Daily Current Affairs- 21sth June 2025

Daily Current Affairs- 21st June 2025

MDNIY Launches ‘Yoga Bandhan’ to Strengthen Global Unity Before IDY 2025

In the News: On June 17, 2025, the Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga (MDNIY), under the Ministry of AYUSH, launched ‘Yoga Bandhan’, one of the 10 Signature Events ahead of International Day of Yoga (IDY) 2025. The initiative promotes global unity and cultural diplomacy through shared yoga practice, positioning yoga as a medium for international collaboration and peace.

Key Points:

• Campaign Launch: MDNIY inaugurated ‘Yoga Bandhan’ on June 17, 2025, as a prelude to the 10th International Day of Yoga observed on June 21. The initiative uses the concept of ‘Bandhan’ (bond) to foster unity across borders
• Global Participation: Yoga ambassadors and practitioners from 15 countries participated in the event in Delhi, featuring global cultural exchange and academic dialogue around yoga.
• Institutional Collaboration: Indian Embassies, cultural bodies, and yoga institutions worldwide are collaborating to host workshops, demonstrations, and seminars, reinforcing cross-border institutional ties.
• Leadership Support: Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary of the Ministry of AYUSH, highlighted India’s role in global wellness and cited that approx. 95% of Indians are aware of AYUSH, with around 35% practicing yoga.
• Digital Engagement: The campaign encourages participants to share photos and videos using the #YogaBandhan hashtag, expanding its digital footprint.
• Soft Power & Cultural Diplomacy: As part of India's broader strategy, ‘Yoga Bandhan’ reinforces the Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam philosophy—'the world is one family'—while promoting people-to-people ties and inclusivity.

India Moves to ‘One Nation, One Time’

In the News: On June 18, 2025, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi announced the government’s intention to make Indian Standard Time (IST) the sole mandatory time reference for all legal, commercial, digital, and administrative functions across India. The policy, known as “One Nation, One Time,” aims to enhance national coordination, improve cybersecurity, and eliminate discrepancies brought on by multiple time sources.

Key Points:

• Policy Launch: Declared by Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, the One Nation, One Time initiative will be enforced under the Legal Metrology (Indian Standard Time) Rules, 2025.
• Scope & Coverage: IST will be the exclusive reference for all sectors—banks, stock exchanges, telecom, transportation, utilities, SEBI, and critical infrastructure. The use of alternate time sources like GPS will be forbidden, unless specifically authorized.
• Cybersecurity & Synchronization: The move aims to tackle time spoofing, enhance integrity of financial transactions, billing, and timestamping in logs and communications, while safeguarding against cyber vulnerabilities.
• Infrastructure Setup: The government is establishing five Regional Reference Standard Laboratories (Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, Faridabad, Guwahati) equipped with atomic clocks and synchronizing via NTP/PTP networks supported by CSIR-NPL and ISRO.
• Digital Sovereignty: Mandating IST aligns with the Atmanirbhar Bharat vision, strengthening India’s digital autonomy and reducing reliance on foreign time references.
• Stakeholder Engagement: A roundtable with over 100 representatives from telecom, banking, railways, and utilities was held to ensure industry readiness and seamless transition . 

Yoga Sangam 2025: India Gears Up for a Historic International Day of Yoga

In the News: On June 21, 2025, the Ministry of AYUSH will lead Yoga Sangam 2025, the flagship event of the 11th International Day of Yoga (IDY), uniting participants at over 100,000 locations nationwide and globally. Led by PM Narendra Modi from Visakhapatnam, the event aims to amplify thematic focus: “Yoga for One Earth, One Health”, celebrating a decade of mass yoga with synchronized wellness practices and international outreach.

Key Points:

• Event Scale: Yoga Sangam 2025 will feature a synchronized Common Yoga Protocol (CYP) session on June 21, 2025, from 6:30 AM to 7:45 AM, held at more than 1 lakh locations, including schools, workplaces, and community spaces.
• Record Participation: Registrations have surpassed four lakh institutional groups, with over 50,000 organizations already committed and millions expected to take part.
• Leadership & Outreach: The central ceremony in Visakhapatnam will be led by PM Modi, supported by state leaders and 100+ global embassies curating events abroad, reinforcing India’s cultural diplomacy and global wellness messaging.
• Unified Theme: IDY 2025 carries the banner “Yoga for One Earth, One Health”, highlighting the convergence of personal wellness with planetary sustainability—a message that resonates with India’s G20 ethos of One Earth, One Family, One Future.
• Signature Events: Yoga Sangam is one of 10 Signature Events identified by the Ministry of AYUSH (including Yoga Bandhan, Yoga Park, Yoga Samavesh) each tailored to amplify yoga’s reach, impact, and inclusivity. 

Indian Funds in Swiss Banks Triple in 2024, Driven by Financial Institutions

In the News: On June 19, 2025, the Swiss National Bank (SNB) released its annual data revealing that Indian-linked funds in Swiss banks more than tripled in 2024, rising from CHF 1.04 billion in 2023 to CHF 3.54 billion (~₹37,600 crore), marking a dramatic rebound.

Key Points:

• Overall Surge: Total liabilities towards Indian clients in Swiss banks increased from CHF 1.04 billion in 2023 to 54 billion in 2024, the highest since 2021.
• Institutional Drivers: The sharp rise was largely due to inflows via banks and other financial institutions, not direct individual deposits.
• Individual Deposits: These rose modestly by 11%, reaching CHF 346 million (~₹3,675 crore), and accounted for just 10% of the total Indian-linked funds.
• Portfolio Breakdown: Holdings include CHF 3.02 billion via other banks, CHF 41 million in trusts, and CHF 135 million in bonds and other instruments.
• Global Rank: India moved up to 48th place globally in foreign client funds held in Swiss banks, compared to 67th in 2023.
• Black Money Claims: Swiss authorities emphasize that these figures do not automatically indicate illicit funds and stress their cooperation with India in tax transparency via automatic information exchange.
• BIS Data: Complementary BIS data, which tracks non-bank individual deposits, also showed a modest 6% rise, totaling USD 74.8 million (~₹650 crore) in 2024. 

India Ranks 13th Globally in Investment Curiosity

In the News: According to a new analysis by Broker Chooser, India secured the 13th position globally in online investment curiosity in 2024, driven primarily by growing interest in the stock market and cryptocurrencies, especially among young retail investors.

Key Points:

• Global Ranking: India scored 2,629 investment-related searches per million people per month, placing it 13th worldwide in terms of online investment interest.
• Top Search Categories: The most searched investment terms were stocks (1,138 searches), followed by forex (625), crypto (501), and general investing tips (259).
• Youth-Driven Trend: The surge in search activity is largely attributed to younger Indians, who are increasingly exploring retail investing avenues beyond traditional assets like real estate and gold.
• Comparative Strength: India’s interest in stock investing is four times higher than South Africa’s and over 50% more than Malaysia’s search volume in the same category.
• Top Performers: Countries leading the investment curiosity ranking include Australia, Singapore, and Kenya, placing ahead of India in per-capita online searches.
• Platform Influence: The rise is also fueled by increased usage of mobile trading apps, systematic investment plans (SIPs), and investment education shared via social media influencers.

Islam’s Fordow Nuclear Facility

In the News: On June 19, 2025, escalating tensions between Israel and Iran led to intensified scrutiny of Iran’s Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant, a deeply buried uranium enrichment facility near Qom. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed Fordow remains undamaged by recent airstrikes, whilst analysts warn that only a U.S. GBU‑57 “bunker-buster” bomb could breach its deep fortifications.

Key Points:

• Hidden Underground: Fordow is located approximately 80–90 m underground, beneath a mountain near Qom. Initially built under an IRGC missile base, it was later converted to a uranium enrichment site in 2009.
• Enrichment Activity: Originally used to enrich uranium up to 5%, Fordow was repurposed for higher enrichment after 2019, producing up to 7% U‑235, nearing weapons-grade levels.
• JCPOA Context: Under the 2015 nuclear deal, Iran agreed to cease enrichment at Fordow. However, it resumed enrichment clandestinely post‑2019, including adding new centrifuge cascades.
• Strategic Target: Israel’s June 13–15, 2025 air campaign targeted several Iranian sites including Natanz and Isfahan. Fordow remains intact due to its depth, posing a challenge that appears to require S. GBU‑57 bunker-buster bombs.
• Destruction Challenges: The GBU‑57 MOP is the only conventional munition capable of penetrating Fordow, but its use would escalate regional conflict and risks civilian fallout.
• IAEA Monitoring: Fordow remains under IAEA monitoring, though access has been limited since Iran suspended the Additional Protocol. Its strategic fortified status raises proliferation and security concerns.
• Escalation Risk: The possible use of U.S. bunker-busters or unilateral Israeli strike on Fordow could trigger wider military confrontation in the Middle 56East.

UK Parliament Passes Assisted Dying Bill

In the News: On June 20, 2025, the UK House of Commons passed the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill by a narrow margin of 314–291, marking a historic shift in public policy. The bill, which now heads to the House of Lords, would legalize assisted dying for mentally competent, terminally ill adults in England and Wales with a life expectancy of six months or less.

Key Points:

• Parliamentary Vote & Details: MPs voted 314 in favour and 291 against, allowing terminally ill adults to receive medical assistance to die, subject to approval by two doctors and an oversight panel that includes legal and mental health professionals.
• Free Vote & Leadership Position: The Labour government under Keir Starmer remained neutral, with a free vote allowed; Starmer personally voted in support. The bill was introduced by MP Kim Leadbeater.
• Safeguards & Amendments: Key amendments include mental capacity checks, reflection periods, and safeguards against coercion. However, critics argue that judicial oversight has been diluted and protections for the vulnerable remain insufficient.
• Support vs Opposition: Trial advocates argue the law provides dignity and compassionate choice, while opponents—including faith groups, disability rights activists, and some healthcare professionals—warn of risks to vulnerable groups and potential ethical erosion.

 

FRA Cells Setup to Facilitate Forest Rights Act

In the News:  In June 2025, the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs approved the creation of 324 district-level and 17 state-level FRA Cells under the Dharti Aba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyaan (DAJGUA). This marks the first time the Centre has directly funded administrative units to fast-track the implementation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006.

Key Points:

• New Administrative Units: FRA Cells are facilitation bodies established at district and state levels to support tribal claimants and Gram Sabhas with documentation, claim filing, and data management.
• Coverage & Funding: Sanctioned across 18 States/UTs, each district cell receives ₹8.67 lakh, while each state cell gets ₹25.85 lakh, funded centrally under DAJGUA.
• Operational Role: These cells assist with paperwork, evidence collection, Gram Sabha resolutions, land demarcation, village revenue classification, and digital record-keeping—without overruling statutory bodies like Gram Sabhas or DLCs.
• Pendency Reduction: Aimed at expediting disposal of FRA claims—14.45% of 51.11 lakh across 21 states remain pending—with top installations in high-pendency areas such as Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Assam, and Jharkhand.
• Policy Shift: This marks a significant shift in central government role from advisory (training, fund disbursement) to active implementation, reflecting renewed commitment to forest rights delivery.