Current Affairs - June 10, 2025 Current Affairs

Thomas Cook (India) Limited has formed a strategic partnership with Muthoot Forex, a part of the Muthoot Group, to enhance the accessibility of its Borderless Travel Card and Study Buddy Card across India. Leveraging Muthoot’s vast network of over 7,000 branches, including 43 dedicated forex outlets, the collaboration ensures these products reach customers not only in major cities but also in Tier 2 to Tier 4 towns. This move strengthens Thomas Cook’s distribution network and simplifies the availability of pre-paid forex solutions for international travellers and students, making overseas travel and education more secure and convenient for Indian citizens.

Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai was appointed as the Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Strategy) in 2025, a key role overseeing critical areas like Military Operations, Intelligence, and Strategic Planning. A veteran of the Kumaon Regiment, Lt Gen Ghai has held significant operational commands, including as the General Officer Commanding of the Chinar Corps. He gained national prominence for his leadership during Operation Sindoor, a successful precision strike campaign targeting terrorist infrastructure. In recognition of his exceptional strategic leadership, he was also awarded the Uttam Yudh Seva Medal in 2025, solidifying his reputation as one of India’s top military strategists.

MS Dhoni, the legendary former Indian captain, was among seven cricketers inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame in 2025, recognizing his exceptional contributions to the sport. Known for his calm leadership, explosive batting, and sharp wicketkeeping, Dhoni led India to multiple ICC titles, including the 2007 T20 World Cup, 2011 ODI World Cup, and 2013 Champions Trophy. He was honoured alongside cricketing greats like Matthew Hayden, Graeme Smith, Hashim Amla, Daniel Vettori, Sarah Taylor, and Sana Mir, cementing his legacy as one of cricket's all-time greats.

BHASHINI, under the Digital India initiative, has partnered with Indian Railways to bring multilingual AI solutions to key platforms like NTES and RailMadad. This collaboration aims to improve public access to railway services by integrating technologies such as Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR), Text-to-Speech (TTS), Text-to-Text Translation, and Optical Character Recognition (OCR). The partnership facilitates real-time communication and service delivery in 22 Indian languages, promoting digital inclusion and linguistic accessibility. It represents a strategic effort to bridge language barriers and enhance passenger experience, particularly for those more comfortable interacting in regional languages.

World Accreditation Day is celebrated globally on June 9 each year to highlight the importance of accreditation in improving quality, safety, and efficiency across industries. In 2025, India marked the day with events like the launch of the revamped NABL Portal and the Gunvatta Samarpan initiative, focusing on empowering MSMEs through global standards. The Quality Council of India (QCI) organized the celebrations in New Delhi, emphasizing accreditation's role in boosting competitiveness, sustainability, and market access for small businesses while aligning with international quality ecosystems.

The parasitic wasp species 'Losgna Occidentalis' was discovered in Chandigarh, highlighting the region's unexplored biodiversity. Belonging to the Ichneumonidae family (Darwin wasps), these insects play a crucial role in biological pest control by laying eggs in or on other arthropods. This discovery underscores the importance of further research into India's diverse ecosystems, as many species remain undocumented. Chandigarh's urban and semi-urban habitats may host more such unique species, emphasizing the need for conservation efforts even in developed areas to maintain ecological balance and natural pest management systems.

The 11th BRICS Parliamentary Forum was hosted by Brazil in its capital Brasilia on 4–5 June 2025, bringing together parliamentary delegations from all 10 member nations, including India. The Indian delegation, led by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, participated in discussions on global cooperation. Notably, India was announced as the next host for the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum in 2026, continuing the group's tradition of rotational leadership. This forum strengthens parliamentary diplomacy among emerging economies, addressing shared challenges in governance and development.

The Indian Patents Act, of 1970, includes provisions for compulsory licensing under Section 84, allowing the government or third parties to produce patented drugs without the patent owner's consent under specific conditions. This is particularly crucial for making life-saving medicines accessible and affordable for rare disease patients. The Act balances patent protection with public health needs, ensuring that intellectual property rights do not hinder essential medical access. Recent demands by rare disease patients highlight the ongoing relevance of this legal provision in addressing healthcare affordability in India.

India’s first International Agri Hackathon took place in Pune, where the Union government launched the ‘Clean Plant Programme’. This initiative focuses on supplying disease-free horticultural plants to farmers, starting with Maharashtra, to enhance agricultural productivity. Key crops like grapes, oranges, and pomegranates will benefit from this program, ensuring healthier yields. The event highlights Pune’s growing role in agri-innovation and sustainable farming solutions, aligning with national efforts to modernize agriculture and improve farmer livelihoods through technology and research-driven interventions.

The Bikram Lock Canal Bank solar power project was inaugurated in Bihar's Patna district as part of the state's ‘Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali’ campaign. This initiative aims to promote renewable energy and reduce environmental damage caused by traditional energy sources. The project is located along a 2-kilometre stretch of the main canal at Bikram, highlighting Bihar's commitment to sustainable development and green energy solutions. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's involvement underscores the state's focus on expanding solar energy infrastructure to meet future energy demands while minimizing ecological impact.

India’s first dedicated e-waste recycling park is being set up in Holambi Kalan, a locality in North Delhi. This initiative by the Delhi government marks a significant step towards building a sustainable urban ecosystem. Spread across 11.4 acres, the facility will handle up to 51,000 tonnes of e-waste annually and will focus on formalizing the recycling sector. It aims to generate green jobs, reduce landfill dependency, and promote the circular economy by extracting valuable raw materials from electronic waste. The park will serve as a model for similar projects across India, encouraging eco-conscious infrastructure development.