Current Affairs Quiz – June 2025

Notes:
India’s first underwater museum and artificial coral reef will be created around the decommissioned warship Indian Naval Ship (INS) Guldar near Nivati Rocks in Sindhudurg district, Maharashtra. The project was virtually inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Maharashtra with strong support from the central government. It aims to promote marine conservation and tourism, offering activities like scuba diving and submarine tours in the future. INS Guldar, a 1,120-ton ship decommissioned in January 2024, has been handed over to Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation.

Notes:
A drift and oil spill advisory was recently issued by Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) after a fire broke out on a container ship off the Kerala coast. INCOIS also activated its Search and Rescue Aid Tool (SARAT) to monitor the possible drift of containers and debris. SARAT was developed by Earth System Science Organization (ESSO)-INCOIS under the Ministry of Earth Sciences. It was created as part of the Make in India program to support quick search and rescue of people or vessels in distress at sea.

Notes:
The Indian Navy and the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom conducted a Passage Exercise (PASSEX) in the North Arabian Sea on June 9 and 10, 2025. India deployed INS Tabar, a stealth frigate, along with a submarine and P-8I maritime patrol aircraft. The United Kingdom’s Carrier Strike Group included HMS Prince of Wales and frigate HMS Richmond. The naval drill involved helicopter coordination, tactical manoeuvres, anti-submarine warfare, and officer exchanges. This shows deepening defence ties and shared commitment to maritime security.

Notes:
India recently marked the ninth anniversary of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), launched in 2016. Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) is a welfare scheme by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas to provide clean cooking fuel. It offers deposit-free LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) connections to adult women from poor households. The scheme has become the world’s largest clean energy program for households. As of March 1, 2025, it has benefited 10.33 crore families, especially women in rural and poor areas. The International Energy Agency (IEA) called it a major achievement with broad economic and social impact.

Notes:
The 8th edition of Exercise Shakti-2025 is scheduled to take place from 18th June to 1st July at La Cavalerie in France. It is a joint military exercise between India and France aimed at enhancing joint military capabilities. The focus is on conducting multi-domain operations in sub-conventional scenarios. The Indian Army stated that the exercise will build interoperability, bonhomie and camaraderie between the two armies. Both sides will share best practices in tactics, techniques and procedures.

Notes:
Israel has launched a military action called “Operation Rising Lion” targeting Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure. This included attacks on Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities, missile systems, and military command centers. This move marks a sharp escalation in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran. The recent context shows rising tensions in the Middle East, with fears of broader regional instability due to this bold strike.

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The Uttar Pradesh (UP) government has digitised the National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS) to ensure quick, transparent, and efficient financial aid to poor families. The scheme offers ₹30,000 to the dependent of a deceased earning head, if the family’s annual income is below ₹56,460 in urban areas and ₹46,080 in rural areas. Funds are transferred through the Public Financial Management System (PFMS) to Aadhaar-linked accounts.

Notes:
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) released the Global Trends Report: Forced Displacement in 2024. Forced displacement means people are forced to leave their homes due to violence, disasters, persecution, or human rights violations. By the end of 2024, around 123.2 million people were forcibly displaced worldwide. Children made up 40% of this displaced population, showing a major humanitarian concern. Over one-third of all forcibly displaced persons were from Sudan, Syria, Afghanistan, or Ukraine. About 73.5 million people were internally displaced, meaning they stayed within their own country but had to flee their homes.

Notes:
Recently, the Jammu and Kashmir Government formed a Divisional Level Committee to monitor the Eco-Sensitive Zone around the Surinsar-Mansar Wildlife Sanctuary. This sanctuary is located in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and is named after the twin lakes Surinsar and Mansar. It spreads across Jammu, Udhampur, and Samba districts, with most of it lying in Jammu district.

Notes:
Recently, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare (MoA&FW) organized the National Conference on Agri Stack at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan, New Delhi. The event focused on turning agricultural data into efficient service delivery under the Digital Agriculture Mission (DAM). Officials from the Centre, States, and key stakeholders discussed progress, challenges, and the future of Agri Stack implementation. Agri Stack is designed as a digital public good similar to Aadhaar, with a federated structure for Central and State collaboration.