Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully completed six consecutive developmental trials of High Speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT) ‘ABHYAS’ with improved booster configuration from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur, Odisha.

With this, ABHYAS has successfully completed 10 developmental trials demonstrating the reliability of the system.

The trials were carried out with improved Radar Cross Section, Visual and Infrared augmentation systems. 

ABHYAS has been designed by DRDO’s Aeronautical Development Establishment, Bengaluru, and developed through Production Agencies - Hindustan Aeronautics Limited & Larsen & Toubro. 

The Indian government has announced the appointment of Vikram Misri as the country’s new Foreign Secretary. Misri, a 1989-batch officer of the Indian Foreign Service, will succeed Vinay Mohan Kwatra in this crucial diplomatic role.

The Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC) approved the proposal put forward by the Ministry of External Affairs for Misri’s appointment.

Currently serving as the Deputy National Security Adviser, Misri will assume his new position on July 15, 2024, following the end of Kwatra’s extended tenure on July 14.

The gross non-performing asset (GNPA) ratio of Indian banks fell to a 12 year low of 2.8% in March 2024 and is expected to reduce further down to 2.5% by the end of the financial year 2024-25, according to the RBI's Financial Stability Report released on Thursday(27 June 2024).

• This ratio refers to the proportion of the total value of bad loans, which are bank loans that are unlikely to be repaid (also known as gross non-performing assets), to the total assets the bank has or the total loans it has given.
• A lower GNPA ratio means the number of loans that may go unpaid are less and can be a positive indicator.
• In September, the ratio was 3.2%, highlighting a significant improvement now.
• The net non-performing asset (NNPA) ratio also declined to 0.6% this March, compared to 0.8% last September.

Uttar Pradesh has sanctioned setting up a bioplastic park to combat environmental pollution.

• Bioplastic, also known as natural plastic, is a type of plastic made from natural materials such as corn, sunflower, or sugar beet.
• The park will be developed over an area of 1,000 hectares in Kumbhi village, Gola Gokarannath tehsil, Lakhimpur Kheri district, with an investment of Rs 2,000 crore, said a government spokesperson.
• This forthcoming Bioplastic Park will generate numerous jobs and also attract many supporting industries to the area. Moreover, it promises to boost the local economy and pave the way for future industrial growth in the region. 

Denmark, a major pork and dairy exporter, will introduce a tax on livestock carbon dioxide emissions from 2030, making it the first country to do so and hoping to inspire others to follow, the government said.

A tax was first proposed in February by government-commissioned experts to help Denmark reach a legally binding 2030 target of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 70 per cent from 1990 levels.

The centrist government late on Monday reached a wide-ranging compromise with farmers, industry, labour unions and environmental groups on policy linked to farming, the country's largest source of CO2 emissions.

The Central Railway has successfully installed a floating solar plant with a capacity of 10 MWp in Igatpuri Lake, located in the Western Ghats.

• This pioneering initiative marks the first of its kind by the Indian Railways, aimed at harnessing renewable energy sources to contribute towards a greener Earth, according to senior railway officials.
• In addition to the floating solar plant, the Central Railway has been proactive in achieving its goal of zero carbon emissions by 2030.
• It has already commissioned 12.05 MWp of solar plants using rooftop spaces on railway stations and buildings. These initiatives have resulted in substantial savings, with Rs 4.62 crore saved in 2023-24 and a reduction of 6,594.81 metric tonnes in carbon footprints.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released a revised framework for currency swap arrangements with South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) countries.

• This framework will be effective from 2024 to 2027.
• Under the framework, the RBI will enter into bilateral swap agreements with Saarc central banks that wish to utilise the swap facility.
• A new Rupee Swap Window has been introduced under the framework, offering various concessions to support swaps in Indian Rupees. The total corpus for this support amounts to Rs 25,000 crore.
• The RBI will continue to offer swap arrangements in US Dollars and Euros through a separate USD/Euro Swap Window, with an overall corpus of $2 billion.

EU leaders have nominated current European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen for a second five-year term in the bloc's top job at a summit in Brussels.

• Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas was picked as the EU's next foreign affairs chief and former Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa was chosen as the next chairman of EU summits.
• All three candidates are from centrist, pro-EU factions.
• The European Parliament is due to vote on the nominations for Ms von der Leyen and Ms Kallas.

First Plastic waste road of Jaipur Military Station of a 100m-stretch, from Sagat Singh Road under bridge to Cubs Corner complex, was inaugurated here on Wednesday( 26 June 2024).

• Jaipur Military Station is only the second military station to construct the plastic waste road and first to make it part of its maintenance programme.
• One plastic waste road was earlier constructed in Narangi Military Station in North East in 2019.
• Maj Gen RS Godara, General Officer Commanding, 61 Sub Area inaugurated the road and planted a tree at the site, symbolising growth and development. Chief Engineer Jaipur zone, CWE, Adm Commandant, Col alongwith staff of GE (South) were present on the occasion.

Shafali Verma, produced an incredible performance, as she became the fastest double centurion in the history of women's Test cricket. Shafali recorded the feat during the one-off Test against South Africa in Chennai. 

Shafali Verma, becomes second Indian to breach 200-run mark.

The 20-year-old Shafali scored a the double ton off just 194 balls, surpassing Annabel Sutherland's previous record of a double ton off 248 balls against the same side earlier this year.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) released an Artificial Intelligence Preparedness Index (AIPI) Dashboard on their website on June 25, 2024, tracking 174 economies globally for AI readiness. 

• The Index ranks India at the 72nd position, with Bangladesh (0.38) at 113, Sri Lanka (0.43) at 92, and China (0.63) at 31.
• The rating for each country is analysed based on their digital infrastructure, human capital, labour policies, innovation, integration and regulation. 
• The Index has categorised each country into Advanced Economy (AE), Emerging Market Economy (EM), and Low-Income Country (LIC).
• Singapore (0.80), Denmark (0.78), and the United States (0.77) are among the highest-rated AEs, with India categorised as an EM with a 0.49 rating. 

State-owned engineering firm BHEL has bagged the Rs 13,300 crore order to set up a 1600 MW thermal powerlant in Koderma in Jharkhand from Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC).

Commensurate with the goal of the central government to ensure the energy security of the country,

DVC has finalised the tender for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) package of Koderma TPS (2X800MW) in Jharkhand, with Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) for Rs 13,300 Crore on June 26, 2024, a power ministry statement said.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will represent India at the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Astana next week.

The summit, to be held on July 3 and 4, is expected to focus on the regional security situation and ways to boost connectivity and trade.

"The Indian delegation at the SCO summit will be led by external affairs minister S Jaishankar," external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at his weekly media briefing.

The International Day of Parliamentarism, also known as World Parliament Day, is celebrated every year on 30 June.

It was established in 2018 through a United Nations General Assembly Resolution and the day also marks the anniversary of the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s (IPU) establishment. 2024 also marks the IPU’s 135th anniversary since its foundation on 30 June 1889.

To mark World Parliament Day 2024, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association supported the IPU’s campaign  to highlight how Commonwealth Parliaments are utilising parliamentary diplomacy.