21st May 2026

1. BIS Notified E22-E30 Fuel Norms, Approved Up to 30% of Ethanol Blending
2. Bharat Forge to Establish India’s First Private-Sector Marine Gas Turbine Facility in AP
3. Overview of PM Narendra Modi’s Visit to Netherlands on May 16 -17, 2026
4. Mahindra and DBS Bank Sign Pact to Launch India’s First Green Dealer Financing Scheme
5. RBI Cancels Licence of Yashwant Co-operative Bank in Maharashtra
6. RBI cancels licence of Sarvodaya Co-op Bank
7. UNESCO-L’Oréal Recognises Five Women Scientists with 2026 International Awards for Women in Science
8. Bharat Singh Chauhan Re-Elected as Chairman of Commonwealth Chess Association
9. Medha Kulkarni Appointed as Chairperson of Parliamentary Panel on Science, Environment
10. USA’s Liberty Mutual Insurance Increases Stake in Indian Arm Liberty General Insurance to 74%
11. DRDO Successfully Completes Development Trials of ULPGM-V3 in Air-to-Ground & Air-to-Air Modes
12. ESA-CAS Joint Mission Launches SMILE Space Weather Satellite aboard Vega-C Rocket
13. Former Uttarakhand CM Major General Bhuvan Chandra Khanduri (Retd) passes away in Dehradun
14. Former Federal Bank CEO Shyam Srinivasan Launches Leadership Book “Better Never Stops“
15. International Tea Day 2026: Theme, Significance, History, and Why Tea Matters Globally
16. International Day for Women in Maritime 2026 – 18 May
17. India-Italy Special Strategic Partnership Explained: Key Outcomes from PM Modi’s Italy Visit
18. PM Modi Receives FAO Agricola Medal in Rome for Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development
19. Indian Railways ₹238 Crore Upgrade Plan for Jammu–Katra Rail Section Explained
20. India Becomes Bangladesh’s Second-Largest Trading Partner, Surpassing the US in Major Trade Shift
21. From Near Extinction to Revival: India’s Cheetah Mission Reaches a Big Turning Point
22. ICRA Cuts India’s FY27 GDP Growth Forecast to 6.2% Amid Rising Crude Oil Prices
23. Russian President to Attend BRICS Summit 2026 in New Delhi in September
24. West Bengal Approves 7th Pay Commission for State Employees and Pensioners
25. Delhi IGI Airport’s Rs 4,000 Crore Air Train Project to Transform Passenger Travel

National News

Government Notifies Fuel Standards for Higher Ethanol Blends

• What: The Union government notified new fuel standards for petrol blended with up to 30% ethanol to cut crude oil imports and expand the domestic biofuels ecosystem in the transport sector.
• Tell me more:
  • The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) notified specific technical requirements for E22, E25, E27, and E30 fuel blends.
  • The government advanced the deadline for 20% ethanol blending in petrol from 2030 to 2025-26.
  • The Centre currently evaluates the feasibility of higher options like E85 to assess the readiness of the automobile ecosystem.

India and Netherlands Elevate Relationship to Strategic Partnership

• What: Prime Minister Narendra Modi held official talks with the Prime Minister of the Netherlands Rob Jetten in The Hague to elevate their bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership.
• Tell me more:
  • The politicians called for the early signing and implementation of the transformative India-European Union Free Trade Agreement (India-EU FTA).
  • Nalanda University and Groningen University concluded a special agreement to boost educational ties, while Leiden University Library and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) will collaborate to study historic artefacts.
  • The two sides concluded 14 agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) during the visit.

Parliament Appoints Chairpersons for Key Standing Committees

• What: Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla appointed new chairpersons and members to key parliamentary committees to review crucial policies and legislative bills.
• Tell me more:
  • Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan nominated Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member Medha Vishram Kulkarni as chairperson of the department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment, Forests and Climate Change.
    • The specialized committee scrutinises government policies, reviews budgetary allocations, and evaluates legislation for key scientific and environmental departments.
  • Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla appointed BJP member Sudheer Gupta as Chairperson of the Joint Committee on Corporate Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026.

India and Italy Upgrade to Special Strategic Partnership

• What: India and Italy officially elevated their bilateral relationship to a Special Strategic Partnership during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official visit to Italy, unveiling multiple wide-ranging agreements across various strategic sectors.
• Tell me more:

India Expands National Cheetah Conservation Project

• What: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav released two female cheetahs into the wild at Kuno National Park, while Karnataka concurrently received four cheetahs from South Africa for a separate conservation programme.
• Tell me more:
  • The two female cheetahs arrived from Botswana under the national initiative named Project Cheetah.
  • India launched this specific initiative to test whether the animals can successfully survive and grow after disappearing from the country more than 70 years ago, following their extinction in 1952.
  • The new arrivals from South Africa include two males and two females. The animals at Kuno National Park represent in-situ conservation in the wild.
  • The country managed the imports under regulatory clearances of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, for the ex-situ conservation programme within the zoological setting of Bannerghatta Biological Park (BBP).

State News

Indian Railways Sanctions Vital Safety Works in Jammu

• Indian Railways approved critical slope stabilisation, tunnel rehabilitation, and bridge protection works on the Jammu-Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra section of Northern Railway at a cost of ₹238 crore to enhance passenger safety.

West Bengal Approves Seventh Pay Commission Implementation

• What: The newly elected Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in West Bengal officially approved the formation and implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission for state employees and pensioners to restructure the current pay matrix.
• Tell me more:
  • The cabinet separately announced a new financial support scheme for women named Annapurna Bhandar, under which eligible beneficiaries will receive Rs 3,000 every month directly from the state government, replacing the Lakshmi Bhandar programme introduced by former CM Mamata Banerjee of the Trinamool Congress (TMC).
  • The cabinet approved free travel for women in government buses with implementation starting from June 1.

Delhi Airport Operator to Build Long-Awaited Air Train

• What: Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) decided to directly fund and build an automated people mover (APM) system to connect different terminals and airport-linked zones at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA).
• Tell me more:
  • The massive transit project is expected to cost between Rs 3,000 crore and Rs 4,000 crore.

International News

China and Europe Launch Joint Space Mission Named ‘SMILE’

• What: The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and the European Space Agency (ESA) jointly launched the Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (SMILE) satellite aboard a Vega-C rocket to study solar wind interactions with Earth’s magnetic field.
• Tell me more:
  • The rocket launched successfully from Europe’s Spaceport located in French Guiana.

Russian President Vladimir Putin to Attend BRICS Summit

• What: The Kremlin confirmed that Russian President Vladimir Putin will travel to New Delhi to attend the upcoming BRICS summit scheduled from September 12 to 13 under the chairmanship of India for the year 2026.
• Tell me more:
  • The foreign head of state previously visited New Delhi for the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit in December 2025.
  • The organization brings together eleven major markets and developing countries including Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
  • The official website highlighted that the current chairship is guided by the theme Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.
  • The chosen theme reflects a people-centric and humanity-first approach articulated by the Indian leader at the 2025 Rio Summit in Brazil.

Banking and Economy

Mahindra and DBS Bank Launch Green Financing Model

• What: Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) and DBS Bank India rolled out an innovative Green Financing Model that ties automotive dealership inventory loans directly to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance metrics.
• Tell me more:
  • This financing model links dealership inventory loan pricing directly to their sustainability performance, rewarding automotive dealers who lower emissions and adopt green practices with lower interest borrowing rates.
  • CEO of Mahindra’s Automotive Division – Nalinikanth Gollagunta
  • Managing Director and Country Head of DBS Bank India – Divyesh Dalal

Reserve Bank of India Cancels Cooperative Bank Licence

• What: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) cancelled the licence of The Yashwant Co-operative Bank Ltd., Phaltan, due to inadequate capital, weak earning prospects, and non-compliance with regulatory requirements.
• Tell me more:
  • RBI also cancelled the official operating licence of Sarvodaya Co-operative Bank due to inadequate capital, poor earnings prospects, and continuous structural non-compliance.
  • The Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC) protects customer funds through standard insurance cover, ensuring every individual depositor will get back up to ₹5 lakh of their money.
  • The Maharashtra Commissioner for Cooperation and Registrar of Cooperative Societies will wind up both bank, and the appointed liquidator will take over assets to pay depositors and other claimants.

Liberty Mutual Increases Stake in Indian Insurance Arm

• What: United States-based Liberty Mutual Insurance announced an increase in its shareholding stake to 74% in Liberty General Insurance Limited (LGI) to expand its business footprint across India.
• Tell me more:
  • This development follows an earlier increase in the stake of the global company from 49% to 55.40% in September 2025.
  • The Indian government allowed up to 100% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the insurance sector in December last year.
  • Liberty Mutual Insurance Group is ranked 91st among Fortune 500 companies and is the 9th-largest property and casualty insurer globally.

India Becomes Bangladesh Second Largest Trading Partner

• What: India overtook the United States to become the second-largest trading partner of Bangladesh, signaling a shift in regional trade dynamics and an increasing dependency of Dhaka on imports from neighboring countries.
• Tell me more:
  • The Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) released the latest official data regarding regional trade. India accounted for 8.47% of the total trade of Bangladesh in February.
  • The United States closely followed with an 8.46% trade share worth Tk 123.17 billion.

GDP Forecasts

Rating Agency ICRA Lowers India Economic Growth Forecast

• What: Rating agency Investment Information and Credit Rating Agency (ICRA) lowered the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth baseline forecast for India to 6.2% for Financial Year 2027 (FY27) due to rising crude oil prices.
• Tell me more:
  • The organization expects the national GDP growth to reach 7.5% for Financial Year 2026 (FY26).
  • The National Statistical Office (NSO) reported a Second Advance Estimate (SAE) of 7.6% for FY 2025-26, while fourth quarter economic growth likely eased to a three-quarter low of 7% from 7.8% in Q3, remaining below the NSO’s implicit estimate of 7.3% for the quarter.

Defence News

Bharat Forge to Setup India’s First Marine Turbine Facility

• What: Bharat Forge Limited signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Andhra Pradesh to establish the first private-sector marine gas turbine facility of the nation in Visakhapatnam.
• Tell me more:
  • Guru Biswal, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – Aerospace of Bharat Forge Limited

DRDO Successfully Completes Precision Guided Missile Trials

• What: The Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully completed the final deliverable configuration development trials of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Launched Precision Guided Missile (ULPGM)-V3 in Air-to-Ground and Air-to-Air modes near Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh.
• Tell me more:
  • The nodal organization partnered with Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) and Adani Defence Systems & Technologies Limited for development and production.
  • The technical team integrated the weapon system on unmanned vehicles developed by Newspace Research and Technologies for the current tests.
  • Research Centre Imarat (RCI) developed the missile as the lead facility along with other laboratories.
  • The contributing entities include Defence Research & Development Laboratory (DRDL), Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory (TBRL), and High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL).

Awards

2026 L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science International Awards

• What: The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and Fondation L’Oréal announced five exceptional female researchers as the Laureates of the 2026 L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science International Awards for pioneering scientific contributions.
• Tell me more:
  • The organizers will officially recognize these selected researchers at the UNESCO Headquarters located in Paris.
  • This 28th edition of the global awards programme reached an unprecedented scale to highlight the growing excellence of women in science.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Receives Agricola Medal

• What: The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations conferred the prestigious Agricola Medal for 2026 upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the FAO Headquarters in Rome for his exceptional agricultural leadership.
• Tell me more:
  • The global leader received the prominent award directly from Dr. Qu Dongyu, Director General of FAO.
  • The representative thanked FAO for collaborating to promote healthy food choices through the International Year of Millets (2023).
  • The official visit was the first by an Indian Head of Government to the facility in the last 30 years.

Important Days

International Tea Day 2026 – May 21

• UN Focus: Sustaining Tea, Supporting Communities

International Day for Women in Maritime 2026 – May 18

• 2026 Theme: “From Policy to Practice: advancing gender equality for maritime excellence”
• The global celebration took place on 18 May 2026 at International Maritime Organization’s Headquarters, London.

Appointments

Bharat Singh Chauhan Re-Elected Commonwealth Chess Chairman

• Veteran Indian sports administrator Bharat Singh Chauhan won unanimous re-election as the chairman of the Commonwealth Chess Association (CCA) for a four-year term during the official elections held in Wasakaduwa, Sri Lanka.

Miscellaneous

Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Bhuvan Chandra Khanduri Passes Away

• What: Retired Major General and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Bhuvan Chandra Khanduri passed away in Dehradun.
• Tell me more:
  • The deceased leader served as the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand from 2007 to 2009 and again from 2011 to 2012.

Former Banker Shyam Srinivasan Releases Debut Book

• Former banker and author Shyam Srinivasan announced the official release of his debut book titled “Better Never Stops”.

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