Daily Current Affairs and GK | 25 June 2025

Topic: Important Days

1. Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee's Martyrdom Day: 23 June

• The nation paid tribute to Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee on his martyrdom on 23 June.
• Programs were organised to observe the 72nd death anniversary of Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee.
• He opposed the special status given to Jammu and Kashmir.
• He was the founder of Bharatiya Jana Sangh.
• He died under mysterious circumstances in a Srinagar jail on this day in 1953.
• He served as India's first Minister for Industry and Supply (currently known as Minister of Commerce and Industries).

Topic: Important Days

2. Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas celebrated as a tribute to the victims of the Emergency.

• On 24 June, Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas observed, commemorating the imposition of Emergency on 25th June 1975.
• It is also a day to pay tribute to everyone who suffered due to the excesses of the Emergency, the darkest period in Indian history.
• This day commemorates the immense contribution of all those who endured the inhuman pain of the Emergency of 1975.
• It was on this date that the Emergency was imposed by the then Indira Gandhi-led government for 18 months.
• Lakhs of innocent people were imprisoned and severe restrictions were imposed on freedom of the press.
• The Government had declared 25th June as Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas to recognize and remember this dark phase.
• The observance pays tribute to those who resisted authoritarian rule and stood up for democratic values.
• Celebrating Constitution Assassination Day helps keep the eternal flame of individual liberty and democracy burning in every Indian, thereby preventing any dictatorial force from repeating those horrific events.

Topic: Reports and Indices

3. NITI Aayog releases the 3rd edition of the 'Future Front' series, stresses on data quality for governance.

• On 24 June, the third edition of NITI Aayog’s quarterly insight series, Future Front, was released under the title “India’s Data Imperative: The Pivot Towards Quality.”
• The report emphasizes the urgent need to improve data quality to enhance digital governance and service delivery.
• Poor data quality in public systems has been identified as a long-standing challenge by the report.
• Two key tools to help tackle the issue have been introduced: a Data-Quality Scorecard designed to assess and track essential data attributes and a Data-Quality Maturity Framework that enables self-assessment and the development of actionable roadmaps for data improvement.
• The report was launched in the presence of B.V.R. Subrahmanyam, CEO of NITI Aayog, and other senior officials, and they also stressed the need to build robust data infrastructure.
• The event was attended by policy experts and officials who highlighted the role of data in digital transformation.
• The aim of the report is to guide policymakers and institutions in bringing data systems in line with global standards for better decision-making.

Topic: Sports

4. Rishabh Pant became the first Indian wicket-keeper to score centuries in both Test innings.

• Rishabh Pant created history by becoming the first Indian designated wicketkeeper-batter to score a century in both innings of a Test match.
• The feat was achieved during the first Test against England at Headingley, Leeds.
• Pant scored 134 runs in the first innings and on the fourth day he completed his second century of the match in just 130 balls.
• Pant is also the seventh Indian batsman to score centuries in both Test innings.
• Before him, Sunil Gavaskar had achieved this feat thrice, Rahul Dravid twice, and Vijay Hazare, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ajinkya Rahane had also achieved this feat once each in their careers.
• With four Test centuries in England, Pant has equaled Sachin Tendulkar and Dilip Vengsarkar.
• Only Rahul Dravid, with six Test hundreds in England, is ahead of Pant now.

Topic: Defence

5. Army boosts counter-terror capabilities with emergency purchases worth Rs 1981 crore.

• The Ministry of Defence has approved 13 contracts under the Emergency Procurement (EP) mechanism to rapidly augment the counter-terrorism operations of the Indian Army.
• A total outlay of Rs 1,981.90 crore has been sanctioned against the approved ceiling of Rs 2,000 crore.
• These procurements have been carried out through fast-track procedures to ensure swift induction.
• The contracts are aimed at enhancing troop protection, lethality, mobility, and situational awareness.
• Equipment such as Bullet Proof Jackets, Ballistic Helmets, and Night Sights for Rifles have been included.
• The Army has also acquired advanced equipment such as Integrated Drone Detection and Interdiction Systems (IDDIS), Low-Level Lightweight Radars (LLLR), and Very Short Range Air Defence Systems (VSHORADS) with launchers and missiles.
• Additionally, Remotely Piloted Aerial Vehicles (RPAVs), VTOL-enabled Loitering Munitions, multiple drone categories, and both heavy and medium Quick Reaction Fighting Vehicles (QRFVs) have been procured.
• The ministry said it is committed to equipping the Indian Army with modern, mission-critical and fully indigenous systems to meet the emerging security challenges.
• The provision for emergency procurement was introduced after the Uri attacks in 2016, under which the vice chiefs of the three services were given the power to approve capital purchases up to Rs 300 crore.
• Contracts under the EP mechanism must be finalized within 40 days and completed within a year.

Topic: Sports

6. India performed its best ever at the Asian Para-Badminton Championship in Thailand.

• Indian shuttlers bagged a total of 27 medals at the Asian Para-Badminton Championship 2025 in Thailand.
• The medal tally included 4 gold, 10 silver, and 13 bronze, marking India’s best performance in the event’s history.
• The championships were held from the 17th to the 22nd of June 2025.
• The medalists included Paris Paralympics gold medalist Nitesh Kumar, Paris Paralympics silver medalist Thulasimathi Murugesan, and Paris Paralympics bronze medalist Manisha Ramdas.
• In the SL3-SU5 mixed doubles category, India won all three medals, sweeping the podium.
• Nitesh Kumar and Thulasimathi Murgesan clinched gold with a straight-sets victory.
• Ruthick Raghupathi and Manasi Joshi secured silver, while Chirag Baretha and Mandeep Kaur took bronze.

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

7. Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, presided over the 25th meeting of the Central Zonal Council in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.

• The meeting was attended by the Chief Ministers of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh.
• Senior ministers, the Union Home Secretary, and high-ranking officials from both the Centre and states were also present.
• A resolution was passed unanimously, applauding Prime Minister Modi’s leadership and the bravery of the Indian Armed Forces.
• The Central Zonal Council is the only such body without any disputes among its member states.
• This reflects a strong spirit of cooperation and coordination in the region.
• Between 2014 and 2025, the Council held 28 meetings and 33 Standing Committee meetings.
• In contrast, only 11 Council meetings and 14 Standing Committee sessions took place from 2004 to 2014.
• A total of 1,287 issues have been resolved during these sessions in the past eleven years.
• The Home Minister urged states to work together to eliminate child malnutrition.
• He also called for reducing school dropout rates to zero.
• He emphasized the need to strengthen the cooperative sector across all member states.
• The Council discussed 19 key issues of national importance.
• These included the implementation of fast-track courts for sexual offences and banking access in remote villages.
• It also included the rollout of the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS-112).
• The five Zonal Councils were established under the States Reorganisation Act of 1956.
• Each Zonal Council is chaired by the Union Home Minister.
• Chief Ministers, Administrators, and nominated ministers from each state are its members.
• One Chief Minister serves as vice-chairperson, with the role rotating annually.
• Permanent committees made up of Chief Secretaries discuss state-raised issues in advance.
• Unresolved matters are then taken up at the full Zonal Council meetings.
• The Zonal Councils provide a structured platform for Centre-state and inter-state dialogue.
• They promote both cooperative and competitive federalism.
• Since 2014, a total of 62 meetings of Zonal Councils and their committees have been held.
• Although advisory in nature, these councils have become powerful tools for problem-solving and intergovernmental cooperation.

Topic: Indian Economy

8. India recorded a historic high in exports, reaching $825 billion in the past fiscal year.

• The country saw a 6.3% increase in exports.

• This growth outpaced the global average, which stood at 4%.
• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said this while addressing the Exim Bank Trade Conclave 2025 in New Delhi.
• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman credited this rise to reduced tariffs.
• Sitharaman stated that new Free Trade Agreements are being negotiated.
• These agreements are expected to transform India’s export landscape.
• The Exim Bank Trade Conclave 2025 was held in New Delhi on 24th June.
• The event highlighted key achievements of the Trade Assistance Programme (TAP).
• TAP was launched by Exim Bank in 2022.
• It is a first-of-its-kind initiative that supports exporters in high-risk markets.
• Since its launch, TAP has facilitated over 1,100 export transactions.
• These transactions span across 51 different countries.
• Exim Bank has partnered with more than 100 overseas banks under TAP.
• These partnerships help bridge financing gaps for Indian exporters.
• Minister Sitharaman praised TAP for boosting India’s global trade presence.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

9. Tripura has officially become the third Indian state to achieve full functional literacy.

• It follows Mizoram and Goa in reaching this milestone.

• The achievement was made under the ULLAS – Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram.
• ULLAS is a centrally sponsored literacy scheme running from 2022 to 2027.
• It is aligned with the National Education Policy 2020.
• The programme focuses on educating adults aged 15 years and above.
• The declaration was made at Rabindra Satabarshiki Bhawan in Agartala.
• Chief Minister Prof. (Dr.) Manik Saha called the event a historic moment for Tripura.
• He noted that Tripura’s literacy rate has reached 95.6%.
• This marks a dramatic rise from just 20.24% in 1961.
• Tripura has now met the national benchmark for full literacy. The benchmark applies to individuals aged 15 and above.
• ULLAS was launched in 2022 to provide basic literacy and numeracy.
• It also offers essential life skills to non-literate adults.

Topic: International Appointments

10. President Lee Jae Myung of South Korea has appointed Ahn Gyu-back as the country’s new defense minister.

• Ahn is a veteran liberal lawmaker.
• He will be the first civilian to hold this position in over 60 years.
• This move breaks with a long-standing tradition of naming retired military generals to the role.
• That tradition began after the 1961 military coup.
• Ahn has served on the national assembly’s defense committee.
• He also led a legislative investigation into last year’s martial law declaration.
• The martial law was ordered by former President Yoon Suk Yeol.
• Ahn’s appointment will be reviewed in a legislative hearing.
• However, it is likely to proceed smoothly.
• Lee’s Democratic Party holds a strong majority in the assembly.
• Parliamentary approval is not required for defense minister appointments.
• Ahn will oversee military reform and accountability.
• His task includes restoring trust after the military’s role in political crackdowns.
• President Lee also announced a broader cabinet reshuffle.
• He nominated 10 additional ministers. This includes Cho Hyun as foreign minister.
• Chung Dong-young will return as unification minister.