May 2026 Current Affairs

The Union Cabinet approved two semiconductor projects under ISM 1.0 with an investment of Rs 3,936 crore, expected to generate 2,230 skilled jobs. The projects include India's first commercial GaN-based Mini/Micro-LED display facility by Crystal Matrix Limited and a semiconductor packaging unit by Suchi Semicon Private Limited, both in Gujarat.

ISM 1.0 (India Semiconductor Mission) is a specialised division under the Digital India Corporation under MeitY, launched in December 2021 with an outlay of Rs 76,000 crore to build a self-reliant semiconductor and display manufacturing ecosystem in India.

The Union Cabinet approved Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) 5.0 with an outlay of Rs 18,100 crore to help MSMEs mitigate short-term liquidity stress arising from the crisis in West Asia. It provides 100% credit guarantee coverage for MSMEs and 90% for non-MSMEs and the airline sector.

CCEA approved a Rs 1,570 crore ship repair facility at Vadinar, Gujarat, to be jointly implemented by Deendayal Port Authority and Cochin Shipyard Limited. It also approved Rs 23,437 crore railway multi-tracking projects covering 19 districts across 6 states.

CCEA approved an increase in the sanctioned strength of judges in the Supreme Court of India to 37 in May 2026.

CCEA approved the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) for sugarcane farmers at Rs 365 per quintal for the 2026-27 season at a basic recovery rate of 10.25%, an increase of 2.81% from Rs 355 per quintal in 2025-26. The new FRP will be effective from October 1, 2026.

The Union Cabinet approved a new Scheme for Promotion of Surface Coal/Lignite Gasification Projects with a total budget outlay of Rs 37,500 crore, aimed at boosting clean energy production and reducing India's reliance on imports of LNG, urea, and methanol. The scheme offers a financial incentive of up to 20% of the cost of plant and machinery.

CCEA approved the MSP for 14 Kharif Crops for marketing season 2026-27. The highest absolute MSP increase was for sunflower seeds at Rs 622 per quintal, followed by cotton at Rs 557 per quintal and sesamum at Rs 500 per quintal.

CCEA approved the Rs 20,667 crore Ahmedabad (Sarkhej)-Dholera Semi High-Speed Double-Line railway project of 134 km in Gujarat, the first Indian Railways project using indigenous semi high-speed technology up to 220 kmph, with completion targeted by 2030-31.

CCEA approved the SARTHAK-PDS scheme with a central outlay of Rs 25,530 crore for 5 years (until March 31, 2031). The scheme deploys three AI-powered platforms: NIRMAL (registry), ASHA (grievance AI), and SAKSHAM (logistics AI) to modernise the Public Distribution System.

The Bihar Cabinet approved a USD 500 million (Rs 4,750 crore) loan from the World Bank for projects under the 'Bihar Urban Transformation Programme' to bolster urban centres and develop integrated urban economic zones in the state.

The Chhattisgarh government under CM Vishnu Deo Sai launched the 'Adarsh Shahar Samriddhi Yojana', allocating Rs 200 crore in the 2026-27 budget to develop modern civic infrastructure in emerging towns and urban centres.

Bengaluru City Police launched a multilingual AI integration in the 'Namma 112' Emergency Response Support System in April 2026, marking the first-of-its-kind AI-powered multilingual emergency service initiative in India.

Karnataka launched India's first Integrated Technology-Driven Monitoring Portal to track Not of Standard Quality (NSQ) medicines and regulate NDPS drugs. The portal was developed by the Food Safety and Drug Administration (FDA) Department, Karnataka.

The Maharashtra Cabinet under CM Devendra Fadnavis approved the AI Policy 2026, aiming to attract Rs 10,000 crore investment and generate 1.5 lakh employment opportunities by 2031 through AI infrastructure, innovation centres, and skill training in Mumbai.

Mizoram launched the 'Khuarel' mobile app, a disaster incident and reporting management system, to enable real-time disaster response and coordination. It was unveiled in Aizawl, making Mizoram one of the first Northeastern states to adopt a digital disaster management solution.

The Government of Nagaland launched the '100 Days Ayushman Student Coverage Mission' to expand health insurance coverage among students. The mission is an extension of Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY and the state's Chief Minister's Health Insurance Scheme (CMHIS).

West Bengal government began enrolment for the 'Annapurna Yojana' (also known as Annapurna Bhandar scheme) in May 2026, a women's welfare scheme providing monthly financial assistance to eligible women aged between 25 and 60 years.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari launched India's first Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) barrier-less tolling system at the Chorayasi Toll Plaza on the Surat-Bharuch section of NH-48 in Gujarat in May 2026.

Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia launched the 'Cell Broadcast System (CBS)', an indigenous technology developed by C-DOT under the Department of Telecommunications, in partnership with NDMA and MHA, to warn citizens about emergencies and natural disasters in real time.

Karnataka launched India's first state-led Centre of Excellence for Space Technology (CoE SpaceTech Foundation) in Bengaluru in May 2026, to bridge the gap between research and commercialisation of space technologies.

India and the EU launched a EUR 15.2 million (approximately Rs 169 crore) joint initiative under the Trade and Technology Council (TTC) for recycling Electric Vehicle (EV) batteries, funded through the EU's Horizon Europe programme and India's Ministry of Heavy Industries.

IITM Pune established India's first Urban Testbed and Aerosol Observatory along with the Centre for Atmospheric Science Research and Innovation (CASRI) at SRM Institute of Science and Technology in Ramapuram, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

The 'SEHAT Mission' (Science Excellence for Health through Agricultural Transformation) was jointly launched by ICAR and ICMR to connect agriculture, nutrition, and public health through scientific collaboration, under the theme 'Healthy Food, Healthy Farms and a Healthy India'.

The Department of Financial Services launched the Bharat Maritime Insurance Pool (BMIP) of USD 1.5 billion with a sovereign guarantee of USD 1.4 billion (Rs 12,980 crore) in May 2026, to provide risk cover to Indian vessels on international sea routes including war and high-risk zones.

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurated India's first Integrated Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) field laboratory facility at IIT Bombay, including the country's first pilot-scale scientific drilling initiative to assess CO2 storage potential in the Deccan Traps.

India and IFAD launched a new 8-year Country Strategic Opportunities Programme (COSOP) for 2026-2033 to strengthen India's rural economy, aligning with the Viksit Bharat@2047 vision. The announcement was made at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.

MeitY launched the IP Catalyst initiative and its digital platform (cipie.in) during a national conference on IP commercialisation in electronics and IT at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, to transform patents into commercial products.

Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy unveiled the Unified Bharat e-Charge (UBC) platform, a national unified EV charging platform, and approved 1,243 EV charging stations in Karnataka with an outlay of Rs 123.26 crore under the PM E-DRIVE Scheme.

Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and Mizoram CM Lalduhoma launched the Rs 189.79 crore Mizoram Ginger Mission in May 2026, aimed at promoting GI-certified pharma-grade Mizo Ginger in international markets and enhancing farmer income through processing and exports.

NHAI launched 'Project Saksham' in collaboration with the Vertis Foundation to empower rural women through skill development and employment opportunities. The initiative operates through 12 training centres across India.

Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia launched the Rs 175 crore 'Coffee of Nagaland' mission with two pilot clusters: Tuophema village in Kohima district for Arabica coffee and Ghotovi village in Niuland district for Robusta coffee.

CBI launched the AI-based 'ABHAY' helpbot (AI-Based Helpbot for Authentication of Your Notice) in May 2026, a 24x7 platform allowing users to verify CBI notices via OTP to protect citizens from digital arrest and fake notice scams.

Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia launched the 'Arunachal Kiwi: The USP of Arunachal Pradesh' mission with a budget of Rs 167 crore under MDoNER, using a cluster-based approach for Kiwi cultivation and value chain development in Arunachal Pradesh.

Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh launched Phase-II of the UMMID Programme for Rare Genetic Disorders in May 2026. Phase-II includes 25 additional NIDAN Kendras across 13 states and one UT, with training centres in Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Chandigarh.

UK's British International Investment (BII) and Denmark's Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) launched 'North Star', a USD 300 million renewable energy platform in India, expected to generate over 4 million MWh of clean energy annually and prevent nearly 4 million tonnes of carbon emissions per year.

The Bharath Digital Infrastructure Association (BDIA) launched 'Bharat Digital Samvad', India's first dedicated national forum on digital sovereignty and infrastructure policy, in New Delhi, promoting the principle of 'Data Swaraj'.

ICMR organised the 'Medical Innovations Patent Mitra: Innovators-to-Industry (I2I) Connect' event and transferred 41 public health technologies from ICMR institutes to industry partners for development, manufacturing, and commercialisation.

Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and Tripura CM Dr Manik Saha launched 'Mission Queen Pineapple' with a budget of Rs 236 crore for pineapple cultivation and value chain development in Tripura. The project includes a central processing hub near Agartala airport and 8 collection centres.

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal launched the Logistics Port Performance Index (LPPI) for FY25 and four digital initiatives at the 37th Foundation Day of Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) in Mumbai. LPPI is a national benchmarking mechanism developed under the Sagar Aankalan framework.

The NIOS launched an initiative 'To Reach the Unreached' to reconnect out-of-school children (especially aged 14-18) with formal education, as a step toward NEP 2020 goals. PLFS data shows over 2 crore children in this age group are currently out of school.

The ECLGS 5.0 scheme is administered through the National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company Limited (NCGTC) and will cover MSMEs with existing working capital limits whose accounts are standard as of March 31, 2026. The airline sector is also covered at 90% guarantee.

The SARTHAK-PDS scheme is expected to reduce logistics costs by 15-50%, save nearly Rs 280 crore annually, and lower carbon emissions by about 36%. It runs for 5 years until March 31, 2031, as part of the 16th Finance Commission cycle.

DRDO inaugurated a CBRN Field Training and Demonstration Centre at Burari plains, New Delhi, to strengthen preparedness for radiological and nuclear emergencies, under DRDO-CBRN Centre of Excellence.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurated the Bhimmandali Eco Heritage Site in Sambalpur, Odisha, with a government sanction of over Rs 8.30 crore for site development.

India's first SME-led semiconductor ATMP/OSAT facility was inaugurated at Bhiwadi, Rajasthan by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, set up by Sahasra Semiconductors Pvt. Ltd. under the SPECS scheme.

Union Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the NIBE Group's defence manufacturing complex in Shirdi, Maharashtra, and flagged off India's first 300-km Universal Rocket Launching System 'Suryastra'.

Indian Railways inaugurated the 'CHIRAG' Centre of Excellence for HR excellence at Moula-Ali, Secunderabad, Telangana, dedicated to Human Resource Management training and digital transformation.

The Ministry of Home Affairs notified the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2026, introducing e-OCI (electronic OCI cards) and bringing changes to the Citizenship Rules, 2009, effective April 30, 2026.

The Ministry of Mines approved 58 companies under the Incentive Scheme for Promotion of Critical Mineral Recycling (IS-PCMR) with a total outlay of Rs 1,500 crore under the National Critical Mineral Mission.

The C-ART (Coastal Atmospheric Research Testbed) Observatory was established at Andhra University, Visakhapatnam by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, at a cost of Rs 180 crore under Mission Mausam.

Sikkim became India's first state to have a fully paperless judiciary, as announced by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant during the Conclave on Technology and Judicial Education in Gangtok.

India deployed its Aarogya Maitri (BHISHM Cube) healthcare system in Jamaica in April 2026, strengthening humanitarian diplomacy with Caribbean nations (CARICOM).

The Ministry of Power revised Make in India norms for HVDC substations, targeting 60% local content by FY2034-35, with phased targets of 30% by FY28, 40% by FY30, 50% by FY32.

MoHFW released India's first structured national framework for diabetes management in children, featuring the '4Ts awareness framework — Toilet, Thirsty, Tired, and Thinner' for early detection of Type 1 Diabetes.

The South Coast Railway (SCoR) Zone was officially notified with Visakhapatnam as its headquarters, set to become India's 18th railway zone, operational from 1 June 2026.

DPIIT identified 40 sub-sectors for expedited 60-day FDI clearance from countries sharing land borders with India — including China, Pakistan, and Bangladesh — covering capital goods, electronics, and rare earth segments.

MoHFW launched RBSK 2.0 Guidelines under NHM, expanding India's child health screening programme to cover children from birth to 18 years and including mental health and NCDs like diabetes and hypertension.

India's first green methanol production plant is being set up at Deendayal Port Authority, Kutch, Gujarat, converting the invasive Prosopis juliflora (Gando Baval) weed into green marine fuel using biomass gasification.

The National Statistics Office updated State GDP calculation by adopting 2022-23 as the new base year for compiling Gross State Value Added (GSVA), replacing the existing 2011-12 base year used by 34 states and UTs.

CSIR-CRRI and BPCL developed 'Phoenix Geocell', India's first technical textile geocell made entirely from end-of-life mixed plastic waste, recognised by India Book of Records and Asia Book of Records.

The Ministry of Finance empowered the Principal Bench of GST Appellate Tribunal (GSTAT), New Delhi to act as the National Appellate Authority for Advance Rulings (NAAAR) with effect from April 1, 2026.

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) and Government of Odisha signed a renewed five-year MoU to continue elite youth football development partnership under the Department of Sports and Youth Services.

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant launched the 'One Case One Data' initiative and AI-powered judicial assistance chatbot 'Su Sahay' to strengthen data integration and transparency across the judiciary.

The VB-G RAM G (Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission Gramin) Act, 2025, will replace MGNREGA from July 1, 2026, guaranteeing 125 days of work per year per household instead of 100 days.

Five states — Gujarat, Karnataka, Keralam, Nagaland, and Rajasthan — were felicitated by NeGD for outstanding DigiLocker integration initiatives at the National Consultative Workshop on Cybersecurity in New Delhi.

India assumed the chairmanship of the Common Criteria Development Board (CCDB) for April 2026 to April 2028, confirmed during the CCRA's 1st Quarter Meeting held in Tokyo, Japan.

Tripura became the first state in India to complete all 51 priority areas under Deregulation Phase-I and Phase-II reforms, aimed at improving ease of doing business and reducing regulatory burden.

Flying Wedge Defence & Aerospace announced that India's first AI-powered Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) 'Kaal Bhairava' will be manufactured at an international facility in Portugal.

The EU became India's third-largest seafood export market in FY26 with India's seafood exports to EU reaching USD 1.593 billion, contributing 18.94% of total seafood export value.

Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia launched 'Mission Sikkim Organics' with an outlay of Rs 360 crore on Sikkim's 51st Statehood Day (May 16, 2026) to strengthen organic farming in the state.

Bhopal inaugurated India's first 'Algae Tree' at Swami Vivekananda Park to reduce urban air pollution using microalgae that absorb CO2 and release fresh oxygen through photosynthesis.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla constituted the Committee on Empowerment of Women for 2026-27, with Dr. Daggubati Purandeswari appointed as its Chairperson.

Union Minister Rajnath Singh laid the foundation for the Rs 15,000 crore Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme facility at Puttaparthi, Andhra Pradesh, for India's 5th generation aircraft.

BIS notified fuel specifications for E22, E25, E27, and E30 petrol-ethanol blends under IS 19850:2026, permitting up to 30% ethanol blending in petrol for vehicles.

Bharat Forge signed an MoU with the Andhra Pradesh government to establish India's first private-sector Marine Gas Turbine Repair and Overhaul Complex in Visakhapatnam, co-located with INS Eksila.

Tonbo Imaging secured a contract from the Indian Navy under ADITI 3.0 to integrate a High Power Microwave (HPM) system for naval platforms, supported by iDEX and the Defence Innovation Organisation.

Scientists at ICAR's Central Rice Research Institute (CRRI), Cuttack developed Plant-OpenCRISPR1 (POC1), the world's first AI-designed genome-editing platform for plants, using rice as a model crop.

The Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) selected 10 institutions under its Convergence Research Centres of Excellence programme with funding up to Rs 25 crore per centre for up to five years.

ITBP completed its first-ever all-women international expedition, summiting Mt Everest (8,848 m) with a 14-member team via the South Col Route from Nepal in May 2026.

The Department of Space approved the establishment of Common Technical Facilities (CTFs) in Gujarat and Tamil Nadu to strengthen India's space ecosystem and domestic manufacturing capabilities.

Ladakh LG Vinod Saxena approved a 5-year MoU extension with ONGC for India's first geothermal power project, continuing the collaboration to develop renewable geothermal energy in Ladakh.

BSF launched its first all-women Everest expedition named 'Mission Vande Mataram' as part of its Diamond Jubilee (60 years of service) celebrations in May 2026.

BIS published six new Indian Standards for assistive technologies under the NLEAP initiative, including standards for elbow crutches, walking sticks, multi-leg sticks, portable ramps, tactile guide maps, and Braille signage.

Sikkim became the 22nd state of India through the Constitution (36th Amendment) Act, 1975, and integrates with India on May 16 — observed as Sikkimi State Day.

The Panchayati Raj Samikshya portal was launched during the inauguration of Bhimmandali Eco Heritage Site in Sambalpur, Odisha, designed to improve transparency in rural governance.

The Department of Consumer Affairs amended GATC Rules to authorise Government Approved Test Centres to verify five additional fuel dispensing systems: Petrol/Diesel, CNG, LPG, LNG, and Hydrogen.

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal unveiled 'Maritime Reform Utsav' in May 2026 to commemorate 12 years of maritime reforms under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, aligned with Viksit Bharat 2047.

Google announced the 'Google for Education Schoolers (GES)' free AI training programme for school teachers in India at the Education World Forum 2026 in London, available in 6 Indian languages including Assamese, Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Odia, and Punjabi.

The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) notified the NSB and NST Rules, 2026 under the National Sports Governance Act, 2025; the NST Chairperson holds office for five years or till age 70, whichever is earlier.

The Ministry of Defence issued the RFP for the AMCA (Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft) Programme in May 2026, India's first indigenous fifth-generation stealth fighter, with an estimated prototype development cost of Rs.15,000 crore for five flying prototypes and one structural test aircraft.

IIT Madras launched a Rs 4.5 crore Circulating Water Tunnel Facility in Thaiyur, near Chennai, in May 2026, designed to strengthen indigenous ship design and hydrodynamic testing capabilities.

The Government of India notified two SEZs in Puducherry — an IT/ITES SEZ and a Multi-Sector SEZ — with total proposed investment of Rs. 1,975 crore, approved during the 137th meeting of the Board of Approval for SEZs.

Union MoS Sanjay Seth launched the 'Namo Stall Scheme' for street fruit and vegetable vendors in Ranchi, Jharkhand, under the PM SVANidhi Scheme in April 2026.

Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched PMGSY-IV in Odisha in May 2026 with an outlay of Rs.1,700 crore, covering 827 road projects of 1,701.84 km to provide all-weather connectivity to 898 habitations.

Three Jan Suraksha schemes — PMSBY, PMJJBY, and APY — completed 11 years on May 9, 2026, having been launched by PM Narendra Modi in Kolkata on May 9, 2015.

Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched PMGSY-IV in Madhya Pradesh on May 10, 2026 at Sehore, with approval for 973 roads covering 2,117.52 km at Rs. 1,763.08 crore, on the occasion of PMGSY's silver jubilee.

PFRDA launched Retirement Income Schemes (RIS) in May 2026 under NPS, offering flexible periodic payout options during the decumulation phase; currently NPS subscribers can withdraw up to 60% tax-free at retirement.

DPIIT released implementation guidelines for the BHAVYA (Bharat Audyogik Vikas Yojna) Scheme in May 2026, a Central Sector Scheme with a total financial outlay of Rs. 33,660 crore proposing development of 100 investment-ready industrial parks.

Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann launched 'Meri Rasoi Yojana' in May 2026 in Bhalwan village, Sangrur district, to provide free food kits to around 40 lakh economically weaker families under NFSA 2013.

The USA launched 'Project Freedom' in May 2026, a naval escort operation under President Donald Trump to guide stranded commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz amid Iran-USA tensions.

India formally handed over the IUCAA banner to the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) in May 2026 during a ceremony at the Royal Observatory in Cape Town to strengthen scientific cooperation.

The US approved two Foreign Military Sales packages worth USD 428.2 million for India in May 2026: USD 198.2 million for AH-64E Apache helicopters and USD 230 million for M777A2 ultra-light howitzers sustainment.

PM Narendra Modi visited Uttar Pradesh on April 28-29, 2026, inaugurating projects worth Rs. 6,350 crore including the 594 km, 6-lane Meerut-Prayagraj greenfield expressway connecting 12 districts, built at Rs. 36,230 crore.

Annalena Baerbock, 80th President of the UNGA, visited India on April 28, 2026, at the invitation of Union Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar to reinforce India's commitment to engagement with the United Nations.

Vietnam President To Lam visited India from May 5-7, 2026, during which both countries signed 13 MoUs and elevated bilateral ties to an Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, with a target to expand trade to USD 25 billion by 2030.

PM Narendra Modi inaugurated India's first functional PM MITRA (Pradhan Mantri Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel) Park in Warangal, Telangana, during his visit on May 10, 2026.

PM Narendra Modi participated in the Somnath Amrut Mahotsav at Somnath Temple, Gujarat, in May 2026, and released a commemorative stamp and Rs. 75 coin to mark 1,000 years of Somnath's faith and 75 years of post-Independence reconstruction.

Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides made his first official visit to India (May 20-23, 2026), during which India and Cyprus signed 6 MoUs covering defence, education, and counter-terrorism; he also rang the ceremonial bell at NSE Mumbai.

EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar made the first-ever bilateral visit by an Indian External Affairs Minister to Jamaica (May 2-4, 2026), signing 3 MoUs covering health cooperation, solar energy, and broadcasting.

During EAM Jaishankar's visit to Suriname (May 6-7, 2026), he co-chaired the 9th Joint Commission Meeting with FM Melvin Bouva and met President Jennifer Geerlings-Simons.

PM Narendra Modi visited UAE on May 15, 2026 as the first leg of a 5-nation tour; Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Limited (ISPRL) signed a strategic energy MoU with ADNOC to strengthen India's energy security.

During PM Modi's visit to Netherlands (May 16-17, 2026), Leiden University Library restituted 11th century Chola Copper Plates to India, and both countries agreed to elevate bilateral relations to a Strategic Partnership.

PM Narendra Modi was awarded Sweden's 'Royal Order of Polar Star' (Degree Commander Grand Cross) during his visit to Sweden in May 2026, marking his 31st international honour.

PM Narendra Modi received Norway's 'Royal Norwegian Order of Merit Grand Cross' from King Harald V in Oslo during his visit (May 18-19, 2026), marking the first visit by an Indian PM to Norway in over 40 years since Indira Gandhi in 1983.

PM Narendra Modi received the FAO's Agricola Medal, the highest honour of the Food and Agriculture Organization, from DG Qu Dongyu at FAO headquarters in Rome during his Italy visit in May 2026.

India and Canada set a bilateral trade target of USD 50 billion by 2030 during Union Minister Piyush Goyal's visit to Canada (May 25-27, 2026) to advance negotiations on the India-Canada Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).

RBI issued final guidelines in April 2026 exempting NBFCs with asset size below Rs. 1,000 crore that do not avail public funds or have customer interface from registration requirements, classifying them as 'Unregistered Type I NBFCs', effective July 1, 2026.

RBI imposed a monetary penalty of Rs. 33.60 lakh on YES Bank (Rs. 31.80 lakh for KYC non-compliance) and Hinduja Housing Finance (Rs. 1.80 lakh for governance lapses) in May 2026.

RBI signed an MoU with the European Central Bank (ECB) in May 2026 to enhance cooperation in the field of central banking.

RBI cancelled the banking licence of Mumbai-based Sarvodaya Co-operative Bank Limited with effect from May 12, 2026 under Sections 22(4) and 56 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.

RBI removed the prior approval requirement for non-bank entities (fintechs) to form tie-up arrangements with Authorised Dealer Category-I banks for providing outward remittance services in India in May 2026.

ONGC Energy Centre will drill an existing geothermal well up to 1,000 metres during the 2026 working season as part of a phase-wise geothermal project, with another 1,000 m well planned in the next phase.

PM Modi's 5-nation tour in May 2026 covered UAE, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, and Italy from May 15-20, 2026, during which he received three international honours including Sweden's Royal Order of Polar Star, Norway's Royal Order of Merit Grand Cross, and FAO's Agricola Medal.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh undertook a 4-day official visit to Vietnam and South Korea (May 18-21, 2026) to strengthen defence industrial partnerships and promote peace in the Indo-Pacific region.

RBI's Investment Fluctuation Reserve (IFR) is a reserve created by banks from profits to absorb losses from mark-to-market (MTM) valuation changes in investments, especially government securities; RBI issued amended IFR directions in May 2026.

PM Modi visited Karnataka on May 10, 2026, attending Art of Living's 45th anniversary in Bengaluru and inaugurating the newly constructed Dhyan Mandir at the Art of Living International Centre.

PM Modi visited Gujarat on May 10-11, 2026, participating in the Somnath Amrut Mahotsav and inaugurating the Sardardham Hostel in Vadodara developed at a cost of Rs. 150 crore.

RBI imposed regulatory restrictions on Etawah (UP)-based Nagar Sahakari Bank Limited in May 2026, capping withdrawals at Rs 10,000 due to deteriorating financial conditions, under the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.

RBI cancelled the licence of Maharashtra-based Yashwant Co-operative Bank Limited in May 2026 due to poor financial health, inadequate capital, and regulatory violations; eligible depositors can claim insurance up to Rs 5 lakh via DICGC.

RBI approved a record surplus transfer (dividend) of Rs 2,86,588.46 crore (~Rs 2.87 lakh crore) to the Government of India for FY26 in May 2026, decided during the 623rd meeting of the Central Board of Directors chaired by Governor Dr. Sanjay Malhotra.

RBI mandated a three-year cooling-off period in May 2026 for directors of Urban Co-operative Banks (UCBs) and Rural Co-operative Banks (RCBs) who complete 10 years of continuous tenure on the board.

RBI set up a committee under the Q-SAFE initiative (Quantum Secure and Adaptive Financial Ecosystem) in May 2026 to examine the use of quantum technology in the finance sector.

SEBI operationalised the PaRRVA (Past Risk and Return Verification Agency) framework in April 2026, granting recognition to CARE Ratings Limited as PaRRVA and NSE as the PaRRVA Data Centre (PDC); PaRRVA began regular services from May 4, 2026.

SEBI constituted the 'Cyber-suraksha.ai' task force in May 2026 to evaluate cybersecurity risks from advanced AI tools and strengthen cyber resilience in financial markets.

SEBI proposed the GARUDA mechanism (Green-Channel: AIF Rollout Upon Document Acknowledgement) in May 2026 to reduce the AIF scheme approval waiting period from 30 days to 10 working days for Non-Accredited Investor schemes.

Jio Payments Bank Limited partnered with fintech platform Ezeepay in May 2026 as Business Correspondent (BC) to strengthen last-mile digital banking services in rural and semi-urban India.

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) partnered with Airtel Payments Bank in May 2026 to launch co-branded RuPay 'On-The-Go' National Common Mobility Cards (NCMC) for seamless digital payments and metro travel across India.

Development Bank of Japan (DBJ) entered a strategic partnership with HDFC Capital Advisors in May 2026 to invest in real estate funds with a total targeted corpus of USD 1 billion for affordable and mid-income housing in India; this was DBJ's first-ever real estate investment in India.

NPCI Bharat BillPay Limited (NBBL) partnered with Juspay Technologies in May 2026 to launch a unified switch and SDK for its Banking Connect platform to enhance the net banking experience in India.

India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) launched a dedicated zero-balance SHG Savings Account in April 2026 to empower women-led Self Help Groups and advance financial inclusion through the postal network.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) launched a USD 70 billion initiative at its 59th Annual Meeting in Samarkand, Uzbekistan in May 2026, comprising a USD 50 billion Pan-Asia Power Grid and a USD 20 billion Asia-Pacific Digital Highway to expand energy and digital infrastructure by 2035.

ADB launched the 'Critical Minerals-to-Manufacturing Financing Partnership Facility' at its 59th Annual Meeting in Samarkand, Uzbekistan in May 2026 to strengthen critical minerals supply chains across Asia and the Pacific.

NSE launched the Electronic Gold Receipts (EGR) segment on May 4, 2026, with SEBI approval, to create a transparent and efficient gold trading ecosystem enhancing price discovery and investor confidence.

AU Small Finance Bank launched four new credit cards in May 2026 — AU Ananta, AU Laksya, AU Tejas, and AU Prathama — targeting customers in Tier-1 and Tier-2 cities across different lifestyle segments.

CTBC Bank became the first Taiwanese bank to open a branch at GIFT City, Gandhinagar, Gujarat in May 2026, establishing a presence in India's premier International Financial Services Centre (IFSC).

IDFC FIRST Bank launched the FD-backed Business Multiplier Metal Credit Card in May 2026 for founders and entrepreneurs, available against FDs starting from Rs 50,000 with zero forex markup.

ICICI Bank in partnership with Visa launched India's first USD-denominated debit card for NRI customers through its IFSC Banking Unit at GIFT City, Gandhinagar, Gujarat in May 2026.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma inaugurated India's first AI-powered 'phygital' bank branch of Slice Small Finance Bank in Guwahati, Assam in May 2026.

Mahindra & Mahindra signed an MoU with DBS Bank in May 2026 to launch India's first sustainability-linked dealer financing scheme in the automotive sector, offering preferential interest rates to authorised Mahindra dealers based on environmental performance.

NCDEX launched India's first exchange-traded weather derivatives contract, 'RAINMUMBAI', in May 2026, with a tick size of 1 mm and a lot multiplier of Rs 50 per mm.

Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launched SIDBI's MoRE Programme on SIDBI's 37th Foundation Day in Mumbai in May 2026, designed to support 10,000 rural micro and artisan units through cluster-based interventions over 3 years.

SIDBI's Micro Credit Card Scheme for MSMEs enables Udyam-registered micro enterprises to access credit of up to Rs 5 lakh with 75% guarantee coverage and without mandatory primary security.

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) launched the 'Energy, Food Security and Economic Resilience Facility (EFSERF)' in May 2026, a USD 10 billion relief facility to help member countries tackle economic impact from the Middle East conflict over 2 years.

LIC launched two new joint life insurance plans — 'LIC's New Jeevan Sathi Single Premium' and 'LIC's New Jeevan Sathi Limited Premium' — in May 2026 for couples, available from June 2026 with guaranteed returns and premium waiver on first death.

One Mobikwik Systems secured RBI's in-principle approval for a Payment Aggregator-Physical (PA-P) licence in May 2026, enabling offline merchant payments across India.

Bank of Baroda launched biometric payment authentication, UIDAI face authentication for UPI PIN, and IoT-based payment capabilities on its UPI app 'bob इ Pay' in May 2026.

The Department of Financial Services (DFS) approved Viability Plan 2.0 for Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) in May 2026, extending the plan for three years from FY26 to FY28 to strengthen governance and performance monitoring.

The Ministry of Finance amended FEMA rules in May 2026 to allow 100% FDI in Indian insurance companies via the automatic route; however, FDI in LIC remains capped at 20% under the automatic route.

ZikZuk Technologies received final RBI authorisation in May 2026 to operate as a Prepaid Payment Instrument (PPI) issuer under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007, following its in-principle approval in May 2025.

Decentro became the first Indian Payment Aggregator (PA) to secure final IFSCA approval to operate as a Payment Service Provider (PSP) at GIFT City, Gandhinagar, Gujarat in May 2026.

Scheduled Commercial Banks recorded 15.9% year-on-year growth in non-food credit during FY26, an increase of 497 basis points compared to 10.9% in FY25, with the services sector recording the highest growth at 19%.

S&P Global and CRISIL jointly revised India's GDP forecast for FY27 downward by 50 basis points to 6.6% in May 2026, from the previous estimate of 7.1%, citing disruptions from the West Asia conflict.

SBI's Ecowrap Research report projected India's real GDP growth at 7.2% for Q4 FY26 (January–March) in May 2026, slightly lower than the earlier advanced estimate of 7.3%.

Moody's Ratings revised India's GDP growth forecast for CY26 downward by 80 basis points to 6% in its 'Global Macro Outlook – May 2026 Update', citing weak private consumption and subdued industrial activity.

West Bengal Gramin Bank (WBGB) collaborated with Canara HSBC Life Insurance in May 2026 to strengthen life insurance coverage across rural and semi-urban areas of West Bengal.

NISM (SEBI-backed National Institute of Securities Markets) signed an MoU with the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA) in May 2026 to bolster cooperation in corporate governance, ESG practices, and capital markets, in the presence of SEBI Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey.

Tata AIA Life Insurance launched 'Shubh Health Criti', a unit-linked health insurance plan in April 2026, offering coverage for over 60 critical illnesses for individuals aged 18–65 years with a 30-year premium guarantee.

Bajaj General Insurance launched 'My Health Care Plan Edge+' (MHCP EDGE+) in May 2026, offering health indemnity coverage from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 5 crore with unlimited reinstatement benefits and coverage available from 3 months of age.

Skydo secured in-principle approval to operate as Payment Service Provider (PSP) at GIFT City in May 2026, enabling multi-currency collections, e-money accounts, and merchant acquisition for cross-border trade.

Fintech platform Jumpp, operated by Finvasia Group, received Corporate Agency and ISNP licences from IRDAI in May 2026 to distribute insurance products digitally through its AI-powered platform.

UNDESA revised India's GDP forecast for FY27 downward to 6.4% from 6.6% in its report 'World Economic Situation and Prospects 2026', released in May 2026.

ICRA Limited revised India's GDP forecast for FY27 downward by 30 basis points to 6.2% in May 2026, citing elevated crude oil prices due to the ongoing West Asia conflict.

Taiwan Stock Exchange surpassed India to become the world's fifth largest stock market in May 2026, with market capitalisation reaching USD 4.95 trillion against India's USD 4.92 trillion, driven by the AI-led semiconductor boom led by TSMC.

Paras Defence and Space Technologies Limited signed an MoU with Complus Systems Private Limited and JV Micronics in April 2026 to collaborate on development of advanced anechoic chamber projects in India.

Larsen & Toubro (L&T) entered into a strategic partnership with France-based Exail Technologies in May 2026 to deliver advanced Unmanned Mine Countermeasure (MCM) systems for the Indian Navy.

Google LLC and Blackstone Inc. announced a joint venture in May 2026 to establish an AI cloud infrastructure company, with Blackstone committing an initial USD 5 billion equity investment and a target of 500 MW capacity by 2027.

Nibe Group and Israel's Elbit Systems signed a Joint Venture in May 2026 to set up advanced energetic materials and propellant manufacturing facilities in India, aligning with 'Make in India' and 'Atmanirbhar Bharat'.

TCS signed a multi-million dollar agreement with Sweden's SKF in May 2026 to roll out a next-generation Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) platform using AI across IT systems and business operations.

TCS became the first Global Systems Integrator to partner with Mistral AI, a French AI startup, in May 2026, to deliver enterprise GenAI solutions with a focus on BFSI, manufacturing, healthcare, and public sector.

India and Japan signed agreements in May 2026 to strengthen bilateral cooperation in quantum technology and health research, signed during a high-level bilateral meeting in New Delhi.

India and the USA signed a Framework on 'Securing of Supply in the Mining and Processing of Critical Minerals and Rare Earths' in May 2026, with the US allocating over USD 30 billion for critical mineral supply chains.

India and Ethiopia signed a bilateral accession protocol in Geneva in May 2026 related to Ethiopia's membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO).

The Ministry of Jal Shakti signed reform-linked MoUs under Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0 with Uttarakhand, Karnataka, and Tripura in April 2026 to strengthen Gram Panchayat-led rural water governance.

The Government of Telangana signed a Share Purchase Agreement with L&T in April 2026 to acquire 100% equity in Hyderabad Metro Phase I at an equity value of Rs 1,461.47 crore.

The Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission signed MoUs with State Pharmacy Councils of Bihar, Maharashtra, and Mizoram in May 2026 to strengthen medicine safety, rational drug use, and pharmacovigilance activities.

Digital Bharat Nidhi under DoT and the Government of Andhra Pradesh signed an agreement in May 2026 for implementation of the Amended BharatNet Programme under the State-led model.

The Madhya Pradesh Government partnered with Google in May 2026 to develop an AI-powered framework for Simhastha 2028 and establish an AI Centre of Excellence in MP; Simhastha 2028 is scheduled in Ujjain from 27 March to 27 May 2028.

Maharashtra signed MoUs with NTPC, Adani Power, Reliance Industries, and Lalitpur Power Generation Company in May 2026 to attract Rs 6.5 lakh crore for nuclear energy projects generating 25,400 MW capacity.

Delhi e-Governance Society signed an MoU with State Bank of India in May 2026 to implement an integrated digital payment solution 'e-Pay' on the state's e-procurement portal.

The Government of Gujarat and Meta Platforms signed an MoU in May 2026 to launch a WhatsApp chatbot under the 'Sugam Digital' initiative, enabling citizens to access around 20 public services in Gujarati and English.

The Government of Andhra Pradesh and SIDBI announced creation of an angel fund through Ratan Tata Innovation Hub in New Delhi in May 2026 to position AP as a hub for deep-tech innovation.

UIDAI and the National Forensic Sciences University signed a 5-year MoU in May 2026 to bolster cybersecurity and digital forensic capabilities of India's Aadhaar infrastructure.

NLC India Limited signed a Non-Disclosure Agreement with France's Électricité de France in April 2026 in Chennai to explore nuclear power projects in India based on EPR and Small Modular Reactor technologies.

Maritime India Foundation signed MoUs with IIT Madras, IIT Bombay, and Indian Maritime University Chennai in May 2026 to establish Maritime Innovation Hubs under the Sagarmala Startup Innovation Initiative.

The Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India and FICCI signed an MoU in May 2026 to strengthen India's R&D and innovation ecosystem, signed at Kartavya Bhavan, New Delhi.

IndiaAI Mission and the Indian Council of Medical Research signed an MoU in May 2026 to accelerate responsible use of AI in healthcare and strengthen AI-driven public health innovation in India.

CII and the National University of Singapore Institute of Systems Science signed an MoU in May 2026 to jointly offer a 'Leadership Programme on Artificial Intelligence and Governance' for Indian industry leaders.

Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) and Reserve Bank Innovation Hub signed an MoU in May 2026 to strengthen AI-based detection of mule accounts and cyber financial frauds, leveraging MuleHunter.ai.

The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways signed a tripartite MoU with HD KSOE, NSHIP-TN, and SMFCL in May 2026 for development of India's first Mega Greenfield Shipyard at Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu.

IndiaAI Mission signed an MoU with Karya, a Bengaluru-based nonprofit, in May 2026 to increase accessibility of the AI economy through collaboration in data, technology, and capacity building.

Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA) signed an MoU with Prasar Bharati in May 2026 to strengthen investor awareness through informative scroll messages on Doordarshan's national and regional channels.

D Y Patil International University, Pune signed an MoU with Dassault Systèmes in May 2026 to establish an advanced Digital Engineering and Digital Manufacturing Experience Centre at its Akurdi, Pune campus.

DPIIT under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry signed an MoU with Chamber India in May 2026 to bolster the Indian startup ecosystem and foster innovation-led growth.

Dhash Defence Systems and IIT Ropar's Defence Research and Innovation Foundation signed an MoU in May 2026 in Punjab to jointly develop advanced indigenous defence mobility systems.

CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research signed an MoU with Research and Information System for Developing Countries in May 2026 to strengthen collaboration in STI policy research and science diplomacy.

Canada's Cape Breton University signed three MoUs with Indian academic institutions in May 2026 during a multi-city outreach initiative led by CBU president David C. Dingwall, visiting New Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, Vadodara, and Ahmedabad.

Ministry of AYUSH signed an MoU with Digital India BHASHINI Division (DIBD) under MeitY in May 2026 to strengthen multilingual access to Ayush digital services through AI-powered language technologies.

Tata Power Company Limited (TPCL) and Bhutan's Druk Green Power Corporation Limited (DGPC) signed an MoU in May 2026 to develop 5,000 MW clean energy capacity in Bhutan.

BIT Mesra and North Eastern Space Applications Centre (NESAC) signed an MoU in May 2026 to strengthen cooperation in geospatial technologies, GeoAI, remote sensing, and higher education, valid for five years.

The Department of Posts (DoP) signed an agreement with Flipkart India in May 2026 to enhance parcel delivery efficiency across urban, semi-urban, rural, and remote regions of India.

Ayush Export Promotion Council (AYUSHEXCIL) and the Spices Board of India signed an MoU in May 2026 to strengthen India's traditional wellness and natural products sector.

National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and Japan-based Fourth Valley Concierge Corporation (FVCC) formed a strategic partnership in May 2026 to strengthen workforce mobility for Indian professionals in Japan.

RITES Limited and CRISIL signed an MoU in May 2026 to jointly develop data-driven infrastructure consultancy solutions across transport, energy, water, hydropower, wastewater, and industrial sectors in India and overseas.

NSE and Steel Users Federation of India (SUFI) signed an MoU in May 2026 in Mumbai to develop the steel and commodity derivatives ecosystem benefitting MSMEs, OEMs, and infrastructure companies.

Justice (Retd.) Anupinder Singh Grewal, former judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, was appointed President of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) in April 2026 for a five-year term or until age 67.

Vishvajit Sahay, a 1990-batch officer of the Indian Defence Accounts Service (IDAS), assumed charge as Secretary (Defence Finance), Ministry of Defence in May 2026, succeeding Rasika Chaube.

Rohit Jain was appointed Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in May 2026 for a period of three years effective from May 3, 2026, succeeding T. Rabi Sankar.

PM Narendra Modi approved the appointment of Dr. R. Balasubramaniam and Dr. Joram Aniya as full-time members of NITI Aayog in May 2026, raising the total full-time membership from five to seven.

National Award-winning lyricist Prasoon Joshi was appointed Chairman of Prasar Bharati, India's public service broadcaster, in May 2026 by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

Shashi Shekhar Vempati, former CEO of Prasar Bharati, was appointed Chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) in May 2026 for a three-year tenure.

FICCI nominated Priyanka Mittal, Director of KRBL Limited, as Co-Chair of the Saudi-India Business Council (SIBC) in May 2026, with Dr. Siddeek Ahmed as Chair of the Indian side.

Lt. Gen. (Retd.) NS Raja Subramani was appointed as the 3rd Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and Secretary of the Department of Military Affairs (DMA) with effect from May 30, 2026, succeeding Anil Chauhan.

Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan was appointed as the 27th Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) of the Indian Navy and assumed charge on May 31, 2026, succeeding Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi.

Suvendu Adhikari of the BJP was sworn in as the 9th Chief Minister of West Bengal in May 2026, becoming the first BJP leader to hold the post in the state, succeeding Mamata Banerjee.

C. Joseph Vijay, founder of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) and representative of Perambur constituency, was sworn in as the 13th Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu in May 2026, succeeding M. K. Stalin.

Ashok Kumar Panda was appointed as Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) effective from May 9, 2026, succeeding Krishna Kumar Singh.

Dr. Harvansh Chawla was appointed as Chairman of BRISEC Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BRISEC CCI) in May 2026, a new body recognised by NITI Aayog focusing on global trade beyond the BRICS framework.

Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma was sworn in as Chief Minister of Assam for a second consecutive term in May 2026, becoming the first non-Congress leader in Assam to serve two successive terms as CM.

N. Rangasamy of AINRC was sworn in as Chief Minister of Puducherry for a fifth term on May 13, 2026, becoming the first leader in Puducherry's history to serve five terms as CM.

R. Mukundan was elected President of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) for 2026–27 in May 2026, succeeding Rajiv Memani, with Suchitra Ella as President-Designate.

Akash Ambani was appointed as the first Managing Director of Jio Platforms Limited (JPL) for a five-year term effective from April 9, 2026.

V. D. Satheesan (Vadasseri Damodara Menon Satheesan) was sworn in as the 13th Chief Minister of Kerala at Central Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram, in May 2026, succeeding Pinarayi Vijayan.

Saurabh Vijay assumed charge as CEO of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) under MeitY in May 2026, following the transfer of former CEO Bhuvnesh Kumar.

RBI appointed Gunveer Singh as Executive Director on May 18, 2026, assigning him charge of the Department of Payment and Settlement Systems (DPSS), responsible for regulating payment systems in India.

Bharat Singh Chauhan was re-elected as Chairman of the Commonwealth Chess Association (CCA) for the 2026–2030 term during the Annual General Body Meeting held in Wasakaduwa, Sri Lanka.

The Commonwealth Chess Association announced the launch of the Commonwealth School Chess Championship in May 2026, with the first edition to be hosted in Malaysia in October 2026.

Medha Vishram Kulkarni, Rajya Sabha MP, was appointed Chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment, Forests and Climate Change effective May 18, 2026.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet extended the deputation tenure of Anurag Garg as Director General of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) till July 31, 2027.

RBI approved the reappointment of Sandeep Bakhshi as MD and CEO of ICICI Bank for a further two-year term beginning October 4, 2026, and continuing till October 3, 2028.

RBI approved the appointment of former IAS officer Elias George as Part-Time Chairman of the Board of Directors of Federal Bank Limited effective May 23, 2026, for a three-year tenure.

SEBI approved the appointment of Amit Mahajan and Nayana Ovalekar as Executive Directors on the board of Central Depository Services Limited (CDSL) in May 2026.

Packirisamy (P.) Jawahar assumed charge as Chairman of the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) under MoC&I in May 2026, succeeding D.V. Swamy, for a five-year term.

RBI approved a three-month extension for Ketan Merchant to continue as Interim CEO of Fino Payments Bank effective from May 27, 2026.

Vice Admiral Ajay Kochhar, former Commander-in-Chief of the Andaman and Nicobar Command, assumed charge as the 48th Vice Chief of the Naval Staff (VCNS) of the Indian Navy in May 2026, succeeding Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan.

Rumen Radev, former President of Bulgaria from the Progressive Bulgaria party, was formally elected as Prime Minister of Bulgaria by the National Assembly in May 2026 with a majority of 124 out of 240 votes.

Laura Virginia Fernández Delgado, 39, was sworn in as the 50th President of Costa Rica on 8 May 2026 at the National Stadium in San José for a four-year term (2026–2030), representing the right-wing Sovereign People's Party (PPSO).

Yoweri Museveni of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) was sworn in as President of Uganda for a seventh term on 13 May 2026, following his victory in the January 2026 presidential election.

Ali Falih Kadhim al-Zaidi was sworn in as the new Prime Minister of Iraq in May 2026, becoming the youngest Prime Minister in Iraq's modern history at age 40, nominated by the Coordination Framework.

Senegal President Bassirou Diomaye Faye appointed Ahmadou Al Aminou Lo, a veteran central banker and member of the Pastef party, as the new Prime Minister of Senegal in May 2026, following the dismissal of former PM Ousmane Sonko.

Janez Janša, leader of the Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS), was elected as Prime Minister of Slovenia for a fourth term in May 2026, securing 51 votes in Parliament and succeeding Robert Golob.

The 110th Pulitzer Prize (2026) was announced on 6 May 2026; Indian contributors Anand RK and Suparna Sharma won in the Illustrated Reporting and Commentary category for the project 'trAPPed' (Bloomberg).

The New York Times won 3 Pulitzer Prizes in 2026, taking its total to 142 — a record high since the awards began in 1917. Reuters secured 2 Pulitzers, bringing its all-time total to 15.

The Washington Post won the 2026 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service, while The Minnesota Star Tribune won for Breaking News Reporting.

Karnataka topped the National Panchayat Awards 2025 (NPA-2025) with 6 awards, followed by Odisha and Andhra Pradesh with 5 awards each, as announced by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj in May 2026.

New Napam Gaon Panchayat of Assam was awarded India's Best Gram Panchayat under the Nanaji Deshmukh Sarvottam Panchayat Satat Vikas Puraskar (NDSPSVP) 2025, earning a monetary prize of Rs 1.5 crore.

Actor Ishaan Khatter was conferred with an honorary membership of the 45 Cavalry Regiment of the Indian Armoured Corps in May 2026 for his portrayal of Captain Balram Mehta in the film 'Pippa'.

Taiwanese author Yáng Shuāng-zǐ and translator Lin King won the 2026 International Booker Prize for 'Taiwan Travelogue', the first Mandarin Chinese novel to receive the award, at a ceremony at Tate Modern, London.

Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) became the only Indian water utility to receive top-five global recognition in 3 categories at the 2026 Global Water Awards held at the Global Water Summit in Madrid, Spain.

ISRO's Chandrayaan-3 mission received the 2026 Goddard Astronautics Award from the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) at the ASCEND 2026 Conference in Washington D.C., for achieving the world's first soft landing near the Moon's south pole on 23 August 2023.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa conferred the Order of Mapungubwe — South Africa's highest civilian honour — on Indian-origin professors Salim Abdool Karim (Gold) and Keertan Dheda (Silver) in May 2026 for contributions to medical science and epidemiology.

Major Abhilasha Barak of the Indian Army was announced as the recipient of the 2025 UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award in May 2026, becoming the third recipient of this award from India.

Karnataka Grameena Bank (KGB) received the National Award from PFRDA in May 2026 for enrolling 2,49,185 APY (Atal Pension Yojana) accounts — 142% of its target — the highest among all banks in Karnataka.

Sahajanand Medical Technologies (SMT) became the first domestic cardiovascular manufacturing unit in India to receive ISO 50001:2018 Energy Management System certification in April 2026, for its facilities in Surat and Hyderabad.

Skyroot Aerospace became India's first space-tech unicorn in May 2026 after raising USD 60 million, taking its valuation to USD 1.1 billion — nearly double its 2023 valuation of USD 550 million, with total funding crossing USD 160 million.

O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU) in Sonipat, Haryana, became India's first Institute of Eminence (IoE) to be accredited by the Data Science Council of America (DASCA) in May 2026.

ISRO scientist Kuljeet Kaur Marhas became the first Indian woman elected as a Fellow of the Meteoritical Society for 2026, also becoming only the third Indian scientist to receive this honour after Devendra Lal and JN Goswami.

Nepali mountaineer Kami Rita Sherpa, known as the 'Everest Man', scaled Mount Everest for the 32nd time in May 2026, breaking his own world record for most Everest ascents in the male category.

Nepali mountaineer Lhakpa Sherpa, known as the 'Mountain Queen', scaled Mount Everest for the 11th time in May 2026, breaking her own world record for most Everest ascents in the female category.

On 19 May 2026, UNESCO and Fondation L'Oréal honoured five women scientists with the 2026 International Awards for Women in Science, with awardees from South Africa, Australia, UK, Argentina, and the USA.

HAL's Group Captain K.K. Venugopal (Retd) became the first Indian test pilot to be elected a Fellow of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots (SETP), USA, in May 2026.

IIT Kanpur Director Professor Manindra Agrawal and former WHO Chief Scientist Dr Soumya Swaminathan were elected as Fellows of the Royal Society (FRS) in May 2026, joining an elite group that includes Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, and Charles Darwin.

The 79th Cannes International Film Festival 2026 was held from 12–23 May 2026 in Cannes, France; Romanian director Cristian Mungiu won the Palme d'Or for the drama 'Fjord'.

Russian director Andrey Zvyagintsev received the Grand Prix at the 79th Cannes International Film Festival 2026 for his political thriller drama 'Minotaur'.

The 2026 Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting was won by AP journalists Dake Kang, Garance Burke, Byron Tau, Aniruddha Ghosal, and Yael Grauer.

The 2026 Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting was won by Susie Neilson, Megan Fan Munce, and Sara DiNatale of The San Francisco Chronicle.

The 2026 Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing was won by Aaron Parsley of Texas Monthly, while the Criticism prize went to Mark Lamster of The Dallas Morning News.

The NDSPSVP-2025 (Nanaji Deshmukh Sarvottam Panchayat Satat Vikas Puraskar) selected 8 Panchayats, comprising 3 under Best District Panchayat, 2 under Best Block Panchayat, and 3 under Best Gram Panchayat.

Laura Virginia Fernández Delgado's Sovereign People's Party (PPSO) secured an absolute majority in Costa Rica's February 2026 election by winning 31 of 57 seats in the unicameral legislature.

Mount Everest stands at 8,849 metres (29,032 feet) on the Nepal–China border and was first climbed in 1953 by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay. It is known as Sagarmatha in Nepali and Chomolungma in Tibetan.

Bulgaria held its eighth parliamentary election in five years in May 2026 following the collapse of PM Rosen Zhelyazkov's government in December 2025, eventually electing Rumen Radev as Prime Minister.

Skyroot Aerospace, India's first space-tech unicorn (May 2026), had a previous valuation of approximately USD 550 million in 2023, and with the latest USD 60 million funding round, total funding crossed USD 160 million.

The Pulitzer Prize for the Audio Reporting category at the 2026 ceremony was won by the staff of the podcast 'Pablo Torre Finds Out'.

Chandrayaan-3's soft landing near the Moon's south pole on 23 August 2023 was the world's first such achievement, for which ISRO received the 2026 Goddard Astronautics Award at the ASCEND 2026 Conference in Washington D.C.

Prof. Manindra Agrawal is the Director of IIT Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. He and former WHO Chief Scientist Dr Soumya Swaminathan were both elected Fellows of the Royal Society (FRS) in May 2026.

The 79th Cannes International Film Festival 2026 was held at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès in Cannes, France, from 12 to 23 May 2026.

Romanian director Cristian Mungiu won the Palme d'Or at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival for the film 'Fjord', becoming a two-time Palme d'Or winner.

Andrey Zvyagintsev of Russia won the Grand Prix at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival for the film 'Minotaur'.

India was awarded hosting rights for the 2027 Asian Relays in Chandigarh and the 2028 Asian Indoor Athletics Championships in Bhubaneswar, Odisha by the Asian Athletics Association (AAA).

The 2027 Asian Relays to be hosted by Chandigarh will be the third edition of the event, following Bangkok (2024) and Shaoxing, China (2025).

Gujarat CM Bhupendrabhai Rajnikant Patel inaugurated the second edition of India Aircraft Leasing and Financing Summit (IALFS 2.0) at GIFT City, Gandhinagar, Gujarat in May 2026.

Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu announced that India is set to become the world's 3rd-largest civil aviation market by 2035, with an estimated fleet of nearly 2,250 aircraft.

The International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) Pre-Summit was inaugurated by Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav at the Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM) in Bhopal, MP on the occasion of International Day for Biological Diversity (May 22).

Saudi Arabia joined the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) as its 26th member nation on 22 May 2026, along with five observer nations.

India hosted the 10th edition of the Indian Ocean Dialogue (IOD-10) in New Delhi under the theme 'Indian Ocean Region in a Transforming World' from May 7–8, 2026, during its chairship of IORA (2025–27).

India reaffirmed its commitment to the Indian Ocean Region through its MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) vision at the IOD-10.

Dr. Neena Malhotra, Secretary (South), MEA, chaired the BRICS Deputy Foreign Ministers and Special Envoys for MENA (BRICS MENA) meeting in New Delhi on 23–24 April 2026, in line with India's BRICS Chairship.

Union Minister Rajnath Singh attended the 23rd Defence Ministers' Meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan on April 28, 2026.

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) organised the 35th Plenary and Working Groups meetings of ISO TC20/SC14 'Space Systems and Operations' subcommittee for the first time in India at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi from May 4–8, 2026.

India hosted the Kimberley Process (KP) Intersessional Meeting 2026 from 11–14 May 2026 in Mumbai under its 2026 KP Chairship, with Suchindra Misra, Special Secretary (Commerce), serving as the KP Chair.

Union Minister Piyush Goyal inaugurated the 68th Session of the Governing Body Meeting (GBM) of the Asian Productivity Organization (APO) at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi in May 2026.

The 11th Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting (QFMM 2026) was held in New Delhi on May 26, 2026, chaired by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and launched the first-ever Indo-Pacific Maritime Surveillance Collaboration (IPMSC) initiative.

The Government of India constituted a High Level Committee under MoHA, chaired by retired Supreme Court Judge Justice Prakash Prabhakar Naolekar, to study demographic changes arising from illegal immigration in May 2026.

The WHO organised the 79th World Health Assembly (WHA79) in Geneva, Switzerland from 18–23 May 2026 under the theme 'Reshaping Global Health: A Shared Responsibility'.

The 79th World Health Assembly passed its first-ever resolution on stroke, led by Egypt and co-sponsored by Chile, Georgia, Palestine, Paraguay, and Tunisia, formally recognising stroke as a global public health priority.

Tamil Nadu became India's top marine fish producer in 2025 with 6.85 lakh tonnes, surpassing Gujarat (6.43 lakh tonnes), as per the ICAR-CMFRI Annual Report 2025.

India's total marine fish production increased by 3% to 35.7 lakh tonnes in 2025, as per the ICAR-CMFRI Annual Report 2025.

Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru emerged as India's top university in the Times Higher Education (THE) Asia University Rankings 2026, securing 43rd rank in Asia with a score of 65.1.

Tsinghua University in China secured the top position in the THE Asia University Rankings 2026 for the 8th consecutive year with a score of 93.6.

The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoS&PI) released the 27th edition of 'Women and Men in India 2025' at the National Deliberative Summit in Bhubaneswar, Odisha in April 2026.

India's sex ratio at birth improved from 904 (2017-19) to 917 (2021-23), as per the 'Women and Men in India 2025' report released by MoS&PI.

Tripura became the top-performing state in the Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) 2.0 for Financial Year 2023-24, launched by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj in April 2026.

The Ministry of Panchayati Raj launched the Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) 2.0 for FY 2023-24 in April 2026, with 2,59,867 GPs representing 97.30% of total panchayats submitting validated data.

The USTR released its 38th annual 2026 Special 301 Report in April 2026, placing India on the Priority Watch List, while Vietnam was designated as a Priority Foreign Country (PFC) — the first in 13 years.

India was placed on the Priority Watch List in the USTR's 2026 Special 301 Report alongside 5 other countries, due to concerns about patentability criteria, data exclusivity, and copyright enforcement.

India received over USD 137 billion in remittances in 2024, retaining its position as the world's top remittance recipient country since 2010 and the only country to surpass the USD 100 billion mark, as per the IOM's World Migration Report 2026.

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) released the 13th edition of the World Migration Report 2026 during the International Migration Review Forum (IMRF) week in New York in May 2026.

The NCRB released the 'Crime in India 2024' report in May 2026, showing India recorded 58.86 lakh cognisable crimes in 2024 — a 6% decline from 62.41 lakh in 2023.

India's overall crime rate declined from 448.3 in 2023 to 418.9 in 2024 (cases per lakh population), as reported in the NCRB's 'Crime in India 2024' report.

NCRB's 'Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India (ADSI) 2024' report recorded 1,70,746 suicide cases in India in 2024.

NITI Aayog released a policy report titled 'School Education System in India: Temporal Analysis and Policy Roadmap for Quality Enhancement' in May 2026, providing a decade-long (2014–25) assessment of India's school education system.

Valeska Grisebach of Germany won the Jury Prize at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival for the film 'The Dreamed Adventure'.

Spanish directors Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi shared the Best Director award at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival for 'La Bola Negra (The Black Ball)', along with Paweł Pawlikowski of Poland for 'Fatherland'.

Emmanuel Marre of France won the Best Screenplay award at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival for 'A Man of His Time'.

Bhubaneswar, Odisha hosts India's first permanent indoor track-and-field facility capable of staging certified international indoor events, making it the host city for the 2028 Asian Indoor Athletics Championships.

The AAA council meeting that awarded India hosting rights for the 2027 Asian Relays and 2028 Asian Indoor Athletics Championships was chaired by Dahlan Al Hamad, AAA President, in Hong Kong, China.

The 2026 Special 301 Report released by USTR is the 38th annual edition and classifies countries into Priority Foreign Country, Priority Watch List, and Watch List categories based on intellectual property concerns.

The India Aircraft Leasing and Financing Summit (IALFS 2.0) was organised by the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) in partnership with IFSCA and FICCI at GIFT City, Gandhinagar in May 2026.

Union Minister Rajnath Singh, at the 23rd SCO Defence Ministers' Meeting in Bishkek, highlighted India's zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism and held bilateral talks with defence ministers of Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, China, and Belarus.

India's total foodgrain production is estimated at 376.563 Million Tonnes (MT) in 2025-26, which is 5.3% higher than the previous year (357.732 MT), marking the highest-ever foodgrain production in the country's history.

The PLFS Quarterly Bulletin (January-March 2026) released by NSO showed that India's urban unemployment rate for people aged 15 years and above declined to 6.6%, down from 6.7% in the previous quarter.

The UN Global Forest Goals (GFG) Report 2026 was launched during the 21st session of the UN Forum on Forests (UNFF) at UN headquarters in New York, identifying rising demand for fuelwood as the key driver of global forest loss, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.

India's Government Health Expenditure (GHE) increased from Rs 1.30 lakh crore in 2013-14 to Rs 3.85 lakh crore in 2022-23, as per the National Health Accounts (NHA) 10th report released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The World Bank Group's 'State and Trends of Carbon Pricing 2026' report (13th edition) identified India among the world's largest new carbon markets following the launch of its Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS) in 2026.

The 7th edition of the LEADS 2025 report, released by Union Minister Piyush Goyal at the LEAPS Awards 2025 ceremony, categorised Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Mizoram, and Delhi as 'Exemplars' for exceptional logistics performance.

Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited (KMBL) secured RBI approval in May 2026 to acquire up to 9.99% stakes each in AU Small Finance Bank (AU SFB) and Federal Bank Limited.

British insurer Prudential plc announced a plan to acquire 75% stake in Bharti Life Insurance Company Limited in a deal valued at Rs 3,500 crore (approximately USD 389 million) in May 2026.

India's Ministry of Finance approved UAE-based Emirates NBD's USD 3 billion (Rs 26,850 crore) proposal to acquire a 49%–74% stake in RBL Bank in May 2026, marking one of the largest FDI deals in India's banking sector.

TVS Venu Group announced plans in May 2026 to acquire up to 9.9% stake in Jana Small Finance Bank through a combination of warrants and secondary share purchase, expected to be completed within 3 months.

USA's Liberty Mutual Insurance Company increased its stake in Liberty General Insurance (LGI) from 55.40% to 74% in May 2026, following the GoI's approval of 100% FDI in the insurance sector.

Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) increased its total shareholding in Central Bank of India from 3.16% to 6.06% in May 2026 by acquiring 26.26 crore equity shares through open market purchases.

The Indian Army and Royal Cambodian Army commenced the second edition of the bilateral military exercise CINBAX-II at the Techo Sen Phnom Thom Mreas Prov Royal Cambodian Air Force Training Centre in Kampong Speu Province, Cambodia, on May 4, 2026.

The first edition of the Multilateral Military Exercise PRAGATI 2026, organised by the Indian Army, was held at Umroi Military Station in Meghalaya from May 18-31, 2026, with participation from 12 friendly nations across the Indian Ocean Region.

DRDO and the Indian Navy successfully conducted the maiden salvo launch of the Naval Anti-Ship Missile-Short Range (NASM-SR) from a naval helicopter off the Odisha coast, Bay of Bengal, firing two missiles in quick succession in April 2026.

India successfully conducted the 2nd flight-test of the Long-Range Hypersonic Anti-ship Missile (LR-AShM) from Launch Complex-IV of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at APJ Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha, in May 2026.

DRDO and the Indian Air Force successfully conducted the maiden flight-trial of Tactical Advanced Range Augmentation (TARA), India's first indigenous glide weapon system that converts unguided warheads into precision-guided weapons, off the coast of Odisha in May 2026.

DRDO's Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) successfully tested an Actively Cooled Full-Scale Scramjet Combustor at its Hyderabad facility in May 2026, achieving a run-time of over 1,200 seconds to validate India's Hypersonic Cruise Missile Development Programme.

Russia successfully conducted the test of the RS-28 Sarmat Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) from the Plesetsk cosmodrome in May 2026; President Vladimir Putin described it as the 'world's most powerful missile system.'

DRDO successfully completed final development trials of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle-Launched Precision Guided Missile (ULPGM)-V3 in both Air-to-Ground and Air-to-Air modes at the DRDO test range near Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, in May 2026.

India successfully conducted consecutive trials of the 'Suryastra' Universal Rocket Launcher system in May 2026, achieving precise strikes on targets up to 300 kilometres from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur, Balasore, Odisha.

NIBE Limited successfully trialled its Vayu Astra-1 Loitering Munition (LM) with a 100-km operational range at Pokhran (Rajasthan) and Joshimath (Malari), Uttarakhand, in May 2026, demonstrating the No-Cost, No-Commitment (NCNC) model.

India successfully test-fired the Agni-1 Short-Range Ballistic Missile (SRBM) from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur, Odisha, under the aegis of the Strategic Forces Command (SFC) in May 2026, validating all operational and technical parameters.

The Ministry of Defence signed a Rs 1,476 crore contract with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) in May 2026 for procurement of five Ground-Based Mobile Electronic Systems (GBMES) for the Indian Army, with at least 72% indigenous content.

European multinational MBDA signed an agreement with the Indian Air Force (IAF) in May 2026 to establish a Maintenance, Repair and Mid-Life Overhaul (MRO) facility for MICA air-to-air missiles in India under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.

The Indian Army and Indian Navy signed a Memorandum of Association (MoA) on Affiliation in May 2026 in New Delhi to strengthen inter-service cooperation, signed by Lt Gen VPS Kaushik (Adjutant General, IA) and Vice Admiral Gurcharan Singh (Chief of Personnel, IN).

The Indian Air Force (IAF) signed three contracts with IIT Bombay in May 2026 to develop AI-driven predictive maintenance technologies, including a digital diagnostic health index for the Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter aircraft fleet.

Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) delivered the sixth Project-17A stealth frigate 'Mahendragiri (Y-12654)' (Nilgiri-class) to the Indian Navy in April 2026, with the Acceptance Document signed at MDL, Mumbai.

The Indian Coast Guard commissioned ICGS Achal, the fifth Adamya-class Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV), at Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) in Goa in May 2026, marking a key milestone in strengthening coastal security.

The Indian Army inducted two indigenous combat systems — the ULPGM (UAV-Launched Precision Guided Munition) and AGNIKAA VTOL-1 Kamikaze Drone — from Adani Defence & Aerospace Limited under Emergency Procurement-6 (EP-6) in May 2026.

Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) launched 'INS Sanghmitra (Yard 3039)', the first of four Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessels (NGOPVs) for the Indian Navy, at its yard in Kolkata, West Bengal, on May 20, 2026.

India's school education system, with 14.71 lakh schools serving over 24.69 crore students across all 36 States and UTs, is recognised as the world's largest school education system.

India's total oilseeds production was estimated at 43.059 MT for 2025-26, as per the Third Advance Estimates of Production of Major Agricultural Crops released in May 2026.

Global carbon pricing annual revenues tripled from less than USD 30 billion in 2016 to over USD 107 billion in 2025, while average direct carbon prices nearly doubled from USD 10/tCO2e (2016) to nearly USD 21/tCO2e (2026), per the World Bank's 2026 report.

The LEADS 2025 report categorised Tamil Nadu as the 'Exemplar' among Coastal States for logistics performance, while West Bengal was placed under 'Growth-Seekers' category.

India's Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) for persons aged 15 years and above was estimated at 55.5% in Q4 FY26 (January-March 2026), compared to 55.8% in the previous quarter, as per the PLFS Quarterly Bulletin released by NSO.

DRDO's ULPGM-V3 missile was tested at the test range near Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, and validated for both Air-to-Ground and Air-to-Air modes, enhancing India's UAV-based precision strike capability under Aatmanirbhar Bharat.

The Global Forest Goals Report 2026 was launched during the 21st session of the UN Forum on Forests (UNFF) and identified agricultural expansion as the biggest cause of deforestation globally, even as countries expand restoration programmes.

India's Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS) launched in 2026 led to the World Bank identifying India among the world's largest new carbon markets in its 'State and Trends of Carbon Pricing 2026' report.

GalaxEye Space Solutions Private Limited, an Indian space start-up, launched 'Mission Drishti' in May 2026, marking a milestone in India's commercial space sector.

The National Health Accounts (NHA) report for FY 2022-23 (10th edition) estimated India's Total Health Expenditure (THE) at Rs 8.81 lakh crore, representing 3.37% of GDP, indicating growing investment in India's health sector.

The world's first OptoSAR Earth observation satellite, integrating Electro-Optical/Multispectral Imager and Synthetic Aperture Radar sensors on a single platform, was launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, USA.

SpaceX launched Republic of Korea's CAS500-2 Earth observation satellite (534 kg, developed by KARI and KAI) along with 45 secondary rideshare payloads into Sun-synchronous orbit from Vandenberg Space Force Base in May 2026.

The ESA and Chinese Academy of Sciences joint SMILE spacecraft was launched aboard a Vega-C rocket from Kourou Spaceport, French Guiana, in May 2026, to study solar wind–magnetosphere–ionosphere interactions and improve space weather forecasting.

MeitY launched two indigenously developed silicon photonics solutions — a Silicon Photonics Process Design Kit (PDK) and a Universal Programmable Photonic Integrated Circuit (PPIC) Test Engine — at IIT Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, in April 2026.

IIT Madras Global Research Foundation announced its first international centre in Menlo Park, California, USA, in May 2026 to expand India's deep-tech innovation into global ecosystems, announced during the SelectUSA Investment Summit in Maryland.

Pixxel, an Indian space technology company, secured a contract from the US National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) in May 2026 to develop advanced hyperspectral remote sensing capabilities using its Firefly satellite constellation.

Union MoS Dr. Jitendra Singh (MoES) launched India's first AI-driven pilot weather forecasting service including 'Forecast of Monsoon Advance over Different Parts of the Country' and 'High Spatial Resolution Rainfall Forecast for Uttar Pradesh' in May 2026.

An international team led by Indian scientist Dr. Ronaldo Laishram from NAOJ discovered the 'Loktak Protocluster', a 12.6-billion-year-old ancient city of galaxies named after Loktak Lake in Manipur, with findings published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.

Red Balloon Aerospace launched India's first indigenous Stratospheric Super Pressure Balloon (SPB) named 'VISTA' as part of Mission SANA at Indira Gandhi Stadium, Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh in May 2026, making India one of five countries with indigenous stratospheric balloon capability.

Chandrayaan-2's radar has detected evidence of subsurface water ice deposits in permanently shadowed regions of lunar south polar craters, as studied by scientists at the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad, and published in NPJ Space Exploration.

China launched the Shenzhou-23 spacecraft carrying three astronauts to the Tiangong Space Station in May 2026 aboard a Long March-2F Y23 rocket from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, marking China's first mission expected to support a year-long human stay in orbit.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman unveiled a USD 20 billion 3-phased plan in May 2026 to build a permanent Moon base equipped with lunar rovers and drones, with the base targeted for March 2027 and astronaut Moon landing aimed for 2028.

Indian all-rounder Vijay Shankar from Tamil Nadu announced his retirement from domestic cricket and the IPL in May 2026, having represented India in 12 ODIs and 9 T20Is between 2018 and 2019.

At the Shanghai Hyundai Archery World Cup Stage 2 (20th edition) held in May 2026, India's women's recurve team (Deepika Kumari, Ankita Bhakat, Kumkum Mohod) won gold, while Sahil Jadhav won bronze in men's individual compound.

At the BWF Thomas & Uber Cup Finals 2026 held in Horsens, Denmark, China's men's team won the Thomas Cup (13th title) by defeating France 3–1, while South Korea's women's team won the Uber Cup (3rd title) by defeating China 3–1.

At the 83rd Italian Open Tennis 2026 (Internazionali BNL d'Italia) held at Foro Italico, Rome, Italy's Jannik Sinner defeated Norway's Casper Ruud 6–4, 6–4 to win the men's singles title, while Ukraine's Elina Svitolina beat Coco Gauff for the women's singles title.

Ukraine's Elina Svitolina beat USA's Coco Gauff 6–4, 6–7(3), 6–2 to win the Italian Open Tennis 2026 women's singles title at Foro Italico, Rome.

The Asian Weightlifting Championships (AWC) 2026 was held at Mahatma Mandir Convention & Exhibition Centre, Gandhinagar, Gujarat from May 11–17, 2026, where India won 10 medals (1 silver, 9 bronze) and China topped the tally with 41 medals.

Seven-year-old Ishank Singh from Ranchi, Jharkhand, set a world record by swimming approximately 29 km across the Palk Strait from Talaimannar (Sri Lanka) to Dhanushkodi (Tamil Nadu) in 9 hours 50 minutes on April 30, 2026, becoming the youngest and fastest swimmer on this route.

Argentina's Faustino Oro became the second-youngest Grandmaster (GM) in chess history at age 12 years, 6 months, and 26 days at the Sardinia World Chess Festival 2026, behind the youngest-ever GM Abhimanyu Mishra of the USA.

Italian Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli (age 19) won the 64th Canadian Grand Prix 2026 at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal, his fourth consecutive F1 GP victory after wins in China, Japan, and Miami GPs. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) finished 2nd and Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 3rd.

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) appointed former India Davis Cup captain Rohit Rajpal as Chef de Mission for the 23rd Commonwealth Games 2026 (CWG) scheduled from July 23 to August 2, 2026 in Glasgow, Scotland.

Swara Lakshmi Nair, a 19-year-old chess player from Bengaluru, became Karnataka's second Woman International Master (WIM) in May 2026 after achieving the WIM title at the Ptuj International Masters tournament in Slovenia.

Tushar Mehta, Solicitor General of India, authored two books — 'The Bench, the Bar, and the Bizarre' and 'The Lawful and the Awful' — published by Rupa Publications India and released by Union Minister Amit Shah at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, in May 2026.

The Dogri-Punjabi Dictionary authored by the late Chandan Negi was released by HP Governor Kavinder Gupta in May 2026, in a ceremony jointly organized by the Punjabi Lekhak Sabha and the J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages at K.L. Saigal Hall, Jammu.

Shyam Srinivasan, former MD and CEO of Federal Bank, launched his debut book 'Better Never Stops: Leadership Insights from Life's Unscripted Moments' in May 2026, published by Wyzr Content Private Limited, Bangalore.

Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan released the book 'The Library Man of India: The Story of P.N. Panicker' authored by P. P. Sathyan, published by Rupa Publications India, at Uprashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi, in May 2026.

Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu released the second edition of the novel 'Bazaar' authored by Niranjan Dev Sharma in May 2026; the novel was published by Aadhar Prakashan Private Limited.

Former VP M. Venkaiah Naidu and former PM H. D. Deve Gowda launched 'Apnapan: Narendra Modi Sang Mere Anubhav', authored by Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, published by Prabhat Prakashan, in May 2026.

IOA President P.T. Usha and Hockey India President Dr. Dilip Tirkey released 'India's Olympic Gold: Hockey Triumph at Amsterdam' authored by hockey historian K. Arumugam in May 2026, marking the 98th anniversary of India's first Olympic hockey gold won at Amsterdam in 1928.

Former Indian golfer Vijay Kumar passed away in April 2026 at the age of 57 in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. He was born in 1968 in Martinpurwa, Lucknow.

Former India football midfielder Mohan Singh passed away on May 7, 2026, at the age of 78 in Kolkata, West Bengal. He was born in 1948.

Senior BJP leader and former Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Major General Bhuvan Chandra Khanduri (Retd), passed away at the age of 91 in Dehradun on May 19, 2026. The Government of Uttarakhand announced three days of state mourning.

Veteran Indian Olympian archer and Arjuna Awardee (1989) Shyam Lal Meena passed away in May 2026 at the age of 61 in Rajasthan. He was born on March 4, 1965 in Kevadia village, Banswara district, Rajasthan.

Five-time Olympian, renowned Indian shooter, and veteran sports administrator Raja Randhir Singh passed away in May 2026 at the age of 79 in New Delhi. He was born on October 18, 1946 in Patiala, Punjab, and received the Arjuna Award in 1979.

Renowned Urdu poet and Padma Shri awardee (1999) Dr. Bashir Badr passed away in May 2026 at the age of 91 in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. He was born in 1935 in Ayodhya, UP, and also won the Sahitya Akademi Award (Urdu) in 1999.

Dhanendra Kumar, former bureaucrat and first Chairman of the Competition Commission of India (CCI), passed away in May 2026 at the age of 80 in New Delhi. He served as CCI Chairman from February 2009 to June 2011.

Veteran CPI(M) leader and former Member of Parliament Sudhanshu Sil (Seal) passed away in May 2026 at the age of 81 in Kolkata, West Bengal. He was born on March 27, 1945 in Calcutta, Bengal Province, British India.

The BWF Thomas Cup 2026 was the 34th edition of the men's team championship and was won by China for their 13th overall title, held in Horsens, Denmark from April 24 to May 3, 2026.

India joined the USA, France, Japan, and China as one of five countries with indigenous stratospheric balloon capability after Red Balloon Aerospace successfully launched SPB 'VISTA' from Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, in May 2026.

The Internazionali BNL d'Italia 2026 men's doubles title was won by Italy's Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori, while the women's doubles title was won by Russia's Diana Shnaider and Mirra Andreeva at Foro Italico, Rome.

At the Asian Weightlifting Championships 2026 held in Gandhinagar, India won 10 medals (1 silver, 9 bronze), while North Korea finished second with 30 medals (18 gold, 11 silver, 1 bronze).

Italian former Formula 1 driver and four-time Paralympic gold medallist Alex Zanardi passed away at the age of 59 in Veneto, Italy in May 2026.

Media mogul and CNN founder Ted Turner (Robert Edward Turner III) passed away at the age of 87 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA on 6 May 2026.

Australian tennis legend Mal Anderson, former World No. 2, passed away at the age of 91 in Australia in May 2026.

Ayushman Bharat Diwas is observed annually on April 30 under the Gram Swaraj Abhiyan; the scheme was launched by PM Narendra Modi in Ranchi, Jharkhand on 23 September 2018.

World Press Freedom Day 2026 was observed on May 3 with the theme 'Shaping a Future at Peace'; India ranked 157th in the RSF World Press Freedom Index 2026 with a score of 31.96.

Norway topped the RSF World Press Freedom Index 2026, followed by Netherlands (2nd) and Estonia (3rd).

The Sudanese Journalists Syndicate (Sudan) was awarded the 2026 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize at UNESCO Headquarters, Paris on 4 May 2026.

International Leopard Day is observed on May 3 to raise awareness about leopards (Panthera pardus), which are listed as 'Vulnerable' on the IUCN Red List.

World Tuna Day is observed annually on May 2; the first World Tuna Day was observed on 2 May 2017.

World Laughter Day 2026 was observed on 3 May 2026 (first Sunday of May) with the theme 'World Peace through Laughter'.

International Firefighters' Day (IFFD) is observed annually on May 4; the first IFFD was observed on May 4, 1999, following a proposal by Australian volunteer Lt. JJ Edmondson on January 4, 1999.

World Portuguese Language Day is observed on May 5; the 2026 observance marks the 30th anniversary of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP).

International Day of the Midwife 2026 was observed on May 5 with the theme 'One Million More Midwives', led by the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM).

World Hand Hygiene Day 2026 was observed on May 5 by WHO with the theme 'Action saves lives – Safer care starts with clean hands'.

World Asthma Day 2026 was observed on May 5 (first Tuesday of May) with the theme 'Access to anti-inflammatory inhalers for everyone with asthma, still an urgent need'.

Border Roads Organisation (BRO) celebrated its 67th Raising Day on 7 May 2026, commemorating its establishment in 1960.

World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day is observed on May 8, commemorating the birth anniversary of Henry Dunant (8 May 1828), founder of the ICRC and first Nobel Peace Prize laureate in 1901. The 2026 theme is 'United in Humanity'.

International Thalassaemia Day 2026 was observed on 8 May with the theme 'Hidden No More: Finding the Undiagnosed. Supporting the Unseen'.

The year 2026 marks the 81st anniversary of the end of World War II (1939–1945); the UN Time of Remembrance is observed on May 8–9 annually.

World Migratory Bird Day 2026 was observed on May 9 and October 10, 2026, with the theme 'Every Bird Counts – Your Observations Matter!'.

National Technology Day is celebrated on May 11 in India; 2026 marks the 28th National Technology Day, commemorating India's successful Pokhran nuclear tests of 1998, with the theme 'Responsible Innovation for Inclusive Growth'.

International Day of Plant Health 2026 was observed on May 12 with the theme 'Plant Biosecurity for Food Security'.

International Nurses Day 2026 was observed on May 12, commemorating Florence Nightingale's birth anniversary, with the theme 'Our Nurses. Our Future. Empowered Nurses Save Lives'.

International Day of Families 2026 was observed on May 15 with the theme 'Families, Inequalities and Child Wellbeing'.

Endangered Species Day 2026 was observed on May 15, marking its 21st annual celebration.

International Day of Living Together in Peace is observed on May 16; the 2026 theme is 'Building Trust through Dialogue, Inclusion and Reconciliation'.

International Day of Light 2026 was observed on May 16, commemorating Theodore Maiman's first successful laser operation in 1960, with the theme 'Light for a Sustainable Future'.

National Dengue Day is observed on May 16 in India; the 2026 theme was 'Community Participation for Dengue Control: Check, Clean and Cover'.

World Telecommunication and Information Society Day is observed annually on May 17, commemorating the founding of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in 1865; the 2026 theme is 'Digital Lifelines: Strengthening Resilience in a Connected World'.

World Hypertension Day 2026 was observed on May 17 with the theme 'Controlling Hypertension Together: check your blood pressure regularly, defeat the silent killer'.

International Museum Day 2026 was observed on May 18 by the International Council of Museums (ICOM) with the theme 'Museums Uniting a Divided World'.

World AIDS Vaccine Day is observed on May 18; the first observance was on 18 May 1998 to mark the anniversary of Bill Clinton's landmark speech.

International Day for Women in Maritime 2026 was observed on May 18 with the theme 'From Policy to Practice: Advancing Gender Equality for Maritime Excellence'.

World Fair Play Day is observed on May 19; 2026 marked the second observation of this UN day.

World Bee Day 2026 was observed on May 20 with the theme 'Bee Together for People and the Planet – A partnership that sustains us all'.

World Metrology Day 2026 was observed on May 20 with the theme 'Metrology: Building Trust in Policy Making'.

International Tea Day 2026 was observed on May 21 with the FAO theme 'Sustaining Tea, Supporting Communities', to recognise tea's cultural, economic, and social importance.

National Anti-Terrorism Day is observed on May 21 to mark the death anniversary of former PM Rajiv Gandhi; 2026 marks the 35th death anniversary of India's 6th Prime Minister.

International Day for Biological Diversity 2026 was observed on May 22 with the theme 'Acting locally for global impact'; the first IDB was observed on May 22, 2002.

World Turtle Day 2026 was observed on May 23, marking the 26th observance of the annual day dedicated to turtle and tortoise conservation.

The International Day of the Markhor is observed annually on May 24; the 2026 observance on May 24 marked the 3rd observance of this UN day.

World Schizophrenia Awareness Day (Pinel Day) is observed on May 24; the silver ribbon is the global awareness symbol for schizophrenia.

Commonwealth Day 2026 global theme is 'Unlocking opportunities together for a prosperous Commonwealth'; it was observed on the second Monday of March (9 March 2026) by Commonwealth member countries.

International Day of Vesak (Buddha Purnima) 2026 was observed on May 1, commemorating Gautama Buddha's birth (623 BC), enlightenment, and Parinirvana.

World Athletics Day is observed annually on May 7; the first World Athletics Day was celebrated on May 15, 1996, with participation from 50 nations.

World Football Day is annually observed on 25 May by the United Nations to recognise football's global influence in promoting peace, diplomacy, health, unity, development, and empowerment of women and girls. The first edition was observed on 25 May 2024.

International Missing Children's Day (IMCD) is observed globally on 25 May each year to raise awareness about missing children, promote child safety, and combat abduction, trafficking, and exploitation. The day is symbolized by the 'forget-me-not flower.'

World Thyroid Day is observed on 25 May every year to raise awareness about thyroid disorders, promote early diagnosis, and highlight nutrition in thyroid health. The 2026 theme is 'Thyroid and Nutrition.'