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GK Update

Fri 15 May, 2026

National News

Uber and Adani Group Partnership

  • Global ride-hailing giant Uber has announced a strategic partnership with Adani Group to establish its first data center in India.

Related Facts :

  • Partnership Structure: Uber will use the infrastructure of AdaniConneX, a joint venture of the Adani Group, to host its data center operations.
  • Objective: India is now not just a consumer market for Uber, but also a major innovation hub. Through this data center, Uber will test and deploy its AI and digital technologies globally from India.
  • Location: Although the full capacity details have not yet been disclosed, the partnership was finalized after a meeting held in Ahmedabad. This framework will enhance the utility of Adani’s upcoming data center clusters in Noida, Hyderabad, and Chennai.
  • Infrastructure Status: In 2022, the Government of India granted data centers the status of “Infrastructure,” enabling companies to access loans at concessional rates and receive financial benefits.
  • Data centers consume large amounts of electricity. This partnership aligns with the Adani Group’s commitment to develop 100 billion dollars worth of renewable energy-powered AI data centers by 2035, helping global tech giants reduce their carbon footprint.

Formation of the 'Judicial Infrastructure Advisory Committee'

  • Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant has constituted a 'Judicial Infrastructure Advisory Committee' under the chairmanship of Justice J. Arvind Kumar.

Key Facts:

Composition of the Committee:

  • Chairperson: This high-level committee is chaired by Justice J. Arvind Kumar of the Supreme Court.
  • Members: The committee comprises judges from various High Courts:
  • Justice Debangsu Basak (Calcutta High Court)
  • Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra (Punjab and Haryana High Court)
  • Justice Somasekhar Sundaresan (Bombay High Court)
  • Other Official Members: The Director General of the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) and the Secretary General of the Supreme Court (who also serves as its Member Secretary).

Key Objectives and Scope:

  • Integrated Ecosystem: To develop modern and accessible infrastructure within the courts.
  • Financial Roadmap: To formulate a budgetary blueprint amounting to ₹40,000–50,000 crore.
  • Digital and Physical Reforms: To promote paperless courts and virtual hearings under the 'e-Courts Mission Mode' (Phase III).
  • Facilities: To improve infrastructure for lawyers, staff, and citizens involved in litigation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on a Six-Nation Tour in May 2026

  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi is embarking on a six-day visit starting May 15, 2026, to the United Arab Emirates, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, and Italy.

Country-wise Key Agenda and Strategic Significance:

United Arab Emirates (May 15):

  • Key Leader: Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan
  • Energy Security: Ensuring an uninterrupted supply of crude oil and LNG.
  • Bilateral Trade: Aiming to boost trade to $200 billion by 2032 under the CEPA framework.
  • Diaspora Welfare: Discussions regarding the interests of over 4.5 million Indians residing in the UAE.

Netherlands (May 15–17):

  • Key Leaders: Willem-Alexander and Rob Jetten
  • Technological Cooperation: Semiconductors, Green Hydrogen, and Water Management.
  • Economic Ties: The Netherlands is one of India's key trading partners in Europe.
  • FDI Investment: Cumulative investment stands at approximately $55.6 billion.

Sweden (May 17–18):

  • Key Leader: Ulf Kristersson
  • Industrial Partnership: Addressing the ‘European Round Table for Industry’ in Gothenburg.
  • Emerging Technologies: Cooperation on AI, Green Transition, and Resilient Supply Chains.

Norway (May 18–19):

  • Key Leader: Jonas Gahr Støre
  • 3rd India-Nordic Summit: Hosted in Oslo.
  • Blue Economy: Emphasis on Arctic cooperation, sustainable development, and the maritime economy.
  • EFTA: Strengthening the India-EFTA Trade Agreement.

Italy (May 19–20):

  • Key Leaders: Giorgia Meloni and Sergio Mattarella
  • Strategic Roadmap: Implementation of the Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025–2029.
  • Connectivity: Reviewing the progress of IMEC (India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor).
  • Other Issues: Defense cooperation and clean energy.

European Union Included India in the Revised Draft List

  • The European Union included India in the revised draft list for the continued export of fishery products.

Related Facts :

  • Previous Exclusion (October 2024): The European Union, under its Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2598, had removed India from the list of countries permitted to export aquaculture products from September 2026 onward.
  • Cause of Concern: The primary reason behind the exclusion was the excessive use of antimicrobials/antibiotics in food-producing organisms and concerns related to food safety standards.

Strict Regulatory Standards of the European Union :

  • Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/905: Under this rule, the European Union allows imports of animal-origin products only from countries that certify that antibiotics are not used for growth promotion in aquaculture practices.
  • Human Health Protection: It specifically restricts the use of antimicrobials reserved exclusively for human medical treatment in order to reduce the global threat of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR).

India–European Union Seafood Trade :

  • Market Position: The European Union is India’s third-largest seafood export market.
  • Total Export Value: Around 18.94% of India’s total seafood export value (approximately 1.593 billion US dollars) goes to the European Union alone.
  • Annual Growth Rate: Compared to the previous year, seafood export value increased by 41.45% and export quantity rose by 38.29%.
  • Major Export Product: Farmed shrimp accounts for the largest share in India’s seafood exports.

Chair of the Common Criteria Development Board

  • India has been designated as the Chair of the Common Criteria Development Board until April 2028.
  • India's selection for this prestigious position was confirmed during the first-quarter meeting of the Common Criteria Recognition Arrangement (CCRA), held in Tokyo, Japan.
  • This reflects India's growing technical prowess and leadership in the fields of Information Technology (IT) security standards and cybersecurity on a global stage.

Related Facts:

  • Tenure: 2 years (from April 2026 to April 2028)

Institutional Organization and Treaties:

  • Full form of CCDB: Common Criteria Development Board
  • Full form of CCRA: Common Criteria Recognition Arrangement
  • Nature of CCRA: It is an international treaty that grants mutual recognition to cross-border IT security certificates.
  • Total Member Countries: The CCRA currently comprises a total of 38 countries (20 certificate-issuing countries + 18 certificate-consuming countries).

India's Participation and Nodal Agencies:

  • Year of Membership: India has been an active member (a certificate-issuing country) of the CCRA since September 16, 2013.
  • Associated Ministry: MeitY (Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology)
  • Union Minister: Ashwini Vaishnaw (Current Minister of Electronics and Information Technology)
  • India's Official Certification Body: STQC Directorate (Standardisation Testing and Quality Certification)
  • Full form of CC: Common Criteria
  • Full form of CEM: Common Methodology for Information Technology Security Evaluation
  • Global Database: The official global database of certified secure IT products is known as the Common Criteria Portal.

Agreement between the Ministry of Ayush and the Bhashini Division

  • The Ministry of Ayush has signed an agreement with the Bhashini Division for AI-based language technology.

Key Highlights:

  • 22 Scheduled Languages: Under this partnership, Ayush digital services will be made available in all 22 languages ​​included in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.
  • Digital Inclusion (Bhashini Rajyam): This initiative has been launched under "Bhashini Rajyam – A Bhashini Collaborative Program," which aims to strengthen Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI).
  • Expansion of Ayush Grid: Bhashini's translation APIs, voice tools, and speech tools will be integrated with the Ayush Grid's portals (such as the Yoga Portal and MAISP) and mobile applications.
  • Terminology Standardization: To ensure the accuracy of medical and wellness communication, multilingual AI models will be developed using data from Ayush's NAMASTE portal (National Ayush Morbidity and Standardized Terminologies Electronic Portal).

Bhashini:

  • Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY)

Key Functions:

  • National Language Translation Mission (NLTM)
  • Making digital content available in local languages ​​using AI and Natural Language Processing (NLP)

Appointments

P. Kumaran

  • Senior diplomat P. Kumaran has been appointed as India's new High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.
  • He succeeds Vikram Doraiswami in this role; Mr. Doraiswami has been appointed as India's new Ambassador to China.

Relevant Facts:

  • Previous Post: Immediately prior to this appointment, he served as Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
  • Diplomatic Experience: Kumaran possesses extensive experience spanning over three decades. He previously served as India's High Commissioner to Singapore (2020–2023) and as India's Ambassador to Qatar (2016–2020). Additionally, he has held various positions in Cairo, Islamabad, Washington, and Colombo.
  • Language Proficiency: He is proficient in English, Tamil, Hindi, and Arabic.
  • High Commissioner: The senior-most diplomat appointed between Commonwealth nations is referred to as a 'High Commissioner.' Since both India and the UK are members of the Commonwealth, India's diplomatic mission in London is designated as a 'High Commission,' and its head is titled 'High Commissioner.'
  • Ambassador: The diplomatic head sent to non-Commonwealth nations (such as China, the USA, etc.) is referred to as an 'Ambassador,' and the mission located there is called an 'Embassy.'

United Kingdom (UK):

  • Capital: London
  • Currency: Pound Sterling (£)
  • Prime Minister: Keir Starmer
  • Official Language: English
  • Continent: Europe
  • Parliament: Parliament at Westminster
  • Constituent Countries: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland
  • Famous River: River Thames
  • Monarch: Charles III

Sports News

Asian Under-15 Boxing Championships 2026

  • The Indian junior girls' team secured the top spot in the medal tally at the Asian U15 Championships with 7 gold medals.

Key Facts:

  • India's Overall Performance:
  • India won a total of 27 medals (9 Gold, 6 Silver, and 12 Bronze) throughout the championship.
  • Under-15 Girls: 7 Gold, 2 Silver, 5 Bronze (1st place in the medal tally)
  • Under-15 Boys: 2 Gold, 4 Silver, 7 Bronze

Boxing:

  • Origin: Modern boxing evolved with the implementation of the 'Marquess of Queensberry' rules in 1867.
  • Inclusion in Olympics: Boxing was first included in the 1904 St. Louis Olympics.
  • International Governing Body: IBA (International Boxing Association), formerly known as AIBA. Its headquarters are located in Lausanne (Switzerland).
  • Indian Governing Body: BFI (Boxing Federation of India) governs the sport in India.
  • Playing Area (Ring): The boxing arena is called a 'Ring,' which is square in shape.
  • Ring Dimensions (IBA Standard): The area inside the ropes measures 6.10 meters × 6.10 meters (20 feet × 20 feet).
  • Platform Height: 1.00 meter (100 cm) above the ground.
  • Match Duration: Amateur bouts for both men and women consist of 3 rounds of 3 minutes each, with a 1-minute rest period between rounds.

24th KSS Memorial Shooting Championship

  • Railway's star shooter Saurabh Chaudhary and Maharashtra's Sakshi Sunil Paidekar won gold medals in the Men's 10m Air Pistol and Women's 50m Rifle 3 Positions (3P) events, respectively, at the 24th Kumar Surendra Singh (KSS) Memorial Shooting Championship.

Related Facts:

Other Winners:

  • 10m Air Rifle (Men): Rudrankksh Patil (Maharashtra) claimed the gold medal in the men's ISSF event.
  • 50m Rifle Prone Event: Nupur secured the top spot in this event with a stellar performance.
  • 10m Air Rifle Mixed Team (Senior): The pair of Divyansh S Panwar and Manisha from Rajasthan won the gold medal.
  • 10m Air Pistol (Women): Anjali Shekhawat from Rajasthan won the gold medal in this category.

International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF):

  • The world's premier global governing body responsible for determining shooting competitions and rules.
  • Established: 1907
  • Headquarters: Munich, Germany
  • Current President: Luciano Rossi

Economy and Banking

India’s First Mega Greenfield Shipyard

  • India signed a historic tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the development of the country’s first mega greenfield shipyard at Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu.

Related Facts :

Key Partners in the Tripartite Agreement :

  • HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE): A global shipbuilding leader from South Korea.
  • National Shipbuilding and Heavy Industries Park Tamil Nadu Limited (NSHIP-TN): A Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) jointly established by the V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority and SIPCOT of the Tamil Nadu Government.
  • Sagarmala Finance Corporation Limited (SMFCL): A body functioning under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.

Strategic Framework :

  • The project is being implemented under the India–South Korea bilateral maritime cooperation framework “VOYAGES” (Shared Vision for Operation of Yard Assisted Growth with Efficiency and Scale).
  • The agreement was exchanged during the India visit of South Korean President Lee Jae-myung in the presence of Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.
  • Under the project, Indian professionals and workers will also receive specialized technical training in South Korea.

Major Features and Technical Standards of the Project :

  • Annual Capacity: The world-class shipyard is expected to have an annual capacity of 2.5 million Gross Tonnage (GT).
  • Anchor Facility: The shipyard will serve as the anchor facility for the Thoothukudi Shipbuilding Cluster, which has already received in-principle approval under the National Shipbuilding Mission.
  • Employment Generation: After full operation, the project is expected to generate nearly 15,000 direct jobs along with large-scale indirect employment opportunities.
  • Advanced Technology: As a greenfield project, it will integrate Industry 4.0, digital twins, and environmentally sustainable green shipbuilding technologies from the beginning.

Economic Importance for India’s Maritime Sector :

  • Policy Push: This development aligns with the ₹70,000 crore Shipbuilding Policy Package (2025) announced by the Central Government.
  • • Increasing Global Share: India’s current share in global shipbuilding is less than 1%; this project will help India achieve the target of 4.5 million GT annual capacity by 2047.
  • • Localization of Supply Chain: The project will promote localization of maritime engineering supply chains and help develop ancillary manufacturing hubs.

Books and Authors

The Book ‘Apanapan’

  • Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the Union Minister for Rural Development and Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, has announced a new book titled ‘Apanapan: My Experiences with Narendra Modi,’ based on his 35 years of experiences with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
  • This book primarily highlights Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, his working style, his discipline, and his dedication to nation-building.
  • The book shares organizational and administrative experiences spanning from the ‘Ekta Yatra’ of 1991 up to the present day. It brings to light significant insights regarding policy formulation in the states, good governance, and the implementation of Cabinet-level decisions.

Person In News

Evika Siliņa

  • Evika Siliņa announced her resignation from the post of Prime Minister of Latvia.

Related Facts:

Main Reason for Resignation:

  • Drone Controversy: This political crisis began on May 7, 2026, following the entry of stray Ukrainian drones into Latvian airspace. These drones were sent to target Russia but, due to Russian electronic warfare, deviated from their course and crashed in Latvia.
  • Dismissal of the Defense Minister: In light of the failure to ensure national air security and to activate a rapid anti-drone system, PM Siliņa dismissed Defense Minister Andris Sprūds.
  • Collapse of the Coalition: The dismissed Defense Minister was a member of the left-wing Progressives Party. In protest, the party withdrew its support from the government led by Siliņa's 'New Unity' party, causing the government to lose its parliamentary majority in the Saeima.

Latvia:

  • Capital: Riga
  • Currency: Euro
  • Continent: Europe
  • Official Language: Latvian
  • President: Edgars Rinkēvičs
  • Parliament: Saeima
  • Major River: Daugava River
  • Major Sea: Baltic Sea
  • It is a Baltic State, sharing borders with Russia, Belarus, Estonia, and Lithuania.
  • Latvia is an active member state of both the European Union (EU) and NATO.

Art and Culture

'Moungri Mela'

  • The historic three-day annual 'Moungri Mela' has commenced at the Shiva-Parvati Temple in the Udhampur district.

Key Facts:

  • Venue: This fair is held in a picturesque meadow known as 'Sar Dabbar' (Kalsote), located approximately 51 kilometers from Udhampur city.
  • Geographical Significance: The 'Sar Dabbar' region is situated at the confluence of two natural streams. According to geological lore, the term 'Sar' signifies a lake—a body of water that, over the passage of time, dried up and transformed into a vast meadow ('Dabbar').
  • Natural Cave Temple: The focal point of faith at this fair is an ancient natural cave located on the site, within which resides a 9.5-foot-tall *Swayambhu* (self-manifested) Shivling. A naturally formed rock formation situated directly above this Shivling bears a striking resemblance to the figure of Sheshnag.

 

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