Assam developments
1. Assam entered its new second-term phase under Himanta Biswa Sarma
Assam’s political transition moved into its first full working phase on 13 May 2026, immediately after Himanta Biswa Sarma took oath for a second consecutive term on 12 May at Khanapara. The official election tally for the 126-member Assam Assembly showed BJP 82, INC 19, BOPF 10, AGP 10, AIUDF 2, Raijor Dal 2, and AITC 1, leaving the ruling side with a clear majority in the new House.
On 13 May, one of the Chief Minister’s documented public engagements was paying tribute to Bharat Ratna Gopinath Bordoloi at Navagraha Santisthal, Silpukhuri, Guwahati. Official photo records also repeatedly described the new swearing-in as his second consecutive term.
The new phase quickly shifted from oath-taking to cabinet and legislative business, signalling that early-term priorities would be processed without a long transition gap. That same day, the state government moved on legal reform and assembly planning.
Related info: Himanta Biswa Sarma took oath for his second consecutive term on 12 May 2026, while the new government’s first full working phase began from 13 May 2026.
2. Assam cabinet approved the first draft of the Assam Uniform Civil Code Bill, 2026
In its early cabinet action on 13 May, the Assam government approved the first draft of the Assam Uniform Civil Code Bill, 2026. The move placed civil-law codification among the first major policy items of the new term.
The draft was described as covering intestate succession, marriage and divorce, live-in relationships, custody and guardianship of children, distribution and administration of property, testamentary succession, adoption, maintenance, and succession to agricultural land. Official summaries indicated that the proposed law would exclude Scheduled Tribes and other protected classes/categories, making the scope narrower than a universal across-the-board code.
The approval was for a draft bill, not a final enacted law, so the next stages remain legislative processing and formal tabling. For exam purposes, the key point is that Assam made UCC-style state legislation an immediate cabinet agenda item on 13 May 2026.
Related info: The Assam Uniform Civil Code Bill, 2026 draft is important because it covers major personal-law areas but excludes Scheduled Tribes and other protected classes/categories.
3. Assam set out an early governance roadmap with an assembly schedule, jobs task force and austerity steps
The same cabinet meeting also moved on the state’s first legislative calendar and early governance commitments. Official summaries said the government proposed the first sitting of the 15th Assam Legislative Assembly for 21–26 May 2026.
The cabinet proposed Chandra Mohan Patowary as Pro-tem Speaker, Ranjeet Kumar Dass as Speaker, and set up a task force to implement the promise of 2 lakh jobs. It also decided on austerity measures, indicating a parallel emphasis on fiscal restraint and administrative control at the start of the term.
The immediate stakeholders are the Assembly secretariat, the incoming Speaker’s office, and departments linked to recruitment and expenditure control. For examination purposes, the important sequence is: new term → first cabinet → assembly sitting dates + jobs task force + austerity package.
Related info: The first sitting of the 15th Assam Legislative Assembly was proposed for 21–26 May 2026.
India developments
4. The Centre raised MSPs for 14 kharif crops for the 2026–27 marketing season
On 13 May 2026, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved higher Minimum Support Prices for 14 kharif crops for Marketing Season 2026–27. The stated objective was to ensure remunerative returns to growers.
The official release placed paddy/common MSP at ₹2,441 per quintal. The highest absolute increase over the previous year was for sunflower seed, up ₹622 to ₹8,343 per quintal, followed by cotton (+₹557), nigerseed (+₹515) and sesamum (+₹500). The release also showed nigerseed MSP at ₹10,052 and sesamum MSP at ₹10,346.
Procurement agencies and state governments will now align for the kharif marketing cycle, with MSP acting as the policy benchmark for procurement and farmer price expectations. In exam terms, the takeaways are the date, 14 crops, paddy at ₹2,441, and sunflower seed receiving the largest hike.
Related info: The highest absolute MSP increase was announced for sunflower seed, which rose by ₹622 to ₹8,343 per quintal.
5. The Union Cabinet cleared a ₹37,500 crore coal and lignite gasification scheme
Also on 13 May, the Union Cabinet approved a Scheme for Promotion of Surface Coal/Lignite Gasification Projects with a total outlay of ₹37,500 crore. The measure was framed as part of India’s energy-security and import-substitution push.
The scheme targets gasification of about 75 million tonnes of coal/lignite, while contributing to the broader national target of 100 million tonnes of coal gasification by 2030. Financial support can go up to 20% of the cost of plant and machinery, and the government also extended coal linkage tenure up to 30 years for the relevant syngas-linked sub-sector. The official note linked the scheme to reducing import dependence in products such as LNG, urea, ammonia, and methanol.
The next layer is project bidding and plant-level investment decisions. For exams, remember the cluster: ₹37,500 crore, 75 MT target under the scheme, 100 MT national goal by 2030, and 30-year linkage tenure.
Related info: The scheme supports India’s target of 100 million tonnes of coal gasification by 2030.
6. India announced a major shipbuilding push at Thoothukudi
A 13 May release highlighted a tripartite arrangement for India’s first mega greenfield shipyard at Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, linking it to the broader Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047. The release stated that the MoU itself had been signed earlier, on 20 April 2026.
The shipyard is planned with 2.5 million gross tonnage capacity. The parties named were HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, NSHIP-TN, and SMFCL, with the project structure also tied to V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority and SIPCOT. The MoU was exchanged during the state visit of the President of the Republic of Korea.
The project sits at the intersection of port-led industrialisation, maritime manufacturing and India–Korea industrial cooperation. The exam angle is straightforward: Thoothukudi, 13 May announcement, and 2.5 million GT planned capacity.
Related info: The mega greenfield shipyard at Thoothukudi is linked to Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047.
7. SAMEER and ISTRAC/ISRO signed a deep-space technology MoU
On 13 May 2026 in Mumbai, a new technology partnership was announced between SAMEER and ISTRAC/ISRO for deep-space mission support. The release framed it as an indigenous technology initiative under India’s wider self-reliance agenda.
The MoU aims to design and develop high-power systems using homegrown semiconductor technologies for deep space exploratory observations. The official note specifically said the work would support telecommand operations at the Indian Deep Space Network in the X-band, and described the collaboration as one for indigenous high-power systems and GaN-based technologies.
The main stakeholders are MeitY-linked electronics R&D, the Department of Space, and future deep-space missions that need reliable indigenous high-power transmission systems. For exam recall: 13 May, Mumbai, SAMEER + ISTRAC/ISRO, deep space, and GaN-based high-power systems.
Related info: The MoU is linked to indigenous high-power systems and GaN-based technologies for deep-space mission support.
8. Kalam & Kavach 3.0 was scheduled as a defence-modernisation platform on 14 May
A defence release dated 13 May announced that Kalam & Kavach 3.0 would be inaugurated on 14 May 2026 at Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi by the Raksha Rajya Mantri. It was presented as a strategic platform for military, industry, start-ups and policy stakeholders.
The theme was “Taking JAI Forward With I²”, where JAI stood for Jointness, Aatmanirbharta and Innovation, and I² emphasised Indigenisation and International Collaboration. The declared agenda included AI-enabled warfare, autonomous systems, hypersonic technologies, quantum-enabled C4ISR, space and low-earth-orbit threats, and tri-service integration. Participants listed included CDS General Anil Chauhan, CNS Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi, DRDO, HQ IDS, ambassadors, defence attaches, MSMEs and start-ups.
The conference itself is not a policy decision, but it brings together the key institutions involved in defence-industrial planning and military modernisation. For exam purposes, note the date, location, theme expansion, and the future-war domains highlighted in the agenda.
Related info: Kalam & Kavach 3.0 was scheduled at Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi, with the theme “Taking JAI Forward With I²”.
9. The Centre released the first FY 2026–27 instalment for district and subordinate court infrastructure
On 13 May 2026, the law ministry released the first instalment of mother sanction under the centrally sponsored scheme for development of infrastructure in district and subordinate courts. The release tied the measure to strengthening the justice-delivery system.
The amount released was ₹401.50 crore for FY 2026–27, issued to states and Union Territories through the PFMS system. The meeting was held at Kartavya Bhawan-2, New Delhi. A parallel report stated that the existing scheme’s tenure had ended on 31 March 2026, that a temporary extension till 30 September 2026 had been granted, and that extension for another five years till 2030–31 was under process.
The immediate operational consequence is funding for physical judicial infrastructure at the state and district level. The exam takeaway is the exact release figure: ₹401.50 crore on 13 May 2026.
Related info: The first FY 2026–27 instalment for district and subordinate court infrastructure was ₹401.50 crore.
10. India opened the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting process in New Delhi
India, as BRICS Chair for 2026, scheduled the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi for 14–15 May 2026. The official programme said the meeting would be chaired by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and that ministers and heads of delegation from member and partner countries would also call on the Prime Minister.
The official agenda listed two second-day themes: “BRICS@20: Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability” and “Reforms of Global Governance and Multilateral System.” On 13 May, official updates recorded arrivals from several participating countries, including Russia, Brazil, Iran, the UAE, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. In his meeting with Sergey Lavrov on 13 May, Jaishankar said, “Our two nations have a shared interest in strengthening multipolarity.”
The meeting’s final negotiated outcomes were not yet available in the material accessed during the research window, but it was already clear that wider regional tensions, especially the Iran conflict, were hanging over the ministerial.
Related info: India hosted the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi as BRICS Chair for 2026.
11. IndiaAI and the National Health Authority recognised nine innovators for PM-JAY claims automation
On 13 May 2026, the IndiaAI Mission, the National Health Authority, and IISc Bengaluru announced the results of the AB PM-JAY Auto-Adjudication Hackathon Showcase 2026. The exercise focused on AI-based solutions for public-health insurance administration.
The release said nine innovators were recognised at IISc Bengaluru. The showcase followed a two-day national event held on 9 May 2026 and centred on improving the speed, transparency and accuracy of claims adjudication, while also strengthening fraud detection. The note added that AB PM-JAY handles a large volume of claims across 1,900+ treatment packages.
The next policy question is whether the showcased tools move into field-scale deployment in claims processing. For exam preparation, the core memory points are 13 May announcement, nine innovators, IISc Bengaluru, and AI in PM-JAY claims adjudication.
Related info: The hackathon focused on AI-based automation for AB PM-JAY claims adjudication.
12. NHRC focused on migrant workers’ rights and implementation gaps
On 13 May 2026, the NHRC convened a core-group meeting in New Delhi on “Protecting Migrant Workers’ Rights: Shared Responsibility of Government and the Private Sector.” The discussion brought labour rights and portability of entitlements into the day’s current-affairs list.
The NHRC Chairperson, Justice V. Ramasubramanian, said migrant workers face sharper vulnerabilities because many are in the unorganised sector, and he referred to existing legal protections dating back to 1979 while observing that “implementation remains a concern.” The official summary emphasised recommendations on interstate coordination, portable social protection, and uniform, timely payment of wages linked to access to healthcare, sanitation, housing, education for children and social-security benefits.
The relevant stakeholders include labour departments, employers, inter-state migrant systems and welfare-delivery agencies. In exam terms, remember the focus on implementation rather than merely policy creation, and the idea of portable protections for migrant workers.
Related info: The NHRC meeting highlighted portable social protection and implementation gaps in migrant workers’ rights.
International developments
13. Trump and Xi met in Beijing with Iran, trade and AI at the centre
On 14 May 2026, Donald Trump met Xi Jinping in Beijing in the first visit by a U.S. president to China since 2017. The meeting took place against the backdrop of the Iran war and wider global market anxiety.
Reporting on the day said Trump was expected to seek Chinese help in ending the Iran conflict, while the war had already reshaped alliances and driven up oil and commodity prices. The same reporting noted that, more than one month after a tenuous ceasefire took effect, diplomatic efforts had still failed to produce a durable settlement. China’s position mattered because of its close ties with Tehran and its role as a major buyer of Iranian oil.
At the time covered here, the talks were still in progress, so the digest records the agenda and geopolitical setting rather than final outcomes. For exams, the date-location pair is central: 14 May 2026, Beijing, with Iran, trade and AI as the major issue cluster.
Related info: This was reported as the first visit by a U.S. president to China since 2017.
14. WHO warned that global health gains are slowing or reversing
On 13 May 2026 in Geneva, the WHO released World Health Statistics 2026 under the headline that global health gains face a threat of reversal. The central message was that the world remains off track on the health-related SDGs for 2030.
The report recorded several long-range improvements: new HIV infections down 40% between 2010 and 2024, the number of people needing interventions for neglected tropical diseases down 36%, and between 2015 and 2024 an additional 961 million people gaining safely managed drinking water, 1.2 billion sanitation, 1.6 billion basic hygiene, and 1.4 billion clean cooking access. At the same time, malaria incidence rose 8.5% since 2015, the global UHC service coverage index rose only from 68 to 71 between 2015 and 2023, and 1.6 billion people were living in or pushed into poverty due to out-of-pocket health spending in 2022.
WHO Director-General Tedros said, “These data tell a story of both progress and persistent inequality.” The same release argued for stronger primary care, better health financing, and improved mortality-data systems; as of end-2025, only 18% of countries were reporting mortality data to WHO within one year.
Related info: World Health Statistics 2026 warned that the world remains off track on health-related SDGs for 2030.
15. Russia launched one of its largest drone attacks on western Ukraine
On 13 May 2026, Russia carried out a large daytime drone assault on western Ukraine, targeting critical infrastructure and areas close to NATO borders. The attack came just after a three-day U.S.-brokered ceasefire had ended.
Reuters reported that at least six people were killed. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia had launched at least 800 drones since midnight and that railway infrastructure was hit 23 times. Poland scrambled fighter jets, Slovakia closed border crossings for security reasons, and Hungary summoned the Russian ambassador. Zelenskyy said the timing “certainly cannot be called a coincidence” because it coincided with the U.S. President’s China visit.
The episode widened the security spillover beyond Ukraine proper by prompting reactions from neighbouring NATO and EU states. For exam use, the headline facts are 13 May, 800 drones claimed, six killed, and defensive/security responses by Poland, Slovakia and Hungary.
Related info: The attack triggered security responses from Poland, Slovakia and Hungary.