1 | Page Yearly Review of Defence and Security 2018 - Current Affairs Capsule in PDF January 2018 Indian, Vietnamese to hold - VINBAX o Armies of India and Vietnam have begun a six-day-long military exercise in Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh. o The exercise named ‘VINBAX’ is the first military exercise between the two countries. o Vietnam’s Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc was in New Delhi to participate in the India-ASEAN Commemorative summit and attend the Republic Day celebrations. China's new military training manual o China's People's Liberation Army, the world's largest army, has published an officially approved outline for military training. o It focuses on the PLA's combat capability, highlighting military training under combat conditions & joint training. o The new training outline makes it a mission of the PLA that by 2035, the modernization of the China's national defence should be completed. Seychelles allows India military infra o India & Seychelles have signed a revised agreement that will allow India to build military infrastructure on Assumption Island. o Agreement was signed by Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar & Seychelles President Danny Faure.
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Yearly Review of Defence and Security
2018 - Current Affairs Capsule in PDF
January 2018
Indian, Vietnamese to hold - VINBAX
o Armies of India and Vietnam have begun a six-day-long military exercise
in Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh.
o The exercise named ‘VINBAX’ is the first military exercise between the two
countries.
o Vietnam’s Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc was in New Delhi to
participate in the India-ASEAN Commemorative summit and attend the
Republic Day celebrations.
China's new military training manual
o China's People's Liberation Army, the world's largest army, has published
an officially approved outline for military training.
o It focuses on the PLA's combat capability, highlighting military training
under combat conditions & joint training.
o The new training outline makes it a mission of the PLA that by 2035, the
modernization of the China's national defence should be completed.
Seychelles allows India military infra
o India & Seychelles have signed a revised agreement that will allow India to
build military infrastructure on Assumption Island.
o Agreement was signed by Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar & Seychelles
President Danny Faure.
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o It will provide a framework for assistance to Seychelles by Govt of India to
enhance military capabilities in control, maritime surveillance &
protection of Seychelles EEZ.
Upgraded version of Saras comes
o The new upgraded version of SARAS, the indigenous transport aircraft
developed by National Aeronautics Laboratory, "successfully" made its
maiden flight in Bengaluru.
o SARAS PT1N, a 14-seater passenger aircraft, is an upgraded version of the
plan.
o It is designed and developed by CSIR-NAL, a frontline aerospace research
laboratory.
OPV Vijaya launched
o The second offshore patrol vessel (OPV) built by the Larsen and Toubro
Shipyard for the Indian Coast Guard was launched.
o The indigenously built vessel 'Vijaya', equipped with state-of art radar,
navigational and communication system, will be utilised for day and night
patrol and surveillance.
o The first OPV, to be built in a private shipyard, was launched in October
2017.
TN to host first ever Defence Expo
o According to defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Tamil Nadu will host
its first-ever bi-annual defence exhibition in April.
o The exhibition will take place from April 11 to 14 and nearly 80 countries
are expected to take part in it.
o Arrangements will be made for the Navy, Army and Air Force to display
their equipment in the exhibition.
Vikramaditya affiliated to Bihar Reg.
o Indian Naval Ship Vikramaditya, the Indian Navy's largest ship and its
sole aircraft carrier was formally affiliated to the Indian Army's highly-
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decorated and battle-hardened Bihar Regiment and the Indian Air Force's
No 6 Squadron.
o It is tasked with maritime strike operations with its Jaguar fighter aircraft.
o A ceremony was held onboard INS Vikramaditya at the Karwar Naval
Base, Karnataka.
Attack helicopter Rudra in R-Day parade
o Indigenously-developed weapon system integrated helicopter Rudra will
make its maiden appearance in the Republic Day parade.
o Flypast by IAF on R-Day parade will involve 38 aircraft.The 2nd block will
start with Rudra formation comprising Advanced Light Helicopter MK-IV
WSI.
o Rudra is equipped with Forward Looking Infrared, a 20 mm turret gun, 70
mm rocket pods & anti-tank guided missiles.
India test-fires ICBM Agni-V
o India has test-fired its Agni-V intercontinental ballistic missile in its final
operational configuration from Abdul Kalam Island off the Odisha coast.
o Nuclear-capable Agni-V missile can reach northern-most parts of China
with its strike range of over 5,000-km
o Once Agni-V is inducted, India will join the super-exclusive club of
countries with ICBMs alongside US, Russia, China, France & UK.
Nirmala Sitharaman flies in Sukhoi 30
o Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman undertook a sortie in IAF s
frontline combat jet Sukhoi-30 MKI in the western sector of Rajasthan.
o She is the first woman defence minister of India to fly a sortie in an IAF
Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter aircraft.
o Sukhoi-30 MKI is a nuclear-capable aircraft which can penetrate deep into
enemy territory and is the most potent component of our nation’s air
power.
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India, Japan hold joint naval exercise
o Ships & aircraft of Indian Coast Guard & its Japanese counterpart
conducted a joint naval drill in Chennai.
o As many as 9 ships & 8 aircraft of Indian Coast Guard along with Japanese
Coast Guard Ship 'Tsugaru' with helo participated in the biennial Search &
Rescue Exercise 2018.
o Observers from 17 countries and members of National Maritime Search &
Rescue Board also witnessed the drill.
AB Singh takes over as Chief of SWNC
o Vice Admiral Ajendra Bahadur Singh took over as Chief of Staff, Western
Naval Command from Vice Admiral Ravneet Singh.
o Vice Admiral AB Singh was the Deputy Commander-in-Chief, Strategic
Forces Command prior to his current appointment.
o He is a specialist in Navigation and Aircraft Direction.
o An alumnus of NDA, Vice Admiral AB Singh was commissioned into the
Indian Navy on 01 July 1983.
DAC clears procurement of carbines
o A proposal worth Rs 3,547 crore to procure assault rifles and carbines was
cleared by the Defence Acquisition Council.
o Under the proposal, 72,000 assault rifles and 93,895 carbines will be
procured on the “fast track basis”.
o The procurement is to “enable the defence forces to meet their immediate
requirement for the troops deployed on the borders”.
Government to raise 15 new battalions
o The government is planning to raise 15 new battalions in the country's two
important border guarding forces - the BSF and the ITBP.
o It is being done to fortify defence along the strategic frontiers with
Pakistan, Bangladesh and China.
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o While the BSF is the country's largest border guarding force with a
strength of about 2.5 lakh, the ITBP is about 90,000-personnel strong.
South Korea, GCCI Sign MoU
o An official delegation from South Korea and the Gujarat Chamber of
Commerce and Industry signed a MoU.
o MoU is for co-operation between industries in Gujarat and the East Asian
countries, with a focus on automobile, defence and textile sectors.
o The South Korean delegation was led by the country's Consul General in
Mumbai, Kim Soungeun.
Defence Innovation Centre in Coimbatore
o Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has announced the release of ₹20
crore to the Coimbatore District Small Industries Association for setting
up a defence innovation centre here.
o The centre will help the MSME and start-ups engaged in the manufacture
of components for the defence sector to conduct tests and trials.
o India is the third biggest armaments procurement country in the world.
INS Arihant left crippled after accident
o Indigenous nuclear submarine INS Arihant suffered major damage due to
'human error' and has not sailed now for more than 10 months.
o Arihant is the most important platform within India’s nuclear triad
covering land-air-sea modes.
o Arihant, the country's only operational Ship Submersible Ballistic Nuclear
asset, can stay undetected deep underwater for long periods, range far and
wide.
Def Min approves projects worth ₹2420 cr
o The Defence Ministry gave final approval for the procurement of simulated
training solutions for the Navy’s P-8I long-range maritime patrol aircraft.
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o Electronic warfare systems for the Army will be procured at a combined
cost of ₹2419.32 crore.
o The deal was cleared in the past by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC).
February 2018
Maldives declined India's invitation
o Maldives has declined India's invitation to participate in the naval exercise
'MILAN'.
o The development comes on the backdrop of an ongoing state of unrest in
the country.
o MILAN is a congregation of littoral navies conducted biennially by Indian
Navy at Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
o The exercise assumes importance on the backdrop of an increasing
Chinese presence in the IOR.
Uttarakhand to host 13th Surya Kiran Exercise
o India and Nepal will hold the 13th edition of Surya Kiran joint military
exercise in Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand in a couple of months.
o The military exercise will include training on jungle warfare, anti-
terrorism combat as well as disaster response activities.
o The announcement came days after Army chief Bipin Rawat visited Nepal
to attend a function to mark the Army Day.
Navy to host MILAN from March 6 to 13
o Indian Navy will host the multi-national MILAN exercise at Port Blair in
Andaman and Nicobar islands from March 6 to March 13, 2018.
o MILAN is a congregation of littoral navies conducted biennially by the
Indian Navy under the aegis of the Andaman and Nicobar Command. It
began in 1995.
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o This year's theme is ‘Friendship Across the Seas’. It will witness
professional exercises and seminars.
DRDO successfully tests flight Rustom-2
o DRDO has successfully flew its Rustom 2 at its Aeronautical Test Range at
Chalakere in Chitradurga district of Karnataka.
o A medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle, Rustom 2 or
TAPAS-BH-201 has been developed by India on the lines of the American
Predator drones.
o Rustom 2 can conduct sustained surveillance and can carry weapons along
with surveillance equipment.
ITBP men to learn Chinese
o Indo-Tibetan Border Police has geared up to break the language barrier
with their Chinese counterparts by learning Chinese to boost security
management skills.
o 25 jawans & officials of ITBP will take up a 1 year certificate course in
Chinese language at Sanchi University of Buddhist-Indic Studies.
o Learning Chinese will also help ITBP in their interactions with civilians in
the border areas.
8th Indo- Seychelles Army exercise starts
o The eighth joint military exercise between the Indian Army and Seychelles
People’s Defence Forces started at Mahe Island, Seychelles.
o The focus of the ongoing exercise is to conduct counter-insurgency and
counter-terrorist operations in semi-urban environment under the United
Nations Charter.
o The exercise is named “Lamitye” which in the local dialect ‘Creole’, means
friendship.
20,000 crore defence corridor for Bundelkhand
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o PM Modi has announced a defence industrial corridor in Bundelkhand
region, one of the most backward regions of UP.
o In this year's budget, govt. had announced that it will establish 2 defence
industrial production corridors.
o The corridor will link Agra, Aligarh, Lucknow, Kanpur, Jhansi &
Chitrakoot.
o The decision was taken keeping in mind the developmental requirements
of Bundelkhand region.
India test fires Agni-II missile
o India has test-fired its medium range nuclear capable Agni-II missile with
a strike range of 2,000 km from Abdul Kalam Island off Odisha coast.
o Agni-II was developed by Advanced Systems Laboratory along with other
DRDO labs & integrated by Bharat Dynamics.
o The 20-m-long Agni-II ballistic missile has a launch weight of 17 tonne &
can carry a payload of 1,000 kg over a distance of 2,000 kms.
India, Indonesia begin joint drill
o A special task force of Indian Army & Indonesian Army have begun the
6th Garuda Shakti exercise in the West Java province of the archipelago
country.
o Drill aims to build experience sharing in counter-terrorism operations,
close quarter combat & other areas of special operations.
o The exercise b/w Indian & Indonesian Special Forces highlights the
increasing trust & cooperation b/w the 2 armies
India’s defence budget breaks into top 5
o According to a report by London-based global think tank, India’s defence
budget broke into the world’s top 5, beating the UK for the first time.
o India overtook the UK as the 5th largest defence spender in 2017 at $52.5
billion.
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o While India continues to modernise its military capabilities, China's
defence budget remains far ahead with 3 times India’s defence budget at
USD 150.5 billion.
Chindits Trail Expedition flagged off
o Indian Army flagged off a Chindits Trail Expedition to commemorate the
spirit of Indian troops employed on Burma front in the 2nd World War.
o Expedition will cover a distance of 400 km in 4 phases over a period of 20
days.
o It will cover areas of Deogarh, Damoh & Nauradehi & will collaborate with
local administration & forest department to connect with indigenous tribes
inhabiting the region.
Air Force gets vintage Dakota aircraft
o Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force (IAF) Air Chief Marshal
(ACM) B.S. Dhanoa received a restored World War-II DC3 Dakota aircraft
from an IAF veteran.
o The gift deed was signed between ACM Dhanoa and Air Cdre (Retd)
Chandrasekhar at a handover ceremony.
o The DC3 Dakota aircraft Parashurama bearing the Tail Number VP-905
will be part of the IAF’s vintage fleet.
Government to buy assault, sniper rifles
o The Defence Acquisition Council, led by Defence Minister Nirmala
Sitharaman, has cleared proposals worth nearly ₹16,000 crore to buy
seven lakh assault rifles and 5,700 sniper rifles.
o Over ₹1,800 crore was sanctioned to procure Light Machine Guns through
the "fast track" route.
o In 2017, the ministry cleared ₹40,000 crore to replace ageing weapons
under one of its biggest procurement plans.
Russia seeks ₹125 crore to repair INS Chakra
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o Russian authorities have demanded over $20 million for rectifying the
damage suffered by nuclear submarine INS Chakra, which was dry-docked
last week.
o Before INS Chakra, indigenously built nuclear ballistic missile submarine
INS Arihant suffered extensive damage because of human error over a
year ago.
o INS Chakra is a Russia-made, nuclear-propelled, hunter-killer submarine.
India, UAE to hold first naval drill in Gulf
o Modi completed his 3 nations visit and made various developements.
o Before he flew on to Muscat, the PM, reiterated strong cooperation on
combating terrorism and a defence partnership that will see the Indian
Navy conducting an exercise in the Gulf waters.
o This is the first time Indian Navy will be exercising in the Gulf, going
beyond the Arabian Sea.
HAL Develops First Hawk-I Flight
o The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited has developed the first flight of Hawk-
i with indigenous Real Time Operating System.
o Hawk-i is the first indigenous RTOS developed in India from scratch and
certified by Center for Military Airworthiness and Certification.
o The RTOS provides a standard run-time environment for real-time
applications execution in a safe and reliable manner.
Advisory committee on defence procurements
o To expedite capital acquisitions in defence procurement, Defence Minister
Sitharaman has constituted a 13-member Raksha Mantri Advisory
Committee on Ministry of Defence Capital Projects.
o The committee will present an initial status report on the identified
projects to the Defence Minister by March 31, 2018.
o The report shall include status of the projects issues, remedial measures
etc.
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Prithvi-II missile successfully test-fired
o India successfully test-fired indigenously developed nuclear-capable
Prithvi-II missile on Wednesday.
o The surface-to-surface missile, which has a strike range of 350 km, is
capable of carrying 500-1,000 kg of warheads.
o Developed under DRDO's Integrated Guided Missile Development
Programme, Prithvi-II uses advanced inertial guidance system with
manoeuvring trajectory to hit its target.
US Air Force chief flies Indian-made Tejas
o Aiming to strengthen the relationship between the air forces of US and
India, Chief of Staff of the US Air Force General David L Goldfein flew the
‘Made in India’ light combat aircraft Tejas.
o With this, Goldfein also became the first foreign military chief to fly Tejas
aircraft.
o Tejas is a single jet engine, multi role light fighter designed by ADA
and HAL for the Indian Airforce and Navy.
India's 1st defence industrial corridor
o The first of the two defense industrial production corridors, as announced
in the Union Budget, will link Chennai & Bengaluru and will pass through
Coimbatore and several other industrial clusters.
o The corridor shall provide impetus to the defence production industry in
the country and in the region.
o The announcement on the second corridor would be made soon.
INS Karanj Launched By Indian Navy
o Indian Navy launched 'INS Karanj', the third of the six indigenous
Scorpene-class submarines.
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o The submarine, equipped with superior stealth features and precision-
guided weapons, has been built at Mumbai's Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders
Limited. Admiral Sunil Lanba, Chief of the Naval Staff, was the chief guest.
o The submarine has an overall length of 67.5 meters and a height of about
12.3 metres.
March 2018
U.S., India hold naval training
o Indian Navy’s Talwar class frigate INS Tarkash carried out a “greeting and
training” exercise with the U.S. Navy’s Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike
Group (TRCSG).
o During the exercise, personnel from both the sides “ practised working
together and strengthened their crews’ ship handling”.
o The TRCSG will now be responsible for counter-piracy, freedom of
navigation operations and training.
Draft policy on defence production
o Defence Ministry has come out with a draft policy which envisages
achieving a turnover of Rs 1.7 lakh crore in military goods & services by
2025.
o The policy aims to make India 1 of the top 5 manufacturers of defence
platforms with participation of public & private sectors.
o Govt has identified 12 military platforms & weapons systems for
production in India to achieve the aim of self-reliance.
Navy decommissionsed 3 minesweepers
o The Indian Navy has decommissioned 3 Karwar-class
minesweepers 'Konkan', 'Cannanore' and 'Cuddalore'.
o These minesweepers 'retired' as operational ships after three decades of
service in the Indian Navy.
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o Each of these minesweepers sailed nearly 30,000 nautical miles during
their operational life, which is comparable to circumnavigating the globe
four and a half time.
INS Ganga decommissioned in Mumbai
o INS Ganga, an indigenously built frigate of the Indian Navy, was
decommissioned on 22 March 2018 in Mumbai, after over three decades of
service.
o The ship was retired from active service on May 28, 2017.
o INS Ganga was a Godavari-class guided-missile frigate of the Indian Navy.
o The Godavari class was the first significant indigenous warship design and
development initiative of the Indian Navy
India successfully flight-tests BrahMos
o India successfully flight-tested its precision strike BrahMos weapon, which
is called the world's fastest supersonic cruise missile.
o The BrahMos hit its designated target with pin-point accuracy in Pokhran,
Rajasthan.
o The sleek supersonic cruise missile flies at almost three times the speed of
sound, at Mach 2.8.
CISF launched lost and found app for airports
o CISF launched its lost and found mobile app for passengers at 59 airports
across India.
o The app, named UMANG (Unified Mobile Application for New-age
Governance), offers three facilities – lost and found items at airports,
tracking complaints or request status and technical consultancy in security
and fire services.
o The CISF had in 2015 launched a lost and found section on its website.
Indo-French Naval exercise Varuna 2018
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o The first phase of Indo-French joint naval exercise Varuna 2018 began on
March 19, 2018, at the Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) in Vasco da Gama,
Goa.
o The exercise is being held in the Arabian Sea, off the Goa coast.
o The second and third phases of the exercise will be held at the Chennai
coast in April 2018 and in La Reunion Island in May 2018, respectively.
Coast Guard commissions interceptor boat
o The Coast Guard commissioned an interceptor boat, C-437 at Porbandar
to strengthen the security umbrella of the Indian West Coast.
o The boat is provided with advanced navigational and communication
equipment which gives it the capability to respond to any maritime
situation.
o The boat would be based at Jakhau under the administrative and
operational control of the Commander Coast Guard Region.
US is India's 2nd biggest arms supplier
o The US has rapidly increased its arms sales to India, emerging over the
last five years as its second-biggest supplier by providing 15% of its
weapons imports.
o Washington increased its sales by more than 5 times compared to the
previous 5 years .
o Russia remained by far India's biggest arms seller while Israel moved up to
the third spot.
o India is the world's biggest importer of major arms.
IAF lands its heaviest aircraft in Arunanchal
o The Indian Air Force (IAF) for first time flawlessly landed its largest
transport US-manufactured aircraft, C-17 Globemaster at strategic Tuting
Advanced landing ground in Arunachal Pradesh.
o The landing of this aircraft is seen as part of IAF’s move to strengthen its
overall operations in the border state.
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o The aircraft is used for airlift missions, transporting troops and cargo.
CISF to offer consultancy to 5-star hotels
o CISF has decided to offer security consultancy to 5-star hotels so that they
can be prepared to deal with 26/11 type terror attacks.
o Central paramilitary force which is celebrating its 49th raising day has
already prepared a blueprint in this regard.
o It soon plans to write to hotels proposing to render services of its special
unit & experts and provide specific consultancy on security issues
Multi-nation naval exercise 'MILES-18'
o The first-ever multi-nation naval exercise at sea, MILES-18, has begun at
the Andaman sea.
o The exercise aims to hone search and rescue procedures, maritime
interdiction operations, core operational skills and exercise a variety of
maritime security scenarios.
o 11 naval ships of 8 countries and nine Indian ships will be participating in
this three-day exercise.
India, France signed strategic pact
o India and France inked a strategic pact providing for the use of each
other’s military facilities including opening naval bases to warships.
o The agreement comes amid China’s growing military expansionism in the
Indo-Pacific region.
o The two countries also signed a pact on exchange and reciprocal protection
of classified or protected information.
Multilateral Air Force exercise 'Samvedna'
o A Multilateral Air Force exercise, 'Samvedna', will be held from March 12
to 17, 2018.
o The exercise is spearheaded by Indian Air Force and will be conducted by
Southern Air Command.
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o It is the first composite HADR Air exercise in the South Asian region.
o Air Forces of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, UAE and Myanmar have already
committed resources and personnel for the exercise.
Israel-US held joint military drill
o US and Israeli had launched the so-called "Juniper Cobra 2018" military
drill that simulates a missile attack on Israel.
o It is the largest combat exercise between Israel and the US.
o Since 2001, Israeli and US forces have conducted a total of eight Juniper
Cobra joint combat exercises, including the most recent exercise in
February 2016.
Bharti Defence delivers C-162 to Coast Guard
o Bharati Defence and Infrastructure Ltd., Mangaluru, delivered an
interceptor boat, C-162, to the Indian Coast Guard on its premises.
o Sixth in a series of 15 high-speed interceptor boats being procured by the
ICG, C-162 was launched on January 31 at BDIL.
o The Indian Coast Guard protects India's maritime interests and enforces
maritime law. It is headquartered in New Delhi.
Paschim Lehar exercise concluded
o Paschim Lehar, a three-week tri-service maritime exercise off India's
western coast, in which several ships, submarines and fighter aircraft
participated, has concluded.
o The objective of the exercise, which commenced on February 12, was to
build interoperability.
o Over 40 naval assets including the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya,
participated in it.
INSV Tarini reaches Cape Town
o An all-women crew leading the INSV Tarini docked at a port in Cape Town
in South Africa, in the last phase of its maiden voyage to circumnavigate
the globe.
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o This is the first-ever Indian circumnavigation of the globe by an all-women
crew.
o The vessel is skippered by Lieutenant Commander Vartika Joshi.
o Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman flagged-off the expedition from Goa
on September 10.
India's first defence 'Quad' to be made
o The Defence Ministry has started the process to set up the country's 1st
defence industrial corridor to promote industries manufacturing weapons
and military equipment.
o Quad or quadrilateral corridor will connect Chennai, Hosur, Coimbatore,
Salem & Tiruchirappalli.
o The idea behind setting up defence industrial corridors is to ensure
connectivity among various defence industrial units.
April 2018
First-ever Mock Exercise on Bio-Disasters
o National Disaster Management Authority conducted its first-ever Mock
Exercise on Bio-Disasters at Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Airport in Patna.
o The exercise aimed at enhancing the preparedness of Airport Emergency
Handlers to respond to CBRN emergencies at the airports.
o NDMA jointly with NDRF also conducted its first-ever full-scale Biological
Management Emergency Exercise.
Nod for procurement of NAG missile
o The Defence Ministry approved military procurement worth Rs. 3,687
crore, which includes anti-tank guided missile NAG for the Army and
long-range guns for the Navy.
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o The proposals were cleared at a meeting of the Defence Acquisition
Council (DAC) chaired by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
o The DAC also approved the procurement of thirteen 127 mm calibre guns
for the Navy.
Indian Navy inducts 3rd LCU at Port Blair
o The Indian Navy has inducted the third ship of the Landing Craft Utility
(LCU) Mk-IV project at Port Blair.
o LCU MK-IV ship is an amphibious ship and is capable of transporting
combat equipment such as Main Battle Tanks Arjun, T72, and other
Armored Vehicles.
o The command oversees India's Andaman and Nicobar Island territories,
including the strategic Strait of Malacca in the Indian Ocean.
India, Malaysia to hold military exercise
o The Indian and Malaysian armies will hold a two-week military exercise
beginning April 30 in Malaysia.
o The joint exercise 'Harimau Shakti' will take place in the dense forests of
Sengai Perdik in Malaysia.
o This is the first instance wherein a joint training exercise of this magnitude
involving Indian and Malaysian soldiers is being organized in Malaysia.
Dakota DC-3 aircraft to be inducted into IAF
o Dakota DC-3 aircraft of 1940's vintage would be inducted shortly into the
Vintage Aircraft Flight of the Indian Air Force (IAF).
o Built in 1944, the aircraft served in the military with the RAF and was also
operated by various civil airlines.
o In 1988, a large fleet of Dakota DC-3 served in the Indian Air Force. It was
one of the most versatile transport aircraft of its time.
'Sagar Kavach' began in Kerala
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o A two-day coastal security exercise 'Sagar Kavach' began on 24th April to
strengthen and assess the loopholes in the coastal security mechanism
along Kerala shores.
o The Coast Guard, the Navy, Coastal Police and Marine Enforcement wing
are participating in the exercise.
o 3 ships of the navy, 10 of Coastguard, four fishing boats, besides 20 coastal
police stations are taking part in the drill.
Navy Chief to attend Naval Symposium in Iran
o Indian Navy Chief, Admiral Sunil Lanba has began his visit to Iran to
attend the 6th edition of Indian Ocean Naval Symposium.
o IONS which was conceived by Indian Navy in 2008 aims to enhance
maritime cooperation among navies of littoral states of Indian Ocean
Region
o Naval Chief's visit is aimed at consolidating bilateral naval relations
b/w India & Iran and explore new avenues for cooperation
IAF conducts Gagan Shakti exercise
o Showcasing its precision in strike capabilities during day and night, Indian
Air Force (IAF) has started exercise Gagan Shakti.
o Gagan Shakti will test the LCA across a varied spectrum encompassing Air
Defence and Strike capabilities among others.
o IAF is conducting Exercise Gagan Shakti 2018, biggest air combat exercise
along Pakistan, China borders from April 10 to 23 April 2018.
Boeing signs deal with HAL, Mahindra
o Boeing India has signed an agreement with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd,
and Mahindra Defence Systems at the Defence Expo 2018 to manufacture
Super Hornet fighter aircraft in India.
o The companies will manufacture F/A-18 Super Hornet for India’s armed
forces.
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o The F/A-18 Super Hornet will deliver on India’s need for a carrier- and
land- based multi-role fighter jets.
Indo-Korean joint exercise SAHYOG- HYEOBLYEOG
o Indo-Korean joint anti-piracy, search & rescue exercise ‘SAHYOG-
HYEOBLYEOG 2018’ was conducted off the Chennai coast.
o The joint exercise is a part of ongoing cooperative arrangements b/w the 2
coast guards for the past 12 years
o The exercise aims to develop working level co-operation & enhance inter-
operability in the fields of maritime search & rescue, anti-piracy
operations.
May 2018
India-Nepal joint military exercise begins
o A joint military exercise between India and Nepal began on May 30 in
Uttrakhand.
o The military exercise, which is set to conclude of June 12, is called 'Surya
Kiran' and is conducted alternatively in India and Nepal every six months.
o Surya Kiran with Nepal is India's largest military exercise in terms of troop
participation.
Upgraded Pinaka rocket successfully test-fired
o An upgraded version of Pinaka rocket, with a guidance system and an
enhanced range, was successfully test-fired from the Proof & Experiment
Establishment at Chandipur in Odisha.
o Pinaka has now been upgraded into a guided version, with a navigation,
guidance & control kit developed by the Research Centre, Imarat,
Hyderabad.
o The conversion helped in enhancing the range and accuracy of Pinaka.
India, Russia conclude negotiations for S-400
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o India has concluded price negotiations with Russia for a nearly Rs 40,000
crore deal to procure S-400 Triumf air defence missile systems for the
Indian Air Force.
o S-400 Triumf can detect, track & shoot down multiple targets including
cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, aircraft, drones & UAVs.
o S-400 is Russia’s most advanced long-range surface-to-air missile defence
system.
Rustom-2 drone to be delivered by 2020
o The Rustom-II Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, which is being developed by
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), will be
delivered to the armed forces by 2020.
o The drone is being developed for use by all 3 services of Indian Armed
Forces, primarily for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance
operations.
o It can fly at around 280 km/h and carry a variety of payloads.
Indian Navy commissioned the fourth LCU
o Indian Navy has commissioned IN LCU L54, the 4th ship of Landing Craft
Utility MK-IV, into its fleet at Port Blair.
o It has been indigenously designed & built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders
and Engineers.
o It can be deployed for multi-role activities like disaster relief operations
and evacuation from distant islands.
o A total of 8 vessels in the class are planned to be built for the Indian Navy
World's longest surface-to-air missile
o World’s longest surface-to-air missile test was conducted by Russia
quietly.
o This S-500 surface-to-air missile successfully struck a target that was 299
miles away.
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o Russia claims that this missile system is capable of destroying objects
flying in space 62 miles above the Earth’s surface.
o It is also capable of intercepting aircrafts, drones and hypersonic missile.
India, Nepal to conduct a military exercise
o Armies of both the nations, India and Nepal will conduct a 2-week long
military exercise ‘Surya Kiran’ in Uttarakhand.
o The focus of the exercise will be to enhance cooperation in conducting
counter-terrorism operations in mountainous terrain.
o Around 300 soldiers from both the nations will be participating in this
exercise.
US disinvites China from major naval exercise
o US has withdrawn an invitation from China to participate in Rim of the
Pacific (RIMPAC) drills over China’s expanded military footprint in
disputed areas of South China Sea.
o RIMPAC is world's largest international maritime warfare exercise.
o China began participating in the exercise in 2014, as part of an effort
during the Obama administration to stabilize military relations with
China.
Navy conducts "Prasthan" exercise
o Indian Navy has conducted an exercise called ‘Prasthan’ in the Western
Offshore Development Offshore area in Mumbai.
o The exercise is held every 6 months & aims at integrating maritime
stakeholders, including, Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force, ONGC, Customs &
Port Trust.
o The drill focused on things like fire on an oil platform, Oil spill, search and
rescue for crashed helicopters and more.
Artificial Intelligence in defence forces
o India has decided to include Artificial Intelligence in its defence forces
with an aim to enhance the operational preparedness of the armed forces.
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o A task force has been set up under the chairmanship of N. Chandrasekaran
to finalise the specifics & framework of the project.
o Major countries like Russia, US & China are taking steps to ensure that
their defence systems are fully empowered by AI
India test-fired BrahMos supersonic cruise
o India has successfully test-fired the Indo-Russian joint venture BrahMos
supersonic cruise missile from a test range along the Odisha coast.
o Trial was conducted to validate its "life extension" technologies developed
for the first time in India by DRDO and team BrahMos.
o The successful test will result in huge savings of replacement cost of
missiles held in the inventory of the Armed Forces.
India to hold naval exercise with Vietnam
o 3 Indian warships namely - INS Sahyadri, INS Shakti & INS Kamorta
entered into Tien Sa Port, Vietnam on May 21.
o A professional interaction will be held between personnel of the two navies
as well as official calls & interaction with dignitaries of the Vietnamese
government.
o On completion of the harbour phase, warships from the two navies would
conduct their 1st joint naval exercise.
CRPF raises 'Bastariya Battalion'
o In a bid to enhance combat capabilities in Naxal-hit area of Bastar district
in Chhattisgarh, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), for the first
time, has decided to include local representation in a special unit.
o The special unit has been numbered as 241 and named as 'Bastariya
Battalion'.
o All the candidates have been selected from four highly Naxal infested
district in Chhattisgarh.
Exercise 'Gandiv Vijay' in Rajasthan
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o Thousands of soldiers with warfighting equipment of South Western
Command's Chetak corps are engaged in intensive training in Mahajan
field firing ranges of Rajasthan under exercise 'Gandiv Vijay'.
o The exercise, which began two months ago, will conclude on May 23.
o The exercise involves multi-mode mobilisation from dispersed locations.
TN to build India’s next generation aircraft
o The Aeronautical Development Agency has set the ball rolling for building
the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft by extending an invitation to
private players in Tamil Nadu (TN).
o It is the first time an indigenous military aircraft programme is seeing the
involvement of private players.
o It is also the first time a defence plane development project is proposed to
be executed outside Bengaluru.
BRO built a road from India's border to China
o The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has created history by establishing
a road link to India's border with China beyond Limeking and along the
Tama Chung Chung-Taksing Axis recently.
o The road from Limeking now connects TCC to Taksing, covering a distance
of approximately 80 kilometers.
o BRO develops and maintains road networks in India's border areas. It
comes under the Ministry of Defence.
Mountaineering Expedition to Mt. Bhagirathi-II
o Indian Army Women Officers’ Mountaineering Expedition to Mt.
Bhagirathi-II (6512 metres) consisting of 9 women officers, was flagged off
by Director General of Military Training.
o Mt. Bhagirathi-II is located in the Garhwal Himalayas in Gangotri
National Park.
o The expedition aims at encouraging women in the field of adventure where
dauntless courage, will-power & determination is put to test.
25 | P a g e
ITBP to get more men and material
o The Union government has decided to boost the manpower and
infrastructure of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).
o Nine new battalions, a strategic sector headquarters on the front, a dozen
patrol camps and 47 new border outposts along the China border over the
next few years will be created.
o The Ministry of Home Affairs has given its in-principle approval.
Army finalised ammunition project
o The Army has finalised a mega ₹15,000-crore project under which a range
of ammunition for its critical weapons and tanks will be produced
indigenously.
o The implementation of the project is being monitored by the top brass of
the Army and the Defence Ministry.
o The immediate aim of the project is to create an inventory of all major
weapons to enable the forces to fight a 30-day war.
Coast Guard ship Vikram arrives in Mangaluru
o Indian Coast Guard vessel Vikram, the first in the class of seven new-
generation offshore patrol vessels under the union government's 'Make in
India' initiative, arrived at Mangaluru.
o The ship is built with an integrated platform management system to
enable special control capabilities.
o The ship is also designed to carry a twin-engine light and heavy
helicopters.
Indian Army tests 'Air Cavalry' concept
o The Indian Army has tested in the desert terrain of Rajasthan the military
concept of 'Air Cavalry'.
o The 'Air Cavalry' concept was used by the US Army to locate and assault
enemy ground forces during the Vietnam War.
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o Under the 'Air Cavalry' concept, attack helicopters are fully integrated with
tanks and mechanised ground forces.
China's aircraft carrier begins sea trials
o China's first domestically developed aircraft carrier has begun sea trials.
o The 50,000-metric tonne vessel will become the country's second aircraft
carrier, and the first to be entirely built and designed inside of China.
o Few countries in the world have aircraft carriers. Besides India, the US,
Russia, the UK, France, Italy, Thailand and China operate a total of 18
aircraft carriers.
Joint EEZ surveillance of Maldives
o Indian Naval ship Sumedha, a Naval Offshore Patrol Vessel has been
deployed to undertake joint EEZ surveillance of Maldives.
o The ship would undertake an Operational Turnaround at Male during
which it would interact & impart training to Maldives’ National Defence
Forces personnel.
o Joint EEZ surveillance is an endeavor of Govt of India & Indian Navy to
ensure safety & security of the vast EEZ.
Army's Vijay Prahar exercise in Rajasthan ends
o Indian Army's 'Vijay Prahar' exercise in which over 25,000 troops of the
Jaipur based South Western Command participated culminated in
Rajasthan's Suratgarh.
o Fighting equipments including tanks, attack helicopters, drones and
fighter aircraft were used in the month-long exercise.
o The concept of 'Air Cavalry' employing attack & weaponized helicopters
was also validated during the exercise.
India to station fighter planes in Andaman
o India has decided to station fighter airplanes in Andaman & Nicober
Islands to strengthen India's hold over the crucial Malacca, Sunda, and
Lumbok Strait.
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o This is the first time fighter airplanes will be positioned in Andaman and
Nicobar islands since World War II.
o The Malacaa, Sunda and Lumbok straits are narrow ocean passes that
connect the Indian Ocean to the South China Sea.
US and Philippines began military exercises
o US and Philippine forces have begun their largest annual military
exercises named Balikatan on 7th May.
o The Balikatan exercises involved combat drills in mock urban settings to
train special forces in battling terrorists.
o In 2017, Balikatan focused mainly on honing humanitarian responses to
the Philippines’ frequent natural disasters.
India-Malaysia joint exercise enters phase 2
o The second phase of the Indian and Malaysian armies' joint military
exercise 'Harimau Shakti' was initiated on May 7.
o The exercise was conducted in Hulu Langat forest of Malaysia under harsh
and humid conditions.
o The sappers team from 3 Engineer regiment of the Indian Army are
training with the Malaysian Army combat engineers as a part of their first
joint exercise.
BrahMos to attain 76% localisation in 6 mths
o BrahMos, the world’s fastest supersonic cruise missile, will be achieving
75% localisation in the next six months.
o As of today 65% of the value (in BrahMos) is created in India.
o The Quad launcher is designed for supersonic cruise missiles in an
inclined configuration on-board our navy ships.
o The launcher provides superior firepower as compared to the twin
cannister.
Royal Navy receives its minesweeping system
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o Britain's Royal Navy has taken the delivery of its first unmanned
autonomous minesweeping system.
o The system will restore the Royal Navy's sweep capability, enabling it to
tackle modern digital mines that may not otherwise be discovered in
challenging mine hunting conditions/
o It can be operated from a land or ship-based control station & can be
deployed from a suitable ship or port.
Dakota aircraft joined IAF again
o A restored Dakota aircraft has joined the Indian Air Force more than
4 decades after the fleet was phased out following an illustrious service
record.
o Dakota popularly known as Gooney Bird was the 1st major transport
aircraft inducted in the Indian Air Force.
o Restored Dakota rechristened as Parashuram will join Vintage Fly of one
each of Tiger Moth & Howard raised at Hindan air force station
First meet of Defence Planning Committee
o The new Defence Planning Committee (DPC) met for the first time under
the chairmanship of National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.
o The DPC will draft National Security Strategy (NSS) and other doctrines as
well as ushering reforms in the country’s higher defence management and
planning.
o The Chief of Integrated Staff in the Ministry of Defence will be the member
secretary of DPC.
US to reschedule the 1st two-plus-two dialogue
o The US is looking to reschedule the first two-plus-two dialogue with India,
following the confirmation of Mike Pompeo as President Donald Trump's
new Secretary of State.
o The dialogue involves defense and foreign ministers from the two
countries.
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o The dialogue is likely to take place sometime this summer, most probably
after the historic summit meeting between Trump and Kim Jong un.
India, China militaries to set up hotline
o Militaries of India & China have agreed to set up a hotline between their
headquarters after the informal summit between PM Modi & President Xi
in Wuhan.
o Hotline is regarded as a major confidence-building measure as it would
enable the militaries of both countries to intensify communication to avert
border tensions.
o India already has a hotline with Pakistan that was first used in 1991.
India among top 5 defence spenders
o According to a Swedish arms watchdog, India & China were among the 5
biggest military spenders which together accounted for 60% of the total
global defence expenditure of $1.739 trillion in 2017.
o India spent $63.9 billion in 2017 to expand, modernise & enhance the
operational capability of its armed forces.
o The 5 top military spenders in 2017 were US, China, Saudi Arabia, Russia
& India.
Vijay Prahar exercise under way in Rajasthan
o More than 20,000 troops of strike formations of the Indian Army's South
Western Command were engaged in "Vijay Prahar" exercise near
Suratgarh in Rajasthan.
o The aim of the exercise is to fine-tune jointmanship with the Indian Air
Force.
o The other aspects which were focused were fighting capabilities through
armed helicopters and fighting and operate in the nuclear environment.
June 2018
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Naval exercise RIMPAC to begin in Hawaii
o The world’s largest biennial multilateral naval exercise Rim of the Pacific
(RIMPAC) will begin on 27th June off cost Hawaii in the Western Pacific
Ocean.
o Indian Naval Ship Sahyadri will participate in the 26th edition of RIMPAC
exercise.
o India’s participation in the exercise provides a platform for increased
interoperability and understanding of maritime security operations.
BRO opens bridge from Leh to Siachen
o The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) on opened a vital 35-meter bridge
in Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir that will ease vehicular
movement to the base camp of Siachen Glacier, the world's highest
battlefield.
o The 35-meter long 'Chamesahn' bridge is under Project HIMANK.
o The BRO develops road networks in border areas & maintains over 32,885
km of roads & 12,200 m of bridges.
India and Seychelles signed 6 agreements
o India and Seychelles signed six MoUs in areas of naval cooperation,
cybersecurity, culture, development projects.
o India extended a line of credit worth 100 million USD for Seychelles.
o India would also provide special grants in civilian infrastructure projects
and enhance defence and maritime capabilities.
o PM also handed over a replica of Dornier Aircraft to President of
Seychelles.
Navy chief Admiral Lanba to visit Bangladesh
o Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Lanba will be on a five day goodwill visit
to Bangladesh.
o The visit is aimed at consolidating bilateral defence relations between
India and Bangladesh and to explore new avenues for naval cooperation.
31 | P a g e
o The Admiral Lanba will inaugurate the first edition of Indian Navy-
Bangladesh Navy Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT).
US and South Korea suspend training exercises
o The United States and South Korea have agreed to indefinitely suspend
two exchange program training exercises.
o The announcement comes on the heels of the summit in Singapore
between President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
o Freedom Guardian along with two Korean Marine Exchange Program
training exercises have been suspended.
Indian peacekeepers in sudan awarded UN medal
o The 7 Garhwal Rifles Infantry Battalion Group was awarded the United
Nations Medal for selfless service in the peacekeeping mission in South
Sudan.
o Indian Battalion played an active and decisive role in ensuring peace and
stability in Jonglei State.
o India is a leading contributor to the United Nations Peacekeeping
missions. India contributes over 6,000 troops in 14 missions across the
world.
Dhanush artillery gun clears final trials
o The indigenously upgraded artillery gun Dhanush has successfully
completed final user trials and is ready for induction into the Army.
o Dhanush is an upgraded version of the Swedish Bofors gun procured by
India in the mid-1980s.
o This was the third and final phase of user exploitation firings in which six
Dhanush guns were fired in battery formation at the Pokhran field firing
range.
Year of Disabled Soldiers In Line of Duty
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o To honour soldiers who have been disabled in line of duty, while serving
the Nation and to celebrate the undying spirit of ‘Soldiering’, Indian Army
is observing the year 2018 as the ‘Year of Disabled Soldiers in Line of
Duty’.
o The primary focus is towards alleviating the sufferings of these soldiers
o The endeavour this year is to provide a one-time financial assistance to
disabled soldiers.
South Korean war games in Dokdo Island
o South Korea began a 2-day war game on 18 June 2018 to defend disputed
Dokdo island against Japan which involves 6 warships and 7 aircraft.
o Seoul Controls the islands in the sea of Japan since the end of Japanese
colonial rule on the Korean peninsula.
o Tokyo also claims the islands which are known as Takeshima in Japan and
accuse Seoul of occupying them illegally.
Malabar 2018 to conclude on June 16
o The 22nd edition of the Malabar trilateral naval exercise of the US, Japan
and India kicked off on June 7 at Guam in the Pacific Ocean and will
continue till June 16.
o This is the first time that the prestigious Malabar exercise is being
conducted off Guam, a major US Naval Base in the Western Pacific.
o The Malabar exercise started in 1992 between the Indian Navy and the US
Navy.
Pinaka rocket turned into guided missile
o The indigenous Pinaka rocket system of the Defence Research and
Development Organisation (DRDO) is being evolved into a precision-
guided missile.
o Pinaka rocket system is known for firing a salvo of 12 rockets in just 44
seconds, with enhanced range and accuracy to hit its targets.
o The rocket has been developed by the Armament cluster of the DRDO.
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US approves sale of Apache choppers to India
o The US government has approved a deal to sell six AH-64E Apache attack
helicopters to India for $930 million.
o The US will also provide night vision sensors, control radars, Hellfire
Longbow missiles and Stinger air-to-air missiles to India under the deal.
o "(The helicopters) will increase India's capability to counter ground-
armoured threats and modernise its armed forces," the US said.
India-Nepal Joint Ex SURYA KIRAN-XIII
o Exercise SURYA KIRAN-XIII, a joint military training exercise between
India & Nepal culminated at Pithoragarh.
o The troops of both Armies participated in 14-day long joint training based
on counter-terrorist operations.
o The training culminated with a 72-hour outdoor exercise in which troops
of both contingents carried out a Cordon and Search Operation in a mock
counter-insurgency village.
1st Indian-made artillery gun ready
o India's first indigenous, long-range artillery gun 'Dhanush' has cleared its
final test and is ready to be inducted into the Indian Army.
o Earlier this month, fifty rounds of shells each were fired from six Dhanush
guns, which are reportedly called 'desi Bofors'.
o The gun also passed the tests in cold, humid, and hot conditions.
CAG to audit Rafale procurement after payment
o CAG will audit the procurement of 36 Rafale fighter jets from France only
after the "deal is fully executed and the payments are completed".
o The ₹59,000 cr deal became contoversial after the Congress claimed that
the current deal is more expensive than the one struck during the UPA
government.
o The Dassault Rafale is a French twin-engine, multirole fighter aircraft.
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DAC approves procurement of radars
o The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) approved procurement of high
powered radars for the Indian Air Force and air cushion vehicles for the
Army and the Coast Guard together worth over Rs. 5,500 crore.
o The 12 high power radars will be procured indigenously under the ‘Buy
(Indian) IDDM’ category.
o The radars will have the capability to scan 360 degrees without mechanical
rotation of Antenna,
India, US, Japan to begin naval war game
o India and its two strategic partners -- the US and Japan -- will hold the
Malabar naval exercise from next week off the coast of Guam in the
Philippine Sea.
o It will aim to deepen cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region where China
has been expanding its military footprint.
o Malabar is a trilateral naval exercise involving the United States, Japan
and India as permanent partners.
India test-fires nuclear capable Agni-5
o India has successfully test-fired it's indigenously developed nuclear
capable long-range ballistic missile Agni-5 from Dr. Abdul Kalam Island
off the Odisha coast.
o Unlike other missiles of the series, Agni-5 is the most advanced with new
technologies in terms of navigation and guidance, warhead and engine.
o The missile has been developed by DRDO and has a strike range of 5,000
kilometers.
Malabar 2018 to be held off coast of Guam
o Naval ships, aircraft & personnel from India, Japan & US will participate
in the 2018 Malabar exercises off the coast of Guam in the Philippine Sea.
o Malabar for the first time is being conducted off the coast in the Philippine
Sea which will include both ashore & at-sea training.
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o Training will focus on high-end warfighting skill sets, medical operations
& anti-submarine warfare among others.
July 2018
India plans to buy missile shield from U.S.
o India is in talks with the U.S. to procure an advanced air defence system to
defend the National Capital Region (NCR) from aerial attacks.
o The process for procuring the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile
System-II (NASAMS-II), estimated at $1 billion, has been initiated.
o The NASAMS was developed by Raytheon in partnership with
KONGSBERG Defence and Aerospace of Norway.
International Army Games 2018 declared open
o The International Army Games 2018 at Patriot Park in Moscow region has
been declared open by Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu.
o The games are being held at 24 training grounds in 7 countries namely
Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Iran, Kazakhstan, China and Russia.
o Indian teams are taking part in two major competitions - Tank Biathlon
event and Elbrus Ring competition.
'Made in India' engines for the Army
o Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has formally handed over two types
of indigenously built high-power multi-fuel engines to the Army.
o The first engine V92S2 engine powers T-90 Bhisma Tank, the second
engine V-46-6 engine powers the T-72 Ajeya Tank and its variants.
o The Engine Factory under the Make in India programme manufactured
the two engines with 100 percent local parts.
India, B'desh Coast Guards conduct exercise
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o The Indian Coast Guard conducted a bilateral table-top exercise on
maritime pollution response with Bangladesh Coast Guard.
o The two-day exercise is being conducted in the backdrop of the MoU
signed between India and South Asian Cooperation for Environment
Protection (SACEP).
o The SACEP was approved by Union Cabinet in May 2018.
IAF to participate in multinational exercise
o For the first time, Indian Air Force will be participating in Exercise Pitch
Black 2018, a multinational drill scheduled in Australia.
o Ex Pitch Black is a biennial large force employment warfare exercise
hosted by Royal Australian Air Force.
o It involves over 100 aircraft from around the globe & will provide a unique
opportunity to air-warriors to operate in a dynamic warlike environment.
Army to get artillery guns from September
o From September 2018, the Army will be inducting two types of artillery
guns into its arsenal.
o These will be the first induction of heavy artillery since the Swedish Bofors
guns imported in the 1980s.
o The Army will start taking delivery of the K9 Vajra-T tracked self-
propelled artillery guns from South Korea in September.
International Army Games 2018, Moscow
o Indian Army team has reached Moscow to participate in the International
Army games scheduled from July 28 to August 11.
o India is participating in 2 competitions including the Tank Biathlon and
Elbrus Ring - which is mountain warfare combat patrol competition near
Elbrus Mountain.
o The Army games 2018 will be held in 7 countries - Armenia, Azerbaijan,
Belarus, China, Iran, Kazakhstan & Russia.
IAF Participates "Pitch Black" War Exercise
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o The Indian Air Force (IAF) is participating in the multinational "Pitch
Black" warfare exercise in Australia for the first time.
o The IAF contingent for biennial exercise will consist of 4 Su-30MKI
fighters, C-130 special operations aircraft and C-17 transporter.
o Pitch Black is hosted by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) & will see
eight other nations participating with over 100 aircraft.
BrahMos supersonic missile test-fired
o India's indigenously developed surface-to-surface supersonic cruise
missile BrahMos was successfully test-fired from Chandipur Test Range
off the Odisha coast.
o BrahMos is a joint venture between DRDO and NPOM of Russia.
o BrahMos is the first Indian missile whose life has been extended from 10
to 15 years.
o BrahMos has been operationalised in the Indian Army, Indian Navy and
Indian Air Force.
T-Hub to host country’s 1st Defence incubator
o India's first Defence incubators will come up in Hyderabad, which is
India’s missile development centre.
o The T-Hub is India's largest incubator that will be funded through the
Ministry’s Innovation for Defence Excellence (iDEX) scheme.
o The iDEX will be funded and managed by a Defence Innovation
Organisation.
o Initially, a corpus of ₹100 crore has been created by two PSUs--HAL and
BEL.
August 2018
Assam govt extends AFSPA
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o Assam government has extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act,
AFSPA for another six months in the entire state.
o The official notification said that the state governor has declared the entire
State of Assam as the 'disturbed area' up to six months.
o The Act gives special rights and immunity to security forces in carrying out
various operations in disturbed areas.
INS Teg lends assistance to MV Vela
o INS Teg, a warship of the Western Naval Command, provided assistance
to MV Vela, a Norwegian owned ship in Gulf of Aden.
o INS Teg dispatched a specialist team for recovery damaged anchor and
cable and assisted the crew of MV Vela.
o MV Vela and the Combined Task Force expressed their gratitude to the
ship and the Indian Navy.
Joint military exercise ends in Russia
o The fifth edition of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Peace
Mission Exercise 2018, ended in Chebarkul, Russia.
o The Indian delegation led by Lt. Gen Satish Dua, participated for the first
time in the exercise.
o In this exercise, Pakistan and Indian participated for the first time.
INS Vikramaditya will be upgraded
o INS Vikramaditya is going to be fitted with marine hydraulic system for
the first time as part of its upgrade that will give an edge to the air-capable
wing of the ship.
o It is India's only aircraft carrier.
o The marine hydraulic systems are used for refuelling, cleaning and
pressurization of hydraulic systems of aircraft and helicopters.
DAC approves procurement for services
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o The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister, gave
approval for procurement for the Services amounting to approximately Rs.
46,000 crores.
o DAC approved procurement of 111 Utility Helicopters for the Indian Navy.
o This is the first project under the Ministry of Defence’s prestigious
Strategic Partnership (SP).
Exercise SCO Peace Mission 2018 begins
o Exercise Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Peace Mission 2018,
formally started on 24 August 2018 at Chebarkul, Russia.
o India is participating in the drill for the first time since becoming a full
member of the SCO in June 2017.
o The SCO was established in Shanghai in 2001, with China, Russia,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as founding members.
INS Khanjar visits Yangon, Myanmar
o INS Khanjar a Missile Corvette of Indian Navy was on a three-day visit to
Yangon, Myanmar from August 18-20.
o INS Khanjar (P-47) is a Khukri-class Missile Corvette and was
commissioned into the Indian Navy on 22 October, 1991.
o INS Khanjar is part of the Eastern Fleet based at Visakhapatnam.
First-ever IAF-RMAF joint air exercise
o The first-ever joint air exercise involving the Indian Air Force and the
Royal Malaysian Air Force commenced on 20th August 2018 at Subang Air
Base in Malaysia.
o The exercise in Malaysia will be called Exercise Elang Shakti.
o The IAF contingent landed at the Subang Air Base in Malaysia comprises
of C-17, C-130 and Su-30 aircraft.
Exercise Pitch Black 2018 concludes
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o Exercise Pitch Black a biennial multi-national warfare exercise was
hosted by Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) from 24 Jul 18 to 18 Aug 18
in Darwin, Australia.
o Indian Air Force had earlier participated in the exercise as observers.
o With participation of 16 nations and more than 140 aircraft, the 2018
edition was the largest Pitch Black ever conducted by Australia.
India, Thailand military drill concludes
o The armies of India and Thailand have concluded their two-week joint
exercise ‘Maitree 2018’ in Thailand on 19th August 2018.
o Exercise Maitree is an annual event designed to strengthen the
partnership between Royal Thai Army and Indian Army.
o The exercise commenced on August 6, 2018 in Thailand.
India building new fighter jet
o The Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), India’s next
indigenous fighter, is expected to make its first flight by 2032.
o The aircraft will have a low radar cross-section, making it difficult for the
enemy to spot it.
o This is India’s only fifth generation aircraft programme.
o The AMCA will feature geometric stealth and will initially fly with two GE-
414 engines.
Successful test of Smart Anti Airfield Weapon
o Indigenously designed and developed guided bombs Smart Anti
Airfield Weapon (SAAW) were successfully flight tested at Chandan
range in Rajasthan.
o The weapon is capable of destroying a variety of ground targets using
precision navigation.
o The SAAW is developed by Defence Research and Development
Organisation (DRDO) and will be used by the Indian Air Force.
Successful flight test of ATGM ‘HELINA’
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o Indigenously developed anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) HELINA has
been successfully tested in the ranges of Pokhran.
o The missile is guided by an Infrared Imaging Seeker (IIR) operating in the
Lock on Before Launch mode.
o It is one of the most advanced Anti-Tank Weapons in the world.
o The HELINA missile will be a part of the Army’s weaponry.
Israeli Navy to procure Barak 8 missile
o The multipurpose Barak 8 missile defence system will be procured by the
Israeli Navy to protect its economic zones and strategic facilities from
diversified threats.
o The Barak 8 missile defence system is jointly developed by India and
Israel.
o Barak-8 is an operational air and missile defense system used by the
Israeli Navy as well as by the Indian Navy and air forces.
DAC approves procurement of 6 patrol vessels
o The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) approved procurement of six
indigenously designed and manufactured Next Generation Offshore Patrol
Vessels (NGOPVs) for the Indian Navy.
o The DAC is headed by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
o The vessels will be built in indigenous shipyards and will be fitted with
state-of-the-art sensor suite with increased endurance.
Pak Navy's maritime ship to visit Colombo
o Pakistan Navy's maritime security ship 'Kashmir' to visit Sri Lanka's
Colombo port on Monday for a four days visit.
o During the stay the officers and men of the ship will take part in various
professional activities with Sri Lankan Navy.
US suspends military training with Pakistan
42 | P a g e
o The Trump administration has suspended more than a decade-long
military training programme of Pakistani personnel at the US institutions.
o This come days after Islamabad and Moscow signed an agreement to allow
Pakistani troops to receive training at the Russian defence centres.
o Pakistani officers have been receiving military training and education in
the US since early 1960.
SCO Peace Mission 2018: Russia
o As part of Shanghai Cooperation Organization initiatives, SCO Peace
Mission Exercise is conducted biennially for SCO member states.
o The joint exercise for the year 2018 will be conducted from 22 August to
29 August 2018 at Chebarkul, Chelyabinsk, Russia.
o This will be a historic occasion due to the maiden participation of India
post becoming a full member of the SCO in June 2017.
Indo - Thailand Joint Exercise Maitree 2018
o Exercise Maitree is a joint military exercise between Indian Army and
Royal Thai Army which started on 6 August and will end on 19 August
2018 in Thailand.
o It is a platoon level exercise which comprises of infantry component.
o The exercise will emphasize to hone the tactical and technical skills in joint
counter insurgency and counter terrorist operations in rural and urban
scenario.
Army on track for BIMSTEC exercise in Sept
o The Indian army conducted the final co-ordinating conference for the
Joint Military Exercise (MILEX-18) in Pune.
o MILEX-18 will be held at the Foreign Training Node at Aundh Military
Station in Pune in September 2018.
o The armies of all seven BIMSTEC countries — India, Sri Lanka,
Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Thailand and Myanmar — will be
participating in the exercise.
43 | P a g e
HAL’s Light Combat Aircraft under IAF
o The government is poised to hand over control of the Bengaluru division of
State-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to the Indian Air
Force (IAF).
o This comes as the next phase of the LCA project, development of the MK2
variant, as well as the country’s next fighter aircraft programme, the
Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), begin to take shape.
DRDO develops indigenous landing gear for UAV
o An indigenously designed and developed landing gear for the Unmanned
Aerial Vehicle (UAV)-Rustom II has been successfully tested.
o The landing gear developed by a Defence Research and Development
Organisation (DRDO) laboratory has undergone low-speed and high-
speed taxi trial in Karnataka.
o Rustom II is a medium-altitude long-endurance UAV designed for
carrying out surveillance.
Another success for naval LCA
o The naval version of the indigenously built Tejas Light Combat Aircraft
underwent a series of successful tests to check its capability to land on an
aircraft carrier.
o The Naval LCA is expected to begin touch and go landings on the INS
Vikramaditya.
o Tejas is a four-and-half generation light combat aircraft developed by
state-run aerospace behemoth Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL).
Advanced Air defence interceptor test fired
o The advanced Air defence interceptor missile has been successfully test
fired from Abdul Kalam Island on 2nd August 2018.
o The missile has been built with indigenous technology.
44 | P a g e
o The missile is being developed as part the Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD)
system, which can intercept medium-range ballistic missiles travelling at
speeds of Mach 3 to 8.
September 2018
Successful flight test of Astra Missile
o Astra missile was successfully test fired by the Indian Air Force, on 26
September 2018 from Air Force Station, Kalaikunda.
o Astra is the indigenously developed Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air
Missile (BVRAAM).
o Astra, deemed to be the best in class weapon system, has undergone more
than 20 developmental trials.
Parakram Parv from 28-30 Sept
o The Indian Armed Forces will observe ‘Parakram Parv’ from September 28
- 30 to mark the second anniversary of the surgical strikes across the Line
of Control.
o Stories of the recipients of the highest gallantry award, the Param Veer
Chakra will also be highlighted during the Parv.
o 53 locations in 51 cities across the country will host events highlighting
the valour of Indian Armed Forces.
Naravane appointed as Eastern Army Commander
o Lt. Gen. M.M. Naravane has been appointed as the next Eastern Army
Commander.
o Naravane is currently heading the Shimla-based Army Training Command
(ARTRAC).
o Naravane will be the senior most officer in the army after the current army
chief, General Bipin Rawat.
45 | P a g e
o Also, Air Marshal Anil Khosla who is currently the Eastern Air Force
Commander has been appointed as the Vice Chief of IAF.
Procurement of 1000 engines for T-72 tanks
o The Defence Acquisition Council has approved procurement
of 1,000 engines for fitment in T-72 tanks of the Army.
o The engines will enhance mobility, agility, and acceleration of T-72 tanks
making them more effective in the battlefield.
o Most of these engines will be manufactured by Ordnance Factories Board.
o The DAC has also approved amendments to Defence Procurement
Procedure 2016.
INS Kochi 'affiliated' to J&K Light Infantry
o INS Kochi was affiliated to the Jammu & Kashmir Light Infantry
Regiment (JAK LI) on 24 September 2018.
o An 'affiliation' between units is aimed at the synergy, coordination and
'jointness' between the services to ensure better coordination.
o The affiliation between naval and army units is an ongoing process and
this is the 31st affiliation of an Indian Naval unit.
Prithvi interceptor missile test successful
o India successfully conducted an interceptor missile test off the Odisha
coast.
o This Prithvi Defence Vehicle (PDV) mission is for engaging the targets in
the exo-atmosphere region at an altitude above 50 km of the earth's
atmosphere.
o The interceptor is guided by high-accuracy Inertial Navigation System
(INS) and is supported by a Redundant Micro Navigation System.
India successfully test fires Prahaar missile
o India successfully test-fired its indigenously developed surface-to-surface
short-range tactical ballistic missile 'Prahaar' on 20 September, 2018.
46 | P a g e
o 'Prahaar' has been developed by the Defence Research and Development
Organisation (DRDO).
o The missile is equipped with state-of-the-art navigation, guidance and
electromechanical actuation systems with advanced on board computer.
Exercise Aviaindra-18 commenced at Lipetsk
o Exercise Aviaindra is an Air Force level exercise between India and
the Russian Federation.
o First Aviaindra was conducted in 2014.
o Exercise Aviaindra 18 is being conducted at Lipetsk, Russia from 17 Sep to
28 Sep 2018 and will be conducted in Jodhpur, India from 10 Dec to 22
Dec 2018.
o The aim of the exercise is focused towards anti-terrorist operations.
October 2018
Successful night trial of Agni-1 missile
o A night trial of India's indigenously developed nuclear-capable Agni-1
ballistic missile was successfully conducted on 30 October 2018 from a test
range off Odisha coast.
o It has a strike range of 700 km.
o The missile can carry payloads up to 1000 kg.
o Agni-I missile has a specialised navigation system which ensures it reaches
the target with a high degree of accuracy and precision.
INS Tarangini returns after Voyage
o The sail training ship of Indian Navy 'INS Tarangini' returned to its naval
base in Kochi on 30 October 2018 after a seven-month-long voyage.
o The voyage named 'Lokayan 18' was flagged off on 10 April 2018 from
Kochi.
47 | P a g e
o It also participated in the culminating event of the 'Three Festival Tall
Ships Regatta' at Bordeaux in France and the 'Tall Ships Races Europe
2018'.
Upgradation of 17 Dornier Aircraft approved
o The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) gave approval for the mid-life
Upgrade of 17 Dornier Aircraft of Indian Coast Guard (ICG).
o The upgrades will be carried out by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
(HAL).
o The ICG has a fleet of Dornier aircraft which play a pivotal role in
maritime surveillance.
o DAC is chaired by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
Indigenously overhauled Su-30MKI given to IAF
o The 11 Base Repair Depot (BRD) of the Indian Air Force in Maharashtra’s
Nashik district handed over its first indigenously overhauled Sukhoi Su-
30MKI fighter jet to the IAF.
o The ceremony was held at the Air Force Station Ojhar.
o The Sukhoi Su-30MKI is a twin-jet multi-role air superiority aircraft
developed by Russia’s Sukhoi and built under licence by India’s Hindustan
Aeronautics Ltd (HAL).
Reliance Naval launched training ship
o ICGS Varuna, an indigenously-designed training vessel built by Reliance
Naval and Engineering Limited (RNEL) for the Indian Coast Guard, was
launched on 24 October 2018.
o The vessel's primary role is to impart sea training to cadets of Indian Coast
Gaurd (ICG).
o The vessel is 105 meters long and has a capacity of accommodating 242
personnel.
IAI signed missile defence deal with India
48 | P a g e
o Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has signed a US$ 777 million defence
contract with India.
o Under the contract, IAI will supply 'Barak 8' long-range surface-to-air
defence missiles and missile defence systems for the Indian Navy.
o Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) will be the main manufacturer for the
project.
o The IAI is Israel's largest aerospace and defence company.
India, Japan, U.S. plan joint air exercise
o India, Japan and the U.S. are set to elevate the bilateral ‘Cope India’ air
exercise to a trilateral format.
o The three countries already conduct naval war games under the expanded
Malabar naval exercise.
o The U.S. had proposed a trilateral air exercise between India, Japan and
the U.S.
o Cope India was first conducted in 2004.
Indo-Japan Joint Exercise: Dharma Guardian
o India and Japan will hold the first-ever joint military exercise 'DHARMA
GUARDIAN-2018'.
o The exercise will be held at Counter Insurgency Warfare School, Vairengte,
Mizoram from 1 November to 14 November 2018.
o The Indian contingent will be represented by 6/1 Gorkha Rifles.
o Japanese contingent will be represented by 32 Infantry Regiment of the
Japanese Ground Self Defence Force.
India, China set to resume military drill
o India and China will resume the annual joint Army exercise ‘Hand-in-
Hand’ in December 2018 in China’s Chengdu region.
o The scope of the exercise is to understand transnational terrorism and
evolve joint drills for the conduct of counter-terrorism operations.
o The last 'Hand-in-Hand' exercise took place in Pune in 2016.
49 | P a g e
o The Indian side would be represented by the 11 Sikh Light regiment.
Indian Navy acquired DSRVs
o Indian Navy has inducted its first Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle
(DSRVs)
o It is deployed to rescue the drowned or disaster-struck submarines at high
sea.
o At present, the US, China, Russia and a few other countries have the
capabilities to deploy DSRVs.
o The second DSRV is expected to be inducted at Visakhapatnam in 2019.
INS & Aircraft reach for IND-INDO CORPAT
o Indian Naval Ship (INS) Kulish and an Indian Dornier (naval maritime
time patrol aircraft) from Andaman and Nicobar command entered
Belawan harbour, Indonesia
o INS Kulish and Indian Dornier will attend the 32nd edition of 'India –
Indonesia coordinated patrol' (IND-INDO CORPAT).
o IND-INDO CORPAT began on 11 October 2018 and will end on 27 October
2018.
JIMEX excercise began in Visakhapatnam
o JIMEX-18, a bilateral maritime exercise between India and Japan, began
in Visakhapatnam on 7 October 2018.
o JIMEX-18 is aimed to enhance interoperability, improve understanding
and imbibe the best practices of each other.
o The Indian Navy was represented by INS Satpura, INS Kadmatt and INS
Shakti.
o The last edition of JIMEX was conducted in Dec 2013 off Chennai.
India, Vietnam hold joint drill
o A Vietnam Coast Guard ship undertook joint exercises with the Indian
Coast Guard off the city coast.
50 | P a g e
o Coast Guard ships Shaurya, Arnvesh and inreceptor boat C-431 along with
a Dornier aircraft and Chetak helicopter participated in the joint exercise -
'Sahyog HOP TAC-2018'.
o The exercise was aimed at acquainting the coast guards of the two
countries with each others' capabilities.
Trials of Astra BVR-AAM Completed Successfully
o A series of flight trials of 'Astra' Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile
(BVR-AAM) was conducted by the Indian Air Force from September 26 to
October 3 2018.
o The test was conducted at Integrated Test Range, Balasore.
o Defence Research and Development Organisation has developed the
missile.
o The missile is expected to be inducted into Indian Air Force in 2019.
IBSAMAR-VI kicks off in South Africa
o The sixth edition of IBSAMAR is being held at Simons Town, South Africa
from 01 – 13 October 2018.
o IBSAMAR is a joint Multi – National Maritime Exercise between the
Indian, Brazilian and South African Navies.
o The aim of the exercise is to undertake collective training for participating
navies and building interoperability.
o The last edition of IBSAMAR was conducted in Goa.
November 2018
India & UK began exercise 'Konkan'
o The Indian Navy and the Royal Navy of United Kingdom began the
exercise 'Konkan-2018' at Goa on 28 November 2018.
51 | P a g e
o The bilateral exercise provides a platform for the two Navies to
periodically exercise at sea and in harbour, so as to build interoperability
and share best practices.
o The Royal Navy was represented by HMS Dragon and the Indian Navy was
represented by INS Kolkata.
2 fast patrol vessels for CG launched
o Two fast patrol vessels manufactured by 'Garden Reach Shipbuilders and
Engineers' (GRSE) for Indian Coast Guard were launched on 22 November
2018.
o The vessels have been named ICGS Amrit Kaur and ICGS Kamla Devi.
o The vessels are fitted with state-of-the-art main engines with advanced
control systems with modular accommodation for 35 personnel.
India and Russia signed $500 million deal
o On 20 November 2018, India and Russia signed a USD 500 million deal
for construction of two missile frigates in Goa for the Indian Navy.
o The agreement for manufacturing of the two Talvar-class warships was
signed between Goa Shipyard Ltd (GSL) and Russia's state-run defence
major Rosoboronexport.
o Russia will provide design, technology and key materials to GSL for
construction of the ships.
Military exercise 'Vajra Prahar' commenced
o The joint military exercise 'Vajra Prahar' between India and the United
States commenced in Jaipur on 19 November 2018.
o The aim is to enhance the interoperability of the two armed forces.
o The armies will train on different aspects including hostage rescue,
building intervention, desert survival, medical aid and combat firing.
Indian Navy completes refit of Maldivian ship
52 | P a g e
o Maldivian Coast Guard Ship (MCGS) Huravee successfully completed refit
at the naval dockyard Visakhapatnam.
o The MCGS Huravee was originally commissioned as INS Tillanchang, a
Trinkat-class patrol vessel built by the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and
Engineers, Kolkata in March 2001.
o It was gifted to the Maldives by the Government of India in April 2006.
'Tall ships sail together' expedition began
o Chief of Indian Navy, Admiral Sunil Lanba flagged off a ‘tall ships sail
together’ expedition on 14 November 2018.
o The expedition will cover a distance of 1,200 nautical miles from Kochi to
Muscat to retrace the trade links that existed between the erstwhile
Malabar coast and the Persian Gulf.
o The event is held as part of the 10th-anniversary celebrations of the Indian
Ocean Naval Symposium.
'EXERCISE INDRA' to be conducted from 18 Nov
o The joint military exercise between India and Russia named 'EXERCISE
INDRA 2018' on combating insurgency will be conducted from 18
November 2018.
o The exercise is being held under the aegis of United Nations (UN)
at Babina Field Firing Ranges in Madhya Pradesh.
o The aim of the exercise is to practice joint planning and conduct to
enhance the interoperability of the two Armies.
'Samudra Shakti' exercise inaugurated
o Indian and Indonesian Navy's Bilateral Exercise 'Samudra Shakti' is being
held from 12 to 18 November 2018.
o The aim of the exercise is to strengthen bilateral relations, expand
maritime co-operation, enhance interoperability and exchange best
practices.
53 | P a g e
o INS Rana of the Eastern Fleet based at Visakhapatnam under the Eastern
Naval Command is participating in the exercise.
December 2018
IAF tested flight using blended Bio-Jet fuel
o In a first, experimental test pilot and test engineer of the Indian Air Force
(IAF) flew an 'An-32' military transport aircraft using blended bio-jet fuel
on 17 December 2018.
o The project is a combined effort of IAF, DRDO, Directorate General
Aeronautical Quality Assurance (DGAQA), and CSIR-Indian Institute of
Petroleum.
o The bio-jet fuel is made from Jatropha oil.
Navy to inaugurate 'Information Fusion Centre'
o The Navy will inaugurate the Information Fusion Centre (IFC) for the
Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
o Through this Centre, information on 'white shipping', or commercial
shipping, will be exchanged with countries in the region to improve
maritime domain awareness in the Indian Ocean.
o The IFC has been established at the Navy’s Information Management and
Analysis Centre (IMAC) in Gurugram, Haryana.
India's first private UAV factory inaugurated
o India' first private sector unit for manufacturing unmanned aerial vehicles
(UAVs) opened at Adani Aerospace Park in Hyderabad.
o The Adani Aerospace Park facility has been built by the Adani Group and
Israel-based Elbit Systems.
o The facility will develop 'Hermes 900' medium altitude long-endurance
UAVs for the Indian and global markets.
54 | P a g e
Coast Guard launches 'Operation Oliva'
o The Indian Coast Guard launched the 'Operation Oliva' exercise at the
Gahirmatha marine sanctuary in Odisha.
o The aim of the exercise is to protect the endangered Olive Ridley sea
turtles during their breeding season.
o A state-of-the-art Coast Guard ship is maintaining round-the-clock vigil
along the coastal shoreline.
HAL’s Helicopter clears 6-km flight test
o The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited's (HAL) multi-purpose Light Utility
Helicopter (LUH) that is under development achieved an important
milestone of flying at 6 km altitude on 10 December 2018.
o The LUH has a maximum permitted height limit of 6.5 km.
o The LUH will replace the aged Cheetah and Chetak helicopters of the
Armed Forces.
DSRVs inducted by the Indian Navy
o The Indian Navy inducted its first Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle
(DSRV) system at the naval dockyard in Mumbai on 11 December 2018.
o DSRV is used to rescue crew members stranded in submarines that get
disabled.
o The Indian Navy joined a select group of naval forces in the world that
boasts of DSRVs.
o The DSRV can be operated at a depth of 650 meters and can hold around
15 people.
Agni V Missile successfully launched
o Agni V was successfully launched from a canister on a road-mobile
launcher at the Dr Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha on 10
December 2018.
o Agni V is a long-range surface-to-surface Nuclear Capable Ballistic missile.
55 | P a g e
o The launch operations were carried out and monitored by the Strategic
Forces Command (SFC) and Scientists from Defence Research and
Development Organisation (DRDO).
Exercise 'Cross Bow 18' conducted by IAF
o The Indian Air Force (IAF) conducted the exercise code-named 'Cross Bow
18' at the Air Force Station at Suryalanka in Andhra Pradesh on 8
December 2018.
o In the exercise, the Indian Air Force successfully tested the firing of four
different classes of missiles like Akash, Spyder, OSA-AK-M, and IGLA.
o The aim of the exercise is to improve the combat skills of the missile
squadron crew.
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