Daily Current Affairs and GK | 13 June 2025

Topic: Sports

1. Nicholas Pooran has announced his retirement from international cricket at the age of 28.

• He played 106 T20 Internationals for the West Indies. During that time, he scored 2,275 runs.
• He hit 13 half-centuries in T20Is. Pooran finished as the leading T20 run-scorer for the West Indies.
• He smashed 149 sixes in T20 Internationals. This puts him fifth on the all-time list for most sixes in the format.
• He previously served as captain of the West Indies limited-overs teams.
• He stepped down from the role after their early exit in the 2022 T20 World Cup.
• His last T20I was against Bangladesh in December 2023. West Indies lost that series 3-0.
• His final ODI appearance came in July 2023 against Sri Lanka.
• Pooran opted out of the current T20 series against England. He chose to rest after playing in the IPL for the Lucknow Super Giants.
• Despite retiring from international cricket, he is likely to continue playing in global T20 leagues.

Topic: Art and Culture

2. Sri Lanka celebrated Poson Poya to mark Buddhism’s arrival.

• On 10 June, Sri Lanka observed the sacred Poson Poya festival, which commemorates the arrival of Buddhism over 2,000 years ago.
• Celebrated on the June full moon, the festival commemorates the first sermon given by Arahant Mahinda, son of Emperor Ashoka, to King Devanampiyatissa at Mihintale, marking the arrival of Buddhism to Sri Lanka.
• Large numbers of devotees have gathered at Mihintale Hill and other holy sites such as Anuradhapura to offer prayers.
• Streets and public areas have been decorated with lanterns and traditional symbols for the occasion.
• President Anura Kumara Dissanayake greeted citizens and emphasized unity and moral progress in his message.
• The Indian High Commission marked the event with an exhibition on Indian Buddhist heritage at Colombo’s National Museum.

Topic: Indian Economy

3. India's digital economy expected to contribute 20% to GDP by 2029-30.

• As Prime Minister Narendra Modi completes 11 years in office, India's digital economy is set to become the cornerstone of national growth, projected to account for nearly one-fifth of the country's income by 2029-30.
• The State of India’s Digital Economy Report 2024 revealed that India is ranked third in overall digitalization globally and 12th among G20 countries in individual digital usage.
• In the year 2022-23, the digital sector contributed 11.74% to India’s GDP, amounting to ₹31.64 lakh crore (USD 402 billion).
• This sector was found to be growing almost twice as fast as the rest of the economy, with productivity levels nearly five times higher than in other sectors.
• Under PM Modi's leadership, growth has been led by ICT services, electronics manufacturing, and communication equipment, which jointly account for 7.83% of Gross Value Added.
• Digital platforms and intermediaries contribute an additional 2% to GVA, while digitisation in traditional sectors such as banking, financial services, insurance (BFSI), retail and education contributes an additional 2%.
• Rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and global capability centers are expected to drive the digital sector beyond agriculture and manufacturing.
• Platforms and intermediaries in the digital economy are projected to expand at a rate of nearly 30% annually in the coming years.
• In 2022-23, around 14.67 million individuals were employed in the sector, with over 58% working in enabling industries and women increasingly represented.

Topic: Defence

4. Indian Army contingent reached Mongolia for multinational exercise "Khaan Quest".

• On June 11, 2025, Indian Army contingent reached Ulaanbaatar to participate in the multinational military exercise “Khaan Quest” held in Mongolia.
• This year’s edition of the drill will be conducted from June 14 to 28 and will involve forces from multiple countries.
• The previous edition of Khaan Quest was held in Mongolia from July 27 to August 9, 2024.
• The event, initially launched in 2003 as a bilateral effort between the US and Mongolia, became a global peacekeeping initiative in 2006.
• This year marks the 22nd edition of the annual exercise.
• A team of 40 personnel from the Indian Army, including one woman officer and two women soldiers, has been deployed.
• Troops from the Kumaon Regiment are being primarily represented, along with members from other arms and services.
• The main objective of the exercise is to enhance readiness for peacekeeping missions in a multinational setting under the UN Charter’s Chapter VII.
• Tactical drills to be performed will include establishing checkpoints, conducting patrols, and carrying out evacuation and IED response operations.

Topic: State News/Maharashtra

5. India will build the first underwater museum and artificial reef at the INS Guldar site.

• India’s first underwater museum and coral reef are set to be developed around the decommissioned warship INS Guldar off the coast of Sindhudurg, Maharashtra.
• The project will be located near Nivati Rocks in Vengurla and will be developed by the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation.
• Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis attended the launch event virtually to mark the beginning of this landmark initiative.
• The decommissioned warship INS Guldar, weighing 1,120 tons, was retired from service in January 2024.
• The ship has been gifted by the Indian Navy to the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) at no cost, with the approval of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
• Environmental clearance and cleaning processes for the vessel have already been completed.
• The Union Tourism Ministry has sanctioned ₹46.91 crore for the project, which is aimed at promoting marine tourism and environmental conservation.
• The warship is planned to be submerged shortly at its designated location to initiate artificial reef development.
• This will pave the way for scuba diving and submarine tourism in the future, giving tourists a thrilling glimpse of the underwater world.

Topic: Report and Indices

6. India fell to the 131st position in the Global Gender Gap Index 2025.

• India ranked 131st among 148 countries in the Global Gender Gap Report 2025 released by the World Economic Forum.
• A decline of two positions from the previous year (ranked 129) was recorded despite slight improvements in some sub-indices.
• The overall gender parity score for India stands at 64.1%, placing it among the lowest-ranked countries in South Asia.
• An improvement of +0.9 percentage points in Economic Participation and Opportunity was noted, reaching a score of 40.7%.
• In estimated earned income, parity rose from 28.6% to 29.9%, positively affecting India’s economic participation index.
• India’s educational attainment score improved to 97.1% due to increased literacy and tertiary enrollment among women.
• Health and survival metrics also showed progress, especially in sex ratio at birth and healthy life expectancy.
• A decline in political empowerment was reported, with women’s representation in Parliament falling from 14.7% to 13.8%.
• Ministerial positions held by women dropped from 6.5% to 5.6%, contributing to the downward movement in this category.
• Bangladesh emerged as the best-performing country in South Asia, jumping 75 places to reach 24th position globally.
• Nepal was ranked 125th, Sri Lanka 130th, Bhutan 119th, Maldives 138th, and Pakistan 148th.
• Iceland topped the list for the 16th consecutive year, followed by Finland, Norway, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand.
• The 19th edition of the report, covering 148 economies, reveals both encouraging momentum and persistent structural barriers facing women across the world.

Topic: Miscellaneous

7. A new campaign for Cipladine has been launched by Cipla Health.

• The campaign is ‘Cipladine – Aapka Fast Aid Expert’. It features actress Neena Gupta as the brand ambassador.
• Cipla Health is a leading player in consumer healthcare.
• Mr. Shivam Puri, MD & CEO, Cipla Health Ltd. said, “Cipladine has long been a trusted name in first aid, making it India’s No. 1 antiseptic ointment.”
• Conceptulised by Lowe Lintas, the new campaign includes a series of films featuring Neena Gupta and Shashie Verma.
• Antiseptic prevents the growth of microorganisms on living tissue, reducing the risk of infection.
• It's applied externally, like to the skin, to inhibit or kill bacteria, viruses, and fungi, unlike antibiotics which act inside the body.

Topic: Defence

8. Exercise Shakti-2025 will be held at La Cavalerie in France from 18 June to 1 July.

• Exercise Shakti-2025 is an India-France joint military drill exercise.
• This will be the 8th edition of the Exercise Shakti.
• The exercise aims to enhance the joint military capability of both sides to carry out multi-domain operations in a sub-conventional scenario.
• The exercise will facilitate developing interoperability, bonhomie and camaraderie between the Armies of both nations.
• During the exercise, two sides will share their best practices in tactics, techniques and procedures of carrying out joint operations.
• The 7th edition of India- France Joint Military Exercise SHAKTI started at Umroi, Meghalaya on 13 May 2024.
• Exercise SHAKTI is a biennial training event conducted alternatively in India and France.

Topic: Summits/Conferences/Meetings

9. The first meeting of the Task Force on Textile Exports took place on June 10, 2025.

• It was chaired by Commerce Secretary Shri Sunil Barthwal at Vanijya Bhawan in Delhi.
• The purpose of the Task Force is to create a unified platform to address critical issues in the textile sector.
• This initiative involves the participation of all key stakeholders.
• The discussions focused on challenges across the entire textile supply chain.
• Key topics included upgrading garment manufacturing units and adopting renewable energy.
• The European Union’s Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) was also discussed.
• Other matters included strengthening e-commerce for export growth and simplifying regulations.
• There was a focus on improving cost competitiveness to enhance productivity.
• Labor issues, skill development, and branding strategies were also addressed.
• Financial support for MSME exporters, such as Interest Subvention Schemes, was another key point.
• The meeting also covered RoDTEP, RoSCTL, Duty Drawback, and PM MITRA Parks.
• The promotion of Jute Diversified Products (JDPs) was also part of the discussions.
• Proposals were made to introduce separate HS codes for GI Products.
• There were suggestions to improve the productivity of natural fibres, including jute.
• The Department of Commerce’s Export Promotion Mission was discussed as well.
• The meeting was attended by senior officials from the Department of Commerce and Ministry of Textiles.
• Representatives from Textile Export Promotion Councils and industry groups shared their views.
• It was decided that sub-task forces would be set up to tackle these issues.
• These sub-task forces will be led by relevant ministries with industry input.
• They will work on providing actionable recommendations.
• The meeting concluded with a commitment to develop a roadmap for meeting export targets.
• The goal is to contribute to the Viksit Bharat Vision for 2047.

Topic: National News

10. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has launched an official probe into the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad.

• Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu confirmed the investigation.
• He said it will follow international guidelines set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation.
• The government is setting up a high-level committee to examine the incident thoroughly.
• This committee will include experts from various disciplines.
• Its goal is to improve aviation safety and prevent future accidents.
• Tata Group Chairman N Chandrasekaran announced financial support for victims’ families.
• Each family who lost a loved one will receive one crore rupees.
• Tata Group will also pay for the medical treatment of those who were injured.
• The company has promised full care and ongoing support for the injured.
• As part of its broader support, Tata Group will help construct a new hostel at BJ Medical College.
• The Home Minister visited the Trauma Centre at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital.
• Many of the injured are being treated at this facility.
• Air India has confirmed that its London-bound flight crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad and the crash resulted in the deaths of 241 people.
• The aircraft was a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. It had a total of 242 people on board, including passengers and crew.
• There were 230 passengers and 12 crew members, which included two pilots and ten cabin crew.
• Among the passengers were 169 Indian nationals.
• There were also 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian national.
• Several people on the ground were also killed in the crash.
• Former Gujarat Chief Minister and BJP leader Vijay Rupani was among those who died.
• One passenger survived the crash. He has been identified as Vishwash Kumar Ramesh.
• The pilot made a ‘Mayday’ call shortly after the flight took off at 1:39 pm. This indicated a full emergency situation.
• The flight was commanded by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal along with Clive Kundar.
• The crashed aircraft was delivered to Air India in 2014.
• Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau:
  • It is a division of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India.
  • It investigates aircraft accidents and incidents in India. Its head office is in New Delhi.
  • It was formed on 5 July 2012. GVG Yugandhar is its current Director General.