Asia Current Affairs — Last 12 months
Daily news by your exam, state and topic — each with a short summary, key facts and MCQs.
Sun, 17 May 2026
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.
Sat, 16 May 2026
India and the Netherlands elevate ties to a Strategic Partnership; adopt Roadmap 2026-2030
On 16 May 2026 Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten met in The Hague, elevated India–Netherlands relations to a Strategic Partnership and adopted a Strategic Partnership Roadmap for 2026-2030.
Operation RAGEPILL: NCB makes India's first-ever seizure of Captagon, 227.7 kg worth ₹182 crore
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) announced on 16 May 2026 that Operation RAGEPILL had produced India's first-ever seizure of Captagon – about 227.7 kg of tablets and powder worth about ₹182 crore – and the arrest of a Syrian national.
Leiden University Library returns the 11th-century Chola Copper Plates to India
On 16 May 2026 Leiden University Library in the Netherlands restituted the 11th-century Chola Copper Plates to the Government of India in the presence of PM Narendra Modi and Dutch PM Rob Jetten.
Indo-Dutch Centre of Excellence for Flowers to come up in West Tripura; dairy training centre at CEAH Bengaluru
The outcomes of PM Narendra Modi's visit to the Netherlands, released on 17 May 2026, include an Indo-Dutch Centre of Excellence for Flowers in West Tripura and an Indo-Dutch Centre of Excellence on Training in Dairy at CEAH, Bengaluru.
2nd BRICS CGETI meeting in Gandhinagar; intra-BRICS trade has grown to US$1.17 trillion
Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal gave the keynote address at the 2nd meeting of the BRICS Contact Group on Trade and Economic Issues (CGETI) in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, PIB reported on 16 May 2026, saying intra-BRICS trade had risen to US$1.17 trillion.
Tata Electronics and Dutch firm ASML sign agreement to support the Dholera semiconductor fab
On 16 May 2026 PM Narendra Modi and Dutch PM Rob Jetten witnessed the signing of an agreement between Tata Electronics and ASML to support India's first front-end semiconductor fab at Dholera, Gujarat.
Sikkim celebrates its 51st Statehood Day; Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan addresses event in Gangtok
On 16 May 2026 Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan addressed Sikkim's 51st Statehood Day celebrations in Gangtok, where 21 MDoNER-supported projects worth ₹223 crore were inaugurated or had foundation stones laid.
Ali Falih Kadhim al-Zaidi takes office as Prime Minister of Iraq; PM Modi sends congratulations
On 16 May 2026 Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Ali Falih Kadhim al-Zaidi on assuming office as Prime Minister of Iraq.
Indian Navy's oceanographic research vessel INS Sagardhwani concludes port call at Port Klang, Malaysia
The Indian Navy's oceanographic research vessel INS Sagardhwani left Port Klang, Malaysia, on 15 May 2026 after an engagement with the Royal Malaysian Navy focused on hydrography and oceanography.
India produces over 70% of the world's jaggery; exports up 106.5% in value since 2015-16
A PIB backgrounder of 16 May 2026 says India accounts for over 70% of global jaggery production, diverts 20–30% of its sugarcane to jaggery, and saw jaggery exports rise 106.5% in value between 2015-16 and 2024-25.
GeM marks Incorporation Day 2026; platform has 1.36 lakh buyers and nearly 25 lakh sellers
Government e Marketplace (GeM) observed its Incorporation Day 2026, PIB said on 16 May 2026, noting that the GeM SPV was incorporated on 17 May 2017 and that the platform now has over 1.36 lakh government buyers and nearly 25 lakh sellers.
Fri, 15 May 2026
PM Modi in UAE: ADNOC to store up to 30 million barrels in India's strategic reserves; Strategic Defence Partnership framework signed
On 15 May 2026 PM Narendra Modi visited the UAE, where India and the UAE signed an ISPRL–ADNOC pact for up to 30 million barrels of ADNOC crude in India's strategic reserves, a Framework for the Strategic Defence Partnership, and announced US$5 billion of UAE investment.
CCPA fines Motion Education ₹10 lakh and Career Line Coaching ₹5 lakh for misleading ads
The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) penalised Motion Education ₹10 lakh and Career Line Coaching, Sikar, ₹5 lakh for misleading advertisements under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, PIB said on 15 May 2026.
Foundation stone laid for AMCA Core Integration & Flight Testing Centre at Puttaparthi, Andhra Pradesh
On 15 May 2026 Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Andhra Pradesh CM N. Chandrababu Naidu laid foundation stones for the AMCA Core Integration & Flight Testing Centre at Puttaparthi and BDL's Naval Systems Manufacturing Facility in Anakapalli district.
India's total exports rise 13.59% to US$80.80 billion in April 2026
India's total exports (merchandise and services) in April 2026 were estimated at US$80.80 billion, up 13.59% from April 2025, the Commerce Ministry said on 15 May 2026.
PLFS April 2026: urban unemployment eases to 6.6%; urban female unemployment at one-year low of 8.5%
The PLFS monthly bulletin for April 2026, released by MoSPI on 15 May 2026, put the urban unemployment rate (15+) at 6.6% and the overall labour force participation rate at 55.0%.
Griha Pravesh of 5 lakh PMAY-G houses in Maharashtra; Centre releases ₹8,368.50 crore
On 15 May 2026 Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan inaugurated the Griha Pravesh of 5 lakh completed PMAY-G houses in Maharashtra at Satara and announced ₹8,368.50 crore of central assistance for FY 2026-27.
Rajasthan gets its first semiconductor plant: Sahasra Semiconductors' OSAT unit at Bhiwadi
On 15 May 2026 Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw virtually inaugurated Sahasra Semiconductors' ATMP/OSAT facility – Rajasthan's first semiconductor plant and India's first SME-led semiconductor facility – and ELCINA's Electronics Manufacturing Cluster at Bhiwadi.
India has 6,628 specified dams, third in the world; DRIP Phase II & III outlay ₹10,211 crore
A PIB backgrounder of 15 May 2026 says India ranks third in the world with 6,628 specified dams, over 26% of them more than 50 years old, and that DRIP Phases II and III carry an outlay of ₹10,211 crore.
Kimberley Process Intersessional 2026 concludes in Mumbai under India's Chairship
The Kimberley Process (KP) Intersessional Meeting 2026, a four-day meeting on the natural diamond trade held under India's Chairship and its '3Cs' theme, concluded in Mumbai, PIB said on 15 May 2026.
CAQM approves EV-only registration of L5 three-wheelers in Delhi-NCR and no fuel without PUCC from 1 October 2026
At its 28th full meeting on 15 May 2026, the Commission for Air Quality Management in Delhi-NCR (CAQM) approved draft directions for only electric L5 three-wheelers to be registered in Delhi from 1 January 2027 and for fuel only against a valid PUC certificate across NCR from 1 October 2026.
Jayant Chaudhary represents India at Uganda President Museveni's swearing-in for a seventh term
Minister of State Jayant Chaudhary represented India at the swearing-in of Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni for his seventh term and visited NFSU's Jinja campus, India's first overseas public academic campus, PIB said on 15 May 2026.
Hindustan Copper posts record PBT of ₹1,233 crore in FY26, up 95%
Hindustan Copper Limited, a Miniratna CPSE under the Ministry of Mines, reported a record profit before tax of ₹1,232.73 crore for FY 2025-26, up 95%, the ministry said on 15 May 2026.
CSIR-AMPRI Bhopal transfers indigenous SODAR technology to industry on its 46th Foundation Day
CSIR's Advanced Materials and Processes Research Institute (AMPRI), Bhopal, transferred its indigenous SODAR (Sound Detection and Ranging) technology to Meteoxperts Solutions, Noida, during its 46th Foundation Day celebrations, PIB said on 15 May 2026.