• On World Environment Day 2025, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi initiated the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 2.0' campaign in Delhi, with a goal to plant 10 crore trees across India by 30th September. The campaign promotes environmental awareness and encourages individuals to plant a tree in their mother's name. Further aligning with India's sustainability commitments, the Prime Minister also launched 200 electric buses in Delhi to encourage cleaner urban transport and combat air pollution.

 

  • The Indian Government has initiated the SPMEPCI scheme to boost the domestic electric vehicle (EV) industry through import duty concessions and backing local production. The plan, which includes brownfield investments and import restrictions with rollover provisions, is intended to attract global firms and support India's clean mobility objectives. Despite this, Union Minister H.D.Kumaraswamy revealed that Tesla has no plans to manufacture cars in India, highlighting the difficulties in securing foreign investment in the EV sector.

 

  • Amit Shah inaugurated the Bharatiya Bhasha Anubhag (BBA) on June 6, 2025, aimed at integrating Indian languages into administrative and governance processes. Backed by ?56 crore in funding and the support of C-DAC, the BBA facilitates real-time translation and communication in regional languages, particularly for Region C States. The initiative aligns with the vision of NEP 2020, promoting linguistic inclusivity and bolstering national unity.

 

  • The Delhi government has revealed plans for India's inaugural electronic waste (e-waste) eco park in Holambi Kalan, North Delhi. With a strong focus on cultivating a circular economy and sustainable urban living, Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa confirmed the upcoming issuance of a global tender for progressive green technology partnerships.

 

  • Maruti Suzuki India has launched the country's largest automobile in-plant railway siding at its Manesar plant, aiming to align with the PM Gati Shakti Master Plan. The £452 crore facility, part of the 126 km Haryana Orbital Rail Corridor, will dispatch 450,000 vehicles annually. The move is set to cut 175,000 tonnes of CO? emissions and save 60 million litres of fuel each year. MSIL plans to ramp up rail-based dispatches to 35% by FY2030-31, in line with India's goal of a net-zero emission economy by 2070.

 

  • On 19 June 2025, AIIMS Mangalagiri hosted an awareness rally for World Sickle Cell Day, in collaboration with the Departments of Health and Tribal Welfare. The event saw participation from students, tribal members, and medical professionals. Its objective was to enhance understanding of sickle cell disease, a hereditary blood disorder that notably affects tribal populations in India.

 

  • The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has launched "Pratibha Setu", a new platform allowing employers to access details of candidates who cleared UPSC exams but did not make the final merit list. This platform seeks to provide career alternatives to high-level aspirants and enhance the connection between government-selected talent and private sector demand. Verified recruiters get secure login access and candidates can choose to participate in this forward-looking employment reform initiative.

 

  • Canara Bank, established in 1906, has eliminated the Average Monthly Balance requirement for all types of savings bank accounts, including salary and NRI. This move, aimed at promoting financial inclusion, will benefit a diverse range of customers. The bank, with over 9,800 branches worldwide, boasts a robust rural footprint and global presence.

 

  • On 1 June 2025, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) announced a $10 billion urban transformation initiative for India, spread over five years. The project aims to upgrade metro networks, launch new RRTS corridors, and enhance urban infrastructure and services across over 100 cities, funded by sovereign loans, private capital, and the Urban Challenge Fund, which also includes $3 million in technical assistance. The ADB's project aligns with India's Viksit Bharat @ 2047 mission, emphasising skill development, women's empowerment and inclusive urban growth.

 

  • State Bank of India (SBI) increased its dividend contribution to the government's non-tax revenue to ?8,076.84 crore for FY 2024-25, a notable rise from the previous year's ?6,959.29 crore. The robust financial performance of SBI was emphasised upon by the Chairman, C.S. Setty when handing over the cheque to the Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman. This financial boost highlights SBI's pivotal role in the fiscal resource mobilisation, and a dividend of ?15.90/share.

 

  • The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has authorised a loan of $109.97 million to reinforce Gujarat’s Skills Development Program. This initiative aims to boost technical education, foster inclusive employment, and stimulate industrial competitiveness. The programme will achieve this by enhancing training infrastructure, introducing industry-aligned courses, and improving governance at institutions such as Kaushalya: The Skill University, thus creating a future-ready workforce.

 

  • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has advanced its liquidity stress testing framework, thereby strengthening the financial system's capability to withstand shocks. This framework encompasses Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs), Urban Cooperative Banks (UCBs), and the RBI's own portfolio in its stress test models, as well as integrating climate transition risk to cultivate a resilient, clear and future-ready financial ecosystem. Moreover, the adoption of a Growth-at-Risk model is set to further coordinate monetary policy with potential macroeconomic vulnerabilities.

 

  • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has given in-principle approval to PayPal Payments and Worldline ePayments India to operate as cross-border payment aggregators. This action is in alignment with the October 2024 mandate, compelling such companies to obtain independent authorisation rather than operating under the former OPGSP model. It is believed that India's digital economy will be bolstered by this move, specifically aiding freelancers, SMEs, and exporters. 

 

  • Furthermore, the RBI has accomplished the effective withdrawal of ?2,000 notes with 98.26% having been returned by May 2025. On account of their limited use and aging, these notes, introduced during the 2016 demonetisation, are being phased out under the Clean Note Policy. The move will aid efficient currency management and decrease unaccounted cash holdings.

 

  • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposed 353 penalties worth ?54.78 crore on varied regulated entities in the fiscal year 2024-2025 for violations including cybersecurity non-compliance and KYC norms failures. The RBI issued a draft proposal outlining revised rules for lending against gold; this included increasing the loan-to-value (LTV) ratio to 85% for loans up to ?2.5 lakh. Lastly, the RBI launched a scheme promoting original Hindi book writing in economics and banking, offering recognition and rewards to authors.

 

  • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will conduct a ?30,000 crore government securities auction on June 13, 2025, incorporating the re-issuance of ?5,000 crore Sovereign Green Bonds (SGrBs) set to mature in 2054. This auction, earmarked for environmentally sustainable projects, will be executed through the multiple price method on the e-Kuber platform. This reflects India's commitment towards green financing, climate resilience and achieving net-zero goals under global climate accords.

 

  • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has finalised guidelines for project finance provisioning, lessening the load on lenders by mandating a 1% requirement for under-construction loans, a reduction from the previously suggested 5%. These norms will be effective from October 1, 2025, introducing flexibility for commercial real estate and housing loans while maintaining lower provisioning rates for operational projects. The move is consistent with RBI's wider consultative approach, promoting credit availability and infrastructure development.

 

  • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has revised the Priority Sector Lending (PSL) norms for Small Finance Banks (SFBs) starting from FY 2025-26, lowering the overall PSL target from 75% to 60% of Adjusted Net Bank Credit (ANBC) or Credit Equivalent of Off-Balance Sheet Exposures (CEOBE). According to the new rules, 40% must be directed to specified PSL sub-sectors such as agriculture, MSMEs, and education. The remaining 20% can be allocated flexibly to any PSL sub-sectors where the SFB demonstrates a competitive advantage.

 

  • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) disclosed a 3.1% yearly growth in the All-India House Price Index (HPI) for Q4 FY2024–25. The index, representing authentic urban housing trends, is derived from property registration data across 10 major cities. National house prices saw a 0.9% rise quarter-on-quarter, driven by strong demand and urban development in key cities like Bengaluru, Jaipur, Kolkata, and Chennai. Kolkata experienced the highest annual increase of 8.8%, while Kochi was the only city to report a price decline of -2.3%.

 

  • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed a monetary penalty of ?29.6 lakh on Fino Payments Bank Limited due to non-compliance with Licensing Guidelines for Payments Banks. The violation, involving exceeding end-of-day balance limits in customer accounts, was discovered during the Statutory Inspection for Supervisory Evaluation in 2024. This action emphasises RBI's commitment to regulatory enforcement and financial discipline.

 

  • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is extending the call money market timings to 7 PM from July 1, 2025. The timings for market repo and Tri-Party Repo (TREP) are set to be extended until 4 PM from August 1, 2025. This decision stems from recommendations by a Working Group led by Radha Shyam Ratho, aiming to enhance liquidity management, align with global market practices, and increase operational flexibility for banks and financial institutions. The trading hours for government securities, foreign exchange, and interest rate derivatives will remain the same.

 

  • SEBI has initiated a settlement scheme for stock brokers implicated in algo trading violations, with the scheme available from June 16 to September 16, 2025. The offenders include over 100 broker firms, such as Zerodha and 5Paisa, caught working with unregulated algo platforms, thereby violating SEBI regulations. While this scheme offers an opportunity to resolve cases at a reduced settlement cost, SEBI simultaneously enforces tighter algo trading regulations, prioritising retail investor protection, the appointment of algo providers, and broker accountability.

 

  • The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) encourages use of the Centralized Fee Collection Mechanism (CeFCoM) for payments to investment advisers and research analysts to enhance transparency and security. The platform, launched in October 2024 by BSE Ltd. and MF Utilities India Pvt. Ltd., supports multiple digital payment methods. The use of CeFCoM enables investors to distinguish between SEBI-registered advisers and fraudulent entities. From October 1, 2025, SEBI will debut a 'SEBI Check' tool for verifying the authenticity of UPI handles and bank account details before making payments.

 

  • The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has launched a validation tool called 'SEBI Check' to vet UPI handles and registered bank accounts, aiming to secure investor payments and prevent market fraud. From 1st October 2025, investors will be able to use this tool to verify UPI IDs and bank account details, including the Indian Financial System Code (IFSC) of the SEBI-registered intermediary. Valid UPI handles will feature a unique identifier, “@valid,” which will be exclusively allocated by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). SEBI will also collaborate with online app stores to display only validated payment apps.

 

  • The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has imposed a ?25 lakh penalty on BSE Limited due to multiple regulatory violations. These violations primarily include the dissemination of price-sensitive corporate information and inadequate supervision of broker trades. The major charge specifies that BSE's system architecture prior to September 2023 allowed select teams and subscribers to access corporate announcements before public availability. BSE is required to pay this penalty within 45 days of receiving the order.

 

  • The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has greenlit the initiation of electricity derivatives on the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) to bolster electricity price risk management and facilitate integration of renewable energy. These financial instruments, which include futures contracts, options, and swaps, will help electricity generators, distributors, and large industrial consumers hedge against power price fluctuations. This initiative aligns with India's clean energy ambitions, aiming for over 50% of installed capacity from renewable energy by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2070. An estimated USD 250 billion annual investment will be required until 2047 to realise these objectives.

 

  • The 11th International Yoga Day (IYD) was observed globally on 21st June 2025 under the theme 'Yoga for One Earth, One Health'. The day, celebrated to increase awareness about the benefits of yoga for health, peace and well-being, was first declared by the UN in 2014 following a proposal by India. The 21st of June was selected to coincide with the Summer Solstice, the longest day in the Northern Hemisphere, which is traditionally linked to spiritual awakening. The practice of yoga, originating from the Indus Valley Civilization and documented in ancient Indian scriptures, is globally recognised by UNESCO and the World Health Organisation for its contributions to holistic health and combating non-communicable diseases.

 

  • In 2026, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) will carry out India's first comprehensive Household Income Survey through the National Sample Survey (NSS). This large-scale statistical exercise, tasked with collecting reliable income data from various sources, aims to resolve historical income-consumption mismatches and assess the impact of technology on earnings. The data will be used to assist in economic policymaking and welfare planning. The National Statistical Office (NSO) organises the survey, and it stands as the premier statistical agency under MoSPI.

 

  • The Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative (IFFCO) is launching its first international nano fertiliser plant in Brazil, after successful exports to over 40 countries. The plant, with an annual production capacity of 4.5 million litres will produce fertilisers coated with nanomaterials, improving the availability of nutrients to crops over a longer period. This move responds to the increasing interest from Brazilian farmers to enhance productivity and reduce fertiliser usage; nano fertilisers usage has already led to a 20% cut in urea and DAP usage in Brazil and a consequent rise in crop yields. Despite potential adoption challenges, nano fertilisers could provide a more sustainable and efficient alternative to conventional fertilisers, crucial in a country like India dealing with a mounting subsidy burden.

 

  • Sagarmala Finance Corporation Limited (SMFCL) is India’s first maritime sector-focused Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) which aims to bolster financial access across the country's maritime ecosystem. As a Mini Ratna (Category-I) Central Public Sector Undertaking under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, it offers customized financing to an array of stakeholders within the sector. The NBFC's mission aligns with the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, which envisions India as a global maritime power, and it also supports the National Blue Economy Strategy. Unlike banks, these financial entities do not possess a banking license and cannot accept demand deposits.