Daily Current Affairs – 14-05-2026

National News

Import Duty on Gold and Silver Increased

The Central Government on May 13, 2026 increased the import duty on gold and silver from 6% to 15% with immediate effect to control rising import expenditure caused by the Middle East war situation and to reduce non-essential imports. The import duty on platinum was also increased from 6.4% to 15.4%. The revised duty applies to unrefined gold, silver bars, coins, and jewellery findings. In the 2025-26 financial year, India’s gold and silver imports increased by 26.7% to 102.5 billion US dollars, and their share in total imports rose from 11.8% to 14%. India is the world’s second-largest consumer of gold after China. Following the duty hike, the total tax on gold imports, including 3% GST, increased from 9.18% to 18.45%. The value of the Indian Rupee against the US Dollar fell to a record low of Rs.95.75 on May 12 before recovering slightly after the announcement. Due to the Middle East conflict and disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, crude oil prices increased from around 73 US dollars per barrel before the war to 107 US dollars, touching 126 US dollars on April 30. India imports 87% of its crude oil needs, with 46% passing through the Strait of Hormuz. India also imports 60% of its LPG requirement, of which over 90% comes from Gulf countries.

MSP for Paddy Increased for 2026-27

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the increase in Minimum Support Price (MSP) for Kharif crops for the 2026-27 marketing season on May 13, 2026. The MSP for common variety paddy was increased from ₹2,369 to ₹2,441 per quintal, while the MSP for Grade A paddy was increased from ₹2,389 to ₹2,461 per quintal. The MSP for short-staple cotton was increased from ₹7,710 to ₹8,267 per quintal, and long-staple cotton from ₹8,110 to ₹8,667 per quintal. The MSP for Bajra was increased to ₹2,900, for Ragi to ₹5,205, and for Maize to ₹2,410 per quintal. The Cabinet Committee also approved the Ahmedabad (Sarkhej)-Dholera semi-high-speed double railway line project in Gujarat at a cost of ₹20,667 crore, allowing trains to run at 220 kmph, which will be the first semi-high-speed railway project of Indian Railways using indigenous technology. The Union Cabinet also approved a project worth ₹37,500 crore to increase the conversion of coal and lignite into gas.

EPFO Introduces Automated Final PF Settlement

The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) announced that the process for withdrawing the final Provident Fund (PF) settlement will soon become fully automated. Central Provident Fund Commissioner Ramesh Krishnamurthy stated on May 13, 2026 that the amount will be directly credited to subscribers’ bank accounts immediately after application. At present, the automated system is available only for partial PF withdrawals up to ₹5 lakh, under which funds are released within 3 days. EPFO plans to extend this facility to the complete PF settlement process. The organisation also plans to introduce an automatic transfer facility for PF balances when employees move from one company to another, eliminating the need for separate applications. New rules related to EPFO are also expected to be released under the Central Government’s four new labour laws.

Airtel Launches ‘Airtel Secure Workforce’

Airtel, one of India’s leading telecommunications companies, launched a new digital security service named ‘Airtel Secure Workforce’ on May 13, 2026. The service is designed to provide security for the data and devices of employees working from offices and homes. The platform is based on the ‘Zero Trust’ technology framework and aims to help companies reduce digital security expenses by up to 30%. The service is monitored round the clock by Airtel experts and is designed in compliance with India’s Digital Personal Data Protection Act. Sharat Sinha, CEO of Airtel Business, stated that the service helps protect companies from AI-driven cyber-attacks and provides integrated monitoring of emails, applications, and internet usage through a single platform.

Cabinet Decisions on MSP and Coal Gasification

The Union Cabinet approved an increase in the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for Kharif crops for 2026. The MSP for paddy was increased by 3%, while the MSP for maize was increased by ₹10 per quintal. MSP for pulses, oilseeds, and nutri-cereal crops was increased by 4% to 9% compared to the previous year. The revised MSPs were fixed at least 50% above the cost of production under the A2+FL formula. The government estimated the total payout to farmers after the revision at ₹2.6 lakh crore. The Cabinet also approved a ₹37,500 crore coal and lignite gasification scheme with a target of achieving 100 million tonnes of coal gasification by 2030. Under the scheme, eligible projects will receive incentives covering up to 20% of plant and machinery costs, and the coal linkage tenure for such projects has been extended to 30 years. In the infrastructure sector, the Cabinet approved a new broad-gauge railway line project in Ahmedabad district, Gujarat, and also approved the development and maintenance of the Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport, Nagpur, under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.

Wipro Consumer Ventures Invests in Moi Soi

Wipro Consumer Care Ventures, the investment arm of Wipro Consumer Care and Lighting, announced an investment in Moi Soi, a premium pan-Asian food and beverage brand owned by Ceres Foods Pvt Ltd, on May 13, 2026. The investment was made jointly with GVFL and became the 16th investment of Wipro Consumer Ventures. It is also the first investment from its Fund II, launched with a corpus of ₹250 crore. Moi Soi, founded in October 2021, offers more than 32 products, including sauces, noodles, rice papers, ready-to-eat curries, and Asian beverages. The company currently supplies products to more than 2,000 pin codes across 250 cities in India and distributes over 6 lakh products every month. Prior to this investment, the company had raised $738,000 in a VC funding round in February 2022. Sumit Keshan, Managing Director of Wipro Consumer Ventures, and Deb Mukherjee, Founder of Moi Soi, were associated with the announcement.

Ixigo Launches AI Travel Assistant ‘Tara’

Ixigo, a Gurgaon-based online travel company, launched its AI-powered travel assistant ‘Tara’ on May 13, 2026 through the upgraded ixigoNext application. The AI-based assistant supports voice-based travel booking for flights and hotels in Hindi, English, and Hinglish. The app was developed as an AI-native platform by Ixigo Co-founders and Co-CEOs Aloke Bajpai and Rajnish Kumar. The application also introduced a feature called ‘Trip Mode’, which provides travel information such as tickets, boarding passes, gate details, baggage updates, and alerts in a single interface. The AI agents can send boarding passes through WhatsApp and support integration with Apple Wallet, Google Wallet, and Digi Yatra. The system also provides real-time monitoring of flight schedules, alerts for delays or cancellations, refund management, and hotel room readiness updates. The company stated that these AI features function on a permission-based system.

CBI Director Praveen Sood Tenure Extension

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved a one-year extension for CBI Director Praveen Sood, an 1986-batch IPS officer, beyond May 24, 2026, based on the recommendation of the Selection Committee. He had earlier received a one-year extension in May 2025 after completing his initial two-year tenure as CBI Director. The extension was approved following a high-level committee meeting chaired by the Prime Minister to decide on the appointment of the next CBI Director. During the selection process, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi submitted a dissent note alleging misuse of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and raising concerns over institutional functioning. He stated issues regarding lack of access to candidate appraisal documents, including self-assessment and 360-degree reports, and participation in evaluating 69 candidates during the committee process.

Cabinet Approves ₹37,500 Crore Coal Gasification Incentive Package

The Union Cabinet has approved a ₹37,500 crore financial package to promote coal gasification in India, aimed at converting coal into syngas (synthetic gas) for downstream applications such as urea production. The scheme targets the gasification of approximately 75 million tonnes of coal and lignite, contributing to the national goal of 100 million tonnes by 2030, and extends the coal linkage tenure up to 30 years to encourage long-term investment. The package also provides a financial incentive of up to 20% of the cost of plant and machinery, with a maximum incentive cap of ₹5,000 crore per project, while projects related to SNG (Synthetic Natural Gas) and urea can receive up to ₹9,000 crore, and an overall ceiling of ₹12,000 crore per entity across all categories. The government noted that India’s import expenditure on substitutes such as LNG, urea, ammonia, ammonium nitrate, methanol, and others stood at about ₹2.77 lakh crore in FY2025, highlighting the need to reduce import dependence through domestic production.

Tamil Nadu News

IAS Officers Transferred in Tamil Nadu

The Tamil Nadu Government on May 13, 2026 transferred 5 IAS officers and issued new appointments in various departments. T. Udayachandran, who served as the Additional Chief Secretary of the Finance Department, was appointed as the Chairman and Managing Director of the Tamil Nadu Industrial Investment Corporation (TIIC). Dr. Darez Ahamed, who served as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Guidance Bureau, was appointed as the Secretary of the Health and Family Welfare Department. Anu George, former third secretary to the Chief Minister, was appointed as the Secretary of the Animal Husbandry, Dairying, Fisheries and Fishermen Welfare Department. Mariam Pallavi Baldev, who served as the Special Secretary in the Industries and Commerce Department, was appointed as the Secretary of the Social Welfare and Women Empowerment Department. Kumar Jayant, former Chairman of TIIC, was appointed as the Chairman and Managing Director of Tamil Nadu Newsprint and Papers Limited (TNPL).

Asra Garg Appointed as Intelligence IG

Asra Garg was appointed as the Inspector General (IG) of the Intelligence Department of the Tamil Nadu Police on May 13, 2026. The appointment order was issued by Tamil Nadu Additional Chief Secretary K. Manivasan. Asra Garg was transferred from the post of North Zone IG to the Intelligence Department. A native of Patiala, Punjab, he was selected as a direct IPS officer in 2004 and allotted to the Tamil Nadu cadre. He started his career as Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) in Tirupattur, Vellore district, and later served as Superintendent of Police (SP) in Tirunelveli, Madurai, and Dharmapuri districts. After promotion as Deputy Inspector General (DIG), he served in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Delhi. He later served as South Zone IG and as Additional Commissioner of Police (North), Greater Chennai Police. The Chennai High Court had earlier appointed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by Asra Garg to investigate the case related to the death of 41 people at a meeting held in Karur, before the case was later transferred to the CBI.

Darez Ahamed Appointed as Health Secretary

The Tamil Nadu Government transferred 5 IAS officers and announced new appointments through an order issued by Chief Secretary S. Saikumar. Darez Ahamed, who served as the Managing Director of Guidance Tamil Nadu, was appointed as the Secretary of the Health Department. Anu George, who served as Secretary to the Chief Minister (Level-3), was appointed as the Secretary of the Animal Husbandry, Dairying, Fisheries and Fishermen Welfare Department. Mariam Pallavi Baldev, former Special Secretary of the Industries, Investment Promotion and Commerce Department, was appointed as the Secretary of the Social Welfare Department. Former Finance Secretary T. Udayachandran was appointed as the Chairman and Managing Director of the Tamil Nadu Industrial Investment Corporation (TIIC). Kumar Jayanth, who previously held the TIIC post, was appointed as the Chairman and Managing Director of Tamil Nadu Newsprint and Papers Limited (TNPL).

Reports and Indices

Tamil Nadu Leads in LEADS 2025 Report

The Central Government released the 2025 Logistics Ease Across Different States (LEADS) Report on May 13, 2026 in New Delhi. The report was released by Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal. According to the report, Tamil Nadu was placed among the top-performing coastal states in logistics and distribution under the “Achievers” category. Uttar Pradesh was recognised among landlocked states, Mizoram among North-Eastern states, and Delhi among Union Territories in the same category. The report highlighted the performance of these states in areas such as policy implementation, infrastructure, service delivery, and regulatory processes.

Global AI Spending to Cross $1 Trillion by 2030

According to a report by UnearthInsight titled “Worldwide Tech and AI/Gen AI Spend Analysis”, global spending on Artificial Intelligence (AI), Generative AI (GenAI) and Agentic AI solutions is expected to exceed 1 trillion US dollars by 2030. The report estimates that global GenAI spending will increase from 236 billion US dollars in 2026 to nearly 1.2 trillion US dollars by 2030, while total global technology spending is projected to cross 8.5 trillion US dollars during the same period. Enterprise AI platforms are expected to account for 40% of the market in 2026, while Agentic AI is projected to become the fastest-growing segment with over 80% CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate). The report states that the global technology industry is currently valued at around 6 trillion US dollars, including 1.6 trillion US dollars in AI infrastructure. North America leads global AI spending with nearly 62% market share in FY26, followed by Europe, West Asia and APAC regions. The report also highlights that AI spending in the BFSI (Banking, Financial Services and Insurance) sector increased from 3% in FY20 to 16% in FY26 of technology budgets, while companies earning over 10 billion US dollars contribute around 42% of the enterprise AI market.

Sports News

Gnaneswari Yadav Wins Two Medals

India’s Gnaneswari Yadav won a silver medal and a bronze medal at the Senior Asian Weightlifting Championships held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat on May 13, 2026. Competing in the women’s 53 kg category, she lifted a total of 194 kg, including 88 kg in Snatch and 106 kg in Clean and Jerk. She won the bronze medal in the overall category and a separate silver medal in the Snatch event. China’s Jinlan Zhao won the gold medal with a total lift of 216 kg, while Vietnam’s Hoai Huong Nguyen secured silver with 195 kg. Gnaneswari Yadav’s medals marked India’s second medal in the championship after Komal Kohar won a bronze medal on the opening day.

Hockey India Does Not Renew Contract of Junior Team Coach P.R. Sreejesh

Hockey India has decided not to renew the contract of former India goalkeeper and junior men’s hockey team chief coach P.R. Sreejesh, who took charge after his retirement following the Paris Olympics. Under his coaching, India secured a bronze medal at the Junior World Cup, marking the country’s first medal in the tournament since the 2016 title win, after a gap of nine years. Sreejesh had been working without a formal contract since December 2025. The federation is reported to be considering a foreign coach, with preference indicated for French coach Aymeric Bergamo, who guided France to third place in the 2021 Junior World Cup. The decision comes amid discussions within Hockey India regarding coordination between junior and senior teams and the structural alignment of coaching systems.

International News

Donald Trump Visits China

US President Donald Trump arrived in Beijing, China on May 13, 2026 for a three-day state visit. During the visit, Trump is scheduled to hold talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping on issues including trade agreements, the Iran war, Taiwan, semiconductor chips, and rare earth minerals. Trump was received at the Beijing airport by Chinese Vice President Han Zheng. Several American business leaders accompanied Trump, including Tesla founder Elon Musk, Apple CEO Tim Cook, and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. The visit is expected to focus on expanding access for American companies in the Chinese market, reducing the US trade deficit, and increasing exports of Boeing aircraft and agricultural products to China. Discussions are also expected on the role of semiconductor chips in Artificial Intelligence (AI) development and on the supply of rare earth minerals required for aircraft and mobile phone manufacturing. The visit also includes discussions related to the Iran conflict and US arms sales to Taiwan.

Baltimore Bridge Crash Settlement Case

The State of Maryland has approved a $2.25 billion settlement with Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Pte Ltd., the owner and operator of the Indian-manned container ship Dali, which collided with a bridge in Baltimore in March 2024. The settlement is reported as the highest shipping damage compensation in history. Earlier, in October 2024, the companies had agreed to pay $102 million to U.S. federal agencies, while the total estimated loss from the accident is around $5 billion. The U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) has filed criminal charges against Synergy Marine and its employee Radhakrishnan Karthick Nair, citing maintenance-related failures leading to onboard blackouts, including a loose electrical wire and faulty fuel pump. The company has disputed the allegations, attributing the cause to manufacturing defects and referring to findings of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

Economy News

WazirX Launches Crypto Futures Trading

WazirX, a Mumbai-based cryptocurrency platform, launched Crypto Futures Trading in India on May 13, 2026. The platform introduced futures trading with a maker fee of 0.02% and a taker fee of 0.04%, without any volume threshold requirement. Users can directly trade using the Indian Rupee without converting the amount into USDT. Nischal Shetty, Founder of WazirX, stated that the company launched the service considering the rapid growth of futures trading in India. Initially, around 35 crypto assets have been listed for trading, and the number is expected to increase beyond 100 assets in the coming weeks. The platform also introduced 10x leverage for traders.

Agrizy Launches GenAI Product Development Platform

Agrizy, a technology-driven Contract Research, Development and Manufacturing Organisation (CRDMO) based in Mangaluru, has launched a proprietary GenAI-powered formulation platform for global food, beverage and wellness brands. The platform converts product concepts into manufacturing-ready formulations within minutes and is expected to reduce New Product Development (NPD) timelines and costs by up to 40%. It provides ingredient quantities, cost estimates, nutritional and allergen analysis, compliance checks and lab documentation. The platform supports product development through inputs such as product category, packaging, target cost, shelf life and formulation preferences. It also includes an integrated AI Copilot for continuous optimisation of ingredients and compliance. Agrizy stated that the platform is built with India-specific ingredient standards linked to FSSAI, FDA and EFSA regulations. Approved formulations are tested in Agrizy’s in-house laboratories. Arun Markish, Co-Founder and CTO of Agrizy, stated that the platform helps R&D teams improve formulation accuracy and accelerate product development.

States’ News

Telangana EV Charging Expansion Plan

The Telangana Government has announced a plan to establish 600 Electric Vehicle (EV) charging and battery swapping stations over the next three years, with a target of increasing the total number to 12,000 stations by 2035. The Telangana Renewable Energy Development Corporation has been designated as the nodal agency for EV charging infrastructure and has introduced a single-window clearance mechanism for approvals. According to Naveen Mittal, Special Chief Secretary of the Telangana Energy Department, a total of 1,244 approvals have been issued through this system. The corporation has also invited Expressions of Interest (EoI) under the Central Government’s PM E-Drive initiative for setting up charging stations. At present, 1,063 EV charging stations are operational in Telangana, including around 600 stations in Hyderabad. The state has registered over 2.8 lakh electric vehicles, with 91,572 new EV registrations recorded during the 2025-26 financial year.

Important Days

World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD)

May 14 is observed as World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD), an international awareness campaign highlighting the importance of migratory birds and the need for their conservation. It is celebrated twice a year (second Saturday in May and October) to emphasize the protection of bird habitats and global ecological balance. The day is coordinated by the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) and Environment for the Americas, focusing on raising awareness about threats such as habitat loss, climate change, and pollution affecting migratory birds.