May 2026 Current Affairs for NDA

Key Context

• Vande Mataram was written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in 1875.
• It was first published in the novel Anandamath (1882).
• The song completed 150 years in 2026.
• The first two stanzas of Vande Mataram were adopted as the National Song of India on 24 January 1950.
• Jana Gana Mana is the National Anthem of India.

Key Context

• The nationwide trial was conducted by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
• The system is powered by the SACHET Integrated Alert System, developed by C-DOT.
• It can send emergency alerts in 19+ Indian languages, even during network congestion.

Key Context

• UPI was launched in 2016 by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
• It is the world's largest real-time payment system.
• UPI enables instant bank-to-bank digital payments and is widely used for P2P and P2M transactions.
• The system has expanded to several countries, strengthening India's Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI).

Key Context

• Introduced the AI-powered chatbot 'Su-Sahayak'.
• Aims to improve judicial data management and make court information more accessible.

Key Context

• The Supreme Court held that safe travel on highways is part of the Right to Life under Article 21.
• The Court directed the formation of District Highway Safety Task Forces.
• The judgment strengthens road safety and protection of citizens' rights.

Key Context

• The Supreme Court Collegium consists of the Chief Justice of India (CJI) and the four senior-most judges of Supreme Court.
• It recently recommended the appointment of five new judges to the Supreme Court.
• The sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court was increased from 34 to 38 judges.
• Senior Advocate V. Mohana is set to become only the second woman directly elevated from the Bar to the Supreme Court, after Justice Indu Malhotra.

Key Context

• Yoga Mahotsav 2026 was inaugurated at Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh.
• It marked the 25-day countdown to the 12th International Day of Yoga (21 June).
• The event was organized by the Ministry of Ayush.

Key Context

• Somnath Temple is located at Prabhas Patan, Gir Somnath district, Gujarat.
• It is revered as the first of the 12 Jyotirlingas dedicated to Lord Shiva.
• The temple marked 75 years of its reopening (1951–2026).
• The year 2026 also marked 1,000 years since the first recorded invasion of the temple (1026 CE) by Mahmud of Ghazni.
• The present temple was reconstructed in the Chalukya (Kailash Mahameru Prasad) style and inaugurated in 1951 by Dr. Rajendra Prasad, India's first President.

Key Context

• Located in Rajsamand district, Rajasthan.
• Famous for having the world's second-longest continuous wall (about 36 km) after the Great Wall of China.
• It is one of the Hill Forts of Rajasthan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Key Context

• India allowed 100% FDI under the automatic route in the insurance sector.
• The reform aims to attract global investment, technology, and expertise.
• The sector continues to be regulated by the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI).
• LIC continues to have a separate FDI limit of 20%.

Key Context

• Sikkim became India's first fully paperless judiciary.
• The announcement was made during the National Conclave on Technology and Judicial Education in Gangtok.
• The initiative promotes digital courts and paperless judicial administration.

Key Context

• WHO declared a PHEIC due to the Ebola outbreak.
• The outbreak affected the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda.
• PHEIC is the highest level of international public health alert under the International Health Regulations (IHR).

Key Context

• Hantavirus is primarily spread through contact with infected rodent urine, droppings, or saliva.
• Most hantaviruses do not spread easily from person to person.
• The Andes virus strain is a notable exception, with documented limited human-to-human transmission, including during the 2026 cruise ship outbreak.

Key Context

• The first IBCA Summit was held in New Delhi on 1–2 June 2026.
• The International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) is a global initiative launched by India for the conservation of seven big cats.
• The seven big cats are: Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Cheetah, Jaguar, and Puma.
• The headquarters of IBCA is located in India (New Delhi).

Key Context

• The UAE officially exited OPEC on 1 May 2026 after nearly 60 years of membership.
• The move allows the UAE greater flexibility to increase oil production outside OPEC production quotas.
• OPEC stands for the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and is headquartered in Vienna, Austria.

Key Context

• Saudi Arabia became the 26th member of the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA).
• IBCA is a global initiative launched by India for the conservation of seven big cat species.
• The alliance promotes research, habitat conservation, and international cooperation for big cat conservation.

Key Context

• Held in Oslo, Norway, on 19 May 2026.
• India and the five Nordic countries — Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden participated.
• Both sides agreed to establish a Green Technology and Innovation Strategic Partnership.
• The partnership focuses on green hydrogen, clean energy, AI, 6G technology, cybersecurity, climate action, Arctic research, and the blue economy.

Key Context

• Nordic countries:

Key Context

• India hosted the Kimberley Process Intersessional Meeting 2026 in Mumbai.
• The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) aims to prevent the trade of conflict (blood) diamonds.
• India is the world's largest diamond cutting and polishing hub.

Key Context

• Mythos is an AI model developed by Anthropic.
• It was in the news over concerns about its potential misuse in cybersecurity attacks on financial institutions.

Key Context

• 1. Gemini – Google 2. Mythos – Anthropic 3. Grok – OpenAI 4. Llama – Meta
• Which of the above pairs is/are NOT correctly matched?

Key Context

• General N. S. Raja Subramani assumed office as the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) on 30 May 2026.
• He succeeded General Anil Chauhan.
• Before becoming CDS, he served as the Vice Chief of Army Staff and Military Adviser at the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS).
• The CDS is responsible for promoting jointness and integration among the Army, Navy, and Air Force, and heads the Department of Military Affairs (DMA).

Key Context

• Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan assumed office as the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) on 31 May 2026.
• He succeeded Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi.
• Before his appointment, he served as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-in-C), Western Naval Command.
• He is a specialist in Communication and Electronic Warfare.
• He previously served as the Vice Chief of the Naval Staff.

Key Context

• Location: Near Nivati Rocks, Sindhudurg, Maharashtra.
• Built by submerging (scuttling) the decommissioned INS Guldar to create an underwater museum and artificial coral reef.

Key Context

• CINBAX-II 2026 was conducted in Kampong Speu Province, Cambodia, from 4–17 May 2026.
• It is a bilateral military exercise between the Indian Army and the Royal Cambodian Army.

Key Context

• Kaal Bhairava is an AI-powered MALE (Medium Altitude Long Endurance) combat UAV.
• It has been developed by Flying Wedge Defence & Aerospace.
• It is being manufactured in Portugal, marking India's first overseas defence production project.
• It is part of Operation 777, which aims to expand India's global defence manufacturing footprint.

Key Context

• The project was launched at Puttaparthi, Andhra Pradesh.
• AMCA aims to develop India's first indigenous fifth-generation stealth fighter aircraft.
• The programme is led by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) under DRDO.
• The project includes an Aircraft Integration and Advanced Flight Testing Centre.

Key Context

• The project supports Atmanirbhar Bharat, Make in India, and iDEX initiatives.
• It is designed to enhance long-range precision strike capability.

Key Context

• Squadron Leader Saanya became the first woman officer in the IAF to earn the Cat-A Qualified Flying Instructor (QFI) certification.
• Cat-A QFI is one of the highest instructional qualifications in military aviation.
• She was trained at the Air Force Academy, Dundigal, Hyderabad.

Key Context

• Vikram-1 is India's first privately built orbital rocket.
• It is designed to place payloads into Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
• It was transported to the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), Sriharikota for launch preparations.
• The mission marks a major milestone for India's private space sector.

Key Context

• Mission Drishti is India's largest privately developed Earth observation satellite.
• Developed by GalaxEye, a Bengaluru-based startup.
• Launched aboard SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg, California.
• Features OptoSAR technology, combining Electro-Optical (EO) and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imaging.

Key Context

• Gurindervir Singh clocked 10.09 seconds in the men's 100 m at the Federation Cup 2026.
• He became the fastest Indian sprinter ever.
• The event was held in Ranchi, Jharkhand.
• He broke the previous national record of 10.15 seconds set by Animesh Kujur.
• The Federation Cup is one of India's premier national athletics competitions.

Key Context

• They were honoured in the Illustrated Reporting and Commentary category.
• The award recognized their collaborative work published in Bloomberg.

Key Context

• Author: Yang Shuang-zi.
• Translator: Lin King.
• It became the first work translated from Mandarin Chinese to win the International Booker Prize.

Key Context

• Major Abhilasha Barak became India's third recipient of the UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award.
• She was honoured for her service with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
• She is a combat helicopter pilot in the Indian Army.

Key Context

• Awarded posthumously by the United Nations.
• Honoured for sacrifice during UN peacekeeping missions in DR Congo and South Sudan.
• The Dag Hammarskjöld Medal is the highest honour for UN peacekeepers who die in service.

Key Context

• Norway ranked 1st in the World Press Freedom Index 2026.
• India ranked 157th out of 180 countries.
• The index is published annually by Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
• Reporters Without Borders (RSF – Reporters Sans Frontières) is an international NGO headquartered in Paris, France.

Key Context

• India ranked 78th in the Henley Passport Index 2026.
• Indian passport holders have access to 56 destinations through visa-free, visa-on-arrival, or e-visa facilities.
• Singapore ranked 1st, with visa-free access to 192 destinations.
• The Henley Passport Index is based on data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and is published by Henley & Partners.
• Japan and France jointly ranked 2nd with access to 193 destinations.

Key Context

• Prasoon Joshi is a renowned lyricist, screenwriter, and advertising professional.
• He is also the Chairman of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).

Key Context

• Raghu Rai was one of India's most renowned photojournalists.
• He was a recipient of the Padma Shri.
• He gained international recognition after being mentored by Henri Cartier-Bresson and later joined Magnum Photos.
• His work extensively documented the 1971 India–Pakistan War, social movements, and Indian public life.

Key Context

• Bashir Badr was one of the most celebrated Urdu poets of his generation.