Defence Current Affairs MCQs

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Exercise KONKAN-25 began on 05 October 2025 off the western coast of India. It is a bilateral naval exercise between the Indian Navy and the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom (UK). The exercise has two phases, a harbour phase and a sea phase. The harbour phase includes professional exchanges, ship visits, sports events, and cultural activities. The sea phase involves complex drills in anti-air, anti-surface, and anti-submarine warfare, along with flying operations and seamanship tasks. India is represented by INS Vikrant, the indigenous aircraft carrier with its carrier battle group. The exercise reinforces the goal of secure, open, and free seas under the India-UK Vision 2035.

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Recently, INS Sahyadri, an indigenous stealth frigate of the Indian Navy, made a port call at Kemaman Port in Malaysia. It is the third ship of the Shivalik Class Guided Missile Stealth Frigates built by Mazagon Dock Limited, Mumbai. The ship was indigenously designed, constructed, and commissioned in 2012. INS Sahyadri is equipped with advanced weapons and sensors to detect and neutralize threats from air, surface, and subsurface. It has a displacement of 6,800 tons and a surface speed of 32 knots. The ship belongs to the Eastern Fleet of the Indian Navy based in Visakhapatnam.

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The Indian Navy commissioned INS Androth, the second Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC), on 6th October 2025 at Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam. It was built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata. INS Androth has over 80% indigenous content, symbolising ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’. The vessel is 77 metres long, displaces about 1500 tonnes, and is designed for anti-submarine operations in coastal and shallow waters. It is equipped with advanced weapons, sensors, and communication systems to detect, track, and neutralise underwater threats.

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On October 6, 2025, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal welcomed India’s first Very Large Gas Carrier (VLGC) Shivalik at Visakhapatnam Port, on its maiden call. Shivalik was inducted under the Indian flag by Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) Ltd. on September 10, 2025, enhancing India’s maritime and energy logistics capability. The vessel handled its inaugural LPG consignment at Visakhapatnam Port’s LPG terminal efficiently, facilitated by the Visakhapatnam Port Authority (VPA). The induction aligns with Atmanirbhar Bharat and Maritime India Vision 2030, promoting self-reliance, indigenous ownership, and global competitiveness.

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Indra 2025 is an Indo-Russian joint military exercise underway at Mahajan Field Firing Range, Bikaner. The exercise began on October 7, 2025, and will conclude on October 15, 2025. It aims to strengthen coordination between Indian Army and Russian Army in counter-terrorism operations and modern warfare scenarios. Around 250 Russian personnel are participating in joint tactical exercises, live-fire training, and close-quarter combat in desert conditions. Indra exercises began in 2003, alternating between India and Russia; last held in 2021, paused during Russia-Ukraine war.

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India has recently proposed the supply of the Akash missile system to Brazil, during Defence Minister’s talks with Brazilian Vice-President Geraldo Alckmin in New Delhi. Akash is a short-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) system. It is designed to protect vulnerable areas and assets from aerial threats like fighter jets, drones, helicopters, and cruise missiles. It was indigenously developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The missile is produced by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) in Hyderabad. It is currently in service with both the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Indian Army.

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Recently, the Prime Minister of India celebrated Deepavali aboard INS Vikrant and praised armed forces’ unity during Operation Sindoor. INS Vikrant is India’s first indigenously designed and manufactured aircraft carrier. It was designed by the Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau and built by M/s Cochin Shipyard Limited. The carrier was commissioned in 2022. It measures 262 metres in length and 62 metres in width, with 14 decks. Its full-load displacement is 43,000 tonnes.

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The Indian Navy received ‘Mahe’, the first of eight Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts (ASW SWCs) on 23 October. The vessel is built by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), Kochi. It is named after the historic port town of Mahe in Puducherry, it honors India’s maritime legacy. ‘Mahe’ is indigenously designed and constructed with over 80% indigenous content under the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative. The vessel can perform underwater surveillance, Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), Low Intensity Maritime Operations (LIMO), and mine-laying in coastal waters.

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Recently, the Indian Navy’s indigenously built Survey Vessel (Large) Ikshak is set to be commissioned at Naval Base Kochi. The name Ikshak, meaning “The Guide,” reflects its role in charting unexplored waters for safe navigation. It is built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) Ltd, Kolkata. The ship will study underwater hydrography and aid marine navigation. It has over 80% indigenous content, showing India’s self-reliance in naval technology. Besides surveys, it can serve as a Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) and hospital ship.

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India will hold a tri-service military exercise named Poorvi Prachand Prahar in Mechuka, Arunachal Pradesh. It is a joint exercise of the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force. The exercise aims to enhance warfighting skills, technological use, and operational coordination among the three forces. It will validate multi-domain integration across land, air, and maritime fronts. The drill will test interoperability, situational awareness, and command-and-control systems in high-altitude conditions.