Defence Current Affairs MCQs

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The first rear fuselage for the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk1A, produced by private Indian firm Alpha Tocol Engineering Services, was handed over to HAL. It was developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). Tejas LCA Mk1A is an advanced version of India’s indigenous Light Combat Aircraft. It has over 40 improvements from the Tejas Mk1, enhancing combat and operational capabilities. The key upgrades are AESA radars (Israeli EL/M-2052 and Uttam), upgraded flight control computer, Unified Electronic Warfare Suite, and Advanced Self Protection Jammer pod. The aircraft has nine hardpoints for carrying weapons, including Beyond Visual Range (BVR) missiles and Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air missiles (ASRAAM).

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India celebrates CISF Raising Day on March 10 each year to honor the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). The 56th Raising Day was observed on March 10, 2025, in Thakkolam, Tamil Nadu. Union Home Minister Amit Shah attended as the chief guest, along with Union Minister Dr. L. Murugan and CISF Director General Rajvinder Singh Bhatti. CISF was founded in 1969 under the CISF Act of 1968 and initially had 3,129 personnel. Now, it has expanded to 1,77,713 personnel, securing ports, airports, industries, historical monuments, and key infrastructure. The day is marked by parades, cultural programs, and tributes to CISF personnel.

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The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) successfully tested India’s Astra Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM) from the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) AF MK1 prototype off Chandipur, Odisha. The Astra missile made a direct hit on a flying target, proving its accuracy and effectiveness. All missile subsystems performed optimally, meeting mission objectives. Developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Astra can engage targets over 100 km away with advanced guidance and navigation systems. Already inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF), it enhances India’s air defense. The test brings India closer to inducting the LCA AF MK1A variant and strengthening indigenous defense systems.

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The Indian Army’s Air Defence warriors from the White Tiger Division demonstrated their operational skills in a live missile-firing exercise using the 9K33 Osa-AK missile system. The 9K33 Osa-AK is a Russian-built, highly mobile, low-altitude, short-range tactical surface-to-air defence missile system. It was developed in the 1960s and fielded by the Soviet Union in 1972. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) designates it as “SA-8 Gecko.” The missile system has a length of 9.1 meters, a width of 2.78 meters, and weighs up to 18 tonnes. It integrates the transporter-erector-launcher and radar (TELAR) for independent detection, tracking, and engagement of aerial threats.

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India will commission its first dedicated nuclear submarine base, INS Varsha, in Andhra Pradesh in 2026 under Project Varsha. It is a secret naval infrastructure project by the Indian Navy, located near Rambilli, 50 km south of Visakhapatnam. The base will boost India’s maritime power in the Bay of Bengal and Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and counter China’s growing presence. INS Varsha will have underground submarine pens, tunnels, and space to dock 12 nuclear submarines safely. Its proximity to Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) Atchutapuram gives it access to advanced nuclear support.

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India successfully tested the Mk-II(A) Laser-Directed Energy Weapon (DEW), joining the US, China, and Russia as one of the few nations with this advanced technology. It is a 30-kilowatt laser-based weapon that can destroy helicopters, swarm drones, radars, and fixed-wing drones with high precision. It is developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and its lab Centre for High Energy Systems and Sciences (CHESS), Hyderabad, in collaboration with academic and industrial partners. It uses an Electro Optic (EO) system and radar to identify targets and fires a laser beam to cause structural failure in seconds. This system is fast, accurate, and helps avoid collateral damage, while also reducing the use of costly ammunition in combat.

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The 6th edition of the India-Uzbekistan Joint Military Exercise DUSTLIK-6 held at the Foreign Training Node in Aundh, Pune, Maharashtra. The Indian contingent includes 60 personnel from a Battalion of the JAT Regiment and the Indian Air Force (IAF). The Uzbekistan side is represented by personnel from the Uzbekistan Army. Exercise DUSTLIK is an annual military training held alternately in India and Uzbekistan. The aim is to exchange best practices in Tactics, Techniques and Procedures for Joint Sub-Conventional operations. It strengthens defence cooperation and improves bilateral relations between India and Uzbekistan.

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Indian Navy ships INS Chennai and INS Kesari successfully performed manoeuvring exercises and Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) drills during the sea phase of Africa India Key Maritime Engagement (AIKEYME) 2025. INS Chennai is the third and final ship of the Kolkata-class stealth-guided missile destroyers under Project 15A. The first two ships of this class were INS Kolkata and INS Kochi. INS Chennai was built by Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) in Mumbai. It was commissioned into the Indian Navy on November 21, 2016. It operates under the Western Naval Command, ensuring security in the Arabian Sea region.

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India has sent a second batch of batteries of the BrahMos missile system to the Philippines. BrahMos is a long-range supersonic cruise missile jointly developed by India and Russia. It can be launched from land, sea, and air platforms. It has a two-stage propulsion system. The first stage is a solid propellant booster that provides the initial supersonic speed. The second stage is a liquid ramjet that takes the missile close to a speed of 3 Mach during the cruise phase. It has a range of up to 290 kilometers. It uses “Fire and Forget” technology, which does not require further guidance after launch. It has shorter flight times, which means quicker target engagement and low dispersion.

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The first Arnala Class Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC) was handed over to the Indian Navy on 8 May 2025 at L&T Shipyard, Kattupalli, Tamil Nadu. It was built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, under a public-private partnership with 80% indigenous content. This project is part of the Atma Nirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India) initiative to boost local defence manufacturing.