GK One-Liners

What: Lieutenant General NS Raja Subramani was announced on 9 May 2026 as India’s 3rd Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and Secretary of the Department of Military Affairs (DMA). He will assume charge on 31 May 2026, succeeding General Anil Chauhan. He belongs to the Garhwal Rifles and was commissioned in December 1985.

How: Prior to this appointment, Lt Gen Subramani served as Military Adviser to the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) since 1 September 2025. The CDS heads the Department of Military Affairs and acts as the Permanent Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee (CoSC), ensuring tri-service integration.

Why: The CDS position was created in December 2019 following the Kargil Review Committee recommendations to enhance jointness among the Army, Navy, and Air Force. This appointment is relevant for UPSC Prelims (Defence & Security), CDS exam, and State PSC General Studies on India’s military reforms and institutional governance.

What: Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan has been appointed as the 27th Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) of the Indian Navy. He will assume charge on 31 May 2026, succeeding Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi. He was commissioned on 1 July 1987 and is a specialist in Communication and Electronic Warfare.

How: Prior to this appointment, Vice Admiral Swaminathan served as Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-in-C) of the Western Naval Command, Mumbai since 31 July 2025. He has also commanded INS Vikramaditya, India’s premier aircraft carrier, reflecting his seniority and operational expertise.

Why: Naval appointments, especially the CNS, are regularly asked in competitive exams like UPSC Prelims, NDA, and CDS under Current Affairs and Defence. The simultaneous change of CDS and CNS on the same date (31 May 2026) is a high-probability exam fact. Note the distinction: CNS heads the Indian Navy; CDS heads the integrated tri-services structure.

What: Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Achal, the 5th vessel in the Adamya-class Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV) series, was commissioned on 9 May 2026 at Goa. The name ‘Achal’ means ‘firm’ or ‘immovable’ in Sanskrit. It is 51 metres long, has a top speed of 27 knots, and an endurance of 1,500 nautical miles.

How: The vessel was built by Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL), a public-sector defence shipyard. It is armed with a 30 mm CRN-91 gun and two 12.7 mm guns and has over 50% indigenous content. It was commissioned by A. Anbarasu, IAS, Additional Secretary and DG (Acquisition), Ministry of Defence (MoD), and will be stationed at Vadinar, Gujarat under Coast Guard Region (North-West).

Why: This vessel is significant for India’s maritime security, particularly in the Arabian Sea and Gulf of Kutch region. The indigenous content highlights India’s ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ (self-reliant India) defence manufacturing push. Questions on Coast Guard vessels, GSL, and India’s fleet targets (~200 surface platforms by 2030) are relevant for UPSC, CDS, and SSB examinations.

What: The Jan Suraksha Schemes — Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY), Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY), and Atal Pension Yojana (APY) — completed 11 years on 9 May 2026. Together they cover over 94 crore enrolments: PMJJBY at 27.43 crore, PMSBY at 58.09 crore, and APY at 9.04 crore (as of April 2026).

How: PMJJBY provides life insurance cover of ₹2 lakh for death due to any cause at a low premium, administered by Life Insurance Corporation (LIC). PMSBY offers accidental death and disability cover of ₹2 lakh at a premium of less than ₹2/month, administered by the Ministry of Finance through Public Sector General Insurance Companies (PSGICs). APY, regulated by the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) under the National Pension System (NPS), provides a guaranteed pension of ₹1,000–₹5,000/month after age 60.

Why: These schemes are central to India’s financial inclusion and social security agenda and frequently appear in UPSC, banking, and SSC exams. Key facts to remember: launch date (9 May 2015, Kolkata), administering bodies, premium amounts, and coverage amounts. PMSBY’s enrolment of 58.09 crore makes it the largest of the three.

What: Vietnam’s President To Lam visited India from 5–7 May 2026, during which bilateral ties were elevated to an Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP). The two nations signed 13 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) covering digital technologies, culture, health regulation, education, and tourism, along with 27 cooperation agreements at the India-Vietnam Business Forum in Mumbai.

How: The visit included meetings with President Droupadi Murmu and Minister of State for Science & Technology (MoS&T) Dr Jitendra Singh. The Business Forum was held at the National Stock Exchange (NSE) in Mumbai. A bilateral trade target of USD 25 billion by 2030 was set, reflecting a significant push to deepen economic ties between the two countries.

Why: India-Vietnam relations are strategically important in the context of India’s Act East Policy and the Indo-Pacific framework. Elevating ties to Enhanced CSP signals deepened engagement. This is relevant for UPSC Mains (GS II: International Relations), as well as Prelims Current Affairs. Key facts: 13 MoUs, 27 agreements, USD 25 billion trade target by 2030, Enhanced CSP.

What: On 9 May 2026, Kuljeet Kaur Marhas became the first Indian woman to be elected Fellow of The Meteoritical Society (2026). The Meteoritical Society is an international scientific organisation dedicated to the study of meteorites, planetary science, and the origin of the solar system. It was founded in 1933.

How: Fellowship in The Meteoritical Society is awarded to individuals who have made significant, sustained contributions to the fields of meteoritics and planetary science — including research on meteorites, asteroids, comets, and the formation of planetary bodies. Marhas’s election places her among an elite group of global researchers in this niche but high-importance field.

Why: This achievement represents a landmark moment for Indian women in planetary science. Such ‘first Indian’ milestones are high-frequency questions in UPSC Prelims, state PSC exams, and current affairs rounds of banking exams. Key fact: first Indian woman Fellow of The Meteoritical Society (founded 1933), announced 9 May 2026.