Daily Current Affairs- 15th June 2025

Daily Current Affairs- 15th June 2025

PM Modi in Cyprus

In the News: On June 15–16, 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Cyprus, marking his first trip to the island in over two decades. He was officially welcomed by President Nikos Christodoulides at Larnaca Airport, and the visit focused on strengthening India–Cyprus ties, strategic cooperation, and economic partnerships.

Key Points:

• After arriving in Cyprus, PM Modi participated in a business roundtable in Limassol alongside President Christodoulides and prominent business leaders from both countries. The discussions spanned sectors including manufacturing, technology, defence, logistics, shipping, tourism, AI, and green infrastructure.
• During the roundtable, the Prime Minister emphasized that India is on track to become the world’s third-largest economy, attributing this to reforms, policy stability, digital transformation, and ease of doing business. He invited Cypriot businesses to invest in India’s growing sectors—including infrastructure, shipbuilding, civil aviation, fintech, and digital payments—highlighting the India–Greece–Cyprus Business & Investment Council, the UPI-Eurobank initiative, and a MoU between Cyprus Stock Exchange and NSE International Exchange (GIFT City).
• On June 16, PM Modi and President Christodoulides held bilateral talks in Nicosia and signed multiple cooperation agreements. These covered strategic areas like trade, investment, digital cooperation, regional and global security, including discussion of the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) and Cyprus’s support for India on counter‑terrorism and territorial integrity amid tensions with countries like Turkey.
• The visit also involved people-to-people engagement, with enthusiastic receptions from the Indian diaspora in Limassol, cultural welcomes at the airport, and PM Modi’s expression of gratitude for the warm reception. A special honor was announced: Cyprus would award Modi the Grand Cross of the Order of Makarios III, the nation’s highest civilian award.
• Beyond bilateral cooperation, the visit highlighted Cyprus’s upcoming EU Council presidency (early 2026). Both leaders expressed optimism about concluding an India–EU Free Trade Agreement by year-end 2025, positioning Cyprus as a vital gateway for India into the European Union 

Proposed AC Temperature–Control Norms Build on 2018 Guidelines

In the News: On June 10–11, 2025, Union Power and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced new regulations for air conditioners in India, mandating that all new residential, commercial, and vehicle-installed AC units operate within a temperature band of 20 °C to 28 °C. The move aims to significantly reduce energy consumption and ease strain on the national power grid.

Key Points:

• The new norms establish 20 °C as the minimum and 28 °C as the maximum setpoint for cooling and heating on all new ACs—a revision from previous defaults of 16 °C to 30 °C—building on earlier government guidance that had recommended a default setting of 24 °C for indoor spaces in 2018 .
• Energy officials highlighted that each 1 °C increase in set temperature leads to approximately 6% energy savings, a change that could alleviate peak-load stress on the grid and reduce blackouts during heatwaves.
• Government estimates indicate that standardising AC settings across households, offices, malls, and vehicles could save consumers ₹18,000–20,000 crore over three years while cutting peak demand by an estimated 60 GW by 2035.
• The policy is being introduced alongside a ₹5,400 crore viability gap fund to support 30 GWh of battery storage projects—aimed at bolstering renewable energy usage and further stabilising the electricity system.
• This initiative marks the first time ACs used in vehicles and commercial spaces (other than room ACs) will fall under central energy-efficiency regulations 

Govt Notifies SEZ Reforms to Boost Semiconductor & Electronics Component Manufacturing

In the News: The Department of Commerce notified a set of amendments to the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) Rules, 2006, designed to facilitate semiconductor and electronic component manufacturing in India. These changes aim to relax land and operational requirements, spur high-tech investments, and strengthen the nation’s position in the global semiconductor value chain.

Key Points:

• Under the revised SEZ rules, the minimum contiguous land area requirement for zones exclusively dedicated to semiconductor or electronics component manufacturing has been reduced from 50 hectares to just 10 hectares, easing land acquisition for such high-tech projects.
• The government has amended rules to allow the SEZ Board of Approval to relax the requirement for encumbrance-free land in cases where parcels are mortgaged or leased to central or state authorities, simplifying financing and land-use arrangements.
• An update to customs valuation norms in SEZs—under the revised Rule 53—now permits units to include the value of free-of-cost goods received or supplied in their Net Foreign Exchange (NFE) calculations, enabling a more accurate assessment of export performance.
• Additionally, Rule 18 has been amended to permit semiconductor and electronics component manufacturing units in SEZs to sell products into the Domestic Tariff Area upon payment of applicable duties, thereby facilitating domestic linkages.
• These reforms are intended to attract pioneering investments, address the capital-intensive and import-dependent nature of semiconductor manufacturing, spur growth of the semiconductor ecosystem, and create high-skilled employment opportunities.
• Following these changes, the SEZ Board has approved proposals from Micron Semiconductor Technology India Pvt Ltd (MSTI) and Aequs Group, paving the way for new SEZs in Sanand, Gujarat, and Dharwad, Karnataka, respectively.
• Micron plans to invest ₹13,000 crore in a 6-hectare semiconductor SEZ in Sanand, while Aequs Group will invest ₹100 crore in an 11.55-hectare electronics components SEZ in Dharwad 

“No Kings” Protests: Why 5 Million People Took to Streets Against the Trump Administration

In the News: On June 14, 2025, the United States witnessed the largest coordinated anti-Trump protests since the start of his second presidency, as more than 5 million people gathered across over 2,000 cities and towns under the banner “No Kings” to oppose what they viewed as authoritarian policies and to reject the symbolism of Donald Trump’s 79th birthday military parade. 

Key Facts:

• Protesters in more than 2,100 locations raised slogans like “Let freedom ring! We don’t want a king!”, denouncing President Trump’s perceived authoritarian leanings, including aggressive ICE raids and rescheduling of a $45 million military parade to mark both the 79th birthday of the president and the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army.
• Although the majority of demonstrations were peaceful, isolated clashes occurred in several cities. Notably, Los Angeles authorities used tear gas and rubber bullets, and a person in Salt Lake City was critically injured in a shooting.
• The protests drew diverse coalitions, including the grassroots group 50501, civil rights advocates, elected leaders, and celebrities like Mark Ruffalo, Glenn Close, and Jimmy Kimmel, who publicly criticized Trump’s policies.
• Organizers deliberately avoided staging events in Washington, D.C., to contrast the spectacle of Trump’s parade with grassroots demonstrations nationwide. They termed the day a “Day of Defiance,” emphasizing unity and democratic values across communities.
• The protests were primarily fueled by disapproval of Trump’s hardline immigration enforcement, perceived dismantling of democratic institutions, and moves viewed as militaristic and monarchical—an outlook that participants believed endangered civil liberties and the rule of law . 

ISRO Conducts First Successful Rocket Launching Test with Payload in Uttar Pradesh

In the News: On June 14, 2025, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), in collaboration with private partner Thrust Tech India Limited and under the guidance of IN‑SPACe and the Astronautical Society of India, successfully conducted its first rocket launch test carrying a payload from Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh. This achievement marks the first time a satellite was launched via rocket from the soil of Uttar Pradesh.

Key Facts:

• The rocket lifted off at 5:14:33 PM and ascended to an altitude of approximately 1 km, at which point it deployed a small satellite payload.
• The payload successfully descended under a parachute and landed within a 400-metre radius of the designated drop zone, while the 15‑kg rocket also returned safely.
• This test served as part of the preparatory activities for the IN‑SPACe CANSAT and Model Rocketry India Student Competition 2024–25, with the main launch event scheduled for October–November 2025, expected to include around 900 student-built satellites.
• ISRO scientist Abhishek Singh and Thrust Tech India’s director Vinod Kumar confirmed the test’s success, emphasizing that it aims to generate interest in space technology among students and youth across India.