NATIONAL NEWS

29th Legislature in the Country to Adopt the NeVA Platform

The Union Territory of Puducherry has become the 29th legislature in the country to join the National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA). The Union Territory of Delhi was the 28th legislature to implement NeVa.

NeVA is a 100 % centrally funded Union Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs project that aims to create a paperless and digital legislative process in the country.

Nagaland legislative assembly in 2022 became the first state assembly to implement the National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA).

Dr L. Murugan, Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs, formally inaugurated the NeVa for the Puducherry legislative assembly in a function held in the assembly premises on 9 June 2025.

The NeVA project has been launched as part of the Indian government's ‘Digital India' programme to realise Prime Minister Narendra Modi's goal of One Nation, One Application.

The legislature member can access the NeVA through apps or the website.

The NeVA system enables legislative members to submit questions and issue notices to discuss particular issues of public importance.

It features Online Legislative Committees, Bills Management System, E-Voting, E-Attendance, Online handling of questions and notices, E-Book, E-Pads for internal communication, Talk Time Management modules, etc.

The NeVA platform is multilingual, and the whole system is safe and secure.

India's 1st Underwater Museum to be Built Around INS Guldar in Maharashtra

The project to build India’s first underwater museum and coral reef around a decommissioned Indian Navy landing ship tank, INS Guldar, started in Sindhudurg on June 10, 2025.

Devendra Fadnavis, the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, virtually participated in the ceremony.

The project is expected to be completed by December 2025 or early 2026. It is expected to boost marine ecotourism in the country and the state.

The Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation of the Maharashtra government is implementing the project in association with maritime and environmental experts.

The project is supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.

The Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned Rs 46.91 crore for the project, which aims to boost marine conservation and tourism in the state and the country.

For the first time, in the country, a naval ship will be converted into an ecological and tourism asset, simultaneously preserving the Indian Navy’s legacy.

Tamil Nadu Declares Dhanushkodi as Greater Flamingo Sanctuary

Tamil Nadu government officially designated Dhanushkodi in Ramanathapuram district as a Greater Flamingo Sanctuary, covering 524.7 hectares within the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve, to protect migratory birds and marine biodiversity.

Objective is to safeguard migratory wetland birds, especially Greater Flamingos, along the Central Asian Flyway.

It upholds international commitments under the Convention on Migratory Species.

It promotes responsible ecotourism, bolster local livelihoods, and raise biodiversity awareness.

 

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

International IDEA Conference

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), Gyanesh Kumar, delivered the keynote address at the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) International Conference in Stockholm, Sweden, on 10th June 2025.

Gyanesh Kumar also held bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Mexico, Croatia, Indonesia, South Africa, Switzerland, Moldova, Lithuania, Mongolia, Mauritius, Germany, Ukraine and the United Kingdom at the sidelines of the Conference.

The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) organised the International Conference on Electoral Integrity in Stockholm from 10-12 June 2025.

Election Management Bodies of over 50 countries participated in the Stockholm conference.

During his keynote address, CEC Gyanesh Kumar highlighted the complexity of the Indian electoral system.

During the 2024 parliamentary election, the Election Commission of India, with over 2 crore personnel, became the world’s largest organisation.

He also highlighted the complexity of conducting a credible and smooth election in a country with over 969 million voters.

 

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Elon Musk’s Starlink Secures Government Approval to Launch Satellite Internet Services in India

Elon Musk’s Starlink has received a key licence from India's telecom ministry, clearing a major hurdle for launching satellite internet services in India.

Starlink had been awaiting approval since 2022, facing delays due to national security concerns.

In contrast, Amazon’s Kuiper is still waiting for its licence to operate in India.

In March, Bharti Airtel announced a deal with SpaceX to bring Starlink to India, subject to government authorisation.

Later, Reliance Jio also signed an agreement with SpaceX, marking a surprise collaboration after disputes over spectrum allocation.

Starlink is a satellite internet service developed by SpaceX (Elon Musk’s company).

It delivers high-speed, low-latency internet using a constellation of small satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO).

As of now, Starlink operates over 6,750 satellites and serves millions of active users globally.

If launched in India, Starlink could transform internet access, especially in remote and underserved areas.

Elon Musk Launches Xchat Offering Whatsapp-Like Features

XChat is the revamped Direct Messaging (DM) feature of the X app (formerly Twitter), introduced by Elon Musk.

It aims to compete with popular messaging platforms like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Instagram DMs by offering a more advanced communication interface.

Currently, XChat is in beta testing, available only to a limited number of users.

The full rollout is expected within the week, initially for paid X subscribers.

Access to advanced features (like encrypted messaging and calling) may require a subscription.

It is unclear if free-tier users will get access to a basic version of XChat.

This move is part of Elon Musk’s vision to transform X into a super app, expanding from a microblogging site to a day-to-day communication platform.

 

BANKING

RBI to Increase Gold Loan Loan-to-Value Ratio to 85%

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will increase the Loan-to-Value (LTV) ratio for gold loans to 85% for loan amounts under ₹2.5 lakh, up from the current 75%.

The announcement was made by RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra at the RBI headquarters.

The 85% LTV will include both principal and interest, unlike the earlier practice where only the principal was considered.

This move is aimed at better regulation of small-ticket gold lending with minimal risk.

Some non-bank lenders and small banks were reportedly stretching the LTV to 88%, whereas public sector banks adhered to the principal + interest inclusion.

A final regulation on gold lending will be issued after public consultation and impact assessment.

The new norms will:

Do away with credit appraisal for loans up to ₹2.5 lakh backed by gold.

Introduce self-declaration by the borrower when purchase receipts of gold are not available.

Make end-use monitoring compulsory only for loans counted under Priority Sector Lending (PSL).

AU Small Finance Bank Partnered with International Finance Corporation

AU Small Finance Bank (AU SFB) has partnered with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to incorporate climate risk considerations into its core banking framework.

The initiative aligns with evolving regulatory expectations and global standards to enhance the bank’s resilience to climate-related financial risks.

AU SFB will embed environmental factors into its governance, strategic planning, risk management, and ESG disclosures.

IFC will support AU SFB in quantifying, disclosing, and managing climate risks, following frameworks like:Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), Reserve Bank of India’s climate guidelines

The program has three key components: Physical Risk Assessment, Transition Risk Assessment and Financed Emissions Calculation

IFC is collaborating with climate risk solutions firm StepChange to implement the project.

The initiative is supported by the Government of Japan.

 

DEFENCE

22nd Edition of EX Khaan Quest

A 40-member Indian Army contingent has arrived in the Mongolian capital, Ulaanbaatar, to participate in the 22nd edition of the multinational military exercise Khaan Quest.

The Mongolian capital will host the 22nd edition of Khaan Quest from 14 to 28 June 2025.

The Khaan Quest military exercise started as a bilateral military exercise between the United States and Mongolia in 2003.

Since 2006, other friendly countries have been invited to participate in the exercise, and it has become multinational.

The United States Indo-Pacific Command and the Mongolian Armed Forces co-sponsor the Khaan Quest multinational military exercise.

It is hosted annually by the Mongolian Defence Force.

The participating countries will share their expertise in Tactics, Techniques and Procedures for conducting joint operations.

The participating military units will jointly conduct Cordon and Search Operations, Patrolling, and establish static and mobile checkpoints.

They will also conduct drills to evacuate civilians from the contested area, conduct counter-improvised explosive device drills, etc.

The exercise will enhance the Indian military’s interoperability in combat situations.

 

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Interim Managing Director And Chief Executive Officer Of LIC

The government has appointed Sat Pal Bhanoo, Managing Director of Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), as the interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Managing Director (MD) of Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC).

His interim tenure is for three months, from 8 June to 7 September 2025, or until a regular incumbent assumes office, or until further orders.

The appointment was made by the Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance.

Sat Pal Bhanoo has been given the financial and administrative powers of the CEO and MD role after the completion of Siddhartha Mohanty’s

Bhanoo has over 30 years of experience with LIC.

Prior to becoming Managing Director, he served as Zonal Manager of LIC’s Central Zone (Bhopal).