- On 22 May 2026, the Department of Space (DoS) via IN‑SPACe approved two Common Technical Facilities in Tamil Nadu and Gujarat. The Thoothukudi facility (TN) will focus on rocket and launch vehicle manufacturing & testing near the Kulasekarapattinam Spaceport.
- In May 2026, the Department of Posts (DoP) and Flipkart India Pvt. Ltd. signed an agreement in New Delhi for last‑mile parcel delivery services. India Post will use its 1.6 lakh+ post offices to deliver Flipkart shipments across urban, semi‑urban, rural, and remote regions.
- The Department of Consumer Affairs amended the Legal Metrology (Government Approved Test Centre) Rules, 2013, to expand the GATC framework by adding verification for five types of fuel dispensers: Petrol, Diesel, CNG, LPG, LNG, and Hydrogen.
- In May 2026, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, announced the launch of a nationwide “Maritime Reform Utsav”. The initiative commemorates 12 years of transformative maritime reforms under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
- On May 19, 2026, at the Education World Forum, London, Google launched the Google AI Educator Series (GES). It is a free, mobile‑first AI training programme for teachers and higher‑ed faculty in India. Initial rollout partners → Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Assam, Ladakh (UT), Punjab School Education Board.
- On May 22–23, 2026, India and Ethiopia signed a Bilateral Market Access Protocol in Geneva as part of Ethiopia’s WTO accession process. The protocol covers mutually agreed commitments in goods and services, signed by their Permanent Representatives to WTO/UN.
- On May 23, 2026 (Saturday), the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) approved the appointment of Elias George (former IAS officer) as Part‑time Chairman of Federal Bank. He will serve a 3‑year term (2026–2029), strengthening governance at the private sector bank. George had already been an Independent Director on the board since September 2023.
- On May 22, 2026, LIC raised its stake in the Central Bank of India from 3.16% to 6.06%. It acquired 26.26 crore equity shares via open‑market purchases, announced on May 25, 2026. The move coincided with the bank’s Offer for Sale (OFS) by the government. This reflects LIC’s continued confidence in public sector banks and financial stability.
- On May 22, 2026, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposed monetary penalties totaling ₹15.90 lakh on three entities for regulatory non‑compliance. City Union Bank (CUB) was fined ₹10.10 lakh for issues in loan charges and data reporting lapses. Mintifi Finserve faced a ₹3.10 lakh penalty for delays in uploading KYC records to the central registry.
- The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) launched a USD 10 billion facility (Energy, Food Security and Economic Resilience Facility) to support member countries affected by conflicts, particularly in West Asia/Middle East.
- On 23 May 2026, Ladakh L‑G Vinai Kumar Saxena approved a 5‑year MoU extension with ONGC for India’s first geothermal project. The site is Puga Valley (~14,000 ft); the original 2021 MoU expired in Feb 2026. ONGC will deepen wells to 1000m, set up a 1 MWe pilot plant, and prepare a commercial DPR. This aims to harness clean geothermal energy and make Ladakh a green energy hub.
- On May 22, 2026, the Delhi Government’s e-Governance Society (DeGS) signed an MoU with the State Bank of India (SBI) to introduce a fully integrated digital payment platform called ‘e-Pay’ on the Delhi e-Procurement Portal.
- On May 25, 2026, at Ayush Bhawan, New Delhi, the Ayush Export Promotion Council (AYUSHEXCIL) and the Spices Board of India signed an MoU. Witnessed by Union Minister Prataprao Jadhav, the pact was signed by Dr. Anurag Sharma (AYUSHEXCIL) and Shri M.S. Manivannan, IAS (Spices Board). Aim → To integrate Ayush products with India’s spice sector, boosting exports and global wellness trade.
- On May 24, 2026 (Sunday), China launched the Shenzhou‑23 mission aboard a Long March‑2F rocket from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The mission carried three astronauts — Commander Zhu Yangzhu, Pilot Zhang Zhiyuan, and Payload Specialist Lai Ka‑ying (Li Jiaying), Hong Kong’s first astronaut.
- On May 24, 2026 (Sunday), Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes, Italy) won the Canadian Grand Prix at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal. It was his 4th consecutive victory in 2026, showcasing dominance at just 19 years of age. Mercedes teammate George Russell retired on Lap 30 due to a power unit failure, despite leading earlier.
- On May 24, 2026 (Sunday), Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes, Italy) won the Canadian Grand Prix at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal. It was his 4th consecutive victory in 2026, showcasing dominance at just 19 years of age. Mercedes teammate George Russell retired on Lap 30 due to a power unit failure, despite leading earlier.
- In May 2026, Swara Lakshmi Nair, a 19‑year‑old from Bengaluru (born 2006), earned the Women’s International Master (WIM) title. She achieved her final norm in mid‑May 2026, with the announcement made around May 23–24, 2026. Swara becomes Karnataka’s second WIM, following Isha Sharma, and notably Bengaluru’s first‑ever WIM.
- Vijay Shankar, the 35-year-old Indian all-rounder known for his seam bowling and middle-order batting, announced his retirement from all domestic cricket and the IPL on May 22, 2026. He represented India in 12 ODIs and 9 T20Is, including the 2019 World Cup squad, but injuries limited his international career.
- In June 2026, the Indian Army launched ‘Q‑FORCE’, an integrated digital application for logistics, inventory, supply chain, and sustainment management. It connects multiple platforms to enable faster workflows and improve operational support across terrains like mountains and deserts.
- On 23 May 2026, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the NIBE Defence Manufacturing Complex at Shirdi, Maharashtra, with CM Devendra Fadnavis and CDS Gen. Anil Chauhan present. Spread over ~200 acres, the facility involves an investment of ₹1,000–3,000 crore, making it one of India’s largest private defence hubs.
- The United Nations proclaimed May 24 as the International Day of the Markhor in 2024 to conserve this majestic wild goat species native to the mountains of Central and South Asia (including India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan).
- The United Nations observes International Day to End Obstetric Fistula annually on May 23 to highlight a devastating childbirth injury affecting millions of women in developing countries. The 2026 theme, “Her Health is a Right: Invest in Ending Fistula and Childbirth Injuries,” emphasizes prevention through quality maternal healthcare.
- World Turtle Day, founded in 2000 by American Tortoise Rescue, is celebrated every May 23 to protect turtles and tortoises, which have existed for over 220 million years. Many species face threats from habitat loss, poaching, plastic pollution, and climate change, with over 60% currently threatened.
- On May 24, 2026, World Schizophrenia Awareness Day was observed globally. Led by the Mental Illness Fellowship of Australia (MIFA) with support from international psychiatric bodies. The 2026 theme was “Beyond the Headlines”, targeting stigma, misinterpretations, and public biases.
- On May 25, 2026, the United Nations observed World Football Day for the first time. Unlike older observances, no single catchy theme was set; instead, the UN resolution anchors the focus. Core institutional theme → “Football as a Universal Language for Peace, Cooperation, and Sustainable Development.”
- On May 22, 2026, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) cleared the reappointment of Sandeep Bakhshi as MD & CEO of ICICI Bank. His new 2‑year term runs from Oct 4, 2026 to Oct 3, 2028. Bakhshi has led ICICI Bank since Oct 2018, driving digital growth and governance reforms.
- Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan released his book Apnapan on May 26, 2026, in New Delhi. The book offers deeply personal insights into Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, personality, and governance style, reflecting Chouhan’s 33–35 years of association with him.
Questions
Q1. India Post signed an agreement for last-mile parcel delivery services with:a) Amazon India
b) Reliance Retail
c) Meesho
d) Flipkart India
c) Meesho
d) Flipkart India
Answer: d) India Post will leverage its network of over 1.6 lakh post offices to deliver Flipkart shipments across urban and rural India.
Q2. Google launched the Google AI Educator Series (GES) at:
a) World Economic Forum
b) Education World Forum, London
c) UNESCO Summit, Paris
d) G20 Education Summit
Answer: b) GES is a free AI training programme for teachers and higher education faculty in India.
