International Relations Current Affairs One-liners — Last 12 months

Fri, 29 May 2026

• In a joint statement released on 29 May 2026, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and Canada's Minister Sidhu launched the Canada-India Trade and Investment Forum and aimed to conclude Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement talks by the end of the year.

Thu, 28 May 2026

• Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and Singapore's Permanent Secretary (Defence) Joseph Leong co-chaired the 16th India-Singapore Defence Policy Dialogue in Singapore on 28 May 2026.

Wed, 27 May 2026

• The 12th round of India–Republic of Korea CEPA upgrade negotiations was held in New Delhi from 25–27 May 2026; both sides agreed to form sub-groups on digital trade, supply chains and strategic industrial cooperation.

Tue, 26 May 2026

• The Ministry of Ayush held an online review and consultative meeting on 25–26 May 2026 on developing WHO International Classification of Health Interventions (ICHI) and National Health Intervention Codes (NHIC) for Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani.

Mon, 25 May 2026

• On 25 May 2026 Union Health Minister J P Nadda reviewed India's preparedness for Ebola, saying no case of Bundibugyo Ebola disease had been reported in India, after WHO declared the African outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
• The Election Commission of India, with International IDEA under India's Chairship Programme 2026, began a five-day workshop on 'Risk Management and Electoral Resilience' at IIIDEM, New Delhi, on 25 May 2026.
• The first BRICS 2026 Tourism Working Group meeting was held virtually on 25 May 2026 under India's chairship; the second TWG and the BRICS Tourism Ministers' Meeting will be held in Jaipur in August 2026.

Sun, 24 May 2026

• In Cyprus's parliamentary election on 24 May 2026, the centre-right Democratic Rally (DISY) won the most seats (17), while the far-right ELAM moved into third place with eight seats and two newcomer parties entered parliament.

Sat, 23 May 2026

• Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal will visit Canada from 25 to 27 May 2026 with over 100 Indian businesses to push negotiations on the India–Canada Comprehensive Economic and Partnership Agreement (CEPA), the ministry announced on 23 May.
• On 23 May 2026 US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi and briefed him on progress in India–US cooperation.
• On 23 May 2026 the Ministry of Education flagged off 56 government-school students from 15 States/UTs, all NMMS scholarship holders, for a 24–30 May visit to Japan under the Sakura Science Programme 2026.

Fri, 22 May 2026

• On 22 May 2026 PM Narendra Modi and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides elevated India–Cyprus ties to a Strategic Partnership, adopted a 2026–2031 defence cooperation roadmap and signed six MoUs/arrangements, including one on counter-terrorism.
• The 68th Governing Body Meeting of the Asian Productivity Organization, hosted by India at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, concluded on 22 May 2026 with Indonesia's Prof. Anwar Sanusi taking over as APO Chair for 2026–27 from India's Amardeep Singh Bhatia.
• On 22 May 2026 India and Ethiopia signed the bilateral market-access protocol for Ethiopia's accession to the World Trade Organization in Geneva.
• On 22 May 2026 Slovenia's National Assembly elected Janez Janša as Prime Minister by 51 votes to 36, ending a deadlock after the 22 March parliamentary election.

Thu, 21 May 2026

• On 21 May 2026 Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and South Korea's Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs Kwon Oh-eul inaugurated the Indian War Memorial at Imjingak Park, Seoul, honouring the 60 Para Field Ambulance and the Custodian Force of India.
• On 21 May 2026 BRICS Ministers of Justice meeting in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, under India's Chairship adopted a Declaration on Strengthening Alternative Dispute Resolution through capacity building in mediation and arbitration.
• On 21 May 2026 the Environment Ministry said the First International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) Summit, set for 1 June 2026 in New Delhi alongside the Fourth India–Africa Forum Summit, will be held at a later date.
• On 21 May 2026 Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal told the American Chamber of Commerce's Annual Leadership Summit in New Delhi that American industry commitments in India over the last six months were estimated at upwards of $60 billion.
• The BRICS Youth Entrepreneurship Working Group Meeting, organised by the Department of Youth Affairs under India's BRICS Chairship 2026, concluded in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, on 21 May 2026 after two days.

Wed, 20 May 2026

• On 20 May 2026 the Food and Agriculture Organization conferred its Agricola Medal for 2026 on Prime Minister Narendra Modi at its Rome headquarters, for leadership on food security, sustainable agriculture and rural development.
• During Prime Minister Narendra Modi's official visit to Italy on 19–20 May 2026, India and Italy elevated their relations to a Special Strategic Partnership and set a goal of €20 billion in bilateral trade by 2029.
• On 20 May 2026 INS Sunayna returned to Kochi, ending the IOS SAGAR deployment, a multinational Indian Ocean mission with 38 personnel from 16 partner nations.
• On 20 May 2026 Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held talks with South Korea's Minister of National Defence Ahn Gyu-back in Seoul, where the two sides exchanged agreements on defence cyber, defence-college training and UN peacekeeping.

Tue, 19 May 2026

• At the 3rd India-Nordic Summit, hosted by Norway in Oslo on 19 May 2026, India and the Nordic countries decided to shape their relations into a Green Technology and Innovation Strategic Partnership.
• 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.
• 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.

Mon, 18 May 2026

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.