Defence Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
The Defence Minister recently reviewed the progress of major HAL projects, including delays in the delivery of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk1A. The Ministry of Defence has signed a contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for the procurement of 97 Tejas Mk1A aircraft for the Indian Air Force (IAF). Tejas Mk1A is developed by HAL. It is regarded as one of the world’s lightest fighter aircraft in its class. The aircraft is capable of offensive air support, air combat, and ground attack missions.

Notes:
The Indian Air Force (IAF) recently announced the successful maiden flight of the first Made-in-India Airbus C-295. The C-295 is a new-generation medium tactical military transport aircraft designed for multiple operational roles. It can perform troop and cargo transport, maritime patrol, surveillance, reconnaissance, signals intelligence, medical evacuation, airborne warning, and air-to-air refuelling. The aircraft has an endurance of up to 11 hours and can operate in all weather conditions.

Notes:
Recently, INS Tarkash arrived at Victoria, Seychelles, during its deployment in the South-West Indian Ocean Region. INS Tarkash is a state-of-the-art stealth frigate of the Indian Navy. It is the second of three Talwar-class guided missile frigates. The Talwar-class frigates are modified versions of the Krivak III-class frigates. The ship was designed and built in Russia. It was constructed at the Yantar Shipyard in Kaliningrad.

Notes:
The Indian Navy is commissioning three indigenously built platforms in Kolkata: INS Dunagiri, INS Sanshodhak, and INS Agray. These platforms reflect India’s focus on Aatmanirbhar Bharat in defence production. INS Dunagiri is the fifth Project 17A stealth frigate, designed by the Warship Design Bureau (WDB) and built at Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE). INS Sanshodhak is the fourth Survey Vessel (Large) used for hydrographic, oceanographic, and geophysical surveys. INS Agray is the fourth Arnala-class Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft, designed for littoral warfare and underwater threat detection.

Notes:
Bharat Dynamics Limited recently secured an order worth ₹1,109.37 crore from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited to supply launchers for HELINA missiles. HELINA (Helicopter-launched NAG) is an indigenous, third-generation, fire-and-forget anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation. It is the helicopter-launched version of the Nag missile, while its Air Force variant is called Dhruvastra. The missile has a range of 500 m to 7 km and uses an Imaging Infrared (IIR) seeker with lock-on before launch guidance.

Notes:
India and South Korea are set to deepen their defence partnership following the successful collaboration on the K9 Vajra-T self-propelled howitzer. The collaboration reflects the growing focus on defence manufacturing, technology transfer, and strategic cooperation between the two countries. K9 Vajra-T is a 155 mm, 52-calibre tracked self-propelled howitzer. It is the Indian version of South Korea’s K9 Thunder. It is manufactured by Larsen & Toubro (L&T) with technology transferred from Hanwha Defense (South Korea). It is designed for operations in deserts, plains, and high-altitude regions. It is equipped with a 155 mm/52 calibre gun capable of firing high-explosive, smoke, and guided projectiles.

Notes:
Recently, Germany announced plans to expand its missile defence network by establishing a second Arrow-3 missile defence site in Bavaria. Arrow-3 is an exo-atmospheric anti-ballistic missile defence system designed to intercept long-range ballistic missiles before they re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere. It is jointly developed by Israel and the United States as part of the Arrow Weapon System (AWS). The Arrow Weapon System (AWS) is the world’s first operational stand-alone Anti Tactical Ballistic Missile (ATBM) defence system.

Notes:
INS Mahendragiri, the 6th Project 17A indigenous stealth frigate, was commissioned into the Indian Navy’s Eastern Fleet at Visakhapatnam. It was designed by the Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau and built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Mumbai, with over 75% indigenous content. The warship is equipped with BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, advanced stealth features, multifunction radar, anti-air, anti-surface, anti-submarine warfare systems, and electronic warfare capabilities. It is named after the Mahendragiri mountain range in the Eastern Ghats, the warship carries the motto “Mighty, Majestic, Matchless.”

Notes:
The Indian Navy will host Operation Southern Readiness 26-2 at the Southern Naval Command, Kochi, from 20–23 July 2026. The multinational maritime training exercise is being conducted in partnership with the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) under the Indian Navy-led Combined Task Force 154 (CTF 154). It covers maritime law, maritime domain awareness, counter-narcotics, force protection, asymmetric threats, uncrewed systems, damage control, and survival at sea. The exercise aims to strengthen regional maritime security, interoperability, and capacity building among participating nations.

Notes:
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is participating in Exercise Pitch Black 2026 in Australia. The exercise will be held from 20 July to 7 August 2026 at Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) bases in Darwin, Tindal, and Amberley. Exercise Pitch Black is the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) premier multinational air combat exercise. The exercise aims to enhance interoperability, combat flying skills, operational coordination, and defence cooperation. India will participate in complex air combat scenarios alongside air forces from the Indo-Pacific and Europe.