Daily Current Affairs for UPSC IAS: 18th June 2025

PM-WANI Scheme :

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) recently prescribed a cap on tariffs charged to Public Data Offices (PDOs) under the PM-WANI scheme, in order to keep public Wi-Fi affordable.

• The Prime Minister Wi-Fi Access Network Interface (PM-WANI) scheme was launched by the Department of Telecommunication in December 2020.
• The scheme aims to enhance the proliferation of public WiFi hotspots to create robust digital communications infrastructure in the country, especially in rural areas.
• Through better access to public hotspots, the government aims to increase employment for small and micro-entrepreneurs and provide low-cost internet to the underserved urban poor and rural households.
• The scheme encourages local shops and establishments to provide Wi-Fi for last-mile internet delivery, which does not require a licence or charge a registration fee.
• PM-WANI Ecosystem Components:
  • Public Data Office (PDO): It will establish, maintain, and operate only WANI-compliant Wi-Fi access points and deliver broadband services to subscribers. No license is required from DoT.
  • The local shops and small establishments as PDOs may earn extra income from selling internet without any requirement of license, registration, and/or any fees to DoT.
  • Public Data Office Aggregator (PDOA): It will be an aggregator of PDOs and perform the functions relating to authorization and accounting.
  • App Provider: It will develop an App to register users and discover WANI-compliant Wi-Fi hotspots in the nearby area and display the same within the App for accessing the internet services.
    Central Registry:
  • It will maintain the details of App Providers, PDOAs, and PDOs.
  • It is currently maintained by the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DoT).

SMILE (Support for Marginalised Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise) Scheme:

Reasi is poised to become the second district in Jammu and Kashmir, after Srinagar, to implement the SMILE (Support for Marginalised Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise) scheme.

• SMILE Scheme is a multi-faceted initiative of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
• It has a total allocation of ₹365 crore covering 2021-22 to 2025-26. This scheme will be implemented across the country.
• It includes two central sector sub-schemes that focus on the comprehensive rehabilitation of transgender persons and individuals engaged in begging.
• Central Sector Scheme for Comprehensive Rehabilitation for Welfare of Transgender Persons:
  • It provides support through scholarships for students from Class IX to post-graduation, skill development opportunities through the PM-DAKSH scheme, and financial assistance for gender-reaffirmation surgeries under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY).
  • Additionally, ‘Garima Greh’ (shelter homes) offer transgender persons accommodation, medical care, and skill development, creating safe spaces for their growth and empowerment.
  • The establishment of Transgender Protection Cells in each state ensures that offences against transgender persons are properly registered, investigated, and prosecuted, providing them with necessary legal protection.
• Central Sector Scheme for Comprehensive Rehabilitation of Persons Engaged in Begging:
  • It addresses the needs of this marginalized group through a structured approach encompassing four key areas: Survey and Identification, Mobilization, Shelter Homes and Rehabilitation.
  • Surveys are conducted to identify beneficiaries and create a national database, which is crucial for targeted interventions.
  • Mobilization involves outreach and awareness campaigns to encourage individuals engaged in begging to utilise the services offered by the government.
  • Shelter homes provide basic services such as food, clothing, medical facilities and education for children, alongside counselling and psychological support.
  • Rehabilitation is achieved through skill development and vocational training, helping these individuals transition into wage or self-employment, thus paving the way for their social reintegration and economic independence.
• SMILE-75 Initiative: The SMILE-75 initiative was launched to extend the benefits of the SMILE scheme to 75 municipal corporations and municipalities across the country.
• This initiative, which commenced in FY 2023-24, has a budget allocation of ₹100 crore spread over five years.
• The cities targeted include metropolitan areas, pilgrimage sites, cultural and tourist destinations, aspirational districts, and cities in the Northeast, ensuring a wide geographical spread.

Kanha Tiger Reserve:

The Kanha Tiger Reserve has emerged as the leading tiger habitat in India in terms of ungulate (hoofed herbivore) population, according to the recently released report by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun.

• Kanha Tiger Reserve, also called Kanha National Park, is located in the “Maikal” ranges of the Satpuras and falls in the Mandla and Balaghat districts of Madhya Pradesh.
• It is located in the Central Indian Highlands, which are part of the extensive tableland that forms India’s main peninsula.
• It is the largest national park in Madhya Pradesh. It sprawls over an area of 2074 sq.km., with 940 sq. km. of core area and 1,009 sq. km. of buffer zone.
• This particular region was under the control of the Gondwana dynasty, where Gond rulers were ruling over the huge area of Central India.
• It was declared a reserve forest in 1879 and revalued as a wildlife sanctuary in 1933. Its position was further upgraded to a national park in 1955.
• It has an active corridor between Kanha and Pench Tiger Reserves. Kanha is also connected with the Achanakmar Tiger Reserve of Chhattisgar
• It is characterized mainly by forested shallow undulations, hills with varying degrees of slopes, plateaus, and valleys.
• The forest depicted in the famous novel by Rudyard Kipling, The Jungle Book, is thought by some to be based on jungles, including this reserve.
• The region is known for some of the ancient tribal communities, like the Gond and Baiga, that still inhabit the region.
• It is also the first tiger reserve in India to officially introduce a mascot, “Bhoorsingh the Barasingha”.
  Flora: It is primarily a moist Sal and moist mixed deciduous forest where Bamboo, Tendu, Sal, Jamun, Arjun, and Lendia flourish.
  Fauna:
  The park has a significant population of Royal Bengal Tigers, leopards, sloth bears, and Indian wild dogs.
  The Park is respected globally for saving the Barasingha (the state animal of Madhya Pradesh) from near extinction and has the unique distinction of harbouring the last world population of this deer species.

Global Nuclear Arsenal:

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) recently revealed in its new yearbook 2025 that nine countries worldwide possess as many as 12,241 nuclear weapons as of January 1, 2025.

• At the start of 2025, nine states together possessed approximately 12,241 nuclear weapons.
• Which countries have nuclear warheads? As per the report, the nine nuclear-armed states are the US, Russia, the United Kingdom (UK), France, China, India, Pakistan, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea), and Israel.
• The report said that these countries “continued intensive nuclear modernisation programmes in 2024, upgrading existing weapons and adding newer versions”.
• The report further revealed that of the total global inventory of an estimated 12,241 warheads in January 2025, about 9,614 were in military stockpiles for potential use.
• An estimated 3,912 of those warheads were deployed with missiles and aircraft, and the rest were in central storage.
• Around 2,100 of the deployed warheads were kept in a state of high operational alert on ballistic missiles.
• China’s nuclear arsenal is growing faster than any other countries, by about 100 new warheads a year since 2023.
• It also mentioned that India is believed to have once again slightly expanded its nuclear arsenal in 2024 and continued to develop new types of nuclear delivery systems, including potentially canisterised missiles capable of carrying multiple warheads.
• Russia and the USA together possess around 90 percent of all nuclear weapons.
• The U.S. has 1,770 deployed and 1,930 stored warheads, while its inventory stands at 5,177 in 2025 compared with 5,328 in 2024.
• Russia has 1,718 deployed and 2,591 stored warheads, and its inventory stands at 5,459, as against 5,580 in 2024.
• Overall, the number of nuclear warheads in the world continues to decline, due to the USA and Russia dismantling retired warheads.

Hydraulics:

Worldwide, hydraulics constitute a $45-50 billion market and is growing steadily.

• A hydraulics system is based on the simple principle of Pascal’s law, named for the 17th century French scientist Blaise Pascal.
• The law states that when pressure is applied to an incompressible fluid, it is transmitted equally in all directions throughout the fluid. (Pressure here is simply the amount of force per unit area).
• In a hydraulic system, pressure is created by applying force to a fluid. And because it is subsequently transmitted equally in all directions, a small force applied over a small area can create a much larger force over a larger area.
• A small force applied at one end can be used to generate a much larger force at the other end just by having a larger area of contact.
• There’s no need to change the pressure.
• This is perhaps the simplest use of hydraulics.
• There are many more actions that a hydraulic system can perform than just lifting.
• Parts of a hydraulic system: Pumps, Pipes, Valves, Linear actuators or rotary actuators, Tank (with filters) and Sensors or switches
• They can be used for both mobile equipment — cranes, excavators, etc. which move on wheels or tracks — and static applications such as a hydraulic press, moulding machines, windmills,
• They are equipped with sensors to track movement, temperature, pressure, flow, oil contamination
• Advantages of Hydraulics
  • Hydraulics have many advantages over mechanical methods of transmitting energy.
  • The principal ones are smooth movements, high power to weight ratio, better heat dissipation, smooth controls, and higher precision.

Quantum Communication:

The Ministry of Defence said in a statement that IIT-Delhi scientists together with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) demonstrated quantum communication over a distance of more than 1 km in free space.

• Quantum Communication is a way to send information using the tiniest particles in the universe, like light particles (called photons), in a super secure way.
• It is an umbrella term for any scheme that uses the concepts of quantum physics, but especially entanglement, to make a given communication channel leak-proof.
• It can be used to create communication channels that are protected against computational attacks since any attempt to tap the quantum channel will itself be revealed. Thus they have great value in defence settings.
• If any third party intercepts one of the photons, the other photon will immediately be disturbed as well and the channel will be revealed as insecure.
• An important method in quantum communication is quantum key distribution (QKD).
• Quantum entanglement is a strange phenomenon where two tiny particles, like photons (particles of light), become linked in such a way that whatever happens to one instantly affects the other — even if they are far apart.
• It is used for transmitting highly sensitive information, providing secure communication channels that are immune to eavesdropping.
• Protects financial transactions from cyber-attacks by using quantum key distribution (QKD) to secure online banking and international transactions.
• Secures communication within the power industry, safeguarding against cyber-attacks that could lead to outages or damage to the electrical grid.
• Enhances the security of personal data transmitted over the internet, such as in cloud services or when shopping online.
• Allows secure sharing of research data between institutions, especially when dealing with proprietary or sensitive information.
• Quantum communication could be used to enhance the security of signals in GPS systems, providing tamper-proof navigation data.

Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki:

A volcanic eruption in Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki in Indonesia spewed ash cloud to a whopping 11 kilometers.

• Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki is located in Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara province on Flores Island.
• It is situated along the famous ‘Ring of Fire’ in the Pacific region.
• It is one of the most frequently active volcanoes in the region.
• It has two peaks arranged on a NW-SE line separated by 2 km and a 1232 m high saddle. This gave the twin volcano its name, Lewotobi, “husband and wife”.
• The two peaks correspond to the Lewotobi Lakilaki (man) and Lewotobi Perempuan (woman)
• Lewotobi Lakilaki (1584 m) has a summit crater of 400 m diameter open to the north. Lewotobi Perampuan (1703 m)’s crater is 700 m wide.
• Lewotobi Lakilaki has been frequently active during the 19th and 20th centuries, while the taller and broader Lewotobi Perempuan has erupted only twice in historical time.
• Small lava domes have grown during the 20th century in the summit craters of both volcanoes.

Lac Insect : New Study

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have unravelled the mystery behind how the lac insect produces laccaic acid that is used to make lac pigment.

• Researchers have found that the colourful pigment extracted from the lac insect may actually be produced by a symbiotic yeast-like organism living inside the insect.
• One of the key ingredients required for laccaic acid synthesis is an amino acid called tyrosine, which the insect cannot make on its own or source from the tree sap.
• Such missing ingredients are usually supplied by symbiotic bacteria or fungi that live inside insect bodies and secrete these molecules in exchange for housing.
• The fungus is actually inside the insect’s oocyte (egg cell).
• The fungus floats around in the insect’s haemolymph — the equivalent of animal blood — and as soon as the oocyte matures, it latches on to it and enters the oocyte, and gets transmitted to the offspring that emerges from the oocyte.

Lac Insect:

• It is hemimetabolouse. it undergoes gradual metamorphosis.
• The main stages of lac insect life cycle are egg, nymph instars, pupa and adult.
• The lac insects show an ovoviviparous reproduction.
• The life cycle is completed in about six months.
• Lac insects live in cavities or cells made in the resin or lac secreted by them on their host plant.
• The lac insect grows on certain trees (like the flame of the forest), drinks its sugary sap, and secretes a sticky resin called shellac.
• It also makes a bright red compound called laccaic acid, which is used to make the pigment.
• In India, mainly there are two distinct strains of Lac insect: kusumi and rangeeni.
• Lac insects have six genera from which only five can secrete lac, but commercial lac can be secreted by only one, i.e. Laccifer.
• The commonest and most widely occurring species of lac insect in India is Laccifer lacca
• The lac insects are distributed in South-East Asian countries like India, Thailand, Malaya, Lao Myanmar, and Yuan province of China.

Revised Green India Mission (GIM) plan for 2021–2030:

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) released the revised Green India Mission (GIM) plan for 2021–2030 on World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, observed on 17th June 2025.

• The Green India Mission (GIM) is one of the 8 missions under India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC), launched in February 2014.
• It aims to respond to climate change through a combination of mitigation and adaptation strategies, primarily focusing on forest-based ecosystem restoration.
• As of 2023, India’s forest cover is gradually increasing, with 11.22 million ha brought under plantations between 2015–16 and 2020–21 through GIM and related initiatives.
• However, challenges include funding gaps, invasive species plantations, and inadequate protection of old-growth forests.
• GIM’s effective implementation is crucial for achieving 33% forest cover, as per national policy, and meeting India’s 2030 climate commitments.
• World Day to Combat Desertification and Droughts  is observed annually by the UN on 17th June to raise awareness on desertification and drought, promoting sustainable land management.
• It marks the adoption of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in 1994, the only global legally binding agreement linking environment, development, and sustainable land management.
• The theme for 2025 is ‘Restore the Land. Unlock the Opportunities’.

8th Edition of Exercise Shakti:

The 8th edition of Exercise Shakti, a joint military exercise between India and France, is scheduled from 18th June to 1st July 2025 at La Cavalerie, France.

• It is a biennial training engagement between the Indian and French Armies, aimed at enhancing interoperability, operational coordination, and military-to-military connect.
• This edition will focus on joint operations in a sub-conventional environment under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, with training being conducted in semi-urban terrain.
• UN Chapter VII authorizes military/non-military actions (sanctions, blockades, troop deployment) for international peace enforcement.
• Other joint exercises between France and India: Exercise Varuna (Navy), Exercise Garuda (Air), and Exercise Desert Knight (India, France, and UAE).

Inclusive Pension System for India:

The Economic Survey 2025-26 highlighted that India’s pension assets are only 17% of GDP, with less than 12% workforce coverage. Experts call for an inclusive national pension system to address rising old-age dependency.A pension provides financial security after retirement, ensuring income stability when earning capacity declines. As per Economic Survey 2025-26, India’s pension assets equal 17% of GDP vs 80% in OECD nations. Just 12% of workforce, and 5.3% of population covered by NPS and APY combined (FY24). Old-age dependency ratio projected to reach 30% by 2050, heightening the urgency for pension reforms.

Nothopegia Leaves:

Scientists from the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences unearthed 24-million-year-old fossilized Nothopegia leaves in Assam’s Makum Coalfield. Nothopegia is A genus of flowering plants belonging to the Anacardiaceae family (same as mango).
It includes several tropical tree species known for their ecological and medicinal importance. Currently found only in the Western Ghats, a biodiversity hotspot in peninsular India. Fossil leaves of Nothopegia were discovered in Assam’s Makum Coalfield, dating back to the late Oligocene epoch (24–23 million years ago).This is the oldest known fossil record of the genus, revealing ancient climate patterns and biodiversity shifts.

Bonn Climate Change Conference 2025:

The Bonn Climate Change Conference 2025 began on June 16 in Germany with over 5,000 delegates participating to review climate agreements and set the technical agenda for COP29.

Bonn Climate Change Conference 2025:

• An annual mid-year conference under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) focusing on scientific, technical, and implementation aspects of climate negotiations.
• Established In: First held in 1995, after the signing of the UNFCCC (1992).
• Organised By: UNFCCC Secretariat
• Hosted in Bonn, Germany, home to the UNFCCC headquarters.
• Objectives of the Conference:
  • Prepare for COP Summits: Sets the technical and political groundwork for the annual COP.
  • Review Climate Agreements: Evaluates implementation of past commitments including those under the Paris Agreement.
  • Promote Science–Policy Interface: Connects IPCC scientific assessments with policymakers.
  • Facilitate Finance & Tech Transfer: Discusses support to developing countries.
  • Enable Stakeholder Participation: Involves civil society, indigenous groups, and experts in climate

Lightning:

13 people were killed by lightning strikes across Bihar in the past 24 hours. The Bihar government announced Rs 4 lakh ex-gratia for each bereaved family and urged citizens to follow safety guidelines. Lightning is A natural electrostatic discharge caused by static electricity build-up in thunderstorm clouds. Generates extreme heat (~50,000°F), rapidly expanding air, causing thunder.
India’s Vulnerable Regions: Eastern and Northeastern states: Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Assam. Parts of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, and hill regions are also prone

SBI Cards’ New Minimum Amount Due (MAD) Formula:

State Bank of India Credit Cards (SBI Cards) will implement a revised formula to calculate the Minimum Amount Due (MAD). This is the amount that a cardholder is mandatorily required to pay by the due date to keep their account in good standing. The new approach is likely to lead to higher MAD payments for users with revolving credit card debt, as it emphasizes full settlement of finance charges, fees, and other dues, rather than allowing them to accumulate.The Minimum Amount Due (MAD) is the smallest payment a credit card user must make to avoid penalties and ensure their credit card account remains active and non-delinquent. While it provides temporary relief from having to repay the entire outstanding balance, paying only the MAD will result in accruing interest and extending the debt over a very long period.

Operation True Promise 3:

Ongoing Iran-Israel conflict, Iran has launched Operation True Promise 3, marking the third consecutive day of missile strikes targeting key Israeli infrastructure. The campaign, led by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), is a direct response to Israeli pre-emptive airstrikes on Iranian nuclear and command sites, and it introduces a new era of missile warfare using AI and decoy saturation tactics.Iran launched Operation True Promise 3 as retaliation against Israeli strikes on nuclear enrichment facilities and high-ranking Iranian military officials. The operation marks a strategic escalation in the conflict and reveals new offensive tactics with implications for missile defence systems worldwide.

India’s Unemployment Rises to 5.6% in May 2025:

India’s unemployment rate increased to 5.6% in May 2025, up from 5.1% in April, primarily due to a sharp decline in agricultural jobs following the harvest season, according to data released by the Ministry of Statistics. The jobless rate among urban and rural youth and female workers also rose during this period, reflecting sectoral shifts in employment and ongoing economic challenges.

Key Data Highlights (May 2025)

• Overall Unemployment Rate: 5.6% in May (up from 5.1% in April).
• Female Unemployment Rate: Increased to 5.8% (compared to 5.6% for males).
• Youth (15–29 years) Unemployment
• Urban: Rose to 17.9% (from 17.2%).
• Rural: Rose to 13.7% (from 12.3

UN Declares 4 December as International Day Against Unilateral Coercive Measures:

The United Nations General Assembly has proclaimed 4 December as the International Day Against Unilateral Coercive Measures, starting in 2025. With 116 votes in favour, the resolution seeks to raise global awareness of the humanitarian and developmental consequences of unilateral economic, financial, and trade sanctions that are deemed to violate international law and the UN Charter.The resolution was passed with 116 votes in favour, 51 against, and 6 abstentions. The move reflects growing opposition from many countries against unilateral sanctions that are often imposed outside multilateral frameworks.

UN Declares 2026 as International Year of the Woman Farmer:

The United Nations General Assembly has declared 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer to acknowledge and amplify the crucial role played by women in global agriculture. The initiative aims to highlight gender disparities in land ownership, technology access, market participation, and agricultural policy benefits—especially in developing countries where women contribute significantly to food production and rural economies.The UN General Assembly officially declared 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer. The move aims to draw global attention to women’s contributions and challenges in agriculture, and promote gender-equitable policies. It holds particular significance for countries like India, where ~80% of economically active women work in agriculture but own just 8.3% of farmland.

Anuradha Thakur Appointed to SEBI Board:

Anuradha Thakur, a 1994 batch IAS officer of the Himachal Pradesh cadre, has been appointed to the Board of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), replacing outgoing Economic Affairs Secretary Ajay Seth. With this appointment, effective July 1, 2025, Thakur becomes the first woman to hold the position of Economic Affairs Secretary, a role once held by eminent personalities like Dr. Manmohan Singh and Montek Singh Ahluwalia. A separate notification for her induction into the Central Board of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is expected soon.

India’s First Mobile-Based e-Voting System : Bihar

The Bihar State Election Commission (SEC) has initiated the rollout of a mobile-based e-voting system, making Bihar the first Indian state to adopt such a modern and inclusive voting process. The new system will be launched during the municipal and urban body polls scheduled for 28th June, as confirmed by State Election Commissioner Deepak Prasad.e-Voting refers to the process of casting votes through electronic devices, in this case, Android-based mobile phones. This method allows eligible voters to participate in elections remotely, without the need to visit a polling booth.

RBI Hikes Agency Commission for Banks on Government Transactions:

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has revised the agency commission rates paid to banks for handling government business transactions. Effective from April 1, 2025, the revised structure includes increased payouts for electronic revenue transactions, pension disbursements, and non-pension government payments, signaling RBI’s intent to bolster digital handling of public funds and incentivize banks accordingly.

India Hosts First Assembly of the International Big Cat Alliance in New Delhi:

India reaffirmed its global leadership in wildlife conservation by hosting the first Assembly of the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) in New Delhi. The event, chaired by Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, gathered ministerial delegations from nine big cat range countries, laying the groundwork for an international alliance dedicated to the protection of seven major big cat species — Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Cheetah, Jaguar, and Puma. The assembly marked a significant step towards collaborative global efforts to safeguard biodiversity.The first-ever Assembly of the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) was held in New Delhi. India, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision, has taken the lead in forming this global coalition for the conservation of big cats. The Assembly officially endorsed key leadership roles, strategic documents, and international commitments to big cat conservation.

Axiom Mission 4 Rescheduled:

The Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), featuring Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, has been rescheduled to June 22, 2025, as announced by Axiom Space. This adjustment follows NASA’s evaluation of ongoing maintenance in the Russian segment of the International Space Station (ISS). The mission, which includes astronauts from India, Poland, Hungary, and the United States, represents the fourth private crewed mission to the ISS and is a major step for India in commercial human spaceflight.