VD Satheesan was sworn in as the new chief minister of Kerala on 18 May 2026. The swearing-in ceremony took place at Central Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram, where Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar administered the oath of office to Satheesan.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held delegation-level talks with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre in Oslo on 18 May 2026, with the two countries agreeing to elevate bilateral ties to a Green Strategic Partnership aimed at expanding cooperation in clean energy, blue economy and sustainable development.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred with Norways highest honour under the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit the Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit by King Harald V in a special ceremony in Oslo on 18 May 2026, marking the 32nd international honour received by the Indian PM during his tenure.
The International Day of Families is observed every year on May 15 to recognise familys pivotal role as the cornerstone of society. The day also seeks to raise global awareness about the challenges families face and promote initiatives that support their well-being and development.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held high-level talks with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi on 15 May 2026, marking the first stop of his six-day tour covering the UAE and Europe. India and the United Arab Emirates signed a series of agreements across energy, defence, maritime infrastructure and emerging technologies.
Saudi Arabia is set to join the India-led International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA), becoming its 26th member country, according to Indias Environment Ministry. The communication has been received from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia expressing its intention to formally join the alliance.
The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Reserve Bank Innovation Hub (RBIH) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration in combating cyber-enabled financial frauds and curbing mule accounts across Indias banking and digital payments ecosystem.
N. Rangasamy was sworn in as Puducherry Chief Minister for a record fifth term on 13 May 2026. The swearing-in ceremony was held at the Lok Bhavan in Puducherry, where Lieutenant Governor K. Kailasanathan administered the oath of office and secrecy to Rangasamy and the newly inducted ministers.
India and Japan held the second round of the India-Japan Economic Security Dialogue in New Delhi on 11 May 2026, with discussions focusing on strengthening cooperation in strategic sectors such as critical minerals, semiconductors, clean energy, pharmaceuticals and emerging technologies.
India and Trinidad and Tobago have signed eight agreements in sectors including tourism, healthcare, infrastructure and Ayurveda on 10 May 2026. This was hapend during External Affairs Minister S Jaishankars two-day visit to the Caribbean nation.
Andhra Pradesh has secured five National Panchayat Awards-2025 announced by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, emerging as one of the top-performing states in the country. Along with Odisha, the state stood second after Karnataka in the total number of awards won this year (2026).
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully carried out the maiden flight-trial of the Tactical Advanced Range Augmentation (TARA) weapon system off the coast of Odisha, marking a significant milestone in Indias indigenous defence capabilities.
India and the European Union (EU) have jointly launched a €15.2 million (approximately Rs.169 crore) initiative to strengthen electric vehicle (EV) battery recycling and promote a circular economy, marking a significant step in their growing partnership on clean and green technologies.
The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) and the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) have joined hands to establish a structured, five-year collaboration in the domains of digital forensics, cybersecurity, and advanced technology research.
Two Indian journalists have won the prestigious Pulitzer Prize for an art reporting project exposing cybercrime in India. Anand RK and Suparna Sharma, along with Natalie Obiko Pearson, were announced as the winners in the Illustrated Reporting and Commentary category for the report they produced for Bloomberg.
Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) received the prestigious Subhas Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar 2025 on 2 May 2026, for its outstanding contributions to disaster management and ocean hazard early warning services.
Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on 1 May 2026 launched Indias first Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) barrier-less tolling system at the Chorayasi Toll Plaza on the Surat Bharuch stretch of National Highway-48 in Gujarat, ushering in a new phase of seamless highway travel.
