Defence Current Affairs MCQs

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Iran has recently used the Kheibar Shekan missile in a series of complex attacks, drawing global attention to its advanced missile capabilities. It is a long-range, solid-fuel ballistic missile developed by Iran. The missile belongs to the fourth generation of the Khorramshahr missile family. Being solid-fuel powered, it can be launched more quickly than liquid-fuel missiles and requires less preparation time. It is designed to strike long-distance strategic targets with high accuracy.

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QW-12 and FN-16 are Man-Portable Air Defence Systems (MANPADS) developed by China. They are shoulder-fired, short-range surface-to-air missile systems designed to destroy low-flying aircraft, helicopters, and UAVs. The systems use infrared or multi-mode homing seekers for target tracking. They recently came into the news following reports of their transfer to Iran through a Hong Kong-based intermediary. The development has raised concerns over regional security, missile proliferation, and export-control violations in the Middle East.

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Australia is set to become the first international buyer of the US-made AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (JATM). AIM-260 JATM is an American beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile developed by Lockheed Martin for the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy. It is designed to have a longer range than the AIM-120 AMRAAM and counter advanced threats such as China’s PL-15. The missile features a wingless supersonic design and is approximately 4 metres long. Its estimated range is more than 180–200 km, making it an important component of the U.S. long-range air-combat capability.

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The Indian Navy’s Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel (NGOPV) ‘Shruti’ (Yard 3037) was launched at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata. The vessel supports India’s focus on indigenous warship construction under Aatmanirbhar Bharat. The name Shruti refers to India’s ancient Vedic tradition and the four Vedas. It will undertake missions including maritime surveillance, search and rescue, offshore asset protection, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) and anti-piracy operations.

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The bilateral air exercise ‘Udara Shakti 2026′ was conducted at Subang Air Base in Selangor, Malaysia, from August 10 to 14, 2026. This exercise involved intense air combat manoeuvres and tactical sharing between the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF). It serves to enhance strategic ties, mutual trust, and operational interoperability between the two nations’ air forces. Subang Air Base hosts the RMAF Air Warfare Centre, which acted as the primary venue for the five-day drills involving 83 personnel.

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INS Imphal (D68) marked India’s 80th Independence Day with a port call at Sultan Qaboos Port, Muscat, Oman. More than 200 Indian school students in Oman visited the indigenously built destroyer. INS Imphal is a stealth guided-missile destroyer of the Indian Navy and was commissioned on 26 December 2023. It was built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) and designed by the Warship Design Bureau of the Indian Navy. It is the third ship of the Visakhapatnam class (Project 15B). INS Imphal is the first Indian naval warship with dedicated modular accommodation and facilities for women officers and sailors.

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The Indian Navy recently inaugurated the shore-based Launch and Recovery System (LARS) Test Plinth at the Submarine Rescue Unit (East) in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. This state-of-the-art facility is designed to test, validate, and maintain critical submarine rescue equipment, including the Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV), without requiring active sea deployment. Visakhapatnam serves as the headquarters of the Eastern Naval Command.

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The Indian Navy commissioned INS Nipun, its second Diving Support Vessel (DSV), at the Naval Dockyard, Mumbai. Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) built the vessel, which was delivered to the Navy at Visakhapatnam on 30 July 2026. INS Nipun is designed for deep-sea diving, underwater intervention and submarine rescue operations. The vessel is capable of deep-sea saturation diving and is equipped with a side diving stage. It carries Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) for diver monitoring and salvage operations. INS Nipun can also function as a mother ship for the Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel (DSRV) during submarine emergencies.

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The Indian Air Force (IAF) conducted the first flight trial of the indigenous Khagantak-243 long-range glide bomb at the Pokhran Field Firing Range, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, after releasing it from a Su-30MKI fighter aircraft. The trial successfully met its objectives and is aimed at strengthening India’s indigenous long-range strike capability and reducing dependence on imported precision-guided munitions. The glide bomb is designed to strike targets from considerable distances while allowing the launching aircraft to remain outside the effective range of enemy air-defence systems. It can reportedly cover 144–180 km when released from around 12 km altitude at Mach 0.8.

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The RAKSHA defence diplomacy framework, released by the Ministry of Defence in September 2026, outlines a comprehensive 10-year strategic roadmap spanning from 2026 to 2036. This blueprint integrates India’s national security objectives with foreign-policy relationships. It is structured around four operational pillars: Strategic Partnerships, Capacity Building, Indigenous Exports, and Maritime Security. The framework seeks to systematically elevate India’s global defence engagement, strengthen regional partnerships in the Indian Ocean Region, and establish the nation as a reliable long-term security partner and exporter of indigenous military hardware.