Defence Current Affairs MCQs

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Indian Coast Guard inaugurated India’s first Waterjet Production and Testing Facility of Marine Jet Power in Goa on 13 February 2026. The facility will manufacture, test and maintain advanced waterjet propulsion systems for high-speed vessels. It supports Aatmanirbhar Bharat by reducing dependence on foreign technology. India became the third country after the United States and South Korea to host such a facility. Indian Coast Guard operates over 100 Marine Jet Power systems and 42 more are under construction. It will support maintenance, regional exports, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, skilled jobs and defence indigenisation.

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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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Defence Research and Development Organisation successfully conducted three consecutive flight trials of the Very Short-Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS) at Integrated Test Range, Chandipur off the coast of Odisha. VSHORADS stands for Very Short-Range Air Defence System and it is a Man Portable Air Defence System (MANPADS). It is indigenously designed and developed by Research Centre Imarat under DRDO with other laboratories and production partners. It is a lightweight, short-range, surface-to-air missile used to destroy aircraft and helicopters. Maximum range is 8 kilometres and it can engage targets up to 4.5 kilometres altitude.

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The Ministry of Defence signed contracts worth Rs 5,083 crore for defence acquisitions. Procurement includes six Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) Mk-III in Maritime Role for the Indian Coast Guard. Contracts also cover Surface-to-Air Vertical Launch (SAM) Shtil missiles for the Indian Navy. Shtil missile is a medium-range, ship-based, vertical-launch surface-to-air missile system developed by Russia. It primarily uses the 9M317ME semi-active radar homing (SARH) missile.

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The Indian Navy’s stealth frigate INS Nilgiri is participating in the Sea Phase of the Royal Australian Navy-hosted multinational Exercise KAKADU 2026 in Darwin, Australia. The exercise focuses on enhancing maritime interoperability, strengthening cooperation, and improving mutual understanding among participating nations. It serves as a key engagement for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), bringing together numerous nations to promote maritime security. This participation highlights India’s commitment to building a secure, stable Indo-Pacific region through strengthened naval cooperation

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Agray, an anti-submarine warfare shallow water craft, has been delivered to the Indian Navy. It is the fourth of eight ASW Shallow Water Crafts, aimed at strengthening coastal defence capabilities. The vessel is indigenously designed and built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers. It is a reincarnation of the earlier INS Agray, a patrol vessel decommissioned in 2017. The ship has been constructed as per standards of the Indian Register of Shipping. It uses waterjet propulsion, making it among the largest Indian naval warships to use this technology. It is equipped with lightweight torpedoes, indigenous rocket launchers, and advanced shallow water SONAR systems for effective submarine detection.

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INS Taragiri was commissioned into the Indian Navy on April 3, 2026, at Visakhapatnam by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. It is the fourth ship of the Project 17A class, designed by the Warship Design Bureau. It was built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited, it has over 75% indigenous content with MSME support. The frigate features advanced stealth technology with reduced radar cross-section. It supports multi-role operations: combat, surveillance, anti-piracy, and humanitarian missions.

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India has inducted its third nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, INS Aridhaman, into the Indian Navy, strengthening its strategic deterrence capability. INS Aridhaman is the third indigenously built Submersible Ship Ballistic Nuclear (SSBN) and the second submarine of the Arihant class (Submersible Ship Ballistic Nuclear). It has been developed under the Advanced Technology Vessel project (ATV) at the Ship Building Centre in Visakhapatnam. The submarine has a displacement of about 6,000 tonnes on the surface and 7,000 tonnes when submerged.

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Russia has approved the sale of the R-37M (Russian long-range air-to-air missile), also known as AA-13 Axehead (North Atlantic Treaty Organization reporting name), to India to enhance its air combat capability. The missile is designed for BVR (Beyond Visual Range) combat, allowing it to strike targets at very long distances without direct visual contact. It is developed to destroy enemy fighter jets, drones, and other aerial threats effectively. The missile is nicknamed an “AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) Killer” because it can target high-value aircraft like radar planes, refuelling tankers, and jamming systems.

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The first edition of Exercise ‘Pragati’ is scheduled to take place at Umroi, Meghalaya, from May 18–31, 2026. Exercise Pragati (Partnership of Regional Armies for Growth and Transformation in the Indian Ocean Region) involves 11 friendly countries. It aims to enhance defence cooperation, interoperability, and mutual trust among participating nations. The exercise reflects a shared commitment to regional security and stability in the Indian Ocean Region.