Current Affairs 26 June 2025

NATO members agree to spend 5% of their GDPs on defence & security.

• All NATO members have agreed to raise defence and security spending to 5% of GDP by 2035.
• In the declaration at the NATO summit in the Hague, the leaders said the defence pledge will consist of investments of at least 3.5 percent of GDP per year in core defence requirements.
• They also vowed to spend up to 1.5 percent of GDP on security-related expenditures.

Bangladesh joins tri-nation meeting with China & Pakistan in Kunming.

• Bangladesh, China and Pakistan held an informal trilateral meeting on the sidelines of the 9th China-South Asia Exposition and the 6th China-South Asia Cooperation meeting in Kunming.
• They identified key areas for cooperation including infrastructure, connectivity, trade, investment, healthcare, agriculture, maritime affairs, ICT, disaster preparedness, and climate change.

India, South Africa sign pacts on submarine cooperation.

• India and South Africa signed two agreements in the domain of submarine cooperation during the 9th Joint Defence Committee (JDC) meeting held in Johannesburg, South Africa.
• These agreements bolster not just rescue, but also training, surveillance, and joint R&D—a key to addressing threats like piracy, trafficking, and strategic rivalries.

Private universities are "public authority", come under RTI Act: GIC.

• Private universities come under the ambit of the Right to Information (RTI) Act as they are public authority, the Gujarat Information Commission (GIC) has ruled.
• In its order dated June 16, the commission asked the state government to issue directions to ensure that all the universities established under the Gujarat Private Universities Act, 2009, implement the provisions of the RTI Act.

EPFO auto claim: Get up to Rs 5 lakh from your pension account.

• The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has increased the auto-settlement limit for advance claims from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh in 3 Days.
• The auto-settlement facility was introduced during Covid-19 to enable quick disbursal of EPF advances.
• It helps subscribers access funds quickly for medical treatment, marriage, housing, or education.