Defence Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
The Indian Army has joined the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the Joint Military Exercise DESERT CYCLONE-II in Abu Dhabi. The exercise is conducted from 18 to 30 December 2025. Exercise DESERT CYCLONE-II is conducted between India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The exercise aims to enhance interoperability and defence cooperation between both armies through joint training in an urban environment. The focus is on sub-conventional operations under a United Nations mandate, enabling cooperation in peacekeeping, counter-terrorism, and stability missions.

Notes:
Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Sarthak is an Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) that made a port call at Chabahar, Iran. It is the 4th of 5 Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPVs) built by Goa Shipyard Limited for the Indian Coast Guard (ICG). Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) are multi-mission platforms for concurrent operations. It was commissioned on 28 October 2021. It functions as a command platform for search and rescue, anti-maritime crime, and marine environment protection duties.

Notes:
Indian Coast Guard (ICG) Ship Amulya, 3rd in the Adamya-class Fast Patrol Vessels series, was commissioned in Goa on 19 December 2025. It was built by Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) with more than 60% indigenous components, supporting Atma Nirbhar Bharat and Make-in-India. 51-metre vessel integrates modern design for endurance, efficiency and rapid response. It is powered by two 3000 KW diesel engines, achieves top speed of 27 knots and endurance of 1,500 nautical miles.

Notes:
The U.S. Army and U.S. Navy recently completed integrated testing of the Dark Eagle Long‑Range Hypersonic Weapon system, marking a major milestone in America’s hypersonic weapons development. The Dark Eagle Long‑Range Hypersonic Weapon is a non‑nuclear, ground‑launched hypersonic missile system being developed for the U.S. Army as part of U.S. hypersonic modernization efforts. The missile component of the Long‑Range Hypersonic Weapon program is jointly developed by Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, two leading American defense companies.

Notes:
President Droupadi Murmu undertook her maiden submarine sortie on December 28. She boarded the Kalvari-class submarine INS Vaghsheer at Karwar naval base. With this, she became the second President of India to go on a submarine sortie. The first Indian President to do so was Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam. INS Vaghsheer is a Kalvari-class submarine of the Indian Navy. The event highlights civilian leadership’s close engagement with India’s naval forces. It reflects confidence in India’s indigenously built and advanced submarine capabilities

Notes:
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted a salvo launch of two Pralay missiles from the same launcher off Odisha coast. The test was part of user evaluation trials by Indian Air Force and Indian Army. Both missiles followed the planned trajectory and met all flight objectives. Tracking was done by Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur and onboard telemetry systems. Pralay is an indigenously developed solid-propellant quasi-ballistic missile with high-precision guidance. It can carry different warheads for multiple target types. The missile was developed by Research Centre Imarat, Hyderabad with other DRDO labs.

Notes:
The Albert Ekka Brigade celebrated its 56th Raising Day at Agartala Military Station with solemn ceremonies. The brigade fought in the 1971 India-Pakistan war from the Tripura sector, including Operation Cactus Lily. The brigade has earned highest gallantry awards in war and peacetime, including the Param Vir Chakra. Lance Naik Albert Ekka of 14th Guards was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra for bravery in the Battle of Gangasagar. The 1971 war included Operations Cactus Lily and Nut Cracker, leading to Pakistan’s surrender on 16 December 1971 and the creation of Bangladesh.

Notes:
Indian Army signed a ₹293 crore contract with private defence firm NIBE Limited, in collaboration with Israel, for the Suryastra rocket system. Suryastra is India’s first Made in India universal multi‑calibre rocket launcher. It is designed for precision surface‑to‑surface strikes up to a range of 300 kilometres. The system can engage multiple targets simultaneously at different ranges. It can integrate and fire multiple types of rockets from a single platform. It offers high accuracy with a strike error of less than 5 metres. It can also launch loitering munitions up to 100 kilometres, enhancing battlefield flexibility.

Notes:
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) forces have launched a major joint military exercise in Saudi Arabia called “Gulf Shield 2026”. The exercise aims to strengthen collective defence and improve regional military coordination among all GCC member states. It is designed to enhance combat readiness, joint operational integration, and efficiency in planning and execution in a unified operational environment. The drills include a wide range of procedures, tests, and field scenarios to assess force readiness and effectiveness of responses to potential threats.

Notes:
India’s indigenous Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRAShM) will be showcased at the Republic Day parade on 26 January. LRAShM is a hypersonic glide missile developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Hypersonic glide vehicles (HGVs) like LRAShM glide unpredictably after rocket launch, unlike traditional ballistic missiles. The missile combines extreme speed and maneuverability, making it hard to intercept with current air defenses.