1 Agreement with France: Falcon 2000 jet will be made in India
Reliance Aerostructure Limited (RAL) — a subsidiary of Reliance Infrastructure — and France ‘s Dassault Aviation have announced a strategic partnership. Under this partnership, the Falcon 2000 business jet will now be manufactured in Nagpur, Maharashtra . The announcement was made at the Paris Air Show on June 18, 2025 and this is the first time Dassault is producing one of its Falcon aircraft outside France. With this, India will be the fifth country in the world to be capable of manufacturing business jets.
2 Yoga Day celebrations held in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh achieved two Guinness World Records
Yoga Day celebrations in Visakhapatnam have achieved two Guinness World Records , marking a historic moment for Andhra Pradesh and the nation . Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu led a grand yoga session along the 28-km coastal stretch from RK Beach to Bheemunipatnam in Visakhapatnam . Over 3 lakh participants performed yoga simultaneously, setting a Guinness World Record for the largest open-air yoga gathering in a single stretch. Additionally, another Guinness World Record was set for a mass Surya Namaskar session on June 20 , where 22,122 tribal students performed the asanas at Andhra University in Visakhapatnam . Guinness World Records officials formally presented certificates for both the achievements to state IT and Education Minister N Lokesh, who led the month-long Yogaandhra Abhiyaan that trained nearly 2 crore people in yoga in Andhra Pradesh.
3 The first yoga policy in the country was issued in Uttarakhand
The first yoga policy in the country was released in Uttarakhand . Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that this policy has been prepared with the aim of making Uttarakhand a global capital in the field of yoga and health. He said at a function organized in Gairsain on International Yoga Day that financial assistance of up to Rs 20 lakh is being given to develop yoga and meditation centers in the state. Apart from this, a provision of grant up to ten lakh rupees has been made to encourage research in the field of yoga, meditation and naturopathy. He said that the state government is committed to establish five new yoga centers in the state by the year 2030.
4 Finance Ministry confers Digital Payments Award on India Post Payments Bank
India Post Payments Bank (IPPB), a 100% Government of India-owned entity under the Department of Posts , Ministry of Communications has been conferred the prestigious Digital Payments Award 2024-25 by the Department of Financial Services (DFS) , Ministry of Finance for its outstanding contribution in expanding digital payments and financial inclusion across the country . The award was presented by Union Minister of Finance & Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman and Pankaj Choudhary , Minister of State (Finance). The award was received by Shri R. Visvesvaran, MD & CEO, IPPB and Shri Gursharan Rai Bansal, CGM & CSMO, IPPB at a ceremony held in New Delhi. India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) has been ranked first among Payments Banks in India in the Performance Index for the financial year 2024-25 and received the ‘Special Mention’ Award for the financial year 2023-24. India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) has been set up under the Department of Posts, Ministry of Communications, with 100% equity owned by the Government of India. IPPB was launched on September 1, 2018 .
5 BSNL soft launches Quantum 5G FWA service
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) announced the soft launch of BSNL Quantum 5G FWA on June 18, 2025 in Hyderabad . This indigenous service, a SIM-less fixed-wireless-access solution provides fibre-like speeds over 5G radio . The service was inaugurated by Shri A. Robert J. Ravi , Chairman & Managing Director, BSNL/MTNL at BSNL’s Ameerpet Exchange. Quantum 5G FWA is India’s first SIM-less architecture : Built on BSNL’s Direct-to-Device platform, the customer’s CPE gets auto-authenticated – no SIM required. BSNL is the first Indian operator to offer SIM-less 5G service. Fully Indigenous : Core, RAN and CPE are designed and integrated by Indian manufacturers under the Atmanirbhar Bharat programme. Gigabit-class speeds : Ameerpet recorded 980 Mbps DL/140 Mbps UL with sub-10 ms latency – great for UHD streaming, cloud gaming and remote working; Rapid install : Self-install gateway reaches 85% of Hyderabad homes under existing BSNL tower grid; no trenching or fiber bridge required; Pilot expansion after soft launch : Pilot projects in Bengaluru, Puducherry, Visakhapatnam, Pune, Gwalior and Chandigarh to be rolled out by September 2025.
6 Ministry of New and Renewable Energy launches Innovative Projects Start-up Challenge
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has launched the Innovative Projects Start-up Challenge . It aims to accelerate India’s rooftop solar and distributed energy ecosystem . The Start-up Challenge invites applications from innovators and startups, focusing on four key categories – affordability, resilience, inclusiveness and environmental sustainability . Applications can be submitted through the Startup India website and the last date is August 20. Selected promoters will compete for a total prize pool of Rs 2 crore 30 lakh.
7 City Accelerator Program launched to promote rooftop solar adoption in Indian cities
Shri Santosh Kumar Sarangi (IAS), Secretary , Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) launched the City Accelerator Programme during the National Conference on Skill Development for Renewable Energy Workforce held at Atal Akshay Urja Bhavan , New Delhi . The programme is being conducted in collaboration with Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation (SSEF) . The City Accelerator Programme is a flagship initiative under the Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar: Free Electricity Scheme (PMSGMBY) , the world’s largest domestic rooftop solar (RTS) scheme . It aims to accelerate the adoption of RTS in Indian cities. The programme is:
- Technical Support to Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and Discoms
- Capacity building and strengthening of institutions
- The policy and regulatory framework at the city level is designed to help enable this.
In the first phase , this program will be started in 30 cities of 10 states . Based on the information received during this phase, it will be expanded to 100 cities.
8 DU launches ‘Jai Hind’ scheme to train ST students
Delhi University has taken a significant initiative by launching the JAIHIND scheme ( Janajati Immersive Holistic Intervention for Novel Development) , which aims to provide basic computer education and guidance towards higher education to students from Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities across the country . Specifically, the scheme focuses on preparation for the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) , enabling students from classes 9 to 12 to overcome digital and academic barriers. The JAIHIND scheme was formally launched on 18 June 2025, with the first batch of 25 ST students from Ukhrul district of Manipur arriving at Delhi University for training. This initiative is a concrete step towards bridging the digital access inequality created after CUET was made mandatory for all central universities from 2022.
9 SBI Foundation supports Prayog’s science education mission
With an aim to revolutionise science education in rural Karnataka , Prayogya Institute of Education Research has partnered with SBI Foundation and SBI Funds Management Pvt. Ltd. to expand its experiential ‘ Kriya ’ programme to 12 government schools in Raichur district . The initiative is launched under SBI Foundation’s “ Integrated Learning Mission (ILM) ” titled “ Reimagining Science Education ”, which is in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and aims to inculcate curiosity, critical thinking and scientific skills in students from Classes 6 to 10. With the launch of the Kriya programme at Government Model Primary School, Station Bazar, Raichur on 17 June 2025, a major step was taken towards expanding hands-on science education in a backward district of Karnataka. Supported by SBI Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the country’s largest public sector bank, the initiative seeks to bridge the gap in STEM education between rural and urban areas.
10 India ranked 71st in the Energy Transition Index
The World Economic Forum (WEF) released its annual Energy Transition Index (ETI) on 18 June 2025. India has been ranked 71st out of 118 countries , down 8 places from 63rd last year (2024). Although India has made significant progress in the areas of energy efficiency, clean energy investment and regulatory reforms, it has still dropped in the ranking. The index, which ranks 118 countries based on their performance in energy security, sustainability and equity, is topped by Sweden, Finland and Denmark .
11 Honda successfully tests reusable rocket
Japanese automobile giant Honda conducted a successful launch and landing test of its first reusable rocket on June 17, 2025. The test took place at Honda ‘s launch center (also known as ” Space Town “) located in Taiki Town, Hokkaido Prefecture , Japan . The test marks Honda’s official entry into space technology and puts the company in the same league with companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin . This is the first successful reusable rocket test by a company outside the US and China. It is a bold and innovative step into space technology by a traditional automobile company (Honda).
12 Sampath Kumar becomes the first Indian MD of Nippon Koei India
Nippon Koei India (NKI), the Indian arm of Japan -based ID&E Holdings, has appointed G. Sampath Kumar as its Managing Director (MD). This is the first time an Indian has been appointed to the top position , reflecting the company’s strategy to focus on regional expansion and local leadership.
13 Elon Musk’s Starlink gets license approval in India
Elon Musk’s Starlink has received an official license to provide satellite-based internet services in the country . This announcement was made by Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia . This decision is considered an important step towards bridging India’s digital divide, especially in remote and backward areas. Earlier in March 2025 , Jio Platforms and Bharti Airtel announced a partnership with SpaceX for the deployment of Starlink services.
14 Ananta Chandrakasan, Indian-American professor, becomes MIT’s first provost
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has appointed Professor Anantha Chandrakasan as its next provost , making him the first Indian-origin academic to hold the prestigious position . Chandrakasan, a pioneer in the fields of electrical engineering and computer science, will take over from July 1, 2025. He will replace Cynthia Barnhart and in this role will lead MIT’s academic affairs, financial planning, and strategic initiatives.
15 TVS Motor enters Indonesian electric two-wheeler market with iQube
Taking a big step towards international electric mobility , TVS Motor Company has officially launched its iQube electric scooter in Indonesia . The launch marks the company’s entry into Southeast Asia’s fast-growing EV market. Bookings are now open at a starting price of IDR 29.9 lakh (approximately ₹1.6 lakh). TVS aims to provide high-quality, reliable and affordable EV solutions to Indonesian customers.
16 Indian women wrestlers won the team title by bagging one medal each in all 10 categories including four gold and five silver at the Under-23 Asian Wrestling Championship in Vung Tau, Vietnam
Indian women wrestlers won the team title by winning one medal each in all 10 categories including four gold and five silver at the Under-23 Asian Wrestling Championship in Vung Tau, Vietnam . Priyanshi Prajapat (50 kg), Reena (55 kg), Shrishti (68 kg) and Priya (76 kg) won gold medals. Five other Indian wrestlers also made it to the finals but eventually had to settle for silver medals. Neha Sharma (57 kg), Tanvi (59 kg), Pragati (62 kg), Shiksha (65 kg) and Jyoti Berwal (72 kg) won silver medals while Hinaben Khalifa (53 kg) won bronze. In Greco-Roman style, Sumit won gold in the 63 kg category while Nitesh (97 kg) and Ankit Gulia (72 kg) won bronze medals. In the men’s freestyle events, Vicky won the gold medal in the 97kg category while Nikhil (61kg), Sujeet Kalkal (65kg), Jaideep (74kg), Chandramohan (79kg) and Sachin (92kg) will also be in contention for the gold medal.
17 World Kidney Cancer Day 2025
World Kidney Cancer Day serves as a global platform to focus attention on the deadly but often overlooked disease of kidney cancer. World Kidney Cancer Day is celebrated every year on the second Thursday of June . In 2025, this day was celebrated on June 12, with the main theme – “ Understanding Kidney Health ”. Through this theme, emphasis was laid on increasing awareness among people about kidney functions, symptoms of kidney cancer, timely detection and prevention.