In Current Affairs for 26 May 2026, we will see the latest national and international current affairs news. These important current affairs will be beneficial for your upcoming NDA, CDS, CDS OTA, AFCAT, TA, Agniveer Army, Agniveer Navy, Agniveer Air Force, Women Military Police, INET, MNS, ACC exams, SCO, PCSL, CAPF, and SSB interviews, and direct entries for Army, Navy, and Air Force like SSC Tech, TGC, JAG, NCC, TES, 10+2 Cadet. Download a PDF file about current events at the end of this article. Let us now see the Current Affairs.
Current Affairs 26 May 2026
Oil India Discovers New Gas-Bearing Zone in Rajasthan
India has achieved an important milestone in the energy sector with the discovery of a new natural gas-bearing zone in the Dandewala field of Rajasthan. The discovery was made by Oil India Limited, one of India’s leading upstream energy companies. This development is expected to strengthen domestic energy production and reduce the country’s dependence on imported fuel.
The Dandewala field lies in the hydrocarbon-rich Rajasthan sedimentary basin, which is among India’s major onshore oil and gas-producing regions. The newly identified gas reserves have expanded the hydrocarbon potential of the area and created fresh opportunities for future exploration and production.
India currently imports more than 85% of its crude oil requirements and nearly 50% of its natural gas needs. Because of this heavy dependence on foreign energy supplies, discoveries like this are strategically important for improving India’s energy security.
The discovery has come at a crucial time when global energy markets are facing instability due to geopolitical tensions in West Asia, disruptions in supply chains, fluctuating crude oil prices, and rising international demand for natural gas. Oil India Limited has been actively expanding its exploration activities across various sedimentary basins to increase domestic production capacity.
Government Launches PM-AJAY Portal and Mobile App
The Government of India has launched the PM-AJAY Portal and AJAY Mobile App to improve the implementation of welfare schemes under the Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojana (PM-AJAY). The initiative aims to increase transparency, accountability, and efficiency in programs designed for the socio-economic development of Scheduled Castes (SCs).
The PM-AJAY portal acts as a centralized digital platform that connects stakeholders involved in different welfare schemes. It helps in better coordination, fund management, beneficiary tracking, and progress monitoring.
The AJAY Mobile App has been developed mainly for field-level workers and administrators. It enables real-time reporting and monitoring, making the delivery of welfare services more effective and accessible.
The launch of these digital platforms reflects the government’s growing emphasis on technology-driven governance and inclusive development.
India Becomes Sri Lanka’s Second-Largest Export Destination
India has overtaken the United Kingdom to become the second-largest export destination for Sri Lanka during the January–April 2026 period. This achievement highlights the strengthening economic and trade relations between the two neighboring countries.
According to Sri Lanka’s Export Development Board, exports to India reached USD 364.15 million during the first four months of 2026, registering an increase of 8.9% compared to the same period last year. This growth enabled India to move ahead of the United Kingdom in Sri Lanka’s export rankings, while the United States remained the country’s largest export market.
Sri Lanka’s total exports, including merchandise and services, stood at USD 1.38 billion in April 2026, recording an annual growth of 6%. Merchandise exports reached USD 1.06 billion, while services exports were estimated at USD 317.16 million.
The improvement in trade relations demonstrates the increasing importance of regional economic cooperation in South Asia.
India Chairs First BRICS Tourism Working Group Meeting
India formally launched tourism cooperation under its BRICS 2026 Chairship by chairing the first BRICS Tourism Working Group (TWG) Meeting in virtual mode. The meeting aimed to strengthen tourism collaboration among BRICS nations by focusing on innovation, sustainability, resilience, and people-to-people connectivity.
The meeting was chaired by the Joint Secretary of Tourism under the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. It served as the first official platform for member nations to discuss tourism-related cooperation under India’s leadership.
India’s tourism agenda for BRICS is based on the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.” The initiative is expected to encourage knowledge sharing, sustainable tourism practices, and stronger cultural ties among BRICS countries.
India’s First Private Medical Museum Opens in Thiruvananthapuram
India’s first private medical museum, the Museum of Medical Archives, was inaugurated in Ulloor, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, on 25 May 2026. The museum is also Kerala’s first private medical museum and represents a significant contribution to medical education and heritage preservation.
The museum was founded by A. Sivaraman, a former artist-modeler at Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram. It preserves decades of medical teaching aids, anatomical models, charts, paintings, and archival materials created during his career.
The exhibits include handcrafted anatomical structures, embryological displays, microbiology archives, and educational illustrations related to fetal circulation, embryonic development, reproductive anatomy, heart development, and vascular systems.
Medical museums play an important role in preserving scientific knowledge and supporting education in anatomy, pathology, microbiology, and the history of medicine. Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala, is already known for its prominent medical institutions and educational centers.
India and Canada Aim for $50 Billion Bilateral Trade by 2030
India and Canada have set an ambitious target of increasing bilateral trade to 50 billion US dollars by 2030. Both countries are also working to accelerate negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which they aim to finalize by the end of 2026 or earlier.
Current trade figures between the two countries vary across reports, ranging from about 17 billion to 25 billion US dollars. Canadian pension funds have invested nearly 100 billion dollars in India, highlighting the growing economic partnership between the two nations.
CEPA is a broad trade agreement that generally covers trade in goods and services, investment cooperation, tariff reductions, and regulatory coordination. The proposed agreement is expected to improve market access and strengthen economic ties.
Critical minerals, uranium supplies, renewable energy cooperation, and infrastructure investment are emerging as key areas of collaboration between India and Canada.
Indian Scientist Discovers Loktak Protocluster
A major astronomical discovery has been made by Manipuri astrophysicist Ronaldo Laishram and his international research team. They discovered a galaxy protocluster dating back around 12.6 billion years, when the Universe was only about 1.2 billion years old.
The newly discovered structure has been named the Loktak Protocluster after Loktak Lake, the largest freshwater lake in northeastern India. The structure contains four connected concentrations of galaxies and resembles the floating phumdis found in the lake.
A protocluster is an early-stage grouping of galaxies that later evolves into a galaxy cluster. Galaxy clusters are among the largest gravitationally bound structures in the Universe.
The discovery was made using observations from the Subaru Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope. The finding is considered important for understanding the early formation and evolution of galaxies in the Universe.
Review Questions
1. Which company discovered a new gas-bearing zone in Rajasthan’s Dandewala field?
A) ONGC
B) GAIL
C) Oil India Limited
D) Reliance Industries
Answer: C) Oil India Limited
2. The Dandewala field is located in which Indian state?
A) Gujarat
B) Rajasthan
C) Maharashtra
D) Haryana
Answer: B) Rajasthan
3. PM-AJAY scheme is mainly aimed at the welfare of which group?
A) Women
B) Farmers
C) Scheduled Castes
D) Senior Citizens
Answer: C) Scheduled Castes
4. India became the second-largest export destination for which country in 2026?
A) Nepal
B) Bangladesh
C) Sri Lanka
D) Bhutan
Answer: C) Sri Lanka
5. Which country remained Sri Lanka’s largest export market during January–April 2026?
A) India
B) China
C) United Kingdom
D) United States
Answer: D) United States
6. India chaired the first BRICS Tourism Working Group Meeting under which mode?
A) Offline
B) Hybrid
C) Virtual
D) Conference Summit
Answer: C) Virtual
7. India’s first private medical museum was inaugurated in which city?
A) Kochi
B) Chennai
C) Bengaluru
D) Thiruvananthapuram
Answer: D) Thiruvananthapuram
8. India and Canada have targeted bilateral trade of how much by 2030?
A) $20 Billion
B) $35 Billion
C) $50 Billion
D) $75 Billion
Answer: C) $50 Billion
9. The Loktak Protocluster was discovered by which Indian astrophysicist?
A) Jayant Narlikar
B) Ronaldo Laishram
C) Meghnad Saha
D) Vikram Sarabhai
Answer: B) Ronaldo Laishram
10. The Loktak Protocluster was named after Loktak Lake located in which state?
A) Assam
B) Meghalaya
C) Manipur
D) Tripura
Answer: C) Manipur
