15th May 2026

1. MoPSW Signed Tripartite MoU for First Mega Greenfield Shipyard at Thoothukudi, TN
2. MHI Unveils Unified Bharat e-Charge platform
3. MHI Approves 1,243 EV Chargers for Karnataka during National Conference on Enabling Nationwide EV Charging Infrastructure under PM E-DRIVE Scheme
4. Union Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia Launches Rs.189.79 Crore Mizoram Ginger Mission
5. DBN, AP sign pact for BharatNet expansion with Rs.2,432 cr financial aid
6. CTBC Bank Becomes 1st Taiwanese Bank to Open Branch at GIFT City, Gujarat
7. Jio Platforms Appoints Akash Ambani as MD for Five-Year Term
8. ZSI Discovers Two New Spider Species in Nagaland; Revises Indian Whip Scorpions After a Century
9. India’s Clean Energy Push Gets a Boost as Maize Leads Ethanol Production
10. Uber Partners with Adani Group for First Data Centre in India
11. BRICS Foreign Ministers Meeting to begin today in New Delhi
12. FinBox Unveils AI-Native Loan Infrastructure Platform
13. European Union Clears India for Continued Marine Product Exports
14. India Assumes Chair of Common Criteria Development Board for 2026–2028
15. ECI Begins Phase III of Special Intensive Revision Covering 36.73 Crore Voters
16. India’s Passport Ranked 78th in Henley Passport Index 2026
17. Bhupender Yadav Launches ‘Lion’ Species Spotlight Programme at Sasan Gir
18. Shivraj Singh Chouhan to Launch ‘Apnapan’ with Personal Insights on PM Modi
19. India’s First Privately Manufactured Military Aircraft Nears Final Rollout in Gujarat
20. India’s Wholesale Inflation Jumps to 8.3%, Highest in Nearly 3.5 Years
21. India Plans ₹40,000 Crore Subsea Gas Pipeline from Oman to Gujarat

National News

India and South Korea to Build India’s 1st Mega Greenfield Shipyard at Thoothukudi

• What: A tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed to develop the first mega greenfield shipyard of India at Thoothukudi, featuring a 2.5 million Gross Tonnage (GT) capacity and creating 15,000 direct jobs.
• Tell me more:
  • HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE) signed the agreement with National Shipbuilding & Heavy Industries Park, Tamil Nadu (NSHIP-TN) and Sagarmala Finance Corporation Limited.
  • The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) oversees the Sagarmala Finance Corporation Limited.
  • NSHIP-TN is a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) promoted by V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority (VoCPA) and the State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu (SIPCOT).
  • The project implements the India-Republic of Korea (ROK) maritime cooperation framework known as ‘VOYAGES’ (Shared Vision for Operation of Yard Assisted Growth with Efficiency and Scale).
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Lee Jae Myung launched the VOYAGES framework during the State Visit of the President to India.
  • The facility aims to develop a maritime industrial ecosystem at Thoothukudi through digital and green shipbuilding, localisation of marine supply chains, skill training in South Korea, and development of advanced shipbuilding infrastructure.

Ministry of Heavy Industries Organizes National Conference on Enabling Nationwide EV Charging Infrastructure under PM E-DRIVE Scheme

• What: The Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) organized a National Conference in Bengaluru to accelerate the nationwide deployment of electric vehicle charging infrastructure under the PM Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (PM E-DRIVE) Scheme.
• Tell me more:
  • Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy announced the approval of 1,243 electric vehicle chargers for Karnataka with an outlay of ₹123.26 crore.
  • The government has approved a total financial outlay of ₹503.86 crore to install 4,874 chargers across various States and Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs).
  • The PM E-DRIVE Scheme has a total outlay of ₹10,900 crore to support electric mobility and ecosystem development across India.
  • The government earmarked ₹2,000 crore specifically for the development of Electric Vehicle Public Charging Infrastructure (EV PCS) nationwide.
  • MHI allocated ₹4,391 crore for the deployment of over 14,028 electric buses and included dedicated support for e-ambulances and e-trucks.
  • The Ministry also runs the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Automobile scheme with ₹25,938 crores and PLI Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) with ₹18,100 crores.
  • Additional funding includes ₹3,435 crores for the Payment Security Mechanism and ₹7,280 crores for the Scheme for Rare Earth Magnets.
  • The Ministry’s is working on the National Unified EV Charging App – Unified Bharat e-Charge (UBC), which will allow EV users to locate, access, and pay across multiple charging networks through a single app.

India Hosts BRICS Foreign Ministers Meeting 2026 in New Delhi

• What: India hosted the Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa (BRICS) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on 14–15 May 2026 in New Delhi, under the chairmanship of External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar.
• Tell me more:
  • India officially assumed the BRICS chairmanship on 1 January this year, marking the fourth chairmanship of the country after hosting summits in 2012, 2016, and 2021.
  • Prime Minister Modi held individual meetings with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, South African Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola, and Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira.
  • The previous ministerial meeting occurred on the margins of the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 80) on 26 September 2025.
  • The second day featured a session themed “BRICS@20: Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”.

India Nominated Chair of Common Criteria Development Board

• What: India has been nominated as the Chair of the Common Criteria Development Board (CCDB) from April 2026 to April 2028, reflecting the nation’s growing role in international information technology (IT) security standards development.
• Tell me more:
  • The Common Criteria Recognition Arrangement (CCRA) confirmed this leadership position during its first quarter meeting held from 14 to 16 April 2026 in Tokyo, Japan.
  • The CCRA is the foundational international treaty that enables the mutual recognition of IT security certificates across borders.
  • The CCRA operates through specific working groups and administrative protocols designed to maintain the integrity of the Common Criteria Portal.
  • The CCDB serves as the technical core of the treaty by managing the international work programme for the Common Criteria (CC) and Common Methodology for Information Technology Security Evaluation (CEM).
  • India has been an active member of the international treaty since September 16, 2013, as a Certificate Authorizing Nation through the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the Standardization Testing and Quality Certification Directorate.
    • The directorate is the government-authorised agency responsible for checking, evaluating, and certifying whether IT products and systems in India meet required cybersecurity and security standards.
  • The treaty organization comprises 20 certificate-authorizing nations that can evaluate and issue IT security certificates, and 18 certificate-consuming nations that accept and use these certificates without issuing them independently.

Election Commission Announces Special Intensive Revision Phase III

• What: The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) Phase-III across sixteen states and three Union Territories (UTs) to ensure updated, accurate, and transparent electoral rolls.
• Tell me more:
  • Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is a participative voter list updation process. Its function is to ensure accurate electoral rolls through house-to-house verification by officials and political party agents.
  • Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) – Gyanesh Kumar

Minister Inaugurates ‘Lion’ Species Spotlight Event in Gujarat

• What: Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Shri Bhupender Yadav inaugurated the ‘Lion’ Species Spotlight Event at Sasan Gir, Gujarat, to highlight the successful Indian conservation model.
• Tell me more:
  • The programme was organised as part of the series of Pre-Summit Species Events under the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) Summit 2026.
  • The vision of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ led to the establishment of the IBCA as an iconic initiative for Big Cat conservation.
  • The Union and State Governments are developing Barda Wildlife Sanctuary as a new site for the natural dispersal of Asiatic lions.
  • India will host the first-ever IBCA Summit 2026 in New Delhi on June 1–2, 2026, under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
  • The tagline of the upcoming summit is “Save Big Cats, Save Humanity, Save Ecosystem”.
  • The IBCA serves as a global coalition dedicated to conserving seven species: Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Cheetah, Jaguar, and Puma.
  • The government is implementing the Asiatic Lion Population Estimation initiative and establishing a National Wildlife Referral Centre in Junagadh.
    • India is the only remaining natural home for the Asiatic lion. The species also receives legal protection under Schedule-I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
  • Global lion populations have declined by more than 30% due to habitat loss and degradation.
  • The Government of India launched ‘Project Lion’ in 2020 to adopt a comprehensive landscape-based approach for long-term conservation.
  • The attending dignitaries officially launched a ‘Lion Conservation Brochure’ during the event.

India Plans Direct Undersea Gas Pipeline From Oman

• What: India is accelerating plans to secure uninterrupted gas supplies from the Gulf through a direct deep-sea pipeline, prioritizing national energy security amid the ongoing Strait of Hormuz crisis.
• Tell me more:
  • The estimated ₹40,000 crore ($4.7-4.8 billion) pipeline project from Oman is expected to take five to seven years to build.
  • The Petroleum Ministry will direct Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL), Engineers India, and Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) to prepare a detailed feasibility report.
  • The government is working off a pre-feasibility study submitted by The South Asia Gas Enterprise (SAGE), a private sector consortium.
  • The proposed Middle East-India Deep-water Pipeline (MEIDP) will stretch 2,000 kilometers under the Arabian Sea, connecting Oman directly to the Gujarat coast.

State News

Digital Bharat Nidhi Signs Andhra Pradesh Pact

• What: Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN) signed a pact with the Andhra Pradesh government to roll out the amended BharatNet programme in the state with financial support of Rs 2,432 crore from the Central government.
• Tell me more:
  • The agreement involves DBN, the state government, Andhra Pradesh BharatNet Infrastructure Limited (APBIL), Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), and Andhra Pradesh State FiberNet Limited (APSFL).
  • This partnership implements the Amended BharatNet Programme to accelerate broadband connectivity across the rural part of the state.
    • The Union Cabinet originally approved the modified programme in 2023.
  • The Government of India approved the financial support of Rs 2,432 crore specifically for implementation in Andhra Pradesh.

Banking and Economy

CTBC Bank Opens Branch at GIFT City

• What: CTBC Bank announced the opening of its new branch at Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City), becoming the first Taiwanese bank to establish a presence in this premier international financial services hub.
• Tell me more:
  • CTBC Bank is the only bank from the entire country of Taiwan that has setup branches in India. The bank has operated for 30 years in India through existing branches in New Delhi and Kattupakkam, Chennai.
  • MD and Group CEO of GIFT City – Sanjay Kaul
  • CEO India of CTBC Bank – Tanmoy Adhikari

Uber Partners with Adani for Data Centre

• What: Uber Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dara Khosrowshahi announced that the company will partner with Adani Group to set up its first data centre in India to test and deploy global technology.
• Tell me more:
  • The centre will collect and process India’s data to implement advanced mobility technologies, while helping Uber use India as a major hub for developing, testing, and improving AI-based transport, mapping, traffic prediction, and logistics solutions for global use.
  • AdaniConneX partnered with Google in 2025 on a planned AI data centre campus in Visakhapatnam involving a $15 billion investment over five years.
  • The companies previously collaborated in 2024 to integrate electric vehicle services into the Adani One platform and expand mobility at Adani-operated airports.
  • India has emerged as the third-largest market globally for Uber by trip volume, behind only the United States and Brazil.
  • Uber is targeting the corporate transportation market, which the company estimates could reach $13 billion by 2030.

FinBox Launches AI Native Lending Infrastructure Suite

• What: Credit infrastructure Financial Technology (FinTech) company FinBox announced the launch of Atlas, an AI-based lending platform, to help banks and lenders reduce the large number of people who abandon or fail to complete loan applications in India.
• Tell me more:
  • Founders of FinBox – Srijan Nagar and Rajat Deshpande (CEO)
  • Five financial institutions are currently implementing Atlas, with ten additional lenders participating in early proof-of-concept and co-build programs.

India Wholesale Inflation Surges to 42-Month High

• Official data showed that India’s Wholesale Price Index (WPI)-based inflation surged to a 42-month high of 8.3% year-on-year in April from 3.9% in March, largely driven by rising prices of fuel, power, and crude petroleum.
• This Wholesale Price Index (WPI) inflation data was released by the Office of the Economic Adviser, which functions under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

Reports and Indices

The Henley Passport Index 2026

• The Henley Passport Index ranks passports based on the number of destinations, holders can visit without a prior visa, covering 199 passports and 227 travel destinations worldwide.
• Rankings

Defence News

First Domestically Assembled Airbus Military Aircraft Nears Rollout

• What: India’s first domestically assembled Airbus C-295 military transport aircraft is reportedly nearing rollout from the Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) facility in Vadodara, Gujarat, marking a major milestone for private-sector defense manufacturing.
• Tell me more:
  • The project represents the first time a private-sector company has manufactured a military aircraft in India.
  • PM Narendra Modi and Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez jointly inaugurated the Vadodara facility in 2024.
  • The Airbus C-295 is a medium tactical military transport aircraft designed for troop movement, cargo transport, medical evacuation, and special operations.

Science and Technology

Zoological Survey of India Discovers New Species

• What: The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) discovered two new spider species and carried out the first comprehensive taxonomic revision of Indian whip scorpions in over a century, highlighting northeast India as a rare species hotspot.
• Tell me more:
  • The international journal Zootaxa published these scientific findings.
  • The research team identified two previously unknown spiders from the genus Psechrus.
    • Scientists named the spiders Psechrus ntu and Psechrus phenshunyu after the specific villages in Nagaland where they were discovered.
  • Researchers also recorded the spider species Psechrus himalayanus in northeast India for the first time.
  • The study marks the first major revision of Indian thelyphonids since the early 20th century. People commonly know thelyphonids as whip scorpions or vinegaroons.
  • Unlike true scorpions, whip scorpions are completely non-venomous. Whip scorpions defend themselves by spraying a vinegar-like acid from a whip-shaped tail.
  • ZSI director – Dhriti Banerjee

Agriculture and Rural Development

Union Minister Launches the Mizoram Ginger Mission

• What: Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) Jyotiraditya M. Scindia and Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma launched the ₹189.79 crore Mizoram Ginger Mission to develop ginger cultivation and value chains.
• Tell me more:
  • The mission integrates schemes of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and the Ministry of Rural Development.
  • Supporting partners include NABARD, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority, and private investors for ginger processing initiatives.
  • The implementation framework focuses on bridging price gaps and ensuring optimal use of Geographical Indication (GI) certified varieties.
  • Mizo ginger contains 6–8% oleoresin compared to the global average of around 3%, yet farmers currently receive only ₹8–15 per kilogram despite international market prices exceeding ₹500 per kilogram.
  • The mission aims to disintermediate intermediaries and strengthen Farmer Producer Organisation (FPO) structures.
  • The project will establish one integrated processing hub and three spoke centres across the state under a strategy focused on convergence, value addition, branding, and global market integration.
  • This mission situates within the larger “Brand North East” vision to promote unique state-specific agricultural products.

Maize Becomes India’s Top Biofuel Feedstock Source

• What: The All India Distillers’ Association (AIDA) compiled data showing India’s cumulative ethanol supplies touched approximately 515 crore litres during the first six months of Ethanol Supply Year (ESY) 2025-26, with maize emerging as the single-largest feedstock.
• Tell me more:
  • The industry supplied nearly 49% of the total contracted volume of 1,059 crore litres within the first half of ESY 2025-26.

• President of AIDA – Vijendra Singh

European Union Includes India in Aquaculture Draft

• What: The European Union (EU) included India in its revised draft list of nations permitted to continue exporting aquaculture products to the bloc beyond September 2026, removing a significant hurdle for Indian exporters.
• Tell me more:
  • The bloc emerged as the third-largest seafood export market for India during 2025-26, accounting for nearly 19% of the total export value at $1.59 billion.
  • Shipment value rose 41.45% and volumes increased 38.29% during the last fiscal year, led primarily by strong demand for farmed shrimp.
  • The development acknowledges sustained efforts by the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) and the Export Inspection Council (EIC).

Appointments

Akash Ambani Appointed Managing Director of Jio Platforms

• Digital services company Jio Platforms appointed Akash Ambani as its managing director for five years ahead of the company’s upcoming Initial Public Offering (IPO).

Miscellaneous

Shivraj Singh Chouhan Announces New Book ‘Apnapan’

• Union Agriculture Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced his new book titled ‘Apnapan’, which chronicles his 35-year-long association and personal experiences with Prime Minister (PM) Shri Narendra Modi.

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