Monthly current affairs for May 2026

Ali Falih Kadhim al-Zaidi has been sworn in as the Prime Minister (PM) of Iraq and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the country. Nominated by the Coordination Framework, he is the youngest PM in the modern history of Iraq at the age of 40. He succeeds Mohammed Shia al-Sudani.

The Indian Navy (IN) has launched ‘Sanghmitra’ (Yard 3039), its first Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel (NGOPV), at the Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) facility in Kolkata.

The construction of 11 NGOPVs is being carried out across two domestic shipyards to enhance the naval presence of India in multi-domain operations. These indigenously designed vessels have a displacement of 3,000 tonnes, measure 113 metres in length and 14.6 metres in width, and can achieve a maximum speed of 23 knots.

The United States has approved two Foreign Military Sales (FMS) sustainment packages for India, worth a total of $428.2 million. The first package, valued at $198.2 million, provides support for AH-64E Apache attack helicopters, while the second package, worth $230 million, is for the sustainment support of M777A2 ultra-light howitzers.

Adani Power has signed agreements to acquire a 24% stake in Jaiprakash Power Ventures Ltd (JPVL) and thermal assets from Jaiprakash Associates for ₹4,193.59 crore. The acquisition is part of a resolution plan approved by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) and upheld by the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT).

The first solar-powered ‘Algae Tree’ in India has been installed at Swami Vivekananda Park in Bhopal under the Smart City initiative to mitigate urban air pollution. Developed by the Mushroom World Group, this 3-metre-tall climate tech device uses microalgae-based photobioreactor technology to function as an artificial lung. It is capable of absorbing 1.5 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) and generating about 1 tonne of pure oxygen annually.

The Karnataka government has launched India’s first integrated technology-driven monitoring portal to track ‘Not of Standard Quality’ (NSQ) medicines and regulate ‘Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances’ (NDPS) drugs.

This initiative aims to strengthen drug surveillance, enhance transparency, and ensure public safety.

The Madhya Pradesh government has partnered with Google Cloud to deploy advanced AI frameworks for the upcoming Simhastha Kumbh Mela 2028 in Ujjain.

PM Narendra Modi has been conferred the prestigious FAO Agricola Medal by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The award recognises his contributions to food security, sustainable agriculture, and rural development.

It is one of the highest honours given by the FAO to individuals for their role in advancing global food security, improved nutrition, and agricultural development.

National Technology Day:

Day – May 11

Theme 2026 – “Responsible Innovation for Inclusive Growth”

Observed by – Technology Development Board (TDB), under Ministry of Science and Technology(MoS&T)

Observed since – 1999

Commemorating – Operation Shakti (Pokhran-II) nuclear tests and the maiden flight of the indigenous Hansa-3 aircraft

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), under the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT)), has launched an AI-based helpbot named ‘ABHAY’ (AI-Based Helpbot for Authentication of Your Notice).

The initiative aims to authenticate official CBI notices and safeguard citizens against cyber fraud and digital arrest scams.

The National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) has launched a strategic initiative to re-enroll approximately 2 crore out-of-school children (OOSC). This drive aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and aims to address the dropout rate in India, where only 62 out of 100 students reach Class 12.

The initiative targets adolescents aged 14-18 who dropped out due to financial constraints, domestic responsibilities, or early entry into the workforce. The long-term goal is to achieve 100% Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) from pre-school to secondary level by 2030.

According to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoC&I), the European Union (EU) has emerged as the third-largest seafood export market for India in FY26, after the USA and China. India’s seafood exports to the EU stood at $1.593 billion, contributing 18.94% of the total seafood export value and showing robust growth in both value and quantity.

According to the Mid-Year Outlook report released by Morgan Stanley, India’s real GDP growth forecast for FY27 has been revised upward by 50 basis points (bps) to 6.7%. The report projects the GDP growth for FY28 at 7%. Additionally, India’s inflation is expected to average 4.7% for FY27.

The Ministry of Finance has approved a proposal by the UAE-based Emirates NBD to acquire a 49%–74% stake in RBL Bank. The transaction is valued at $3 billion (₹26,850 crore) and will be executed through a preferential allotment and a mandatory open offer. This is one of the largest Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) transactions in the banking and financial services sector of India.

Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) has signed an MoU with DBS Bank to launch the first sustainability-linked dealer financing scheme in the automotive sector in India. Under this scheme, authorized dealers of Mahindra will receive preferential interest rates on vehicle loans, linked to their environmental performance.

PM Narendra Modi has visited the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and held a meeting with President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi. UAE has committed to invest $5 billion in India through various entities.

During the visit, the Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Ltd (ISPRL) signed an MoU with the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) to enhance the energy security of India. Additionally, the Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) signed a strategic collaboration agreement with ADNOC for the long-term supply of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG).

The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has signed an MoU with the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI) to leverage the expertise of the latter in geotechnical engineering and natural hazard mitigation.

The collaboration aims to strengthen engineering capabilities, particularly in geologically sensitive and challenging terrains.

The National Institute of Securities Markets (NISM), established by the SEBI, has signed an MoU with the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA) under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs to advance Corporate Governance, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards, and capital markets in India.

The collaboration will focus on knowledge exchange, research, policy support, and cooperation in financial and corporate regulation.

Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) has signed an MoU with the Management Development Institute (MDI), Gurgaon, to collaborate on Executive Education Programmes. The partnership aims to develop future-ready leadership within SAIL by integrating academic knowledge with real-world applications.

India hosted the Kimberley Process (KP) Intersessional Meeting 2026 in Mumbai, under its 2026 Chairship. Suchindra Misra, Special Secretary, Department of Commerce (DOC), Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoC&I), served as the official KP Chair for 2026.

The KP currently comprises 60 participants representing 86 countries, with the European Union (EU) participating as a single bloc. The deliberations focused on the “3Cs” framework: Credibility, Compliance, and Consumer Confidence, aimed at promoting responsibly sourced natural diamonds.

It is to be noted that the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) was established in 2000 to prevent conflict or “blood” diamonds from entering the legitimate global diamond trade.