Daily Current Affairs and GK | 18 June 2025

Topic: Important Days

1. Autistic Pride Day: 18 June

• Autistic Pride Day is celebrated every year on 18 June.
• This day is celebrated to create awareness about autism in people.
• The theme for Autistic Pride Day 2025 is "Unapologetically Autistic".
• The first Autistic Pride Day was celebrated in the year 2005 in Brazil by the Aspies For Freedom (AFF).
• Autistic Pride Day is observed to protect the rights of persons with autism. It is represented by the rainbow infinity symbol.
• 2nd April is celebrated as World Autism Awareness Day.
• Autism is basically a developmental disorder that affects a person's ability to interact and communicate.
• The disorder has a direct effect on a person's nervous system and affects the person's emotional, social, and physical health overall.

Topic: National Appointment

2. Yashasvi Solanki became the first woman naval officer to be appointed ADC to the President of India.

• Lieutenant Commander Yashasvi Solanki has become the first woman officer from the Indian Navy to be appointed as an Aide-de-Camp (ADC) to the President of India, Droupadi Murmu.
• The President of India selects five ADCs - one from the Navy, one from the Air Force, and three from the Army.
• The President of India is also the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.
• Yashasvi Solanki, who hails from Haryana, joined the Indian Navy in 2012 and has served under the Short Service Commission in the Logistics Branch.
• After being selected in April, she completed a month-long orientation and officially assumed her new post on May 1, becoming a part of the President’s key military aides.
• The ADC to the President of India plays a vital role in ensuring smooth coordination and communication between the President and various organs of the Government and the military establishment.
• The ADC also manages daily programmes and high-level events and serves as the principal liaison officer for the President.

Topic: Defence

3. The historic commissioning of INS Arnala will strengthen the coastal security of the Indian Navy.

• On June 18, the Indian Navy inducted INS Arnala, the first in the series of Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts (ASW-SWC), at the Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam.

• The commissioning ceremony presided over by Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan.
• INS Arnala becomes the first of 16 such ASW-SWC vessels planned for induction into the Indian Navy.
• The ship was handed over to the Navy on 8 June.
• Its name has been inspired by the historic Arnala Fort situated off the coast of Maharashtra.
• The vessel has been designed and built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers, Kolkata, in collaboration with L&T Shipbuilders.
• Over 80% indigenous content has been incorporated into its construction, reflecting the vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’.
• Measuring 77.6 meters and displacing 1,490 tonnes, it is India’s largest naval ship to be powered by a diesel engine–waterjet propulsion system.
• The launch of INS Arnala marks a significant milestone in enhancing India's coastal defence capabilities and consolidating its position as a self-reliant maritime power in the Indian Ocean Region.

Topic: National News

4. India's largest automobile cargo terminal inaugurated at Manesar by the Railway Minister.

• On 17 June, the country’s largest automobile Gati Shakti Multi-Modal Cargo Terminal was inaugurated at Maruti Suzuki India Limited, Manesar by Union Railway Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw.
• The Gati Shakti Cargo Terminal at Maruti Suzuki's Manesar plant is a major infrastructure development, significantly enhancing the logistics efficiency of automobile transportation.
• The terminal is connected to Patli railway station via a 10 km rail link, which is part of the larger 121.7 km Haryana Orbital Rail Corridor.
• It is being developed by Haryana Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation (HRIDC).
• ₹800 crore was invested in the construction of the terminal, with ₹684 crore funded by HRIDC and the remaining by Maruti Suzuki.
• It holds an annual loading capacity of 4.5 lakh automobiles, making it one of the highest in the country.
• The railway minister highlighted that Indian Railways’ budget has grown tenfold, from ₹24,000 crore pre-2014 to ₹2.5 lakh crore currently.
• To improve commuter experience, over 1,200 General Coaches have been added in the last year alone.
• Now more than 100 MEMU trains will be added - their number will increase from 8 to 12 coaches to 16 to 20 coaches - this will greatly benefit short distance travellers.
• A new factory has been set up in Kazipet, Andhra Pradesh to manufacture more than 100 MEMU trains.
• Production of 50 more Namo Bharat trains is underway to meet increasing passenger demand.
• In Haryana, over ₹11,800 crore worth of railway projects are currently underway, including the redevelopment of 34 stations.
• A modernized Railway Coach Factory at Sonipat is nearing completion and is expected to boost coach production significantly.

Topic: Summits/Conferences/Meetings

5. India hosted the first International Big Cat Alliance gathering in Delhi.

• On 16 July, the first Assembly of the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) was held in New Delhi under the chairmanship of Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav.
• Ministerial delegations from nine countries, including Bhutan, Cambodia, Eswatini, Guinea, India, Liberia, Suriname, Somalia, and Kazakhstan, attended the meeting.
• The initiative was envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to promote global cooperation in the conservation of big cats.
• The assembly unanimously supported the appointment of Bhupendra Yadav as Chairman and S.P. Yadav as Director General of IBCA.
• It also ratified key documents with India, including the Headquarters Agreement, Operation Plan, Rules of Procedure, and Financial Regulations, laying the basis for the effective operation of the Alliance.
• The alliance comprises 95 big cat range countries and aims to provide both technical and financial assistance.
• The seven big cat species covered include the Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Cheetah, Jaguar, and Puma.
• Participating countries reaffirmed their dedication to halting the decline of big cat populations.
• IBCA, established in March 2024 by the Government of India through the National Tiger Conservation Authority, comprises 95 range countries.
• It aims to create a global platform for conservation cooperation, knowledge sharing, and technical and financial support to reverse tiger population decline and protect biodiversity.

Topic: Sports

6. Mondo Duplantis broke the pole vault world record in front of a home crowd.

• Mondo Duplantis, Olympic champion pole vaulter, set a new world record of 6.28m at the Stockholm Diamond League.
• This is the 12th time the Swedish superstar has raised the bar in the event, having previously jumped 6.27m at the All Star Perch meet in France earlier this year.
• The performance was delivered in front of an ecstatic home crowd at the Stockholm Olympic Stadium.
• It's a great 2025 for the 25-year-old Duplantis, following victory at the World Indoor Championships in March and the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award at the end of April.
• Australia's Kurtis Marschall finished second with a vault of 5.90m, and Menno Vloon of the Netherlands came third.
• Former world record holder Renaud Lavillenie of France placed fourth on countback.
• Paris 2024 medalists Sam Kendricks and Emmanouil Karalis shared eighth place with best vaults of 5.60m.

Topic: International Appointments

7. India appointed Alyawati Longkhumer as Ambassador to North Korea.

• India has named Aliawati Longkumer as its next ambassador to North Korea, resuming top-level diplomatic ties after four years.

• Longkumer, a 2008-batch IFS officer, currently serves in Paraguay and is expected to take charge in Pyongyang shortly.
• India’s Embassy in North Korea was reopened in December 2024, after being shut since July 2021 due to the pandemic.
• The last Indian ambassador to North Korea was Atul Malhari Gotsurve.
• Prior to reopening, India conducted thorough security and anti-surveillance assessments.
• India had halted all trade with North Korea in 2017 to comply with UN sanctions but did not break diplomatic ties.
• The relationship is based on strategic concerns, particularly Pyongyang's historical support for Pakistan's missile development programme.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

8. The Ministry of Labour & Employment will continue to implement various welfare schemes.

• These schemes are dedicated to improving the lives of unorganised workers in India, particularly in the Beedi, Cine, and Mining sectors.
• This move will have a direct impact on over 50 lakh workers and their families.
• The goal is to provide social protection, health services, financial assistance for education, and housing support to workers often located in remote and underserved regions.
• One of the key components of the welfare framework is the Education Assistance Scheme, which provides annual scholarships ranging from ₹1,000 to ₹25,000 for the wards of Beedi, Cine, and non-coal mine workers.
• The scheme is implemented through the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) with direct benefit transfer (DBT) ensuring transparent and timely disbursement.
• The financial assistance under health scheme ranges from ₹30,000 for minor surgeries to ₹7.5 lakh for cancer treatment, ensuring access to life-saving healthcare for low-income workers.
• The Revised Integrated Housing Scheme (RIHS) introduced in 2016 was merged with Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY). But, the Ministry continues to disburse pending installments to eligible beneficiaries until 31 March 2024.

Topic: Sports

9. Chennai will host first Hockey India Masters Cup from June 18 to 27, 2025.

• The Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu (HUTN) will host the inaugural edition of the Hockey India Masters Cup for men (40+ age group) and women (35+ age group) from June 18 to 27 at the Mayor Radhakrishnan hockey stadium.
• The event will feature veteran twelve men’s and eight women’s teams. There will be group matches, followed by the knockout stage and the finals.
• The competition will feature former India players like Pritam Siwach, Sita Mehta, Suman Lata Chumbak, Nishi Chauhan (all playing for Haryana women), and Olympians like Sudha Chaudhari (Haryana women) and Adam Sinclair (Tamil Nadu men).
• Men’s teams:
  • Pool-A: Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala
  • Pool-B: Odisha, Punjab, Puducherry
  • Pool-C: Chandigarh, Maharashtra, Manipur
  • Pool-D: Haryana, Karnataka, Tripura
• Women’s Teams:
  • Pool-A: Himachal, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Kerala
  • Pool-B: Odisha, Haryana, Punjab, Tamil Nadu

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

10. Ministry of Tribal Affairs launched DhartiAaba Janbhagidari Abhiyan.

• DhartiAaba Janbhagidari Abhiyan is the largest tribal empowerment campaign.
• Shri Jual Oram, Union Minister of Tribal Affairs, said that this Abhiyan is a historic step in realizing the dream of Prime Minister for Antyodaya.
• It as a key initiative under Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh, the campaign honors the legacy, culture, and contribution of India’s tribal communities, while ensuring the delivery of rights and development at their doorstep.
• The flagship campaign is being rolled out across—549 tribal-dominated districts and 207 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG)-dominated districts covering about 100,000+ Villages & Habitations in total from 15-30 June 2025.
• Under the DhartiAaba Jan bhagidari Abhiyan, benefit saturation camps are being conducted at the village and habitation level to provide access to critical entitlements and government services including
  • Adhaar Card Enrolments and Updates
  • Ayushman Bharat Health Card Issuance
  • Opening of Jan Dhan Bank Accounts
  • PM-Kisan Yojana Enrolments
  • Pension Schemes Enrolments
  • Scholarships, Insurance Schemes, Skill Training, Livelihood Programs enrolment