Defence Current Affairs MCQs

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Wing Commander Akshay Saxena of the Indian Air Force received the Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry) for supporting the Navy’s anti-piracy operations. The mission was part of Operation Sankalp, launched by the Indian Navy on March 16 last year in the Arabian Sea. The operation aimed to counter piracy and Houthi rebel threats to merchant vessels in the Indian Ocean. Key areas of operation included the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, and off the East Coast of Somalia. The Navy saved lives, seized narcotics, and rescued hijacked merchant vessels during the operation.

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India has finalized a Rs 3,800 crore deal to export BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to Indonesia after supplying them to the Philippines. The BrahMos missile is a joint venture between India and Russia. The missile is developed by the Indian Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Russian Federation’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya. It is named after the Brahmaputra River in India and the Moscow River in Russia. The base version has a 290 km range while the extended range (ER) version reaches 800-900 km

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The 13th edition of the India-Maldives military exercise ‘Ekuverin’ held in Maldives from 2-15 February 2025. The opening ceremony took place at the MNDF Official Composite Training Center in Maafilaafushi on 2 February 2025. ‘Ekuverin’ means ‘Friends’ in the Dhivehi language. It is an annual bilateral exercise, held alternately in India and the Maldives since 2009. The 12th edition was held in Chaubatia, Uttarakhand, from June 11-24, 2023. A platoon-level contingent from both nations participates. The exercise enhances coordination for counter-insurgency, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief operations.

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The Defence Ministry signed contracts worth ₹10,147 crore for ammunition for the Army’s Pinaka Multiple Rocket Launch Systems (MRLS). Pinaka is a battle-proven, all-weather artillery weapon system developed by DRDO’s Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE). It was first used in the Kargil War to neutralize enemy positions. The system delivers rapid and accurate fire on critical enemy targets. Each launcher carries 12 rockets, and a battery has six launchers (72 rockets total). It has a range of 60 to 75 km and can fire high-explosive and submunition warheads.

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Russia has proposed a partnership with India for joint production of the Su-57 fighter jet at HAL. The collaboration aims to localize fifth-generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) technology. The Su-57 is a fifth-generation stealth fighter developed by Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation (UAC). It is designed for both air superiority and ground attack roles. The aircraft features advanced stealth, agility, and multi-role combat capabilities. The Su-57 was primarily developed for the Russian Air Force.

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The US President signed an Executive Order to develop an Iron Dome-style missile defense system to protect against ballistic, hypersonic, and cruise missiles. Iron Dome is Israel’s short-range air defense system that intercepts rockets in the air. It is developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries. It functions in all weather conditions, day and night.

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The Indian Navy and DRDO successfully tested the Naval Anti-Ship Missile – Short Range (NASM-SR) on 25 February 2025. The missile was launched from the Indian Navy’s Sea King Mk 42B helicopter at the Integrated Test Range in Chandipur, Odisha. NASM-SR is India’s first indigenously developed air-launched anti-ship missile with a sea-skimming capability. DRDO confirmed the successful validation of the missile’s Man-in-Loop feature, allowing real-time target selection and in-flight retargeting.

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The U.S. Air Force is considering deploying the Harpoon anti-ship missile on its F-16s, signaling a shift in naval warfare strategy. The Harpoon (RGM-84/UGM-84/AGM-84) is a subsonic anti-ship cruise missile developed by Boeing for the U.S. Navy. Introduced in 1977, it is used by over 30 countries, including India. It has a range of 90-240 km and can be launched from ships, submarines, shore batteries, and aircraft.

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Sweden has chosen the Taurus KEPD-350 cruise missile to enhance its Gripen fighter jets’ long-range strike capabilities. The Taurus KEPD-350 is an air-launched, precision-guided missile designed for deep penetration and high-accuracy attacks. The Taurus KEPD-350 missile is developed by a joint venture between Germany and Sweden, specifically by “Taurus Systems GmbH”, which is a partnership between MBDA Deutschland GmbH (Germany) and Saab Bofors Dynamics (Sweden). The missile can bypass dense air defense systems and destroy heavily fortified ground targets. It has been in operational service since 2005 and is used by the air forces of Germany, Spain, and South Korea.

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DRDO has unveiled the BM-04, a short-range ballistic missile with hypersonic speed. It enhances India’s military capability against anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) threats. The missile has a range of 400 to 1500 km and carries a 500 kg warhead. It has high accuracy with a circular error probability (CEP) of less than 30 metres. Designed for quick deployment using a mobile launcher. It places India among the few nations with hypersonic missile technology. BM-04 shares design similarities with Agni I-class missiles, showing progress in hypersonic weaponry.