National News
International Yoga Day 2025
The 11th International Day of Yoga is being celebrated today (21.06.2025) with the theme “Yoga for One Earth, One Health,” highlighting the connection between individual well-being and planetary health.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is leading the national event from Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, with over 3 lakh participants joining him in performing the Common Yoga Protocol (CYP).
The ‘Yoga Sangam’ initiative features synchronized yoga sessions at over 1 lakh locations across India with an expected participation of over 2 crore people.
Ten signature events are being organized to commemorate the decade-long journey of IDY, each targeting specific segments of society.
The Andhra Pradesh government is attempting a Guinness World Record and distributing over 50 lakh yoga certificates.
Economic Updates
India is projected to maintain its position as the fastest growing large economy with a growth rate of 6.3% in FY 2025-26, according to the World Bank’s latest Global Economic Prospects report.
The Reserve Bank of India has projected Real GDP growth for 2025-26 at 6.5%, with Q1 at 6.5%, Q2 at 6.7%, Q3 at 6.6%, and Q4 at 6.3%.
Morgan Stanley’s assessment suggests India will become the third-largest economy in the world by 2028, with the economy expected to reach USD 4.7 trillion by 2026.
India’s share in the world’s GDP, currently at 3.5%, is projected to rise to 4.5% by 2029.
Banking Sector News
Major Indian banks including State Bank of India, HDFC Bank, and ICICI Bank have reduced savings account interest rates in June 2025.
SBI has revised its interest rates on savings accounts to a uniform 2.5% per annum for all savings account balances, effective from June 15, 2025.
HDFC Bank has reduced the interest rate by 50 basis points—from 3.25% to 2.75%—per annum on balances of Rs 50 lakh and above, effective June 10, 2025.
ICICI Bank has also revised its interest rates on savings accounts, effective June 12, 2025, reducing the rate by 50 basis points from 3.25% to 2.75% on balances of Rs 50 lakh and above.
Bank of Baroda, Federal Bank, and IndusInd Bank have also revised their savings account interest rates in June 2025.
Technology and Digital Initiatives
The Department of Posts under the Government of India has released the policy document for DHRUVA (Digital Hub for Reference and Unique Virtual Address), aiming to develop a standardized, geo-coded digital address system across the country.
DHRUVA will comprise two core components: Digital Postal Index Number (DIGIPIN) and Digital Address, allowing users to create customized labels to represent their DIGIPIN and descriptive addresses.
The Ministry of Defence has initiated a comprehensive review of the Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020 to align it with existing Government of India policies and initiatives.
A Committee headed by the Director General (Acquisition) has been constituted to carry out extensive deliberations with all stakeholders, with former IAS officer Shri Apurva Chandra appointed as the Principal Advisor to the Committee.
International News
Global Conflicts and Diplomacy
European leaders are urging Iran to heed the two-week deadline outlined by US President Donald Trump and enter negotiations on its nuclear program amid ongoing tensions with Israel.
Iranian strikes in the Israeli port city of Haifa have injured at least 19 people, three critically, causing extensive damage.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has stated that Iran will consider diplomacy only if Israel stops its aggression.
Health authorities in Gaza report that Israeli fire has killed at least 44 people in the past day, including 12 people in a house in Deir Al-Balah in central Gaza.
A United States judge has ordered the immediate release of Columbia University graduate Mahmoud Khalil from immigration custody, a prominent pro-Palestinian activist who was arrested by immigration agents in March.
Global Economy
The World Bank has made wide-ranging reductions to growth forecasts for nearly 70% of economies due to “heightened trade tensions and policy uncertainty.”
Global growth in 2025 is expected to slow to 2.3%, the slowest pace since 2008 outside of outright global recessions.
Growth in 2026 is expected to pick up only slightly to 2.4%, and somewhat further to 2.6% in 2027.
Hurricane Erick has made landfall in Mexico’s south, resulting in two fatalities.
International Summits and Conferences
The Kazan Global Youth Summit 2025 is scheduled to be held in Russia from August 27-30, 2025, with the application deadline being June 20, 2025.
The Future Leaders Assembly 2025 will take place in Casablanca, Morocco from August 7-10, 2025, with applications closing on June 20, 2025.
The Youth Vision Assembly 2025 is set to be held in Amsterdam, Netherlands from September 19-23, 2025, with a deadline of June 25, 2025.
The SDL Youth Assembly 2025 will be hosted in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia from July 23-26, 2025, with applications closing on June 27, 2025.
The International Volunteer Forum 2025 will take place in Istanbul, Turkey from August 14-17, 2025, with a deadline of June 30, 2025.
Sports News
Cricket
In the ongoing first Test match between India and England at Headingley, India has posted a strong first innings total, reaching 351 for 3 at a scoring rate of 4.22 runs per over by the end of Day 1.
Shubman Gill remains unbeaten on 127 from 169 deliveries, striking 16 fours and a six, while Rishabh Pant is holding firm at 57 off 96 balls.
Earlier, Yashasvi Jaiswal contributed with a solid 49 runs before being dismissed.
England won the toss and elected to bowl, hoping to exploit the early seam movement, but Indian batters dominated the proceedings.
The Test series follows the recent retirement of senior players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, with Rishabh Pant confirming that Shubman Gill will bat at number 4 in the series.
Other Sports
Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are playing the final day of their Test match, with Bangladesh leading Sri Lanka by 187 runs with 7 wickets remaining.
Netball Australia has signed a television deal with the newly launched All Women’s Sports Network.
Neeraj Chopra has won the Paris Diamond League, securing victory with one big early throw in the first Diamond League meet of the season.
The Brisbane Lions have stunned Geelong on their home ground in the latest AFL match.
Financial Markets
Stock Market Update
Indian equity benchmarks witnessed a broad-based rally on June 20, 2025, with the Sensex closing at 82,408.17, up by 1,046 points or 1.29%.
The Nifty50 closed at 25,112.4 levels, up by 319.95 points or 1.29%, crossing the 25,000 mark.
All sectoral indices on the NSE settled in the green, with the Nifty Realty index outperforming others with gains of 2.11%.
The broader markets mirrored the benchmarks as the Nifty Midcap 100 and Smallcap 100 indices settled with gains of 1.46% and 1.01%, respectively.
The fear index (India VIX), which gauges the volatility in the markets, settled lower by 4.08% at 13.67 points.
Corporate News
HDFC Bank is set to gain approximately ₹9,373 crore profit from the Initial Public Offering (IPO) of its non-banking financial company arm, HDB Financial Services, scheduled to open on June 25, 2025.
Sun TV Network has dismissed “speculative and defamatory” media reports alleging a legal dispute between former Union Minister Dayanidhi Maran and his elder brother Kalanithi Maran, the company’s Chairman and Managing Director.
Shares of HDFC Bank, Vedanta, Hindustan Unilever, CARE Ratings, Cipla, Samvardhana Motherson International, and 26 others are expected to remain in the spotlight during the next week due to their dividend announcements.
Government Schemes and Policies
New Initiatives
The government has launched the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, aiming to provide 300 units of free electricity per month to 1 crore households through rooftop solar installations.
The scheme is expected to result in annual savings of Rs.15,000 – Rs.18,000 per household, facilitate EV charging, and create entrepreneurial and employment opportunities in the solar sector.
The Viksit Bharat by 2047 initiative aims to transform India into a developed nation by 2047, with a special focus on the Purvodaya Plan covering Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, West Bengal, and Andhra Pradesh.
The government is partnering with the private sector to set up Bharat Small Reactors, Bharat Small Modular Reactors, and developing new nuclear technologies as part of its nuclear energy development initiatives.
Updates to Existing Schemes
PM Awas Yojana has set a new target of 3 crore additional houses in rural and urban areas, with the Urban 2.0 Initiative focusing on housing for 1 crore urban middle-class and poor families with Rs.10 lakh crore investment.
The Skill Loan Scheme has revised its loan limit to up to Rs.7.5 lakh with government-promoted fund guarantee, expected to assist 25,000 students annually.
Mudra Yojana has enhanced its loan limit to Rs.20 lakh under the ‘Tarun’ category, focusing on entrepreneurs with a track record of successful loan repayments.
Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) Phase IV aims to provide all-weather connectivity for 25,000 rural habitations with increased population.
Appointments and Resignations
Key Appointments
Amit Yadav (IAS: 1991: AGMUT), Secretary, Department of Social Justice & Empowerment, has been entrusted with additional charge of the post of Secretary, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan) from 23.06.2025 to 02.07.2025.
Brindha Boopathy (IRS C&IT: 2015) has been appointed as Deputy Secretary in the Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) in the Department of Commerce for a period of four years.
Ashish Kumar Gupta (IOFS:2002), Director in the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, has been extended for a period of two years up to 15.07.2027.
Mustaq Ahmad (IDAS:2006), Director in the Ministry of Mines, has been extended for a period of one year up to 06.06.2026.
Kushagra Mittal (IRTS: 2010), Director in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, has been extended for a period of one year up to 10.08.2026.
Awards and Honors
Recent Recipients
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have been awarded the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award in May 2025.
Bhuwan Ribhu received the World Law Congress Medal of Honour in May 2025.
Mariangela Hungria was awarded the World Food Prize in May 2025.
Gulzar and Jagadguru Rambhadracharya received the 58th Jnanpith Award in May 2025.
India received the Certificate of Elimination of Trachoma in May 2025.
Important Days
June 2025 Calendar
June 21: International Day of Yoga with the theme “Yoga for One Earth, One Health”
June 21: World Music Day
June 21: World Hydrography Day
June 23: International Olympic Day
June 23: United Nations Public Service Day
June 23: International Widows’ Day
June 26: International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking
June 30: World Asteroid Day
Environment and Climate
Latest Developments
The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has released its annual “State of India’s Environment in Figures 2025” report, warning of a mounting crisis on multiple environmental and development fronts.
Extreme weather events triggered 5.4 million internal displacements in India, nearly half in Assam, marking the highest climate-linked migration since 2013.
India’s greenhouse gas emissions reached their highest global share — 7.8% — since 1970, with the rate of emissions growth accelerating in recent years.
The country continues to overdraw its groundwater reserves, with 135 districts now extracting water from depths exceeding 40 metres — nearly double the number in 2014.
E-waste in India rose by 147% in just seven years, while plastic waste hit a record 4.14 million tonnes in 2022-23 despite a partial ban.
Science and Technology
Space Exploration
The Axiom-4 mission, which includes Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, has been delayed again. The crew is currently quarantined in Florida, with NASA confirming that the launch vehicle, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, remains healthy.
NASA and ISRO are set to launch the NISAR radar satellite from India in July to monitor Earth’s surface with high precision.
India’s space exploration achievements in 2025 have been remarkable, with the Gaganyaan mission making significant progress.
After fixing a liquid oxygen leak in the rocket booster and a leak in the space station itself, the Ax-5 astronaut mission is finally on track.
Tech Industry Updates
Meta (formerly Facebook) is introducing fingerprint and facial recognition for account access.
Facebook livestreams will remain separate as Meta continues its efforts to consolidate its video ecosystem.
Meta is finally bringing ads to WhatsApp, straying from the messaging app’s founding principles.
Power struggles and competing ambitions may jeopardize the largest AI partnership in tech between Microsoft and OpenAI.
Education News
Competitive Exams
UPSC has launched Pratibha Setu to connect skilled but non-selected candidates with government and private sector job opportunities.
India has improved its global standing in QS World Rankings 2026, showing strong progress in education, research, and youth-focused government initiatives.
MIT tops QS World Rankings 2026 for the 14th year, with Imperial, Stanford, Oxford, and Harvard also ranking among the global best.
Tripura CM has expressed concern over low TET pass percentage, with only 5.56% clearing TET-I and 4.92% clearing TET-II in the state.
The Jammu and Kashmir cabinet sub-committee has submitted a reservation report, which is now under review by the law department.
Exam-Focused Points to Remember
Key Facts for Competitive Exams
Theme of International Yoga Day 2025: “Yoga for One Earth, One Health”
India’s projected GDP growth rate for 2025-26: 6.3% (World Bank) and 6.5% (RBI)
India is expected to become the third-largest economy by: 2028
Major banks that reduced savings account interest rates in June 2025: SBI, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank
New digital address system launched by Department of Posts: DHRUVA (Digital Hub for Reference and Unique Virtual Address)
Neeraj Chopra won: Paris Diamond League 2025
Recipients of 58th Jnanpith Award: Gulzar and Jagadguru Rambhadracharya
PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana aims to provide: 300 units of free electricity per month to 1 crore households
Indian astronaut in the Axiom-4 mission: Shubhanshu Shukla
Sensex closed at on June 20, 2025: 82,408.17 (up by 1,046 points
