🇮🇳 National Affairs
Government Unveils Rs 5,028 Crore Projects on Mumbai Port Authority's 154th Foundation Day Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, unveiled a development pipeline of 63 projects valued at Rs 5,028.17 crore during the 154th Foundation Day of the Mumbai Port Authority (MPA).
Theme: "Together We Can"
Key Highlights: The event included 7 inaugurated projects, 34 foundation stone layings, and 22 new announcements, alongside agreements for the Indira Dock Operations and the Viksit Bharat Mumbai Marina Project.
India Hosts 16th BRICS National Security Advisers’ Meeting National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval chaired the 16th BRICS NSA meeting in New Delhi under India’s 2026 BRICS Chairship.
Theme: "Non-Traditional Security Challenges Confronting the World Today."
Related Events: India also hosted the BRICS Heads of Space Agencies (HOSA) in Bengaluru (led by ISRO), the Energy Ministers' Meeting in Gurugram, and the MSME Forum in Agra.
MoCA & DIAL Launch ‘Air Suvidha 2.0’ Portal To strengthen public health surveillance following the WHO's declaration of the Ebola outbreak in the DRC and Uganda as a global health emergency, the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Delhi International Airport Limited launched an upgraded Air Suvidha 2.0 portal. Arriving international passengers must now submit a 21-day travel and health history via an online Self-Declaration Form (SDF) before immigration clearance.
MoSPI and GRAAM Partner for Embark India Development Fellowship The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) signed an agreement with Grassroots Research and Advocacy Movement (GRAAM) for the Embark India Development Fellowship (EIDF). Aimed at promoting evidence-based policymaking in line with the Viksit Bharat @2047 vision, the 18-month program offers a monthly stipend of Rs 65,000 to selected fellows.
🌍 International Affairs
India Among 35 Nations to Sign AI Statement at 2nd Pax Silica Summit A delegation led by MeitY Secretary S. Krishnan represented India at the USA-led 2nd Pax Silica Summit in Washington D.C. India joined 34 other nations (and the EU) in signing a statement aimed at building trusted, resilient supply chains for Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies, semiconductors, and critical minerals.
🏦 Banking & Finance
RBI Expands Risk Management with New Credit Derivatives Framework The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued the "Master Directions – RBI (Credit Derivatives) Directions, 2026", effective June 25, 2026. This framework introduces new tools like Total Return Swaps (TRS) linked to corporate bonds and credit index derivatives to deepen India’s corporate bond market.
jUMPP and LEXI Secure Key Regulatory Approvals
jUMPP: The AI-driven fintech platform secured NPCI approval to operate as a Third Party Application Provider (TPAP), enabling UPI services (P2P, merchant payments) in collaboration with YES Bank.
LEXI: Received in-principle approval from IFSCA to operate as a Payment Service Provider (PSP) at the GIFT-IFSC in Gujarat, aiming to simplify cross-border payments for Indian exporters.
Paisabazaar & SBM Bank Launch Secured Credit Card Paisabazaar partnered with SBM Bank India to launch the "SBM Paisabazaar Paisa+ Credit Card". This FD-backed credit card offers up to 7% interest on Fixed Deposits (starting at Rs 2,000) and provides 1.5% cashback on online spending, helping users build their credit profiles.
🏆 Awards, Appointments & Defence
IB Director Appointed: The ACC appointed Mahesh Dixit (1993-batch IPS officer) as the new Director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) for a two-year term, succeeding Tapan Kumar Deka.
SJFI Gold Medal: Five-time World Chess Champion Viswanathan Anand was conferred the Sports Journalists’ Federation of India (SJFI) Gold Medal for his exceptional contributions to Indian chess.
Youth Co:Lab Winners: Six youth-led startups won the UNDP and NITI Aayog-backed 8th Youth Co:Lab National Innovation Challenge 2026 in Hyderabad, focusing on responsible consumption and sustainability.
Defence Milestone: The Indian Air Force (IAF) received Final Operational Clearance (FOC) from the DRDO for the indigenous AEW&C System ‘Netra’. Integrated on Embraer aircraft, Netra boasts a detection range of 240–300 km, significantly enhancing India's airborne surveillance capabilities.
📅 Important Days
June 25 - World Vitiligo Day: Raising awareness about the autoimmune skin disorder. 2026 Theme: "From Stigma to Strength."
June 25 - Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas: Marking the 51st anniversary of the 1975 National Emergency to reaffirm democratic values.
June 26 - International Day Against Drug Abuse: Strengthening global action against illicit trafficking. 2026 Theme: "World Drug Problem: Persisting Issues, New Challenges, Innovative Responses."
June 26 - International Day in Support of Victims of Torture: Advocating for the complete eradication of torture globally.