces Major Reforms for AIFs, REITs, and PSUs

22 & 23 June 2025

Reduced Minimum Investment: For privately placed InvITs, the minimum allotment size has been reduced from ₹1 crore to ₹25 lakh.
Eased Exit for Majority-Govt PSUs: New delisting norms apply to PSUs where the government holds at least a 90% stake. Around five listed PSUs could benefit.
ESOP Clarity for Founders: Startups can now issue and allow the exercise of ESOPs to founders/promoters if granted at least one year before the filing of the Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP).
Reverse Flipping Incentivised: Reforms will support Indian listings of startups initially launched abroad.

SEBI Proposes Guardrails for AI and ML in Indian Securities Markets

22 & 23 June 2025

Third-Party and Non-Traditional Players :
Regulatory purview to expand to cover third-party algo vendors, fintech startups, and non-registered intermediaries using AI for financial services.
Investor Protection and Oversight :
Investors may benefit from more transparent and explainable AI tools, subject to new disclosures and testing standards.

Credit Rating Agencies Seek Government Intervention

22 & 23 June 2025

In 2023, SEBI required CRAs to obtain an NOC from RBI for rating unlisted papers.
Market Size: Unlisted instruments like PTCs help lenders (NBFCs, banks) unlock liquidity from retail loan pools.
Investor Confidence: Ratings influence pricing, risk evaluation, and compliance standards for institutional investors.

Bank of Maharashtra Partners with SBI Card to Launch Co-Branded Credit Cards

22 & 23 June 2025

In a strategic move to strengthen its retail offerings, Bank of Maharashtra (BoM) has announced a co-branding partnership with SBI Card to launch co-branded credit cards aimed at fulfilling the financial and lifestyle needs of its customer base.
Cashback offers on selected transactions
Seamless and easy onboarding process for eligible customers nationwide
SBI Card’s credit card expertise, digital capabilities, and diverse product suite

Outward Direct Investment (ODI)

22 & 23 June 2025

Control & Influence: ODI involves significant control or influence, generally defined as ownership of at least 10% in the foreign entity.
India is witnessing a significant surge in outward direct investment (ODI) by domestic corporations, raising questions about whether this reflects increasing global competitiveness or underlying concerns about the business environment at home. Indian outward investment has jumped from $4 billion in 2014–15 to $29 billion in 2024–25, a 625% increase over a decade.
Market diversification

Digital Payment Intelligence Platform (DPIP)

22 & 23 June 2025

FY25 fraud value surged to ₹36,014 crore, nearly 3x higher than FY24’s ₹12,230 crore.

RBI Rate Cut Could Revive Loan Growth, But Deposit Mobilisation Key: Fitch

24 June 2025

Fitch Ratings has projected that the Reserve Bank of India’s recent 50 basis point rate cut could help revive loan growth to 12–13% in FY26. However, this growth is contingent on stronger deposit mobilisation by the banking sector.
Dropped to a 4-year low of 10% in FY25.
Public Sector Banks (PSBs) outperformed private banks, growing at 12.4%.
Rose 120 basis points in FY25.

RBI Eases PSL Norms for SFBs, Unlocks ₹40,000 Cr for Diversification

24 June 2025

SFBs were required to lend 75% of ANBC to PSL sectors.
40% was earmarked for specific PSL subsectors.
Remaining 35% could be directed to any PSL subsector of their choice.
Overall PSL requirement reduced to 60% of ANBC or off-balance-sheet exposures (whichever is higher).

Concerns Over Health Insurance Premiums and Governance Issues

24 June 2025

Sharp Rise in Premiums: Health insurance premiums rose by up to 15% in 2024, forcing many policyholders to drop out, especially senior citizens.
Allows 100% foreign direct investment (FDI) in insurance.
Barred insurers from raising premiums for senior citizens (60+) by more than 10% per annum without prior approval.
Permits foreigners as Key Managerial Personnel (KMP) in Indian firms.

Issue	Government Action
Premium Hikes	Directed IRDAI to review product pricing; prevent excessive hikes, especially for senior citizens.
Governance	IRDAI asked to scrutinize board decisions and ensure compliance with all regulations.
PE Influence	Concerns raised over PE-backed firms driving aggressive pricing strategies to boost valuations.
Leadership Void	IRDAI has been without a Chairperson since March 2025; government may appoint a senior bureaucrat.

Housing Finance Company (HFC)

24 June 2025

Focus on Housing Finance: At least 60% of an HFC's assets must be dedicated to housing finance, and at least 50% of those assets must be for loans to individuals for housing purposes.
Regulation: HFCs are regulated by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), with some regulatory powers also held by the National Housing Bank (NHB).
Role in the Housing Market: HFCs play a vital role in facilitating homeownership by providing access to credit, especially for those who may not qualify for loans from traditional banks.
HDFC Ltd. (now merged with HDFC Bank)

Angel Funds in India

24 June 2025

Angel funds raise capital exclusively from angel investors by issuing units and must have a minimum corpus of ₹10 crore (₹100 million).
Angel funds can now accept investments from up to 200 investors, a significant increase from the previous cap of 49.
Minimum investment: ₹25 lakhs (reduced from ₹50 lakhs).
Maximum investment: ₹5 crore.

EPFO Raises Auto-Settlement Limit for Advance Claims to ₹5 Lakh

25 June 2025

64.3% of India’s population (over 94 crore people) are now covered by at least one social protection scheme.
In 2015, this coverage was just 19%.
The auto-settlement system was first introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure timely financial relief for EPFO members.

Variable Rate Reverse Repo (VRRR)

25 June 2025

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will conduct a seven-day Variable Rate Reverse Repo (VRRR) auction worth ₹1 trillion on Friday, June 27, aiming to absorb excess liquidity from the banking system. The move follows a sharp build-up in surplus liquidity that has pushed the Weighted Average Call Rate (WACR) below the policy repo rate of 5.50%.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) uses multiple tools to manage systemic liquidity. Among these are the Variable Rate Repo (VRR) to inject liquidity and the Variable Rate Reverse Repo (VRRR) to absorb surplus liquidity from the banking system.
Typically, the VRRR rate is equal to or slightly higher than the standard reverse repo rate.

Tool	Objective	Liquidity Effect
VRR	Inject funds into the banking system	Adds liquidity
VRRR	Mop up surplus funds from banks	Absorbs liquidity

S&P Global Upgrades India’s FY26 GDP Growth Forecast to 6.5%

25 June 2025

World Bank (June 2025): Maintained India’s FY26 growth forecast at 6.3% amid rising trade barriers.
IMF (April 2025): Lowered India’s FY26 forecast by 30 bps to 6.2%, citing trade tensions and global uncertainty.
S&P Global Ratings on Tuesday revised India’s GDP growth forecast for FY26 to 6.5%, up by 0.2 percentage points from its previous estimate. The upgrade was published in its latest Economic Outlook for Asia-Pacific (Q3 2025).
In May 2025, S&P had lowered India's FY26 growth forecast to 6.3%, citing uncertainty stemming from U.S. tariff policy and its spillover effects on global trade. That report, titled Global Macro Update: Seismic Shift in US Trade Policy Will Slow World Growth, warned of rising protectionism and its negative impact on global supply chains.

SEBI Proposes Major Governance Overhaul for Market Infrastructure Institutions

25 June 2025

Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act, 1956
SEBI Act, 1992
Depositories Act, 1996
Relevant regulations like SECC Regulations, 2018, and D&P Regulations, 2018

Venture Capital (VC)

25 June 2025

VC firms invest in exchange for ownership equity in the startup.
It is especially useful when a startup cannot raise funds through capital markets, bank loans, or traditional debt instruments.

Stage	Description
Pre-Seed Stage	Earliest phase, focused on turning an idea into a business plan; often supported by incubators/accelerators.
Seed Funding	Helps startups launch their first product; usually no revenue yet, relies heavily on VC.
Early-Stage Funding	Required to scale production, expand marketing, and sales; divided into Series A, B, C rounds, etc.

L&T Lists India’s First ESG Bonds on NSE Under New SEBI Framework

25 June 2025

Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has launched India’s first ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) bonds on the National Stock Exchange (NSE), setting a precedent under SEBI’s new sustainability-linked bond framework notified in June 2025.
SEBI Framework: Issued under SEBI’s ESG and sustainability-linked bond framework (effective June 5, 2025)
Water neutral by 2035
Carbon neutral by 2040

RazorpayX Launches India’s First Founder-Friendly Corporate Credit Card for Startups

25 June 2025

Launched In Partnership With:
Credit limits up to ₹2 crore
Low forex markup of 2.5%
Over 95% of Indian startups lack access to institutional corporate cards

NACH (National Automated Clearing House) 3.0 Platform

25 June 2025

Founded: 2008
The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) is set to roll out NACH 3.0 in the first week of July 2025, aiming to accelerate and secure recurring bank transactions such as salaries, pensions, EMIs, SIPs, and government subsidies under the National Automated Clearing House (NACH) platform.
RuPay (Domestic card scheme)

RBI Issues Final Framework on IRACP Norms for Project Finance Loans to Banks & NBFCs

25 June 2025

1% standard asset provisioning
1.25% provisioning for Commercial Real Estate (CRE) projects under construction
Standard CRE exposures: 1%
CRE-RH (Residential housing under CRE): 0.75%

India Post Payments Bank Wins Digital Payments Award 2024–25 for Financial Inclusion Excellence

25 June 2025

Award: Digital Payments Award 2024–25 by DFS, Ministry of Finance
Ranked 1st among all Payments Banks in India in the Performance Index for FY 2024–25
Received a Special Mention award for FY 2023–24
Ownership: 100% equity held by Government of India

GST Council Likely to Discuss 12% Slab

26 June 2025

12% GST Slab Under Review :
The Council will deliberate on reducing or eliminating the 12% tax slab to simplify the existing four-tier GST structure (5%, 12%, 18%, and 28%).
Internal recommendations suggest subsuming the 12% slab into either the 5% or 18% category.
The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council is expected to convene in July 2025 after a gap of over six months, with major reforms on its agenda, according to official sources. The Council, chaired by the Union Finance Minister and comprising state finance ministers, plays a key role in shaping India’s indirect tax policy.

India’s Economy Shows Resilience Amid Global Uncertainty: RBI’s June 2025 Bulletin

26 June 2025

Policy repo rate has been cut by 100 bps between February and June 2025, currently standing at 5.5%.
A 100 bps phased reduction in Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) starting 6 September 2025 is expected to release ₹2.5 trillion in primary liquidity.
Scheduled commercial banks’ credit growth slowed to 9.9% (as of May 30, 2025), down from 16.2% a year earlier.
These factors will shape India’s medium-term growth outlook, especially post-July 2025 when the temporary tariff truce ends.

NSE Offers ₹13,880 Crore Settlement to SEBI

26 June 2025

The legal dispute dates back to 2019, when SEBI imposed a fine of ₹1,100 crore (₹11 billion) on NSE.
NSE has offered ₹1,388 crore as a settlement amount under SEBI’s consent mechanism — a route that allows entities to settle regulatory disputes without admitting or denying guilt.
If approved, this would remove a major obstacle for NSE to launch its much-awaited IPO, which has been pending for over six years.
It underscores the importance of regulatory clarity and dispute resolution in India’s capital markets ecosystem.

NSE to Launch 'Electricity Futures' to Manage Power Price Volatility

26 June 2025

Electricity Futures are financial contracts that allow buyers and sellers to lock in electricity prices for a future date without actual physical delivery of power.
Power generators
Traders and retailers
Large industries and commercial users

IRDAI Imposes ₹1 Crore Penalty on Edelweiss Life Insurance for Corporate Governance Violations

26 June 2025

Edelweiss Life did not collect bank account details at the proposal stage for policyholders paying premiums above ₹10,000.
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has imposed a ₹1 crore penalty on Edelweiss Life Insurance Company for violations related to outsourcing norms and customer onboarding practices, flagging serious lapses in corporate governance and regulatory compliance.
Insurers are mandated to:
Conduct due diligence of service providers.

Govt Plans Partial Stake Dilution in General Insurers to Meet SEBI's Norms

26 June 2025

All listed companies must maintain at least 25% public shareholding.
Government selling a 10% stake in Coal India through public offer
As per SEBI’s Rule 19A of the Securities Contracts (Regulation) Rules, 1957 , and Regulation 38 of the SEBI Listing Regulations:
The Union Finance Ministry is set to initiate phased stake sales in public sector general insurers — New India Assurance Company and General Insurance Corporation (GIC Re) — to comply with SEBI’s Minimum Public Shareholding (MPS) requirement of 25% for all listed companies, including public sector units.

Jan Dhan 2.0

26 June 2025

Over 20% of Jan Dhan accounts (≈110 million) were classified as inoperative by December 2024, despite verification drives.
The existing ₹10,000 overdraft limit may be increased, subject to eligibility.
Jan Dhan account holders may soon receive chequebooks, expanding their transactional capabilities and financial credibility.
Aims to improve access to emergency funds and support consumption in rural/low-income households.

Public Sector Banks Dominate Certificate of Deposit Market

26 June 2025

Issuance volumes climbed steadily since April 2022, peaking in March 2025 at ₹1.17 trillion, amid fiscal year-end liquidity pressures.
Liquidity deficit and year-end funding pressures led to a record ₹3.70 trillion in CD issuances in Q4FY25.
Outstanding CD issuances hit a record ₹11.75 trillion in FY25, reflecting continued demand.
A recent RBI Bulletin highlights a significant realignment in India’s Certificate of Deposit (CD) market. Between 2022 and December 2024, the share of public sector banks (PSBs) in CD issuances surged from 6% to 69%, while private sector banks (PVBs) saw a decline from 85% to 30%.

Call Money Market

26 June 2025

Effective July 1, 2025, trading hours for the call money market have been extended till 7 PM.
Call Money Market trading hours will be extended until 7:00 PM (previously closed at 5:00 PM).
In finance, call money refers to short-term funds lent by banks or financial institutions that are repayable on demand, with a maturity ranging from overnight to 14 days. It is a core component of the Indian inter-bank money market.
Effective from July 1, 2025:

RazorpayX Launches Corporate Cards for Startups Amid IPO Readiness

26 June 2025

Credit Limit: Up to ₹2 crore without requiring collateral.
FX Charges: Competitive foreign exchange mark-up fee of just 2.5%.
No Personal Liability: Business expenses no longer impact founders’ personal credit scores.

Bank of Baroda Launches “bob Flexi SDP” with Variable Contributions

27 June 2025

Core monthly instalment can start at ₹500, with flexibility to increase in ₹100 increments up to ₹1 lakh/month, or 10× the core instalment—whichever is lower.
Overdraft facility up to 95% of the outstanding balance

SBI Partners with FPSB India to Integrate CFP Certification into Employee Training

27 June 2025

Established: 1 July 1955
Target Group: All 2.36 lakh SBI employees will be covered under the program.
Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
Objective: Enhance the bank’s advisory capabilities for NRI, HNI, and UHNI clients.

Equitas SFB and Edelweiss Life Insurance Forge Strategic Bancassurance Partnership

27 June 2025

Bancassurance refers to the distribution of insurance products through banks. It's a partnership between a bank and an insurance company where the bank sells the insurer's products to its existing customer base.
Partnership Objective: To enable Equitas SFB customers to access Edelweiss Life’s insurance offerings such as:
Helps Equitas SFB diversify revenue by earning commissions through insurance distribution (non-interest income).
Enhances Edelweiss Life’s market reach through Equitas’s retail base, especially in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.

IRDAI Flags Concerns During Inspections of Eight Health Insurers

27 June 2025

Prompts insurers to rectify procedural inefficiencies swiftly.

Cyberattack on Aditya Birla Capital’s ABCD App

27 June 2025

The ABCD app was launched in April 2024 with an investment of ₹100 crore.
As of August 2024, the platform had 1.2 million users, with a target to onboard 30 million users in 3 years.
Nearly ₹2 crore worth of digital gold was illicitly sold by an unidentified hacker.
Offers 22+ financial products, including digital gold, insurance, loans, and mutual funds.

SEBI Regulatory Changes

28 June 2025

Earlier Regime: Companies paid a 20% buyback tax on the repurchase amount.
SEBI has eliminated the open market buyback route starting FY 2025.
Indian listed companies have significantly reduced share buybacks in 2025 due to a combination of taxation reforms and SEBI regulatory changes. As of June 26, 2025, only four buyback offers worth ₹186 crore have been recorded, compared to 38 buybacks totalling over ₹8,000 crore in the previous calendar year.
New Taxation Rule (Effective October 1, 2024):

DBS Bank India Waives Prepayment and Foreclosure Charges for UDYAM-Registered MSMEs

28 June 2025

In a move aimed at easing credit access and enhancing cash flow flexibility for small businesses, DBS Bank India Ltd. (DBIL) has announced a complete waiver of prepayment and foreclosure charges for all MSME borrowers registered under UDYAM.
The waiver applies to both new and existing MSME borrowers.
Encourages financial flexibility without penalizing borrowers for early repayment.
Empowers businesses to optimize credit costs and explore cheaper funding options.

Pump and Dump Schemes

28 June 2025

SEBI in India has launched search operations against pump-and-dump rackets (e.g., in June 2025).
A pump and dump scheme involves artificially boosting (pumping) the price of a stock through misleading recommendations or information, then selling (dumping) the overvalued shares to retail investors, who suffer losses when prices collapse.
Dissemination of False Information : Fraudsters spread misleading information—often online via emails, social media, WhatsApp groups, forums, or blogs—about a stock’s potential, claiming:
Imminent acquisitions or partnerships

RBI Issues Final Guidelines for KYC and Due Diligence of AePS Operators

28 June 2025

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on June 28, 2025, released final guidelines for due diligence and onboarding of Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AePS) Touchpoint Operators (ATOs). The move is aimed at strengthening fraud risk management, improving accountability, and ensuring compliance with KYC norms. The guidelines will come into force from January 1, 2026.
If an ATO is inactive for 3 consecutive months (i.e., no financial or non-financial AePS transactions), the bank must re-verify KYC before reactivating them.
Banks must conduct KYC and due diligence on all AePS Touchpoint Operators before onboarding them.
Creates a standardized compliance framework across banks and payment operators.

Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY)

28 June 2025

₹436 per annum per member.
₹2 lakh life insurance cover.
The Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) is a crucial initiative by the Government of India that aims to provide affordable life insurance coverage to the masses, particularly the economically weaker sections. Launched in 2015, PMJJBY is one of the key pillars under the umbrella of Jan Suraksha Yojana, ensuring that every citizen, irrespective of income, has access to life insurance coverage.
9th May, 2015

SEBI Revises Related Party Transactions (RPTs) Disclosure Norms

28 June 2025

Audit Committee Oversight:
Now, Managing Directors (MDs), Whole-Time Directors, or Managers may also certify that an RPT is in the best interest of the listed company, in addition to the CEO or CFO.
Previous transactions, relationship nature, and ownership structure of the related party
The committee may seek additional documents (e.g., valuation reports).

Business Correspondents

28 June 2025

Open a person’s bank account, Process a loan application, Deposit money and withdraw money, and many other financial services.
A Business Correspondent (BC) is a representative of the bank, who offers banking services to people in the unorganized sectors. BCs are an important constituent of financial inclusion, which means making banking accessible to everyone.
Need better training of the field staff and development of a larger pool of skilled trainers.
BCs make use of the mobile phone in the facilitation of the services provided by a bank

Finance Minister Urges PSBs to Boost Lending

28 June 2025

RBI’s repo rate was reduced by 50 basis points to 5.5% on June 6, 2025, led by Governor Sanjay Malhotra.
Sitharaman urged PSBs to ensure increased lending to productive sectors, especially MSMEs, agriculture, and infrastructure.
Target: Maintain or exceed FY25 credit growth levels in FY26.
Banks were directed to onboard more customers into flagship government schemes:

Bank Credit Growth Remains Tepid Despite RBI Rate Cuts

29 & 30 June 2025

A State Bank of India (SBI) report estimates that CRR cuts could unlock resources supporting 1.4–1.5% additional credit growth.
Despite a 100 basis points (bps) cut in the policy repo rate by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) between February and June 2025, banks have maintained their credit growth guidance at 11–13% and deposit growth at 9–10% for FY26. This mirrors the trend observed in FY25 and indicates continued subdued demand and liquidity pressures.
Weak Q1 credit demand
Unsecured personal loans

SBI to Launch 'Only Yono'

29 & 30 June 2025

A marketing technology platform integrated across SMS, WhatsApp, and email to go live by October 2025.
Development of a real-time analytics platform (Data Lakehouse) by September 2026 .
Export and import modules for trade finance went live in April 2025.
The State Bank of India (SBI), India’s largest public sector bank, is set to embark on a major digital transformation in FY26, headlined by the launch of a next-generation version of its flagship mobile banking app — 'Only Yono'. The transformation strategy encompasses AI integration, multilingual customer engagement, and digitization across banking verticals.

SEBI Imposes ₹25 Lakh Penalty on BSE for Regulatory Lapses

29 & 30 June 2025

Penalty Amount: ₹25 lakh
Established: 1875
Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
Inspection Period: February 2021 to September 2022

Goa’s Instifi Receives RBI Authorization as Payment Aggregator

29 & 30 June 2025

Under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007, non-bank PAs must obtain formal RBI authorization.
Instifi, a fintech startup based in Goa, has received final authorization from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to operate as a licensed payment aggregator (PA) under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007. This makes Instifi the first and only RBI-authorized payment aggregator headquartered in Goa.
Founded by: Mohit Aggarwal

Test yourself · Banking and Finance

Fill the blank from memory, then check. Answers are at the foot of the box.

1. ________, following RBI’s softer monetary stance.

2. Interest: ________, taxable under the Income Tax Act, 1961.

3. Established by the ________ for R&D in banking technology.

4. ________: Maintained India’s FY26 growth forecast at 6.3% amid rising trade barriers.

5. Objective: ________ linked to insider trading violations in Gitanjali Gems shares.

Answers 1 HDFC Bank’s first rate cut in 2025 · 2 7.75% · 3 Reserve Bank of India in 1996 · 4 World Bank (June 2025) · 5 Recover dues worth ₹2.1 crore

Economy · 9

India’s Economic Performance in 2025

1 & 2 June 2025

India (2023): ~45% of workforce in agriculture.
India (2022): 32.7% in college-level education.
Japan & Poland: <10%, with majority in industry/services.
India: 23.9% in regular wage/salaried work.

India's FDI Trends in FY25

3 June 2025

Private Equity (PE) and Venture Capital (VC) now constitute over 75.9% of FDI (2020-21).
Gross FDI-to-GDP ratio: Dropped from 3.1% (FY21) to 2.1% (FY25).
Net FDI-to-GDP: Declined from 1.6% to 0% over the same period.
Blanchard & Acalin (2016): India ranks 6th among 25 EMEs in correlated inward-outward FDI.

India’s Apparel Export Growth Challenge

8 & 9 June 2025

Stagnant Global Share: India’s apparel export share remains at 3%, despite being the second-largest employment sector after agriculture.
MSME Dominance: Over 80% of apparel units are small-scale, leading to fragmentation, low scalability, and poor global integration.
Women-Led Workforce: Nearly 70% of apparel workers are women, promoting gender-inclusive growth (e.g. Shahi Exports employs 70,000+ women).
Costly Capital: India’s high 9% interest rate limits expansion (vs. 3–4.5% in China/Vietnam).

India-EFTA Trade Deal to Take Effect by September 2025

10 June 2025

India’s Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA)—comprising Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein—will come into force by September 2025, according to Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal.
The deal includes a $100 billion investment commitment over 15 years from EFTA nations.
Signed on March 10, 2024.
A 100-company Swiss delegation visited India in February 2025, showing growing bilateral interest.

World Bank Retains India’s FY26 GDP Growth

11 June 2025

The World Bank, in its Global Economic Prospects Report (June 2025), retained India’s FY26 GDP growth forecast at 6.3%, while projecting a gradual decline in the public debt-to-GDP ratio due to higher tax revenues and lower current expenditures.
Global growth in 2025 is projected at 2.3%, the weakest in 17 years excluding recessions.
FY26 GDP growth forecast: Retained at 6.3%.
Growth moderation in FY25 attributed to slower industrial output, but rebound expected from FY27 onwards, averaging 6.6% annually.

India’s Retail Inflation Falls to 75-Month Low of 2.8% in May 2025

13 June 2025

Retail inflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), dropped to 2.8% in May 2025. This is the lowest inflation rate in 75 months, last seen in February 2019. The decline was primarily led by easing food prices.
Current Base Year: 2012
CPI (IW) – For Industrial Workers; used in wage negotiations and DA calculations.
CPI (AL) – For Agricultural Labourers.

India’s May Inflation at 75-Month Low

18 June 2025

In its June 11 monetary policy review, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) revised its annual inflation forecast to 3.7%, down from 4% in April.
Crude and Natural Gas Prices Contracted: Wholesale inflation was pushed down by a 12.4% contraction in oil and gas prices, caused by global oversupply and weakening demand.
Global Oil Trends Helped India: With India importing nearly 80% of its crude oil, lower global oil prices significantly impacted domestic wholesale inflation.
On June 13, oil prices surged by 8% in a single day following Israel’s strike on Iran.

MSME Credit Crosses ₹40 Trillion Mark in FY25

27 June 2025

Credit to India’s Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector crossed ₹40 trillion as of March 2025, recording a robust 20% year-on-year (YoY) growth, according to a report by CRIF High Mark, a leading credit information bureau.
Small exposure MSMEs (typically micro units or low-ticket loans) accounted for 40% of the total credit outstanding.
Increased digitalisation, which enabled wider credit access and faster loan disbursals.
This suggests continued financial deepening at the grassroots level, despite risk factors and economic uncertainties.

Poverty Line

27 June 2025

7.5 crore people living below the $3/day (or ₹62/day PPP-adjusted) poverty line in 2022–23
Down from 34.4 crore in 2011–12
The Rangarajan Committee proposed raising the poverty line to ₹47/day (urban) and ₹33/day (rural), but this was never implemented.
Optimistic View: Only 5.75% live in “abject poverty” — a major success in poverty alleviation.

Test yourself · Economy

Fill the blank from memory, then check. Answers are at the foot of the box.

1. India (2023): ________ of workforce in agriculture.

2. Private Equity (PE) and Venture Capital (VC) now constitute ________.

3. In its ________, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) revised its annual inflation forecast to 3.7%, down from 4% in April.

4. ________ living below the $3/day (or ₹62/day PPP-adjusted) poverty line in 2022–23

5. Provide ________ and 5–7 years tax holiday for large units with 1,000+ machines.

Answers 1 ~45% · 2 over 75.9% of FDI (2020-21) · 3 June 11 monetary policy review · 4 7.5 crore people · 5 25–30% capex subsidy

Agriculture · 49

Agricultural Households in India Increasingly Rely on Non-Farm Income: PRICE Report

1 & 2 June 2025

Average annual income (2024–25) : ₹7.31 lakh
Nagaland: 98%
Tripura: 94%
Meghalaya: 85%

Crystal Crop Launches RICEACT Herbicide and JIVORA Insecticide for Rice and Cotton Farmers

1 & 2 June 2025

Composition: Triafamone (20%) + Ethoxysulfuron (10%)
Coverage: Expected usage on approx. 3 lakh hectares of paddy
Coverage: Estimated adoption by 4.5–5 lakh cotton farmers
Herbicide segment: +8%

IRRI Scientists Discover Rice Varieties with Antioxidant and Anti-Cancer Properties

1 & 2 June 2025

Screened 1.32 lakh rice accessions worldwide.
Cooking the rice retains about 70% of antioxidant and anti-cancer benefits.
Focused on 800 pigmented (coloured) rice varieties for detailed analysis.
Identified 6 pigmented rice lines with very high antioxidant levels comparable to superfoods like blueberries and chia seeds.

Krishi Nivesh Portal

1 & 2 June 2025

Launched in September 2024 by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare.
Application Tracking: Stakeholders can track scheme application status and seek guidance digitally.
Aims to bring schemes from various ministries and states under one window.
Currently includes schemes from 7 ministries:

ESG-Driven Architecture in Agri-Food

3 June 2025

Water Scarcity: Agriculture consumes nearly 70% of global freshwater.
Data & Analytics Layers: Real-time monitoring of emissions (Scope 1, 2, 3), labor practices, and biodiversity.
Labor Rights: Especially among seasonal and migrant workers.
Supply Chain Emissions: Difficult to track and verify across actors.

ICRISAT Launches Centre of Excellence for South-South Cooperation in Agriculture

4 June 2025

Aimed at democratising agricultural research and knowledge for practical policy-making
Provides access to over 100 technologies across:
ICRISAT also signed an MoU with DAKSHIN, a government initiative to promote development partnerships and technical collaboration in the Global South.

NITI Aayog’s Dual-Track Strategy for India-US Agricultural Trade

4 June 2025

Import duty on crude edible oils (including soybean oil) was cut from 27.5% to 16.5%.
Use duty waivers or tariff rate quotas (TRQs) to expand exports, currently at ~$5.75 billion annually.
Protect price stability for producers and consumers.
Address market volatility through non-tariff barriers on vulnerable sectors like poultry.

India’s First International Agri Hackathon Concludes in Pune

4 June 2025

Objective: Ensure availability of disease-free and productive plants to farmers.
Budget: ₹300 crore
₹3 crore for large nurseries
₹1.5 crore for medium nurseries

National Agriculture-Renewable Energy Conference 2025 Highlights

5 June 2025

40% rise in overall agricultural production since 2014-15
Aim: Direct engagement with farmers across the country
Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, attended the National Agriculture-Renewable Energy Conference 2025 organized by the National Solar Energy Federation of India (NSEFI) in New Delhi. He released NSEFI’s annual reference book and report on agriculture and renewable energy, and emphasized integrated strategies to boost farmers' prosperity through clean energy adoption.
Ongoing 15-day campaign (since May 29, 2025)

FAIFA Report Urges Action on Climate-Resilient Agriculture

6 June 2025

The Federation of All India Farmer Associations (FAIFA) released a report titled “Nourishing the Future: A Report on Climate-Resilient Agriculture” during a seminar in New Delhi on June 5, 2025. The study underscores the growing threats climate change poses to Indian agriculture and outlines key interventions needed to build resilience.
Low Awareness among farmers about climate-smart practices
Strengthen collaboration among government bodies, research institutions, and private sector players
Small and marginal farmers are the most affected due to low adaptive capacity

Community-Led Seed Ball Plantation for Forest Regeneration in India

8 & 9 June 2025

2024: 1.6 million (23% YoY increase)
2023: 1.3 million
A 43-year-old grassroots organization, PRADAN is the Centre of Excellence – Forest.
Employed IEC (Information, Education, Communication) tools such as posters, videos, and forest dialogues to build public awareness.

Bayer Launches BICOTA to Protect Rice Crops from Stem Borer Pests

8 & 9 June 2025

Bayer has announced the launch of BICOTA, a new product designed to help rice farmers manage stem borer pests effectively. BICOTA, which combines Bayer’s exclusive innovation to provide strong protection against these damaging pests, will be available across key rice-growing states, including Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Western UP, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana, starting in June 2025.
Extended Protection: Single application offers longer-lasting control than conventional options.
Targets one of the most damaging rice pests—stem borers

India’s Ethanol Blending Policy Faces Delays

8 & 9 June 2025

Blending 10% ethanol with petrol by 2021-22
Blending 20% ethanol with petrol by 2025
Harmful emissions are reduced, air quality is improved, and ₹1.1 trillion has been saved in foreign exchange because of ethanol blending.
India’s plan to expand ethanol blending in petrol beyond the current 19% (E19) to 27–100% is facing significant supply-side, demand-side, and geopolitical headwinds, slowing the rollout of the new ethanol policy.

Farm Pond Irrigation Model in Rajasthan’s Kukas Village

10 June 2025

Seasonal Water Harvesting Potential: 10 crore litres of monsoon run-off
Built on 5% of each farmer’s land
Jaipur district’s farming relies 99.4% on groundwater
Model inspired by similar success in Dausa district (250 farm ponds)

UN Declares 2026 as International Year of the Woman Farmer

10 June 2025

Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanisation: 50–80% subsidy for equipment.
National Food Security Mission (NFSM): 30% budget allocation for women in several States/UTs.
Women produce 60–80% of food in developing countries.
They represent 39% of agricultural labour in South Asia.

India-US Trade Deal: Agricultural Negotiation

10 June 2025

Commodities: Apples, others tied to regional farmer interests

India Launches ₹300 Cr Clean Plant Projects to Boost Horticulture

11 June 2025

Objective: To produce 8 crore healthy seedlings annually through modern nurseries
Maharashtra: 3 major centres at a cost of ₹300 crore
Large nurseries: ₹3 crore assistance
Medium nurseries: ₹1.5 crore assistance

India to Use Satellite Technology for Kharif Acreage

12 June 2025

The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare is spearheading this shift across all districts.
For the first time, India’s first advance estimates of kharif crop acreage, scheduled for September 2025, will be based entirely on satellite data, replacing the traditional manual girdawari system. The move marks a major leap in the digitization of agricultural statistics.
Current methods cover only 25–26 major kharif crops (e.g., rice, maize, jowar).
Reduces dependency on manual processes prone to errors and delays.

CROPIC (Collection of Real-Time Observations and Photos of Crops) scheme

12 June 2025

Funding: Backed by the Fasal Bima Yojana's Innovation and Technology Fund (FIAT) with a corpus of ₹825 crore.
Photo Collection: Farmers take and upload 4–5 photos of their crops per season using the CROPIC mobile app.
Pilot Phase: Implemented in 50 districts starting Kharif 2025, covering three notified crops per district.
Full Launch: Pan-India rollout planned post Rabi 2025–26 for all major PMFBY crops.

Govt Plans Region-Wise Fertilizer Allocation, Capping Subsidies Based on Crop Needs

12 June 2025

Point-of-sale (PoS) units in villages/panchayats will allocate fertilizers accordingly.

Inland Fisheries & Aquaculture Meet 2025

12 June 2025

Total Outlay: ₹52 crore under Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY)
Event Name: Inland Fisheries & Aquaculture Meet 2025
Inauguration and foundation laying of fisheries projects in 7 inland states and UTs
Kisan Credit Cards (KCC) to fishers

State of World Marine Fishery Resources Report 2025

13 June 2025

Northeast and Southwest Pacific show higher sustainability, while the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions report only 35.1% sustainable stock levels.
64.5% of marine fishery stocks are biologically sustainable, while 35.5% remain overfished.
Only 29% of deep-sea species are sustainably harvested due to their biological vulnerabilities like slow growth and low fecundity.
43.5% of highly migratory shark stocks across seven species are fished unsustainably, especially in the tropical Indo-Pacific.

Agri-Drone in India

13 June 2025

Aerial spraying: Apply pesticides, fertilizers, and micronutrients with precision
Field mapping: Create detailed 2D or 3D maps for planning irrigation or seeding
Thermal sensors: Identify heat signatures for irrigation or disease insights

Kerala Agricultural University Joins NASA’s Axiom Mission 4 with Space-Bound Seeds

13 June 2025

Among Six Indian Projects: KAU’s project is one of six Indian-led experiments on the Axiom Mission 4, standing out in the field of space agriculture.
Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) joins the prestigious Axiom Mission 4, led by NASA, with support from the European Space Agency, ISRO, and IIST. Six high-yielding crop varieties developed by KAU will be sent to the International Space Station (ISS) for agricultural experiments in microgravity. The research is led by the College of Agriculture, Vellayani, under KAU.
Horse gram: Kanakamani
Post-Mission Analysis: Seeds will be returned to Earth, planted in controlled conditions, and evaluated for changes in resilience, productivity, and growth behavior.

NABARD Gets Government Nod to Raise ₹19,500 Crore via Deep-Discount Bonds

14 June 2025

Investor buys a ZCB at a low price (e.g., ₹6,855)
At maturity, the investor receives full face value (e.g., ₹20,000)
The implied yield (e.g., 5.5%) is compounded semiannually
The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has received central government approval to raise ₹19,500 crore (approximately $2.3 billion) through deep-discount zero-coupon bonds, the largest such approval among state-run entities this fiscal year. The bond issuance will remain open for subscription until March 31, 2027.

National Conference on Agri Stack

14 June 2025

Total allocation: ₹6,000 crore
The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare (MoA&FW) organized the National Conference on Agri Stack: Turning Data into Delivery on June 14, 2025, at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan, New Delhi. The event marked a significant milestone in advancing India’s Digital Agriculture Mission (DAM), bringing together senior officials from the Centre and States, experts, and stakeholders to deliberate on progress, challenges, and the digital future of Indian agriculture.
Use of Agri Stack in MSP e-procurement (2024)
Disbursement on first-come-first-served basis.

Ancient Indian Wisdom for a Sustainable Agricultural Future

15 & 16 June 2025

Varsha (Monsoon): Rain is welcomed with songs to Indra, as Kharif crops like paddy are planted. Water conservation structures like bunds are maintained.

NABARD Inaugurates District Development Manager Office in Kiphire to Accelerate Rural Growth

17 June 2025

In a significant move to catalyse grassroots development in one of India’s Aspirational Districts, the District Development Manager (DDM) Office of NABARD was formally inaugurated in Kiphire, Nagaland on June 16, 2025. The event was graced by P. Bulte, General Manager, NABARD Nagaland Regional Office, alongside key district officials, heads of Agri & Allied Departments, SHGs, NGOs, and local stakeholders.
The DDM office aims to serve as a crucial link between financial institutions and rural stakeholders, streamlining the implementation of credit-linked schemes and infrastructure projects.

Tropical Agro Launches #SawalKalKaHai Campaign to Promote Sustainable Agriculture

18 June 2025

Inspire collective action by farmers and consumers to build a sustainable and resilient food ecosystem.
Sustainability Messaging: The campaign underscores that “sustainability begins in the soil and ends on our plates,” reinforcing the need for environmentally sound farming and responsible consumption.
Build long-term awareness and behavioral change among both agricultural communities and urban consumers.
Position sustainability at the center of India’s food and farming discourse.

Technology Adoption in Agriculture: Drones and Digital Tools Drive Productivity

19 June 2025

Drone Didi scheme: 15,000 drones to women-led SHGs by 2026.
Up to 100% for demos, 75% for FPOs.
Garuda Aerospace launched a facility in Chennai to manufacture over 100,000 drones by 2026.
300 Centres of Excellence inaugurated for R&D and skilling in drone tech.

Government Plans Amendments to Seed Act to Curb Spurious Seeds

19 June 2025

Objective: The amendment is expected to strengthen regulatory oversight, ensure seed quality, and protect farmers from economic losses due to counterfeit seeds.
Announcement by Minister: Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan confirmed the move on Wednesday.
Spurious seeds have been a persistent challenge in Indian agriculture, especially in high-stake crops like cotton, pulses, and vegetables. Despite existing regulations, enforcement gaps have allowed counterfeit seed circulation to grow.
Better grievance redressal framework for farmers affected by spurious seeds.

Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PM-GKAY)

20 June 2025

Coverage: All beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013, which includes around 80 crore people.
National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013
Benefit: An additional 5 kg of free wheat or rice per person per month over and above the subsidized NFSA quota.
Total Expenditure: Approx. ₹3.91 lakh crore for all phases.

Assam’s Solar Pump Initiative

20 June 2025

2 units of 2HP and 3 units of 1HP submersible solar pumps for 48 acres
3 portable solar pumps with custom trolleys, co-designed with women farmers
Over 70% of Assam’s population depends on agriculture, with 85% of farmers holding small or marginal land. Only 21.54% of net sown area is irrigated (2022), compared to the national average of 49.92%. Erratic monsoons, droughts, and expensive diesel pumps create high uncertainty for rain-fed farming. Farmers lack access to affordable irrigation and awareness of income diversification options like horticulture.
Diversified Crops: Farmers now intercrop potatoes, tomatoes, papaya, chillies, leafy greens, and more.

Nabcons Deploys AI to Monitor Water Bodies, Carbon Credits and Boosts Digital Agriculture

21 June 2025

Aim: To digitise dairy receivables and operations of milk farmer unions and collection units.
Integrates services for farmers, agri departments, vendors, and surveyors.
A pilot initiative in partnership with Rabobank, targeting small and marginal agroforestry farmers.

National Seminar on ‘Prosperity through Cooperatives’

21 June 2025

Agriculture contributes 18% to India’s GDP and supports 46% of the population.
Under PM Modi’s leadership, foodgrain production has risen by 44% in the last 11 years.
2,170 KVK scientist teams engaged with farmers to understand local issues.
On the backdrop of the UN declaring 2025 as the ‘International Year of Cooperatives’, Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan addressed a national-level seminar on the theme ‘Prosperity through Cooperatives’ in Mumbai. The seminar aimed to highlight the transformative role of cooperatives in India's socio-economic framework, particularly in the agriculture sector.

NABARD Launches ₹10,000 Crore Green Lending Facility for FY25

21 June 2025

Minimum loan size: ₹100 crore.
The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has announced plans to disburse around ₹10,000 crore in FY25 under its newly introduced Green Lending Facility, aimed at supporting projects aligned with India’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Borrowers: Central and State governments, government agencies, and private sector entities.
Eligible sectors: Green infrastructure projects including ethanol production plants, electric vehicles (EVs), an other climate-aligned initiatives.

India Emerges as World’s Top Rice Producer

22 & 23 June 2025

Rice consumes 45–50% of irrigation water, threatening water tables, especially in Punjab and Tamil Nadu.
Save 30–60% water.
Early adoption of IR8 in 1966 catalyzed the rice revolution.
India has overtaken China to become the world’s largest rice producer, with a record output of 149 million tonnes in 2025, and continues to be the top global rice exporter since 2012, accounting for nearly 40% of world trade. This agricultural milestone is a result of coordinated efforts from farmers, scientists, and policymakers.

Tractor-Operated Plastic Mulch Layer-Cum-Planter

22 & 23 June 2025

Labour savings: 26 man-days/ha (89%)
Cost savings: ₹6,600/ha (43%)
Hydraulic system powers an eccentric slider crank mechanism.

Beej Utsav

24 June 2025

Over 9,400 tribal community members, including women and children, actively participated across more than 60 panchayats.
With nearly 70% of small farmers depending on market-driven hybrid seeds, Mr. Joshi advocated for a return to traditional, community-led seed systems to counter rising input costs, chemical dependency, and food insecurity.
Events such as ‘Beej Samvad’ (seed dialogues), biodiversity fairs, seed ball making, and plantation drives underscored the ecological wisdom and traditions of tribal agriculture.
Farmers preserving traditional seed varieties were honoured with titles such as ‘Beej Mitra’ (Seed Friend) and ‘Beej Mata’ (Seed Mother), affirming their role as custodians of biodiversity.

Centre to Launch Crop- and State-Specific Planning Amid Strong Kharif Outlook

25 June 2025

Crops have been planted across 13.74 million hectares, with paddy sowing alone covering 1.32 million hectares, nearly 60% higher than the same period in 2024.
Kharif crop sowing has surpassed last year’s levels by 10% as of June 20, driven by a favourable southwest monsoon.
India recorded 105 mm of rainfall between June 1 and June 22, just 1% below normal, bolstering expectations of a strong agricultural season.
In a move to support farmers affected by falling prices, the Ministry of Agriculture has approved procurement of moong and urad dal under the Price Support Scheme (PSS) in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

Scientists Raise Concerns Over India’s First Genome-Edited Rice Varieties

25 June 2025

The scientists warned that IPR (Intellectual Property Rights) issues around CRISPR-Cas9 could undermine the benefits to Indian farmers, potentially making them dependent on foreign seed technologies.
While acknowledging the precision of CRISPR-Cas9, they cautioned that off-target effects could lead to undesirable consequences.
‘Kamala–DRR Dhan-100’
‘Pusa DST Rice 1’

Farmers Demand DBT for Schemes and AI-Based Price Forecasting Tools

26 June 2025

Farmers called for universal DBT coverage for all Central and State-sponsored schemes.
Emphasis was placed on reducing middlemen, ensuring timely disbursals, and improving transparency.
Farmers sought AI-powered tools to forecast prices of horticulture crops and basmati rice.

India to Host International Potato Centre’s South Asia Regional Centre in Agra

26 June 2025

Enhance farmers’ income

Centre Approves Procurement of Moong and Urad under Price Support Scheme

26 June 2025

Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, held a meeting in New Delhi and approved the procurement of Moong and Urad in Madhya Pradesh, and Urad in Uttar Pradesh under the Price Support Scheme (PSS).
To ensure MSP-based procurement benefits reach farmers directly by eliminating middlemen.
NCCF (National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation of India)

Centre Announces MSP for Mangoes under Market Intervention Scheme (MIS)

26 June 2025

2.5 lakh metric tonnes to be procured by the Karnataka government with Centre’s approval under the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS).
₹1,616 per quintal for mangoes.
Aims to protect farmers from distress sales by offering government-backed procurement during price crashes.
Severe crop losses and drastic price crash faced by mango farmers.

Centre Identifies Key Agricultural Interventions for Odisha, West Bengal & Andaman-Nicobar Islands

27 June 2025

As part of the Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan (VKSA), the Ministry of Agriculture conducted a 15-day outreach campaign to gather feedback from 18.5 lakh farmers across Odisha, West Bengal, and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
Integration of agro-tourism for diversified rural income
District Agri-Innovation Hubs with incubators for startups/youth
Bio-village clusters focused on carbon-neutral technologies

ICAR-IISR Develops Eco-Friendly Bio-Pesticide to Combat Cardamom Thrips

27 June 2025

Cardamom thrips cause damage to 30–90% of capsules, leading to yield losses of up to 45–48%.
Estimated economic loss: ₹2–4 lakh per acre.
Granular formulation—easy to mix with farmyard manure and apply in soil basins (3–4 times).
IISR is inviting industrial partners for licensing and commercial production.

Statistical Report on Value of Output from Agriculture and Allied Sectors (2011-12 to 2023-24)

28 June 2025

Gross Value Added (GVA) at current prices grew by 225%, from ₹1,502 thousand crore in 2011–12 to ₹4,878 thousand crore in 2023–24.
Crop sector remains the largest contributor to agricultural GVO with ₹1,595 thousand crore in 2023–24, forming 54.1% of total GVO.
Uttar Pradesh retained the top spot despite its share declining from 18.6% (2011–12) to 17.2% (2023–24).
Banana (₹47,000 Cr) overtook mango (₹46,100 Cr) in fruit GVO in 2023–24.

Ease of Doing Business in Agroforestry

29 & 30 June 2025

State-level committees , under Wood-Based Industries Guidelines (2016), will guide:
Double farmers’ income
Farmers must:
Register plantations with details: land ownership, species, location, and planting year

Test yourself · Agriculture

Fill the blank from memory, then check. Answers are at the foot of the box.

1. Launched in ________ by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare.

2. Objective: To produce ________ through modern nurseries

3. 40% rise in overall agricultural production since ________

4. ________: All beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013, which includes around 80 crore people.

5. Crops have been planted across ________, with paddy sowing alone covering 1.32 million hectares, nearly 60% higher than the same period in 2024.

Answers 1 September 2024 · 2 8 crore healthy seedlings annually · 3 2014-15 · 4 Coverage · 5 13.74 million hectares

Science & Tech · 4

Polluted Rivers Can Turn Into Airborne Hazards, New Study Warns

1 & 2 June 2025

Daily seawater sampling and 24-hour air filtration using quartz-fibre filters at five locations along 35 km of coast.
Timeframe: January to March 2020
Historically, human settlements grew around rivers for agriculture, water, and sanitation.
Today, however, many rivers, especially in developing countries, have become channels for untreated sewage and industrial effluents, harming ecosystems and public health.

SHUKR Gene and Flowering Plant Evolution

3 June 2025

About 130 million years ago, flowering plants diversified rapidly, a phenomenon Charles Darwin called an "abominable mystery."
SHUKR is specific to eudicots, a group that includes 75% of flowering plants.
Emerged about 125 million years ago, aligning with the rapid rise of flowering plant diversity.
Recent research by CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad uncovers a genetic mechanism that may explain this.

Ammonium Sulphate Identified as Major Contributor to PM2.5 Pollution in India: CREA Report

29 & 30 June 2025

PM2.5 contribution: Accounts for 34% of PM2.5 mass on average across India.
Coal-fired thermal power plants contribute over 60% of SO₂ emissions, the main driver of ammonium sulphate.
Despite a mandate, only 8% of thermal plants have installed flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) units.
Average national concentration: 11.9 µg/m³.

Green Chemistry

29 & 30 June 2025

Indian Oil Corporation uses non-edible Jatropha seeds (30% oil content) for biodiesel production.
Greener alternative: Calcium oxide (solid) – 95% recoverable, less waste
Achieved 100% atom economy , making it:
Biodiesel production has 90% atom economy, with glycerol as a by-product.

Test yourself · Science & Tech

Fill the blank from memory, then check. Answers are at the foot of the box.

1. About ________, flowering plants diversified rapidly, a phenomenon Charles Darwin called an "abominable mystery."

2. ________: Accounts for 34% of PM2.5 mass on average across India.

3. Biodiesel production has ________, with glycerol as a by-product.

4. ________ were more concentrated in river-influenced seawater.

Answers 1 130 million years ago · 2 PM2.5 contribution · 3 90% atom economy · 4 10 out of 12 compounds

Facts To Remember · 59

Opal Suchata Chuangsri of Thailand is Miss World 2025

1 & 2 June 2025

Miss Thailand Opal Suchata Chuangsri was crowned Miss World 2025 at the 72nd edition of the Miss World pageant at the HITEX Exhibition Centre in Hyderabad.

RBI Penalties in FY25: ₹54.78 Crore Fines Imposed on 353 Regulated Entities

1 & 2 June 2025

Total penalties imposed: ₹54.78 crore
Time period: Financial Year ending March 31, 2025
Number of enforcement actions: 353

₹ 2,000 notes worth ₹ 6,181 crore still in circulation: RBI

3 June 2025

The highvalue ₹ 2,000 notes worth ₹ 6,181 crore are still in circulation after two years of the Reserve Bank of India withdrawing the currency, according to data released. On May 19, 2023, the RBI had announced the withdrawal of the ₹ 2,000 denomination banknotes from circulation.

India reaffirms commitment to inclusive digital growth at BRICS meet

3 June 2025

India reaffirmed its commitment to inclusive, sustainable, and future-ready digital development during the 11th BRICS Communications Ministers’ Meeting held in Brasília, Brazil.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru lift maiden IPL title in 18 years

4 June 2025

Virat Kohli and Royal Challengers Bengaluru won their maiden title with a six-run victory over Punjab Kings in the final, ending an 18-year wait for the coveted trophy.

PM to flag off Vande Bharat train between Katra and Srinagar

4 June 2025

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off the first Vande Bharat train service to Kashmir on June 6, railway officials said.

Govt to conduct Population Census- 2027 in two phases with caste enumeration

4 June 2025

The Government has decided to conduct the Population Census – 2027 in two phases, along with the enumeration of castes.

President Murmu promulgates amendment reserving one-third seats for women in Ladakh Hill Councils

4 June 2025

President Droupadi Murmu has promulgated the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (Amendment ) Regulation Rules, 2025 for further amendment in the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council Act, 1997 to reserve one-third of the total seats for women.

PNB, Indian Bank, BoI, UCO Bank, KVB tweak interest rates

7 June 2025

Punjab National Bank (PNB), Indian Bank, UCO Bank, Bank of India (BoI) and Karur Vysya Bank (KVB) announced reduction in certain key rates in the backdrop of RBI slashing the repo rate by 50 basis points (bps).

India, Mongolia hold joint military exercise 'Nomadic Elephant' in in Ulaanbaatar

8 & 9 June 2025

Under institutionalized military collaboration to strengthen India–Mongolia relations, the 17th edition of the joint exercise “Nomadic Elephant 2025” is underway at the Special Forces Training Centre in Ulaanbaatar.

Delhi CM Rekha Gupta launches ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 2.0’

8 & 9 June 2025

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said that Delhi government has set a target of planting 70 lakh trees this season to improve the city’s environment.

Historic Axiom-4 mission to launch with Subhanshu Shukla among 4 astronauts headed to ISS

8 & 9 June 2025

Indian astronaut and group captain of the Indian Air Force, Shubhanshu Shukla, is all set for his first journey to space aboard SpaceX’s Axiom-4 mission tomorrow evening for a two-week stay on the International Space Station.

Voice across India: Indian State Broadcasting Service becomes AIR on 8th June 1936

8 & 9 June 2025

89 years ago, the Indian State Broadcasting Service was renamed All India Radio (AIR) on 8th June 1936. This red-letter day marks a special moment in the cultural, information and broadcasting history of the country, where a voice was born that would echo through generations.

Dhoni among seven players inducted into ICC’s Hall of Fame

10 June 2025

Former India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was inducted into the ICC’s Hall of Fame for 2025 along with six other cricketers, including two female players. Dhoni is the 11th Indian to make the elite club. Dhoni was joined by Australia’s Matthew Hayden, South African duo of Graeme Smith and Hashim Amla as well as former New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori as the five male cricketers in the list.

Fintech Startup Cred Raises $72 Million at $3.5 Billion Valuation, Eyes Public Listing by 2027

10 June 2025

Indian fintech major Cred has raised ₹617 crore (approx. $72 million) in a new funding round, at a valuation of $3.5 billion, marking a significant drop from its $6.4 billion valuation in 2022.

Army to get new air def boost with ₹30,000cr QR-SAM deal

10 June 2025

The defence ministry will soon take up the case for a preliminary nod to a Rs 30,000 crore proposal to procure three regiments of the new indigenous quick reaction surface to air missile (QR-SAM) systems for the Army.

Pooran retires from international cricket

11 June 2025

West Indies cricketer Nicholas Pooran, aged 29, has retired from international cricket as of June 11, 2025.

RBI Discontinues Daily VRR Auctions Amid Rs 3 Lakh Crore Liquidity Surplus

11 June 2025

The Reserve Bank of India has discontinued daily Variable Rate Repo (VRR) auctions starting today, in view of a liquidity surplus in the banking system, currently estimated at around 2.75 to 3 lakh crore rupees.

India’s social security coverage jumps to 64.3%, ranks 2nd globally: ILO

11 June 2025

India’s social security coverage has increased from 19 per cent in 2015 to 64.3 per cent in 2025. According to the latest data from the International Labour Organisation’s ILOSTAT, the coverage reflects a 45 percentage point surge over the past decade.

A decade of transformation: Seva, Sushasan, & Garib Kalyan driving ease of living

11 June 2025

India has undergone a decade of remarkable transformation, driven by the principles of Seva, Sushasan, and Garib Kalyan. Akashvani News brings you a special feature on the Government’s efforts over the last 11 years across key sectors.

Government sets target of 3 lakh crore rupees defence production by 2029

11 June 2025

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that the government has set a target of 3 lakh crore rupees for defence production by 2029. Addressing an event on the topic ‘National Security & Terrorism’, organised in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, Mr Rajnath Singh added that the country’s exports in the sector will reach 50,000 crore by that time.

SBI hires 13,455 clerical staff to boost customer experience

12 June 2025

State Bank of India (SBI) said it has hired 13,455 juaior associates (clerical staff) to enhance customer experience at it’s branches across the country.

Brazil and Ecuador book World Cup berths, Uruguay on the verge

12 June 2025

Brazil booked its place at the 2026 World Cup in North America on Tuesday with a lacklustre 1-0 home victory over Paraguay, the first win of Carlo Ancelotti’s reign.

Netherlands thrashes Malta, Poland stumbles at Finland and Australia bests Saudi Arabia, punches ticket to big event

12 June 2025

Netherlands maintained its winning start to European 2026 World Cup qualifying by dismissing Malta and Australia qualified for next year’s World Cup in North America.

Union Bank , Canara Bank, IOB cut retail loan rates by 50 bps

12 June 2025

Union Bank of India, Canara Bank, and Indian Overseas Bank have cut the external benchmarkk lending rate by 50 basis points after the Reserve Bank of India announceda 50 bps cut in the policy rate.

AI flight with 242 on board crashes in Ahmedabad

13 June 2025

An Air India flight from Ahmedabad to London, carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew members, crashed shortly after take-off.

Trump unveils website for $5 mn ‘Gold Card’ U.S. residency visa

13 June 2025

U.S. President Donald Trump launched a website, TrumpCard.gov, for his $5 million “Gold Card” visa, offering wealthy foreigners permanent U.S. residency and a path to citizenship.

Bank of Maharashtra, Bank of Baroda reduce rates after RBI rate cut

13 June 2025

Stateowned Bank of Maharashtra has reduced interest rates by up to 50 basis points (bps) on retail loans, that includes loans on home, car, education and other loans linked to repo rate, the bank said ina statement.

Ministry of Ayush to Host Global Yoga Summit ‘Yoga Connect’ Ahead of International Day of Yoga 2025

14 June 2025

The Ministry of Ayush is set to host ‘Yoga Connect’, a hybrid global summit, on 14th June 2025 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, as a flagship event in the lead-up to the 11th International Day of Yoga (IDY).

Arya-Arjun pair brings home mixed air rifle gold

15 & 16 June 2025

Arya Borse and Arjun Babuta clinched the mixed air rifle gold by beating the Chinese pair of Wang Zifei and Sheng Lihao 17-7 in the shooting World Cup that concluded in Munich, Germany.

Investments in AIFs up 32% at ₹5.4 lakh cr

15 & 16 June 2025

India’s affluent investors are increasingly turning to Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs), with investments in the space reaching to just under Rs 5.4 lakh crore by the end of the March 2025 quarter, a surge of 32% from the year earlier.

PM Modi’s Visit to Cyprus Sends Strategic Message, Reinforces Bilateral Ties and Global Alignment

17 June 2025

On his first foreign visit after Operation Sindoor in May 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides in Nicosia on Monday, marking a significant reinforcement of India-Cyprus ties and sending an indirect yet clear diplomatic signal to Turkiye, a staunch ally of Pakistan.

Modi to attend G7 Outreach Summit, hold bilateral meets

17 June 2025

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to reach Calgary, Canada on Monday to attend the G7 Outreach Summit.

SBI reduces interest rates by up to 50 bps after RBI rate cut

17 June 2025

State Bank of India (SBI) has reduced its lending rate by 50 basis points (bps) following RBI’s rate cut, making loans cheaper for both existing and new borrowers.

TRAI Caps Tariffs for Public Wi-Fi Operators to Boost PM-WANI Rollout

17 June 2025

In a significant intervention aimed at accelerating public Wi-Fi expansion, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued a tariff cap directive under the Telecommunication Tariff (71st Amendment) Order, 2025. The regulation mandates that Internet Service Providers (ISPs) cannot charge more than twice the prevailing residential broadband tariffs for providing bandwidth to Public Data Offices (PDOs)—the designated hotspot operators under the PM-WANI scheme.

India’s Trade Deficit Narrows by 30% in May 2025

17 June 2025

India’s trade deficit contracted to $6.6 billion in May 2025—a nearly 30% year-on-year improvement—supported by strong services exports and reduced oil-related imports. The official data, released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, reflects India’s evolving trade dynamics amid global economic uncertainties.

Will highlight Global South at G7 meet: PM

18 June 2025

India will highlight the priorities of the Global South at the G7 summit in Canada, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who reached Calgary on Tuesday to participate in the G7 Outreach Summit.

Sebi Bars IIFL Securities’ Ex-Director Bhasin, 11 Others for ‘Manipulation’

18 June 2025

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) on Tuesday barred Sanjiv Bhasin, a former director at IIFL Securities, and 11 others for their alleged involvement in stock manipulation.

MGNREGS to Resume in West Bengal from August 1: Calcutta High Court

19 June 2025

The Calcutta High Court has ordered the Union government to resume MGNREGS implementation in West Bengal from August 1, 2025, ending a suspension that began in March 2022.

India–Canada Ties Reset: High Commissioners to Return, Trade Talks Resume

19 June 2025

After a two-year diplomatic freeze, India and Canada have agreed to restore High Commissioners in New Delhi and Ottawa and resume engagement across multiple sectors. The decision was reached during a meeting between PM Modi and Canada’s new PM Mark Carney on the sidelines of the G-7 Summit in Kananaskis, Canada.

HDB Financial Services IPO: HDFC Bank Accepts Lower Valuation Amid RBI Overhang

20 June 2025

HDFC Bank, India’s largest private-sector lender, is set to launch a ₹12,500 crore initial public offering (IPO) for its non-banking financial arm, HDB Financial Services, on June 25–27, 2025. The IPO is expected to be the largest ever by an NBFC in the Indian market.

Shubhanshu Shukla’s Axiom-4 mission to the ISS put off again

21 June 2025

NASA has put off launch of the Axiom-4 mission carrying Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and three others to the International Space Station, saying it required additional time to evaluate operations on the orbital lab after the recent repairs in its Russian section.

Hockey players to get ₹25,000 per month pocket allowance

21 June 2025

The Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) sanctioned a pocket allowance of ₹25,000 to 80 hockey players in the national camp, following a request by the National Federation.

SEBI Clears Tata Capital’s ₹17,200 Crore IPO; Includes Offer for Sale by Tata Sons

21 June 2025

Tata Capital, a subsidiary of Tata Sons, has received approval from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) for its ₹17,200 crore initial public offering (IPO), filed under the confidential draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) route. The IPO is expected to be launched by September 2025, as per RBI norms.

11th International Day of Yoga (IDY 2025)

21 June 2025

India is set to mark the 11th International Day of Yoga (IDY) on 21st June 2025, with a record-breaking national event in Visakhapatnam, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. With the theme “Yoga for One Earth, One Health,” this year’s IDY will underscore the interdependence of human and planetary well-being.

No 90m this time but Neeraj bests Weber for the title

22 & 23 June 2025

Olympic medal-winning Neeraj Chopra clinched his first Diamond League title in two years, upstaging German rival Julian Weber without having to hit the 90m mark in a strong field here.

Pakistan to Recommend Donald Trump for 2026 Nobel Peace Prize Over India-Pakistan Mediation

22 & 23 June 2025

The Government of Pakistan announced on Saturday that it will formally recommend former U.S. President Donald Trump for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, citing his “decisive diplomatic intervention” during the recent India-Pakistan conflict.

INS Tamal to be Commissioned in Russia on July 1: India’s Last Foreign-Built Frigate

22 & 23 June 2025

The Indian Navy will commission its latest and final foreign-built stealth frigate, INS Tamal, on July 1, 2025, at Kaliningrad, Russia. Built at the Yantar Shipyard, INS Tamal marks the completion of India’s long-standing Krivak-class warship programme with Russia. Future warships will now be built domestically under the “Atmanirbhar Bharat” initiative.

Tripura becomes third state in the country, after Mizoram and Goa, to achieve Full Functional Literacy

24 June 2025

Tripura was declared fully literate today under the ULLAS – Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram (New India Literacy Programme), a centrally sponsored scheme implemented from 2022 to 2027.

10 Indian Startups Named in WEF's Tech Pioneers 2025 List

25 June 2025

Ten Indian startups developing cutting-edge technologies in areas ranging from artificial intelligence to space tech have earned global recognition by featuring in the World Economic Forum's (WEF) prestigious Tech Pioneers 2025 list.
The 10 Indian startups included in the 2025 cohort are:

Tussle in Chhattisgarh Over Community Forest Resource Management Plans Highlights Institutional Conflict

26 June 2025

A dispute has emerged in Chhattisgarh between the State’s Forest Department and Tribal Welfare authorities over the preparation and implementation of Community Forest Resource (CFR) management plans, a crucial mechanism under the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006. The issue centers around control over forest governance and the role of NGOs in assisting tribal communities.

Indian wrestlers win four gold at Asian under-17 wrestling

26 June 2025

Indian wrestlers won four gold medals at the Asian under-17 wrestling championships in Vung Tau, Vietnam, on Wednesday. Rachana (43kg), Moni (57kg), Ashvini Vishnoi (65kg) in women’s section and Gourav Punia (65kg) in men’s freestyle claimed the top honours.

Union Bank of India plans to raise ₹ 6,000 cr through equity, debt

26 June 2025

Union Bank of India on Wednesday said the bank was planning to garner ₹ 6,000 crore through a mix of equity and debt to fund its business growth. The decision in this regard was taken in the board meeting held on Wednesday,, Union Bank of India said in a regulatoryy filing.

Sebi fines BSE ₹25L over early access to info

26 June 2025

Markets regulator Sebi has fined BSE Rs 25 lakh for several erroneous business practices including sharing company announcements with its paid clients ahead of the same being published on its website.

Shubhanshu Shukla 634th astronaut to reach space

27 June 2025

India’s Shubhanshu Shukla became the 634th astronaut to travel to space as he entered the International Space Station on Thursday after a 28-hour journey.

CBI Uncovers Massive Cybercrime Network in Operation Chakra-V: Over 8.5 Lakh Mule Bank Accounts Found

27 June 2025

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has unearthed a major cybercrime racket involving 850,000 mule accounts across 700 bank branches during Operation Chakra-V, an anti-cybercrime initiative targeting financial fraud networks.

225% increase in GVA in agriculture in 12 years: Centre

29 & 30 June 2025

Country’s agriculture and allied sectors have witnessed a remarkable 225 percent rise in Gross Value Added at current prices, growing from 1,502 thousand crore rupees in 2011-12 to 4,878 thousand crore rupees in 2023-24, according to the National Statistics Office.

India rejects supplemental award given by illegally constituted Court of Arbitration under Indus Waters Treaty

29 & 30 June 2025

India has rejected a ruling issued by the so-called Court of Arbitration on the Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric projects situated in Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs dismissed the supplemental award given by the illegal Court of Arbitration purportedly constituted under the Indus Waters Treaty 1960.

RBI conducts 7-day VRRR auction, accepts ₹84,975 crore to absorb excess liquidity

29 & 30 June 2025

As part of its liquidity management operations, the Reserve Bank of India, RBI, conducted a 7-day Variable Rate Reverse Repo, VRRR, auction to absorb excess liquidity from the banking system.

Test yourself · Facts To Remember

Fill the blank from memory, then check. Answers are at the foot of the box.

1. Indian fintech major ________ has raised ₹617 crore (approx. $72 million) in a new funding round, at a valuation of $3.5 billion, marking a significant drop from its $6.4 billion valuation in 2022.

2. ________: Financial Year ending March 31, 2025

3. The ________ is set to host ‘Yoga Connect’, a hybrid global summit, on 14th June 2025 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, as a flagship event in the lead-up to the 11th International Day of Yoga (IDY).

4. The Calcutta High Court has ordered the Union government to resume MGNREGS implementation in West Bengal from ________, ending a suspension that began in March 2022.

5. West Indies cricketer ________, aged 29, has retired from international cricket as of June 11, 2025.

Answers 1 Cred · 2 Time period · 3 Ministry of Ayush · 4 August 1, 2025 · 5 Nicholas Pooran

48% IBC = 48% of all bank recoveries (FY24) – RBI Trends & Progress Report 2024. Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) · 6 June 2025	₹2.1 crore Objective: Recover dues worth ₹2.1 crore linked to insider trading violations in Gitanjali Gems shares. SEBI Attaches Mehul Choksi’s Bank, Demat, and MF Holdings to Recover ₹2.1 Crore in Insider Trading Case · 7 June 2025
7.75% Interest: 7.75%, taxable under the Income Tax Act, 1961. Government Bonds in India · 13 June 2025	6.3% World Bank (June 2025): Maintained India’s FY26 growth forecast at 6.3% amid rising trade barriers. S&P Global Upgrades India’s FY26 GDP Growth Forecast to 6.5% · 25 June 2025
22% Poverty has nearly halved from 22% in 2012 (NSSO) to 12% in 2023 (World Bank). Global Sustainable Development Rankings · 28 June 2025	₹2.63 trillion Between December 2023 and October 2024, ₹2.63 trillion was traded offshore, with uncollected TDS exceeding ₹60 billion. India’s Crypto Landscape and Regulatory Challenges · 1 & 2 June 2025
₹5,000 Users must open a fixed deposit (FD) starting at ₹5,000 with SBM Bank. FD-Backed Credit Card Launched by ZET in Partnership with SBM Bank · 1 & 2 June 2025	₹5.23 trillion RBI infused ₹5.23 trillion into the system via government bond purchases (OMOs) between December 2024 and May 2025. RBI's Pro-Growth Policy Stance · 3 June 2025
₹100 trillion As per PM Narendra Modi, the scheme has the potential to unlock over ₹100 trillion in economic activity. Grameen Credit Score (GCS) · 3 June 2025	₹56 crore Budget Allocation (2024–25): ₹56 crore Bharatiya Bhasha Anubhag · 7 June 2025
₹9.5 trillion ₹9.5 trillion liquidity infused since the start of 2025 RBI Frontloads Monetary Support Amid Uncertainty – Is This the Terminal Rate? · 8 & 9 June 2025	₹2.5 trillion The CRR cut is expected to inject ₹2.5 trillion of primary liquidity by end-November 2025. RBI Discontinues Daily VRR Auctions Amid Liquidity Surplus · 10 June 2025

June 2025 at a glance

Indus Waters Treaty at UN Glacier Conference

Nicaragua Becomes 101st Country to Ratify WTO Fisheries Subsidies Agreement

Iran-Israel Conflict Triggers Oil Price

Israel-Iran Conflict

Bonn Climate Change Conference 2025

G-7 Summit in Kananaskis, Canada

The UN Ocean Conference (UNOC) 2025

International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC)

U.S. Launches Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites

Strait of Hormuz

Iran Strikes U.S. Base in Qatar in Retaliation for Nuclear Site Attacks

Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) Launched

World Bank Moves Pakistan, Afghanistan Out of South Asia Region

Osaka World Expo 2025

Union Education Ministry Urges Jharkhand and Bihar to Address Unrecognised Schools

"NITI Aayog to Release National Brain Health Blueprint to Combat Rising Cognitive Disorders"

NAKSHA (National Geospatial Knowledge-Based Land Survey of Urban Habitations) Programme

India Emerges as Major Hub for Illegal Online Gambling, Says CUTS Report

Union Government Invites Proposals for DDACs in 291 Gap Districts

Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2023-24

Launch of Bharat Gen: India’s First Indigenously Developed Multimodal AI LLM

Axiom Mission-4

FGD Units Not Mandatory for Most Coal Power Plants in India

Election Commission Launches Real-Time Voter Turnout Monitoring via ECINET App

National Polio Surveillance Network (NPSN)

Indian Space Situational Assessment Report (ISSAR)

C CARES Version 2.0 Launched to Digitally Empower Coal Workers

BharatGen: India’s First Indigenous Multimodal AI Large Language Model (LLM) for Indian Languages

UNESCO Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report 2024–25

India’s Draft National Policy on Senior Citizens

India’s 2027 Digital Census

World Environment Day 2025

IRCTC Deactivates 2.5 Crore Fake User IDs to Curb Bot Booking

India Adds Menar & Khichan as Ramsar Sites; Total Rises to 91

Investment Friendliness Index – NITI Aayog

Ayush Nivesh Saarthi Portal

Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 2.0

Waste Picker Enumeration App Launched under NAMASTE Scheme (MoSJE)

India-U.S. Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA)

EnviStats India 2025

800-Year-Old Shiva Temple from Pandya Era Unearthed in Tamil Nadu

UMEED Portal

Bharatiya Bhasha Anubhag

India Hosts 4th India-Central Asia Dialogue

National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA)

12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum to Be Held in 2026

INS Arnala

Civil Registration System’s (CRS) Vital Statistics 2022 Report

The World Bank Revised Global Poverty Line

MGNREGS Job Demand Rises in May–June 2025

DRUM App

India Reaffirms Global Leadership in Climate-Resilient Infrastructure at ICDRI 2025

India’s First E-Waste Eco Park to be Set Up in Delhi

PM Modi’s Visits to Cyprus and Croatia

SEZ Rule Amendments to Boost Semiconductor & Electronics Manufacturing (June 2025)

India’s Poverty Levels See Sharp Decline

Bhashini & Indian Railways to Revolutionize Multilingual Passenger Services

State of the World Population 2025 Report

NABARD’s Rural Economic Conditions and Sentiments Survey (RECSS)

Portal SAHAV Launched in Third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3)

Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)

Jan Man Survey Launched on NaMo App

SpaceX Postpones Axiom Space Ax-4 Mission

Microfinance Sector in India

India and Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement

India Pushes for Dysprosium and Terbium Imports

Social Security Coverage in India Rises to 64.3% in 2025: ILO Report

India Needs a Balanced Framework for Gig Workers

World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2025

Finance Ministry Guidelines Central and Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS)

RUDRASTRA Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) Drone

Swadeshi Jagran Manch Launches ‘Swadeshi Suraksha evam Swavlamban Abhiyan’

World Bank’s State and Trends of Carbon Pricing 2025

India’s Gaza Ceasefire Abstention at UNGA

Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD) Units

New Species of Jumping Spider Discovered in Southern India

Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)

Second Batch of Phase 2 Capacity-Building under NAKSHA Programme