Daily Current Affairs – 29-05-2026

States’ News

Karnataka Chief Minister Resignation

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah resigned from his post on May 28, 2026, following the decision of the Congress high command to implement a rotational power-sharing arrangement in the state. D.K. Shivakumar, who was serving as the Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka, is expected to become the new Chief Minister. Siddaramaiah served as Chief Minister during 2008–2013 and again from 2023–2026, completing a total of 8 years in office, the longest tenure for a Chief Minister in Karnataka. Before submitting his resignation, Siddaramaiah met ministers and legislators at the official Chief Minister’s residence Kaveri in Bengaluru. He later submitted his resignation letter at the Raj Bhavan, Bengaluru, to the Special Secretary of Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, who was away in Madhya Pradesh. After the resignation, Siddaramaiah and D.K. Shivakumar travelled to New Delhi to meet senior Congress leaders including Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, and Rahul Gandhi regarding the formation of the new government and cabinet. Reports indicated that the new ministry may include four Deputy Chief Ministers and representation for youth and new members.

Reports and Indices

ADR Report on Regional Parties’ Income

According to a report released by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) based on audit data published on the Election Commission of India website, the income of recognized regional political parties declined by 51.57% in the financial year 2024–25. Out of 67 recognized state parties, only 36 parties submitted their annual audit reports, while parties including DMK, Shiv Sena, Shiv Sena (Thackeray), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and Jammu and Kashmir National Conference failed to submit reports before the deadline of October 31. The total income of the 36 parties in 2024–25 was ₹1,192.94 crore, compared to ₹2,463.17 crore in 2023–24, showing a decline of ₹1,270.23 crore. The total expenditure of these parties was ₹1,433.07 crore, which was about 20% higher than their total income. Five major regional parties accounted for 69% of the total income and 77% of the total expenditure. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) reported the highest income of ₹228.31 crore, followed by the Trinamool Congress with ₹219.35 crore and the YSR Congress Party with ₹140.39 crore. The YSR Congress Party reported expenditure exceeding its income by ₹340.20 crore. Among the 36 parties, 21 parties spent more than their income during the financial year.

WMO Report on Global Temperature Rise

According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) report titled “Global Annual-to-Decadal Update”, prepared by the United Kingdom Met Office, global temperatures are expected to remain at or near record levels until 2030. The report estimates that the global mean near-surface temperature during 2026–2030 will be 1.3°C to 1.9°C higher than the 1850–1900 average. It also states that there is an 86% probability that at least one year between 2026 and 2030 will be warmer than 2024, which is currently the warmest year on record. The report indicates a 91% chance that global temperatures will temporarily exceed the 1.5°C threshold above pre-industrial levels during at least one year in this period. In 2024, the global average surface temperature was approximately 1.55°C above the pre-industrial baseline. The report further notes that there is a 75% probability that the average temperature for 2026–2030 will exceed 1.5°C, while the chance of temperatures exceeding 2°C is less than 1%. The report also highlights increasing chances of El Niño conditions by 2027, especially in the Nino 3.4 region of the central tropical Pacific Ocean. The Paris Agreement climate targets of 1.5°C and 2°C are based on long-term warming trends measured over about 20 years.

National News

Air India–Indian Army Employment Agreement

Air India, owned by the Tata Group, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Army on May 28, 2026, to provide employment opportunities for the wives and children of soldiers who died in battle. Under the first phase of the initiative, jobs will be provided to the wives of 20 deceased army personnel and 40 children from their families through Air India SATS Airport Services. The beneficiaries will be employed in sectors including airport operations and customer service, with professional training related to the aviation industry. The programme also includes the establishment of vocational training centres in 25 ‘Asha’ schools run by the Indian Army for the education and rehabilitation of children with disabilities. A pilot project has already been launched in 10 schools, and it will later be expanded to the remaining 15 schools.

India’s Indigenous 5th-Generation Fighter Jet Project

The Ministry of Defence has selected Tata, Larsen & Toubro (L&T), and Bharat Forge in partnership with BEML for India’s indigenous 5th-generation fighter aircraft project for the Indian Air Force. The project aims to manufacture a modern medium-weight fighter aircraft with twin engines and stealth technology capable of avoiding radar detection. The aircraft will include advanced features such as sensor fusion, artificial intelligence-based systems, advanced weapons, and network-centric warfare capability. The project is expected to become the backbone of the Indian Air Force’s combat capability after 2030. The foundation stone for the project’s ₹16,000 crore infrastructure facility was laid on May 15, 2026, in Sathya Sai district, Andhra Pradesh, by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.

IAF–IIT Bombay AI Project for Su-30 MKI

The Indian Air Force (IAF) signed three agreements with IIT-Bombay to develop a ‘health index’ for the engines of Su-30 MKI fighter aircraft undergoing midlife maintenance. The project aims to reduce engine service costs, improve operational availability, and extend engine life. IIT-Bombay is developing an AI digital twin model for diagnostics and prognostics of gas turbine engines used in the Russian-origin Su-30 MKI fighter jets. The project is being carried out by the Centre for Machine Intelligence and Data Science (C-MInDS) and the Mechanical Engineering Department of IIT-Bombay under the guidance of Professor Asim Tewari. The AI model uses a physics-informed AI model to monitor personalised engine health parameters and predict maintenance requirements. The Indian Air Force currently operates around 260 Su-30 MKI aircraft. The initiative is part of the IAF’s objective of “minimal human intervention, maximum combat potential” through AI and robotics-based automation in aircraft maintenance. IIT-Bombay is also working on similar AI digital twin models for helicopters and radar systems.

India’s First Stratospheric Super-Pressure Balloon

Red Balloon Aerospace launched Mission Sana, India’s first private high-altitude stratospheric super-pressure balloon carrying commercial payloads from seven national and international partners. The company’s Vista platform was launched from Indira Gandhi Stadium, Vijayawada, and reached an altitude of about 25 km above the Earth. The start-up is developing stratospheric platforms, tethered aerostats, and stratospheric airship systems for near-space applications. The mission placed India among five countries with indigenous stratospheric hydrogen balloon capability, alongside the United States, France, Japan, and China. The stratosphere, located between 20 km and 50 km, is considered strategically important for telecommunications, disaster monitoring, Earth observation, surveillance, and non-terrestrial network (NTN) connectivity. Unlike conventional near-space platforms, the Vista platform can remain operational for weeks or months.

Bengaluru Airport Becomes India’s Second Busiest Domestic Airport

According to Airport Authority of India (AAI) data for April, Bengaluru Airport has overtaken Mumbai Airport to become the second busiest airport in India for domestic passenger traffic. Bengaluru recorded 3.17 million domestic passengers, while Mumbai registered a 12.1% decline to 2.89 million passengers along with a 3.3% fall in domestic aircraft movements. The shift in ranking is linked to capacity expansion at Bengaluru Airport and diversion of traffic to Navi Mumbai Airport, which began operations in December and handled 5.24 lakh passengers, making it the 10th busiest domestic airport. Navi Mumbai recorded a 2.3 times growth in March-April traffic and saw rerouting of flights by airlines including IndiGo, with destinations such as Ayodhya, Agra, Hindon, Jabalpur, and Tirupati shifted from Mumbai to Navi Mumbai. Bengaluru Airport has expanded with the addition of a second runway in 2019 and a second terminal in 2022, and is being developed as a hub by airlines including Air India Group and IndiGo, with Bengaluru becoming IndiGo’s second-largest hub after Delhi. While Mumbai retains a higher overall passenger count due to international traffic, Bengaluru leads in domestic operations.

Gir Forest Lion Infection Control Measures

In Gujarat’s Gir Forest, after the death of four Asiatic lion cubs due to suspected infection, the Forest Department of Gujarat isolated 17 lions under intensive veterinary monitoring and launched disease-control and surveillance operations across Gir, Amreli, and Bhavnagar regions. A review meeting was held in Gandhinagar under Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, where forest officials submitted reports on the deaths and containment measures. The cub deaths were reported from different parts of Gir, prompting immediate medical surveillance and deployment of special monitoring teams in Gir, Gadhada, and Babaria, focusing on areas within a 10-km radius of the affected zones. Authorities reported no new infection symptoms among monitored lions, but surveillance was strengthened to prevent possible spread. Wildlife health monitoring was also expanded to Amreli and Bhavnagar districts, where veterinary teams are conducting continuous screening, behavioural observation, and early disease detection among Asiatic lions. As a preventive measure, more than 350 lions underwent de-ticking operations.

Personalities, Awards and Events

UN Awards for Indian Peacekeepers

The United Nations Peacekeeping Force, established in 1948, currently has about 97,000 personnel from 120 UN member countries, including nearly 5,000 Indian soldiers. On the occasion of UN Peacekeepers Day observed annually on May 29, the “Dag Hammarskjöld Medal” was announced for Indian soldiers Harbhajan Singh and Sujit Kumar Pradhan, who lost their lives while serving in UN peacekeeping missions in Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan respectively. The awards will be presented at the United Nations Headquarters in New York by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. In addition, Indian Army officer Major Abhilasha Barak, serving in the UN Peacekeeping Force in Lebanon, was selected for the “Military Gender Advocate of the Year” award for her work related to women’s safety and development.

Tamil Nadu News

P. Jawahar Appointed MPEDA Chairman

P. Jawahar, an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, has assumed charge as the Chairman of the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA). Before this appointment, he served as the Chief Electoral Officer and Commissioner/Secretary to the Government of Puducherry. He has administrative experience in sectors including industries, commerce, education, election administration, sustainable development, and public governance. He also has an academic background in agriculture, environmental science, and urban development. Under his leadership, MPEDA is expected to strengthen initiatives related to sustainable fisheries, aquaculture, infrastructure development, value addition, export competitiveness, innovation, global market expansion, quality assurance, traceability, and livelihood support in India’s seafood sector.