1. World’s First Permanent Nuclear Waste Vault in Finland
Finland has officially commenced operations at Onkalo, the world’s first permanent deep geological repository for spent nuclear fuel.
- Location: Located on the island of Olkiluoto, near the Olkiluoto Nuclear Power Plant in western Finland.
- Design: The facility is excavated 400–450 meters deep into 1.9 billion-year-old stable granite bedrock.
- Security: Spent fuel will be sealed in copper canisters, surrounded by bentonite clay, and buried in tunnels designed to remain secure for 100,000 years.
- Significance: This project serves as a global blueprint for managing high-level radioactive waste, fulfilling Finland's 1994 policy to dispose of waste within its own borders.
2. Indian Army to Host First Edition of 'Exercise Pragati'
The Indian Army is set to host the inaugural edition of the multilateral military exercise "Pragati" at the Foreign Training Node in Umroi, Meghalaya, from May 18 to 31, 2026.
- Participating Nations: 11 friendly countries including Laos, Myanmar, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Nepal, Maldives, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Bhutan.
- Primary Focus: Counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations.
- Defense Diplomacy: The exercise marks a shift toward "consortium-style" engagements and includes a two-day Defense Industry Exhibition to showcase indigenous Indian military hardware to ASEAN and IOR partners.
3. SkyHop Aviation to Launch India’s First Commercial Seaplane Service
SkyHop Aviation, founded by Avani Singh, has received the Air Operator Certificate (AOC) from the DGCA to launch India's first dedicated commercial seaplane service.
- Focus Area: The first phase will focus on Lakshadweep, connecting five islands in the archipelago with each other and the mainland.
- The Aircraft: Operations will begin using a modified 19-seater De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter, which was retrofitted with floats in India—a first for the domestic aviation industry.
- Strategic Goal: The service aims to boost tourism and provide "last-mile" connectivity to remote waterfront locations where traditional airports are unviable.
4. Successful Salvo Launch of Naval Anti-Ship Missile (NASM-SR)
The DRDO and the Indian Navy successfully conducted the maiden salvo launch of the indigenous Naval Anti-Ship Missile – Short Range (NASM-SR) on April 29, 2026.
- Test Site: Off the coast of Odisha in the Bay of Bengal.
- The Achievement: Two missiles were fired in quick succession from a Sea King helicopter, demonstrating "salvo firing" capability—a tactic used to saturate and overwhelm a target's defenses.
- Missile Specs: The NASM-SR is a fire-and-forget missile with a 100 kg warhead and a 55 km range. It demonstrated a "waterline hit" capability, striking the most vulnerable part of a target vessel.
- Indigenous Tech: Critical subsystems like the seeker, navigation, and guidance were developed by Hyderabad-based Research Center Imarat (RCI) and other DRDO labs.
