Current Affairs 13 June 2025

We are here for you to provide the important Recent and Latest Current Affairs 13 June 2025, which have unique updates of Latest Current Affairs 2025 events from all newspapers such as The Hindu, The Economic Times, PIB, Times of India, PTI, Indian Express, Business Standard and all Government official websites.

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS

Cabinet Approved Two Railway Doubling Projects at Rs. 6,405 CroreIn June 2025, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi, approved two major railway doubling projects worth Rs. 6,405 crore under the Ministry of Railways (MoR).

• Aimed at enhancing freight and passenger services, the projects will add approximately 318 kilometres(km) of track across seven districts in Jharkhand, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh(AP). The projects are expected to be completed within a three-year period.

Project Details:
i.Koderma–Barkakana Doubling (133 km):

• The Rs. 3,063 crore railway project will connect coal-rich districts like Koderma, Chatra, Hazaribagh, and Ramgarh in Jharkhand.
• Provides the shortest and most efficient rail link between Patna (Bihar) and Ranchi (Jharkhand).

ii.Ballari–Chikjajur Doubling (185 km):

• The Rs. 3,342 crore railway project focuses on transporting iron ore, steel, cement, fertilisers, and petroleum, and connects critical mineral and agricultural supply routes.
• It extends through Ballari and Chitradurga districts in Karnataka and Anantapur district in AP.

Strategic & Economic Significance:
i.These projects are part of the Prime Minister Gati Shakti-National Master Plan (PMGS-NMP) initiative to strengthen multi-modal connectivity through integrated planning.
ii.Doubling increases line capacity, improves efficiency, reduces congestion, and ensures smoother freight and passenger movement.
iii.They will connect 1408 villages with a population of 28.19 lakh, easing the transport of goods like coal, iron ore, and fertilizers.
iv.This will boost freight traffic by 49 Million Tonnes Per Annum (MTPA) and create jobs for 10.8 million human-days during construction.
v.Rail transport, being energy-efficient, is expected to reduce logistics costs, cut oil imports by 52 crore litres (l), and lower Carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions by 264 crore kilograms (kg) (equivalent to planting 11 crore trees).
About the Ministry of Railways (MoR):
Union Minister – Ashiwini Vaishnaw (Rajya Sabha, Odisha)
Minister of State (MoS) – V. Somanna (Constituency – Tumkur, Karnataka),
Ravneet Singh Bittu (Rajya Sabha – Rajasthan)

India’s 1st E-waste Eco Park to be Established in DelhiIn June 2025, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Environment Minister, Government of Delhi, announced that India’s 1st electronic waste (e-waste) eco park will be established in Holambi Kalan, North Delhi.

• It will be constructed with a capital investment of Rs 150 crore and an operational budget of more than Rs 325 crore, and is expected to be completed within 18 months.
• Following the completion of the park, it will able to manage around 25% of Delhi’s e-waste in 5 years and will serve as a model for similar initiatives nationwide.

About India’s 1st e-waste Eco Park:
i.The proposed e-waste eco park, spanning 11.4 acres of land, will be developed under a Design, Build, Finance, Operate, and Transfer (DBFOT) model on a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) basis for a concession period of 15 years.
ii.The facility will be equipped with cutting-edge technology capable of processing a maximum 51,000 metric tonnes(MT) of e-waste annually, including all 106 categories of waste listed under the E-Waste Management Rules, 2022.
iii.The proposed park, which is one of the four such facilities planned in India, is projected to generate more than Rs 350 crore in revenue.
iv.Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC) will issue a global Request-for-Quote (RFQ)-cum-Request-for-Proposal(RFP) tender, to attract top-notch global green technology providers.
v.The park is expected to generate thousands of green jobs and empower local dismantlers, recyclers, and refurbishers.
Points to Note:
i.India ranks as the 3rd largest producer of e-waste globally, generating over 1.6 Million Metric Tonnes (MMT) annually. Of this total e-waste, Delhi accounts nearly 9.5%.
ii.However, only 7.4% of global e-waste is recycled in a scientifically sound manner, which results in loss of valuable resources like copper, lithium, and rare earth metals.
About Union Territory (UT) of Delhi:
Chief Minister (CM)- Rekha Gupta
Lieutenant (Lt.) Governor- Vinai Kumar Saxena
Capital- New Delhi
Wildlife Sanctuary (WLS)- Asola-Bhatii WLS

INS Guldar to Become India’s First Underwater Museum & Artificial Coral Reef in Maharashtra
In June 2025, Devendra Fadnavis, Chief Minister (CM) of Maharashtra, virtually launched an innovative project to transform the decommissioned Indian Naval Ship (INS) Guldar into India’s first underwater museum and artificial coral reef. The site is located near Nivati Rock in Vengurla Taluka, Sindhudurg district, Maharashtra.

• The initiative aims to merge heritage, ecology, and adventure to create a unique marine attraction that promotes sustainability, marine conservation, and tourism, offering activities such as scuba diving and underwater exploration.
• This marks the first instance in India of submerging a naval ship to repurpose it into an artificial reef and underwater museum.

i.The project is led by Mumbai (Maharashtra)-based Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC), the lead agency of the Government of Maharashtra, collaborating with marine and environmental experts.
ii.It is funded with Rs. 46.91 crore by the Ministry of Tourism(MoT), under the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment Scheme, granted on 27 December 2024.
iii.INS Guldar (1,120 tonnes; 83.9 meters (m) long, 9.7 m wide), a Kumbhir-class Landing Ship Tank (Medium) built in Poland, was commissioned into the Indian Navy on December 30, 1985. After nearly 39 years of service, it was decommissioned on January 12, 2024.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

WEF’s Global Gender Gap Report 2025 : India Slips to 131st; Iceland ToppedOn June 12, 2025, Cologny (Switzerland) based World Economic Forum (WEF) released 19th edition of the annual report titled “Global Gender Gap Report ”. India ranked 131st out of 148 countries, falling two positions from the previous year with a score of 0.644.

• Iceland has topped the rankings for the 16th time with a score of 0.926, followed by Finland(0.879), Norway(0.863), United Kingdom (UK)(0.838) and New Zealand(0.827).

Highlights of  Global Gender Gap Report 2025:
i.The 2025 Index, benchmarks gender parity across 148 economies, providing a basis for the analysis for gender parity developments across two-thirds of the world’s economies.
ii.The 2025 Global Gender Gap Index shows that while no country has achieved full gender parity, each of the top 10 ranked economies have closed at least 80% of their gender gaps.
iii.Globally, the gender gap has narrowed to 68.8%, marking the quickest improvement since the pandemic, but if current trends continue, it will take another 123 years to achieve full gender equality.
>>Read Full News

ILO’s Data: India’s Social Security Coverage Surged to 64.3%; Ranked 2nd GloballyIn June 2025, Geneva (Switzerland) based International Labour Organisation (ILO) released its latest ‘ILO Database on International Labour Statistics (ILOSTAT)database’. As per the data, India’s social security coverage has surged from 19% (in 2015) to 64.3% (in 2025), which marks an increase of 45 basis points (bps) over the last 10 years.

• The data further revealed that India now ranks at 2nd position globally in terms of beneficiary count, with more than 94 crore people, are now covered under at least one social protection benefit.
• These figures were highlighted by Union Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Ministry of Labour & Employment (MoL&E) during a bilateral meeting with Gilbert F. Houngbo, Director General (DG) of ILO on the sidelines of the International Labour Conference (ILC) of ILO.

Note: The 113th session of the ILC of ILO held from June 10 to 12, 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland.
Key Progress made by India in Social Security:
i.India is also the world’s 1st country to update its 2025 social protection coverage data in the ILOSTAT database, reinforcing its leadership globally in digital governance and transparency in welfare systems.
ii.The current 64.3% figure represents Phase-I of a wider social protection data pooling exercise, focusing on central sector and women-centric schemes across 8 selected states.

• With further phases and additional social security schemes under review, experts project that India’s overall coverage will soon exceed 100 crore beneficiaries.

iii.Also, the increase in Social Protection Coverage will help in strengthening India’s international engagements, particularly in finalizing Social Security Agreements (SSAs) with developed countries.

• These agreements will ensure the portability of social protection benefits for Indian professionals working abroad, while providing partner countries the transparency required for mutual recognition frameworks.

iv.As per the MoL&E, India met the stringent ILO criteria: each social protection scheme is required to be legislatively mandated ; provide cash benefits; and maintain active, verified data for the last 3 years.
About International Labour Organisation (ILO):
Director-General (DG) – Gilbert F. Houngbo
Headquarters- Geneva, Switzerland
Member nations- 187
Established- 1919

NATO Launches Annual Military Exercise BALTOPS 25 in Latvia
In June 2025, Brussels (Belgium) based North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) launched its 53rd edition of NATO’s premier multinational maritime-focused exercise Baltic Operations 2025 (BALTOPS 25) in Latvia.

• The exercise aims to enhance cooperation and interoperability among allied forces, strengthen rapid response capabilities across all military branches, and demonstrate NATO’s commitment to regional security and defence of the Baltic Sea region.
• The event is being conducted from 5th to 20th June 2025.

Key Points:
i.The exercise is organized by Oeiras, Portugal based NATO’s Naval Striking and Support Forces (STRIKFORNATO) and hosted by Latvia in the Baltic Sea region.
ii.The drill involves 16 NATO member states, more than 40 ships, 25 aircraft, and approximately 9,000 military personnel.
ii.BALTOPS 25 focuses on a wide range of operational training, including unmanned systems, medical evacuation, air defence, maritime interdiction, anti-submarine warfare, mine countermeasures, airborne operations, and engineering support.
iii.The exercise reflects NATO’s focus on multidomain interoperability and modern military technologies.
Note: Latvia has participated in BALTOPS since 1996, reinforcing its ongoing contribution to regional defence and alliance solidarity.

BANKING & FINANCE

Groww launches India’s first Nifty Internet ETF targeting digital economyGroww Mutual Fund has announced the launch of the Groww Nifty India Internet Exchange Traded Fund (ETF), India’s first exchange-traded fund tracking the Nifty India Internet Index (NIII) .

• The fund aims to invest in internet-first businesses across sectors such as e-commerce, fintech, online travel, digital payments, stockbroking, and entertainment.
• These sectors are increasingly becoming central to India’s consumption and service economy.

About the Scheme:
i.The objective of the scheme is to generate long-term capital growth by investing in securities of the NIII in the same proportion, with the aim of providing returns before expenses that track the total return of the Nifty India Internet Index.
ii.This ETF seeks to offer investors diversified exposure to companies driving India’s internet-led transformation.
iii.The New Fund Offer (NFO) of the scheme will open on June 13 and will close on June 27.
iv.The minimum investment during the NFO is Rs.500 and there is no exit load.
>>Read Full News

SEBI Unveils ‘Valid’ UPI Safeguard and ‘SEBI Check’ Verification ToolIn June 2025, Tuhin Kanta Pandey, Chairperson of Mumbai (Maharashtra) based market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) announced that SEBI will introduce a new Unified Payments Interface (UPI) payment mechanism named ‘Valid’ for all registered intermediaries, who collects funds from investors.

• The new UPI framework is aimed to combat impersonation by unregistered entities and ensure that investors transfer money only to verified intermediaries.
• It is mandatory for all investors interacting with market intermediaries to transition to the new UPI verification system by October 01, 2025.

About new UPI Payment Mechanism:
i.As per SEBI, ‘Valid’ is a unique, UPI-based payment Identification(ID) which will be developed by Mumbai (Maharashtra) based National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) for each bank and issued only for payment collection by SEBI-registered entities.
ii.The UPI IDs will feature the exclusive ‘@valid’ handle for all-SEBI registered, combined with the bank name, to ensure easy identification by investors.

• A green thumbs-up icon will appear alongside these UPI handles, serving as a visual indicator to assure investors of the payment request’s authenticity.

iii.It is voluntary for investors to transfer funds directly to the requisite bank accounts of intermediaries that have been validated with SEBI.
iv.SEBI has mandated all registered intermediaries to obtain and make available this new structured UPI address to their investors.
v.SEBI has also fixed a daily UPI limit of Rs 5 lakh for capital market transactions done through UPI, which may be reviewed at regular intervals of time in consultation with NPCI.
About SEBI Check:
Apart from the new UPI address mechanism, SEBI has also announced to launch a verification tool ‘SEBI Check’, an additional security layer for payments to verify the authenticity of an entity before proceeding with any financial transaction.

• This new tool will enable investors to verify the authenticity of UPI IDs either by scanning a Quick Response (QR Code) or entering the UPI ID manually and confirming the bank details like: the account number and India Financial System Code (IFSC) of a registered intermediary.
• This new facility will be available to users from October 01, 2025.

NSE Received SEBI’s Approval to Launch Monthly Electricity Futures ContractsIn June 2025, Mumbai (Maharashtra) based National Stock Exchange of India Limited (NSE) announced that it has received the approval from Mumbai based market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to launch monthly electricity futures contracts.

• This move is expected to strengthen power markets and support long-term structural reforms started under the Electricity Act, 2003.

Key Points:
i.The launch of monthly electricity futures will provide the market participants  with effective hedging tools against electricity price volatility, allow more precise price signals in the power sector.

• It will also promote capital investments across the electricity value chain i.e. generation, transmission, distribution, and retail.

ii.Mumbai based Jio BlackRock Investment Advisers Private Limited (JBIAPL) which is 50:50 Joint Venture (JV) between Jio Financial Services Limited (JFSL) and global asset manager BlackRock, has received the approval from SEBI and Mumbai based Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) to commence operations as an investment advisor in India.
About National Stock Exchange Limited (NSE):
Managing Director (MD) & Chief Executive Officer (CEO)– Ashishkumar Chauhan
Headquarters- Mumbai, Maharashtra
Established – 1992
>>Read Full News

RBI Granted Scheduled Bank Status to Vishweshwar Sahakari Bank Limited On June 11, 2025, Mumbai (Maharashtra) Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has granted Scheduled Bank (SB) status to Pune (Maharashtra) based Vishweshwar Sahakari Bank Limited (VSBL), one of India’s leading Urban Cooperative Bank (UCB), in exercise of powers given under Section 42(6) (a) of the RBI Act, 1934.

• Vishweshawar Sahakari Bank has been placed in Schedule II of the RBI Act, 1934.
• With this, it becomes the 50th cooperative bank in India and 3rd from Pune to receive the Scheduled Bank status from the RBI.

i.SBs are classified into two main categories: Scheduled Commercial Bank (SCB) and Scheduled Co-operative Banks.
ii.Interested bank is required to maintain minimum paid-up capital of Rs 5 lakhs. But, in order to operate as commercial bank, RBI recommended minimum capital of Rs 100 crores.
iii.UCBs are required to maintain a Capital to Risk-Weighted Assets Ratio (CRAR) of at least 3% higher than the minimum requirement for their tier to enhance capital strength and resilience to risks.
About Vishweshwar Sahakari Bank Limited(VSBL):
Chairperson-Anil Bharatsheth Gadve
Headquarters-Pune, Maharashtra
Established-1972
>>Read Full News

SBI Paid Rs. 8,076.84 Crore Dividend to GoI for FY25
In June 2025, Mumbai (Maharashtra) based State Bank of India (SBI) paid a dividend of Rs. 8,076.84 Crore to the Government of India(GoI) for the Financial Year 2024-2025(FY25).

• The dividend cheque was presented to Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Ministry of Finance (MoF), by SBI Chairman Challa Sreenivasulu Setty in the presence of M Nagaraju, Secretary, Department of Financial Services (DFS), MoF and Ajay Seth, Secretary, Department of Economic affairs (DEA), MoF in New Delhi, Delhi.

Key Details:
i.SBI declared a dividend of Rs 15.90 per share for FY25, up from Rs 13.70 per share in FY24, when it paid Rs 6959.29 crore.
ii.GoI, which holds a 57.43% stake in SBI, is the primary beneficiary of this payout.
iii.SBI reported a record net profit of Rs. 70,901 crore for the full FY25, registering a 16% increase over the Rs. 61,077 crore earned in FY24.
iv.Net Interest Income (NII) for the quarter rose to Rs. 42,774.63 crore, marking a 2.7% increase, while the net interest margin stood at 3%.
Note: A dividend is a share of a company’s profits given to its shareholders, typically in cash or sometimes as additional shares, as a reward for their investment.

Poonawalla Fincorp Launched Industry-First ‘Business Loan 24/7’ for MSMEs
In June 2025, Pune (Maharashtra) based Poonawalla Fincorp Limited (PFL), a Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) promoted by the Cyrus Poonawalla Group, launched an industry-first, fully digital ‘Business Loan 24/7’ product for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) across India.

• This initiative aims to provide seamless and instant credit access to MSMEs across India.

i.The ‘Business Loan 24/7’ is a fully digital, round-the-clock loan solution that enables MSMEs to apply, receive approval, and get disbursal without visiting any physical branch or submitting physical documents.

• The loan product provides flexible repayment options, aiming to improve ease of access to formal credit for businesses.

ii.It is based on a Straight Through Processing (STP) model, which facilitates instant onboarding and loan approval, ensuring fast and paperless disbursal.
iii.The loan product uses a digital risk assessment model integrated with India’s public digital infrastructure, including:Goods and Services Tax (GST) system, Credit Bureaus and Account Aggregators (AAs).
iv.The digital model is built using advanced analytics and follows a risk-first approach, ensuring responsible credit disbursement to growth-ready MSMEs across Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 cities, particularly in sectors such as retail, manufacturing, trade, and services.

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

MoL&E Report: Gig Workforce in India to Grow to 62 Million by 2047In June 2025, the Ministry of Labour and Employment (MoL&E) affiliated Noida (Uttar Pradesh, UP) based VV Giri National Labour Institute (VVGNLI) released its new study, which has projected that gig and platform workforce in India is expected to grow approximately 62 million by 2047, accounting nearly 15% of the total non-agricultural workforce.

• This increase shows a significant shift in how people work, driven by technology, flexible employment models, and the increasing need for flexible work arrangements.

i.The new study has used estimates from a 2022 National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog) report on gig workers and applied the exponential smoothing error, trend, seasonality model to make projections.
ii.The new study has projected that the number of gig workers is expected to more than double over the next 17 years.
iii.As per the NITI Aayog report, more than 3 million workers were employed by nearly 11 Indian platform companies in 2020.

• This figure is estimated to increase to 23 million by 2030, including 7% of the total non-agricultural workforce.

About Ministry of Labour & Employment (MoL&E):
Union Minister- Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya (Constituency- Porbandar, Gujarat)
Minister of State (MoS)- Shobha Karandlaje (Constituency- Bangalore North, Karnataka)
>>Read Full News

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

Padma Awardee Javed Akhtar Honoured with Dostoevsky Star AwardIn June 2025, Renowned screenwriter, lyricist, and poet Javed Akhtar was honoured with the Dostoevsky Star Award, Russia’s highest literary honour by the Russian House in Mumbai, Maharashtra, for his role in promoting cultural dialogue and preserving literary heritage.

• Javed Akhtar is the first Indian to receive the Dostoevsky Award.
• As part of the felicitation, a poem book of Akhtar, translated into Russian by Ramdas Akella was also released at the event.

About Javed Akhtar:
i.He was born on January 17, 1945, in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh (MP).
ii.He worked as a screenwriter in Hindi movies such as Zanjeer (1973), Sholay (1975), Deewaar (1975), Don (1978)
iii.He worked as a lyric writer in movies such as Dil Chahta Hai, Kal Ho Naa Ho, Lagaan, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
Awards and Honours:
i.He was conferred with Padma Shri in 1999 and Padma Bhushan in 2007 for his contributions in the field of literature.
ii.He was the recipient of Sahitya Akademi Award in 2013 for Urdu poetry collection Lava.
iii.First Indian to receive the Richard Dawkins Award in 2020 for championing rationalism and secularism
iv.He received 5 National Award for Best Lyrics for the songs in Films such as “Sandese Aate Hain” in Border (1997), “Ma Rewa” in Godmother (1999), “Panchi Nadiya Pawan Ke Jhoke” in Refugee (2000), “Radha Kaise Na Jale” and “O Mitwa” in Lagaan (2001) and “Saathiya” in Saathiya (2002).
Note: The award named after Russian literary giant Fyodor Dostoevsky, it honours global figures who advance cross-cultural literary exchange and philosophical discourse .

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Katrina Kaif Appointed as Global Tourism Ambassador of Maldives
In June 2025, Malé (Maldives)-based Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC), also known as Visit Maldives, appointed Bollywood actor Katrina Kaif as its Global Tourism Ambassador.

• In this role, she will spearhead international promotional efforts under the “Sunny Side of Life” campaign, designed to boost the Maldives’ global tourism appeal ahead of the summer season and reinforce ties with India.

i.Katrina Kaif, widely recognised across India for her popularity and international fan base, is set to represent the tropical island nation in global tourism campaigns.
ii.She will serve as a brand ambassador to promote luxury tourism in the Maldives, focusing on major markets such as India, the United Kingdom (UK), Russia, Italy, Spain, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

Sumit Madan Appointed as MD & CEO of Axis Max Life Insurance
On June 11, 2025, Gurugram (Haryana) based Axis Max Life Insurance Limited (formerly Max Life Insurance Company Limited) announced the appointment of Sumit Madan as its next Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). He will succeed Prashant Tripathy, who retires on September 30, 2025.

• Sumit Madan’s five-year term will run from October 1, 2025, to September 30, 2030, pending approvals from shareholders and the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI).

i.He has over 25 years of experience in banking and financial services, with leadership roles at Citibank India, AU Small Finance Bank, and IDFC First Bank.
ii.He is currently serving as the Chief Distribution Officer (CDO) at Axis Max Life Insurance since February 2024.
iii.Under his leadership, the insurer attained the 4th position in Financial Year 2022–23 (FY23) and achieved the 1st rank in e-commerce and protection penetration among leading private insurers.
Note: Axis Max Life Insurance Limited is a joint venture(JV) between New Delhi (Delhi)-based Max Financial Services Limited (MFSL) and Mumbai (Maharashtra)-based Axis Bank Limited.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

India’s Reliance Defence Partners with Germany’s Diehl Defence to Manufacture Vulcano 155mm PGM in IndiaIn June 2025, Mumbai (Maharashtra) based Reliance Defence Limited (RDL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Reliance Infrastructure Limited (RIL), has entered into a strategic cooperation agreement worth Rs.10,000 crores (~USD1.2 billion) with Uberlingen (Germany) based Diehl Defence GmbH & Co. KG, a subsidiary of Diehl Stiftung & Co. Kg, to produce Vulcano 155 millimeter (mm) Precision-Guided Munition (PGM) system in India.

• The two companies formed their partnership focused on guided munitions, particularly Terminally Guided Munitions(TGM), back in 2019.

Key Points:
i.RDL will take the lead as the prime manufacturer, with Diehl Defence supplying core technologies and guidance systems.
ii.The production will take place at a greenfield facility in the Watad Industrial Area, Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, which will be part of the Dhirubhai Ambani Defence City (DADC).

• Once fully operational, the facility is expected to produce up to 200,000 artillery shells annually, along with 10,000 tonnes of explosives and 2,000 tonnes of propellant.

iii.The manufacturing initiative will include over 50% indigenous value addition, supporting Atmanirbhar Bharat. It also aligns with the target of achieving Rs.50,000 crores in defence exports by 2029.
>>Read Full News

GRSE Secures Contract to Build Two Coastal Research Vessels for GSIOn June 11, 2025, Kolkata (West Bengal, WB)-based Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE), a Miniratna Category-I Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) under the Ministry of Defence (MoD), signed a contract with Kolkata based Geological Survey of India (GSI) operating under the Ministry of Mines (MoM), for the construction of two Coastal Research Vessels (CRVs).

• The agreement was formalized by Commander Shantanu Bose, Indian Navy (IN) (Retd.), Director (Shipbuilding) of GRSE; Dr N.M. Shareef, Deputy Director General(DG) and Head, Marine and Coastal Survey Division of GSI, in the presence of Asit Saha, DG of GSI, along with senior officials in Kolkata.

About Coastal Research Vessels (CRVs):
1.Specifications & Capacity:

• Dimensions: 64 meters (m) in length and 12 m in width
• Capacity: Deadweight tonnage of 450 Tons
• Performance: Top speed of 10 knots and endurance of 15 days
• Accommodation: Facilities for 35 personnel

2.Research Capabilities:

• The vessels will support offshore geological mapping, mineral exploration (including dredging), ocean environment monitoring, and onboard research via modern laboratories for data processing and sample analysis.

3.Advanced Operational Features:

• Dynamic Positioning-1 (DP-1) system: Enables station-keeping in Sea State 3 conditions.
• Diesel-electric propulsion: Ensures operational efficiency.
• Operational scope: Within India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), at depths of 5 to 1,000 m.

GRSE’s Ongoing Projects:
The new CRVs expand GRSE’s expertise in research vessels:
i.Building an Ocean Research Vessel (ORV) for the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES).
ii.Constructing an Acoustic Research Ship (ARS) for the Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL) under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
About Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE):
Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) –  Cmde PR Hari
Headquarters – Kolkata (West Bengal, WB)
Established –1884
About Geological Survey of India (GSI):
Director General (DG) – Asit Saha
Headquarters – Kolkata (West Bengal, WB)
Established – 1851

Russia Patents Drone Spacecraft Platform for Orbital Station; To Support Lunar Missions
In June 2025, Russia has patented a technology enabling the launch of autonomous spacecraft from an orbital station, set to become the world’s first drone platform integrated with robotic systems for self-maintenance.

• The system is planned to be tested on the upcoming Russian Orbital Station (ROS), currently under development. The technology is also intended to support Russia’s future lunar exploration initiatives.

i.ROS Deployment Plan:

• Phase 1 (2027–2030):Scientific and Power Module (SPM), the first segment, launches by end-2027.Universal-node, gateway, and base modules to follow by 2030, forming the station’s core.
• Phase 2 (2031–2033): Two target modules will dock to expand capacity.

ii.ROS deployment aligns with the planned decommissioning of the International Space Station (ISS) around 2030.

• The ISS, a collaborative project between Roscosmos (Russia’s State Space Corporation) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) (United States of America/USA), has operated since 1998.

SPORTS

West Indies Cricketer Nicholas Pooran Retires from International Cricket
In June 2025, Trinidad and Tobago-based cricketer Nicholas Pooran, a prominent West Indies white-ball player, announced his retirement from international cricket at the age of 29. The decision marks a shift in his career as he chooses to focus on franchise-based T20 leagues around the world.
About Nicholas Pooran:
i.He is left-handed wicketkeeper-batter, debuted in Twenty20 International (T20I) on 23 September 2016 against Pakistan, and in One Day Internationals (ODIs) on 20 February 2019 versus England

• He played 61 ODIs, scoring 1,983 runs (including 3 centuries) and has taken 6 wickets.
• He is the leading T20I run scorer with 2,275 runs in 106 matches with 98 as his highest score in a T20 match.

ii.In his Franchise career, he played for Mumbai Indians (MI), Punjab Kings, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

• In 2025, he scored 524 runs for LSG in the IPL

iii.He Served as vice captain during the 2021 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, and was appointed captain of West Indies in May 2022 and has won 8 matches out of 30 games.
iv.His most recent international match was a T20I series loss to Bangladesh in December 2024, and his last ODI was in July2023 against Sri Lanka.
v.In 2023, he hit the most sixes (170) in T20s

BOOKS & AUTHORS

Book on “Kashmir Insurgency – Deconstructing the State Response Revisiting 1989–90” Released
In June 2025, Colonel Yoginder Kandhari (Retd.), an Indian Army(IA) veteran, launched his new book titled “Kashmir Insurgency: Deconstructing the State Response – Revisiting 1989-90” at the Chandigarh Press Club in Chandigarh in Punjab. The book was published by Chandigarh-based White Falcon Publishing.

• The book was formally unveiled by Chief of Army Staff(CoAS) General V.P.Malik (Retd.), while Colonel Daljeet Singh Cheema (Retd.) graced the occasion as the Guest of Honour.

i.The book offers a detailed analysis of the 1989–90 Kashmir insurgency, highlighting the administrative breakdown, failures in intelligence, and the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits.
ii.It combines firsthand military experiences, Right to Information (RTI) disclosures, and interviews with policymakers, security officials, and civilians.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Day Against Child Labour 2025 – June 12The United Nations (UN’s) World Day Against Child Labour (WDACL) is observed annually across the globe on June 12 to raise awareness about child labour and mobilize efforts for its elimination.

• The theme for WDACL 2025 is “Progress is clear, but there’s more to do: let’s speed up efforts!”.

Key Points:
i.WDACL was established in 2002 by the ILO, the only tripartite agency of the UN dedicated to promoting social justice and internationally recognised labour and human rights.
ii.The first WDACL was observed on June 12, 2002.
iii.In 2025, this day marks the 26th anniversary of the adoption of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention No. 182 on the Worst Forms of Child Labour (1999).
iv.On June 11, 2025, the ILO and UNICEF jointly released a report titled “Child Labour: Global Estimates 2024, Trends and the Road Forward” , during a high level event at the 113th International Labour Conference (ILC) held in Geneva, Switzerland.

• Nearly 138 million children(aged 5–17) were engaged in child labour in 2024, down by 22 million since 2020.

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