Defence Current Affairs MCQs

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India, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives conducted the 17th edition of the DOSTI Exercise, which concluded on 19 January 2026 in the Maldives. The trilateral Coast Guard exercise was inaugurated on 17 January 2026 in Malé and included a maritime drill on 18 January 2026. It focused on joint training, information sharing, and interoperability to tackle non-traditional maritime security challenges. The exercise supported India’s Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) vision and strengthened regional maritime cooperation.

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Indian Air Force (IAF) is conducting joint in-situ air exercise with Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) to improve coordination and interoperability. Indian Air Force (IAF) is deploying Su-30MKI, Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS), Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) and IL-78 mid-air refuelling aircraft. Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) is participating with Gripen fighter aircraft. Exercise strengthens Indo-Thai defence cooperation and regional security synergy.

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The Ministry of Defence has signed a ₹2,312 crore contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited to procure eight Dornier 228 aircraft for the Indian Coast Guard. The programme is expected to generate direct and indirect employment by strengthening HAL’s production ecosystem and supporting MSMEs and ancillary industries. It will create sustained opportunities in maintenance, repair, overhaul, and life-cycle technical support. Dornier 228 is a twin-engine turboprop Short Take-Off and Landing (STOL) utility aircraft for passenger, cargo, and special mission operations. Originally developed by Dornier GmbH (Germany) in the 1980s, it is now license-produced by HAL at its Kanpur facility.

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Yard 18003 (Krishna), the first of three Cadet Training Ships (CTS), was launched on 16 February 2026 at Larsen & Toubro, Kattupalli, Chennai. The ship was launched by Mrs Anupama Chauhan in the presence of Anil Chauhan, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). It is indigenously designed and built and will be delivered to the Indian Navy by end 2026. The ships will train Officer Cadets, including women, and cadets from Friendly Foreign Countries at sea. The project strengthens indigenous shipbuilding under Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India initiatives.

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Reports indicate that Iran is close to finalising a defence deal with China to procure CM-302 supersonic anti-ship missiles to strengthen its naval strike capability. The CM-302 is a supersonic anti-ship cruise missile developed by China and is the export variant of the YJ-12 missile deployed by the Chinese Navy. The missile is specifically designed to target and destroy large naval vessels and other high-value maritime assets. It is powered by a liquid direct-flow air-breathing jet engine with four air intakes, enabling sustained high-speed flight. The missile can travel at speeds of around Mach 2.5 to Mach 3, making it extremely difficult for enemy air defence systems to intercept.

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The United States carried out strikes on Iranian targets using advanced weapons, including Tomahawk cruise missiles, stealth fighter jets, B-2 bombers, and low-cost one-way attack drones. Tomahawk is an United States of American (USA)-made long-range subsonic cruise missile used for deep land attack. It is launched from ships or submarines through a Vertical Launch System. It was first developed in the 1970s during the Cold War. It can carry a 1,000-pound conventional warhead or cluster munitions. It uses solid propellant at launch and later a turbofan engine, reducing infrared detection.

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The United States has raised concerns about the capabilities of Iran’s Shahed attack drones. Shahed drones are low-cost, one-way-attack unmanned aerial vehicles developed by Iran. These drones are also called “kamikaze” or “suicide” drones as they explode on impact with their targets. The most widely used variants of Shahed drones are Shahed-131 and Shahed-136. Their low cost, low-altitude flight profile, and self-sacrificial nature have earned them the label “the poor man’s cruise missile.”

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Kheybar Shekan Missile is a long-range solid-fuel ballistic missile developed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran. Recently, Iran claimed that IRGC used Kheybar Shekan missiles to target the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and an Israeli Air Force command centre. The missile belongs to the Khorramshahr missile family and represents an advanced generation of Iran’s missile system. It has an approximate range of about 1,450 kilometres, enabling strikes across much of the Middle East region. It uses solid fuel technology, which allows faster launch preparation, easier storage, and improved mobility.

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Sheshnaag-150 is a long-range swarm attack drone being developed in India for deep-strike military missions. It is being developed by NewSpace Research and Technologies (NRT), which focuses on Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based unmanned systems and swarm robotics. It is a collaborative swarm drone, meaning multiple drones can coordinate autonomously to carry out saturation attacks on targets. The drone weighs around 150 kg and can carry 25–40 kg payload, including explosive warheads capable of damaging infrastructure or military vehicles.

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INS Trikand will participate in the 58th National Day celebrations of Mauritius, reflecting India–Mauritius maritime cooperation. It is a Talwar-class guided-missile frigate of the Indian Navy and the third and final ship of the second batch of this class. The ship was built at Yantar Shipyard, Kaliningrad in Russia and commissioned on 29 June 2013 at Kaliningrad. It operates under the Western Fleet of the Western Naval Command (WNC) headquartered at Mumbai.