Defence Current Affairs MCQs

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Pakistan Air Force recently conducted a successful flight test of the indigenously developed Taimoor Weapon System. Taimoor is an air-launched cruise missile developed by Pakistan. It is designed to hit enemy land and sea targets with high precision. It uses subsonic turbojet propulsion, enabling efficient long-range flight. The missile has a strike range of up to 600 kilometres with a conventional warhead. Its stealth features include a box-shaped fuselage, X-type tail, and foldable wings. It flies at very low altitude to evade enemy air and missile defence systems.

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Recently, Indian Coast Guard Ship Sankalp visited Port Louis in Mauritius as part of overseas deployment in the Indian Ocean Region. It is the fifth Advanced Offshore Patrol Vessel of the Indian Coast Guard, commissioned in 2008. The ship is indigenously built by Goa Shipyard Limited. It is designed for maritime surveillance, Exclusive Economic Zone protection, search and rescue, and law enforcement. The vessel is 105 metres long with an endurance of 6,500 nautical miles and a displacement of about 2,325 tonnes. It has advanced navigation and communication systems and can operate Advanced Light Helicopter and Chetak helicopters.

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The Indian Navy’s Sail Training Ship INS Sudarshini will undertake Lokayan 26, a 10-month transoceanic flagship expedition. INS Sudarshini is an indigenously built Sail Training Ship (STS) of the Indian Navy. It was constructed by Goa Shipyard Limited and is based at Kochi, Kerala, under the Southern Naval Command. The ship was commissioned on 27 January 2012. Such ships train sailors to survive independently at sea, handle rough weather, and develop core seamanship skills. INS Sudarshini is a three-masted barque capable of operating under sail or engine power.

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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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India will debut its Long-Range Anti-Ship Hypersonic Glide Missile (LR-AShM) at the 77th Republic Day parade, marking entry into the hypersonic anti-ship weapons club. LR-AShM is an indigenous missile developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the Indian Navy. It is designed to destroy high-value naval targets like aircraft carrier battle groups at very long ranges. The missile enhances maritime deterrence in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and strengthens Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2/AD) capability.

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India’s first indigenous and privately manufactured C-295 aircraft will roll out from Vadodara, Gujarat. It was built by Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) in partnership with Airbus Defence and Space. It marks a shift from public-sector to private-sector defence manufacturing, advancing Make in India (Defence) initiative. Vadodara facility (opened 2024) is India’s first private-sector final assembly line (FAL) for military aircraft.

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Bengaluru-based Alpha Design Technologies Limited (ADTL) has upgraded the Indian Air Force (IAF) Pechora system, supporting India’s push for indigenous defence modernisation. Pechora, formally called S-125 Neva/Pechora, is a Soviet-origin surface-to-air missile (SAM) system for low- to medium-altitude threats. It has protected Indian airspace since the 1970s as a key air defence asset. The system uses radar-guided launchers with V-600 missiles and a fire control unit. It operates with the 4R90 Yatagan radar having five parabolic antennas for detection and tracking.

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INS Arnala marks India’s shift from a “Buyer’s Navy” to a “Builder’s Navy” by strengthening indigenous defence capability. It is the first of eight Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts (ASW-SWC) built for the Indian Navy. It is the Indian Navy’s first indigenously designed and built ASW-SWC. It was designed and built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata. It was commissioned into the Eastern Naval Command on 18 June 2025. It is named after the historic Arnala Fort near Vasai, Maharashtra.

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India and France are discussing a major deal to procure SCALP cruise missiles after their successful use by the Indian Air Force (IAF) in precision strikes during Operation Sindoor. SCALP, also called Storm Shadow, is a long-range, air-launched cruise missile developed jointly by France and the United Kingdom. It is used by several North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and allied air forces.

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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.