Monthly current affairs for May 2026

India and the European Union (EU) have launched a joint initiative to improve Electric Vehicle (EV) battery recycling under the India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC) - Working Group 2 on Green and Clean Energy Technologies.

The project involves a third coordinated call for proposals to secure critical raw materials and accelerate the global transition to a circular economy. The initiative has a combined funding pool of €15.2 million (₹169 crore). The component of the EU is funded through the Horizon Europe programme, while the part of India is supported by the Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI).

The Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India (GoI) has signed an MoU with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) at Kartavya Bhavan in New Delhi.

The collaboration aims to strengthen the national Research and Development (R&D) ecosystem by facilitating synergy between industry, academia, and research institutions.

Tsinghua University (China) is ranked top for the 8th consecutive year with a score of 93.6 at the 14th edition of the “Asia University Rankings 2026” released by the UK-based Times Higher Education (THE). It is followed by Peking University (China) and the National University of Singapore (NUS).

IISc Bengaluru, is the highest-ranked Indian university, ranking 43rd in Asia with a score of 65.1. It is to be noted that India leads the overall representation with 128 universities.

The 2nd edition of the bilateral military exercise between the Indian Army (IA) and the Royal Cambodian Army (RCA) named “CINBAX-II” has commenced at the Techo Sen Phnom Thom Mreas Prov Royal Cambodian Air Force Training Centre (Camp Basil) in Kampong Speu Province, Cambodia.

The IA contingent comprises 120 personnel from the Battalion of the Maratha Light Infantry Regiment, while the RCA is represented by 160 personnel. Conducted under Chapter VII of the UN mandate, the exercise focuses on sub-conventional operations in jungle and semi-urban environments.

The first Joint Commission meeting between India and Algeria was held in New Delhi to discuss strategic sectors of mutual interest. During the meeting, both countries discussed cooperation in military training, joint exercises, medical collaboration, and the development of the defense industry. They also agreed to expand the scope of defense cooperation activities to strengthen the bilateral relationship.

The Bengaluru City Police has launched a multilingual AI integration within the ‘Namma 112’ Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) to enhance accessibility and inclusivity. This is the first-of-its-kind initiative in India.

The integration utilizes the Multilingual Voice AI for Nationwide Key Interventions (VANKI) system, which was developed in collaboration with technical partners Monday Ventures and Aeos.

The Telangana government, through the Hyderabad Metro Rail Ltd (HMRL), has signed a Share Purchase Agreement (SPA) with Larsen & Toubro Ltd (L&T) and L&T Metro Rail (Hyderabad) Ltd (LTMRHL). The agreement enables the state government to acquire 100% equity of the Hyderabad Metro Phase I for ₹1,461.47 crore.

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has published 6 new standards for priority Assistive Technologies (AT) under the framework of the National List of Essential Assistive Products (NLEAP). It is to be noted that NLEAP is an initiative led by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

The new standards for mobility aids include IS 18558 (elbow crutches), IS 5145 (multi-leg walking sticks), and IS 19631 (portable ramps) to ensure safety, performance, and accessibility. BIS has also established standards for accessibility aids, specifically IS 19189 (tactile guide maps) and IS 19190 (Braille on signage).

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has launched the “Journey of Antenatal, Natal, and Neonatal Integrated Care” (JANANI) platform during the National Summit on Best Practices. The platform, which aims to strengthen maternal and child healthcare in India, is an upgraded version of the Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) portal.

To date, the platform has recorded 1.34 crore beneficiary registrations and over 30 lakh registrations of pregnant women. It has also generated more than 30 lakh Maternal and Child Health (MCH) cards and completed over 1 lakh biometric verifications.

Union Minister of State Sanjay Seth has launched the ‘Namo Stall Scheme’ in Ranchi, Jharkhand, to empower street fruit and vegetable vendors with better infrastructure.

The initiative is implemented under the PM Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) scheme. In the first phase of the project, stalls worth ₹50,000 each were distributed to 5 vendors to help them secure stable livelihoods.

The Ministry of Finance (MoF) has notified the “Foreign Exchange Management (Non-debt Instruments) (Second Amendment) Rules, 2026”, allowing 100% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Indian insurance companies and intermediaries through the automatic route.

It is to be noted that foreign investment in the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) remains restricted to a maximum of 20% under the automatic route.

The National Statistics Office (NSO) has notified uniform guidelines for the compilation of Gross State Value Added (GSVA), designating 2022-23 as the new base year.

It is to be noted that 34 States and Union Territories (UTs) currently use 2011-12 as the base year for Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) estimates, except for Lakshadweep and Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) seeks to onboard all States and UTs under the new series.

The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (CSIR-NIScPR) has signed an MoU with the Research and Information System for the Developing Countries (RIS) to strengthen cooperation in science, technology, and innovation (STI) policy and science diplomacy.

IndiaAI, a flagship initiative of the Government of India (GoI), has signed an MoU with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) to enhance healthcare outcomes through the responsible and scalable application of AI.

The collaborative framework is built on three primary pillars: the ‘AIKosh’ dataset platform, compute access, and the development of collaborative AI use cases.

The United States Trade Representative (USTR) has released the 38th annual “2026 Special 301 Report” to evaluate the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) protection of global trading partners. India remains on the Priority Watch List along with 5 other nations.

Vietnam is designated as a Priority Foreign Country (PFC), which represents the highest level of scrutiny. Argentina and Mexico were moved to the Watch List following improvements in regulatory frameworks, while Bulgaria was removed from the report entirely.

The European Union (EU) was added to the report due to concerns regarding Geographical Indications (GI) and pharmaceutical legislation. It is to be noted that the review of Ukraine is suspended due to the ongoing conflict.

The Government of India has deployed the Aarogya Maitri (BHISHM Cube) healthcare system in Jamaica to strengthen bilateral relations with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) nations. The initiative is part of the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) framework.

BHISHM (Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog Hita & Maitri) Cube is the first portable and modular hospital in the world, designed for quick deployment in disaster zones or remote areas. It features 72 mini-cubes that can be set up into medical pods in less than 12 minutes. The system is capable of treating severe injuries for up to 200 patients for a duration of 48 hours.

The USA has launched ‘Project Freedom’, a naval escort operation to guide stranded commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. The operation was initiated under President Donald Trump in response to the growing tensions between Iran and the USA. The primary objective of the project is to ensure secure maritime passage and protect global shipping routes from disruptions caused by regional conflicts and oil supply instability.

India has successfully conducted the second flight test of the indigenous Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile (LR-AShM) from Launch Complex-IV at Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the Odisha coast. The missile, developed by the DRDO, successfully engaged a target at a distance of over 1,500 km.

The missile system is powered by a two-stage solid propulsion mechanism. It is capable of reaching a peak speed of Mach 10 and maintains an average speed of Mach 5 during its cruise and glide phases.

Paras Defence and Space Technologies Ltd has signed a tripartite MoU with Complus Systems Pvt Ltd and JV Micronics to develop advanced Anechoic and Semi-Anechoic Chambers.

The consortium aims to provide end-to-end solutions for electromagnetic testing infrastructure, which is essential for the verification of radar systems, antennas, and electronic warfare technologies in environments free of interference.

M Ravichandran, Secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), has inaugurated the Open-Field Observatory of the Coastal Atmospheric Research Testbed (C-ART) at Andhra University in Visakhapatnam.

The facility, established by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), will serve as a specialized coastal weather research center. It is developed under ‘Mission Mausam’ at an estimated cost of ₹180 crore. It is to be noted that this is the first such weather testbed on the east coast of India.