On June 2nd , Amazon and GeM (Government e-Marketplace) launched an MoU, ” e-Shop .” Under this MoU, Kaziranga National Park will sell its handloom products through Amazon . The launch of the e-Shop in Kaziranga aims to enhance forest conservation and promote livelihood programs. Local artisans and women self-help groups in Kaziranga will now be able to sell handmade (handicraft) products online. A portion of the proceeds from the Kaziranga e-Shop will be used to support wildlife conservation and park management. This initiative is part of the Digital India initiative and utilizes e-commerce for environmental and wildlife protection. Kaziranga is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is famous for its one-horned rhinoceros. The Kaziranga e-Shop aims to empower local communities to reduce their dependence on the forest. Kaziranga National Park is located in Assam and is known for its “Big Five” species. Amazon’s ‘Karigar’ program is playing an important role in this initiative.
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully flight tested the indigenous Rudra M-II air-to-surface missile from an aerial platform. Conducted under extremely challenging operating conditions and on a critical trajectory, these tests validated the missile’s accuracy, reliability, and the excellent performance of all its key subsystems. All missiles fired hit the predetermined targets with high precision. Flight data obtained from advanced tracking and ranging equipment deployed at the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur confirmed that all the test objectives were successfully and fully achieved. Rudram-II was indigenously developed by the Hyderabad -based Imarat Research Centre , the nodal laboratory of DRDO , in collaboration with other sister laboratories such as the Defence Research and Development Laboratory, High Energy Materials Research Laboratory, Weapon Research and Development Establishment, and ITR. Along with the Development Co-Production Partners (DCPPs), Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Regional Military Aviation Qualification Centres, Missile Systems Quality Assurance Agency and several other industries have also contributed significantly in achieving this goal.
Venezuela’s Acting President Delcy Rodriguez will be on a four-day visit to India. Delcy Rodriguez will be accompanied by key cabinet ministers. During her visit, Delcy Rodriguez will hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. These talks will focus on exploring opportunities for cooperation in the areas of energy, trade, investment, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and renewable energy.
4 Central government appoints Lokhande Prashant Sitaram as chairman of CBSE
Senior Indian Administrative Service officer Lokhande Prashant Sitaram has been appointed as the new Chairman of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) . Mr. Sitaram previously served as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs. He succeeds Mr. Rahul Singh , who has been transferred as Additional Secretary in the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. The government has appointed Mr. Varun Bhardwaj as Secretary, CBSE . He previously served as Director in the Department of Higher Education. He succeeds Mr. Himanshu Gupta. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved these appointments.
5 Digital India Bhashini Division, Current AI and Kalpa Impact launch Vyoma Innovation Contest to promote multilingual cutting-edge AI innovation
The Digital India Bhashini Division (DIBD), under the Digital India Corporation (DIC) under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), in collaboration with Current AI and Kalpa Impact, has launched the VYOMA Innovation Contest . This innovation initiative aims to foster the development of open-source, multilingual, voice-first AI solutions that can operate offline and in low-connectivity environments. The challenge is based on Suno Sutra, a multilingual, voice-based, open-source handheld AI reference tool jointly developed by Bhashini and Current AI, unveiled at the IndiaAI Impact Summit in 2026. Designed as a reference platform, Suno Sutra combines multilingual language technologies with on-device AI capabilities, enabling conversational AI experiences in Indian languages without reliance on cloud infrastructure.
6 Union Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia launched the “Senehjori” mission for Muga silk of Assam
Minister of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia , along with the Honorable Chief Minister of Assam , launched Mission ” Senehjori ” – Assam Muga Silk USP . This is a comprehensive cluster-based initiative aimed at transforming Assam’s unique Muga silk sector into a globally competitive, high-value luxury textile ecosystem. Led by the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), in coordination with the Government of Assam, the Central Silk Board, the Ministry of Textiles, and other central ministries/organizations, the Mission seeks to strengthen the entire Muga silk value chain, from host plant cultivation and silkworm seed production to reeling, weaving, branding, export promotion, digital traceability, and tourism. Muga silk is considered the world’s only naturally golden silk and India’s first GI-tagged silk.
7 Government to replace Wholesale Price Index with Producer Price Index system
The revision of the base year of the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) from 2011-12 to 2022-23 and the compilation of the Producer Price Index (PPI) has been approved by the Competent Authority in its meeting held on 25.05.2026. Earlier, the recommended compilation methodology was approved by the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) on Price and Cost of Living Statistics (SPCL). Subsequently, this methodology was also presented to the National Statistical Commission (NSC). Accordingly, the Office of the Economic Adviser, DPIIT will release the revised Producer Price Index (WPI) series with base year 2022-23 on 15.06.2026 at 12:00 noon. This will replace the existing WPI series with base year 2011-12. Additionally, the Office will also release new series of the Output Producer Price Index (OPPI), Test Input Producer Price Index (IPPI), and Service Producer Price Index (Services PPI) for seven services, namely banking, securities transactions, insurance, pension fund management, railways, air (passenger), and telecommunications, with a base year of 2022-23. The government has decided to gradually phase out the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) and replace it with a comprehensive Producer Price Index (PPI). This decision was taken to modernize the country’s inflation and pricing data framework and bring it in line with global best practices. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry stated that the government has approved changing the base year of the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) from 2011-12 to 2022-23. Given the widespread use of the WPI in price-added segments, this index will be released alongside the PPI for five years from the date of release of the revised series, and will be discontinued thereafter.
NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL ) , the international arm of National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) , in partnership with ACLEDA Bank PLC, on Tuesday launched Unified Payments Interface (UPI) payments in Cambodia through Cambodia’s national QR code system KHQR . The service was launched during a formal ceremony held in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. The event was also attended by Dr. Chea Srei, Governor of the National Bank of Cambodia (NBC), and representatives from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
9 Exclusion of married daughters from the definition of family is arbitrary and unconstitutional: Supreme Court
The Supreme Court has ruled that married daughters cannot be excluded from compassionate appointments . The court stated that excluding married daughters from the definition of family is clearly arbitrary, wrong, and constitutionally unsound. A bench of Justices P.S. Narasimha and Alok Aradhe made this observation while overturning an order of the Allahabad High Court , which had ruled that a married daughter is not included in the definition of family for compassionate appointments. In compassionate appointments, the government provides employment to a family member if an employee dies while on duty or retires prematurely due to medical reasons. The Supreme Court was hearing an appeal filed by a woman, the married daughter of a deceased dealer. She had challenged a High Court order that rejected her request to be appointed as a Fair Price Shop (ration shop) dealer on compassionate grounds. The woman had challenged a 2019 government order that excluded married daughters from the definition of family.
Hockey India has announced the 20-member Indian squad for the FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup 2025-26. Salima Tete will lead the team in the tournament, which will be played in Auckland, New Zealand from June 15 to 21. The team includes experienced goalkeepers Savita and Bichu Devi Kharibam. The defense line will be led by Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam, Ishika Chaudhary, Nikki Pradhan, and Jyoti. Lalthantulangi and Shilpi Dabas, who recently made their debuts on the Australia tour, have also been included in the team.
11 World Bicycle Day
The United Nations General Assembly officially declared June 3rd as ” World Bicycle Day ” in 2018. This initiative was driven by a global campaign led by sociologist and former international cyclist Professor Leszek Sibilski , which received support from 56 countries. In its resolution, the UN clearly recognized that the bicycle is an affordable, reliable, environmentally friendly, versatile, and sustainable transport system that can play a vital role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. It is not only a means of transportation, but also an effective means of health, education, social inclusion, gender equality, and environmental protection.