Daily Current Affairs (DCA) 8&9 June, 2025

Daily Current Affairs Quiz
8&9 June, 2025

National Affairs

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

Context:

Bihar has recorded the lowest sex ratio at birth for 2022 among all States and Union Territories, reporting just 891 girls born for every 1,000 boys, according to the Civil Registration System’s vital statistics report, released this week by the Office of the Registrar General of India.  

Key Finding: Bihar’s Declining Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB)

• Lowest in India: Bihar reported an SRB of 891 girls per 1,000 boys in 2022 — the lowest among all States and Union Territories.
• Three-Year Decline:
  • 2020: 964
  • 2021: 908
  • 2022: 891
• Bihar is the only State with consistent SRB decline since 2020, when sex ratio at birth data became available.

States with Low SRB in 2022

• Maharashtra: 906
• Telangana: 907
• Gujarat: 908

States/UTs with High SRB in 2022

• Nagaland: 1,068 (Highest in India)
• Arunachal Pradesh: 1,036
• Ladakh: 1,027
• Meghalaya: 972
• Kerala: 971
• Assam: 933 (Improved from 863 in 2021)

CRS 2022: National Birth and Death Trends

Registered Births

• Total Registered Births: 254.4 lakh (↑ from 242 lakh in 2021)
• Gender Distribution:
  • Males: 52.4%
  • Females: 47.6%
• Urban-Rural Split:
  • Urban: 56.5%
  • Rural: 43%

State-wise Birth Registration Trends (2013–2022)

• Increasing Birth Registrations:
  • Uttar Pradesh
  • Bihar
  • Madhya Pradesh
  • Telangana
  • Uttarakhand
• Declining or Fluctuating Trends:
  • Tamil Nadu
  • Kerala
  • Himachal Pradesh
  • Punjab
  • Delhi

Stillbirths

• 2022: 1.15 lakh
• 2021: 1.24 lakh (↓ Decline in stillbirths)

Registered Deaths in 2022

• Total: 86.5 lakh (↓ from 102.2 lakh in 2021; back to near pre-pandemic levels)
• COVID-19 Undercount in 2021: CRS 2021 had revealed possible under-reporting of COVID deaths.
• Gender Share:
  • Men: 60.4%
  • Women: 39.6%
• Urban-Rural Split:
  • Rural: 59.5%
  • Urban: 40.5%

Delayed Reporting and Status of Demographic Surveys

• The government released CRS and MCCD reports for 2022, but Sample Registration System (SRS) 2022 is still pending.
• SRS: Provides annual estimates for fertility and mortality rates — crucial for population planning and policy.

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2. The World Bank Revised Global Poverty Line

Context:

The World Bank revised the global poverty line to $3/day (PPP 2021) from $2.15/day (PPP 2017).

Key Findings:

Sharp Decline in Poverty (2011–2023)

• 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.
• Lower-Middle Income Poverty Line saw a 33.7 percentage point decline over the same period.

Why This Matters

• The adjustment reflects changes in purchasing power parity (PPP) and global inflation.
• Even after accounting for inflation, $2.15 is a real increase in the poverty threshold.
• More people globally will now be classified as living in extreme poverty, as they fall below this new standard.

Revised Poverty Benchmark

• The World Bank updated its extreme poverty line to $3/day, adjusted for 2021 purchasing power parity (PPP).
• This represents a 15% higher threshold compared to the previous $2.15/day line (2021 PPP).
• The revision accounts for inflation in developing countries, particularly India’s inflation trends between 2017–2021.

India’s Poverty Rate in 2024

• At the $3/day threshold:
  • Poverty Rate: 5.44% of the population
  • Absolute Numbers: 54.7 million people lived on less than $3/day in 2024.

Trend Summary (Poverty Reduction in India)

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)

What is Poverty Line?

The poverty line represents the minimum income level needed to meet basic needs like food, shelter, and clothing. It’s a benchmark used to identify individuals and households struggling to afford these necessities and are thus eligible for government assistance. 

• Definition:
  • The poverty line is a monetary threshold below which an individual or family is considered to be living in poverty. 
• Purpose:
  • It helps governments understand the extent of poverty and identify those who need support. 
• Measurement:
  • Different countries and regions may have different methods for calculating the poverty line, often considering factors like the cost of food, housing, and other essential items. 

Implications and Insights

• Poverty Alleviation Progress: India has achieved a substantial decline in poverty across all global benchmarks, reflecting improved access to basic services, economic mobility, and rural development.
• Revised Standards: The $3/day benchmark offers a more realistic picture of poverty in the Global South, better aligned with rising living costs.
• Policy Focus Areas:
  • Sustained inflation control,
  • Rural employment,
  • Social safety nets (e.g., PDS, MGNREGA),
  • Access to education and healthcare remain critical to maintaining the pace of poverty reduction.

TH & Mint

3. MGNREGS Job Demand Rises in May–June 2025

Context:

Demand for unskilled jobs under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) surged in May and early June 2025, but economists emphasize this is not necessarily a sign of rural distress. Rather, it reflects a seasonal pattern before the monsoon-led sowing begins.

What is MGNREGA ?

• MINISTRY
  • Ministry of Rural Development

About

• MGNREGA was launched in the year 2005 as one of the largest work guaranteed program by the Ministry of Rural Government .
• The basic objective of MGNREGA was providing 100 days guaranteed employment in every financial year to any rural or adult people who are willing to do public work – related which is unskilled manual work.

Legal Right to Work

• Women should be at least one-third of the beneficiaries of this scheme .
• Wages should be paid as prescribed under the Minimum Wages Act,1948 as specified for the agricultural labourers in state.

Demand Driven Scheme

• 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.
• The demand-driven program allows the self-selection of work .

Decentralized Planning

• Through giving significant roles to Panchayati Raj Institutions there is a focus on strengthening the way or process of decentralization .
• 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.

4. DRUM App

About the DRUM App:

• Full Form: Dynamic Route Planning for Urban Green Mobility
• Developer: Researchers from IIT-Kharagpur
• Stage: Successfully simulated in Delhi; real-world trials starting soon

Core Objective:

• To minimize commuters’ exposure to air pollution through real-time, environment-sensitive route suggestions.

Key Features of DRUM:

• Route Types Offered:
  • Shortest Route
  • Fastest Route
  • LEAP (Least Exposure to Air Pollution)
  • LECR (Least Energy Consumption Route)
  • Balanced Suggested Route (combines multiple criteria)
• Technology Stack:
  • Based on GraphHopper and Mapbox platforms
  • Integrated with real-time air quality data from CPCB and World AQI
  • Works even in data-sparse urban zones
  • Allows vehicle-specific customization for route selection
• Advanced Functionalities:
  • Uses exposure time as the principal metric
  • Crowdsourced sensor data integration planned for DRUM 2.0
  • Will support AI/ML-powered time-based route suggestions in the next phase

Why DRUM Matters:

• Health Impact: Can reduce exposure to pollution by up to 50%, especially in high-density areas like Central Delhi
• Sustainability: Encourages eco-friendly route choices, energy conservation, and smart traffic management
• Target Users: Cyclists, pedestrians, and public transport commuters—groups most vulnerable to urban pollution
• Policy Implication: Enables data-driven urban planning and enhances decision-making for environmental sustainability

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

Event Overview

• Conference: International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (ICDRI) 2025
• Location: First time hosted in Europe
• Theme: “Shaping a Resilient Future for Coastal Regions”
• Addressed by: Prime Minister of India

About the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI)

• Launch: Initiated by India in 2019
• Nature: Global multilateral coalition
• Headquarters: New Delhi, India
• Membership:
  • 46 countries
  • 8 partner organizations (UN agencies, multilateral banks, private sector)
• Primary Goal:
  • Mobilize global efforts to make infrastructure climate- and disaster-resilient by 2050
  • Target 3+ billion people for improved livelihood and environmental resilience

Funding and Support

• Voluntary contributions model
• Major supporters: India (lead contributor), USA, UK, France, Japan, Germany, Australia, Canada, and World Bank

Core Functions of CDRI

• Facilitate global knowledge sharing and research
• Promote capacity building and training
• Support resilient infrastructure financing
• Lead 10 thematic initiatives, including:
  • Urban resilience
  • SIDS (Small Island Developing States)
  • Africa-focused infrastructure
  • Critical infrastructure resilience

India’s 5 Global Priorities at ICDRI 2025

1. Education & Skill Development
   • Embed disaster resilience in higher education to build a future-ready workforce.
2. Global Digital Repository
   • Launch a knowledge-sharing platform for best practices and post-disaster reconstruction models.
3. Innovative Financing for Developing Nations
   • Create accessible funding mechanisms for infrastructure resilience in vulnerable and developing countries.
4. Support for Small Island Developing States (SIDS)
   • Recognize SIDS as Large Ocean Countries
   • Address their unique climate vulnerability with tailored infrastructure strategies.
5. Early Warning & Last-Mile Connectivity
   • Strengthen real-time alert systems and community-level disaster response networks

Banking/Finance

1. RBI’s 2025 Gold and Silver Lending Guidelines

Context:

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.

Key Features of the Directions

• Maximum LTV Ratio:
  • Up to 85% for loans ≤ ₹2.5 lakh, benefiting small-ticket borrowers.
  • Aims to enhance credit access for individuals and micro-enterprises.
• Scope of Applicability:
  • Applicable to all RBI-regulated entities, including:
    • NBFCs
    • Commercial and Cooperative Banks
    • Urban Cooperative Banks
• Collateral Eligibility:
  • Gold jewellery, ornaments, and coins continue to remain eligible as collateral.
  • Recognizes the role of gold loans in meeting short-term liquidity needs.
• Standardised Assaying & Valuation:
  • Assaying must be done in the borrower’s presence.
  • Use of reference prices from IBJA or SEBI-regulated exchanges to ensure pricing transparency.
• Objective:
  • Promote transparency, ethical lending practices, and prudential discipline.
  • Encourage responsible lending while expanding formal credit to underserved segments.

Implications for India’s Lending Ecosystem

• Improved Consumer Protection through transparent valuation practices.
• Level playing field for NBFCs, banks, and cooperative lenders.
• Greater financial inclusion by easing access to credit secured by household assets like gold and silver.
• Reduced regulatory ambiguity by consolidating multiple earlier circulars.

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

Context:

In an effort to anchor economic confidence amid global uncertainties, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), through its Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), delivered a bigger-than-expected policy stimulus in June 2025.

Key Policy Announcements (June 2025)

• Repo Rate Cut: 50 basis points (bps) cut to 5.5% (market expected 25 bps)
• Total rate cuts in FY26: 100 bps (25 bps in February & April, 50 bps in June)
• Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR): Reduced by 100 bps to 3%, in four tranches
  • Adds ₹2.5 trillion in durable liquidity
• Policy Stance Changed: From accommodative to neutral

RBI’s Recent Liquidity Measures

• ₹9.5 trillion liquidity infused since the start of 2025
• Weighted Average Call Rate (WACR): Hovering near the lower end of the LAF corridor, reflecting ample liquidity
• Monetary transmission to lending rates is expected to improve further

Has the RBI Reached the Terminal Rate?

Key Arguments

• The frontloaded rate cut and CRR reduction suggest RBI has done most of the heavy lifting.
• The shift to a neutral stance signals limited room for future rate cuts.
• Inflation Projections:
  • April 2025 CPI inflation eased to 3.2%
  • FY26 revised inflation forecast: 3.7% (from 4%)
  • H2FY26 inflation expected to average slightly above 4%
• RBI’s estimated neutral real rate: 1.4%–1.9%
  • With projected inflation at 3.7%, current policy rate aligns with neutral zone

Growth Outlook:

• FY26 GDP growth estimate: Retained at 6.5%
• FY25 GDP growth was also 6.5%, indicating monetary policy alone may not lift potential growth.
• Medium-term challenge: Boost potential GDP beyond 7%, which will require non-monetary interventions (e.g., structural reforms, capex boost)

3. Banks’ Proposal for Tax Relief on NPA Interest Under Review

Context:

The Indian government is reviewing a proposal from banks to amend the Income Tax Act and align the definition and treatment of Non-Performing Assets (NPAs) with the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) regulatory norms. This move aims to provide relief from taxation on unrealised interest income.

Key Regulatory Divergence

• RBI Definition of NPA:
  • Loan becomes NPA if interest or principal is overdue for more than 90 days.
• Income Tax Act Definition:
  • Loan is considered NPA only if overdue for more than 6 months.

Proposed Changes Under Consideration

1. Exemption of Interest on NPAs:
   • Amendment of Section 43D to prevent taxation of notional interest on NPAs unless realised or credited.
   • Would align tax treatment with RBI’s prudential norms.
2. Enhanced Provisioning Deduction:
   • Lenders have proposed raising tax-deductible provisioning for NPAs from 8.5% to 15% of gross income.
   • Relevant under Section 36(1)(viia) of the Income Tax Act.
   • Applicable to banks, NBFCs, and housing finance companies.

Government Review Process:

• Inter-ministerial Consultations:
  • Suggestions submitted to the Department of Financial Services (DFS) in May 2025.
  • DFS has flagged the issue to the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance.
• Stakeholder Committee:
  • Includes tax officials, industry representatives, and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI).
  • Reviewing changes to the draft Income Tax law, including NPA taxation norms.

Current Status of NPAs:

• Gross NPAs (GNPAs) of Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs) stood at ₹4.16 lakh crore as of Q4 FY25.

Implications if Accepted:

• Boost to Bank Profits:
  • Prevents tax outgo on unrealised income.
  • Encourages more realistic income reporting aligned with prudential norms.
• Reduced Litigation:
  • May lower tax-related disputes in courts over NPA-related interest income.

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

Context:

To encourage original Hindi-language writing and research in the fields of economics, banking, and finance by Indian academicians.

Key Features of the Scheme

• Launched by: Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
• Target Group: Working or retired professors (including Assistant and Associate Professors) from UGC-recognized Indian universities
• Prize Amount: ₹1,25,000 each for three best entries
• Eligible Publications:
  • Books must be originally written in Hindi
  • Subject: Economics, Banking, or Finance
  • Minimum 200 pages
  • Publication window: April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025
• Submission Deadline: June 30, 2025
• Cooling Period: Awardees for two consecutive years must observe a one-year gap before reapplying

Evaluation Process

• Assessment Criteria:
  • 60% weightage for content quality
  • 40% for language and style
• Evaluation Committee Composition:
  • 2 Professors in Economics/Banking/Finance
  • 1 Professor in Hindi Literature or Linguistics
  • RBI officials

Significance

• Promotes financial literacy and academic contributions in Hindi
• Encourages regional language inclusion in high-level economic discourse
• Aligns with RBI’s vision to increase vernacular scholarship in finance and economics

Related Development:

• In June 2025, RBI also launched the 2024–25 round of its annual survey on Foreign Liabilities and Assets (FLA) of Mutual Funds and Asset Management Companies (AMCs).

This scheme not only supports language diversity in financial education but also fosters an environment for academic innovation in Hindi.

Economy

1. India’s Apparel Export Growth Challenge

Current Status and Challenges

• Stagnant Global Share: India’s apparel export share remains at 3%, despite being the second-largest employment sector after agriculture.
• Export Volume: Apparel exports are at $37.8 billion, while the global textile and apparel (T&A) market is worth $897.8 billion.
• MSME Dominance: Over 80% of apparel units are small-scale, leading to fragmentation, low scalability, and poor global integration.

Significance of the Textile and Apparel Sector

• Mass Employment Driver: Employs 45+ million people, especially in Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, and West Bengal.
• High Value Addition: Generates higher returns via full supply chain integration—from raw cotton to finished apparel.
• Export Potential: Key to India’s ambition to reach $40 billion in apparel exports by 2030.
• Boosts Ancillary Industries: Supports growth in dyes, logistics, chemicals, machinery, and retail.
• Women-Led Workforce: Nearly 70% of apparel workers are women, promoting gender-inclusive growth (e.g. Shahi Exports employs 70,000+ women).

Key Government Initiatives

• Textile-Focused:
  • PM MITRA Parks: 7 mega integrated textile parks to lower logistics costs and enhance scale.
  • Amended TUFS: Financial aid for technology upgradation in textile units.
• Apparel-Focused:
  • RoSCTL: Refund of embedded taxes on exports.
  • SAMARTH Scheme: Skill development for workers in the apparel value chain.
  • PLI Scheme (Textiles): Incentivizes investment in MMF and technical textiles; PLI 2.0 aims to include large garment units.

Structural Bottlenecks

• Fragmented Ecosystem: MSMEs lack scale, affecting productivity and global competitiveness.
• Costly Capital: India’s high 9% interest rate limits expansion (vs. 3–4.5% in China/Vietnam).
• Labour Rigidity: Double overtime pay and complex regulations deter formal hiring and scalability.
• Inefficient Supply Chain: Dispersed production increases turnaround times and costs.
• Underutilized Female Labour: Despite high demand, female labour force participation (FLFP) remains low.

Policy Recommendations – The Way Forward:

• Subsidized Capital Expansion:
  • Provide 25–30% capex subsidy and 5–7 years tax holiday for large units with 1,000+ machines.
• Flexible Labour Reforms:
  • Align overtime payments to ILO standard (1.25x) and simplify compliance norms for apparel factories.
• MGNREGA-Wage Linkage:
  • Use 25–30% of MGNREGA funds to subsidize wages in garment units to boost formal employment and cost competitiveness.
• Strategic MITRA Garment Hubs:
  • Develop 2 integrated apparel-focused parks in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh to reduce migration, enable clustering, and attract investment.
• Export-Linked Incentives (ELI):
  • Transition from production-linked to export-linked incentives, rewarding global competitiveness and sustained market expansion.

Agriculture

1. Community-Led Seed Ball Plantation for Forest Regeneration in India

Context:

India’s forests, long considered the lungs of the nation, are under increasing pressure. Between 2001 and 2023, the country lost a staggering 2.33 million hectares of forest cover due to deforestation. Mineral-rich states like Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha are most affected due to mining-driven deforestation.

Key Initiative: Seed Ball Plantation

• What It Is: Encasing native seeds in a mix of soil and natural compost to protect and aid germination.
• How It Works: Balls are scattered in degraded forests; with rain, the seed germinates as the coating dissolves.
• Advantages:
  • Low-cost, scalable, and eco-friendly
  • Effective in remote and inaccessible forest areas
  • Promotes natural reforestation with minimal human intervention

Role of PRADAN

• A 43-year-old grassroots organization, PRADAN is the Centre of Excellence – Forest.
• Mobilized women, youth, and village communities for forest regeneration.
• Delivered hands-on training for seed ball preparation and dissemination.
• Employed IEC (Information, Education, Communication) tools such as posters, videos, and forest dialogues to build public awareness.

Impact & Progress

• Seed Balls Sown:
  • 2023: 1.3 million
  • 2024: 1.6 million (23% YoY increase)
• Benefits:
  • Enhanced soil health and biodiversity
  • Boosted agricultural resilience
  • Strengthened climate adaptation capacity

Collaborative Model

• Implemented through partnerships among:
  • Local communities
  • Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs)
  • State Forest Departments
  • Civil Society Organizations (CSOs)

Significance:

• Encourages eco-citizenship and community stewardship
• Integrates traditional knowledge with sustainable development
• Supports India’s commitment to forest restoration, climate resilience, and rural empowerment

BL

2. Bayer Launches BICOTA to Protect Rice Crops from Stem Borer Pests

Context:

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.

Key Features of BICOTA

• Fast-acting: Quickly halts pest feeding behavior.
• Extended Protection: Single application offers longer-lasting control than conventional options.
• Enhanced Crop Health:
  • Promotes stronger root and tiller development
  • Ensures higher yields even under unpredictable weather conditions
• Granular Formulation: Easy to apply, reduces time and labor costs.
• Eco-Friendly:
  • Safe for beneficial insects
  • Compatible with Integrated Pest Management (IPM) systems

Significance

• Targets one of the most damaging rice pests—stem borers
• Enhances climate-resilient agriculture by adapting to pest resurgence under changing weather
• Supports sustainable agriculture through safer, farmer-friendly crop protection technologies

3. India’s Ethanol Blending Policy Faces Delays

Context:

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.

What is Ethanol?

It is obtained by feeding various raw materials or agricultural products through fermentation, and ethanol is used as a fuel. Ethanol is renewable fuel as it can be used in the pepping of gasoline, or it can work as an octane enhancer. This is also called grain alcohol, ethyl alcohol, or simply EtOH.

These are some applications of ethanol in agriculture:

• Fuel-Ethanol
  • This is a high-octane fuel, which could be used for automobiles. Having lower evaporative emissions, it is less flammable compared with gasoline.
• Economic development
  • Ethanol production is turning into an economic engine in India creating value from such agricultural commodities as corn and sugar beets.
• Feedstock
  • Under various feedstocks such as corn, sorghum, barley, sugar cane, sugar beets, crop residues, wood, and grasses, various feedstocks produce ethanol.
• Byproducts
  • Some byproducts include corn oil, protein feeds, and distillers dried grains (DDG). These are produced from processes of ethanol production. The last one is treated as part of animal feed.

Role of Ethanol in India

• Powers vehicles, aids the spirits industry, and cuts India’s imports of crude oil.
• Harmful emissions are reduced, air quality is improved, and ₹1.1 trillion has been saved in foreign exchange because of ethanol blending.
• In the last decade, from savings of 50 million carbon dioxide equivalent in a year, the increase in ethanol use has consistently been ahead of this target.
• New trade avenues to farmers would create a more even marketplace for their crops such as sugarcane.

The Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme

The Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme is a government initiative to increase the amount of ethanol blended with petrol in India: 

• Goals:
  • Blending 10% ethanol with petrol by 2021-22 
  • Blending 20% ethanol with petrol by 2025 

What is Ethanol blending?

• It is the process of mixing ethanol with gasoline to reduce the use of fossil fuels.

Facts To Remember

1. Mcdonald and Tagger win French Open junior titles

Germany’s Niels Mcdonald and Austrian Lilli Tagger won the boys and girls titles respectively at the French Open.

2. Six-star show by India in Taiwan Open athletics

Asian champion Jyothi Yarraji won the women’s 100m hurdles race with yet another impressive time as India won six gold medals in the Taiwan Athletics Open here.

3. Carlsen clinches record-extending seventh title after draw with Arjun 

World champion D. Gukesh committed a costly blunder against American Grandmaster Fabiano Caruana in the final round to finish third as five-time World champion Magnus Carlsen clinched a record-extending seventh Norway Chess title.

4. India, Mongolia hold joint military exercise ‘Nomadic Elephant’ in in Ulaanbaatar

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.

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

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.

6. From Isolation to innovation – A decade of transformation under Seva, Sushasan, Garib Kalyan

India has undergone a decade of remarkable transformation, driven by the principles of Seva, Sushasan, and Garib Kalyan.

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

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.

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

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.