Daily Current Affairs- 19th June 2025

Daily Current Affairs- 19th June 2025

Centre Approves ₹2,006.40 Crore Assistance to Himachal Pradesh for 2023 Disaster Recovery
In the News: On June 18–19, 2025, a high-level committee chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah approved ₹2,006.40 crore in central aid to Himachal Pradesh. The package supports recovery and reconstruction following the devastating floods, landslides, and cloudbursts during the 2023 monsoon season .

Key Points:

• Total Aid Approved: ₹2,006.40 crore sanctioned for post-disaster relief and rebuilding efforts.
• Breakdown of Funds: ₹1,504.80 crore will be allocated under the National Disaster Response Fund’s Recovery and Reconstruction Window; this follows an earlier ₹633.73 crore approved on December 12, 2023.
• Damage Overview: July–August 2023 saw heavy monsoon rains and cloudbursts across HP, resulting in extensive flooding, landslides, and infrastructure damage; official loss estimates run into the thousands of crores.
• Key Committee Members: The aid package was approved by a committee including the Home, Finance, and Agriculture Ministers, along with the NITI Aayog Vice-Chairperson.
• Political Reactions: BJP leaders—including Amit Shah and J.P. Nadda—praised the move, calling it crucial relief support, while the Congress-led state government described the funds as inadequate relative to estimated losses.
• Wider Relief Efforts: The same committee also approved ₹1,658.17 crore for Uttarakhand (Joshimath subsidence response) and ₹555.27 crore for Sikkim (2023 GLOF incident). Additionally, ₹7,253.51 crore was earmarked for mitigation projects across multiple states targeting urban floods, landslides, forest fires, lightning, drought, and GLOFs.
• Complementary Funds: This central aid supplements ₹20,264.40 crore released under SDRF and ₹5,160.76 crore under NDRF during the 2024–25 financial year, along with mitigation funds under SDMF and NDMF 

Operation Sindhu: India Evacuates Nationals from Conflict-Hit Iran

In the News: On June 18 & 19, 2025, India launched Operation Sindhu to evacuate Indian nationals—primarily students—from areas affected by the Iran–Israel conflict. The first batch of 110 students safely returned to Delhi after being moved through Armenia and Qatar.

Key Points:

• Launch & Coordination: Initiated on June 18, the operation is led by India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), with missions in Tehran, Yerevan, and Doha coordinating logistics.
• Evacuation Route: Students were escorted from northern Iran (Urmia) to Armenia, flew out from Yerevan on June 18–19 via chartered flights, and landed in New Delhi under supervision.
• Scale of Operation: Nearly 1,000 Indians are being evacuated across three special flights from Mashhad, Iran, amid Iran's decision to open its airspace to facilitate the mission.
• MEA Support Systems: A 24×7 control room and helpline have been set up in Tehran and New Delhi to assist nationals with registration, travel logistics, and ongoing evacuations.
• Safety Risks: Operation Sindhu was launched in response to missile strikes, drone attacks, internet shutdowns, and power outages—some students reported seeing missiles fall near their dormitories.
• Government Messaging: MEA emphasized “highest priority” was being given to citizen safety, expressing gratitude to Iran and Armenia for supporting the evacuation.
• Expansion to Israel: Citing growing volatility, New Delhi extended the operation to include evacuation from Israel. Citizens opting to leave are being transferred via land to neighbouring countries, then flown back to India.
• Comparative Context: Operation Sindhu mirrors previous efforts—such as Operation Ganga that evacuated students from Ukraine in 2022—highlighting India’s proactive crisis response 

GDP Base Year Revised to 2022–23

In the News: On June 19, 2025, the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation (MoSPI) announced that India's GDP base year—along with other macro indicators—will be updated. The current base year of 2011–12 will shift to 2022–23, with the revised GDP series set for release on February 27, 2026.

Key Points:

• Updated Benchmarks: GDP base year moves from 2011–12 to 2022–23. IIP base year will also switch to 2022–23, and CPI (Consumer Price Index) to 2023–24, aligning with recent expenditure surveys.
• Release Timeline: Revised GDP and CPI data will be published starting early 2026, with GDP data on February 27, 2026.
• Rationale for Revision: Reflects economic structural changes: Indian economy has shifted from agrarian to services/digital-led over the past decade. Ensures accurate inflation adjustments and measures real growth, keeping stats aligned with UN/IMF guidelines. Enhances credibility and comparability of macro‑economic data internationally, thereby supporting investor confidence.
• Why 2022–23: Though past attempts to use 2017–18 as a base were thwarted by GST/demonetisation distortions and unreliable survey data, 2022–23 is deemed more stable. Critics note FY23’s high growth rate (~7.2 %) could skew the base, and that household consumption survey data uses now‑old 2011 Census sampling.
• Historical Context – This will mark India’s eighth GDP rebasing, with previous updates typically every ~7–11 years—including the shift from 2004–05 to 2011–12 in 2015. Global parallels: Ghana (2010) and Nigeria (2014) rebased to reflect expanding services and digital sectors.
• Economic Outlook Amid Revision: India remains the world’s fastest‑growing major economy, with FY25 GDP growth at 5 % and 7.4 % in Q4.Moody’s and other analysts project Brexit‑revised growth of around 6.3–6.4 % for FY26 amid global headwinds.

 

51st G7 Summit 2025 – Countries, Key Issues & India’s Role

In the News: The 51st G7 Summit was held from June 15–17, 2025, in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada, under the presidency of Canadian PM Mark Carney, focusing on protecting communities, building energy and digital security, and forming future partnerships .

G7 Members & Invitees:

• Core members: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, the US (+EU as participant).
• Invitees: India, Australia, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, Ukraine, with Indonesia initially invited then withdrawing.

Key Issues Discussed:

• Israel–Iran & Ukraine Crises: Leaders affirmed Israel’s right to self-defence and labelled Iran a primary source of regional instability; Russia–Ukraine debate was strained with no consensus on a joint statement. Zelenskiy secured C$2 billion in Canadian aid but faced opposition from the US.
• Trade & Tariffs: With ongoing US trade tensions, a US‑UK trade pact was announced; broader USMCA adjustments remained unresolved
• AI & Tech Governance: Canada advanced AI ethics frameworks (Hiroshima Code, OECD guidelines). Commitments included human-centric AI, public–private AI adoption, countering deepfakes, and supporting digital infrastructure globally. India emphasized responsible AI and showcased UPI/Aadhaar as models.
• Critical Minerals & Clean Energy: Launch of a Critical Minerals Action Plan; emphasis on recycling, responsible sourcing, and partnerships in Global South.
• Wildfire & Disasters: Adoption of the Kananaskis Wildfire Charter to enhance cooperation on forecasting, response, and prevention.
• Transnational Threats: Pledge to develop frameworks to combat foreign interference, migrant smuggling, and other cross-border crimes.
• India’s Participation & Role:
  • PM Modi attended as an outreach partner—his 12th invite and sixth summit since 2003.
  • Engaged in outreach sessions: Addressed energy security, highlighting diversification, technology, and Infrastructure.
  • Held bilateral meetings with Canada, Germany, Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, and Ukraine. 

India Emerges as Third‑Largest Power Generator Globally: IEA Report

In the News: On June 19 and 20, 2025, the International Energy Agency (IEA) released its World Energy Investment 2025 report, which revealed that over the past five years, India has recorded the global third-largest growth in power generation capacity, trailing only behind China and the United States.

Key Points:

• Rapid Capacity Growth: India ranks third worldwide in increase of electricity generation capacity during the past five years.
• Surging Demand: Expansion is driven by rising residential and commercial power use—particularly from air conditioners, appliances, and industrial activities.
• Clean‑Energy Push: Over the period, clean energy—especially solar PV—made up more than half of non‑fossil capacity investments. In 2024 alone, 83 % of power‑sector investments went into clean energy.
• DFI Funding Leader: India received approximately USD 2.4 billion in development‑finance‑institution funding in 2024 to expand clean energy generation.
• Rising FDI Flows: Foreign direct investment in the power sector reached about USD 5 billion in 2023, nearly double the pre‑pandemic level.
• Coal Still Dominant: Despite investment surges, coal continues to meet around two‑thirds of India’s energy demand; fossil fuels still dominate the energy mix.
• Non‑Fossil Share: Non‑fossil generation capacity now stands at roughly 44 % as of 2024—moving India closer to its 2030 target of 50 % non‑fossil energy . 

India Ranks 71st in WEF Energy Transition Index 2025 Despite Efficiency Gains

In the News: On June 18, 2025, the World Economic Forum (WEF), in partnership with Accenture, published its Fostering Effective Energy Transition 2025 report. India slipped from 63rd in 2024 to 71st out of 118 countries .

Key Points:

• Rank Decline: India moved down eight places, landing at 71st globally.
• Overall Score: India scored 3—with a system performance sub-score of 60.4 and transition readiness at 42.7.
• Efficiency Gains: Strong progress in reducing energy intensity and methane (CH₄) emissions have been noted.
• Clean Energy Investment: Enhanced regulatory framework and increased financing for renewables have contributed to improved investment capacity.
• Access and Equity: Significant strides made in expanding energy and clean fuel access across regions.
• Persistent Challenges: Despite the gains, India still faces hurdles in energy security, grid reliability, dependence on imported fuels, and rural energy access.
• Global Context: The ETI rose by 1.1% YoY—the fastest since pre-COVID—though energy security remains the weakest dimension globally. Top-ranked countries include Sweden, Finland, and Denmark