NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Supreme Court on Casteist Remarks Inside Private House: The Supreme Court of India on 11 May 2026 held that caste-based abuses made inside a private residence and outside public view do not attract the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. The bench of Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra and Justice N.V. Anjaria examined the requirement of “within public view” under Sections 3(1)(r) and 3(1)(s) of the Act. The case was Gunjan @ Girija Kumari vs. State of NCT of Delhi & Anr., and it arose from a property dispute in Delhi. An FIR was registered at Kirti Nagar Police Station in January 2021, and the complainant alleged casteist slurs and criminal intimidation against four family members. The Supreme Court quashed the FIR and the criminal proceedings after finding that the incident occurred inside the four walls of a house.
2. Government Cuts Royalty Rates for Oil and Gas Production: The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas notified revised royalty rates for crude oil and natural gas production on 8 May 2026. The revised structure applies to onshore, offshore, deepwater, and ultra-deepwater fields in India. Royalty is a statutory payment made to the government for the extraction of natural resources from a licensed area. In the oil and gas sector, royalty is calculated on production or on the well-head value, as prescribed under the applicable policy and field category. The royalty on onshore crude oil production has been reduced to 10% from 16.66%. The royalty on offshore crude oil production has been reduced to 8% from 9.09%. The royalty rate for natural gas has been reduced to 8% from 10%. The new natural gas formula uses a flat deduction for calculating the well-head price.
3. Kartavya-KAAMS App for School Attendance: The Department of School Education and Literacy, Government of Karnataka, introduced the Karnataka Advanced Attendance Management System (KAAMS), also called the Kartavya-KAAMS mobile application, through a circular dated 27 April 2026. The system is designed for attendance monitoring of permanent teachers, Head Masters, equivalent cadre officers, and non-teaching staff in government educational institutions and offices in Karnataka. The application requires users to mark attendance twice a day from their duty location. Staff members record “In Time” attendance within the authorised workplace and “Out Time” attendance before leaving the institution. The system applies from the academic year 2026-27 and replaces the earlier biometric attendance system from 1 May 2026 across government departments, boards, and corporations.
4. Centre Notifies 1% Construction Welfare Cess: The Government of India notified a 1% cess on the total cost of construction incurred by employers for building and other construction works under the Code on Social Security, 2020. The notification was issued under Section 100(1) of the Code on Social Security, 2020, and it replaced a notification dated 26 September 1996. Collections from the cess are used for welfare measures for construction workers, including health benefits, financial aid, insurance, and educational support for workers’ children. The funds are managed through Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Boards, which function under the welfare framework for workers in the unorganised sector. Under the new labour codes, individuals building houses costing less than ₹50 lakh are exempt from paying the building cess from 21 November 2025. Earlier, the threshold was ₹10 lakh or properties above 100 square metres.
5. Annapurna Bhandar Scheme Announced in West Bengal: West Bengal announced the proposed Annapurna Bhandar scheme on 11 May 2026 after the first cabinet meeting of the new BJP government. The scheme is linked to financial support for eligible women in the state and is scheduled for rollout from 1 June 2026. The Annapurna Bhandar scheme is a state welfare initiative for women in West Bengal. Eligible women are expected to receive Rs 3,000 per month through direct bank transfers. The scheme has been described as a replacement or major upgrade to the earlier Lakshmir Bhandar scheme. Lakshmir Bhandar was a women-centric welfare scheme in West Bengal. It provided Rs 1,500 per month to general category women and Rs 1,700 per month to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe beneficiaries. The new proposal places Annapurna Bhandar in the same policy area of direct cash support to women.
6. ICMR, ICAR Launch SEHAT Initiative: The Indian Council of Medical Research and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research launched SEHAT, or Science Excellence for Health through Agricultural Transformation, on 11 May 2026 in New Delhi. SEHAT is a national mission-mode programme that links agricultural research with health outcomes in India. SEHAT is designed as a joint programme of ICMR and ICAR for convergence between agriculture, nutrition, and public health. The initiative is associated with the shift from curative healthcare to preventive healthcare in India. The programme gives priority to biofortified crops, integrated farming systems, occupational health of agricultural workers, and One Health preparedness. It also addresses malnutrition and non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and cancer.
7. Department Organises National Conference on Laboratory Animal Welfare: The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying organised a National Conference on “Laboratory Animal Welfare: Policies and Best Practices” in New Delhi on 11 May 2026. The conference was convened by the Committee for Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals, which functions under the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying. The Committee for Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals, or CCSEA, is the statutory body associated with the regulation of experiments on animals in India. It operates under the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India. Laboratory animal welfare covers the care, housing, handling, and use of animals in scientific research. It includes standards for minimising pain, distress, and suffering during experiments and related procedures.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. India Rejects Sanctioned Russian LNG Cargo: India rejected a Russian offer to sell liquefied natural gas cargoes subject to United States sanctions on 30 April 2026. The decision was conveyed during a visit to New Delhi by Russian Deputy Energy Minister Pavel Sorokin, who met Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and other officials. Liquefied natural gas is natural gas cooled to about minus 162 degrees Celsius for transport in specialised tankers. LNG cargoes are easier to trace through global shipping systems than crude oil cargoes, and this feature affects compliance checks under sanctions regimes. India continued to buy Russian crude oil with temporary United States sanctions waivers, while the sanctioned LNG cargo faced refusal on compliance grounds. India also remained open to Russian LNG volumes that were not under sanctions, although many such volumes were already committed to European buyers.
2. AERB Clears Restart of Tarapur Unit-2: The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) approved the restart and continued operation of Unit-2 of the Tarapur Atomic Power Station (TAPS) on 7 May 2026. The clearance allows the unit to operate for another 10 years after a major refurbishment and safety upgrade programme by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL). Tarapur Atomic Power Station is located near Boisar in Palghar district of Maharashtra. Unit 1 and Unit 2 of TAPS were India’s first boiling water reactors (BWRs), and both began commercial operation in 1969. Tarapur Unit-1 was cleared for restart in December 2025 and is operating at its rated capacity of 160 MWe.
3. Pune Plans India’s First Low Emission Zone: Pune is set to establish India’s first Low Emission Zone (LEZ) in Shivajinagar, a densely polluted area in the central business district. The initiative is being developed by the Pune Municipal Corporation with support from ITDP India and is linked to the Maharashtra Electric Vehicle Policy 2021. A Low Emission Zone is a designated urban area where access is restricted for vehicles with high tailpipe emissions. Such zones are used in several countries to regulate older diesel and petrol vehicles, and they usually rely on emission standards, entry charges, or outright restrictions. The proposed LEZ in Pune is expected to cover about 7% to 10% of the city area around Shivajinagar. The first phase is planned to target Bharat Stage-III and older vehicles, including vehicles registered before 2011. Owners of polluting vehicles may be allowed to pay a daily pollution charge for entry, while higher penalties are planned for non-payment.
4. India Adds Record 44 GW Solar Capacity in 2025: India added 44 GW of solar capacity in 2025, taking the total installed solar capacity to 150 GW. By March 2026, India’s installed solar power capacity had reached 150.2 GW AC, and the country ranked as the world’s third-largest producer of solar power. India’s solar capacity refers to the installed electricity generation capacity from photovoltaic and related solar systems measured in gigawatts. The 44 GW addition in 2025 placed India among the largest annual solar capacity expanders globally. The United States typically adds 30 GW to 40 GW of solar capacity in a year, while the European Union and China recorded higher annual additions. India recorded 14.4 GW of solar photovoltaic installations in the first quarter of 2026. This figure was nearly double the 7.7 GW added in the first quarter of 2025. Solar photovoltaic systems convert sunlight directly into electricity using semiconductor cells.
5. India to Host Fourth India-Africa Forum Summit: India will host the Fourth India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS-IV) in New Delhi from 28 May to 31 May 2026. The summit will be held with the African Union Commission and will bring together leaders and representatives from across the African continent. The India-Africa Forum Summit is a diplomatic platform for India and African states. The previous summit was held in 2015, and IAFS-IV marks the return of the forum after more than a decade. The theme of IAFS-IV is “IA SPIRIT: India-Africa Strategic Partnership for Innovation, Resilience, and Inclusive Transformation.” The programme includes a Senior Officials Meeting on 28 May 2026 and the India-Africa Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on 29 May 2026.
6. India Hosts ISO ‘Space Systems and Operations’ International Meetings for the First Time: Bureau of Indian Standards organised the 35th Plenary and Working Groups meetings of ISO TC 20/SC 14 on “Space Systems and Operations” in New Delhi, marking the first time India hosted these important international space standards meetings. ISO TC 20/SC 14 develops global standards covering the complete lifecycle of space systems, including design, production, launch, operations, and space-based services to ensure safety, interoperability, and sustainability.
7. India and Vietnam Target $25 Billion Bilateral Trade by 2030: India and Vietnam have set a target to increase bilateral trade to $25 billion annually by 2030 from around $16 billion recorded in the last financial year during talks between Narendra Modi and To Lam. Reserve Bank of India and the State Bank of Vietnam signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen cooperation in financial innovation and digital payments.
OTHER UPDATES:
DEFENCE
1. Indian Coast Guard Holds ACV Girder-Laying Ceremony in Goa: The Indian Coast Guard held the girder-laying ceremony for the 4th, 5th and 6th Air Cushion Vehicles at the Rassaim Yard of Chowgule Shipyard in Goa on 11 May 2026. The project covers six indigenously fabricated Air Cushion Vehicles under a contract signed with Chowgule & Company Private Limited, Goa, on 24 October 2024. An Air Cushion Vehicle, also called a hovercraft, moves on a cushion of air created by lift fans and skirt systems. It can operate over water, mudflats, marshy terrain and other low-friction surfaces. The six ACVs are being built in India with about 50% indigenous material. The design basis for the project comes from Griffon Hoverwork in the United Kingdom, while construction is taking place at Chowgule Shipyard in Goa.
2. Tri-Service Women Crew Nears Global Sailing Homecoming: The Indian Army Sailing Vessel IASV Triveni, crewed by 10 women officers from the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force, is sailing from Cape Town to Mumbai after a global circumnavigation that began on 11 September 2025. The 50-foot yacht was built in Puducherry and is expected to complete the expedition in June 2026. The voyage, named Samudra Pradakshina, started from Mumbai and covered more than 23,000 nautical miles by 8 May 2026. The crew stopped at Australia, New Zealand, Argentina and Cape Town during the circumnavigation. Circumnavigation means sailing around the Earth or a major part of it by sea. Cape Horn, Cape Leeuwin and the Cape of Good Hope are among the best-known capes used in long-distance ocean voyages.
3. Rolls-Royce Plans India Expansion in Fighter Jets, Nuclear Energy: Rolls-Royce, a British engineering company, has outlined plans to expand its presence in India across defence, civil aviation, and energy sectors. The company has linked its India strategy with military engine development, local manufacturing, and nuclear energy opportunities. Rolls-Royce is scaling up its military engine programme in India and is exploring co-development of a next-generation combat jet engine. The proposed engine core is in the 120 kN class, which is a thrust category used for fighter aircraft propulsion. The company has also proposed full technology transfer with intellectual property ownership for India. The expansion plan includes localisation of engine manufacturing for the Indian Army, Navy, and Coast Guard. The proposed combat jet engine co-development is intended to support the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft programme, which is India’s indigenous fifth-generation fighter aircraft project. Rolls-Royce has also planned to increase its supply chain sourcing in India.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. Scientists Find Possible Dwarf Galaxy Inside Milky Way: A study published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society in May 2026 has proposed the existence of a hidden ancient dwarf galaxy named Loki within the Milky Way. The finding is based on chemical and orbital data from 20 metal-poor stars located within 2 kiloparsecs of the Sun. A dwarf galaxy is a small galaxy with fewer stars and lower mass than a major galaxy such as the Milky Way. Dwarf galaxies often merge with larger galaxies during hierarchical galaxy formation, a process used in cosmology to describe the growth of galaxies through repeated mergers. The Milky Way has previously absorbed several dwarf galaxies, including Gaia-Enceladus, Sequoia, Thamnos, and Kraken. Such merger remnants are studied through stellar chemistry, orbital motion, and stellar ages.
2. China Develops AI Wastewater-to-Fertiliser Technology: China has developed an AI-powered electrochemical technology that converts nitrate-laden wastewater into ammonia for fertiliser production. The method uses a dual-atom catalyst and operates at room temperature, unlike the conventional Haber-Bosch process used for industrial ammonia synthesis. The technology uses artificial intelligence to identify a highly effective dual-atom catalyst, often abbreviated as DAC. A dual-atom catalyst contains two adjacent active metal atoms that can improve reaction selectivity and efficiency in chemical conversion processes. The new method converts nitrates found in agricultural runoff and industrial wastewater into ammonia.
3. Saudi Scientists Develop Electricity-Free Cooling Technology: Scientists at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia developed an electricity-free cooling system named Nescod, which stands for No Electricity and Sustainable Cooling on Demand. The system uses ammonium nitrate and water in a chemical cooling process and operates without compressors or continuous electrical power. Nescod works on the principle of endothermic dissolution, a process in which a substance absorbs heat while dissolving in water. In this system, ammonium nitrate dissolves in water and lowers the surrounding temperature. The system uses solar energy to evaporate water and regenerate the salt for repeated cooling cycles. Ammonium nitrate is an inorganic salt with the chemical formula NH4NO3 and is known for its use in fertilisers and cooling applications.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. SEBI Proposes GARUDA Green-Channel for AIF Launches: The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) proposed GARUDA, a green-channel mechanism for Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs), on 11 May 2026. GARUDA stands for Green-Channel: AIF Rollout Upon Document Acknowledgement and is linked to the filing and acknowledgement of Placement Memorandums (PPMs) for AIF schemes in India. Alternative Investment Funds are privately pooled investment vehicles regulated by SEBI under the SEBI (Alternative Investment Funds) Regulations, 2012. AIFs in India are classified into Category I, Category II and Category III, and they include venture capital funds, private equity funds, hedge funds and angel funds. SEBI proposed to reduce the launch time for regular AIF schemes from 30 days to 10 working days after filing the PPM through a merchant banker, if SEBI raises no objections. For the first scheme of an AIF, launch would be allowed from the date of registration or after 10 working days of filing the application, whichever is later.
2. Government Revises BOT Guidelines for Highway Projects: The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways revised the Build-Operate-Transfer guidelines for highway projects on 11 May 2026. The revised framework allows large funds and institutional investors to bid for BOT projects under the Public-Private-Partnership model. Build-Operate-Transfer is a public-private partnership model in which a private concessionaire finances, builds, operates, and maintains a highway for a fixed concession period. The concession period in highway BOT projects is usually 20 to 30 years, and the asset is transferred to the government after the contract period ends. The revised guidelines permit sovereign wealth funds, infrastructure funds, pension funds, private equity funds, Alternative Investment Funds, and foreign investment funds to participate in BOT bids. The modified Request for Proposal framework assesses institutional investors mainly on financial strength, while construction expertise can be arranged through concessionaires or engineering partners after award.
3. Axis Bank Signs $500 Million Offshore Loan Deal with Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group: Axis Bank, India’s third-largest private sector lender, has signed a $500 million offshore loan agreement with Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG). The three-year loan facility will be priced based on the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR), a global benchmark interest rate used in international financial markets. An offshore loan refers to a loan borrowed from a bank or financial institution located outside the borrower’s home country, helping companies and banks access international funding sources.
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