China, Pakistan and Bangladesh Hold First Trilateral Meeting
China, Pakistan and Bangladesh held their first trilateral meeting involving senior foreign ministry officials and discussed ways to boost cooperation. The meeting took place in Kunming, the capital of China's southern Yunnan province.
This was the second trilateral dialogue that China launched in India's neighbourhood, following a similar meeting between the Foreign Ministers of China, Pakistan and Afghanistan last month (May 2025).
The meeting in Kunming was attended by China's Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong, Bangladesh's Acting Foreign Secretary Ruhul Alam Siddique and Pakistan's Additional Foreign Secretary Imran Ahmed Siddiqui. Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch took part in the first part of the discussions by video link.
Global Peace Index 2025
The Global Peace Index (GPI) 2025, now in its 19th edition, remains the world's leading measure of national and regional peacefulness. Developed by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), the index offers invaluable insight into the peacefulness of 163 countries, covering 99.7% of the global population. In a world experiencing an uptick in geopolitical instability, the GPI serves as a crucial indicator of current global trends in conflict, safety, and militarisation.
The Global Peace Index is an annual quantitative analysis that evaluates peace based on 23 indicators across three main domains:
Societal Safety and Security
Ongoing Domestic and International Conflict
Degree of Militarisation
Top 10 Most Peaceful Countries in 2025 are: Iceland, Ireland, New Zealand, Austria, Switzerland, Singapore, Portugal, Denmark, Slovenia and Finland.
Iceland has retained its position as the world's most peaceful country since 2008, credited to its low crime rates, stable politics, and lack of military forces.
Hindustan Construction MD Jaspreet Bhullar Resigns
Hindustan Construction Company Limited announced that its Managing Director and Chief Executive Jaspreet Bhullar quit with immediate effect.
Bhullar was appointed as the Chief Executive of the company in 2023 and given a five year term. He had joined the company from the Brookfield-run Multiplex Constructions India.
Jeffrey Mark Overly New Chairman of Auto Parts Maker Sona Comstar
The board of directors of Sona Comstar appointed Jeffrey Mark Overly as the Chairman of the company. Overly has served as an independent Director of the company since February 2021.
The appointment follows the death of Sunjay Kapur, Chairman and Non-Executive Director of the auto parts maker. The Gurugram-based component maker supplies gears, rotator shafts, starter motors and steering components to India's passenger and commercial vehicle industry.
India's North-east to Pioneer Vegan Leather Manufacturing with CSIR & NECTAR Pact
In a step towards promoting sustainable technologies and circular economy in India's North-east, the CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (CSIR-NIIST), Thiruvananthapuram, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the North East Centre for Technology Application and Reach (NECTAR), an autonomous body under the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India.
The MoU facilitates the transfer of CSIR-NIIST's plant-based vegan leather technology to NECTAR for establishing common facility centres and manufacturing units in Meghalaya and other north-eastern states. These centres will support farmers, MSMEs, and women- led self-help groups in converting agro-waste into high-value sustainable products.
The MoU was exchanged between Dr. C. Anandharamakrishnan, Director, CSIR-NIIST, and Dr. Arun Kumar Sarma, Director, NECTAR, in the presence of Dr. N. Kalaiselvi, Director General, CSIR, during a formal ceremony held at CSIR Headquarters, New Delhi.
Jasprit Bumrah Becomes First Asian to Claim 150 Test Wickets in SENA Countries
India's pace sensation Jasprit Bumrah etched his name in cricket history by becoming the first Asian bowler to take 150 Test wickets in SENA countries (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia). The milestone came during the Test against England at Headingley, where Bumrah bagged a five-wicket haul and further cemented his stature as one of the finest fast bowlers of the modern era.
Srikanth Kidambi Leads India in US Open 2025
Former world No. 1 Srikanth Kidambi is leading India's charge at the US Open 2025 badminton tournament, which is being held in Iowa, United States, from June 24 to 29, 2025.
The 2025 U.S. Open is officially known as the Yonex US Open 2025 for sponsorship reasons.
MoPR Partners with IIM Ahmedabad to Train Panchayats in Generating Own Source Revenue
The Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR), under the banner of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, launched a comprehensive Training of Trainers (ToT) programme aimed at strengthening the financial autonomy of Panchayats. The inaugurated at the Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA), New Delhi, focuses on enhancing the capacity of Panchayats to generate their Own Source Revenue (OSR). This initiative is being implemented under the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad.
India to Conduct First Comprehensive Household Income Survey in 2026
In a step to bridge critical data gaps in the Indian economy, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) announced that the National Sample Survey (NSS) will undertake its first full-fledged Household Income Survey in 2026. The initiative aims to generate detailed insights into income distribution and assess the impact of structural changes in the Indian economy over the last 75 years.
Since its inception in 1950, the NSS has built a global reputation for its wide-ranging and methodically rigorous household surveys, conducted on an annual and quarterly basis.
PM Modi Chairs 47th Meeting of PMML Society, Unveils Vision for 'Museum Map of India'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired the 47th Annual General Meeting of the Prime Ministers Museum and Library (PMML) Society at Teen Murti Bhawan, New Delhi. Emphasising the vital role of museums in connecting people with history, the Prime Minister outlined a comprehensive vision for the future of India's museum landscape.
The Prime Minister proposed the creation of a "Museum Map of India," a visionary initiative aimed at offering a unified cultural and informational platform showcasing museums across the country.
Drone technology firm ideaForge Technology secured an order worth about Rs. 137 crore for hybrid mini unmanned aerial vehicles systems from the Indian Army through the emergency procurement route.
According to ideaForge, a key requirement during the assessment for the selection of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) was that all critical sub-components must be sourced from non-border-sharing nations, and that the platform be substantially indigenous in capability and design.
India Largest Unmanned Submarine
Krishna Defence and Allied Industries Ltd (KDAIL) marked a historic milestone with a ceremonial plate-cutting event at its Halol facility in Gujarat, signalling the start of construction for India's largest and most advanced Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV), the Jalkapi Extra-Large Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (XLUUV). This ambitious project, spearheaded by the Indian Navy, represents a significant leap toward self-reliance in cutting-edge defence technology.
The Jalkapi, designed by the Indian Navy's Directorate of Naval Design — Submarine Design Group (DND-SDG), is a collaborative effort involving KDAIL, Rekise Marine, and Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL). The project underscores India's growing expertise in autonomous underwater systems and its commitment to bolstering maritime defence capabilities.
Vladimir Mestvirishvili, the Georgian Coach Who Devoted His Life to Indian Wrestling Passes Away
Vladimir Mestvirishvili, the legendary wrestling coach who devoted his life to Indian wrestling and had a hand in five of the six men's Olympic medals, passed away.
Twice Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar, bronze winners Yogeshwar Dutt and Bajrang Punia, and Tokyo Games silver medallist Ravi Dahiya were all his products. Vladimir also coached World Championship medallists like Deepak Punia in his early years.
Former India Spinner Dilip Doshi Passes Away
Dilip Doshi, former India spinner, passed away at the age of 77.
Doshi made his India debut in 1979 following the retirement of the legendary Bishan Singh Bed and made his final appearance in the format in 1983. He played 33 matches and took 114 wickets with six five-wicket hauls. He also played 15 matches in the ODI format, between 1980 and 1982, picking 22 wickets at 23.81.
In a move that has left authors, publishers, and readers stunned, the JCB Prize for Literature, India's most prestigious and highest-paying literary award, was officially discontinued. Established in 2018 by the JCB Literature Foundation, the award carried a Rs. 25 lakh cash prize for the best work of fiction by an Indian author, including translated works. The announcement, which came without a formal public statement, was confirmed, following the cancellation of the foundation's license.
IIM Kozhikode and Emeritus jointly launched a Commerce Senior Management Programme to equip leaders with AI, strategy, and digital transformation skills. It is designed for senior professionals aiming to elevate their leadership capabilities and gain a well-rounded perspective across finance, strategy, and digital transformation.
The programme is also eligible for mid-level managers aspiring to step into senior roles by expanding their strategic and people leadership skills.
This 12-month program, commencing on June 28, 2025, combines online learning with live sessions featuring esteemed faculty from IIM Kozhikode and industry experts.
Tripura Third State to Achieve Full Literacy
Tripura was declared fully literate under the 'ULLAS – Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram (New India Literacy Programme)', a centrally sponsored scheme implemented from 2022 to 2027.
Tripura CM Manik Saha said that Tripura had become the third state in the country — after Mizoram and Goa — to achieve full literacy, with the literacy rate soaring to 95.6%, a remarkable leap from just 20.24% in 1961.
He credited this achievement to the successful implementation of the ULLAS programme, in line with the vision of the National Education Policy-2020.
The official declaration was made at Rabindra Satabarshiki Bhawan, Agartala, in the presence of distinguished dignitaries from the Centre and the state.
Oliveboard Wins 'Outstanding Digital Test Preparation Solution Provider' at Education Excellence Awards 2025
Online exam preparation platform Oliveboard was recognised as the 'Outstanding Digital Test Preparation Solution Provider' at the prestigious ET Education Excellence Awards 2025, presented by The Economic Times. This recognition acknowledges Oliveboard's exceptional contribution to the digital learning landscape, particularly in the field of government competitive exam preparation.
This award is a testament to Oliveboard's commitment to inclusivity and accessibility in the competitive exam preparation landscape.
President Murmu Receives Second Volume of 'Wings to Our Hopes' and 'Aashaon Ki Udaan'
President Droupadi Murmu was presented with the first copies of the second volume of the books 'Wings to Our Hopes' and 'Aashaon Ki Udaan' at a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The books were officially released by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre, in the presence of Minister of Information & Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw and Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting L. Murugan.
These volumes, published by the Directorate of Publications Division under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, comprise a collection of 51 selected speeches delivered by President Murmu during her second year in office.