Defence Current Affairs MCQs

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Assam Rifles is planning to induct two indigenous dog breeds, Tangkhul Hui from Manipur and Kombai from Tamil Nadu, to reduce long-term dependence on foreign breeds. Assam Rifles, India’s oldest paramilitary force, operates the Assam Rifles Dog Training Centre (ARDTC) at Jorhat for training service dogs. Tangkhul Hui (Haofa) is a rare indigenous breed from Ukhrul district, Manipur, traditionally reared by the Tangkhul community for hunting. Kombai, also called the Polygar dog, is an indigenous guard breed from Theni district, Tamil Nadu, named after Kombai town.

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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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The Indian Army’s Southern Command conducted Exercise Vajra Ghaat at Pokhran Field Firing Range in Jaisalmer district, Rajasthan. The exercise focused on testing the K9 Vajra self-propelled artillery gun system in desert warfare conditions of the Thar Desert. It was spearheaded by the White Tiger Division. The objective is to validate refined Tactics, Techniques and Procedures (TTPs) for better survivability and operational effectiveness. The drill demonstrated swift deployment of heavy artillery in harsh terrain. K9 Vajra carried out high-intensity, precise fire missions.

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President Droupadi Murmu and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh attended Exercise Vayu Shakti. Exercise Vayu Shakti was held at Pokhran, Rajasthan. Indian Air Force showcased operational readiness, combat power and rapid response capability. Advanced systems like Akash, SpyDer, Short Range Loitering Munitions and Counter Unmanned Aerial Systems were demonstrated. Day, dusk and night operations showed versatility and high preparedness. Exercise highlighted success of Operation Sindoor and focus on Aatmanirbhar Bharat with indigenous platforms.

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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 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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Vayu Baan is India’s first helicopter-launched drone system developed by the Indian Air Force (IAF). It is a small, autonomous drone dropped from a moving helicopter mid-flight.After release, it unfolds wings, activates propulsion, and functions as surveillance (ISR) or precision-guided munition (kamikaze drone). The program is an indigenous Air-Launched Effects (ALE) project led by IAF’s Directorate of Aerospace Design (DAD). It aims to provide stand-off capability to identify and destroy targets beyond 50 km, keeping helicopters safe from MANPADS.

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Yard 1280 (Shachi), the first of eleven Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessels (NGOPVs), was launched at Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL), Goa on 31 March 2026. Construction of NGOPVs is happening concurrently at GSL, Goa and Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata. These indigenously built ships will augment the existing fleet of ten Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs)/Next-generation OPVs (NOPVs) for multi-domain operations including defence, surveillance, search and rescue, protection of offshore assets, Humanitarian Assistance & Disaster Relief (HADR), and anti-piracy missions.

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Rajnath Singh laid the foundation of the Large Cavitation Tunnel (LCT) at Naval Science and Technological Laboratory (NSTL) in Visakhapatnam. NSTL is a premier lab under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The Large Cavitation Tunnel (LCT) is a strategic facility for advanced hydrodynamic research and testing of naval systems. It will enable indigenous design, development, and testing of ships, submarines, and propulsion systems. It supports stealth, noise reduction, and next-generation underwater technologies. The facility allows both closed-loop (submarine) and free-surface (surface ship) simulations.