NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. India Launches Chenab Hydropower Projects Amid Indus Treaty Freeze: India has started work on two infrastructure projects linked to the Chenab river system with an estimated cost of nearly ₹2,600 crore. The projects include the ₹2,352 crore Chenab-Beas Link Tunnel in Himachal Pradesh and the ₹268 crore sediment-bypass tunnel at the Salal Dam in Jammu and Kashmir. India has fast-tracked four major Chenab hydropower projects in Jammu and Kashmir. Pakal Dul has a planned capacity of 1,000 MW, Kiru has 624 MW, Kwar has 540 MW, and Ratle has 850 MW. The Sawalkote Hydroelectric Project on the Chenab has a planned capacity of 1,856 MW and an estimated cost of ₹5,129 crore. The Dulhasti Stage-II project on the Chenab has a planned capacity of 260 MW and an estimated cost of ₹3,277.45 crore.
2. India’s Death Rate Stays Above Pre-Covid Level: The 2024 Sample Registration System report of the Office of the Registrar General of India records a crude death rate of 6.4 deaths per thousand population and a total fertility rate of 1.9 children per woman. The report places the crude death rate above the 2019 and 2020 level of 6 and keeps the total fertility rate below the replacement level of 2.1 for the fifth consecutive year. The Sample Registration System is a large-scale demographic survey system used in India to estimate birth rates, death rates, infant mortality, and fertility indicators. The Office of the Registrar General of India publishes the annual Sample Registration System report for population statistics.
3. FSSAI Plans Centralised Food Surveillance System: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is planning a centralised food surveillance system for market sampling, laboratory testing, and digital alert generation. The proposed framework places surveillance sampling under a national mechanism, uses third-party agencies for sample collection, and links test results to a central database for faster regulatory action. Under the proposed system, neutral third-party agencies selected through bidding will buy food samples from the market for surveillance testing. Approved laboratories will upload results to a national database, and unsafe findings will trigger digital alerts with batch numbers to the concerned state food safety commissioner. The new rules require 50% of surveillance samples to come from large organised supply chains. FSSAI headquarters will pay laboratories directly under the proposed arrangement.
4. India Launches Operation Ragepill Against Captagon Network: On 16 May 2026, the Narcotics Control Bureau announced Operation Ragepill, which led to the dismantling of an international syndicate involved in Captagon trafficking. The operation resulted in India’s first seizure of about 227.7 kg of Captagon tablets and powder, with an estimated illicit market value of ₹182 crore. Captagon is a synthetic stimulant linked to fenetylline and amphetamine. It has been abused in West Asia and the Middle East, and it is classified as a psychostimulant drug. The substance has been associated with illicit trafficking networks across West Asia, North Africa, and parts of Europe. One Syrian national, Alabras Ahmad, was arrested in connection with the syndicate. He entered India on a tourist visa on 15 November 2024 and remained in the country after the visa expired on 12 January 2025. Overstaying a visa is an immigration violation under Indian law.
5. Karnataka to establish 1,000 Karnataka Public Schools: Karnataka plans to establish 1,000 Karnataka Public Schools from 1 June 2026, with the project launch scheduled in Shivamogga. The schools are planned under the School Education Department and the Minorities Department, and the model includes classes from Lower Kindergarten to II Pre-University Course in Kannada and English mediums. The project cost is estimated at Rs 3,900 crore over three years. Funding is planned from the Asian Development Bank for 500 schools, the Kalyana Karnataka Regional Development Board for 200 schools, and Karnataka Mining Environment Restoration Corporation funds for 100 schools. The state has planned 800 schools under the School Education Department and 200 schools under the Minorities Department. Officials have been asked to begin the tender process for the 800 schools and complete the schools within two years.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Rajasthan Receives World No Tobacco Day Award 2026 for Outstanding Tobacco Control Efforts: Rajasthan received the prestigious World No Tobacco Day Award 2026 from the World Health Organisation for its outstanding tobacco control initiatives during 2025-26 in the South-East Asia region.The honour reflects the state government’s strong commitment towards public health and its vision of creating a “Tobacco-Free Rajasthan”.Rajasthan has expanded tobacco cessation treatment and counselling services through more than 500 centres operating up to the block level, with geo-tagged digital access to help people easily locate nearby facilities.
2. UNDP Partners with Zambia to Adapt India’s eVIN Platform for Medicines Track and Trace System: The United Nations Development Programme and Zambia have launched a joint initiative in Lusaka to adapt India’s Electronic Vaccine Intelligence Network (eVIN) for an Essential Medicines “Track and Trace” system.The eVIN platform, originally developed in India, is designed to improve vaccine logistics and ensure real-time visibility of stock levels across the supply chain.
The system enables real-time inventory management, temperature monitoring, and efficient distribution of medicines and vaccines to strengthen healthcare delivery.
3. 21 May – World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development : World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development is observed every year on 21 May to promote the value of cultural diversity and its role in strengthening peace and mutual understanding among nations.The day highlights the importance of dialogue between different cultures to support social cohesion, tolerance, and sustainable development worldwide.
4. India Postpones First International Big Cat Alliance Summit: India postponed the first International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) Summit in New Delhi on 21 May 2026. The summit had been scheduled for 1 June or 1–2 June 2026 and was linked with the Fourth India-Africa Forum Summit. The International Big Cat Alliance is a multilateral initiative for the conservation of big cats. It was formally established on 12 March 2024 and has 25 member countries and five observer nations. The Fourth India-Africa Forum Summit, also called IAFS IV, was deferred along with the IBCA Summit. The two meetings were planned together because several African countries are partners in big cat conservation efforts.
5. India to Host Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi: India will host the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi on 26 May 2026. The meeting will be held at the invitation of External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and will bring together the foreign ministers of Australia, Japan and the United States. The Quad is a diplomatic grouping of four countries: India, Australia, Japan and the United States. The grouping is associated with cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region and with the concept of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific. The ministers are expected to review existing Quad initiatives and discuss regional and global developments of mutual concern. The listed areas of cooperation include maritime security, resilient supply chains, infrastructure development, critical and emerging technologies, climate action, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
6. India Records 97 of World’s 100 Hottest Cities: India recorded 97 of the world’s 100 hottest cities on 22 May 2026 during a heatwave across northern, central and eastern India. Balangir in Odisha touched 48°C, while Sasaram in Bihar also reached 48°C and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh recorded 47°C. A heatwave is a period of abnormally high temperature that lasts for several days and is classified in India by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) using temperature thresholds and departure from normal conditions. The IMD uses terms such as heatwave, severe heatwave and extreme heat conditions for weather alerts in different regions. The IMD forecast heatwave to severe heatwave conditions across large parts of northern and eastern India until 27 May 2026. The affected belt included states in northern, central and eastern India, where daytime temperatures remained above seasonal norms in several districts.
OTHER UPDATES:
DEFENCE
1. Indian Navy Launches Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel “Sanghmitra” at Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers, Kolkata: Indian Navy launched Yard 3039 (Sanghmitra), a Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel (NGOPV), at Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers in Kolkata.The construction of 11 NGOPVs is being carried out simultaneously at two shipyards—Goa Shipyard Limited and GRSE Kolkata—strengthening India’s naval modernisation efforts.
2. Rajnath Singh Inaugurates Indian War Memorial in Seoul : Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and South Korean Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs Kwon Oh-eul inaugurated the Indian War Memorial at Imjingak Park near Seoul on 21 May 2026. The memorial marks the 75th anniversary of the Korean War and commemorates the service of the 60 Para Field Ambulance and the Custodian Force of India. During the ceremony, both ministers laid wreaths and paid homage to Indian personnel. They also signed a memorandum of understanding for honouring Korean War veterans and for exchanges related to veterans’ remembrance. The memorial project was funded by India’s Ministry of Defence. The event formed part of Rajnath Singh’s four-day visit to Vietnam and South Korea.
SPORTS
1. Asian Weightlifting Championships 2026 Held in Gujarat: The Asian Weightlifting Championships 2026 was held at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, and organized by the Indian Weightlifting Federation, marking only the second time India has hosted the event since 1982.India finished third in the women’s team standings (487 points) and fifth in the men’s team standings (379 points), while China dominated both categories as well as the overall medal tally.India won a total of 10 medals (1 silver and 9 bronze), with Gyaneshwari Yadav securing the only silver in the women’s 53kg snatch event and Komal Kohar opening the medal account with bronze in the 48kg category.China topped the overall medal tally with 21 gold medals, while standout performers included Ri Sul (women’s best lifter, 63kg) and HE Yueji (men’s best lifter, 65kg).
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. Odisha Mandates Electric Vehicles for Government Use: Odisha made the purchase of electric vehicles mandatory for new two-wheelers and four-wheelers used by the state government from 1 June 2026. The directive also applies to four-wheelers hired for official government work from the same date. The state order was issued on 21 May 2026 by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi as part of an eight-point plan. Petrol and diesel vehicles can be purchased only under special circumstances or specific requirements. Senior officers allotted official vehicles in Odisha must carpool, and fuel allocation for such vehicles will be reduced by half. All government departments in Odisha have been directed to ensure at least a 10% reduction in monthly fuel consumption for government vehicles.
2. IN-SPACe Offers Full PSLV Technology Transfer: The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) has offered full technology transfer of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) to Indian industry. The offer comes before the first PSLV built under an earlier private-sector contract has completed its launch, and it is linked to India’s launch vehicle industrialisation framework. IN-SPACe has stated that the PSLV transfer is intended to enable Indian industry to realise, operate, and commercialise PSLV launches in the global medium-lift satellite market. ISRO will provide infrastructural and hand-holding support for 30 months or until two PSLV vehicles are realised and launched by the selected party, whichever is earlier. The Expression of Interest is open to Indian-owned non-government entities with at least seven years of operations and five years of space or aerospace experience. Eligible entities must also have either an average turnover above ₹400 crore or a valuation exceeding ₹1,000 crore.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. Mahindra & DBS Bank India launch sustainability-linked dealer financing programme: Mahindra & Mahindra and DBS Bank India signed an MoU to launch India’s first sustainability-linked dealer financing programme in the automotive sector.Under the initiative, authorised Mahindra dealers will receive preferential or lower interest rates on vehicle financing based on their environmental performance and sustainability practices.The programme will evaluate dealers on key Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) parameters, promoting sustainable business operations across the automobile dealership network.
2. Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority Holds APY Annual Felicitation Programme: Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority organised the Atal Pension Yojana (APY) Annual Felicitation Programme in New Delhi to recognise outstanding performance in APY enrolment and implementation.Among Public Sector Banks, State Bank of India achieved 116% of its target, followed by Union Bank of India and UCO Bank. In the Regional Rural Banks category, Jharkhand Rajya Gramin Bank topped with 288% achievement, while IDBI Bank achieved 156% of its target in the Major Private Bank category.
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