Every year on June 12, World Day Against Child Labour is observed to raise global awareness about the exploitation of children and to urge collective action to eliminate it. The day focuses on drawing attention to the plight of children who are forced into labor instead of receiving an education.
Child labour refers to children under 14 being made to work in homes, shops, farms, factories, and other areas, often due to poverty, pressure, or exploitation.
The day serves as a reminder of our shared responsibility to ensure every child has access to education, safety, and a healthy upbringing.
India, as the Vice President of the International Organization for Marine Aids to Navigation (IALA), actively participated in the 2nd Session of the IALA Council, held in Nice, France. The IALA Council is the key decision-making body of the intergovernmental organization responsible for marine aids to navigation.
During the opening session, Secretary (PSW) delivered a keynote address, highlighting India’s longstanding association with IALA and its significant progress in marine aids to navigation and vessel traffic services. He emphasized the initiatives of the Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships (DGLL), including:
Integration of vessel traffic services across 12 major ports
Planned international training programs at the Marine Navigation Training Institute in Kolkata
He also extended a formal invitation to all member states to attend the 3rd IALA General Assembly in December 2025 and the 21st IALA Conference in 2027, both to be held in Mumbai.
India has been a longstanding and committed member of IALA since its inception in 1957 and a Council member since 1980 through the Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships. India has actively contributed to harmonizing marine aids to navigation and building capacity to ensure safe, efficient, and environmentally responsible maritime operations.
India’s election as Vice President of IALA during the 1st General Assembly in Singapore reflects its growing global influence and strategic maritime vision.
The Council discussed key technical matters, including:
Harmonization of marine aids to navigation
Conservation of lighthouse heritage
Emerging developments such as the,
Harmonised Internet of Things (IoT) protocol for visual AtoN
Maritime Service Registry specifications
Programme schedule for IALA activities planned for 2025 and 2026.
Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd. (IREDA) has successfully raised ₹2,005.90 crore through a Qualified Institutions Placement (QIP). The capital was mobilized by issuing 12.15 crore equity shares at a price of ₹165.14 per share, which includes a premium of ₹155.14 per share over the face value of Rs. 10.
The issue price of ₹165.14 reflects a discount of 5.00% to the floor price of ₹173.83 per equity share. Launched on June 5, 2025, the QIP issue closed on June 10, 2025, receiving an encouraging response from a diverse set of both domestic and foreign qualified institutional buyers (QIBs) including insurance companies,
scheduled commercial banks and foreign portfolio investors. The Board has approved allotment of equity shares to eligible qualified institutional buyers in its meeting held today i.e. June 11, 2025.
The Indian Army contingent reached Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia for the Multinational Military Exercise KHAAN QUEST, which is scheduled to be conducted from 14th to 28th June 2025. The exercise will bring together military forces from around the world to collaborate and enhance their peacekeeping capabilities.
Last edition of Exercise KHAAN QUEST was conducted in Mongolia from 27th July to 9th August 2024.
The exercise first started as a bilateral event between USA and Mongolian Armed Forces in the year 2003. Subsequently, from the year 2006 onwards the exercise graduated to a Multinational Peacekeeping Exercise with current year being the 22nd iteration.
The Indian Army contingent comprising 40 personnel is being represented mainly by troops from a Battalion of the KUMAON REGIMENT along with personnel from other Arms and Services. One Woman Officer and two Women Soldiers will also form part of the contingent.
Aim of Exercise KHAAN QUEST is to prepare Indian Armed Forces for peacekeeping missions while operating in a multinational environment, thereby increasing interoperability and military readiness in peace support operations under Chapter VII of United Nations Charter. The exercise will focus on high degree of physical fitness, joint planning and joint tactical drills.
As part of the ongoing efforts to explore the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) native in telecommunication network, the third meeting of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU-T) Focus Group on Artificial Intelligence Native for Telecommunication Networks (FG-AINN) was inaugurated in New Delhi.
This ITU event is being organized by the Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC), technical arm of Department of Telecommunications (DoT).
During the event, India sought support of ITU members for its bid to host the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference 2030 (PP-30), continued membership in the forthcoming ITU Council (2027-2031) and for Indian Nominee, Ms. M. Revathi,
as the first woman and first Regional candidate for Director of the ITU Radiocommunication Bureau (2027–30).
This event marks a significant milestone in shaping the future of AI-native telecommunication networks, with the potential to revolutionize the global communications landscape.
About Focus Group AI-Native Networks
Established by ITU-T Study Group 13 in July 2024, the Focus Group on AI-Native for Telecommunication Networks (FG-AINN) aims at exploring and defining the fundamental changes needed in network architecture to fully harness the potential of AI.
With an aim to ensure fair and transparent access to Tatkal tickets and to safeguard the interests of genuine passengers, Indian Railways has announced key modifications in the Tatkal ticket booking system. These changes are aimed at enhancing user authentication and reducing misuse of the scheme.
Indian racewalkers delivered a commendable performance at the Austrian Racewalking Championships in Innsbruck, yesterday, with Priyanka Goswami won gold in the women’s 10km race with a time of 47:54. This was her first win of the season.
In the men’s 35km event, Sandeep Kumar secured silver with a time of 2:38:45, and Ram Baboo took bronze with 2:41:47.
Jaromír Morávek of the Czech Republic won gold 2:34:41, and Jerome Caprice from Mauritius finished fourth 3:14:05.
Sandeep Kumar is the Indian national record holder in the 50km racewalk, has competed in the Tokyo Olympics, and won a bronze medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in the 10,000m racewalk. On the other hand Ram Baboo holds the Indian record in the 35km racewalk.
To combat fraud and impersonation, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has mandated a new UPI handle — ‘@valid’ — for all registered intermediaries, including brokers, mutual funds, and investment advisors. The move ensures investors pay only to authorised entities, reducing the risk of fraudulent transactions.
Effective October 1, intermediaries such as stockbrokers, research analysts, and investment advisors must adopt the new UPI ID format, which will appear as abc.bkr@validhdfc and xyz.mf@validhdfc
To enhance visibility, a green ‘thumbs up’ icon will accompany the verified UPI IDs, aiding non-English speakers in authentication.
The new system will have no impact on existing SIPs but fresh investments must use the new handles.
Around 8,000 to 9,000 intermediaries will migrate to the system.
The daily UPI limit of ₹5 lakh remains for capital market transactions.
Banks will issue ‘@valid’ IDs only after verifying intermediaries on Sebi’s portal.
Sebi Chairperson Tuhin Kanta Pandey emphasised that Sebi will carry out investor education and awareness campaigns over the next two years. Additionally, the regulator is developing ‘Sebi Check’, a tool to verify UPI IDs and bank details of intermediaries.
The World Bank has upheld its forecast for India's GDP growth at 6.3% for the fiscal year 2026, as outlined in its latest Global Economic Prospects report. This decision comes amid rising global trade barriers and weaker export demands due to reduced activity among key trading partners.
Despite these obstacles, India is expected to maintain its position as the fastest-growing major economy worldwide. The report highlights that India's economic resilience is a testament to its robust domestic demand and strategic economic policies, which have helped cushion the impact of global uncertainties.
The Reserve Bank of India’s rate-setting Monetary Policy Committee retained India’s GDP forecast for FY2025-26 at 6.5% amid economic uncertainty, triggered by shifting trade dynamics around US President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs.
SMFG India Credit's chief executive officer and managing director, Shantanu Mitra, has informed the board that he will be stepping down at the end of this month, according to people privy to the matter.
The development comes close on the heels of Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMFG) signing a definitive agreement to acquire a 20% stake in Yes Bank for Rs. 13,483 crore.
The deal, signed in May, is awaiting approval from the Reserve Bank of India. SMFG India Credit is a 100% subsidiary of SMFG.
His term with the finance company was set to end in September this year.
The Asset Liability Management Committee (ALCO) of Indian Overseas Bank (IOB), in its meeting, approved the reduction of Repo Linked Lending Rate (RLLR) of the bank by 50 basis points from 8.85 per cent to 8.35 per cent. This change will take effect on June 12, 2025.
RBI, in its Latest Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting, announced the reduction of the Repo Rate by 50 basis points.
Goa has achieved a milestone moment as Ozzo Feni, produced by Cazcar Distillery in Nanora village near Panaji, has become the first-ever feni to receive a Geographical Indication (GI) tag in India. This means that feni is now recognised for its unique preparation in a specific geographical location (Goa, in this case) and protects it from other imitations and,
protects it from other imitations and increases its marketability factors both domestically and internationally.
Feni is a traditional Indian spirit, well-known in Goa, made from the fermentation and double distillation of either cashew apples or coconut sap. It's a strong, clear liquor with a unique flavour profile and a history spanning centuries.
Feni was introduced to India by the Portuguese missionaries in the 1600s when they came to trade. They brought with them cashew plant trees and also the method of distillation, which was then passed on to the locals.
The people who made feni were called bhatikars, who used earthen pots or bhatis under a fire. Today, copper pots under the coil method are used to make Feni.
Receiving the GI tag means that feni is now recognised globally and placed at a status comparable to Scotch in Scotland or Champagne in France.
The brand, which makes it strictly adheres to all the regulations of GI certification, sources the cashew apples from Goa, and all utensils used are stainless steel, copper or glass.
The condensation of feni takes place in earthen mud clays called launi.
Darjeeling tea was the first product in India to get a GI tag in 2004 and is known for its special aroma and light taste.
Alphonso mangoes from Maharashtra, famous for their sweet and rich flavour, were awarded the GI tag in 2018.
Sri Lanka’s DFCC Bank PLC has become the first foreign corporate issuer to list green bonds on the NSE International Exchange (NSE IX) at GIFT IFSC. The green bonds, valued at LKR 2.5 billion, are Sri Lanka’s first capital market debt instruments dedicated to renewable energy, focusing primarily on funding solar energy projects.
These bonds align with Sri Lanka’s goal of generating 70% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030 and are already listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange.
The listing on NSE IX reflects the IFSCA’s broader vision of making GIFT IFSC a hub for sustainable and green finance, particularly for the Global South.
NSE IX, established in 2017, continues to dominate the market with over 99% share in GIFT IFSC, offering a wide range of financial products.
K Rajaraman- Chairperson of IFSCA.
Thimal Perera- CEO of DFCC Bank PLC.
