NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Supreme Court launches ‘One Case One Data’ and ‘Su Sahay’: Surya Kant has launched the ‘One Case One Data’ digital initiative to integrate judicial administration from taluka courts to the Supreme Court of India into a unified system. The initiative aims to create a comprehensive, interconnected database with details of High Courts, district courts, and taluka courts for efficient case management. The Chief Justice also launched ‘Su Sahay’, an AI-powered chatbot integrated with the Supreme Court of India website, developed by the National Informatics Centre in collaboration with the Supreme Court Registry.
2. PM Modi Inaugurates India’s First PM MITRA Park at Warangal, Telangana: PM Narendra Modi inaugurated India’s first functional PM MITRA Park at Warangal, Telangana. The park has been developed at a cost of ₹1,695.54 crore, spread over 1,327 acres, and is located near the proposed Nagpur–Vijayawada Greenfield Expressway (NH-163G). PM MITRA Scheme is implemented by the Ministry of Textiles, with National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation Limited acting as the Project Management Agency. The Government of India has approved 7 PM MITRA Parks in different states including Virudhnagar (Tamil Nadu), Warangal (Telangana), Navasari (Gujarat), Kalaburagi (Karnataka), Dhar (Madhya Pradesh), Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh), and Amravati (Maharashtra). The scheme has a total outlay of ₹4,445 crore and is planned for implementation over 7 years from 2021–22 to 2027–28.
3. Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025 Rolled Out Nationwide from 1 July: The Centre has notified the implementation of the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025 (VB-G RAM G), which will be rolled out nationwide from 1 July 2026. The Act guarantees 125 days of wage employment per financial year, replacing the earlier Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and enhancing employment support for rural households. A budget provision of ₹95,692 crore has been allocated in the current financial year for implementing the new rural employment framework across India. The Act focuses on timely wage payments, unemployment allowance if work is not provided, and includes special provisions such as childcare support for women workers at worksites to improve inclusivity.
4. J.P. Nadda and Shivraj Singh Chouhan Launch ‘SEHAT Mission’ to Link Agriculture with Nutrition and Public Health: Union Minister P. Nadda and Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched the ‘SEHAT Mission’ in Delhi to strengthen the link between agriculture and public health. The mission stands for Science Excellence for Health through Agricultural Transformation and is a joint initiative of ICAR and ICMR. The SEHAT Mission focuses on bio-fortified and nutrient-rich crops, traditional millets, and a “One Health” approach to improve nutrition, disease prevention, and farmer welfare in India.
5. Surya Kant Announces High-Powered Panel for Modernisation of Courts in India: Surya Kant announced the formation of the ‘Judicial Infrastructure Advisory Committee’ to modernise courts across India and seek government funding of ₹40,000–50,000 crore for judicial infrastructure development. The high-powered committee will be headed by Aravind Kumar and will include Justices Debangsu Basak, Ashwani Kumar Mishra, and Somasekhar Sundaresan, along with officials from the CPWD and the Supreme Court. The committee has been directed to submit its recommendations to Sanjeev Sanyal by 31 August 2026, focusing on modern court complexes, e-courts, digital inclusion, improved facilities for litigants and lawyers, and faster disposal of cases through technology.
6. Ashok Kumar Panda Takes Charge as Chairman & Managing Director of SAIL: Ashok Kumar Panda has assumed charge as Chairman & Managing Director of Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL). Before this appointment, he served as Director (Finance) and also held additional charge of Director (Commercial) in Steel Authority of India Limited for around nine months.
7. Himanta Biswa Sarma Sworn In as Assam CM for Second Consecutive Term: Himanta Biswa Sarma took oath as the Chief Minister of Assam for the second consecutive term, with Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya administering the oath. He became the 15th Chief Minister of the state. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) returned to power in Assam for the third straight term by winning 102 out of 126 seats in the Assam Legislative Assembly elections. Bharatiya Janata Party emerged as the largest party with 82 seats, while its allies — Asom Gana Parishad and Bodoland People’s Front — secured 10 seats each.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. APEDA India Facilitates First-Ever Export of Honey from Assam’s Baksa to USA: Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) facilitated the first-ever export of 20 Metric Tons of honey from Baksa district of Assam to the USA. The initiative included infrastructure support such as testing and laboratory equipment at the processing facility to ensure compliance with international food safety and quality standards. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry stated that the export will benefit local beekeepers and farmers by enabling nearly 43% higher price realisation and improving rural livelihoods through global market access.
2. India Hosts Kimberley Process Intersessional Meeting 2026 in Mumbai: India is hosting the Kimberley Process Intersessional Meeting 2026 in Mumbai from 11 to 14 May 2026 under its Chairship. India assumed the Chairship of the Kimberley Process on 1 January 2026, focusing on the 3Cs — credibility, compliance, and consumer confidence in the natural diamond sector. The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) is an international initiative under the United Nations framework aimed at preventing conflict diamonds from entering the global diamond trade.
3. India Becomes World’s 3rd Largest in Renewable Energy Capacity: As of December 2025, India has become the world’s third-largest country in terms of installed renewable energy capacity, overtaking Brazil in global rankings. The “Renewable Energy Statistics 2026” report was released by the International Renewable Energy Agency. India has achieved a total of 283.46 GW installed capacity from non-fossil fuel sources as on 31 March 2026. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is targeting 500 GW of installed electricity capacity from non-fossil sources by 2030.
4. Prashant Pise Appointed as India’s Next Ambassador to Oman: Prashant Pise, an Indian Foreign Service officer of the 1995 batch, has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Oman. He will succeed Godavarthi Venkata Srinivas in Muscat. Prashant Pise has served in several overseas postings, including Cairo (1997–2000) and Tripoli till 2004, besides handling Eurasia, Central Asia, CIS, and United Nations-related matters in the Ministry of External Affairs.
5. 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. The 138,200-cubic-metre tanker Kunpeng carried LNG from Russia’s sanctioned Portovaya plant in the Baltic Sea. The vessel remained stranded near Singaporean waters without a destination in May 2026 after it could not discharge cargo at the Dahej LNG terminal in Gujarat. The Portovaya LNG plant is located near the Baltic Sea and is linked to Russian gas export infrastructure. Dahej LNG terminal is one of India’s major LNG import terminals on the western coast.
6. India-Oman CEPA to Come Into Force from June 1: India and Oman have finalised the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which is expected to come into force on 1 June 2026. The agreement was signed in December 2025 and Oman ratified it through a Royal decree in February 2026. A Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is a trade pact between two or more economies that reduces or removes customs duties on specified goods and services. CEPA is a broader form of trade agreement that can cover goods, services, investment, and economic cooperation. India will get duty-free access for 98% of its exports to Oman under the agreement. These exports include textiles, agricultural products, and leather items. India will also reduce tariffs on Omani products such as dates, marbles, and petrochemical items.
OTHER UPDATES:
DEFENCE
1. INS Sudarshini Completes Port Call at Mindelo, Cape Verde: Indian Navy sail training ship INS Sudarshini successfully completed a port call at Mindelo, Cape Verde. The visit was part of the Lokayan 26 expedition. It has departed for Antigua and Barbuda for the next phase of deployment.
2. INS Sagardhwani Completes Port Visit to Cam Ranh: The Indian Navy’s oceanographic research vessel INS Sagardhwani completed a successful port visit to Cam Ranh, Vietnam. The visit aimed to strengthen maritime and scientific cooperation between India and Vietnam, enhancing bilateral collaboration in ocean research and naval engagement.
3. 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.
SPORTS
1. India to Host Asian Weightlifting Championships 2026 in Gandhinagar After 44 Years: India is set to host the prestigious Asian Weightlifting Championships 2026 in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, marking its return after 44 years, with the last hosting in New Delhi in 1982. The event highlights India’s growing role in international sports, as it hosts the continental championship for the first time in decades. World Athletics Day 2026 was celebrated on 7 May under the global body World Athletics (formerly IAAF), promoting athletics worldwide.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. 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. The process transforms nitrate ions in wastewater into ammonia through electrochemical reduction. Ammonia is a key feedstock for nitrogen fertilisers such as urea and ammonium compounds. The reported conversion efficiency is nearly three times higher than that of earlier technologies for nitrate-to-ammonia conversion.
2. 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.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. SBI Projects India’s GDP Growth at 6.6% for 2026–27: According to the State Bank of India Research report, India’s economy is projected to grow at 6% in FY 2026–27 despite global economic headwinds. The report estimates real GDP growth at around 7.2% in the fourth quarter of the previous fiscal year, indicating continued economic resilience.
2. India Raises Gold, Silver Import Tariffs to 15%: India raised the effective import tariff on gold and silver to 15% on 13 May 2026, from 6% earlier. The revised structure includes a 10% basic customs duty and a 5% Agriculture Infrastructure and Development Cess on imports of both precious metals. The 15% effective tariff applies to gold and silver imports under the revised government orders issued on 13 May 2026. The duty structure combines basic customs duty and Agriculture Infrastructure and Development Cess, which are levied on imported goods under Indian customs law. India’s gold imports rose by over 24% in financial year 2025-26 to a record $71.98 billion. Gold became the second-largest import item after crude oil in the same period and accounted for nearly 9% of India’s total import bill.
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