Current affairs relevant to GS2.
At the India–Sweden Summit in Gothenburg on 17 May 2026, the two Prime Ministers elevated bilateral relations to a Strategic Partnership. It rests on four pillars: strategic dialogue; next-generation economic partnership; emerging technologies and trusted connectivity; and people, planet and resilience. They endorsed a Joint Action Plan 2026–2030 and aim to double bilateral economic exchange within five years.
17 May 2026
On 16 May 2026 in The Hague, the Indian and Dutch Prime Ministers witnessed an agreement between Tata Electronics and ASML to support India's first front-end semiconductor fab in Dholera, Gujarat. The same day they elevated ties via the Roadmap of India–Netherlands Strategic Partnership for 2026–2030, covering dialogue, trade, water, semiconductors, energy, defence and mobility.
16 May 2026
On the PM's 15 May 2026 UAE visit, ISPRL and ADNOC signed an MoU for potential ADNOC crude storage of up to 30 million barrels in India's Strategic Petroleum Reserves, including Vizag and Chandikol, plus possible Fujairah storage for India's SPR. LNG/LPG storage options in India and an IOCL–ADNOC LPG collaboration were also listed.
15 May 2026
India hosted the BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting in New Delhi on 14 May 2026 as BRICS chair. EAM said the world faces unprecedented uncertainty that hurts developing countries through energy, food and fertiliser pressures. India set out four priorities under BRICS@20: Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability, and pressed for reform of the UN Security Council.
14 May 2026
An Indian-flagged ship was attacked off the coast of Oman on 13 May 2026. MEA called the attack unacceptable and deplored the continued targeting of commercial shipping and civilian mariners. All Indian crew were safe, and India thanked Omani authorities for rescuing them. India said freedom of navigation and commerce must not be impeded.
14 May 2026
The Department of Justice released ₹401.50 crore on 13 May 2026, the first instalment of the mother sanction for 2026-27 under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme for district and subordinate court infrastructure. Since inception, ₹12,844.72 crore has been released, building 6,345 court halls and 4,023 residential units by 31 March 2026. A five-year extension to 2030-31 is under process.
13 May 2026
India, chair of the Kimberley Process for 2026, hosted the KP Intersessional Meeting in Mumbai from 11 to 14 May 2026. Working groups discussed KPCS implementation, monitoring and compliance, artisanal and alluvial diamonds, and statistics. India's theme is the 3Cs: credibility, compliance and consumer confidence. The KP has 60 Participants representing 86 countries.
12 May 2026
The Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025 comes into force across rural India on 1 July 2026, the day MGNREGA stands repealed. It guarantees 125 days of unskilled wage work a year to each rural household, up from 100. Work must be given within 15 days of asking, or an unemployment allowance is due.
11 May 2026
ICMR and ICAR jointly launched SEHAT, Science Excellence for Health through Agricultural Transformation, on 11 May 2026. It is a national mission-mode programme to turn farm research into health gains. Its five priorities are biofortified crops, integrated farming systems, occupational health of farm workers, diet-based NCD prevention, and One Health preparedness.
11 May 2026
The three Jan Suraksha schemes, launched on 9 May 2015, completed 11 years in 2026. PMJJBY has over 27.43 crore enrolments and paid ₹21,512.50 crore on 10,75,625 claims. PMSBY has over 58.09 crore enrolments and paid ₹3,667.52 crore on 1,84,662 claims. Atal Pension Yojana has over 9.04 crore subscribers.
9 May 2026