_______________________ *TODAYS TOP Current Affairs* --------------------------------------- 1. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) marked a significant milestone by successfully conducting its first-ever rocket launch from Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh, on Saturday. This event, carried out in collaboration with Thrust Tech India Limited, represents the inaugural instance of a payload being launched via rocket from the soil of Uttar Pradesh. 2. The much-awaited Axiom-4 mission of SpaceX carrying Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla to the International Space Station (ISS) has been rescheduled for the 19th of this month. This announcement came after the successful resolution of technical issues that had delayed the mission. 3. On the occasion of International Yoga Day, a yoga marathon was organized at Brahmasarovar in Kurukshetra yesterday. Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini flagged off the yoga marathon. 4. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has reiterated that India will be completely free from Naxalism by March 31, 2026. Addressing the UP Police appointment letter distribution ceremony of newly recruited 60,244 constables in Lucknow. 5. Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal met Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu at Guntur to discuss key issues related to trade, agriculture, and state-specific concerns. 6. In Ladakh, the week-long Summer Carnival 2025 concluded yesterday at Major Vishwanathan Stadium in Drass. The carnival, which began on the 9th of this month, was organized by the Forever in Operations Division of the Indian Army. 7. Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini laid the foundation stone of 14 development projects worth over 288 crore rupees. He also inaugurated the newly constructed jail in Rewari. 8. The Central Bureau of Communication, Karnataka joined hands with Brahma Kumaris on Sunday to organise Yoga Day in Bengaluru as a prelude to the International Yoga Day held every year on June 21. 9. Former cricketer Mohammed Azharuddin's son, Asaduddin, recently appointed as a General Secretary of the Telangana Congress. 10. Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi was admitted to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in New Delhi on Sunday due to stomach-related problems. 11. Three days after the tragic crash of Air India flight AI-171 in Ahmedabad, which has so far claimed 270 lives, hospital authorities confirmed on Sunday the identification of former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani through DNA matching. The state government has announced a state mourning on Monday as a mark of respect for Rupani, with the national flag flying at half-mast. 12. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert warning for heavy to very heavy rainfall on the west coast of the country. An orange alert has also been issued for several districts. In Maharashtra, --------------------------------------- *LEGAL REPORT* --------------------------------------- 1. Over 12.48 lakh cases have been settled in a single day during the National Lok Adalat held across Telangana on Saturday and compensation to the tune of 935 crore rupees awarded to beneficiaries. Organised under the Telangana State Legal Services Authority (TSLSA), the event covered both pre-litigation and pending court cases across all judicial districts and the High Court. 2. In the wake of a tragic helicopter crash near Gaurikund in Uttarakhand, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has directed the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to enforce strict safety protocols for helicopter operations in sensitive areas like Kedarnath Valley. 3. Illegally acquired properties of two notorious drug smugglers were demolished by the authorities in Punjab's Ludhiana on Sunday, as part of the state's crackdown on the narcotics network. 4. The Bihar State Commission for Scheduled Castes has issued a notice to Rashtriya Janata Dal president Lalu Prasad for allegedly disrespecting Babasaheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar. The controversy erupted after a video, purportedly recorded during Lalu Prasad's 78th birthday celebrations earlier this week, went viral. In the clip, the ailing leader is seen seated on a couch with his feet on a nearby sofa. A supporter then enters the room carrying a portrait of Dr. Ambedkar and places it near Prasad's feet before greeting him. ------- *MISHAPS*------------ 1. A tragic helicopter crash near Kedarnath claimed seven lives. Following the incident, Aryan Aviation's Char Dham Yatra operations were suspended. Dense fog is suspected as the primary cause. Uttarakhand government halted helicopter services for two days. A strict Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) will be implemented. The Chief Minister has ordered a probe into previous accidents. 2. In Maharashtra, an old bridge over the Indrayani River collapsed in Maval taluka near Pune. According to preliminary reports, several tourists are feared to have drowned in the incident. Four deaths have been confirmed so far. Six people are reported to be seriously injured, while 38 individuals have been rescued. 3. Three people, including two minor sisters, were killed when a multi-storey building collapsed during excavation work on Sunday in the congested Kachchi Sadak area Mathura. --------------------------------------- *FINANCE* --------------------------------------- *INDIAN RUPEE VALUE* *USD* ₹ 85 (Approx) 💷 *GBP* ₹115(Approx) € *Euro* : ₹ 96 Approx) *🇨🇳 China Yuan ¥* : ₹ 12 🇦🇪 *UAE Dirham* : ₹ 23 🇵🇰 *Pak Rupee* : ₹ 0.30 🇧🇹 *Bhutan ngultrum* : ₹ 1.00 🇧🇩 *B'desh Taka** : ₹ 0.70 🇱🇰 *Sri Lanka Rupee* : ₹ 0.28 🇳🇵 *Nepal Rupee* : ₹ 0.62 🇲🇻 *Maldives Rufiya* : ₹ 5.52 --------------------------------------- *BSE SENSEX* 81,118.60 −573.38 (0.70%)🔻 *NIFTY* 24,718.60 −169.60 (0.68%)🔻 --------------------------------------- *Rates in Financial Capital Mumbai* *GOLD* : ₹ 101,400/ 10gm (24 krt) *SILVER* : ₹ 1,10,100/KG --------------------------------------- *ENTERTAINMENT NEWS* --------------------------------------- Akshay Kumar-starrer 'Housefull 5' earns Rs 212.76 crore at box office Produced by Sajid Nadiadwala's production banner Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment, the film has been directed by Tarun Mansukhani of Dostana fame. --------------------------------------- *DEFENCE News* --------------------------------------- 1. Key Achievements In India's Defence Sector Under 11 Years of The Modi Government (a) India's defence production has witnessed an unprecedented surge of 174% since 2014, reaching ₹1.27 lakh crore in 2023-24. (b) Defence exports have grown 34-fold, rising from ₹1,940 crore in 2014-15 to ₹23,622 crore in 2024-25. (c) Deployment of indigenous defence systems. Operations such as Sindoor showcased platforms like the Akash surface-to-air missile, BrahMos missiles, and loitering munitions, reflecting India’s advancements in defence technology. (d) Two dedicated defence industrial corridors have been established in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, attracting investments exceeding ₹8,658 crore and signing 253 MoUs with an estimated investment potential of ₹53,439 crore. (e) Modernisation And Structural Reforms: #chief of Defence Staff (CDS) #defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) #theatre Commands (f) The number of women officers has tripled to over 11,000 in the last 11 years. Permanent commissions have been granted to 507 women officers. (g) Counter-Terrorism And Internal Security #surgical Strikes: In response to the 2016 Uri attack. #operation Sindoor: Launched in 2025 following the Pahalgam terror attack *FUTURE PLANS & CHALLENGES* The government aims to surpass ₹50,000 crore in defence exports by 2029, positioning India as a global hub for defence manufacturing. 2. Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is scheduled to visit Qingdao, China, on June 24-25, 2025, to participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ meeting. 3. In a landmark development for Maharashtra’s aerospace and defence sector, Max Aerospace & Aviation Pvt Ltd has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Maharashtra government to establish a state-of-the-art helicopter manufacturing plant in Nagpur. 4. India’s Kalyani Strategic Systems Limited (KSSL), a subsidiary of Bharat Forge Limited, made a significant impact at the Indo Defence Expo & Forum 2025 in Jakarta, Indonesia, by showcasing two advanced, indigenously developed mobile artillery gun systems: the Garuda 105 and the MArG 45. 5. Bangalore-based Hyprix Aviation has emerged as a pioneering force in India’s private defence and aerospace sector, becoming the first private company in the country to develop and successfully test a supersonic ramjet engine, named Tezz.Founded. --------------------------------------- ✈ *INTERNATIONAL NEWS* --------------------------------------- 1. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived in Cyprus on the first leg of his three-nation tour. He was warmly received at Larnaka International Airport by Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides - marking the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the country in over two decades. In the second leg of his visit, Prime Minister Modi will travel to Kananaskis today to participate in the G-7 Summit at the invitation of his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney. In the final leg of his tour, Prime Minister Modi will reach Croatia on the 18th of this month. 2. India has formally refused to associate itself with a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) statement that condemned Israel’s recent military strikes on Iran. 3. Embassy of India in Iran has issued an advisory today saying all Indian nationals and Persons of Indian Origin in Iran are required to remain in touch with the Embassy and avoid all unnecessary movements. 4. India has dispatched the second and final batch of machinery for Passion Fruit Processing to Suriname under the SEEDS (Supply of Equipment for Efficient Development of SMES) initiative. The External Affairs Ministry today said in a social media post that this is aimed at boosting Suriname’s SME Industry and farmers’ incomes. The project will strengthen India-Suriname bilateral ties. 5. A British F-35B Lightning-II fighter jet, part of the UK's HMS Prince of Wales Carrier Strike Group, made an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in Kerala late Saturday night, 14 June 2025. The incident occurred after the aircraft, which was on a sortie over the Indian Ocean, reported a critical fuel shortage and was unable to safely recover onto its carrier, likely due to poor weather conditions around the HMS Prince of Wales. --------------------------------------- 🌎 *WORLD NEWS* 🌍 --------------------------------------- 1. On 13 June, Iran launched a major missile barrage targeting Israeli territory, with a particular focus on the Kirya area of Tel Aviv, which houses Israel’s military headquarters and Ministry of Defence. 2. The US Army celebrated its 250th anniversary with a festival and parade in Washington, DC on Saturday. 3. The US President Donald Trump has threatened Iran against striking United States. He said that if it tries to attack the US then full strength and might of the American Armed Forces will come down on Iran at levels which was never seen before. 4. USA White House has categorically denied reports that Pakistan's Army Chief, General Asim Munir, was invited to the major military parade held in Washington, D.C. on Saturday. A White House official stated unequivocally, "This is false. No foreign military leaders were invited," directly refuting claims that Munir had received an invitation to attend the event. 5. U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call to discuss escalating tensions in West Asia and ongoing Russia-Ukraine peace efforts. Both leaders agreed on the need to end the Israel-Iran conflict. --------------------------------------- 🚣🚴🏇🏊 *SPORTS* --------------------------------------- 1. India’s Yajik Hillang won Gold medal at the 15th South Asian Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Championships 2025 at Thimphu in Bhutan. She secured 1st position in the Women’s Model Physique upto 155 cm event. 2. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to constitute a committee to formulate comprehensive guidelines aimed at preventing such incidents that occurred during the IPL victory celebrations of RCB in Bengaluru. The decision was taken during BCCI’s 28th Apex Council Meeting. 3. South Africa have clinched their first ICC title in 27 years, beating Australia to win the World Test Championship (WTC) final 2025 at Lord’s Cricket Ground, London. 4. In Table Tennis, India Finish Runners-Up at WTT Contender Skopje 2025. India’s Manav Thakkar and Manush Shah lost to the second-seeded South Korean pair of Lim Jonghoon and Oh Junsung in the final of the men’s doubles of WTT Contender Skopje 2025 at North Macedonia. The Indian duo went down to the South Korean pair 9-11, 7-11, 9-11 in straight sets. 5. Indian men’s hockey team lost 3-2 to Australia in its FIH Pro League 2024-25 match at the Sportcentrum Wilrijkse Plein in Antwerp, Belgium. This was the sixth successive loss for India in the European leg of the FIH Pro League. -------------------------------------- 🇮🇳 *FACTS ABOUT INDIA* 🇮🇳 =======================  16 June - Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev The Mughal Emperor Jahangir ordered to be tortured and sentenced to death to the fifth Sikh Guru Arjan Dev on 16 June, 1606. Accordingly, on 16 June every year, the Sikhs commemorate the martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev. =======================