IndiaAI, the Government of India’s flagship initiative under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), implemented through the Digital India Corporation (DIC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), India’s apex body for biomedical and health research.
The MoU establishes a structured framework for collaboration, bringing together IndiaAI’s technology infrastructure and AI ecosystem capabilities with ICMR’s deep domain expertise in biomedical research and public health. The partnership aims to create a nationally coherent and interoperable AI ecosystem for healthcare in India.
India and Japan strengthened their strategic partnership in science and technology with the exchange of key agreements in the fields of healthcare innovation and emerging technologies during a high-level bilateral meeting in the national capital.
The discussion expanded cooperation across critical and frontier technologies, with the exchange of a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) in the field of health and medical devices between the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED), the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), and India’s Department of Science and Technology (DST).
A Letter of Intent (LoI) on cooperation in Quantum Science and Technology was also signed between Japan’s Cabinet Office and India’s DST, marking a significant step toward collaboration in next-generation technologies such as quantum computing and secure communication systems.
A delegation from Canada's Cape Breton University (CBU) has signed three memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with Indian academic institutions as part of a multi-city outreach to deepen higher education partnerships.
Led by CBU president and vice-chancellor David C Dingwall, the delegation visited New Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, Vadodara and Ahmedabad as one of the university's most extensive engagements in India. The delegation visited Indian cities from April 27 to May 2.
India’s economic growth is expected to moderate in 2026-27 amid the ongoing West Asia conflict, with GDP projected at 6.6% compared with 7.1% projected earlier. Retail inflation is projected to rise to an average of 5.1% from 2% in FY26, according to S&P Global’s “India Forward” report.
The report highlights that the conflict is exerting broad-based pressure on key macroeconomic indicators, including growth, inflation, current account balance and bond yields. Elevated crude oil prices—expected to stabilise around $90-95 per barrel—are seen as a key transmission channel affecting the economy.
Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace on May 7, 2026 announced that it had become India's first space-tech unicorn following its latest round of funding of nearly USD 60 million, taking its valuation to$1.1 billion.
The funding was provided by Sherpalo Ventures, Singapore's sovereign wealth fund GIC, the founders of Greenko Group and Arkam Ventures, among others.
The funding round comes at a time when Skyroot is preparing to launch Vikram-1, India's first privately developed orbital rocket, for its maiden flight.
The rocket is designed to provide dedicated and customisable access to space for global satellite operators.
The National Statistics Office (NSO) on Thursday notified uniform guidelines for compiling gross state value added (GSVA), with 2022–23 as the new base year, in a move aimed at making state-level economic estimates more accurate, comparable, and better aligned with the current structure of the economy.
The government has launched JANANI (Journey of Antenatal, Natal and Neonatal Integrated Care), a QR-enabled digital healthcare platform to track maternal and child health services, an official statement said.
According to the government, the platform will comprehensively monitor and maintain digital health records of women during their reproductive years, including antenatal care, delivery preparedness, delivery, postnatal care, newborn care, home-based newborn and young child care and family planning.
The new system is developed as an upgraded version of the existing RCH portal and creates a longitudinal health record by capturing key service delivery events across the continuum of care.
The platform enables continuous monitoring, timely interventions and strengthens service delivery at every stage of child care, the government said.
JANANI also enables integration with national platforms such as U-WIN and POSHAN, thereby facilitating seamless data exchange, improved coordination across programmes, and comprehensive monitoring of beneficiaries across sectors.
The platform enables registration of beneficiaries using unique identifiers such as ABHA, Aadhaar (OTP and biometric), and mobile number, along with pan-India search functionality.
Till date, JANANI has achieved 1.34 crore beneficiary registrations, over 30 lakh pregnant women registrations, more than 30 lakh MCH cards generated, and over 1 lakh biometric verifications.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has cleared Kotak Mahindra Bank’s proposal to raise its stake in both AU Small Finance Bank and Federal Bank, allowing it to hold up to 9.99 per cent in each lender.
The approval, confirmed through separate regulatory filings by AU Small Finance Bank and Federal Bank, follows an RBI communication dated May 6.
AU Small Finance Bank said the central bank has permitted Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd (KMBL), along with its subsidiaries and funds managed by them, to expand its investment in the lender within defined limits.
Federal Bank made a similar disclosure in its BSE filing, stating that it has also received RBI approval allowing Kotak Mahindra Bank to increase its "aggregate holding" in the bank up to 9.99 per cent of paid-up capital or voting rights.
NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Shri Suman Bery and CEO Smt. Nidhi Chhibber released a policy report titled ‘School Education System in India: Temporal Analysis and Policy Roadmap for Quality Enhancement’ on May 6, 2026.
The report is a policy document that presents a comprehensive, decade-long analysis of India's School Education System across key parameters such as access and enrolment, infrastructure, equity and inclusion, and learning outcomes.
On 2 March 2010, by resolution 64/257, the General Assembly invited all Member States, organizations of the United Nations system, non-governmental organizations and individuals to observe 8-9 May in an appropriate manner to pay tribute to all victims of the Second World War.
A special solemn meeting of the General Assembly in commemoration of all victims of the war was held in the second week of May 2010, marking the sixty-fifth anniversary of the end of the Second World War.
A special solemn meeting, marking the eightieth anniversary of the Second World War, was held on 7 May 2025 (A/RES/79/272).
World Ovarian Cancer Day 2026 will be observed on 8 May 2026.
It is marked on 8 May every year. The day encourages women to learn about symptoms that should not be ignored, especially when they are new, persistent, or unusual for their body.
World Ovarian Cancer Day is a global awareness day dedicated to ovarian cancer. It brings together healthcare professionals, survivors, caregivers, families, and awareness groups to speak openly about this serious women’s health condition.
CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (NIScPR) signed a MoU with Research and Information System for the Developing Countries (RIS) on 6 May 2026 to strengthen collaboration in science, technology, innovation policy and diplomacy through joint research, policy analysis, capacity building and knowledge sharing.
The partnership will promote work in science policy, communication, diplomacy and traditional knowledge, along with joint projects, publications, policy dialogues, workshops and outreach for inclusive and sustainable development.
On the occasion, all the dignitaries released three valuable documents “India-Republic of Korea S&T Cooperation: Co-Creating the Future” (Sanjeev K. Varshney, Amit Kumar and Sneha Sinha); “Proceeding of Workshop on Strengthening India's Semiconductor Ecosystem: Policies, Challenges and Opportunities”,
(Dr. Shiv Narayan Nishad, Dr. Vipan Kumar, Dr. Naresh Kumar, Dr. Sandhiya Lakshmanan) and policy bulletin: “The key drivers of particulate pollution from road transportation in Indian states” (Dr. Sandhya Lakshmanan).
