Defence Current Affairs MCQs

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The Indian Navy is set to commission ‘INS Ikshak’, the third vessel of the Survey Vessel (Large) [SVL] class, built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata. INS Ikshak will be the first SVL-class ship to be based at the Southern Naval Command. It is an indigenously built hydrographic survey vessel designed for coastal and deep-water mapping of ports, harbours, and navigational channels. The vessel ensures safe maritime navigation and supports India’s blue economy operations.

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Recently, the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) of China inducted the Fujian aircraft carrier after extensive trials. Fujian is China’s third and most advanced aircraft carrier, following Liaoning and Shandong. It is China’s first domestically designed and built carrier. With this, China now has the second-largest fleet of aircraft carriers, after the United States (US). Fujian is the first Chinese carrier with a catapult launch system, enabling heavier, fully armed warplanes and longer operational range.

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India is set to strengthen counter-drone warfare as the Army and Indian Air Force plan to procure 16 indigenous Integrated Drone Detection and Interdiction System (Mark-2) units. The Mark-2 is developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), led by its lab CHESS – Centre for High Energy Systems & Sciences with the Armed Forces. It detects, tracks and neutralises hostile drones using sensors, jammers and high-energy laser weapons.

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Ukraine recently used US-supplied Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missiles to strike targets inside Russia, marking an important development in the current conflict. Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) is a United States (US) made surface-to-surface ballistic missile series developed in the 1980s by Lockheed Martin. The missile was first used in the 1991 Persian Gulf War and is also operated by Bahrain, Greece, South Korea, Taiwan and the UAE. It is an all-weather, inertially guided ballistic missile with a 305 km range and single-stage solid propulsion.

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Indian Navy commissioned INS Mahe, the first indigenously designed Mahe-class Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC), at Naval Dockyard Mumbai. Ship is named after the historic coastal town of Mahe on the Malabar Coast. Crest shows the Urumi sword of Kalaripayattu with waves symbolising agility, precision and lethal power and mascot Cheetah represents speed and focus with motto “Silent Hunters”. INS Mahe is the first of eight vessels in its class designed and built by Cochin Shipyard Limited. Ship is equipped with advanced weapons sensors and communication systems to detect track and neutralise underwater threats in shallow waters

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The Indian Navy announced that INS Aridhaman, India’s third Nuclear-Powered Ballistic Missile Submarine (SSBN), will soon be inducted. It is the second submarine of the Arihant class, built under the Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) project at the Ship Building Centre, Visakhapatnam. It has a displacement of 6,000 tonnes on surface and 7,000 tonnes submerged, powered by an 83 Megawatt (MW) pressurized water reactor from Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC). INS Arighaat is India’s second indigenously built Nuclear-Powered Ballistic Missile Submarine (SSBN), following the first SSBN INS Arihant.

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The 10th edition of India–Indonesia Joint Special Forces Exercise GARUDA SHAKTI commenced at the Special Forces Training School, Bakloh, Himachal Pradesh. The exercise is conducted from 03 to 12 December 2025 and is a bilateral exercise between the Indian Army and Indonesian Army. The Indian contingent comprises troops from The Parachute Regiment (Special Forces), while the Indonesian contingent includes personnel from Indonesian Special Forces. The exercise aims to enhance mutual understanding, cooperation, and interoperability between both Special Forces.

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The Indian Navy deployed INS Gharial and three other naval vessels under Operation Sagar Bandhu to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to cyclone-affected regions of Sri Lanka. INS Gharial (L23) is a Magar-class amphibious warfare ship of the Indian Navy designed for transporting troops, vehicles, and equipment for amphibious operations. It is the second indigenously built Landing Ship Tank (Large), highlighting India’s growing shipbuilding capabilities. The ship was constructed by Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) and Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE). INS Gharial is among the largest ships of the Indian Navy and is part of the Eastern Fleet under the Eastern Naval Command.

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The Indian Air Force (IAF) hosted Exercise AviaIndra-2025, a joint air exercise with the Russian Federation Aerospace Force (RFASF), from December 15 to 22, 2025. Exercise AviaIndra reflects the long-standing Indo-Russian defence relationship and continues the series which began in 2014. Personnel from both countries are conducting joint flying operations on Su-30 MKI, Tejas, IL-78 aircraft, and Mi-17 helicopters. The exercise enables sharing of best practices, lessons learned, and operational expertise between the two air forces.

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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.