1 Oil India Limited discovers new gas reserves in Dandewala field in Rajasthan
State-owned Oil India Limited has discovered a new gas reserve in the Dandewala field in the Jaisalmer Basin of Rajasthan . According to the company, natural gas has begun flowing from the Sanu Formation in the Dandewala field for the first time . Testing revealed a production of approximately 25,000 standard cubic meters per day (SCMD) . The well was drilled to a depth of approximately 950 meters. Based on preliminary investigations and technical analysis, the field is estimated to have approximately 75 million standard cubic meters (MMSCM) of gas resources. Significantly, the Dandewala field has previously experienced conventional gas production, but this is the first time gas has been discovered in the Sanu Formation. In the context of oil and gas, the Sanu Formation is a major sedimentary rock or geological layer found in the Jaisalmer Basin of Rajasthan.
2 Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated a plant manufacturing artillery shells.
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated an artillery shell manufacturing plant in the Savli Vihir Industrial Area in Shirdi, Maharashtra . This project was developed by the Nibe Group . Speaking on the occasion, the Defense Minister stated that India previously imported defense equipment, but will emerge as a major exporter of defense products in the near future. Chief Minister Fadnavis praised the Nibe Group, stating that this project has transformed Ahilyanagar district into a defense manufacturing hub. Agreements were signed between the Nibe Group and an Israeli company for the development of maritime aircraft and optical satellite technology. According to Nibe, the plant will manufacture 155mm and L15 artillery shells, 120mm mortars, ammunition, ammunition, and 125mm projectiles. Optical satellites, missiles, and rockets will also be manufactured at the same plant. It should be noted that on May 18th and 19th this week, Nibe Ltd. successfully tested the long-range “Suryastra” rocket system at the Integrated Test Range in Chandipur, Odisha. In these tests, rockets with a range of 150 and 300 km have demonstrated their capability by hitting the target accurately.
3 International Missing Children’s Day
International Missing Children’s Day is celebrated worldwide every year on May 25th . The main objective of this day is to find missing children, protect them, and raise awareness about crimes against children. International Missing Children’s Day originated in the United States. On May 25th, 1979, a six-year-old boy named Etan Patz suddenly disappeared in New York City . His family and police searched for him for a long time, but he was never found. This incident shocked the entire United States and sparked a national discussion about child safety. Subsequently, in 1983, the United States began celebrating May 25th as National Missing Children’s Day .
4 PM Modi and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio meet
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the continued progress of the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership and issues related to regional and global peace and security. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Prime Minister Modi at Seva Tirtha in New Delhi. Rubio also invited the Prime Minister to visit the White House. Mr. Marco Rubio is on a four-day visit to India to participate in the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on the 26th of this month. The Quad meeting is scheduled for May 26th in New Delhi, where External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will host US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi. The main focus of the discussions will be strengthening cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region. He arrived in Kolkata from the US, where he visited the Missionaries of Charity and paid tribute to the legacy of Mother Teresa.
5 Industry and investment to take a new flight, guidelines issued for 100 world-class industrial parks
The Central Government has issued detailed guidelines for the implementation of the “Grand Plan” to develop world-class industrial parks across the country . This ambitious plan is considered a major step towards making India a strong manufacturing hub globally. According to the Ministry of Commerce, the “Grand Plan” aims to develop modern, investment-ready industrial parks, thereby strengthening the country’s manufacturing sector. This plan is aligned with the government’s vision of Make in India, PM Gati Shakti, and making India a global manufacturing hub. Under this plan, the government aims to develop 100 industrial parks across the country over six years, from 2026-27 to 2031-32. A financial provision of approximately ₹33,660 crore has been allocated for this. In the first phase of the plan, 50 industrial parks will be developed. These will be selected through a challenge-based competitive process. According to the guidelines, both greenfield and eligible brownfield industrial parks will be eligible for development under the plan. The government has also set a minimum land requirement. In non-mountainous states, a minimum of 100 acres of land will be required, while in hilly states, northeastern states, union territories, and smaller states, the limit is 25 acres. Larger parks up to 1,000 acres could also be considered.
6 India and Ethiopia signed the bilateral Accession Protocol in Geneva for Ethiopia’s membership in the WTO
India and Ethiopia signed a bilateral accession protocol on 22 May 2026 regarding Ethiopia’s membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO) . The signing ceremony took place in Geneva . The protocol was signed by Dr. Senthil Pandian C., Ambassador and Permanent Representative of India to the WTO , and Tsegab Kebebew Daka , Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Ethiopia to the United Nations Office at Geneva, on behalf of Ethiopia . Following the signing, the protocol and its annexes were formally submitted and deposited with the WTO Secretariat. India has consistently supported the accession of developing countries and least developed countries to the WTO. The WTO accession process requires aligning domestic economic and trade policies with WTO rules and negotiating market access commitments with existing member countries. Ethiopia is currently in an advanced stage of its accession process, and the seventh meeting of its Working Party in this regard was held on 22–23 April 2026.
7 Indian students to visit Japan under Sakura Science Programme 2026
The Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL), Ministry of Education (MoE), Government of India, sent off a group of students participating in the Sakura Science Program 2026 at a ceremony held at NCERT, New Delhi . Under the Sakura Science Program, 56 Indian school students and four observers will travel to Japan from May 24 to May 30, 2026. Participants from Ghana, Nigeria, and South Africa will also participate . These 56 students (24 boys and 32 girls) are from government schools in 15 states and union territories: Assam, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and West Bengal. All participants are recipients of scholarships under the National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship (NMMS) scheme of the Government of India. With the aim of broadening the intellectual horizons of young students and encouraging the spirit of scientific inquiry, the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) has been conducting the Japan Asia Youth Exchange Programme in Science , also known as the Sakura Science Programme , since 2014. India has been participating in this programme since April 2016.
8 India becomes Bangladesh’s second largest trading partner
India has surpassed the United States to become Bangladesh’s second-largest trading partner , reflecting the changing dynamics of South Asian trade. China remains at the top , while India’s exports of essential goods and industrial inputs continue to strengthen bilateral economic ties. According to the latest trade data from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), India has narrowly overtaken the United States in Bangladesh’s overall trade rankings as of February 2026. India contributed 8.47% of Bangladesh’s total external trade, equivalent to approximately 123.28 billion taka. The United States followed closely behind India with 8.46%, equivalent to approximately 123.17 billion taka. This difference is marginal, but its symbolic significance is significant. In February, China accounted for approximately 21.21% of Bangladesh’s total trade, valued at approximately 308.79 billion taka.
9 Manindra Agrawal of IIT Kanpur becomes Royal Society Fellow
IIT Kanpur Director Manindra Agrawal has been elected a Fellow of the Royal Society , one of the world’s most prestigious scientific honors. This honor joins an elite group of scientists whose work has shaped modern knowledge; this group includes figures like Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein. Agrawal received this honor for his pioneering contributions to theoretical computer science, particularly for the AKS primality test, a major achievement that changed the way mathematicians think about prime numbers. Agrawal is one of India’s most respected computer scientists and mathematicians, known primarily for his work in theoretical computer science, computational complexity, and number theory. Born in Uttar Pradesh, he studied at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, where he later became a faculty member and eventually the institute’s director. Over the past few years, his research has received international recognition for solving major mathematical and computational problems.
10 ICAR develops AI-based Plant Genome Editing Platform
Scientists at the Central Rice Research Institute (CRRI) of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) in Cuttack, Odisha , developed and validated the world’s first artificial intelligence (AI)-based genome-editing platform for plants , Plant-OpenCRISPR1 (POC1) , using rice as a model crop . The research was led by Dr. Qutubuddin Ali Molla . This new platform, named ‘ Plant-OpenCRISPR1′ (POC1) , is based on ‘OpenCRISPR-1’ (OC1), an AI-designed nuclease for human cells. Scientists say this advancement is significant because, until now, genome editing has relied on a few bacterial enzymes, such as Cas9 and Cas12a, but these enzymes often face difficulties in plant systems. This platform enables advanced gene knockout, base editing, and prime editing in rice crops using AI-designed enzymes, beyond traditional Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) techniques. The platform aims to develop climate-resilient, disease-resistant, high-yielding, and nutrient-rich crop varieties by enabling precise genome editing without introducing any foreign genes.
11 Operation Navjeevan: 27 Naxalites, including those carrying a reward of Rs 33 lakh, surrender
Recently, 27 Maoists, including commanders and strike squad members of the banned CPI (Maoist) and Jharkhand Jan Mukti Parishad (JJMP), surrendered to the Jharkhand Police in Ranchi under Operation Navjeevan . The operation was carried out by the Jharkhand Police, its anti-Naxal unit, the Jharkhand Jaguars, and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)’s COBRA battalion. The surrenders occurred under the Jharkhand government ‘s Surrender and Rehabilitation Policy , which aims to bring former Maoists back into mainstream society. The government has also adopted several measures to curb Left Wing Extremism (Naxalism), including the SAMADHAN doctrine, Operation Octopus, Operation Double Bull, Operation Kagar, and RCPLWEA (Road Connectivity Project for Left Wing Extremism Affected Areas).