Daily Current Affairs 20th June 2025, Important News Headlines (Daily GK Update)

National News

PM Modi’s Historic Croatia Visit: Strengthening India’s Gateway to Europe

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first visit to Croatia signals a strategic shift in India’s foreign policy, emphasizing deeper connectivity with Central and Eastern Europe.
• With its Adriatic Sea access, membership in EU and NATO, and involvement in initiatives like 3SI and IMEC, Croatia offers India key trade and geopolitical advantages.
• The visit also revived historic cultural ties, notably through the Sanskrit grammar work of Croatian scholar Filip Vezdin.
• This outreach reinforces India’s presence in the region and counters rival global influences like the BRI, while enhancing prospects for UNSC support.

India’s Election Reforms in Action: Key Innovations Rolled Out in Bye-Polls

• The Election Commission of India (ECI) has rolled out transformative reforms during the June 2025 bye-polls, introducing innovations like mobile deposit facilities, real-time VTR updates, and 100% webcasting.
• These initiatives, implemented across five Assembly Constituencies, enhance voter convenience, transparency, and polling efficiency.
• With the Special Summary Revision of electoral rolls also carried out for the first time in two decades, these reforms set a precedent for future state elections, especially the upcoming Bihar Assembly Elections.

PM Modi Flags Off India’s First Locomotive Export to Guinea from Bihar

• India is set to export its first-ever locally manufactured locomotive to Guinea, with PM Narendra Modi inaugurating the flag-off ceremony from Marhowrah, Bihar, on June 20, 2025.
• The deal includes 150 high-tech locomotives worth ₹3,000 crore, made for Guinea’s SimFer Simandou mining project.
• Manufactured under the Make in India initiative, these locomotives feature world-class safety, comfort, and performance.
• The project, awarded through global competitive bidding, highlights India’s rising capabilities in railway manufacturing, its diplomatic outreach to Africa, and the realization of the Atmanirbhar Bharat vision.

AIIMS Mangalagiri Observes World Sickle Cell Day with Awareness Rally

• To mark World Sickle Cell Day on June 19, 2025, AIIMS Mangalagiri organized an awareness rally in collaboration with the Departments of Health and Tribal Welfare.
• The event featured participation from students, tribal members, and medical professionals, aiming to boost awareness about sickle cell disease, a hereditary blood disorder that disproportionately affects tribal populations in India.
• The initiative aligns with the national vision to eliminate sickle cell disease by 2047, as announced by Prime Minister Modi, and reinforces the need for community engagement, public health education, and equitable healthcare access.

State News

SBI Foundation Backs Prayoga’s Science Learning Mission

• The Prayoga Institute of Education Research, in collaboration with the SBI Foundation and SBI Funds Management, launched the Kriya programme in 12 government schools of Raichur district on June 17, 2025.
• Aligned with NEP 2020, the initiative aims to provide experiential science learning for students from Classes 6 to 10, encouraging critical thinking and inquiry-based education.
• Having already impacted over 11,000 students in Karnataka, the programme marks a key milestone in Prayoga’s mission to transform rural STEM education through scalable, research-backed methods.

Delhi Set for First Cloud-Seeding Trial by June-End

• The Delhi Government is set to begin cloud-seeding trials by late June 2025, marking a significant move in weather modification technology to potentially combat pollution and water scarcity.
• The ₹3.21 crore pilot project, involving five aerial trials with seeding agents like silver iodide and salts, is being conducted with support from IIT Kanpur, IMD, and multiple national agencies.
• The trials will assess rainfall induction efficiency, and environmental safety, while avoiding restricted air zones in the city.

International News

Pakistan Secures $1 Billion Syndicated Financing Backed by ADB Guarantee

• Pakistan has secured a landmark $1 billion syndicated finance facility, backed by a policy-based guarantee from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
• The deal, structured with both Islamic and conventional financing tranches, was signed on June 18, 2025, with major banks like Dubai Islamic Bank and Standard Chartered leading the coordination.
• The agreement marks Pakistan’s return to Middle Eastern financial markets, reflects global confidence in its macroeconomic reforms, and is the first ADB-backed facility tied to governance-linked policy conditions.
• This follows Pakistan’s positive economic indicators, including a $1.8 billion current account surplus, as it aims to achieve fiscal resilience and investment-driven growth.

Global Cybersecurity Alert: 16 Billion Logins Exposed in Historic Data Breach

• In a historic cyber breach, 16 billion credentials were exposed across 30 datasets, impacting services like Apple, Google, and Telegram.
• Researchers warned this is not a recycled leak, but fresh, actionable data that poses major threats like account takeover, phishing, and BEC attacks. Google urged users to move to passkeys—a biometric-based login method—to guard against growing threats.
• This incident underscores the urgent need for stronger digital security, user awareness, and global cooperation against cybercrime.

Banking News

RBI Eases Project Finance Norms, Slashes Provisioning Requirements

• The Reserve Bank of India has announced final guidelines for project finance provisioning, reducing the burden on lenders by setting a 1% requirement for under-construction loans, down from the earlier proposed 5%.
• The norms, effective October 1, 2025, provide flexibility for commercial real estate and housing loans, while retaining lower provisioning rates for operational projects.
• This move aligns with the RBI’s broader consultative approach, supporting credit availability and infrastructure development.

Appointments News

Sampath Kumar Becomes First Indian MD of Nippon Koei India

• Nippon Koei India has appointed G. Sampath Kumar as its Managing Director, making him the first Indian to lead the company.
• Backed by over three decades of experience in civil engineering and IT consultancy, Kumar’s leadership is expected to enhance the company’s footprint across India, West Asia, and the Asia-Pacific.
• This strategic shift highlights NKI’s commitment to regional expansion, local expertise, and inclusive leadership, as it continues delivering on large-scale infrastructure projects across sectors.

Prof M Satish Kumar Appointed First Dean of Queen’s University Belfast’s GIFT City Campus

Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) has named Prof M Satish Kumar as the first Dean of its GIFT City campus in Gujarat, a landmark step in enhancing UK–India education ties. With over 25 years of experience and deep regional knowledge, Prof Kumar will oversee the campus’s establishment, set to begin admissions in early 2026. The appointment marks QUB’s debut in GIFT City and reinforces its global expansion strategy, offering Indian students access to top-tier British education within India.

Agreements News

India-Cyprus Sign MoU to Enable UPI Services for Cross-Border Payments

• India and Cyprus have taken a significant step toward digital payment integration, with NPCI and Eurobank Cyprus signing an MoU to introduce UPI services in the Mediterranean nation.
• Finalized during PM Modi’s visit, the deal will facilitate cross-border transactions for tourists, businesses, and investors, boosting trade and financial cooperation.
• Cyprus, a major FDI contributor to India, also signed an MoU with the NSE at GIFT City, underlining its role as a strategic economic partner and fintech hub for India’s global ambitions.

DPIIT Partners with YourStory to Empower 1 Million Entrepreneurs Across India

• To promote inclusive entrepreneurship and reach underserved regions, DPIIT has signed an MoU with YourStory Media under the Bharat Project.
• The initiative targets 1 million entrepreneurs across Tier II, Tier III, and rural India, offering AI-powered tools, venture launchpads, and regional storytelling.
• The partnership will boost grassroots innovation, foster engagement in emerging tech sectors like AI and blockchain, and contribute to India’s goal of becoming a global innovation hub. It also supports Startup India, Atmanirbhar Bharat, and economic decentralization.

Awards News

The Hindu Named Champion of Digital Media Awards South Asia 2025

• The Hindu emerged as the Champion of Digital Media Awards South Asia 2025, winning 10 accolades including four golds for innovations in video storytelling, AI integration, native advertising, and podcasting.
• Held in Chennai, the event was organized by WAN-IFRA, celebrating digital excellence across South Asian newsrooms. With recognitions in data visualisation, audience engagement, and digital subscriptions,
• The Hindu solidified its place as a digital leader in journalism. The awards reflect the organisation’s collaborative approach and its commitment to tech-driven, reader-centric journalism.

Defense News

India to Induct 300-km Range Pinaka Missile System

• India is developing next-generation variants of the Pinaka rocket system, with ranges up to 300 km, to boost its artillery strength and achieve defence self-reliance. Developed by DRDO, the Pinaka-3 and Pinaka-4 systems will support precision strikes, rapid deployment, and high-volume firepower.
• With the successful trials of the Guided Pinaka and the Army planning to induct 22 regiments by 2030, these developments reinforce India’s commitment to indigenization, modernization, and enhanced national security.

Ranks & Reports News

India Emerges as Third-Largest Power Generator Globally: IEA Report

• India has achieved the third-highest growth in global power generation capacity over the past five years, according to the IEA. This surge is driven by rising energy demand, particularly from urbanization and industry, and a strong national commitment to renewable energy, especially solar PV.
• With 83% of 2024’s power investment going to clean energy and USD 5 billion FDI inflow in 2023, India is emerging as a major force in the global clean energy landscape.
• Despite recent declines in foreign portfolio investment, the long-term trajectory remains robust, underscoring India’s sustainable energy ambitions.

Ambani Heirs Dominate India’s Under-40 Wealth Icons List 2025

• India’s wealth landscape is being reshaped by a new generation of dynamic entrepreneurs under 40, as revealed in the ‘360 ONE Wealth Creators List 2025’ by 360 ONE Wealth and CRISIL.
• Dominated by the Ambani siblings, the list also features self-made pioneers like Nikhil Kamath of Zerodha and Bhavish Aggarwal of Ola Electric.
• With combined wealth nearing ₹100 trillion, these icons reflect India’s emerging dominance in digital innovation, business transformation, and economic leadership.

TRAI Q1 2025 Telecom Report: India Crosses 1.2 Billion Subscribers

• The TRAI Telecom Performance Report Q1 2025 reveals strong growth across India’s telecom sector. Total subscribers climbed to 1.2 billion, led by wireless expansion and 5G FWA adoption.
• The sector reported ₹98,250 crore in gross revenue, with ARPU and data consumption per user also rising. Despite a slight dip in internet penetration and DTH users, the sector shows financial resilience and increasing digital adoption.
• The dominance of private operators, surge in data usage, and expanding public Wi-Fi underscore India’s evolving digital infrastructure.

Schemes News

DU Launches JAIHIND Scheme to Empower ST Students with Digital & Higher Ed Skills

• Delhi University has launched the JAIHIND scheme to empower Scheduled Tribe (ST) students from remote regions by providing basic computer training and CUET preparation support.
• The programme targets school students (Classes 9–12) and addresses challenges like lack of digital access and unfamiliarity with online admission processes.
• With the first batch of 25 students from Ukhrul, Manipur, the initiative is fully funded by DU and is envisioned as an annual skill-building programme to support tribal participation in higher education.

Science & Technology News

Honda Successfully Tests Reusable Rocket: A New Challenger in Space Tech

• Honda has made its debut in the space race with the successful launch and landing of a reusable experimental rocket on June 17, 2025, from its Hokkaido facility.
• The rocket, though small, achieved its goals of flight stability and precision landing, touching down just 37 cm from the target.
• The trial marks the first such success outside the US and China, with future plans to develop suborbital launch capabilities and Earth observation satellites, as Honda aims to become a serious player in the commercial space industry.

Important Days News

World Refugee Day 2025: Honouring Courage, Demanding Inclusion

• World Refugee Day 2025, observed on June 20, reaffirms the global commitment to uphold the rights and dignity of refugees.
• Under the theme “Solidarity with Refugees”, this year’s observance emphasizes inclusion, fair work opportunities, and equal treatment for the forcibly displaced.
• It urges governments, employers, and communities to recognize refugees not just as survivors, but as active contributors to economic and social progress.
• With record levels of displacement worldwide, the day calls for action-oriented solidarity, ensuring that refugees thrive, not just survive.

International Yoga Day 2025 Explained: Importance, Background & Latest Theme