1 June & 2 June Current Affairs

Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) has been recognized as one of the top 10 hub airports in the Asia-Pacific and Middle East region, according to the 2024 Air Connectivity Ranking released by Airports Council International (ACI). Notably, IGIA is the only Indian airport to achieve this distinction, underscoring its growing significance as a major air travel hub in the region.

The headquarters of the Airports Council International (ACI) is located in Montréal, Quebec, Canada

Key Highlights:

• IGIA is the only Indian airport to feature in the top 10 list, marking a significant milestone for Indian aviation.
• The ranking is based on the airport’s connectivity, passenger traffic, and network of direct and indirect flights.
• This recognition emphasizes IGIA’s growing role as a major global and regional air travel hub.

D Gukesh Triumphs Over Magnus Carlsen at Norway Chess 2025

In a historic moment for Indian chess, Grandmaster D Gukesh defeated World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen in the Norway Chess 2025 tournament, held in Stavanger, Norway. This victory marks a significant milestone in Indian chess, as Gukesh continues to establish himself among the elite players of the world.

About D Gukesh:

• Full name: Dommaraju Gukesh
• Born: May 29, 2006, Chennai, India
• He became the youngest Indian Grandmaster in 2019 (at the time)
• Recently won the FIDE Candidates Tournament 2024, earning the right to challenge for the World Chess Championship

Luís Montenegro has been officially reappointed as the Prime Minister of Portugal following the recent general elections. He leads the centre-right Democratic Alliance (AD), which secured the highest number of seats in the Portuguese Parliament.

Key Highlights:

• Luís Montenegro first became Prime Minister in March 2024.
• His party, the Democratic Alliance, is a coalition led by the Social Democratic Party (PSD).
• In the 2025 general elections, the AD emerged as the largest political group, though without an absolute majority.
• Montenegro has pledged to focus on economic reforms, tackling inflation, and ensuring political stability.

The Gross Goods and Services Tax (GST) revenue for May 2025 stood at ₹2.01 lakh crore, marking a 16.4% increase compared to the same month last year. This growth highlights the continued momentum in the Indian economy, though collections have slightly declined when compared to April 2025, which saw a record-high collection of ₹2.37 lakh crore.

Key Highlights:

• Year-on-Year Growth: 16.4% rise over May 2024 collections.
• Monthly Dip: Collections in May were lower than April, due to the typical surge in domestic sales and compliance before the financial year-end in March and the tax filing cycle in April.
• Import GST: Revenue from imported goods showed strong growth, suggesting a rise in external trade and demand.

State-wise Trends: Mixed performance across states — some witnessed steady growth while others showed a slight slowdown in domestic GST.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has confirmed the re-election of its current leadership for a final three-year term beginning January 1, 2026, and ending in December 2028.

Witold Bańka, the independent President of WADA, was re-elected with 36 votes in favor and 2 abstentions.
Yang Yang, the Vice-President, was unanimously re-elected.

About the Leaders:

• Witold Bańka is a former 400-meter sprinter from Poland and served as Poland’s Minister of Sport before becoming WADA President in 2020.
• Yang Yang is a Chinese former Olympic speed skater and the first Chinese athlete to win a gold medal in the Winter Olympics. She brings a strong athlete’s voice to global anti-doping policy.

What is UPI?

UPI (Unified Payments Interface) is a real-time payment system developed by NPCI that allows users to link multiple bank accounts in a single mobile app, enabling seamless fund transfers, bill payments, and more.

• Launched in 2016
• Works 24×7, 365 days
• Supported by over 400+ banks and financial apps
• Major apps: PhonePe, Google Pay, Paytm, BHIM

Why This Matters?

• Boosts India’s move towards a cashless economy
• Promotes financial inclusion across urban and rural areas
• Reduces dependency on physical bank branches and ATMs
• Supports e-commerce, MSMEs, and even street vendors

Did You Know?

• UPI now contributes to over 75% of total retail digital payments in India!
• The Government also launched UPI for feature phones (UPI123Pay) to cover users without smartphones.
• India is collaborating internationally to promote UPI-based payment systems in countries like UAE, Singapore, France, and Sri Lanka.

Dalmoth is a traditional Indian namkeen made from a mixture of fried lentils (usually moong dal), nuts, and spices. It is known for its crispy texture and spicy flavor, making it a favorite tea-time snack across North India.

Other Famous Things from Agra:

• Petha: A soft, translucent sweet made from ash gourd.
• Leather goods: Agra is a major center for leather footwear and accessories.
• Marble inlay work: Known for intricate designs similar to those seen in the Taj Mahal.

In a major milestone for space science, China has successfully launched its Tianwen-2 interplanetary mission, aimed at collecting samples from the near-Earth asteroid 2016 HO3 (also known as Kamoʻoalewa) and later exploring the main-belt comet 311P/PANSTARRS. This groundbreaking mission is being led by the China National Space Administration (CNSA) and is seen as a strategic step forward in China’s ambitious space program.

What is Tianwen-2?

• Tianwen-2 is China’s second interplanetary mission, following the success of Tianwen-1, which explored Mars.
• The spacecraft will first rendezvous with asteroid 2016 HO3, orbit it, and collect surface samples.
• After completing the asteroid phase, it will continue its journey to study comet 311P, making it a rare dual-target mission in planetary exploration.

In a major step towards boosting India’s digital economy and artificial intelligence capabilities, India’s first Artificial Intelligence Special Economic Zone (AI SEZ) is being established in Nava Raipur, Chhattisgarh. This pioneering initiative is being led by RackBank Datacenters Pvt. Ltd., an Indore-based firm known for operating carbon-neutral data centers.

Key Highlights:

• Location: Nava Raipur, the new capital city of Chhattisgarh
• Developer: RackBank Datacenters Pvt. Ltd.
• Investment: ₹1,000 crore
• Purpose: To build state-of-the-art infrastructure for AI-based research, innovation, startups, and enterprise solutions
• Goal: To position India as a global hub for artificial intelligence and data-driven technologies

What is an AI SEZ?
An AI Special Economic Zone is a dedicated area where infrastructure, policy support, and incentives are provided specifically to promote the growth of artificial intelligence and related industries like machine learning, big data, cloud computing, and robotics. These zones aim to attract investments, talent, and collaborations.

In a strong step towards improving public health, the Karnataka government has introduced important changes to its tobacco regulation laws by amending the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003. The newly enacted COTPA (Karnataka Amendment) Act, 2024 received the President’s approval on May 23, 2025.

Key highlights of this amendment include:

• Increase in the legal age for purchasing tobacco products to better protect youth from early addiction.
• Ban on the operation of hookah bars, aimed at curbing the growing popularity of hookah smoking, especially among young adults.
• Higher fines and stricter penalties for smoking in public places to enforce compliance and promote a healthier environment.

On June 1, 2025, Rajiv Memani, Chairman and CEO of EY India, officially took over as the President of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) for the financial year 2025–26. This marks a new leadership phase for CII, one of India’s premier industry associations. Known for his strong financial expertise and strategic insight, Memani is expected to steer the organisation towards fostering industrial growth and economic development in the country.

About Rajiv Memani:
Rajiv Memani is a seasoned leader in the financial sector, heading EY India, one of the leading global professional services firms. His vast experience in advisory and strategy positions him well to guide CII’s efforts in shaping policies that support business innovation and sustainable economic progress.

About CII (Confederation of Indian Industry):
The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) is a non-government, not-for-profit industry association that plays a crucial role in India’s economic development. Established in 1895, CII works to create and sustain an environment conducive to the growth of industry in India through advisory and consultative processes with the government on policy issues. It represents over 9000 businesses from various sectors across the country.

The Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB) has recommended two senior banking professionals for top leadership roles in major public sector banks. Asheesh Pandey has been appointed as the new Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Union Bank of India, while Kalyan Kumar will take charge as MD and CEO of Central Bank of India.

Both Asheesh Pandey and Kalyan Kumar are currently serving as Executive Directors in other prominent public sector banks. They will succeed the existing MDs & CEOs whose tenures are scheduled to end by mid-2025.