Current Affairs for Competitive Exams: 15 May 2026, Daily Roundup
Current Affairs – 15 May 2026
On 15 May 2026, key developments included electoral reforms, clean energy expansion, strategic diplomacy amid the Strait of Hormuz crisis, defence modernisation, and major sports achievements.
National Affairs
Political & Governance
- Senior Congress leader V.D. Satheesan was announced as the Chief Minister-designate of Kerala following the UDF’s victory, ending a decade of LDF rule.
- The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced Phase-III of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls across 16 States and 3 UTs, beginning 30 May, covering around 36.73 crore voters.
- The Assam Cabinet approved the draft Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill, covering marriage, divorce, succession, and live-in relationships; it will be tabled on 26 May.
Infrastructure & Economy
- The Centre approved ₹503.86 crore for the installation of 4,874 EV charging stations across multiple states through oil PSUs, including HPCL, IOCL, and BPCL.
- Union Minister Piyush Goyal released the LEADS 2025 Report (Logistics Ease Across Different States) to benchmark the logistics performance of states and UTs.
- FACT (Fertilisers and Chemicals Travancore Ltd.) resumed DAP fertiliser production at Kochi’s Udyogamandal plant under the Nutrient-Based Subsidy Scheme.
Environment & Conservation
- India released its first satellite-tagged Ganges Soft-shell Turtle (Nilssonia gangetica) in Kaziranga National Park, Assam, on Endangered Species Day.
- Gujarat launched the ‘Lion Species Spotlight Programme’ at Gir to strengthen Asiatic lion conservation.
International Affairs
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in the Netherlands for the second leg of his five-nation tour, holding talks on bilateral cooperation and trade.
- India assumed the Chair of the Common Criteria Development Board (CCDB) for 2026–28, strengthening India’s role in global cybersecurity governance.
- External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar chaired the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting 2026 in New Delhi, focusing on multilateral reforms, geopolitics, and economic cooperation.
- India and Nepal advanced legal cooperation through a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty.
Global Geopolitical Crisis
- The Strait of Hormuz crisis remained central to global energy security. India urged the US to extend permission for imports of already-loaded Russian crude oil, amid rising oil prices and shipping disruptions.
- PM Modi reiterated India’s support for safe and uninterrupted navigation in the Strait of Hormuz during talks with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
- Iran allowed nearly 30 vessels to cross the Strait of Hormuz, indicating limited easing of restrictions.
- US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping concluded high-level talks in Beijing, discussing trade, Iran, and regional security.
Defence
- The Indian Army and Indian Navy signed a Memorandum of Association (MoA) to improve inter-service cooperation and integrated warfare readiness.
- Vice Admiral Vineet McCarty was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) from 1 June 2026.
- INS Sunayna, deployed as IOS Sagar with personnel from 16 countries, arrived in Colombo to strengthen Indian Ocean maritime cooperation.
- Bharat Forge announced a ₹1,500 crore defence manufacturing facility in Andhra Pradesh.
- India’s first privately manufactured military aircraft, the Airbus C-295, moved closer to rollout from the Tata-Airbus facility in Gujarat.
Science & Technology
- IMD launched two AI-based weather forecasting systems for monsoon-dependent agricultural regions, including district-level rainfall prediction.
- India advanced plans for a ₹40,000 crore subsea gas pipeline from Oman to Gujarat to reduce energy vulnerabilities.
- Project Saksham, launched by NHAI and Vertis Foundation, began skill development for rural women.
Sports
- Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) defeated Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by 7 wickets in IPL 2026; Mitchell Marsh was Player of the Match.
- Virat Kohli became the first Indian and fastest batter to score 14,000 T20 runs, also registering a record 9th IPL century.
- India won 17 medals at the Asian U-17 Boxing Championships in Tashkent.
- Harjinder Kaur won bronze at the Asian Weightlifting Championships in Gandhinagar.
- P.V. Sindhu and Satwik-Chirag entered the quarterfinals of the Thailand Open.
Global Observance
- International Day of Families (15 May) is observed globally to promote awareness of family welfare and social development.
- Endangered Species Day is observed with conservation initiatives, including turtle tagging in Assam.
Miscellaneous One-Liners Current Affairs
- Rathindra Bose elected unopposed as Speaker of the 18th West Bengal Assembly.
- Tripura introduced work-from-home rotation for government staff to reduce fuel expenditure.
- West Bengal removed restrictions on the interstate movement of vegetables, grains, and essential commodities.
- Rajouri (J&K) to get its first 100-bed hostel for border-area students under Samagra Shiksha.
- Over 70 deaths reported in Uttar Pradesh due to rain, storms, and lightning.
- Veteran CPI(M) leader Sudhanshu Sil passed away in Kolkata at age 81.
