Defence Current Affairs MCQs

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Matsya 6000 is India’s first manned deep-sea submersible, set to launch by 2026 under the Deep Ocean Mission (DOM). Only five nations (US, France, China, Russia, Japan) have developed manned deep-sea submersibles. It is developed under the Samudrayaan Project by National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chennai. The project is implemented by the Ministry of Earth Sciences with a budget of ₹4,077 crore. It aims to explore deep-sea biodiversity, survey mineral resources, support ocean research, and enhance India’s deep-sea technology capabilities.

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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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INS Guldar, a decommissioned Indian Navy landing ship, will become India’s first underwater museum. The ship was handed over to Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) for this transformation. It served in the Eastern Naval Command and later at Andaman and Nicobar Command until decommissioning on January 12, 2024. The ship participated in key operations like Op Aman, Op Azad, Op Pawan, and Op Tasha. The project will promote marine conservation, boost coastal livelihoods, and enhance India’s underwater tourism.

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The Indian Navy crew has arrived in St. Petersburg for the commissioning of INS Tamal, a stealth frigate built in Russia. INS Tamal is a state-of-the-art stealth guided missile frigate. It is an upgraded Krivak-III class frigate, part of a $2.5 billion India-Russia deal for four frigates. Two frigates were built in Russia, while the other two are being made at Goa Shipyard Limited. INS Tushil was commissioned in December 2024. INS Tamal will be the last warship imported, as India now designs and builds its own warships.

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Indian scientists developed the Brahmastra Missile (Long Range Anti-Ship Missile), a hypersonic glide missile with a speed of 12,144 km/h. It was developed by DRDO. It surpasses missiles like China’s DF-17 in range and technology. The missile has a 1,500 km range and can destroy enemy ships within 7-8 minutes. It can be launched from land or sea, offering flexibility.

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According to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), India was the second-largest arms importer from 2020-24, though its imports fell by 9.3% compared to 2015-19. Ukraine became the world’s largest arms importer, with imports rising nearly 100 times. India’s arms imports from Russia fell to 36% in 2020-24 from 55% in 2015-19. India was the top arms buyer from both Russia and France. The U.S. led global arms exports with 43%, while Russia’s exports dropped by 64%. China exited the top 10 arms importers list for the first time since 1990-94, showing domestic production growth.

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The 6th edition of the Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT) and the 4th edition of the bilateral exercise ‘BONGOSAGAR’ between the Indian Navy and the Bangladesh Navy commenced on March 10, 2025. The naval exercises are being conducted in the designated maritime areas of the Bay of Bengal, near the Bangladesh and Indian maritime borders. These exercises are being held under the supervision of Commander Flotilla West and aim to enhance maritime security, strengthen cooperation, and combat various criminal activities at sea.

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India successfully flight-tested the Vertically Launched Short-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (VL-SRSAM) off the Odisha coast. VL-SRSAM is an indigenously developed Short-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (SRSAM). It is developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). It is a quick reaction missile that neutralises aerial threats, including sea-skimming targets. Initially designed for the Indian Navy with a 40 km range, it can now strike targets up to 80 km. The missile is also being developed for the Indian Air Force to protect air bases.

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The Defence Ministry signed ₹2,500 crore contracts for NAMIS (Nag Anti-Tank Missile System) and light vehicles. NAMIS (Nag Anti-Tank Missile System) was developed by Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), a part of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and produced by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL). It is a tracked version of the Nag Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) mounted on a BMP-2 chassis. A third-generation “fire-and-forget” missile, it locks onto targets using an Imaging Infrared (IIR) Seeker. It can destroy heavily armored tanks, including those with composite and reactive armor.

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The indigenously developed Hansa-3 trainer aircraft has been approved for training aircrew to get pilot licences. It will now be manufactured in India by private industry. Hansa-3 is India’s first indigenous flying trainer aircraft. It was designed and developed by the CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-NAL), Bangalore. It was built to meet the needs of Indian flying clubs. It is ideal for Commercial Pilot Licensing (CPL) because of its low cost, simple operation, and low fuel consumption.