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 AFFAIRSCLOUD TODAY
Current Affairs 9 June 2023 : Headlines

1. Cabinet Approval on June 7, 2023

2. Highlights of US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin visit to India from June 4 to 5 2023
3. Meta & MWCD launched Amrit Generation Campaign to Empower Youths
4. IEA report: Global Renewable Capacity Additions to increase by 107 GW in 2023
5. BCI Signs MoU With Bar Council Of England & Wales For Mutual Exchange Program Of Lawyers &
Law Students
6. Bond issuances by banks to fall below Rs 90,000cr in FY24: ICRA Report
7. Tata Group retains 1st Position as India’s Most Valuable Brand: INDIA 100 2023 Brand Finance
Report
8. Jagdish Bakan, Ramanathapuram DFO, wins UNESCO’s 2023 Michel Batisse Award
9. Indian-origin scientist Joyeeta Gupta honoured with NWO Spinoza Prize 2023
10. British Writer Paterson Joseph wins 2023 RSL Christopher Bland Prize
11. CCI approves acquisition of 4.04% shareholding in Acko Tech by GASACK
12. Tata Elxsi partners with ISRO to build Crew Module Recovery Models for Gaganyaan Mission
13. DRDO successfully fight-tested “Agni Prime” Ballistic Missile off Odisha coast
14. India Bagged 3 Bronze at IBA Men’s World Boxing Championships 2023 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan
15. Renowned Doordarshan anchor, Gitanjali Aiyar passes away
16. World Oceans Day 2023 – June 8
17. World Brain Tumour Day 2023 – June 8

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 NATIONAL AFFAIRS
Cabinet Approval on June 7, 2023
On June 07, 2023, the Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi approved the following
proposals.

• Approved the third revival package for Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL)
• Approved the increase in the Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for all mandated Kharif Crops
• Approved the continuation of the ‘Exploration of Coal and Lignite scheme’
• Approved Metro Connectivity from HUDA City Centre to Cyber City in Gurugram
Third revival package for BSNL:
i.The cabinet has approved the third revival package for Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) with a total outlay
of Rs 89,047.82 crore that includes allotment of 4G/5G spectrum through equity infusion.
ii.The authorized capital of BSNL was increased from Rs 1,50,000 crore to Rs. 2,10,000 crore.
iii.With the third revival package, BSNL will emerge as a stable telecom service provider focused on providing
connectivity to remotest parts of India.
The details of Budget and Specturm allotment :
Band Spectrum allotted Budgetary support
700 MHz 10 MHz paired in 22 licensed service areas (LSAs) Rs 46,338.60 Crore
3300 MHz 70 MHz in 22 LSAs Rs 26,184.20 Crore
26 GHz 800 MHz in 21 LSAs and 650 MHz in 1 LSA Rs 6,564.93 Crore
2500 MHz 20 MHz in 6 LSAs and 10 MHz in 2 LSAs Rs 9,428.20 Crore
Miscellaneous items Rs 531.89 Crore
Total Rs 89,047.82 Crore
Key Points:
i.With the above budget allotment, BSNL could provide pan-India 4G and 5G services, provide 4G coverage in
rural and uncovered villages under various connectivity projects, fixed wireless access (FWA) services for high-
speed Internet, and services/ spectrum for captive non-public network (CNPN).
ii.Union Government had approved the first revival package for BSNL/Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (
MTNL) in 2019 amounted to Rs. 69,000 Crore. In 2022, Government approved second revival package for
BSNL/MTNL amounting to Rs 1.64 Lakh Crore.
• Due to these two packages, BSNL has started earning operating profits since FY 2021-22. Total debt
of BSNL has reduced from Rs 32,944 Crore to Rs 22,289 Crore.
iii.It provided financial support for capex (Capital Expenditure), viability gap funding for rural landlines,
financial support for de-stressing the balance sheet and settlement of adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues and
merger of BBNL with BSNL.

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iv.As per the statement of Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Ministry of Communications and IT, BSNL was
allocated Rs 53,000 crore capital in 2023 to construct new towers, enhance its 2G/3G, 4G and 5G networks pan
India.
• BSNL also issued advanced purchase orders worth over Rs 19,000 crore to a consortium led by TCS
and C-DOT for the deployment of 4G network.
Increase in MSP for Kharif crops
i.The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by PM Narendra Modi has approved the increase
in the Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for all mandated Kharif Crops for Marketing Season 2023-24.
• Objective: To ensure remunerative prices to the growers for their produce and to encourage crop
diversification.
• As per Third Advance Estimates for FY23, total Foodgrain production in India is estimated at a
record 330.5 million tonnes which is higher by 14.9 million tonnes as compared to the FY22. This is
the highest increase in the last 5 years.
ii.The MSP for Kharif Crops for Marketing Season 2023-24 was increased in line with the Union Budget 2018-
19 announcement of fixing the MSP at a level of at least 1.5 times of the All-India weighted average Cost of
Production, aiming at reasonably fair remuneration for the farmers. Click here to know the MSP for Kharif
Crops
iii.The margin to farmers over their cost of production are estimated to be highest in case of bajra (82%)
followed by tur (58%), soybean (52%) and urad (51%) and for rest of the crops it is estimated to be at least
50%.
iv.The Union Government launched schemes and initiatives, such as the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY),
the National Food Security Mission (NFSM), to encourage farmers to diversify their crops.
Continuation of ‘Exploration of Coal and Lignite scheme’
The CCEA chaired by PM Narendra Modi also approved the continuation of the central sector plan ‘Exploration
of Coal and Lignite scheme’ with an estimated expenditure of Rs 2,980 crore with extension of time period
from 2021-22 to 2025-26 co-terminus with the 15th Finance Commission cycle.
Key Points:
i.The exploration for coal and lignite under the scheme is conducted in two broad stages: (i) Promotional
(Regional) Exploration and (ii) Detailed Exploration in non-Coal India Limited blocks.
ii.An outlay of Rs 1,650 crore will be provided for promotional (Regional) exploration and Rs 1,330 crore for
detailed drilling in non-CIL (Coal India Limited) areas.
iii.Approximately 1,300 sq km area will be covered under Regional exploration, and about 650 sq km area will
be covered under detailed exploration, it added.
iv.Purpose: The exploration for Coal and Lignite is required to prove and estimate the availability of coal
resources in India, which would help further in preparing detailed project reports to start coal mining.
Metro Connectivity from HUDA City Centre to Cyber City
Union Cabinet headed by PM Narendra Modi also approved the extension of Metro Connectivity from HUDA
City Centre on the Delhi Metro’s Yellow Line to Cyber City in Gurugram (Haryana) spanning a distance of
28.50 km and encompass a total of 27 stations along the route.
The entire project will be elevated and have a spur (side line) from Basai village to Dwarka Expressway, for
connectivity to the depot.
• The total completion cost of the project will be Rs.5,452 crore. This will be a standard gauge line of
1435 mm (5 ft 8.5 inches).

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 • The project is proposed to be completed in 4 years from the date of sanction of the Project and it
would be implemented by Harayana Mass Rapid Transport Corporation Limited (HMRTC) which
will be set up as a 50:50 Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) of the Government of India and Government
of Haryana.
Name of corridor Length(in KM) No. of Station
Huda City Centre to Cyber City – Main corridor 26.65 26
Basai Village to Dwarka Expressway – Spur 1.85 1
Total 28.5 27
Benefit: The metro line will connect New Gurugram with Old Gurugram (which at present does not have any
metro line). In next phase, it will provide connectivity to Indira Gandhi International Airport.
Existing metro lines in Gurugram:
i.Yellow Line: The Yellow Line which was introduced in June 2010, is operated by the Delhi Metro Rail
Corporation (DMRC), stretches across 49.019 km and encompasses 37 stations, connecting Samaypur Badli to
HUDA City Centre.
ii.Rapid Metro Gurugram – 2013: The Rapid Metro Gurugram, constructed in two phases, covers a route
length of 11.6 km. The first phase, a 5.1 km loop from Sikandarpur to Cyber Hub, was initially built by a
consortium involving DLF, IERS (IL&FS Enso Rail System), and ITNL (IL&FS Transport Network Limited).
• Since November 14, 2013, the first phase has been managed by Rapid Metro Gurgaon Ltd.
• The second phase, spanning 6.5 km from Sikandarpur to Sector-56, was constructed by a
consortium consisting of ITNL and IRL (IL&FS Rail Limited) and has been operated by the Rapid
Metro Gurgaon South Ltd since March 31, 2017.
Other Proposed Metro lines in Gurugram:
i.Gurgaon – Manesar – MBIR (82 km) line was proposed in 2015 and set to complete by 2017. However, the
line has still not been developed.
ii.Gurgaon – Faridabad line had already been approved by the government and received the green light to
begin development in March 2023 and the line will have 12 stops covering 34.12 km.
Recent Related News:
The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi has approved the following proposals in
February: Air Services Agreement between India and Guyana, Ratification of 3 Protocols on Article 3 bis and
Article 50 (a) & Article 56 relating to amendments in the Chicago Convention, 1944, Extension of the term of
the 22nd Law Commission of India upto 31st August, 2024, and Quality Control Order (QCO) for mandatory
certification of cotton bales.

Highlights of US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin’s visit to India from June 4 to 5 2023
United States (US) Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin was on a two-day visit to India from June 4 to 5, 2023, to
strengthen bilateral defence cooperation between both nations, especially in areas of transfer of critical
technologies for co-development of military hardware.

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 • It is Defence Secretary Austin’s second visit to India and his previous trip to India was held in March
2021.
-Discussions on Defense Procurement Agreements
i.Union Minister Rajnath Singh, Ministry of Defence, Government of India and Lloyd Austin discussed General
Electric’s proposal to share technology with India for fighter jet engines and New Delhi’s plan to procure 30
MQ-9B armed drones at a cost of over USD 3 billion from US’s General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc.
ii.During the meeting between Rajnath Singh and Lloyd Austin both nations decided to launch negotiations for
two crucial agreements related to the security of Supply Arrangement and a Reciprocal Defence Procurement in
an effort to establish stable supply chains of arms and equipment.
iii.They have also praised the recent launch of a new Advanced Domains Defence Dialogue was and committed
to expanding the scope of bilateral defence cooperation to encompass all domains.
iv.They also discussed the establishment of the India-US Defense Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X), a new
initiative to advance cutting-edge technology cooperation.
• The initiative would be launched on June 21, 2023, by the U.S.-India Business Council designed to
complement existing government-to-government collaboration by promoting innovative
partnerships between U.S. and Indian companies, investors, start-up accelerators, and academic
research institutions
Note – Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to make an official state visit to Washington (US) later in June 2023.
-Roadmap for defence industrial cooperation
i.On June 05, 2023, India and the US concluded a roadmap for defence industrial cooperation to fast-track
technology tie-ups and co-production of military platforms such as air combat and land systems.
ii.The new framework for cooperation was finalised by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and US Defence
Secretary Lloyd Austin during their bilateral talk.
iii.The new roadmap will “fast-track technology cooperation and co-production in air combat and land mobility
systems; intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; munitions; and the undersea domain.
iv.They have also decided to initiate negotiations on a framework for the security of supply arrangement and a
reciprocal defence procurement agreement to promote long-term supply chain stability.

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v.The US defence secretary also had separate talks with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. He exchanged
views about regional and global security issues of concern, including maritime security in the Indian Ocean
Region.
vi.US defence secretary welcomed India’s leadership role in the Quad Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness
Initiative (IPMDA).
-India-US Defence and Strategic Partnership
i.Both US and India have signed key defence and security pacts over the past few years, including the Logistics
Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) in 2016 which will allows their militaries to use each other’s
bases for repair and replenishment of supplies.
ii.The two nations also signed COMCASA (Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement) in 2018
which provides for interoperability between the two militaries and provides for the sale of high-end technology
from the US to India.
iii.In October 2020, India and the US signed the BECA (Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement) agreement
to further boost bilateral defence ties.
iv.The pact provides for sharing of high-end military technology, logistics and geospatial maps between the two
countries.
Recent Related News:
From April 3–5, 2023, His Majesty Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, the King of Bhutan, visited India on an
official trip at the invitation of President Droupadi Murmu.
On March 20-21, 2023, Fumio Kishida, Prime Minister (PM) of Japan, paid a two-day visit to India and held the
‘Japan-India Summit Meeting 2023’ with PM of India Narendra Modi, to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral
cooperation
About United States(US):
Capital – Washington, D.C.
Currency – United States dollar (USD)
President – Joseph Robinette Biden Jr.

Meta & MWCD launched Amrit Generation Campaign to Empower Youths

Meta (formerly known as Facebook) and the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) launched the
Amrit Generation campaign to empower and engage the youth of India (age group of 16-18 years) to express
their aspirations and dreams for the future. The campaign starts on 8th June 2023.
• The campaign was launched by Union Minister Smriti Irani, MWCD on 7th June 2023.
• The campaign invites youths to showcase their creativity and share their aspirations by creating
Reels on Instagram and Facebook using the #Amrit Generation.
• 50 shortlisted entries will be invited to New Delhi (Delhi) to interact with senior policymakers and
industry leaders and will also get an opportunity to visit the Meta office in Gurugram (Haryana).

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
IEA report: Global Renewable Capacity Additions to increase by 107 GW in 2023
According to Renewable Energy Market Update – June 2023 of International Energy Agency (IEA), the Global
renewable capacity additions are set to increase by 107 gigawatts (GW), the largest absolute increase ever, to
more than 440 GW in 2023.
• The growth in renewable capacity is fueled by the expanding policy support, growing energy
security concerns and improving competitiveness against fossil fuel alternatives.
Global perspective:
i.Solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity, including both large utility-scale and small distributed systems, accounts for
two-thirds of 2023’s projected increase in global renewable capacity.

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ii.Solar PV additions will continue to increase in 2024 while challenges remain for wind expansion. Without
rapid policy implementation, the global onshore wind additions in 2024 are expected to fall by around 5% from
2023 levels.
iii.Global renewable capacity additions could reach 550 GW in 2024 in our accelerated case, almost 20% higher
than in the main forecast.
iv.China’s contribution to global renewable capacity additions is expected to increase in 2023 and 2024,
consolidating its position as the undisputed leader in global deployment.
India perspective:
i.India’s renewable capacity additions are expected to increase again in 2023 and 2024, owing to faster onshore
wind, hydropower and distributed solar PV deployment.
ii.The utility-scale solar PV capacity additions (made up mainly of capacity awarded in auctions) of India in
2022 reached to 14 GW, accounting for over two-thirds of RE growth in India.
iii.The lower auction volumes and supply chain challenges in 2023 indicates that slowdown of almost 20% is
probable, with a possible recovery in 2024.
• The auction volumes dropped by one-third in 2022, only 10 GW was awarded (lowest amount since
2017).
iv.In March 2023, the government of India ordered federal agencies to increase auction capacity to 50 GW
annually starting in FY 2023-2024. This will lead to higher deployment beyond 2025.
v.India aims to expand its domestic manufacturing prompts the supply-demand mismatch and higher prices in
the short term, affecting PV expansion in 2023 and 2024.
• Previously, India has imported almost 90% of its solar PV modules from China. IEA states that two
rounds of the production-linked incentives (PLIs) for PV manufacturing will allow India to become
fully self-sufficient in terms of solar PV supply in the next 4 to 5 years.
vi.Wind power capacity additions are forecast to grow by almost 70% in 2023 year-on-year
Recent Related News:
The International Energy Agency (IEA) claimed in its country report titled “LiFE lessons from India -The
benefits of advancing the Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE) initiative through the G20” that if adopted
worldwide, the measures specified under the LiFE initiative could save consumers around USD 440 billion in
2030, corresponding to around 5% of total fuel spending across the global economy that year.
About International Energy Agency (IEA):
Executive Director– Dr. Fatih Birol
Headquarters- Paris, France

BCI Signs MoU With Bar Council Of England & Wales For Mutual Exchange Program Of Lawyers
& Law Students
On June 5, 2023, The Bar Council of India (BCI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Bar
Council of England and Wales and the Law Society of England and Wales for an exchange programme of
Lawyers and Law Students for mutual exchange of training & learning amongst each others jurisdiction.

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 • The MoU follows BCI’s commitment to implement the regulations to permit the practice of home
jurisdiction law by English and Welsh lawyers and law firms in India.
• The MoU was signed by Manan Kumar Mishra, chairman of BCI, Lubna Shuja, President of Law
Society of England and Wales and Nick Vineall KC, Chair of the Bar of England and Wales in the
Meeting Hall of the Law Society of England and Wales, in London, the United Kingdom(UK).
• The lawyers recommended by the Bar Council of India shall have no right to practise in the UK in
terms of the MOU.

BANKING & FINANCE

Bond issuances by banks to fall below Rs 90,000cr in FY24: ICRA Report
According to the ICRA report on Indian Banking Sector, Bond issuances by banks are projected to decrease to
Rs 90,000 crore in FY24 from a record high of Rs 1.1 lakh crore in FY23. This is attributed to improved liquidity
conditions and increased inflows from foreign investors.

• Banks issue bonds as a means to secure funding and strengthen their capital base.
Reason behind the expected decrease in bond issuances:
Stronger foreign institutional investor (FII)/foreign portfolio investment (FPI) inflows, derecognition of the Rs
2,000 note, and a potential dividend from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) are anticipated to alleviate liquidity
conditions temporarily.
Key Points:
i.Regarding Tier-I or Additional Tier I (ATI) bonds, issuances are projected to be lower than the levels observed
between FY2022 and FY2023, estimated at Rs 30,000-33,400 crore due to lower scheduled call options.
• Public sector banks (PSBs) will remain larger issuers of tier-I bonds in the current financial year.
• ATI bonds are unsecured bonds with no pre-determined maturity date, and are issued to raise
long-term capital.
ii.There will be a slight increase in outstanding Tier-I bonds, which are expected to reach Rs 1.3 lakh crore by
March 2024 compared to Rs 1.2 lakh crore as of March 2023.
iii.As for Tier-II bonds, a moderation is expected after the peak observed in FY23, which amounted to Rs 49,600
crore. However, some banks may still opt to raise infrastructure bonds.
iv.According to the latest RBI’s money market operation data, liquidity surplus has risen from around Rs
56,000 crore to Rs 2.11 lakh crore.
v.Bank credit growth, which was 15% in FY23 could moderate in FY24. Deposits grew by 9.6% in FY23.
vi.Combined issuances by banks and AIFIs ( All India Financial Institutions) touched a high of Rs. 2.0 lakh crore
in FY2023, with gross bond issuances by banks reaching an all-time high of Rs. 1.1 lakh crore.

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 AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS
Tata Group retains 1st Position as India’s Most Valuable Brand: INDIA 100 2023 Brand Finance
Report
The brand valuation firm Brand Finance released its INDIA 100 2023: The annual report on the most valuable
and strongest Indian brands- June 2023 report in which the Tata Group has retained its 1st position as India’s
most valuable brand at USD (United States Dollar) 26,381 Million in 2023.

• It has shown a growth at 10.3% as compared to 2022.

• This is the first time that an Indian brand has breached the brand value mark of USD 25 billion.
Note: Tata Group is the only Indian brand to feature in the top 100 of the Brand Finance Global 500 2023
(gaining 7 ranks in 2023), the annual ranking of the world’s top 500 most valuable brands released in January
2023.
Table showing Top 5 India’s Most Valuable Brands:
Rank Brand Valuation (in USD Million)
1 Tata Group 26,381
2 Infosys 13,010
3 LIC (Life Insurance Corporation of India) 9,756
4 Airtel 7,527
5 Reliance Group 7,357
Click Here for Full List
Table Showing Top 5 India’s Strongest Brands:
Rank Brand Overall Rank
1 Taj 78
2 AMUL (Anand Milk Union Limited) 16
3 Britannia 29
4 Jio Group 11
5 Royal Enfield 46
Highlights:
i.Tata is followed by the Infosys at USD13 billion and LIC at USD 9.8 billion at 2nd and 3rd position respectively.
Both also retained their position as 2022.
• Infosys’ brand value grew 2% versus 2022, while LIC’s brand value declined 12% in comparison to
last year.
ii.The State Bank of India (SBI) retained its 6th position on the list in 2023 at USD 7.3 billion, while Mahindra
Group stood at 7th rank, up 15% over 2022 at a brand value USD 7.1 billion.

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 • It should be noted that the Mahindra Group is fastest growing brand amongst the top ten as it
performed exceptionally well in FY23 with record profits crossing Rs 10,000 crore for the first
time on revenues of Rs 1,21,269 crore.
iii.Wipro, HDFC Bank and HCL Tech completed the top 10 list at USD 6.9 billion, USD 6.8 billion and USD 6.5
billion in brand value for 2023.
iv.Luxury hotels giant Taj is India’s strongest brand for the second consecutive year with Brand Strength
Index (BSI) score of 89.4 out of 100 and a corresponding elite AAA brand strength rating.
• The Group is a top performer across several global industry rankings and assessments in
Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG).
• Taj is followed by AMUL (Anand Milk Union Limited) at 2nd place with BSI score of 89 (AAA),
and Britannia at 3rd with BSI score of 87.6.
v.Raymond is the fastest growing brand, up 83.4%.
vi.Persistent Systems jumps 25 places, the most by any Indian brand.
vii.Brands from Auto, Metals, Building Materials and Hospital sectors have shown a surge.
viii.India’s top 100 most valuable brands collectively exhibited growth, with their total value approaching USD
2 trillion since the last valuation on January 1, 2022.
Table Showing Most Valuable Indian Brands in 2023 in Different Categories:
Category Brand
Most Valuable Banking Brand SBI (State Bank of India)
Most Valuable IT Services Brand TCS (Tata Consultancy Services)
Most Valuable Food & Drink Brand AMUL
Most Valuable Automobile Brand Mahindra
Most Valuable Telecoms Brand Airtel
Most Valuable Oil & Gas Brand Reliance
Most Valuable Insurance Brand LIC
Most Valuable Mining & Metals Brand Tata Steel
Most Valuable Building Materials Brands Ultratech Cement
Most Valuable Hotel Brand Taj
Most Valuable Tyre Brand MRF
Most Valuable Clothing Brand Raymond
SBI is the number one banking brand as per Brand Value in South Asia and it is valued at USD 7.3 billion
Some standout performances from Indian brands:
i.Raymond, at 90th position, as the most valuable clothing brand has posted an incredible 83.2% rise in
brand value to USD 273 million.
ii.Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) (automobiles) has seen a brand value increase of 59.3% to USD 3.6 billion,
making it the fastest-growing automobile brand in India and among the top 10 fastest growing auto brands
globally for 2023.
iii.Indigo emerges as the most valuable airline brand with a brand value of USD 832 million, ranked 45th in
the India 100.
About Brand Finance India 100 2023 report:
This report ranks India’s top 100 most valuable and strongest Indian brands and also features sectoral
analytics and top sectoral brands. In addition to measuring overall brand value, it also evaluates the relative
strength of brands, based on factors such as marketing investment, familiarity, loyalty, staff satisfaction, and
corporate reputation.

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Brand Finance calculates the values of brands in its rankings using the Royalty Relief approach, a brand
valuation method compliant with the industry standards set in ISO 10668.
Recent Related News:
i.According to the report launched by National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM) in
collaboration with ProHance, ‘India’s Tech SMEs: Rising in the Global Digital Arena’, the Digital technology
SME’s (small and medium-sized enterprises) revenue share in FY30 (financial Year 2029-2030) was expected
to reach $30-$40 billion.
ii.According to the World Health Organization (WHO) report, ‘Infertility prevalence estimates 1990-2021’
released on April 03, 2023, Around 17.5% of the adult population (roughly 1 in 6 ) worldwide experience
infertility in their lifetime.
About Brand Finance:
Chairman– David Haigh
Headquarters– London, United Kingdom (UK)
Establishment– 1996

Jagdish Bakan, Ramanathapuram DFO, wins UNESCO’s 2023 Michel Batisse Award
Jagdish Sudhakar Bakan, wildlife warden and District Forest Officer (DFO) of Ramanathapuram district,
Tamil Nadu (TN) has been selected for United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO)’s 2023 Michel Batisse Award for Biosphere Reserve Management.

• He is the first Indian to win Michel Batisse Award.

About Jagdish Sudhakar Bakan:
i. JagdishSudhakarBakan, 2017 batch Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer hails from Parbhani district,
Maharashtra.
ii. He is currently the Director of Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve, Tamil Nadu.
iii. He has been chosen for the award for his work in the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve, which is
endowed with rich marine biodiversity, including several species of fish, coral, birds, sea turtles, crustaceans.
Award Ceremony:
i. Jagdish S Bakan will deliver a lecture on his case studies at the 35th session of the International Coordinating
Council of the MAB Programme organised by UNESCO in Paris from June 12 to 15, 2023.
ii. He will receive the Michel Batisse Award for Biosphere Reserve Management on June 14 2023 in Paris,
France.
iii. The reward of USD 12,000 will go to the Tamil Nadu State government and the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere
Reserve Trust.
Note: The Michel Batisse Award only acknowledges completed work accomplished within a Biosphere Reserve
in the World Network. Case studies that concern future work will not be considered.
About Michel Batisse Award for Biosphere Reserve Management:
i.The award was established in 2005 and is given once every two years during the Man and the Biosphere
Reserves (MAB) Programme Council, in memory of Dr.Michel Batisse, a French Scientist.
ii.The award will be given for outstanding achievement in management of biosphere reserves across the globe

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in line with the recommendations of the Seville Strategy.
Prize: The award carries a cash prize of USD 12000.
Note: The 2021 Michel Batisse Award was won by Sharon Wright of Australia for her work in the Noosa
Biosphere Reserve, Australia.
About United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO):
Established in– 16 November 1945
Director-General– Audrey Azoulay
Headquarters– Paris, France

Indian-origin scientist Joyeeta Gupta honoured with NWO Spinoza Prize 2023
On 7th June 2023, Dutch Research Council (NWO) has named Indian-origin Scientist Joyeeta Gupta, Professor
of Environment and Development in the global South at the University of Amsterdam, as the recipient of
the 2023 NWO Spinoza Prize, the highest scientific awards in the Netherlands, for her scientific work
promoting a fair and sustainable world.

• She was honoured for her remarkably broad and interdisciplinary research approach. Her research
work primarily focuses on addressing the challenges posed by climate change through good
governance.
• She is the 12th researcher from the University of Amsterdam to receive the Spinoza Prize.
Note:
• NWO has named Joyeeta Gupta and Toby Kiers, Professor of Mutualistic Interactions, University
Amsterdam as the recipients of the 2023 NWO Spinoza Prize.
• Bram Nauta, professor of Integrated Circuit Design at the University of Twente, and Corien Prins,
professor of Law and Information Technology at Tilburg University, were named the recipients of
the 2023 NWO Stevin Prizes.
About Joyeeta Gupta:
i.Joyeeta Gupta is also working as a professor of Law and Policy in Water Resources and Environment at the
International Institute for Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering (IHE)Delft Institute for Water
Education,The Netherlands.
ii.She served as the co-chair of the Earth Commission (2019-2021), set up by Future Earth and supported by
the Global Challenges Foundation. She was co-chair of United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)’s
Global Environment Outlook-6 (2016-2019)
iii.She was also the lead author of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) between 1988 and
2014, which shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with Al Gore, former United States of America (USA) Vice
President.
About the NWO Spinoza Prize:
i.Spinoza Prize, named after Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677), renowned Dutch scientist and philosopher, was
established in 1995.
ii.The award is annually presented by the NWO to two best researchers to increase the visibility of excellent

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scientists and to encourage world-class research in the Netherland.
iii.Prize includes a bronze statue of Spinoza and 1.5 million euros.
About NWO Stevin Prize:
The Stevin Prize, named after Simon Stevin-a Flemish mathematician, is an award and honour for researchers
with international reputations who have achieved exceptional success in the area of knowledge exchange and
impact for society.
About NWO:
The Dutch Research Council(NWO) is the most important science funding bodies in the Netherlands and
realises quality and innovation in science
About The Netherlands:
Prime Minister– Mark Rutte
Capital– Amsterdam
Currency– Euro

British Writer Paterson Joseph wins 2023 RSL Christopher Bland Prize
On 8th June 2023, British actor and writer Paterson Joseph won the 2023 Royal Society of Literature(RSL)
Christopher Bland Prize (5th edition of the award) for his debut novel titled “The Secret Diaries of Charles
Ignatius Sancho”. The book is a historical fiction about Charles Ignatius Sancho, who was the first Black man to
vote in England.
• The jury for RSL Christopher Bland Prize 2023: Lemn Sissay (chair), Meena Kandasamy and Simon
Savidge.
• RSL Christopher Bland Prize is an annual award which honours a debut writer for their work of
fiction or non-fiction, who is first published at the age of 50 or over. The award carries a cash prize
of 10,000 Pound sterling.
• The Prize was launched in 2018 in memory of British Politician Sir Christopher Bland who died in
2017.

ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS

CCI approves acquisition of 4.04% shareholding in Acko Tech by GASACK
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) approved the acquisition of an additional 4.04% shareholding of
Acko Technology and Services Private Limited (Acko Tech) by General Atlantic Singapore ACK Pte. Ltd.
(GASACK).
• The CCI has approved the proposed combination subject to compliance with amendments jointly
provided by GASACK and GAP Bermuda, LP pursuant to Regulation 19(2) of the Rules of the
Competition Commission of India (Procedure in Commercial Transactions Related to Combinations),
2011.
• Acko Tech is engaged in the business of providing general (non-life) insurance through its
subsidiary, Acko General Insurance Limited (Acko GI).
• General Atlantic Singapore ACK Pte (GASACK) is an investment holding company held by funds or
vehicles controlled by US-based private equity firm General Atlantic.

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 SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Tata Elxsi partners with ISRO to build Crew Module Recovery Models for Gaganyaan Mission
Tata Elxsi, a leading global design and technology company has partnered with the Indian Space Research
Organization (ISRO) to design and develop Crew Module Recovery Models (CMRM) for recovery team
training of the Gaganyaan Mission.

• The project marked Tata Elxsi’s entry into mechanical design for space.
• This is the first time ISRO has outsourced the mechanical design and development work to an
external partner for a critical system.
• Currently, two Recovery-Models CMRM and Ground Support Fixture (GSF) have been delivered to
Naval training teams at Kochi (Kerala) and Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) to train the recovery
teams.
Objective:
ISRO’s Gaganyaan Mission aims to demonstrate Human Spaceflight capability by launching a three-member
crew onto an orbit of 400 km for a three-day mission and bringing them back to Earth safely by landing in
Indian sea waters.
Key Points:
i. Safe recovery of the crew is one of the key requirements of this project, which must be carried out with
minimum lapse time and hence CMRMs are designed and fabricated.
ii. The CMRMs for recovery team training, are mock-up models, which simulate details of mass, Centre of
gravity, outer dimensions, interfaces, and externals of the actual Crew Module.
iii. Tata Elxsi executed activities from developing the design configuration in accordance with ISRO
requirements, to carrying out structural analysis for various load cases, material procurement and testing,
fabrication, carrying out load tests, and transportation of the CMRM and the GSF.
iv. Tata Elxsi has also carried out the design and delivered hardware meeting a highly challenging delivery
schedule of 6 months, demonstrating excellent program management skills, which enabled timely
commissioning recovery training exercises to meet Gaganyaan mission requirements.
Additional info:
On February 7, 2023, ISRO, along with the Indian Navy carried out initial recovery trials of Crew Modules in the
Water Survival Test Facility (WSTF) of the Indian Navy, at Kochi, Kerala.

DRDO successfully fight-tested “Agni Prime” Ballistic Missile off Odisha coast
On 7th June 2023, Agni Prime or Agni-P, a New Generation Ballistic Missile was successfully flight-tested by
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) from Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast
of Odisha.
• This was the first pre-induction night launch conducted by users after three successful
developmental trials of the missile, validating the accuracy and reliability of the system.

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Flight Test:
i. A number of Range Instrumentation like Radar, Telemetry and Electro Optical Tracking Systems were
deployed at different locations, including two down-range ships, at the terminal point to capture flight data
covering the entire trajectory of the vehicle.
ii. The test witnessed by the senior officials of DRDO and Strategic Forces Command was conducted in the night
hours of June 7 2023, and all the objectives were successfully demonstrated during the flight test.
Agni Prime:
i. It is a 2 stage surface to surface,canisterised solid propellant ballistic missile with dual redundant navigation
and guidance system.
ii. It has a range between 1000 to 2000 km (Kilometre) and was test-fired for the first time in June 2021.
iii. It is lighter than all the earlier Agni series of missiles.
• Agni series of missiles includes the Prithvi short range ballistic missiles and fighter aircraft, which
constitute the backbone of India’s nuclear weapons delivery.
iv.The Agni Prime is the 6th missile in the Agni series of ballistic missiles.

v.The Agni series of missiles are among the prime weapons in India’s arsenal as it faces an increasingly
aggressive China along the mountainous Line of Actual Control (LAC).
Additional Info:
In 2022, India has carried out a successful launch of a Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM), with
India’s first ballistic missile nuclear submarine (SSMN) Indian Navy Ship (INS) Arihant, validating India’s
second strike nuclear capability.

SPORTS
India Bagged 3 Bronze at IBA Men’s World Boxing Championships 2023 in Tashkent,
Uzbekistan
3 Indian boxers, Deepak Kumar Bhoria, Mohammed Hussamuddin and Nishant Dev, have won the bronze
medal at the 22nd edition of the International Boxing Association (IBA) Men’s World Boxing
Championships (2023), held at the Humo Arena in Tashkent, Uzbekistan from 30 April-14 May 2023.
• Uzbekistan topped the overall medal tally with 9 medals (5 gold, 2 silver and 2 bronze) followed
by Kazakhstan in 2nd place with 5 medals (4 gold and 1 silver) and Russia at 3rd with 6
medals (2 Gold and 4 bronze).
Note:
• For the first time, India has won 3 medals at a single edition of the tournament.
• With this win, India has won a total of 10 medals (to date) at the IBA Men’s World Boxing
Championship.
Vijender Singh won India’s 1st-ever medal (Bronze) at Men’s World Boxing Championships in 2009

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Top 3 in Medal tally:
Rank country Gold Silver Bronze Total
1 Uzbekistan 5 2 2 9
2 Kazakhstan 4 1 0 5
3 Russia 2 0 4 6
India 0 0 3 3
12 Spain 0 0 3 3
IBA Men’s World Boxing Championships 2023:
i.IBA Men’s World Boxing Championships 2023 was organised by Uzbekistan Boxing Federation in association
with International Boxing Association (IBA)
• Totally 13 boxers represented India at IBA Men’s World Boxing Championships 2023.
ii.Awards:
Best Team Award won by Uzbekistan
Best Boxer award – Hasanboy Dusmatov, Uzbekistan
Best Judge and Referee Award– Tamim Sultani, Afghanistan
Prize Reward:
This was the first time the IBA has given prize money of USD 3,000 for all participants who lost in the quarter-
finals.
• Gold medallist won USD 200,000
• Silver medallist won USD 100,000
• Bronze medallist won USD 50,000
Indian Medal Winners:
i.The 2019 Asian Silver medallist Deepak Bhoria of Haryana won the bronze medal by defeating Nurzhigit
Diushebav of Kyrgyzstan 5-0 in the quater-finals of Flyweight 51 kg category. In the semifinal, he lost to two-
time world bronze medallist Billai Bennama (4-3) of France.
ii.Nishant Dev won the bronze medal in the light-middleweight 71 kg category by defeating Jorge Cuellar of
Cuba (5-0) in the quarter-finals. This is his first boxing medal at an international level tournament. He lost to
Aslanbek Shymbergenov of Kazakistan 2-5 in the semi-finals.
iii.The two-time Commonwealth Games (CWG) bronze medalist, Mohammad Hussamuddin, won the bronze
medal in Featherweight 57 kg category by defeating Javier Ibanez of Bulgaria 4-3 in the quarter-finals. He had
withdrawn from the semi-finals due to an injury.
Indian Medallist (3 Bronze):
Category Winner
Flyweight 51KG Deepak Kumar Bhoria
Light Middleweight 71 KG Nishant Dev
Featherweight 57 KG Mohammad Hussamuddin

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About IBA Men’s World Boxing Championships:
i.IBA Men’s World Boxing Championships is a biennial amateur boxing competition organised by
the IBA (previously known as the Association Internationale de Boxe Amateur – AIBA).
ii.The 1st edition of the tournament was held in 1974.
About International Boxing Association (IBA):
President– Umar Kremlev
Headquarters– Lausanne, Switzerland

OBITUARY
Renowned Doordarshan anchor, Gitanjali Aiyar passes away
Gitanjali Aiyar, one of India’s first English news presenters on national broadcaster Doordarshan(DD), passed
away. She was born on 29th January 1947.
• She worked with DD for over 3 decades since 1971 and was awarded the best anchor 4 times. She
was also honoured with Indira Gandhi Priyadarshini Award for Outstanding Women in 1989.
• In 2002, she switched to corporate communications, government liaison and marketing.
• She has also worked with the Taj and Oberoi group of hotels and worked as a consultant at the
Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
• She also worked as the Head of the Major Donors department World Wildlife Fund (WWF) India.

IMPORTANT DAYS
World Oceans Day 2023 – June 8
United Nations(UN) World Oceans Day is annually observed across the globe on 8th June to create awareness
about the importance of the oceans, a life source which supports the sustenance of humanity and every other
organism on earth.

• The theme of World Oceans Day 2023 is “Planet Ocean: tides are changing”.
Background:
i.The concept of a ‘World Oceans Day’ was first proposed in 1992 at the Earth Summit 1992, held in Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil, a parallel event at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED).
ii.The United Nations General Assembly(UNGA) adopted the resolution A/RES/63/111 on 5th December 2008
and proclaimed the 8th June of every year, starting from 2009, as World Oceans Day.
• The first-ever World Oceans Day was observed on 8th June 2009.
Note:Since 2002, the World Ocean Network sponsored by Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission
(IOC), has been instrumental in building support towards ocean awareness.
• The IOC of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation(IOC-UNESCO) is the only
UN body specialized in ocean science and services.

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Significance:
The World Oceans Day 2023 is observed within the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development
2021 – 2030, which was launched in 2021 and coordinated by IOC-UNESCO.
• Ocean Decade Conference: in 2024, UNESCO and government of Spain will co-host the Ocean Decade
Conference in 2024 to celebrate achievements and set joint priorities.
Importance of Oceans:
i.Around 50% of the world’s oxygen (O2) is produced by the ocean and it also absorb around 30% of carbon
dioxide (CO2) produced by humans, buffering the impacts of global warming.
ii.More than a billion people across the globe depend on oceans’s produce as their main source of protein.
iii.It is estimated that around 40 million people will be employed by Ocean based industries by 2030.
Events:
The Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea of the Office of Legal Affairs of the United Nations, hosts
the hybrid celebration of the annual event on 8th June 2023 at UN Headquarters in New York, the United States
of America(USA).
• The event is hosted in partnership with non-profit organization Oceanic Global, and supported
by Panerai.
Events in India:
As a part of the observance of the World Oceans Day 2023, the Council of Scientific & Industrial
Research(CSIR)-National Institute of Oceanography(NIO) organised a event presided over by Chief
Minister(CM) of Goa Dr. Pramod Sawant.
• During the event, goa CM felicitated the winners of national competitions held at CSIR-NIO for the
World Oceans Day on the theme “Revitalisation: Collective Action for the Ocean”.
• He also released a Magazine on ‘Samudramanthan’, a compilation in the form of splendid scientific
works, Rhythms in Poetry & Essay and Ingenuity in Photography and Drawing.

World Brain Tumour Day 2023 – June 8

World Brain Tumour Day is annually observed on the 8th of June across the globe with the intent of
increasing public awareness about brain tumours, and the importance of early detection and timely treatment,
as well as provide support to affected individuals.

• Brain Tumour is an unusual growth of cells in the brain or around it, which causes pressure inside
the skull and it can be cancerous (malignant) or non-cancerous (benign).
The theme for World Brain Tumour Day 2023 is “Protect yourself- keep away from stress.”
• The 2023 theme emphasises the significance of developing stress management techniques to
prevent brain tumours.
Symbol: The Gray ribbon is the official symbol of raising awareness for Brain Tumour and Brain Cancers.
Background:
i. World Brain Tumour Day was established by the Deutsche HirntumorhilfeV. (German Brain Tumour
Association), a Leipzig (Germany)-based non-profit organisation in 2000.

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ii. Since 2000, World Brain Tumour Day has been celebrated annually on 8 June as a contribution to brain
tumour patients and their family.
Related Observances:
i. The month of May every year is annually observed as the Brain Tumour Awareness Month, dedicated to
support, empower and louder the voice of the brain tumour community.
ii. The International Brain Tumour Awareness Week is annually observed in a week
during October and November.
• The 16th International Brain Tumour Awareness Week will be held from Saturday, 28th October
2023 to Saturday 4th November 2023.
Brain Tumours and its types:
i. A brain tumour is one of the deadliest disorders affecting any gender, both adults and children. The majority
(85–90%) of all primary central nervous system (CNS) cancers found in the brain are due to brain tumours.
ii. More than 150 different types of brain tumours have been documented. Two main groups of brain tumours
are primary and metastatic.
• Primary brain tumours include tumours that originate from the tissues of the brain or the brain’s
immediate surroundings and are benign or malignant.
• Metastatic brain tumours include tumours that arise elsewhere in the body (such as the breast or
lungs) and migrate to the brain, usually through the bloodstream, and are considered cancer and are
malignant.
Note: Metastatic tumours to the brain affect nearly one in four patients with cancer, or an estimated 150,000
people a year. Up to 40 percent of people with lung cancer will develop metastatic brain tumours.
Timely Treatment:
i. Brain tumours can be aggressive and can quickly grow in size, leading to increased pressure within the skull.
Timely treatment, such as surgery, radiation therapy, or chemotherapy.
ii. That aims to remove or shrink the tumour, reducing the risk of further growth and potential complications,
so if not treated on time, it can cause brain damage and can be life-threatening.
iii. Advances in neuroradiology have led to more timely and accurate diagnoses; improved neurosurgical
approaches have permitted more complete and safer tumour removal, and new chemotherapies and radiation
therapies have extended survival.
Symptoms:
Symptoms vary depending on the location of the brain tumour, but the following may accompany different
types of brain tumours:
• Headaches that may be more severe in the morning or awaken the patient at night
• Difficulty thinking, speaking or articulating
• Personality changes
• Weakness or paralysis in one part or one side of the body
• Loss of balance or dizziness
• Vision changes
• Hearing changes
• Nausea or vomiting, swallowing difficulties
Additional info:
As per the International Association of Cancer Registries (IARC) there are over 28,000 cases of brain tumours
reported in India each year and more than 24,000 people reportedly die due to brain tumours annually.

GA Questions Asked in Exams

• Affairscloud’s Self Analysis for General Awareness Section

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