UN Member Countries Finalise the Compromiso de Savilla Outcome Document
UN Member States reached agreement on the outcome document for the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, to be formally adopted at an upcoming summit in Sevilla, Spain – though without the participation of the United States, which withdrew from the negotiations and announced it will not attend the conference.
Member States at UN Headquarters endorsed the finalised outcome document, known as the Compromiso de Sevilla (the Seville Commitment), following months of intensive intergovernmental negotiations. It is intended as the cornerstone of a renewed global framework for financing sustainable development, particularly amid a widening $4 trillion annual financing gap faced by developing countries.
Ambani Heirs Dominate India's Under-40 Wealth Icons List 2025
In a report titled '360 ONE Wealth Creators List', launched jointly by 360 ONE Wealth (WAM) and CRISIL, India's top 143 active wealth creators under 40 were profiled. Leading the list are Aakash, Anant, and Isha Ambani, with other notable young entrepreneurs like Nikhil Kamath (Zerodha) and Bhavish Aggarwal (Ola Electric) also featuring prominently.
In a major relief to banks and financial institutions, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) eased final norms on provisioning for project finance loans. Under the revised guidelines, the provisioning requirement for under-construction project loans has been reduced to 1%, significantly lower than the 5% proposed in the draft norms issued in May 2024. These new norms will come into effect from October 1, 2025.
The RBI's latest move reflects its consultative approach under Governor Sanjay Malhotra and aims to ease credit flow for infrastructure and commercial projects, which are critical to economic growth. The change is particularly significant given the high concerns voiced by banks over earlier, tighter draft regulations.
NPCI Introduces Real Time PAN-bank Account Validation on income Tax Portal
The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) launched a new facility to streamline Permanent Account Number (PAN) and bank account validation on the income tax e-filing website. This aims to speed up and simplify the process for taxpayers and government departments.
NPCI introduced a new Application Programming Interface (API) designed to enable real-time verification of PAN details, bank account status, and account holder identity. The data will be verified directly from the Core Banking Systems (CBS) of banks.
An API is a software bridge that allows two systems to communicate and share data. In this case, the API will allow government platforms such as the income tax portal to fetch validation details securely and instantly from a bank's internal systems.
HAL Wins Deal to Manufacture and Commercialise SSLV Launches
In a development for India's space sector, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) secured a Rs. 511 crore Transfer of Technology (ToT) deal from ISRO to manufacture and commercialise Small Satellite Launch Vehicles (SSLVs). The announcement was made by IN-SPACe, the national space promotion agency, following a rigorous bidding and evaluation process. This move marks a significant leap in the commercialisation of India's space capabilities.
HAL emerged as the winning bidder among three shortlisted contenders for the SSLV ToT programme.
HAL will manufacture at least two SSLVs with ISRO's support before independently producing them.
Paralympic Committee of India Unveils Logo, Mascot for New Delhi World Para Athletics Championship
The logo and mascot for the New Delhi 2025 World Para Athletics Championships was launched along with the launch of the '100 Days to Go' countdown. The event was hosted by the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI).
The newly-revealed mascot named Viraaj is a spirited young elephant with a blade prosthesis is a tribute to strength, optimism, and resilience, while the logo captures India's rich heritage, the spirit of para athletics, and the vibrancy of New Delhi as host city.
The Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) announced Kangana Ranaut, MP, who is an actor-turned-politician, was appointed as the Brand Ambassador of the New Delhi 2025 World Para Athletics Championships.
The New Delhi 2025 World Para Athletics Championships, will take place from September 27 to October 5, 2025. It will be the 12th edition of the World Para Athletics Championships and the largest Para sport event ever held in India.
Ministry of Information & Broadcasting Launches Badalta BharatMera Anubhav Campaign
To celebrate over a decade of transformative governance under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, in collaboration with MyGov, launched a nationwide creative campaign titled 'Badalta Bharat Mera Anubhav.' The initiative invites citizens from all walks of life to participate and win exciting prizes across five unique creative challenges, all of which will close on July 9.
TTDF Symposium 2025 Concludes Successfully
The Telecom Technology Development Fund (TTDF) Symposium 2025, was successfully organised by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) under the Ministry of Communications from June 19 to 21, 2025 at the IIT Madras Research Park, Chennai. The three-day event provided a platform for fund beneficiaries to come together, explore synergies, and identify collaborative pathways to advance their R&D efforts—ensuring not only successful outcomes but also broader benefits for the entire innovation ecosystem.
The symposium witnessed participation from over 500+ stakeholders, including Principal Investigators of ongoing TTDF-funded R&D projects, senior officials from DoT, Bharat 6G Alliance, TSDSI, C-DoT, COAI, and leading telecom companies.
Renowned environmentalist, author, and Padma Shri awardee Maruti Chitampalli, fondly remembered as 'Aranya Rishi' (Sage of the Forests), passed away at the age of 93. A former forest officer and conservationist par excellence, Chitampalli was a revered figure in India's environmental movement, known for blending scientific research, wildlife preservation, and regional literature to inspire generations.
World Rainforest Day, observed annually on June 22 worldwide, is dedicated to protecting, preserving, and conserving rainforests for future generations.
Initiated by the Rainforest Partnership in 2017, World Rainforest Day celebrates the importance of maintaining healthy, intact rainforests for climate stability, biodiversity preservation, cultural heritage, and sustainable livelihoods. It serves as a global platform to promote efforts in safeguarding and restoring these vital environments.
Indian Animated Film Desi Oon Wins Jury Award at Annecy 2025
Indian animation film Desi Oon, directed by acclaimed animator Suresh Eriyat, clinched the Jury Award for Best Commissioned Film at the Annecy International Animation Festival 2025, the world's most prestigious event in the animation industry. The film, rooted in Indian culture and visual storytelling, has also swept several other awards globally, positioning India as a rising force in the Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC-XR) sector.
Prof M. Satish Kumar Appointed First Dean of Queen's University Belfast's GIFT City Campus
Queen's University Belfast (QUB) appointed Prof M. Satish Kumar as first dean of its new campus in Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City).
Prof Kumar will take up the role in July 2025 and will be based in the new GIFT City campus, which will commence admissions for its first batch of students in early 2026.
Prior to this appointment, Prof Kumar was in the School of Natural and Built Environment at QUB for over 25 years. He was previously the Director of Queen's Academy India and of Internationalisation, playing a pivotal role in enhancing the University's global presence in South Asia.
Saudia Wins Best Airline Staff Service Award at 2025 Skytrak Awards
Saudia, the national carrier of Saudi Arabia, was awarded 'Best Airline Staff Service' at the 2025 Skytrax World Airline Awards, held during the 56th edition of the Paris Air Show at the Air and Space Museum.
Saudia won the best the 'Best Airline Staff Service' at 2025 Skytrax Awards.
This award highlights the exceptional performance and unwavering dedication of Saudia's frontline teams across all stages of the passenger journey.