diff --git a/.ci/bwcVersions b/.ci/bwcVersions
index 87be66060d506..600ea977e9561 100644
--- a/.ci/bwcVersions
+++ b/.ci/bwcVersions
@@ -58,3 +58,4 @@ BWC_VERSION:
   - "2.4.0"
   - "2.4.1"
   - "2.4.2"
+  - "2.5.0"
diff --git a/buildSrc/version.properties b/buildSrc/version.properties
index 13c901918c068..f5e32a3b5375a 100644
--- a/buildSrc/version.properties
+++ b/buildSrc/version.properties
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-opensearch        = 2.5.0
+opensearch        = 2.6.0
 lucene            = 9.4.2
 
 bundled_jdk_vendor = adoptium
diff --git a/server/src/main/java/org/opensearch/Version.java b/server/src/main/java/org/opensearch/Version.java
index 6c105a6233126..ae5d287a4d733 100644
--- a/server/src/main/java/org/opensearch/Version.java
+++ b/server/src/main/java/org/opensearch/Version.java
@@ -106,7 +106,8 @@ public class Version implements Comparable<Version>, ToXContentFragment {
     public static final Version V_2_4_1 = new Version(2040199, org.apache.lucene.util.Version.LUCENE_9_4_2);
     public static final Version V_2_4_2 = new Version(2040299, org.apache.lucene.util.Version.LUCENE_9_4_2);
     public static final Version V_2_5_0 = new Version(2050099, org.apache.lucene.util.Version.LUCENE_9_4_2);
-    public static final Version CURRENT = V_2_5_0;
+    public static final Version V_2_6_0 = new Version(2060099, org.apache.lucene.util.Version.LUCENE_9_4_2);
+    public static final Version CURRENT = V_2_6_0;
 
     public static Version readVersion(StreamInput in) throws IOException {
         return fromId(in.readVInt());