Current Affairs — May 2026
Daily news by your exam, state and topic — each with a short summary, key facts and MCQs.
Tue, 19 May 2026
Education Ministry's Bharat Innovates Investor Showcase in Bengaluru: 24 deep-tech start-ups meet 90+ investors
On 19 May 2026 the Ministry of Education and IVCA held the Bharat Innovates Investor Showcase in Bengaluru, where 24 deep-tech start-ups presented to over 90 investors ahead of the flagship Bharat Innovates 2026 event in Nice, France, on 14–16 June.
Rajnath Singh holds talks with Vietnam's Defence Minister in Hanoi; MoU on AI and quantum technology
On 19 May 2026 Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held talks in Hanoi with Vietnam's Deputy PM and Defence Minister General Phan Van Giang; the two sides signed an MoU on AI and quantum technology and India announced an AI lab at Nha Trang.
Eastern Regional Agriculture Conference opens in Bhubaneswar with five eastern states
On 19 May 2026 Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi inaugurated the Eastern Regional Agriculture Conference in Bhubaneswar, bringing together Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and West Bengal.
Railways approves ₹962-crore Kiul–Jhajha third line in Bihar and ₹993-crore Arakkonam–Chengalpattu doubling in Tamil Nadu
On 19 May 2026 Indian Railways approved the 54-km Kiul–Jhajha third line on the Howrah–Delhi route at ₹962 crore and the 68-km Arakkonam–Chengalpattu doubling of Southern Railway at ₹993 crore.
Ayush Anudan Portal launched under Ayush Grid for online grant management
On 19 May 2026 Ayush Minister Prataprao Jadhav launched the Ayush Anudan Portal, built under the Ayush Grid initiative to handle funding proposals under the ministry's Central Sector Schemes online.
Indian astronomers report first confirmed blue straggler star with a brown dwarf companion in a 5.6-hour orbit
A team from Gauhati University, IIA Bengaluru, ARIES Nainital and INAF-Catania reported on 19 May 2026 the first confirmed blue straggler star hosting a brown dwarf companion, in one of the shortest-period stellar binaries known.
NISM and IICA sign MoU on corporate governance, ESG and capital markets in Mumbai
On 19 May 2026 the SEBI-established National Institute of Securities Markets (NISM) and the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA) signed an MoU in Mumbai to advance corporate governance, ESG and capital markets.
C. R. Patil chairs 14th HPRB meeting of Brahmaputra Board in Guwahati; State Water Reforms Framework launched
On 19 May 2026 Jal Shakti Minister C. R. Patil chaired the 14th meeting of the Brahmaputra Board's High-Powered Review Board in Guwahati and launched the State Water Reforms Framework.
Mon, 18 May 2026
India and Norway elevate ties to a Green Strategic Partnership; aim to double trade by 2030
On 18 May 2026 Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre held talks in Oslo, elevated India–Norway ties to a Green Strategic Partnership and set a goal of doubling bilateral trade by 2030.
Judges Inquiry Committee on Justice Yashwant Varma submits report to Lok Sabha Speaker
On 18 May 2026 the Judges Inquiry Committee investigating allegations against Justice Yashwant Varma submitted its report to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla under the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968.
Scindia launches ₹175-crore Mission 'Coffees of Nagaland' with Arabica and Robusta pilot clusters
On 18 May 2026 DoNER Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia launched the ₹175-crore Mission 'Coffees of Nagaland', a cluster-based coffee value-chain mission with pilot clusters at Tuophema (Arabica) and Ghotovi (Robusta).
CSIR signs five agreements with Norwegian institutions in Oslo on clean energy, offshore wind and geosciences
On 18 May 2026 CSIR/DSIR, led by Director General Dr N. Kalaiselvi, signed five agreements in Oslo with the Research Council of Norway, SINTEF, NTNU and Emerald Geomodelling covering clean energy, offshore wind, sustainability, geosciences and academic exchange.
Goyal sets $1 trillion export target for this year and $2 trillion in five years; exports at $863 billion
On 18 May 2026 Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said India is targeting exports of $1 trillion this year and $2 trillion over five years, after exports reached $863 billion, nearly 5% higher than the previous year.
PM Modi receives the Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit from King Harald V
On 18 May 2026 King Harald V of Norway conferred the Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit, Norway's highest honour for foreign Heads of Government, on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Oslo.
Saurabh Vijay takes charge as CEO of UIDAI
On 18 May 2026 Saurabh Vijay, a 1998-batch IAS officer of the Maharashtra cadre, assumed charge as Chief Executive Officer of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).
Draft National Water Metro Policy 2026 circulated; Water Metro planned for 18 cities, Guwahati in Phase I
On 18 May 2026 Ports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said the Draft National Water Metro Policy, 2026 has been circulated for inter-ministerial consultation, with Water Metro services planned in 18 cities and Guwahati, Srinagar, Patna, Varanasi, Ayodhya and Prayagraj in Phase I.
V. D. Satheesan takes oath as Chief Minister of Keralam
V. D. Satheesan took oath as Chief Minister of Keralam, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated him on 18 May 2026, assuring Central support to the newly formed state government.
INST Mohali's nanogold-PVDF ultrathin film boosts pyroelectricity for self-powered sensors
Scientists at the Institute of Nano Science and Technology, Mohali, reported on 18 May 2026 that adding a small amount of nanogold to ultrathin PVDF films sharply improves their ability to turn small temperature changes into electricity.
Centre signs reform-linked Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0 MoUs with West Bengal and Andaman & Nicobar Islands
On 18 May 2026 West Bengal and the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands signed reform-linked MoUs with the Centre under Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0, committing to a Gram Panchayat-led model of rural water supply.
Agriculture Ministry simplifies household pesticide licensing and fertiliser registration under 'Reform Express'
On 18 May 2026 the Agriculture Ministry reviewed reforms under the 'Reform Express', including a one-page licence form for selling household pesticides, QR codes in place of paper leaflets and digital integration of all 649 customs ports for farm imports.
Sun, 17 May 2026
India and Sweden elevate ties to a Strategic Partnership; adopt Joint Action Plan 2026-2030
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson held talks in Gothenburg during the PM's visit on 17 May 2026, elevated India–Sweden ties to a Strategic Partnership and adopted the India-Sweden Joint Action Plan 2026-2030.
Census 2027: houselisting field work begins in Rajasthan, Meghalaya, Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Delhi's MCD area; 1.44 crore households self-enumerate
On 17 May 2026 field operations for the Houselisting and Housing Census under Phase I of Census 2027 began in Rajasthan, Meghalaya, Maharashtra, Jharkhand and the MCD area of Delhi, while self-enumeration opened in Gujarat, J&K, Ladakh and Puducherry.
PM Modi visits the Afsluitdijk dam with Dutch PM Rob Jetten; India–Netherlands Letter of Intent on Gujarat's Kalpasar project
On 17 May 2026 PM Narendra Modi and Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten visited the 32-km Afsluitdijk dam, and the two sides welcomed a Letter of Intent on technical cooperation for Gujarat's Kalpasar project.
Indian Navy inaugurates a Naval Sailing Node at Upper Lake (Bhojtal), Bhopal
On 17 May 2026 the Indian Navy inaugurated its Naval Sailing Node at Upper Lake, known as Bhojtal, in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, in a ceremony presided over by Chief of the Naval Staff Adm Dinesh K Tripathi.
PM Modi receives Sweden's Royal Order of the Polar Star, Degree Commander Grand Cross; first Asian leader to get it
On 17 May 2026 Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden conferred the Royal Order of the Polar Star, Degree Commander Grand Cross, on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Gothenburg, making him the first Asian leader to receive it.
DoNER explores blending North-East's Eri silk with Rajasthan's Kota Doria at Kaithoon
On 17 May 2026 a Ministry of DoNER team led by Secretary Sanjay Jaju visited the Kaithoon Common Facility Centre in Kota, Rajasthan, to explore blending the North-East's Eri silk with the GI-tagged Kota Doria fabric.
Ashwini Vaishnaw flags off SMVT Bengaluru–Lokmanya Tilak Terminus Express; Bengaluru–Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper to start soon
On 17 May 2026 Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw virtually flagged off Train No. 16553/54 SMVT Bengaluru–Lokmanya Tilak Terminus Express and said a Bengaluru–Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper service would start soon.
National Test House, Ghaziabad sets up a state-of-the-art shoe testing laboratory
The National Test House (Northern Region), Ghaziabad, under the Department of Consumer Affairs, has set up a state-of-the-art Shoe Testing Laboratory to test footwear against Indian Standards, PIB said on 17 May 2026.
Sweden gifts PM Modi replicas of Tagore's handwritten epigrams found in the Swedish National Archives
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and PM Narendra Modi exchanged gifts honouring Rabindranath Tagore during the PM's visit to Sweden on 17 May 2026, marking the centenary of Tagore's 1926 visit to Sweden.
Amit Shah inaugurates Madhur Dairy's ₹128-crore plant at Dashela, Gandhinagar
On 17 May 2026 Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah inaugurated Madhur Dairy's new plant at Dashela in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, built for about ₹128 crore with a processing capacity of 2.5 lakh litres of milk a day.