National Affairs
Operation Sindoor Aftermath: The Indian government appointed Shashi Tharoor to lead a seven-party delegation abroad to share India’s strong anti-terrorism message globally following the recent military operation.
Security Improvements: Official data revealed Left Wing Extremism violence has dropped by 81% since 2010, with related deaths reduced by 85%, indicating significant internal security improvement.
ISRO Setback: ISRO’s 101st satellite launch failed as EOS-09 couldn’t reach its intended orbit despite normal performance until the second stage of flight.
Military Procurement: Government granted emergency procurement powers to the armed forces, accelerating arms purchases in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor.
State Celebrations: Uttarakhand Cabinet passed a resolution praising PM Modi, Army, and Defence Ministry for Operation Sindoor’s success. Kerala held Tiranga Yatra in Kollam and Pathanamthitta to honor the Indian Army’s courage.
Trade Restrictions: India imposed port restrictions on several products from Bangladesh including readymade garments, processed food, plastic products, wooden furniture and dyes, responding to Dhaka’s non-tariff barriers.
Counter-Intelligence Operation: A YouTuber from Haryana, Jyoti Malhotra, was arrested on espionage charges for allegedly providing intelligence to Pakistani agencies over several years.
AAP Crisis: Fifteen AAP councillors quit over internal disputes, forming the new Indraprastha Vikas Party under Mukesh Goel’s leadership, signaling deeper troubles within Delhi’s ruling party.
Bihar Politics: Prashant Kishor launched a signature campaign against Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, strategically beginning from Nitish’s own village, intensifying political tensions in the state.
Maharashtra Developments: NCP chief Sunil Tatkare addressed faction merger rumors at a press conference. Simultaneously, an all-party protest was organized in Sangli against Karnataka’s plans to increase the Almatti dam height.
Counter-terrorism Success: Lashkar terrorist Saifullah Khalid, who had plotted the 2006 attack on RSS headquarters, was killed in Pakistan.
Military Operations: In Jammu & Kashmir’s Poonch region, a joint army-police operation neutralized 42 live bombs recovered from border areas.
International Affairs
Vatican Ceremony: Pope Leo XIV delivered his inaugural mass with approximately 100,000 people attending in St. Peter’s Square, marking a significant moment for the Catholic Church.
Russia-Ukraine Conflict: Russia launched its most intense drone attack on Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion in 2022, resulting in at least one death. Separately, nine people were killed in a Russian drone attack on a Ukrainian bus following peace talks.
Middle East Crisis: Israel launched a new offensive in Gaza as part of “Operation Gideon’s Chariots,” with the Palestinian health ministry reporting at least 153 people killed in 24 hours. Hamas announced fresh talks to end the war.
South Korean Politics: Former president Yoon quit the People Power Party ahead of the June 3 snap elections amid impeachment proceedings and insurrection trial pressure. The first candidate debate will focus on economic issues.
US Legislation: Former President Trump is personally reviewing the Republican tax cut bill titled “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” directly shaping major tax reforms.
Natural Disasters:
Heavy rainfall flooded Argentine highways and forced evacuations of over 2,000 people
An earthquake of 4.5 magnitude hit China at 11 PM IST, confirmed by the National Center for Seismology
Deadly tornadoes in Midwest US killed at least 27 people across Missouri, Kentucky and Virginia
Global Elections: Poland held presidential elections with security concerns from the Ukraine war influencing voter decisions. Argentina conducted local elections testing President Milei’s political strength.
Law Enforcement: A leader of Brazil’s largest criminal organization was arrested in Bolivia after nearly five years as a fugitive.
Economy & Banking
RBI Monetary Policy: The Reserve Bank of India cut the repo rate by 25 basis points to 6.00% from 6.25% in April 2025 under new Governor Sanjay Malhotra, marking the first rate cut in nearly five years.
Market Regulations: SEBI mandated electronic book mechanism for private debt placements above ₹20 crore, including REITs and InvITs to boost transparency in financial markets.
Export Growth: India’s smartphone exports have emerged as the country’s top exported item, with shipments to US and Japan increasing nearly fivefold over three years.
Corporate Governance: RBI imposed monetary penalties on Sree Harihareshwara Urban Co-operative Bank Limited, Harihar, Karnataka for regulatory violations.
International Trade:
Indian whisky makers expressed optimism as the India-UK trade deal may reduce Scotch import duties
The Ministry of Corporate Affairs plans to expand the Prime Minister Internship Scheme to all CSR companies beyond the current top 500 limit
India and US begun high-level talks on a Bilateral Trade Agreement on May 17 in Washington D.C.
Business Setback: Shares of Turkish aviation company Celebi Aviation plunged 20% after India revoked its security clearance and suspended operations of its local subsidiaries.
Sports Highlights
Athletics Achievement: Neeraj Chopra made history by crossing the 90-meter mark in javelin at the Doha Diamond League 2025 with a record throw of 90.23m, drawing praise from PM Modi for his dedication and passion.
IPL 2025 Updates:
Gujarat defeated Delhi by 10 wickets to top the points table
Punjab Kings set a target of 220 runs against Rajasthan Royals
The match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kolkata Knight Riders was canceled due to rain, hampering KKR’s playoff chances
Chess Milestone: R Praggnanandhaa won his first Grand Chess Tour title at the Superbet Classic after defeating France’s Maxime Vachier-Lagrave.
Football History: Crystal Palace stunned Manchester City 1-0 to win their first-ever FA Cup, with Eze scoring the decisive goal and Henderson making a brilliant penalty save.
IPL Strategy Shift: Delhi Capitals considers promoting KL Rahul as opener in final league matches to boost playoff chances through a batting reshuffle.
Appointments & Awards
Political Appointment: Akash Anand was named Chief National Coordinator for the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) during a crucial party meeting in Lucknow.
Legal Victory: An Indian PhD graduate from South Dakota, Priya Saxena, won a legal battle against deportation attempts by the Trump administration, allowing her to remain in the United States.
Important Days
World Telecommunication Day: Odisha CM Mohan Majhi reaffirmed the state’s digital growth vision on World Telecommunication and Information Society Day through a social media post highlighting technology’s role in equal opportunity.
